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I live in a country where we have between 2-6 hours of electricity blackouts every day because of our corrupt government. Last year I invested in an inverter, solar panels and batteries for my house. Money well spent!
While I'm not arguing that America has its own set of issues, your examples do highlight the stark differences between our experiences and those in third-world countries. It's indeed chilling to consider such situations. America may be on a slippery slope, but it's crucial to recognize and appreciate the privileges we have. This awareness can help us empathize with others and work together to address global challenges.
Cleaning brush attachments for a power drill. About 30€ and an absolute gamechanger to take all the elbow grease out of cleaning - particularly the oven
And plus you get to use your drill more!
I read yours just after the electric toothbrush and for a second I tought "wow this guy is crazy using a power drill to clean his teeth, but maybe it works?"
I work in a luxury hotel and every three years they replace all the mattresses. We tried donating them to homeless shelters, but they are not allowed to take them because of the possibility of bedbugs(!), so every three years my wife and I get two mildly used REALLY expensive pillow-top queen-sized mattresses for free.
When getting rid of our mattresses and furniture during a refresh it all gets tossed if the employees don't take anything.
We've "put the word out" about the mattresses and people actually came to take some.
Calling and asking if they are planning on tossing stuff will never hurt.
If you think about it, hotel mattresses are used less than you own house mattresses. You sleep on your own everyday but in there hotel sometimes they don't have guests.
I would take a hotel mattress anytime
I am a side sleeper and got a pillow for between my knees (kinda on a whim) and wow do my hips feel better! I didn’t even realize my hips were bothering me much before, because it was minor and chronic, but they feel significantly better now
Yeh, recently discovered another comforting thing. When its cold I sleep under two layers of blanket. Now I started tucking the bottom one right under my armpits, so my arms are beneath the top layer and seperate the arms fom body to reduce sweating
I bought an Amazon box mattress, and their foam topper. Best mattress I have ever slept on. My wife and I barely get out of bed on Sunday.
Edit: the first thing the wife wants in the divorce is “her” mattress.
Also extra comforters that are big and fluffy. It's so nice to just curl up in any direction you want, and be supported by a pile of blanket. And cotton duvet covers for comfort and easy cleaning.
I have a queen bed, but my blankets are all king size. I feel like not only does it look nicer, but I never have to worry about not having enough blanket in any direction. Super comfortable 100% of the time.
Hearing aids. If you even suspect you might have hearing loss, get checked out. I was in denial for years, then finally gave in. I couldn’t believe how much I was missing. Real life changers. No more, “smile nod yup hahaha”
My dad has been laughing off the hearing loss for _years_.
It's so frustrating to see him fake his way through conversations that I know he wants to be a part of. I haven't been able to convince him to invest in himself and go get tested (yet). What made you see the light?
A combination of just being tired of not being able to communicate on the same level as everyone else and the loss (finally) of giving a shit what anyone else thinks. My insurance covered it, so I decided, why not. Also, someone said “People don’t think twice about wearing glasses to correct their vision- so what’s the big deal about hearing aids?”
And, not to sound like Frank Thomas, but she’ll like it too! Lol (Meaning my wife is as happy or happier than me about it!)
I have a little dog that sheds, and the robot vacuum has been incredible. A mediocre vacuum every day is better than vacuuming well once a week and I don't have to do it? Yes please!
My husband recently had to go on several daily, 3x weekly, am/pm meds and this makes things so easy. Can get them cheap at Walmart, Amazon, Walgreens, etc
I take mine with me. I live in an apartment and move around a lot, so I save the old shower head my current landlord has up, usual a shitty $5 Walmart head and screw mine on. Then When I move out I screw his back on and take mine back. Every few years I replace it, or sometimes I’ll leave it in hopes the next tenant enjoys having a decent shower.
Makes it much easier to clean the shower itself, as well as do any other non-showering tasks, like washing a pet or a pair of dirty shoes. My current shower does not have one, which is annoying. My bathtub does, tho, so there's that.
Donning clothes over a bad bra is like building a house without laying a foundation.
It's just a false economy and an ill-fitting bra could well ruin your otherwise painstakingly-selected ensemble.
I call it... the abracada-bra!
Not only do they keep the sun out, they also help keep my room warm in winter/cool in summer.
I rented a place that floods the bedroom with early morning sunlight and I was not sleeping well at all with just regular curtains. I finally decided I could not take another early morning blinding and went to Target. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and thick the darkening/blackout curtains are for the price-point I paid, probably about $60 bucks for 4 panels (64 inch length, in a silver-pink Gray color-- they are very nice and one of the best purchases I've ever made. Seriously LOVE these curtains.).
Or the $10 option sleep mask and just got some with blue tooth speakers
Bonus Because you can look at your phone and hear it without waking your parter also Listening to a podcast to fall asleep
I love my blackout curtains. We took the concept next level and put black electrical tape over all the little indicators lights, such as the smoke detector and air cleaner. A black felt covered card leans against the face of the alarm clock to block that light. It is so dark that I added a motion detector night light so that we can see if we get up at night to "see a man about a horse". That motion detector light is 99% covered with electrical tape so we have just enough light when it turns on.
Please tell me more. My cat rattles the basement door every morning. My husband, love him dearly, has never met a door he didn’t accidentally slam. This would truly be a life-changer.
I think what they mean is to put the felt pads on the doorstop (not the springy thing, the trim inside the door frame that stops the door from swinging all the way through the door opening). If you are going to do this you might need to adjust the strikeplate (the part that catches the door latch on the door frame). I would put the pads at top and bottom of the open side. Hollow doors have some flex, so if you do top and bottom, the middle can still go in far enough to latch while top and bottom are pushed out slightly due to felt pads. If you just want to stop the door jiggle you could adjust the strikeplate so the door doesnt jiggle when it is closed. You dont need the pads just for that.
So embarrassing- an electric toothbrush. My teeth are & feel so much cleaner now. Getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist is so much easier for them & less grueling for me.
Same! When I got mine, I was so sad I hadn’t done it sooner. it was like I hadn’t realized how not clean my teeth were until I experienced how clean they could be with a $75 electric toothbrush
Add a waterpik flosser before using the electric brush for a maximum cleaning combo. I've always hated flossing, and the waterpik was a game changer in my dental health overall. It really takes care of the stuff between teeth with ease.
Cheaper than turning on your heat to stay warm during the winter is getting an electric blanket. The key is to put it under you when you're sitting in a chair or laying down, and then put a regular blanket over yourself to trap that heat. Game changer this past winter.
I have an electric mattress pad and it’s the most luxurious, life enhancing thing you could imagine for under $100. I’ve had electric blankets before and this is wayyyyyy better. Also, make sure you get one with the micro wires. My daughter has a “regular” one and the wires annoy me a bit, though not awful.
Anyway….I turn it on high before bedtime, to let it warm the bed up nice and cozy in the winter. Once I climb in, I either turn it off, or if it’s really really cold, I’ll turn it down to the lowest setting so I don’t overheat at night.
