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Having a dog. It's an unnecessary expense, but he massively improves my life. I'd never had a dog before and I've been taken aback by quite how much I love having him around.
Walking into the house after a day of work and my baby grinning at me and the dog going wild is honestly the most heartwarming thing.
Agree with this. We were away the other weekend so she went to doggy boarders and I hated the house without her in it. When my mum was dying and it was all a bit much I would slip her lead on and take her out at lunchtime (dog obvs) and seeing her trotting along, tail up and wagging and just so happy to be out and about lifted my mood every single day. She is such a joy.
Yarp to this - my dog turned 1 last week brought him a massive steak. Walk him 3 times a day… I’m working nights this week & my missus is wfh the dogs literally been sleeping/laying next to me most of the day. Fucking love the boy more than I ever thought I would.
Same here! Love my little girl, she's my best mate and I wouldn't be without her.
She loves exploring and I love seeing her happy when we're out. She's really friendly too, so we often end up saying hello to lots of people and other dogs
It's the walks for me. Being forced out of the house for some quiet time twice a day is a huge benefit. My dog stays with family sometimes and I really miss it.
Before I got my dog (she's two) I sometimes wouldn't even leave my bed if I wasn't working. Now I have to get up to feed/walk/play with her and it means I do so much more. Absolutely the best thing I did for my mental health. Even when she is being a menace
Any plans to get another when the pain heals? I know it can be tough but the one we got to replace my childhood cat is awesome in a different way to her predecessor. She is why I get up in the morning (and not just because she demands her breakfast!).
Probably not while I'm single - I was in a relationship when I got them, and it's just been me who had been with them for years after my divorce.
They were the only thing that kept me going through most of it, but I can't take on a new one with it just being me.
I never had pets growing up and I don't like animals.
But the connection I feel with my first cat is unreal. I probably sound like a crackpot, but I genuinely consider her a true friend. We don't speak the same language, and she's a fucking cat. But I can see her different moods day to day, her curiosity, her critical thinking in new situations. She'll come up to me and look me in the eye, purr, touch my face with her paw and groom my hair when she's missed me.
I've seen her shake with fear and trill with delight. I've seen her figure out how to manipulate objects and bond with my family. She learned the exact sound of my walk and waits at the window when she hears me coming home.
When I get home really late from the office she'll yowl at me and push my watch, wallet and phone off the table as a "fuck you" for being out too long. I guess she understands they're my favourite toys. She's broken two of my watches that way.
Her emotions are just as important to me as the humans in my life, I see no reason to take hers any less seriously. She'll always just be a housecat, but I had no idea the depth of emotion and empathy I could have with an animal.
The other cat is a fucking space cadet but I love her too.
I also didn't have pets growing up but I love sharing my house with these little creatures. It's just so interesting. Like you say you can actually communicate a lot with them after a while, you can understand a lot of what they are saying a d thinking, but at the same time they're unfathomably mysterious in other ways. It makes me look at all animals differently tbh
This is so true. I always had pets growing up but I think living on my own with them has helped me to really understand them better. I just enjoy spending time with them and they learn to interpret you too.
They stay in my flat and my parents (who live locally) or my neighbours (who also have cats, so I can return the favour) feed them for me. I don't mind leaving them for a week or so with daily visitors as they have each other (I have two) but if it's longer I'll try and get someone to stay over a few days to keep them company
Totally agree, I never had pets growing up but always liked animals, because I'm out for work in the day it didn't seem fair to get a dog so I thought cat. Then my brother met (and married) my sis-in-law who had a cat who I just fell in love with so thought I'd get mine own and a few months later a friends cat was pregnant. That was almost 7 years ago and don't regret a thing. I live alone (have done for approx 13 years) and didn't ever feel lonely but honestly having this little furry fat menace in the home has bought so much joy.
Every evening for 7 years I get to return home from work to see his little face and have a good 5 minute cuddle (he's like a stress ball, one squeeze and instantly calmer)
Fortnightly therapy. 18 months of it, 50 quid a session and I feel unrecognisable from when I started. Even though things are so much better, I have no plans to stop as it's far too useful. The sessions I think I have nothing to discuss end up being the most valuable!
It was market rate when we started, probably under now but worth every penny. She even gave me a discounted rate when I unexpectedly lost my job mid last year and I insisted on repaying the difference when I was back on my feet. Highly recommend to anyone if it's a possible for you
It can be, yes! Used the counselling-directory.org to select where I was and that I wanted in person and then you can go on to filter specific issues you might want to work on and it'll show you those who are experienced in doing so! I picked someone based on their bio, and we had a free initial session to see if we clicked and luckily we did! But worth contacting a few initially to see who is a good fit for you. It also gives their fee on the website so you know exactly what you're getting in to. Good luck!
Mortgage. My rent meant that money was disappearing every month with nothing to show for it. Now I have the joy of knowing that every month takes me that little bit closer to owning it all and being able to reduce my working hours.
Last August-ish we were meant to buy as it was exploding upwards but our mortage advisors (Acumen) clowned around for 2 weeks and it jumped from 4.25% to 5.25% 🤦♂️
Membership to a non "budget" commercial chain gym. It costs roughly double what I was previously paying per month, but it's so worth it. No pj bottom wearing youths making a nuisance, people actually caring about the facilities and keeping stuff clean and tidy, and lovely knowledgeable staff who actively want to work there. It's a proper third space and I love it.
Yeah mine is a gym but also a great community, quite often people stay behind and have a coffee and chill, when the weather's nice we move all the chairs outside (and some of the benches) to sit in the sun. I'm never as happy as I am when I'm able to get to the gym.
Same, I joined the local council gym, and I've really enjoyed it. Used to go to a low cost gym and although it was ok I felt far too old and out of place.
Now I meet the same people in the sauna in the evening and have a good chat.
Reminds me of going to your local pub but healthier
I've moved away from London now but using the gym/pool/spa in the 5* hotel opposite for double the price of a PureGym was an absolute eye opener to how much I valued a decent environment for exercise.
Really miss that place.
Home gym.
I used to go to the gym a lot then lockdown happened.
Bought a power rack from decathlon on sale, wife got me an exercise bike as a joint bday/Xmas present.
I'm in the best shape I've been since uni and almost never miss a workout now..
Girlfriend used to moan at me for keeping gym equipment in the conservatory because it took up so much space and I "never use it". Now I'm back into the routine and she's stopped. She even reorganised some of the shelves tk make room for my extra stuff
Laser hair removal on my face. Being a hairy woman is bad enough but having facial hair is something else. I never realised how much it impacted my every day and the way I interact with people until I started having it removed.
Curious how much does this cost and is it a one off thing, my missus is wanting it but unsure of the cost or process. If it’s manageable I might try to gift her it
Laserclinicsuk are all over and do sessions for £40. You cant just gift 1 session tho, you don't start to see results until after 4-6, and you want to do over 10
It’s worth looking around at local clinics as they all charge different amounts, some places wanted like £150+. I was able to find somewhere that charged me £65 a session, I would have a session every 4 weeks. This was very cheap and reasonable compared to other places however I do live in a city lol. A lot of places let you buy a bulk amount of sessions, say 8 sessions for £500 or something like that.
I stopped it for around a year and a half and I’m wanting to go back to do it now, it’s not a permanent fix but I can’t rave about it enough! I’m happy to answer anymore questions.
Local gym (David Lloyds) - it's a relatively high monthly expense but gives me somewhere to go and get energy out, I've picked up a new hobby (tennis) which I'm a little obsessed with, and keeps me from being a couch potato.
David lloyds is way more expensive than any other place but it just gives you that rich person feeling when you enter and makes you feel like you're getting your money's worth. Worth it especially if you do any other sports or even if you want to occasionally sit and work from there.
Yeah I wouldn’t say it gives you ‘that rich person feeling’ haha - it’s pretty good, but for the money you pay it’s not 100% perfect. It definitely makes it a nicer environment than most gyms and having a pool/spa is a bonus.
As someone who had to run to get a bucket for leaks in the roof when it rained, it did to me. Although I've only been there a few times as a guest on my friends membership so idk.
Opposite for me. I cancelled my pass because I could never get deliveries once COVID hit. I forgot how much I enjoyed going to the supermarket in person.
> I do love visiting foreign supermarkets when on holiday
I went to Orlando in March and spent a day going around Walmart and Publix. I wish I had a second suitcase to bring back all the stuff I wanted!
I enjoy a burp as the next guy, but that seems like a lot of money - were there actual health benefits associated or did you just really want to rip some monster burps?
Think of it this way, if you're not burping, where is that gas going? Obviously as a kid I was a bit jealous of the fact that other kids could make a funny noise that I couldn't, but no the reasoning was that the gas otherwise has to work its way all the way through my digestive system, meaning a lot of discomfort and a lot of farting. Having the procedure done has honestly been life changing, but the condition isn't recognised by the NHS. Thank god for the r/noburp subreddit for bringing treatment to my attention though
Interesting! I think the procedure I have they also use for people who struggle swallowing. When I was seeing my GP about gastrointestinal issues and I mentioned about not burping she just said "I think that's just how you are" and left it at that
I’m card carrying r/noburp but the only worry I have is that it’ll make my acid reflux worse because there won’t be anything stopping it. Did you have acid reflux before/after?
I did and got it medicated with omeprazole. I still haven't come off it because the rebound is quite intense, so I can't be sure if it's better than it was pre-medication. The period before the botox wore off (for some reason I can still burp despite it wearing off) I did get quite bad acid reflux at night and had to use a wedge pillow for a bit, but that's all stopped now
Interesting. Mine is sometimes still quite bad even with omeprazole and a wedge pillow so I think I’d need to get it under control first then get the Botox. Thank you!
A professional cleaner. I pay £40/week for 2.5 hours and it's changed my life. Sometimes we ask for an hour extra when the oven etc needs doing.
I have more time to spend with my family or just chill
Highly recommend. It's improved the quality of my life massively. I haven't always had a cleaner. I only got one recently as I have a 18 month old toddler and I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant. I actually enjoy cleaning and find it therapeutic but with a little one who keeps me busy as well as work, it was becoming stressful and exhausting.
Motorbike.
It's pretty expensive for a toy and yes, it's statistically pretty dangerous. Oh but the sheer unadulterated fun of it!!!
The danger forces you to remain completely focused in order to... not die, leaving any other stresses or worries completely aside. So it's just you on your bike and the open road, for hours of adrenaline soaked fun.
I can't think of anything else in my life that's given more smiles per £. I'm a sensible middle aged dad and I ride around with a big stupid fucking grin on my face, and giving the odd "woohoo!" etc on the really good bits. Wish I'd started earlier.
I'd recommend everybody to at least try it.
I loved riding my bike as a kid, and I've always quite enjoyed driving in the countryside as an adult. Having a motorbike is like taking those drives through the country on a bicycle that's as quick as a bloody lamborghini. It's excellent!
Definitely this. Or 5 motorcycles now and maybe 6 after the weekend in my case.
Wouldn't say it's that expensive but worth every penny for that blast of freedom from anything else.
5 or 6?! You jammy sod!
I quite fancy the idea of getting a second one, but financially I'm struggling to justify to myself whether another one will be different *enough* from mine to warrant doubling up the tax, insurance & maintenance etc.
I've been trying to get my missus to ride and she's only just beginning to consider coming pillion - but neither of us are small in stature so I'm thinking a cruiser could be good (and change enough from my naked)
Doesn't double the insurance. Can usually get a decent multibike policy. Mine is £230 for year for 4 of them. 1 is currently in bits and off road. Don't have to tax and MOT them all constantly.
If it looks different then that's enough justification, surely? 😁
We (my wife anyway) have horses so I easily justify it by there being no motorcycle in existence that costs more than they do to run. Plus my bikes don't die if I ignore them in the shed for 6 months.
Each clinic has various strains, there are loads to choose from and you will recognise many of them. They vary in THC and CBD strength, from 0-30+%. You can also get various oils, gummies and topical creams etc. there's basically options to suit any form of consumption or need, and the Dr will help to determine what's best for you.
It is, but the reaction from your work place and other medical professionals will vary.
For example I've had one GP write a letter for me confirming the medication and a different one saying it was dodgy and refused to have anything to do with it.
I was allowed to use it when admitted into hospital, and nurses would treat it as any other medication.
I was also suspended from work for a long period of time after having a positive THC reading on a drug test, even though HR had copies of my prescriptions from the beginning, this led me to end my prescription because of fears of the impact on my career. This all happened quite recently and my job role is now more restricted.
It's a bit of a grey area with driving as well where people have been charged for drug driving etc, even though it stays in your system for up to a month so there is no way to prove a medical user used their script before driving or may be impaired.
Though, this all depends on your job role and lifestyle, many people have had positive reactions from their employers etc, it's a bit of a mixed bag.