Physiology dictates that it’s good for sleep, too, as your body cooling down puts it into a rest state.
(Bonus: Also, great for sex with a girlfriend who is always cold, so she’s not buried under the covers the whole time. )
I bought a $30 retrofit bidet attachment for my toilet. My asshole is shower fresh at all times and my toilet paper usage is down to almost nothing.
GAME CHANGER
Can confirm. This is great but the real game changer is when you start getting up in the 200$ range and the seat is heated, heated water, blow dryer, has a smell filter, etc.
No dumb questions / serious question:
Is it like a power washer?
Because I need to SCRAPE my arse like five times to get clean.
And I’ve wiped my kids’ butts who are no different.
I feel like a bidet would just be a giving a shower to a mud puddle.
100% a bidet will set you straight, and you will absolutely HATE pooping anywhere that doesn't have one. In a pinch wipes will do decently as a substitute for a bidet, but for god's sake don't flush the wipes (in case that needs to be said to anybody reading this).
I got myself a pretty sizeable whiteboard and put it up on my wall. I have notes on it, a daily list, a long-term list, some jokes, and random thoughts. Sometimes I sit and look at it to figure what to put up there or what to do to take some things off. It's way better than keeping things in my head. Erasing things off of it feel pretty good... I wish I could draw though
This seems small and silly, but a basic rice cooker is so nice. You can cook rice (I like basmati the best). But you can also cook rice and lentils together and add some spices. You can put veggies on top of your rice and lentils while it boils and steams. You can add a little olive oil or coconut oil for some staying power. And now you have lunch in a single pot that you don't have to babysit.
Good quality stainless clad pot and pans. There's certainly a learning curve with using them but they will elevate how you cook and make for a beautiful addition in the kitchen if you take care of them.
After using a hand me down AllClad pot, I got rid of al the other ones. Now I just have All Clad pot and an iron skillet. Both are pretty hard to destroy :)
Yep, replaced every pot/pan with all clad. I'll never go back to anything else. If I don't have any kids to pass them down to, I want to take my all clad to the grave with me, I really love them that much.
High quality wireless headset for my PC. The ability to get up and walk around during meetings does wonders for my concentration.
Also, having a hardware mute button means I can make lunch, refill my water, play/snuggle with my cats or even go to the bathroom during meetings without anyone being the wiser and I don't have to run back to my computer to unmute when I need to contribute.
Do you have a set you’d recommend? Lots of colleagues have them but they also seem to be the ones we are always telling they sound low or causing feedback / static on the call.
I have the HyperX Cloud 2. They're comfortable, have good range, solid sound quality, good battery life, and no one has ever complained about the audio quality. Probably my favourite feature, though, is that the mic is completely detachable. My cats like to snuggle up right under my chin and the mic is naturally in their way. It is flexible so I can push it off to the side if I'm in a meeting and still need it, but if I'm just listening to music or whatever, I can pull the mic right out.
Only downside for me is that Windows won't automatically switch its audio output when you turn them on, so you have to manually do that. I work around this by just always leaving it set to the headset since it's better quality than my speakers.
Free but using Libby or Hoopla for audiobooks from my local library. Additionally, as previously mentioned, noise canceling headphones. With my ADHD listening to audiobooks (or podcasts) while I work helps me so much with staying focused.
I hope service suggestions are ok too.
1. A cleaning service. Having someone else sweep, mop, vacuum, etc. frees up so much time. Now that I’m getting older it also saves my knees and back since I don’t need to get down on all fours to clean the tub/shower/oven.
2. When you move, hire movers! Just include the expense as part of your moving budget. It is sooo worth it.
I was shocked to find out inexpensive it was to hire loaders and unloaders for moving. You can hire them straight through Uhaul and it was just a few hundred bucks (pre-Covid, it’s probably $20k now).
Superfeet insoles. Worked at a restaurant and was saving money on those shitty gel shoe insoles for “support”. They’re about $30 on Amazon, I swear to you it’s so worth it standing for 8+ hrs no feet pain whatsoever
Hi. I work in running specialty. Let me explain orthotic inserts to you all.
Superfeet come in multiple colors. These colors signal different arch fits.
If you have a low to flat arch you want yellow carbon.
If you have a medium arch you want blue.
If you have a high arch or enjoy feeling VERY supported in your arch area then get green.
They made a purple that is for "women" but that is just Marketing BS. It's just a more narrow superfeet green.
These are not "gel" inserts such as Dr. SCHOLS. The Dr. Schols gel-type inserts **provide zero support but do provide cushion.** This is good for people who have neuralgia or growths and want to relieve pressure spots. These can be useful for people who have really tender feeling heels, but make sure you don't have Plantar Fasciitis. The main symptom of PF is a stabbing knife pain directly into your heel bone "the calcaneus" as soon as your feet hit the floor in the morning. (This is due to the plantar fascia inserting into the calcaneus bone. This is where the acute pain is usually localized.)
Superfeet provides all support and zero to little cushion. They are HARD pieces of plastic that you jam under your arch to do the work for your body. They will hurt at first. That's fine.
There "is" nothing fancy about Superfeet. It's practical science. You're strapping a hard piece of plastic to your arch because your arch is too weak to hold up and distribute your bodyweight.
Here is essentially how it works:
When you stand all day (it's quite unnatural). Your arch is constantly "loaded" with the weight of your body, and it is doing a "static hold" when you are standing. When you put a supportive insert in such as a Superfeet, you are basically outfitting your shoe with an artificial arch. That artificial arch will take some of the work load off your real arch, and thus it makes standing all day far easier.
The only other time you really need a supportive insert is if you have plantar fasciitis. Reducing load on the arch allows the plantar fascia to grow back. Also you want lots of protein, sleep, water, and NEVER being on your feet as much as you can until you heal.
Then you want to take your fat ass to the gym and start doing exercises to strengthen your foot muscles and ditch the orthotic. (Although more power to you if you got dat dumptruck.)
If you're using it too much it will become a crutch for your muscle and you will become dependent on it.
If you want to remain injury free, exercise daily, drink water, and eat whole foods.
*getting custom orthotics made by your doctor is a scam. You don't need a 500 dollar molded insert.
Edit: IN MOST CASES. I am not a doctor. If you are suffering from severe foot pain I would go to a doctor and tell them what's up. If they suggest custom inserts I would raise an eyebrow. Try a more affordable option first. That's just my advice.
*the running store that wants you to do that arch mold thing is also a scam. It's a smoke and mirrors show to disarm you as a customer and make you feel like, "WOW! THESE ARE PROFESSIONALS!" Wrong. You're being sold.
You only need orthotics for neutral shoes to make them supportive if you over pronate, to assist in long periods of standing/walking and as a way to heal plantar fasciitis.
Typically these superfeet orthotics last for about 800 to 1000 miles or 12 months. If you are of the MORE MASS variety of human, they will last about half that time.
Also if you go to a running store and they try to sell you a shoe AND an insert.....raise an eyebrow. If they insist on it, just leave. They are trying to sell you.
However. If you have PF they SHOULD try to sell you an insert.
And furthermore, if you overpronate you could simply buy a supportive daily trainer such as the HOKA arahi 6, the Brooks Adrenaline gts. The new balance 860. The Nike infinity run fly knit. Etc
My favorite support shoe to wear if my feet and legs are feeling tired or sore is the new balance 860 version 13 because I really like the non-intrusive arch support offered by its double dense medial posting
dude this is such a good comment, thanks. working on healing PF right now, and I'm already doing almost everything you suggested which is good to know I'm on the right track!
Restaurant GM here. I use the orange ones(high arch support). I regularly stand for 8+hrs a day. For years I assumed the foot pain was just a part of the job. Got superfeet insoles for Christmas 2 years ago and the change ws immediate. No aching feet since then!
Air Fryer. I RESISTED the "you must get one" forever
Lol. But admit it is great. Everything turns out crisper, no fat and it's fast, hardly use my oven now.
Oh yeah I don’t even care about the less fat thing- deep frying is a huge pain and this thing is just as easy as the oven, faster than the oven, and cooks like you always imagined oven stuff should cook but never actually does. Fries are always disappointing in the oven. Always. Somehow in the air fryer, they’re crispy and good. Yeah, I understand it’s basically a convection oven, but I’m in a rental and can’t go and replace my oven. Thought air fryers were stupid before I got one. I was wrong.
I got a vitamix blender like 3-4 years ago, probably like $500ish, its so infinitely better than the cheaper blenders. The things amazing, you can do a million things with it and have the extremely good fairly healthy smoothies / acai bowls every day. I am convinced the thing could blend rocks.
Also as mentioned below is good noise canceling headphones which to me a light sleeper are a god send.
I have a circa 1964 Vitamix I bought off EBay probably 20 years ago. Replaced the gasket in the lid and that’s it. Works like a beast and it’s older than I am.
That’s so nice my hubby does this for me too we’ve been together almost 9 years. Just a simple 5$ gesture when he goes to the grocery store it’s not all the time so I expect it but probably 4-5 times a year
Jumper cables and a socket and wrench set. Throw it in the trunk of the car. And upgrade your jack to a floor jack. They can be pretty cheap and make lifting the car so much easier in an emergency.
Instead of jumper cables, get a self-contained battery pack. Fits in a small box in your car, and in spite of what I thought when I heard about it, it works and I've used mine three times now (for others, too). The first use saved its cost of \~$65.
Word of advice on these: check the power level monthly but bump that up to weekly during the winter months. I went to use mine in a non-emergency situation (charge a phone while outside) and it was dead. Would have sucked if the car battery was dead too.
The jumper cables are more essential. If you are stranded in a rural area, a lot of people will stop for 15 min to jump you.
They will not however sit for 3 hours if you forgot to charge your battery pack. Although to be fair mine holds its charge pretty well.
But for 20-30$ get the cables. Get a solid gauge and length. If you never use them great...but it's one of those things that'll save your ass. If you have more money, buy a battery jumper, way more conveinant.
Just do both
Good sleep mask. Makes all the difference in the world to me, year round and when I travel. You can never get curtains dark enough to really block out the light, and if you try, you limit your decorating options and have trouble if you get up at night in a super dark room.
Decent (not necessarily high end) kitchen knives and a steel and a sharpener. Having sharp kitchen knives makes cooking so much easier and even fun. You eat healthier, waste less, cut safer and have tools you can enjoy using.
The right home owner's insurance policy with a good company. We were forced out when our neighbor had a fire and our place was wrecked by smoke, soot and other damage. Having a good policy was a make or break difference. It was worth every penny when it covered 8 months living in a hotel, rebuilding, replacing our stuff and all the rest. Still a hell of a hassle but with poor insurance, we would have lost a big chunk of our savings and maybe our home.
Love this topic. Now I'm thinking I need an air fryer.
3 things that've greatly improved my life:
1. A hot water bottle to warm my feet up before I go to sleep. My feet are almost always cold, and it's hard for me to fall asleep when they're cold... plus a nice warm bed feels extra luxurious.
2. 1. A down comforter. It keeps me at just the right temperature. (+see above: having a luxuriously comfortable bed)
3. A treadmill. Effectively eliminated any excuses to avoid running on snowy days.
If you or someone in your life knows how to sew, a simple rice bag (exactly what it sounds like) is amazing in the microwave for warmth. And amazing for women when cramping.
Smart thermostat, $130; garlic press, $15; blackout curtains, $50(?); a second PC monitor (for tele"working"(tm), $250; a new couch, waaaay more than $1,000- but it made the wife **VERY** happy!
* Sleep mask. Mine are just for the eyes but fancier ones incorporate Bluetooth speakers.
* Robot vacuum cleaner.
* Windshield screen/sunshade for my car in summer.
* Frostblocker for my car in winter.
* Weighted blanket.
* Various weight wool socks for all seasons.
Electric toothbrush
Library card, I didn't buy it but I think it fits in here.
And before I retired, my own fork, knife, and spoon for work. Wash them each time and bring them back to your desk.
a high-quality planner. I’ve bought my last two from Plum Paper. the level of customization is pretty crazy and the effect it’s had on my life is unbelievable. I have ADHD and for most of my life I was barely functioning even with medication. over 5-6 years of training myself to use a planner I’ve had a complete turnaround in my life in virtually every way- career, hobbies, keeping my house clean, exercising enough… even if you’re not dealing with an attention-related disability I can’t recommend making a planner a big part of your life enough.
Book light, $15 maybe? I use it for all sorts of stuff.
Good lotion, soap, and shampoo & conditioner. Which led me to go all out on a good face cream. Spent some bucks on all that....zero regrets.
Soft tp...use a name brand, spend the extra bucks. I will not go back to that scratchy cowboy nonsense.
Well fitting shoes and clothes. OMFG....had I known. Spend the extra. Lasts longer and way more comfy. Buy your size people. I too was once smaller....getting older means your body changes. Let go that size matters....lol.
All these things may seem stupid, but definite game changer for me.
I don't know what you mean by book light, but I use a headlamp haha! I had a book light when I was young that clipped to the book and added to the weight of it. I thought headlamps were for cave explorers and laughed...but they are awesome and many are rechargeable. Good thing to have at all times, reading, or for power outage at home, and especially in one's vehicle in case of emergency at night. Better than a flashlight as they can be very bright and free up your hands.
Based off of a nearly identical post from last week, I bought myself a Kindle Paperwhite. I’ve read 4 books already. I used to try and fail to read ebooks on my ipad (the glare gave me killer headaches) but something about the paperwhite is so much more book-like.
I am a dentist and agree with this statement, however, the reality of someone flossing instead of waterpiking is low so I’m always happy with those that use it as at least they’re doing something
I mean you can absolutely tell. I use both and if you use a regular bit of floss after waterpik you are still getting stuff on your floss. I use waterpik when I just want a quick refresh after a meal, but I always floss at the end of the day.