Most clinics have a list of conditions that you're basically guaranteed for. If you've tried a few standard medications from a GP with little success for a medical issue you are likely to get the prescription.
They are all private medical clinics, meaning they profit from their patients so it is in their best interest to prescribe the medication so generally I think it is quite likely.
Air con in the house. Fitted 20 years ago, people thought I was mad. Now they come round in summer to chill and I get a good night's sleep without leaving the windows open.
Medical cannabis.
I'm (40m) disabled, and I have a chronic pain condition that's degenerative. I've had issues since my early teens that were once infrequent and mild, but over the years, it's gotten worse. I couldn't find an NHS medication that worked without leaving me feeling like a zombie. I spent years on all different kinds of pill cocktails including tramadol, diazepam etc
18 months or so ago, I heard that cannabis was available via private prescription, so I decided to give it a try. It isn't cheap, but I can manage my condition and go about my business, including going to work etc and participating in life in a way I was unable to before the switch.
Still, there are negatives. Notably, the stigma and perception from some of being a "druggy". But I don't worry about that too much as it's irrelevant compared to the upside.
As also mentioned, the cost. The NHS can theoretically prescribe it, but practically, they can't due to red tape. I think less than 10 people in the UK have a cannabis based prescription on the NHS, and they have to be INCREDIBLY poorly. As such, I pay £200 - £300 for a months worth of medication from my clinic.
It depends on quality, really. I get 30g a month. Medical cannabis starts at around £4/g but I tend to go for some of the pricier stuff. But, as a patient, I also have legal protection when driving etc.
What was the process of getting checked for this? Are you able to just find out any vitamins you're deficient in? My brain is just shit and officially I'm diagnosed with ADHD but there's part of me that still really hopes there's really an easily treatable physical condition at the root of it.
You can get a test, however it costs near enough the same as a round of treatments. Therefore, I would recommend having 4 jabs and seeing how you feel. I had a blood test for an operation that showed my levels are low. But as a vegetarian who eats little dairy I expected them to be low.
Rent. Everything else would be irrelevant without a roof above my head.
On a more serious note, my Xbox Game Pass subscription. I rarely play these days with family and everything but having the option to just jump into a game, try it for a few hours without even having to install anything and just fool around is great for me.
Could say gym, health and mental challenge of it. Yadda Yadda boring gym convo complete. However if I spent money on shrooms I would say that would be a good improvement, in fact I would think it would sometimes be fucking mental 😁
Bought a peloton second hand and absolutely love it. I think it’s worth it, though of course cheaper alternatives are available.
Paying for a cleaner once a week or month really is great if you’ve got the money. Nice to have that extra time back and the house be cleaner than I could do myself.
I don’t have one at the moment but when we did we’d have them come in for a few hours once a month and they’d just give the whole house a good clean around like a vac and mop of all the floors, a good dust around, deep clean the bathrooms, change the bedding, give the kitchen a wipe down. It made the house feel really nice when they’d finished!
Honestly this is part of the benefit for me. I have ADHD and consequently I tend to procrastinate on tidying a lot if I don't have an external deadline. Having a fortnightly cleaner gives me the scheduled push I need to keep on top of things, and the clean house afterwards is like an extra bonus.
My peleton bike is my answer too. Used a nurse bonus last year after carefully weighing it up and it's been life changing. I was already fit but I've never been in better shape. The range of classes is insanely vast and the music is pretty decent.
I really like all of the classes and the versatility of things you can do. The instructors are great but when you sign up you can do any classes from just cycling (beginner, intermediate, tabata, power zones), a weights class, stretching, cycling boot camps, yoga, meditation etc. It also has things built in like being able to do cycles in places around the world (or guided versions of this), a good cycling game and you can login with Netflix and Disney plus and cycle along.
They do have a schedule of live classes and prerecorded ones.
I think the fact that the instructors are really good as well as the range of classes makes a difference.
It is an expensive investment but I really like it! Plus I share with my partner so technically the membership is £20pp, less per person if there’s a few of you in your house using it.
As someone who has never really been into biking, I think it’s great. Plus it’s hard to justify not doing it when it’s only 20-30 minutes of your evening rather than a trek to the gym.
Happy to answer any other questions you might have!
Where did you get the 2nd hand peloton from? Been looking on Ebay for a while but bit worried I'll spend 500 quid and it breaks quickly after buying it! How's it been for you?
I bought it in January on Facebook marketplace. Took a bit of scouting but managed to find someone selling the newest model and managed to get a pair of the shoes and the mat included which was smashing. I think there’s a few peloton specific groups on Facebook for people looking to buy and sell them.
It’s worth asking the questions on why they are selling it, asking for a demo if you go and look at it. The sellers we found were great, fortunately and showed us it working at their house when we went to collect it.
I would say if you do pick one up second hand, they are bloody heavy and it takes a few people to disassemble it and reassemble it!
Not pillows but for me a really nice duvet so same sentiment, comes in two parts (3.5 & 9.5 tog)so can sleep at the perfect temperature in all seasons 😌
Nice ! Not allowed a feather duvet due to vegan mrs but we run a two duvet system with a dual zone heated topper on a super king with a memory foam topper and also a normal topper , Bedding is also long staple cotton high thread count sateen weave . Have stayed in some high end hotels since and frankly I’ve ruined myself as they’re like sleeping on a park bench wrapped in hessian sacks in comparison
Lolol mattress has something like 3000 individually isolated springs , so kids can jump on one side and u don’t feel it , some sort of internal topper, it’s about 18in deep by itself , a protective padded topper , a 50mm memory foam topper , then the heated padded topper , we have 9 pillows , 6 are feather 3 are normal , then I have remote control Colour changing sunset /dawn simulation dimmable light , high tog duvet & low tog duvet.
Ahh that sounds like the beds you get in America where you almost need to vault onto them (they look amazing tbf)
Also your post made me identify another addition to this thread - sunrise alarm clock! Honestly game changer, have had one going on a decade and waking up at the crack of hell is a little better in winter
We use a ladder . Yeah I have had a lumie one for years and have also started putting wifi bulbs throughout the house so at night after I clamber up mt bed I dim the landing lights , kids bedrooms and switch off the downstairs lights . But leave one on motion activation . Tech as fuck. Don’t have to turn on the lamps when u get up to get a drink they turn on dimmed setting as u open the door .
My internet and subscriptions. I enrolled for a handful of Adult Community Learning courses to get the necessary skills to use different programs like MS Publisher and Adobe Photoshop.
Aside from a good duvet - an awning (manual but that still cost £3k)
South facing garden 😒
I have the skin of a pale Victorian 👻 and burn at the mere hint of sunshine …it allows me to actually go outside and not suffer the consequences.
A car. I live in a very rural area, and we get one bus every hour from 9am to 5pm but nothing apart from that.
Now that I have a car, I can actually get a job in the next town over. It also means I can travel four hours down south to see my sister whenever I want to.
Early doors in my financial journey:
Portable aircon - can’t remember what it was, £150 maybe, pipe out the window, make any room cold, was perfect.
Laser eye surgery - not sure that really needs an explanation.
Now it would be the upgrade from a cleaner to housekeeper. It just really adds managing whatever you can’t be bothered to do yourself.
Basically a cleaner plus. The new Cleaner 15 Pro Max.
You can effectively get them to do whatever you want within reason of course. They can do your laundry on site, but it all away etc. if you want they could manage a laundry service (as doing laundry will take up their time) but they could prepare the clothes for the laundry service and put them away when they come back.
I would say laundry is the big one, but other things that most cleaners won’t do is things like sorting out your fridge, I quite often had cleaning services (not dedicated cleaners) what wouldn’t do things like the dishes or cat litter, sometimes even tidying as they weren’t there enough.
Basically they can do any chore rather than remain within the scope of cleaner.
They also generally manage other services or other cleaners depending on how big the operation is. My explanation above is for changing a cleaner into a house keeper but it means something a little different if you’re talking a stately home team.
Mountain bike.
It's a great way to unwind after a busy day, and the longer rides I do on the weekend are always something to look forward to!
I spend far too much money on bits for it but ah well.
Probably always having a holiday booked (I say, as I don’t have one booked). But having something to look forward to constantly gets me through the mundane and helps me to be better with my money
Wegovy. My current order is costing me £175 a month and it's making weight loss easier by the simple fact that im not having nearly as many cravings as I have in the past. And I see it as a net win because I could easily spend that much on garbage food in a month.
Looking forward to upping my dose because it feels like it gets a bit less effective as the weeks draws to a close
Weed. I honestly can’t begin to describe how much it has helped me. It has brought me out of every depression period I have gone through. It gives me the strength to get through the tough times and when I can’t be bothered to deal with the world.
A good foam mattress! I've had bad experiences and started having back pain by sleeping on those spring mattresses, a medium firm stiff foam mattress worth 100-150 will change your life and you'll actually have a good night's sleep! Highly recommend it!
Car/van.
Ignoring the monetary aspect, if you gave me a choice between having to move out of my house and go back to renting, or sell my van, I'd keep the van.
It's just too useful. Sick of everything? Sod it, jump in the car and just keep driving.
A good quality mattress, followed by Savers earplugs (£1 or something for 6 pairs, which last about 3 nights a pair. Also, decaff coffee (yeah, I have sleep issues).
If you asked me between 20 and 1 year ago, it would have been a gym membership which I enjoyed, got me out of the house, got me knackered in a good way and was great for mental health. I now love to just kill time in the garden. Enjoyable, gets me out of the house, gets me a bit tired.
Bicycle. Bought it years ago, and have been using it regularly, esp since I lot my car to Ulez (thank you Mr Khan, you scumbag mayor of London). Best way to travel in summer - it's faster than anything else on short yourneys, it's free, and keeps me fit.
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Having a dog. It's an unnecessary expense, but he massively improves my life. I'd never had a dog before and I've been taken aback by quite how much I love having him around. Walking into the house after a day of work and my baby grinning at me and the dog going wild is honestly the most heartwarming thing.
Agree with this. We were away the other weekend so she went to doggy boarders and I hated the house without her in it. When my mum was dying and it was all a bit much I would slip her lead on and take her out at lunchtime (dog obvs) and seeing her trotting along, tail up and wagging and just so happy to be out and about lifted my mood every single day. She is such a joy.
Yes! Totally agree with this one. Great company in the house and good reason to get out for walks
Yarp to this - my dog turned 1 last week brought him a massive steak. Walk him 3 times a day… I’m working nights this week & my missus is wfh the dogs literally been sleeping/laying next to me most of the day. Fucking love the boy more than I ever thought I would.
Same here! Love my little girl, she's my best mate and I wouldn't be without her. She loves exploring and I love seeing her happy when we're out. She's really friendly too, so we often end up saying hello to lots of people and other dogs
The love of a dog is unmatched ❤️
"Always try to be the person your dog thinks you are"
It's the walks for me. Being forced out of the house for some quiet time twice a day is a huge benefit. My dog stays with family sometimes and I really miss it.
Before I got my dog (she's two) I sometimes wouldn't even leave my bed if I wasn't working. Now I have to get up to feed/walk/play with her and it means I do so much more. Absolutely the best thing I did for my mental health. Even when she is being a menace
My cats. Make me a bit happier every day than I would be without them. Great payoff.
My cats have sadly passed away, but they were easily the best ongoing expense of my life.
Any plans to get another when the pain heals? I know it can be tough but the one we got to replace my childhood cat is awesome in a different way to her predecessor. She is why I get up in the morning (and not just because she demands her breakfast!).
Probably not while I'm single - I was in a relationship when I got them, and it's just been me who had been with them for years after my divorce. They were the only thing that kept me going through most of it, but I can't take on a new one with it just being me.
I never had pets growing up and I don't like animals. But the connection I feel with my first cat is unreal. I probably sound like a crackpot, but I genuinely consider her a true friend. We don't speak the same language, and she's a fucking cat. But I can see her different moods day to day, her curiosity, her critical thinking in new situations. She'll come up to me and look me in the eye, purr, touch my face with her paw and groom my hair when she's missed me. I've seen her shake with fear and trill with delight. I've seen her figure out how to manipulate objects and bond with my family. She learned the exact sound of my walk and waits at the window when she hears me coming home. When I get home really late from the office she'll yowl at me and push my watch, wallet and phone off the table as a "fuck you" for being out too long. I guess she understands they're my favourite toys. She's broken two of my watches that way. Her emotions are just as important to me as the humans in my life, I see no reason to take hers any less seriously. She'll always just be a housecat, but I had no idea the depth of emotion and empathy I could have with an animal. The other cat is a fucking space cadet but I love her too.
I also didn't have pets growing up but I love sharing my house with these little creatures. It's just so interesting. Like you say you can actually communicate a lot with them after a while, you can understand a lot of what they are saying a d thinking, but at the same time they're unfathomably mysterious in other ways. It makes me look at all animals differently tbh
This is so true. I always had pets growing up but I think living on my own with them has helped me to really understand them better. I just enjoy spending time with them and they learn to interpret you too.