A dark blue canvas messenger bag I got from the clearance bin at the GAP after I got my first fancy job 17 years ago. Looks professional but plain/not-too-fancy and good for any meeting or interview or flight I've had since. Always loaded with notebook/pens/etc with room for my portfolio and a tablet.
Similarly; a carry-on size luggage case on clearance at Sears. Made it into a go-bag with at least one whole outfit, a fleece, some petty cash, also notebook/etc.
Between the two I'm ready to grab and go if I'm sent on an unanticipated overnight work trip or just randomly want to go on a quick trip for fun with girlfriend/friends.
magnesium glycinate!!! I had severe insomnia and anxiety and holy cow the difference since i started taking it is INSANE. its like $15 near me and it was legitimately life changing
We host a monthly potluck. It costs us about $300 in food and drink each month AND it actually saves us money, because we:
- clean the house more frequently.
- get invited to hang out more.
- eat out less often.
- cook more.
Our friends have enriched our lives immensely.
More importantly, I now value the quiet time between work and dinner in a way that I’ve never appreciated.
For me it was a hammock. I now sleep in one fulltime.
I started with a cotton Brazilian hammock with the plan to switch from a bed because at 48 years old I was sick of never being comfortable for very long in every bed I had ever bought.
In my research I discovered hammock camping and backpacking. Total life changer for me and even with all the hiking and walking at work I get full recovery in just one night in my hammock.
Zero pressure points, can easily be moved out of the way and super easy to toss in the washing machine. Best thing I ever bought.
I often side sleep in my hammock but back sleeping is the most comfortable and I rarely slept on my back in a bed but sleep that way most of the time now.
Had one, got it from a friend doing promotional item segments on morning television. Was a little noisy, which I could deal with, but that first time you pass gas in bed and you basically dutch-oven yourself, game-over... sad sad day.
Chemex and a subscription to Trade. My morning coffee is lit.
Multiple sets of things in the house my wife and I both use. Scissors and floss for example.
The 3M temporary glue plastic hooks for entryway. I hang my keys, the dog leash, and my shoe horn so I don't have to bend over all the time in my cramped entryway.
Oh yeah, and I love my long shoe horn. I hate tying and untying my shoes so I leave them just tight enough to be snug but loose enough that I can shoe horn in without squishing up the back of the shoe.
TSA precheck. I get anxiety in the airport so cruising through security and not having to take off shoes and all that is super helpful.
Therapy and executive coaching (which is basically work relationship therapy).
A good cordless drill
Hair clippers (i got one with a built in vacuum for ~25, and used it for over 4 years now) ... You'll want to also get a decent sized handheld mirror, and maybe some thinning shears too if you go this route. You'll save thousands...
Adjustable weights - Power block 50 Sport
Cheap bidet - you don't need the warming ones
Viscose bamboo bed sheet set - I overheated for 40+ years until I got this...
Clothes that fit well - My weight goes up and down a lot from working out and dating...
CPAP - Completely changed me...higher energy, working out, losing weight, better performance at work, etc...
A bunch of the same white and black socks...don't waste time matching socks :p
Magnetic USB cables with universal heads - they sell them on Amazon, and the ones that also do data are more expensive... incredibly nice being able to use the same cable on Lightning, mini usb, and USB-C ports
Convection toaster oven - I use this almost every day. Heats up faster than my full sized oven, and does almost everything i need.
Car cameras (front and rear) - Got my set on sale for $40, and works amazingly. Caught a motorcycle crash (i was not involved) and helped them out with the video so far.
Car with backup camera - my gf doesn't have one, and it suuuuuucks not having it for some tight spaces.
Vitamin d and magnesium supplements, you won’t notice it right away, but after like a month or six weeks you’ll just feel a bit more energy, and overall vitality that’s hard to explain. Really just made my mood a bit better a lot of the time.
Cloth shower liners. I used plastic for so long and they would get so gross, I'd end up throwing them out every 3 months or so because cleaning it again was just too much of a chore. Now I just put in the wash every month or so.
•Quality shoes. I own less shoes now but they make my nyc walking culture life much more comfortable.
•produce. Seasonal and local ish. Tastes like real food. I eat crap outside less. I splurge on good ingredients.
• cashmere and wool sweaters. Lasts forever. Odor resistant. You look polished.
• lemon squeezer. You get all the juice out and you feel fancy.
• nice soft towel. Feels like a hug.
My apartment was not weather sealed properly. On top of that we had wall heating units that would keep running and running, never hitting the right temperature. On top of that, you couldn’t program it to come on multiple times. Waking up 5 am in the winter absolutely sucked, as I had to to put them on and wait 30 min for it to just start.
I bought a device called Sensibo. It solved all my issues. Has an internal built thermometer, and can cut off or turn on the heat/AC when a temperature is hit. And I can schedule multiple times for on and off.
Waking up in the morning to a warm apartment was amazing. Also my bill for electricity was way lower.
After surgery I had dry eyes for years, had to get glasses.again albeit not as bad as before. But the absolute worse is degraded night vision and the halos/star effects around bright lights.
What pissed me off was all the people I talked to who said it was great, then afterwards saying they had same problems.
I rate getting Lasix as my worse life decision. Think carefully about eye surgery.
A $10 handheld milk frother 🙌🙌🙌 Totally unnecessary so I never splurged, but then I mentioned it in passing to one of my kiddos before last Christmas, and now I've got this mini "luxury" item that makes every hot drink taste infinitely better somehow. I literally use it daily and almost cried when I thought I'd broken it (i.e. fully submerged it in water.... ftr, it was fine once it dried out.)
A $20 kitchen scale.
Measuring your food and understanding what a true portion size is (per serving) is both incredible for weight loss and incredibly staggering in how much smaller it is than you think.
Worth every penny.
A cordless vacuum. Turns out 99.9% of the reason I hated cleaning was the damn cord and time it takes to hassle with it. Now it hangs i the hall where I pass and see it daily and I vac nearly daily, even if I don’t hit every room every day… I still get some done.
TSA precheck. Worth it even if I just fly across the country once a year.
Flannel corn heating pad. It was $15 and I use it for everything, cramps, wisdom teeth removal. It's my favorite cheap buy.
More than 1k, but an adjustable bed frame.
I bought a cheap string of outdoor fairy lights, solar charged, and dollar for dollar, I'm not sure I've ever bought anything that's given me so much happiness 😊
Smartwatch. Daily timer for taking my meds, plus I actually know when somebody's calling or texting and don't have to take my phone off silent. Also really good noise-canceling headphones. And a magic bullet for quick smoothies.
CPAP machine, sleep clinic found I had 83 interruptions per minute (over 30 is Sleep Apnea), now I have under 3.
I can get 3 hours of sleep with this thing and still feel better than 12 without it
Compression mats for the areas in your kitchen where you stand a lot to prep/cook/clean. Especially makes a difference for feet and knees after a long day of work!