What do you do with them when you go on holiday? I'd like to get a cat but I'm thinking of the practicality
They stay in my flat and my parents (who live locally) or my neighbours (who also have cats, so I can return the favour) feed them for me. I don't mind leaving them for a week or so with daily visitors as they have each other (I have two) but if it's longer I'll try and get someone to stay over a few days to keep them company
Totally agree, I never had pets growing up but always liked animals, because I'm out for work in the day it didn't seem fair to get a dog so I thought cat. Then my brother met (and married) my sis-in-law who had a cat who I just fell in love with so thought I'd get mine own and a few months later a friends cat was pregnant. That was almost 7 years ago and don't regret a thing. I live alone (have done for approx 13 years) and didn't ever feel lonely but honestly having this little furry fat menace in the home has bought so much joy. Every evening for 7 years I get to return home from work to see his little face and have a good 5 minute cuddle (he's like a stress ball, one squeeze and instantly calmer)
Fortnightly therapy. 18 months of it, 50 quid a session and I feel unrecognisable from when I started. Even though things are so much better, I have no plans to stop as it's far too useful. The sessions I think I have nothing to discuss end up being the most valuable!
£50 is a bargain.
It was market rate when we started, probably under now but worth every penny. She even gave me a discounted rate when I unexpectedly lost my job mid last year and I insisted on repaying the difference when I was back on my feet. Highly recommend to anyone if it's a possible for you
100% I think this is often overlooked
How did you find/choose a therapist? I want to start but it's so overwhelming!
It can be, yes! Used the counselling-directory.org to select where I was and that I wanted in person and then you can go on to filter specific issues you might want to work on and it'll show you those who are experienced in doing so! I picked someone based on their bio, and we had a free initial session to see if we clicked and luckily we did! But worth contacting a few initially to see who is a good fit for you. It also gives their fee on the website so you know exactly what you're getting in to. Good luck!
Mortgage. My rent meant that money was disappearing every month with nothing to show for it. Now I have the joy of knowing that every month takes me that little bit closer to owning it all and being able to reduce my working hours.
*Cries in 5.25% fixed
*in 30% depreciation.
5.25%? The obligatory..... Back in my day, interest was 17% /S
When houses cost one weeks wages? Also /s
Wow that's high... May I know when you fixed?
Theirs is the same as mine, I fixed March last year for 2 years, but the rate was basically the same for 5 year fixed as well at the time.
Last August-ish we were meant to buy as it was exploding upwards but our mortage advisors (Acumen) clowned around for 2 weeks and it jumped from 4.25% to 5.25% 🤦♂️
Membership to a non "budget" commercial chain gym. It costs roughly double what I was previously paying per month, but it's so worth it. No pj bottom wearing youths making a nuisance, people actually caring about the facilities and keeping stuff clean and tidy, and lovely knowledgeable staff who actively want to work there. It's a proper third space and I love it.
Yeah mine is a gym but also a great community, quite often people stay behind and have a coffee and chill, when the weather's nice we move all the chairs outside (and some of the benches) to sit in the sun. I'm never as happy as I am when I'm able to get to the gym.
Same, I joined the local council gym, and I've really enjoyed it. Used to go to a low cost gym and although it was ok I felt far too old and out of place. Now I meet the same people in the sauna in the evening and have a good chat. Reminds me of going to your local pub but healthier
I've moved away from London now but using the gym/pool/spa in the 5* hotel opposite for double the price of a PureGym was an absolute eye opener to how much I valued a decent environment for exercise. Really miss that place.
Home gym. I used to go to the gym a lot then lockdown happened. Bought a power rack from decathlon on sale, wife got me an exercise bike as a joint bday/Xmas present. I'm in the best shape I've been since uni and almost never miss a workout now..
Girlfriend used to moan at me for keeping gym equipment in the conservatory because it took up so much space and I "never use it". Now I'm back into the routine and she's stopped. She even reorganised some of the shelves tk make room for my extra stuff
Laser hair removal on my face. Being a hairy woman is bad enough but having facial hair is something else. I never realised how much it impacted my every day and the way I interact with people until I started having it removed.
Agree, in my case I did electrolysis and it's so worth the pain and the money.
Curious how much does this cost and is it a one off thing, my missus is wanting it but unsure of the cost or process. If it’s manageable I might try to gift her it
Laserclinicsuk are all over and do sessions for £40. You cant just gift 1 session tho, you don't start to see results until after 4-6, and you want to do over 10
It’s worth looking around at local clinics as they all charge different amounts, some places wanted like £150+. I was able to find somewhere that charged me £65 a session, I would have a session every 4 weeks. This was very cheap and reasonable compared to other places however I do live in a city lol. A lot of places let you buy a bulk amount of sessions, say 8 sessions for £500 or something like that. I stopped it for around a year and a half and I’m wanting to go back to do it now, it’s not a permanent fix but I can’t rave about it enough! I’m happy to answer anymore questions.
Local gym (David Lloyds) - it's a relatively high monthly expense but gives me somewhere to go and get energy out, I've picked up a new hobby (tennis) which I'm a little obsessed with, and keeps me from being a couch potato.
David lloyds is way more expensive than any other place but it just gives you that rich person feeling when you enter and makes you feel like you're getting your money's worth. Worth it especially if you do any other sports or even if you want to occasionally sit and work from there.
Yeah I wouldn’t say it gives you ‘that rich person feeling’ haha - it’s pretty good, but for the money you pay it’s not 100% perfect. It definitely makes it a nicer environment than most gyms and having a pool/spa is a bonus.
As someone who had to run to get a bucket for leaks in the roof when it rained, it did to me. Although I've only been there a few times as a guest on my friends membership so idk.
The roof at my DL leaks, the building is about 20 years old and could do with an upgrade but for now they’ll just fix problems as they come up.
Grocery delivery. It’s given us our Saturday mornings back
Opposite for me. I cancelled my pass because I could never get deliveries once COVID hit. I forgot how much I enjoyed going to the supermarket in person.
Sometimes I feel like the only person that enjoys supermarket shopping.
It can be frustrating because of meanderthals, however I love finding new ingredients to mess around with.
Meanderthals 😂 That is genius! I do love visiting foreign supermarkets when on holiday
> I do love visiting foreign supermarkets when on holiday I went to Orlando in March and spent a day going around Walmart and Publix. I wish I had a second suitcase to bring back all the stuff I wanted!