Love this. I got a ramp for our dog when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Should’ve gotten it earlier, bc he was already too unstable to learn how to use it.
Flonase. I’ve always suffered from spring allergies and for most of my life I got by with once daily doses of Allegra D. If god forbid I didn’t get on this regimen early enough in the spring, I’d completely suffer to the point that I could barely function. The past few years it seems the pollen levels have gotten so unbearably high again that even with the medication I still felt this way most days in the spring. I was starting to become really devastated until last year I tried Flonase for the first time in addition to Allegra D, and all my symptoms basically went away. I take it daily in the spring and I can live my life again, it’s truly life changing during these months.
Body pillow.
Not a waifu (but, hey, go for it). Just a straight up body pillow.
I’ve only had one for a few years and I’m 46. I sleep so much better. Wish I’d tried it literal decades ago.
About 10yrs ago I decided to replace all the switches in my condo with smart switches.
The ability to just say "ok google, turn on the kitchen" when you're walking in with hands full of groceries? Worth every penny, and it wasn't super expensive either.
Those little Wyze cams for $25. They connect to WiFi and you can communicate 2-way, if needed, and also have motion detection with notifications that go to my phone. I travel, so it’s nice checking on the pets and family at times. Also good to make sure nobody is going into places they shouldn’t (house sitters, pet sitters, kids, etc).
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I live in a country where we have between 2-6 hours of electricity blackouts every day because of our corrupt government. Last year I invested in an inverter, solar panels and batteries for my house. Money well spent!
Replies making me realize how many possibilities of where you could live
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While I'm not arguing that America has its own set of issues, your examples do highlight the stark differences between our experiences and those in third-world countries. It's indeed chilling to consider such situations. America may be on a slippery slope, but it's crucial to recognize and appreciate the privileges we have. This awareness can help us empathize with others and work together to address global challenges.
Cleaning brush attachments for a power drill. About 30€ and an absolute gamechanger to take all the elbow grease out of cleaning - particularly the oven And plus you get to use your drill more!
I read yours just after the electric toothbrush and for a second I tought "wow this guy is crazy using a power drill to clean his teeth, but maybe it works?"
I read it after the bidet attachment.
If you do any amount of work on a computer, get a second monitor. Once you have two you can never go back.
I've got three! Can't imagine working on anything less than two.
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A really comfortable supportive mattress and decent pillows.
I work in a luxury hotel and every three years they replace all the mattresses. We tried donating them to homeless shelters, but they are not allowed to take them because of the possibility of bedbugs(!), so every three years my wife and I get two mildly used REALLY expensive pillow-top queen-sized mattresses for free.
If you have extras I’ll gladly buy them from you
You can go to the hotels and ask, talk to the employees out on a smoke break. Sometimes you get them for free. Fridges too. I've done this in London.
When getting rid of our mattresses and furniture during a refresh it all gets tossed if the employees don't take anything. We've "put the word out" about the mattresses and people actually came to take some. Calling and asking if they are planning on tossing stuff will never hurt.
*mildly used*
If you think about it, hotel mattresses are used less than you own house mattresses. You sleep on your own everyday but in there hotel sometimes they don't have guests. I would take a hotel mattress anytime
Hey what do you do with the old mattresses? What’s is a good way to dispose them since trash is not an option?
A local company near me cut them into sections and re-cover them with fabric. They then turn these into dog beds and donate them to dog shelters.
TIL: dogs in shelters have better beds than me
Well they're all good boys by default
I am a side sleeper and got a pillow for between my knees (kinda on a whim) and wow do my hips feel better! I didn’t even realize my hips were bothering me much before, because it was minor and chronic, but they feel significantly better now
Yeh, recently discovered another comforting thing. When its cold I sleep under two layers of blanket. Now I started tucking the bottom one right under my armpits, so my arms are beneath the top layer and seperate the arms fom body to reduce sweating
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I bought an Amazon box mattress, and their foam topper. Best mattress I have ever slept on. My wife and I barely get out of bed on Sunday. Edit: the first thing the wife wants in the divorce is “her” mattress.
Also extra comforters that are big and fluffy. It's so nice to just curl up in any direction you want, and be supported by a pile of blanket. And cotton duvet covers for comfort and easy cleaning.
I have a queen bed, but my blankets are all king size. I feel like not only does it look nicer, but I never have to worry about not having enough blanket in any direction. Super comfortable 100% of the time.
Have you noticed the fine print in linen catalogues? They do exactly this to make it look more appealing.
Wife convinced me to pull the trigger on purple pillows. Changed my life. Got that nice matress topper while on my internship, game changer too
Hearing aids. If you even suspect you might have hearing loss, get checked out. I was in denial for years, then finally gave in. I couldn’t believe how much I was missing. Real life changers. No more, “smile nod yup hahaha”
My dad has been laughing off the hearing loss for _years_. It's so frustrating to see him fake his way through conversations that I know he wants to be a part of. I haven't been able to convince him to invest in himself and go get tested (yet). What made you see the light?
A combination of just being tired of not being able to communicate on the same level as everyone else and the loss (finally) of giving a shit what anyone else thinks. My insurance covered it, so I decided, why not. Also, someone said “People don’t think twice about wearing glasses to correct their vision- so what’s the big deal about hearing aids?” And, not to sound like Frank Thomas, but she’ll like it too! Lol (Meaning my wife is as happy or happier than me about it!)
Self-cleaning robot vacuum with mops. I'm too lazy to vacuum myself and now the floor is always clean.
> I'm too lazy to vacuum myself Me too, I usually just shower.
Mom, dad’s drunk again.
You don’t even need an expensive robot vacuum cleaner. I paid $120 for mine 7-ish or so years ago. It still works great, never had an issue with it.
I have a little dog that sheds, and the robot vacuum has been incredible. A mediocre vacuum every day is better than vacuuming well once a week and I don't have to do it? Yes please!
Weekly pill caddy. I am much more consistent with taking my prescriptions and vitamins than when I had them n bottles.
My husband recently had to go on several daily, 3x weekly, am/pm meds and this makes things so easy. Can get them cheap at Walmart, Amazon, Walgreens, etc
Shower head with a detachable head. You think a bidet is great? Imagine a pressure washer.
I cannot fathom why all showers do not have the detachable head/hose. It makes so much sense, it looks silly to me to not have it.
I take mine with me. I live in an apartment and move around a lot, so I save the old shower head my current landlord has up, usual a shitty $5 Walmart head and screw mine on. Then When I move out I screw his back on and take mine back. Every few years I replace it, or sometimes I’ll leave it in hopes the next tenant enjoys having a decent shower.
Take it...I was once charged for leaving it.
Makes it much easier to clean the shower itself, as well as do any other non-showering tasks, like washing a pet or a pair of dirty shoes. My current shower does not have one, which is annoying. My bathtub does, tho, so there's that.
It's a huge help when cleaning the bathtub, walls, giant cooler box, etc.