I paid £1100 to have botox injected into my throat, allowing me to burp like everyone else
I enjoy a burp as the next guy, but that seems like a lot of money - were there actual health benefits associated or did you just really want to rip some monster burps?
Think of it this way, if you're not burping, where is that gas going? Obviously as a kid I was a bit jealous of the fact that other kids could make a funny noise that I couldn't, but no the reasoning was that the gas otherwise has to work its way all the way through my digestive system, meaning a lot of discomfort and a lot of farting. Having the procedure done has honestly been life changing, but the condition isn't recognised by the NHS. Thank god for the r/noburp subreddit for bringing treatment to my attention though
There really is a sub for everything
Yeah I had this but it wasn't severe enough to get treatment, I had no idea you can't get treatment on NHS
Trapped gas can be pretty painful!
My granny gets botox in her face through the NHS every couple of months to treat her trigeminal neuralgia
Interesting! I think the procedure I have they also use for people who struggle swallowing. When I was seeing my GP about gastrointestinal issues and I mentioned about not burping she just said "I think that's just how you are" and left it at that
I’m card carrying r/noburp but the only worry I have is that it’ll make my acid reflux worse because there won’t be anything stopping it. Did you have acid reflux before/after?
I did and got it medicated with omeprazole. I still haven't come off it because the rebound is quite intense, so I can't be sure if it's better than it was pre-medication. The period before the botox wore off (for some reason I can still burp despite it wearing off) I did get quite bad acid reflux at night and had to use a wedge pillow for a bit, but that's all stopped now
Interesting. Mine is sometimes still quite bad even with omeprazole and a wedge pillow so I think I’d need to get it under control first then get the Botox. Thank you!
A professional cleaner. I pay £40/week for 2.5 hours and it's changed my life. Sometimes we ask for an hour extra when the oven etc needs doing. I have more time to spend with my family or just chill
Would love to even have this once a month to do a big clean!
Highly recommend. It's improved the quality of my life massively. I haven't always had a cleaner. I only got one recently as I have a 18 month old toddler and I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant. I actually enjoy cleaning and find it therapeutic but with a little one who keeps me busy as well as work, it was becoming stressful and exhausting.
where do you get a cleaner at that price? I just had one quote me £40 per single hour!
Jesus. We pay £15 an hour for ours - Midlands
That’s great for you, but that is pittance for someone that’s (I assume) self employed. Barely minimum wage
Almost certainly paid in cash and hiding some of it from the taxman though.
Most independent cleaner work cash in hand and pay no taxes on it. So £15/hour with no deductions, is actually ok.
That's absolutely insane. I'm in North Staffordshire. All cleaning supplies also included.
We found ours on Nextdoor.
Motorbike. It's pretty expensive for a toy and yes, it's statistically pretty dangerous. Oh but the sheer unadulterated fun of it!!! The danger forces you to remain completely focused in order to... not die, leaving any other stresses or worries completely aside. So it's just you on your bike and the open road, for hours of adrenaline soaked fun. I can't think of anything else in my life that's given more smiles per £. I'm a sensible middle aged dad and I ride around with a big stupid fucking grin on my face, and giving the odd "woohoo!" etc on the really good bits. Wish I'd started earlier.
Hmm dont tempt me, I've been thinking about getting one
Do it. You won't regret it. Unless you buy a Hardly Movingson and then you might....
I'd recommend everybody to at least try it. I loved riding my bike as a kid, and I've always quite enjoyed driving in the countryside as an adult. Having a motorbike is like taking those drives through the country on a bicycle that's as quick as a bloody lamborghini. It's excellent!
I live very rural, there are lots of little lanes around
Definitely this. Or 5 motorcycles now and maybe 6 after the weekend in my case. Wouldn't say it's that expensive but worth every penny for that blast of freedom from anything else.
5 or 6?! You jammy sod! I quite fancy the idea of getting a second one, but financially I'm struggling to justify to myself whether another one will be different *enough* from mine to warrant doubling up the tax, insurance & maintenance etc. I've been trying to get my missus to ride and she's only just beginning to consider coming pillion - but neither of us are small in stature so I'm thinking a cruiser could be good (and change enough from my naked)
Doesn't double the insurance. Can usually get a decent multibike policy. Mine is £230 for year for 4 of them. 1 is currently in bits and off road. Don't have to tax and MOT them all constantly. If it looks different then that's enough justification, surely? 😁 We (my wife anyway) have horses so I easily justify it by there being no motorcycle in existence that costs more than they do to run. Plus my bikes don't die if I ignore them in the shed for 6 months.
Having a nice garden, spent a bit of money on it over the years but lovely to have somewhere nice to sit out
The Mrs
The same. Not sure who's Mrs gives beat bang for the buck
Medical Cannabis.
Same!
Out of curiosity: What strain of cannibas is prescribed?
Each clinic has various strains, there are loads to choose from and you will recognise many of them. They vary in THC and CBD strength, from 0-30+%. You can also get various oils, gummies and topical creams etc. there's basically options to suit any form of consumption or need, and the Dr will help to determine what's best for you.
I had no idea this was possible in the UK.
It is, but the reaction from your work place and other medical professionals will vary. For example I've had one GP write a letter for me confirming the medication and a different one saying it was dodgy and refused to have anything to do with it. I was allowed to use it when admitted into hospital, and nurses would treat it as any other medication. I was also suspended from work for a long period of time after having a positive THC reading on a drug test, even though HR had copies of my prescriptions from the beginning, this led me to end my prescription because of fears of the impact on my career. This all happened quite recently and my job role is now more restricted. It's a bit of a grey area with driving as well where people have been charged for drug driving etc, even though it stays in your system for up to a month so there is no way to prove a medical user used their script before driving or may be impaired. Though, this all depends on your job role and lifestyle, many people have had positive reactions from their employers etc, it's a bit of a mixed bag.
Thank you for the answer. I am sorry to hear you had to stop the medication for those reasons.
Sucks man, I don’t get drug tested in mine so I’m good. You’re correct, the laws around it are still a bit weird.
How hard is it to get prescribed? I’ve suffered from Back pain for over 5 years and used to smoke which helped it but gave up
Most clinics have a list of conditions that you're basically guaranteed for. If you've tried a few standard medications from a GP with little success for a medical issue you are likely to get the prescription. They are all private medical clinics, meaning they profit from their patients so it is in their best interest to prescribe the medication so generally I think it is quite likely.
Therapy and Sony mhx4 headphones- life changing, both of them
Do you mean the 1000XM4?