Thought I told you to stop calling my vagina a “giant cooler box”!
Buy good socks and bras!
Donning clothes over a bad bra is like building a house without laying a foundation. It's just a false economy and an ill-fitting bra could well ruin your otherwise painstakingly-selected ensemble. I call it... the abracada-bra!
Curved shower curtain rod.
And the shower curtain hangers with bearings! It was a game changer
Why is no one liking this!!! Sooooo much more space!
Blackout/Room-Darkening Curtains in the bedroom.
Not only do they keep the sun out, they also help keep my room warm in winter/cool in summer. I rented a place that floods the bedroom with early morning sunlight and I was not sleeping well at all with just regular curtains. I finally decided I could not take another early morning blinding and went to Target. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and thick the darkening/blackout curtains are for the price-point I paid, probably about $60 bucks for 4 panels (64 inch length, in a silver-pink Gray color-- they are very nice and one of the best purchases I've ever made. Seriously LOVE these curtains.).
Or the $10 option sleep mask and just got some with blue tooth speakers Bonus Because you can look at your phone and hear it without waking your parter also Listening to a podcast to fall asleep
A sleep mask with raised hollow areas over the eyes so there's no pressure on your eyelids.... game changer for sure.
I like the pressure and couldn't use the ones with hollow eyes. Strange huh.
I love my blackout curtains. We took the concept next level and put black electrical tape over all the little indicators lights, such as the smoke detector and air cleaner. A black felt covered card leans against the face of the alarm clock to block that light. It is so dark that I added a motion detector night light so that we can see if we get up at night to "see a man about a horse". That motion detector light is 99% covered with electrical tape so we have just enough light when it turns on.
Add little felt pad to your door jams… all of them. Stop pets from rattling doors. Makes teenager door slams powerless
Please tell me more. My cat rattles the basement door every morning. My husband, love him dearly, has never met a door he didn’t accidentally slam. This would truly be a life-changer.
I think what they mean is to put the felt pads on the doorstop (not the springy thing, the trim inside the door frame that stops the door from swinging all the way through the door opening). If you are going to do this you might need to adjust the strikeplate (the part that catches the door latch on the door frame). I would put the pads at top and bottom of the open side. Hollow doors have some flex, so if you do top and bottom, the middle can still go in far enough to latch while top and bottom are pushed out slightly due to felt pads. If you just want to stop the door jiggle you could adjust the strikeplate so the door doesnt jiggle when it is closed. You dont need the pads just for that.
So embarrassing- an electric toothbrush. My teeth are & feel so much cleaner now. Getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist is so much easier for them & less grueling for me.
Nothing embarrassing about it! Electric toothbrushes are great!
Same! When I got mine, I was so sad I hadn’t done it sooner. it was like I hadn’t realized how not clean my teeth were until I experienced how clean they could be with a $75 electric toothbrush
Add a waterpik flosser before using the electric brush for a maximum cleaning combo. I've always hated flossing, and the waterpik was a game changer in my dental health overall. It really takes care of the stuff between teeth with ease.
I agree! I had a cheap one which was decent, but I got the Philips Sonicare on black Friday and it changed my life. I feel like I am the dentist now
Cheaper than turning on your heat to stay warm during the winter is getting an electric blanket. The key is to put it under you when you're sitting in a chair or laying down, and then put a regular blanket over yourself to trap that heat. Game changer this past winter.
Electric mattress pad is even more direct.
I have an electric mattress pad and it’s the most luxurious, life enhancing thing you could imagine for under $100. I’ve had electric blankets before and this is wayyyyyy better. Also, make sure you get one with the micro wires. My daughter has a “regular” one and the wires annoy me a bit, though not awful. Anyway….I turn it on high before bedtime, to let it warm the bed up nice and cozy in the winter. Once I climb in, I either turn it off, or if it’s really really cold, I’ll turn it down to the lowest setting so I don’t overheat at night. Physiology dictates that it’s good for sleep, too, as your body cooling down puts it into a rest state. (Bonus: Also, great for sex with a girlfriend who is always cold, so she’s not buried under the covers the whole time. )
Can confirm that it’s great for sex (can’t confirm about with your girlfriend). Don’t have to worry about keeping the covers on.
I had no idea this was a thing. And even sadder...I never thought about using an electric blanket on the bottom sheet!
I bought a $30 retrofit bidet attachment for my toilet. My asshole is shower fresh at all times and my toilet paper usage is down to almost nothing. GAME CHANGER
Can confirm. This is great but the real game changer is when you start getting up in the 200$ range and the seat is heated, heated water, blow dryer, has a smell filter, etc.
Additional confirmation. I'm currently traveling through Japan and I can never go back to the caveman toilets we have in the US.
When I renovated my bathroom, I brought a hot water line to the $30 bidet 😃
I still dont get why these arent as popular in north america than it is in asia
We have a passion for cleaning up peanut butter in the carpet with a towel.
This is absolutely true and also terrifying. I try to champion bidets on a regular basis.
#USAbidet
I still use TP to dry.
My bidet has a fan with speed settings and it blows hot air. High settings get too hot for me...
Only thing missing is RGB, but definitely game changer
Right? I still hit it twice just for peace of mind and routine plus to dry
I literally get depression every time I'm away from home and have to poop without one. Absolutely life changing.
No dumb questions / serious question: Is it like a power washer? Because I need to SCRAPE my arse like five times to get clean. And I’ve wiped my kids’ butts who are no different. I feel like a bidet would just be a giving a shower to a mud puddle.
Mine has a knob to turn up the pressure. The highest pressure took paint off the opposite wall. I think it can handle your cement!
I’m crying, thanks
100% a bidet will set you straight, and you will absolutely HATE pooping anywhere that doesn't have one. In a pinch wipes will do decently as a substitute for a bidet, but for god's sake don't flush the wipes (in case that needs to be said to anybody reading this).
No bidets had been the worst part of returning to work for me
The healthier I eat, the less wipes are necessary, so the bidet squirt is all you need. I also ran a 3/4" hot water line to my bidet :-)
I got myself a pretty sizeable whiteboard and put it up on my wall. I have notes on it, a daily list, a long-term list, some jokes, and random thoughts. Sometimes I sit and look at it to figure what to put up there or what to do to take some things off. It's way better than keeping things in my head. Erasing things off of it feel pretty good... I wish I could draw though
This seems small and silly, but a basic rice cooker is so nice. You can cook rice (I like basmati the best). But you can also cook rice and lentils together and add some spices. You can put veggies on top of your rice and lentils while it boils and steams. You can add a little olive oil or coconut oil for some staying power. And now you have lunch in a single pot that you don't have to babysit.
Baked oatmeal in my rice cooker was a game changer.
Good quality stainless clad pot and pans. There's certainly a learning curve with using them but they will elevate how you cook and make for a beautiful addition in the kitchen if you take care of them.