Yes :£
Air con in the house. Fitted 20 years ago, people thought I was mad. Now they come round in summer to chill and I get a good night's sleep without leaving the windows open.
Denial insurance.
>Denial insurance. They offer insurance for that? 😯 😄
No they don’t
Well, this is an odd feeling...
Seems you may have a claim
... My claim was denied.
No it wasnt
This has been a marvellous thread to read. Thank you
Brilliant. I'm gonna go onto Compare the Market and see how much that type of insurance costs.
:-(. Apparently no-one does that sort of insurance!!!
Medical cannabis. I'm (40m) disabled, and I have a chronic pain condition that's degenerative. I've had issues since my early teens that were once infrequent and mild, but over the years, it's gotten worse. I couldn't find an NHS medication that worked without leaving me feeling like a zombie. I spent years on all different kinds of pill cocktails including tramadol, diazepam etc 18 months or so ago, I heard that cannabis was available via private prescription, so I decided to give it a try. It isn't cheap, but I can manage my condition and go about my business, including going to work etc and participating in life in a way I was unable to before the switch. Still, there are negatives. Notably, the stigma and perception from some of being a "druggy". But I don't worry about that too much as it's irrelevant compared to the upside. As also mentioned, the cost. The NHS can theoretically prescribe it, but practically, they can't due to red tape. I think less than 10 people in the UK have a cannabis based prescription on the NHS, and they have to be INCREDIBLY poorly. As such, I pay £200 - £300 for a months worth of medication from my clinic.
I wonder how much cheaper it would be from unofficial sources.
It depends on quality, really. I get 30g a month. Medical cannabis starts at around £4/g but I tend to go for some of the pricier stuff. But, as a patient, I also have legal protection when driving etc.
B12 injections. So much more alert and focused now. Oh and the cat.
How does that differ versus just taking a daily B12-Complex vitamin tablet?
It can also be useful as people often have trouble absorbing vitamin b12 in to begin with. Injecting it negates the digestion issue.
It's a much stronger dose. I found I was low on a blood test and it's really helped.
Ta 👍
What was the process of getting checked for this? Are you able to just find out any vitamins you're deficient in? My brain is just shit and officially I'm diagnosed with ADHD but there's part of me that still really hopes there's really an easily treatable physical condition at the root of it.
You can get a test, however it costs near enough the same as a round of treatments. Therefore, I would recommend having 4 jabs and seeing how you feel. I had a blood test for an operation that showed my levels are low. But as a vegetarian who eats little dairy I expected them to be low.
Gardener. I have a front and back garden and they are nice to experience and look at but fuck gardening. It's outdoor housework but worse than indoor.
Rent. Everything else would be irrelevant without a roof above my head. On a more serious note, my Xbox Game Pass subscription. I rarely play these days with family and everything but having the option to just jump into a game, try it for a few hours without even having to install anything and just fool around is great for me.
A car. Wouldn't be able to exist as I currently do without it.
A proper coffee machine
Could say gym, health and mental challenge of it. Yadda Yadda boring gym convo complete. However if I spent money on shrooms I would say that would be a good improvement, in fact I would think it would sometimes be fucking mental 😁
Bought a peloton second hand and absolutely love it. I think it’s worth it, though of course cheaper alternatives are available. Paying for a cleaner once a week or month really is great if you’ve got the money. Nice to have that extra time back and the house be cleaner than I could do myself.
I've often said I'd love to have a cleaner but I feel like I'd need to tidy up first? What does your cleaner do for you?
I don’t have one at the moment but when we did we’d have them come in for a few hours once a month and they’d just give the whole house a good clean around like a vac and mop of all the floors, a good dust around, deep clean the bathrooms, change the bedding, give the kitchen a wipe down. It made the house feel really nice when they’d finished!
Whatever you ask for. You pay their time, not the kind of work.
Honestly this is part of the benefit for me. I have ADHD and consequently I tend to procrastinate on tidying a lot if I don't have an external deadline. Having a fortnightly cleaner gives me the scheduled push I need to keep on top of things, and the clean house afterwards is like an extra bonus.
My peleton bike is my answer too. Used a nurse bonus last year after carefully weighing it up and it's been life changing. I was already fit but I've never been in better shape. The range of classes is insanely vast and the music is pretty decent.
What do you love about the peloton? I am interested in getting some exercise equipment but these in particular seem very expensive!
I really like all of the classes and the versatility of things you can do. The instructors are great but when you sign up you can do any classes from just cycling (beginner, intermediate, tabata, power zones), a weights class, stretching, cycling boot camps, yoga, meditation etc. It also has things built in like being able to do cycles in places around the world (or guided versions of this), a good cycling game and you can login with Netflix and Disney plus and cycle along. They do have a schedule of live classes and prerecorded ones. I think the fact that the instructors are really good as well as the range of classes makes a difference. It is an expensive investment but I really like it! Plus I share with my partner so technically the membership is £20pp, less per person if there’s a few of you in your house using it. As someone who has never really been into biking, I think it’s great. Plus it’s hard to justify not doing it when it’s only 20-30 minutes of your evening rather than a trek to the gym. Happy to answer any other questions you might have!
Where did you get the 2nd hand peloton from? Been looking on Ebay for a while but bit worried I'll spend 500 quid and it breaks quickly after buying it! How's it been for you?
I bought it in January on Facebook marketplace. Took a bit of scouting but managed to find someone selling the newest model and managed to get a pair of the shoes and the mat included which was smashing. I think there’s a few peloton specific groups on Facebook for people looking to buy and sell them. It’s worth asking the questions on why they are selling it, asking for a demo if you go and look at it. The sellers we found were great, fortunately and showed us it working at their house when we went to collect it. I would say if you do pick one up second hand, they are bloody heavy and it takes a few people to disassemble it and reassemble it!
Running shoes.
Feather pillows
Yessssss
Pound for pound hard to beat . 30-60 for a good one and you use it every night for dunno, 5 years ? More ?
Not pillows but for me a really nice duvet so same sentiment, comes in two parts (3.5 & 9.5 tog)so can sleep at the perfect temperature in all seasons 😌
Nice ! Not allowed a feather duvet due to vegan mrs but we run a two duvet system with a dual zone heated topper on a super king with a memory foam topper and also a normal topper , Bedding is also long staple cotton high thread count sateen weave . Have stayed in some high end hotels since and frankly I’ve ruined myself as they’re like sleeping on a park bench wrapped in hessian sacks in comparison
I’ve got the princess and the pea images with the topper situation (in a good way!) 😀
Lolol mattress has something like 3000 individually isolated springs , so kids can jump on one side and u don’t feel it , some sort of internal topper, it’s about 18in deep by itself , a protective padded topper , a 50mm memory foam topper , then the heated padded topper , we have 9 pillows , 6 are feather 3 are normal , then I have remote control Colour changing sunset /dawn simulation dimmable light , high tog duvet & low tog duvet.