After using a hand me down AllClad pot, I got rid of al the other ones. Now I just have All Clad pot and an iron skillet. Both are pretty hard to destroy :)
Yep, replaced every pot/pan with all clad. I'll never go back to anything else. If I don't have any kids to pass them down to, I want to take my all clad to the grave with me, I really love them that much.
High quality wireless headset for my PC. The ability to get up and walk around during meetings does wonders for my concentration. Also, having a hardware mute button means I can make lunch, refill my water, play/snuggle with my cats or even go to the bathroom during meetings without anyone being the wiser and I don't have to run back to my computer to unmute when I need to contribute.
Do you have a set you’d recommend? Lots of colleagues have them but they also seem to be the ones we are always telling they sound low or causing feedback / static on the call.
I have the HyperX Cloud 2. They're comfortable, have good range, solid sound quality, good battery life, and no one has ever complained about the audio quality. Probably my favourite feature, though, is that the mic is completely detachable. My cats like to snuggle up right under my chin and the mic is naturally in their way. It is flexible so I can push it off to the side if I'm in a meeting and still need it, but if I'm just listening to music or whatever, I can pull the mic right out. Only downside for me is that Windows won't automatically switch its audio output when you turn them on, so you have to manually do that. I work around this by just always leaving it set to the headset since it's better quality than my speakers.
Free but using Libby or Hoopla for audiobooks from my local library. Additionally, as previously mentioned, noise canceling headphones. With my ADHD listening to audiobooks (or podcasts) while I work helps me so much with staying focused.
I hope service suggestions are ok too. 1. A cleaning service. Having someone else sweep, mop, vacuum, etc. frees up so much time. Now that I’m getting older it also saves my knees and back since I don’t need to get down on all fours to clean the tub/shower/oven. 2. When you move, hire movers! Just include the expense as part of your moving budget. It is sooo worth it.
Came here to say that too. I hired a cleaning service. It’s life altering.
I was shocked to find out inexpensive it was to hire loaders and unloaders for moving. You can hire them straight through Uhaul and it was just a few hundred bucks (pre-Covid, it’s probably $20k now).
Superfeet insoles. Worked at a restaurant and was saving money on those shitty gel shoe insoles for “support”. They’re about $30 on Amazon, I swear to you it’s so worth it standing for 8+ hrs no feet pain whatsoever
Which ones do you recommend? Nothing fancy, just like the most basic one you can still reap the benefits from.
Hi. I work in running specialty. Let me explain orthotic inserts to you all. Superfeet come in multiple colors. These colors signal different arch fits. If you have a low to flat arch you want yellow carbon. If you have a medium arch you want blue. If you have a high arch or enjoy feeling VERY supported in your arch area then get green. They made a purple that is for "women" but that is just Marketing BS. It's just a more narrow superfeet green. These are not "gel" inserts such as Dr. SCHOLS. The Dr. Schols gel-type inserts **provide zero support but do provide cushion.** This is good for people who have neuralgia or growths and want to relieve pressure spots. These can be useful for people who have really tender feeling heels, but make sure you don't have Plantar Fasciitis. The main symptom of PF is a stabbing knife pain directly into your heel bone "the calcaneus" as soon as your feet hit the floor in the morning. (This is due to the plantar fascia inserting into the calcaneus bone. This is where the acute pain is usually localized.) Superfeet provides all support and zero to little cushion. They are HARD pieces of plastic that you jam under your arch to do the work for your body. They will hurt at first. That's fine. There "is" nothing fancy about Superfeet. It's practical science. You're strapping a hard piece of plastic to your arch because your arch is too weak to hold up and distribute your bodyweight. Here is essentially how it works: When you stand all day (it's quite unnatural). Your arch is constantly "loaded" with the weight of your body, and it is doing a "static hold" when you are standing. When you put a supportive insert in such as a Superfeet, you are basically outfitting your shoe with an artificial arch. That artificial arch will take some of the work load off your real arch, and thus it makes standing all day far easier. The only other time you really need a supportive insert is if you have plantar fasciitis. Reducing load on the arch allows the plantar fascia to grow back. Also you want lots of protein, sleep, water, and NEVER being on your feet as much as you can until you heal. Then you want to take your fat ass to the gym and start doing exercises to strengthen your foot muscles and ditch the orthotic. (Although more power to you if you got dat dumptruck.) If you're using it too much it will become a crutch for your muscle and you will become dependent on it. If you want to remain injury free, exercise daily, drink water, and eat whole foods. *getting custom orthotics made by your doctor is a scam. You don't need a 500 dollar molded insert. Edit: IN MOST CASES. I am not a doctor. If you are suffering from severe foot pain I would go to a doctor and tell them what's up. If they suggest custom inserts I would raise an eyebrow. Try a more affordable option first. That's just my advice. *the running store that wants you to do that arch mold thing is also a scam. It's a smoke and mirrors show to disarm you as a customer and make you feel like, "WOW! THESE ARE PROFESSIONALS!" Wrong. You're being sold. You only need orthotics for neutral shoes to make them supportive if you over pronate, to assist in long periods of standing/walking and as a way to heal plantar fasciitis. Typically these superfeet orthotics last for about 800 to 1000 miles or 12 months. If you are of the MORE MASS variety of human, they will last about half that time. Also if you go to a running store and they try to sell you a shoe AND an insert.....raise an eyebrow. If they insist on it, just leave. They are trying to sell you. However. If you have PF they SHOULD try to sell you an insert. And furthermore, if you overpronate you could simply buy a supportive daily trainer such as the HOKA arahi 6, the Brooks Adrenaline gts. The new balance 860. The Nike infinity run fly knit. Etc My favorite support shoe to wear if my feet and legs are feeling tired or sore is the new balance 860 version 13 because I really like the non-intrusive arch support offered by its double dense medial posting
dude this is such a good comment, thanks. working on healing PF right now, and I'm already doing almost everything you suggested which is good to know I'm on the right track!
Restaurant GM here. I use the orange ones(high arch support). I regularly stand for 8+hrs a day. For years I assumed the foot pain was just a part of the job. Got superfeet insoles for Christmas 2 years ago and the change ws immediate. No aching feet since then!
Air Fryer. I RESISTED the "you must get one" forever Lol. But admit it is great. Everything turns out crisper, no fat and it's fast, hardly use my oven now.
Oh yeah I don’t even care about the less fat thing- deep frying is a huge pain and this thing is just as easy as the oven, faster than the oven, and cooks like you always imagined oven stuff should cook but never actually does. Fries are always disappointing in the oven. Always. Somehow in the air fryer, they’re crispy and good. Yeah, I understand it’s basically a convection oven, but I’m in a rental and can’t go and replace my oven. Thought air fryers were stupid before I got one. I was wrong.
The amount of vegetables that I eat now is amazing. The air fryer cooks Brussel sprouts sooooo perfectly.
I even bake cookies in there
Another good outcome is it reduces heating / electricity bill based on what your oven uses
My dog. She makes me get outside and exercise and fills the house with joy.