Ahh that sounds like the beds you get in America where you almost need to vault onto them (they look amazing tbf) Also your post made me identify another addition to this thread - sunrise alarm clock! Honestly game changer, have had one going on a decade and waking up at the crack of hell is a little better in winter
We use a ladder . Yeah I have had a lumie one for years and have also started putting wifi bulbs throughout the house so at night after I clamber up mt bed I dim the landing lights , kids bedrooms and switch off the downstairs lights . But leave one on motion activation . Tech as fuck. Don’t have to turn on the lamps when u get up to get a drink they turn on dimmed setting as u open the door .
My internet and subscriptions. I enrolled for a handful of Adult Community Learning courses to get the necessary skills to use different programs like MS Publisher and Adobe Photoshop.
A baavet duvet. Expensive for sure but of all the duvets I have had over the last 50 years it knocks them all into a cocked hat.
Aside from a good duvet - an awning (manual but that still cost £3k) South facing garden 😒 I have the skin of a pale Victorian 👻 and burn at the mere hint of sunshine …it allows me to actually go outside and not suffer the consequences.
£5 per kick boxing session. It keeps me fit and healthy.
expensive bodywork type stuff like physio or deep tissue massage
I get an absurd amount of pleasure from my brabantia kitchen bin
What on earth are you doing with it?!
Eating healthily is costing me a fortune.
A car. I live in a very rural area, and we get one bus every hour from 9am to 5pm but nothing apart from that. Now that I have a car, I can actually get a job in the next town over. It also means I can travel four hours down south to see my sister whenever I want to.
£25 per fortnight in the growing season so I don't have to cut the grass (or maintain a lawnmower, or store it, or buy a new one)
Outdoor gear. Getting outside to walk is just mentally and physically refreshing.
Proper fitting clothes.
Early doors in my financial journey: Portable aircon - can’t remember what it was, £150 maybe, pipe out the window, make any room cold, was perfect. Laser eye surgery - not sure that really needs an explanation. Now it would be the upgrade from a cleaner to housekeeper. It just really adds managing whatever you can’t be bothered to do yourself.
Can you explain what a housekeeper is please and what they do for you?
Basically a cleaner plus. The new Cleaner 15 Pro Max. You can effectively get them to do whatever you want within reason of course. They can do your laundry on site, but it all away etc. if you want they could manage a laundry service (as doing laundry will take up their time) but they could prepare the clothes for the laundry service and put them away when they come back. I would say laundry is the big one, but other things that most cleaners won’t do is things like sorting out your fridge, I quite often had cleaning services (not dedicated cleaners) what wouldn’t do things like the dishes or cat litter, sometimes even tidying as they weren’t there enough. Basically they can do any chore rather than remain within the scope of cleaner. They also generally manage other services or other cleaners depending on how big the operation is. My explanation above is for changing a cleaner into a house keeper but it means something a little different if you’re talking a stately home team.
A dishwasher
Gym and mma
Jfc there are some very reddit answers here. Spend it on what makes you happy. Contrary to popular belief money can in fact buy happiness.
Health plan to pay for regular teeth cleaning, and osteopathy. Look after you teeth and back folks !
Motorbike. If not for this I would be in deep depression
not everything needs to be bought brand new, some things are good second-hand and often much cheaper
Ps5. Without doubt.
Mountain bike. It's a great way to unwind after a busy day, and the longer rides I do on the weekend are always something to look forward to! I spend far too much money on bits for it but ah well.
Dishwasher and a ps5
Probably always having a holiday booked (I say, as I don’t have one booked). But having something to look forward to constantly gets me through the mundane and helps me to be better with my money
No offence, but it sounds like you need to work on making the every day better. Just living for holidays is surely not a happy way to live.
Smart phone...
My rice cooker!
Access to real time market data game changer with limits
I pay for pilates classes which helps keep me supple/strong and it's a good social activity too.
A good pair of headphones.
Tirzepatide, weekly injection. £7.50 a day. Changed my life.
Wegovy. My current order is costing me £175 a month and it's making weight loss easier by the simple fact that im not having nearly as many cravings as I have in the past. And I see it as a net win because I could easily spend that much on garbage food in a month. Looking forward to upping my dose because it feels like it gets a bit less effective as the weeks draws to a close
Weed. I honestly can’t begin to describe how much it has helped me. It has brought me out of every depression period I have gone through. It gives me the strength to get through the tough times and when I can’t be bothered to deal with the world.
A good foam mattress! I've had bad experiences and started having back pain by sleeping on those spring mattresses, a medium firm stiff foam mattress worth 100-150 will change your life and you'll actually have a good night's sleep! Highly recommend it!
My bikes. I have a gravel bike and a road bike that were both too expensive. But I love riding them and the exercise is worth every penny.
Robot vacuum, on a timer. I come home from work and it’s done.
Car/van. Ignoring the monetary aspect, if you gave me a choice between having to move out of my house and go back to renting, or sell my van, I'd keep the van. It's just too useful. Sick of everything? Sod it, jump in the car and just keep driving.
Quality musical instruments, and/or quality HiFi for replay of music. And a decent room to enjoy them in.
Having my car professionally valeted for £35 whilst I relax and have a coffeee.
My medical cannabis. Costs me £260 a month plus consultant fees every quarter but has improved my QOL considerably.
Fresh quality coffee beans subscription, nothing better than a good cup of quality coffee.
A good quality mattress, followed by Savers earplugs (£1 or something for 6 pairs, which last about 3 nights a pair. Also, decaff coffee (yeah, I have sleep issues). If you asked me between 20 and 1 year ago, it would have been a gym membership which I enjoyed, got me out of the house, got me knackered in a good way and was great for mental health. I now love to just kill time in the garden. Enjoyable, gets me out of the house, gets me a bit tired.
Boxing
Bicycle. Bought it years ago, and have been using it regularly, esp since I lot my car to Ulez (thank you Mr Khan, you scumbag mayor of London). Best way to travel in summer - it's faster than anything else on short yourneys, it's free, and keeps me fit.
A divorce. As the joke goes: "Why is a divorce so expensive?" "Because it's worth it."