Shark Vacmop, it vacuums and mops my floors daily. I named her Clean Elizabeth and I treat her like one of my pets.
I got a vitamix blender like 3-4 years ago, probably like $500ish, its so infinitely better than the cheaper blenders. The things amazing, you can do a million things with it and have the extremely good fairly healthy smoothies / acai bowls every day. I am convinced the thing could blend rocks. Also as mentioned below is good noise canceling headphones which to me a light sleeper are a god send.
I have a circa 1964 Vitamix I bought off EBay probably 20 years ago. Replaced the gasket in the lid and that’s it. Works like a beast and it’s older than I am.
Wine or flowers for my partner whenever I have a chance try weekly sometimes monthly. $5-$20
That’s so nice my hubby does this for me too we’ve been together almost 9 years. Just a simple 5$ gesture when he goes to the grocery store it’s not all the time so I expect it but probably 4-5 times a year
Wholesome ❤️
Jumper cables and a socket and wrench set. Throw it in the trunk of the car. And upgrade your jack to a floor jack. They can be pretty cheap and make lifting the car so much easier in an emergency.
Instead of jumper cables, get a self-contained battery pack. Fits in a small box in your car, and in spite of what I thought when I heard about it, it works and I've used mine three times now (for others, too). The first use saved its cost of \~$65.
Word of advice on these: check the power level monthly but bump that up to weekly during the winter months. I went to use mine in a non-emergency situation (charge a phone while outside) and it was dead. Would have sucked if the car battery was dead too.
The jumper cables are more essential. If you are stranded in a rural area, a lot of people will stop for 15 min to jump you. They will not however sit for 3 hours if you forgot to charge your battery pack. Although to be fair mine holds its charge pretty well. But for 20-30$ get the cables. Get a solid gauge and length. If you never use them great...but it's one of those things that'll save your ass. If you have more money, buy a battery jumper, way more conveinant. Just do both
got a towel heater; it will really improve your post shower experience
I see some on Amazon that are shaped like a towel rack and some that are shaped like a bucket which are you in love with?
Go with the bucket. We have one and it is amazing. The rod kind only hears a small part of your towel *edit* heats a small part…
New mattress, bamboo sheets, weighted blanket. BEST money ever spent.
Good sleep mask. Makes all the difference in the world to me, year round and when I travel. You can never get curtains dark enough to really block out the light, and if you try, you limit your decorating options and have trouble if you get up at night in a super dark room. Decent (not necessarily high end) kitchen knives and a steel and a sharpener. Having sharp kitchen knives makes cooking so much easier and even fun. You eat healthier, waste less, cut safer and have tools you can enjoy using. The right home owner's insurance policy with a good company. We were forced out when our neighbor had a fire and our place was wrecked by smoke, soot and other damage. Having a good policy was a make or break difference. It was worth every penny when it covered 8 months living in a hotel, rebuilding, replacing our stuff and all the rest. Still a hell of a hassle but with poor insurance, we would have lost a big chunk of our savings and maybe our home.
Love this topic. Now I'm thinking I need an air fryer. 3 things that've greatly improved my life: 1. A hot water bottle to warm my feet up before I go to sleep. My feet are almost always cold, and it's hard for me to fall asleep when they're cold... plus a nice warm bed feels extra luxurious. 2. 1. A down comforter. It keeps me at just the right temperature. (+see above: having a luxuriously comfortable bed) 3. A treadmill. Effectively eliminated any excuses to avoid running on snowy days.
If you or someone in your life knows how to sew, a simple rice bag (exactly what it sounds like) is amazing in the microwave for warmth. And amazing for women when cramping.
Smart thermostat, $130; garlic press, $15; blackout curtains, $50(?); a second PC monitor (for tele"working"(tm), $250; a new couch, waaaay more than $1,000- but it made the wife **VERY** happy!
I can’t work without a second monitor anymore. Big game changer for me.
Some people I work with have a 3rd monitor as well… now that’s luxury
* Sleep mask. Mine are just for the eyes but fancier ones incorporate Bluetooth speakers. * Robot vacuum cleaner. * Windshield screen/sunshade for my car in summer. * Frostblocker for my car in winter. * Weighted blanket. * Various weight wool socks for all seasons.
Electric toothbrush Library card, I didn't buy it but I think it fits in here. And before I retired, my own fork, knife, and spoon for work. Wash them each time and bring them back to your desk.
a high-quality planner. I’ve bought my last two from Plum Paper. the level of customization is pretty crazy and the effect it’s had on my life is unbelievable. I have ADHD and for most of my life I was barely functioning even with medication. over 5-6 years of training myself to use a planner I’ve had a complete turnaround in my life in virtually every way- career, hobbies, keeping my house clean, exercising enough… even if you’re not dealing with an attention-related disability I can’t recommend making a planner a big part of your life enough.
Book light, $15 maybe? I use it for all sorts of stuff. Good lotion, soap, and shampoo & conditioner. Which led me to go all out on a good face cream. Spent some bucks on all that....zero regrets. Soft tp...use a name brand, spend the extra bucks. I will not go back to that scratchy cowboy nonsense. Well fitting shoes and clothes. OMFG....had I known. Spend the extra. Lasts longer and way more comfy. Buy your size people. I too was once smaller....getting older means your body changes. Let go that size matters....lol. All these things may seem stupid, but definite game changer for me.
I don't know what you mean by book light, but I use a headlamp haha! I had a book light when I was young that clipped to the book and added to the weight of it. I thought headlamps were for cave explorers and laughed...but they are awesome and many are rechargeable. Good thing to have at all times, reading, or for power outage at home, and especially in one's vehicle in case of emergency at night. Better than a flashlight as they can be very bright and free up your hands.
My daughter used to call bad TP “toilet scraper.”
Based off of a nearly identical post from last week, I bought myself a Kindle Paperwhite. I’ve read 4 books already. I used to try and fail to read ebooks on my ipad (the glare gave me killer headaches) but something about the paperwhite is so much more book-like.
Air purifier and an air humidifier
A water pick. Best purchase of last year. Makes flossing quick and easy instead of an absolute chore.
Sadly, dentists insist that a Waterpik is not a replacement for flossing.
I am a dentist and agree with this statement, however, the reality of someone flossing instead of waterpiking is low so I’m always happy with those that use it as at least they’re doing something
I mean you can absolutely tell. I use both and if you use a regular bit of floss after waterpik you are still getting stuff on your floss. I use waterpik when I just want a quick refresh after a meal, but I always floss at the end of the day.
Always bring a towel
So long, and thanks for all the fish 🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬
Proper flashlight and good shoes
A dark blue canvas messenger bag I got from the clearance bin at the GAP after I got my first fancy job 17 years ago. Looks professional but plain/not-too-fancy and good for any meeting or interview or flight I've had since. Always loaded with notebook/pens/etc with room for my portfolio and a tablet. Similarly; a carry-on size luggage case on clearance at Sears. Made it into a go-bag with at least one whole outfit, a fleece, some petty cash, also notebook/etc. Between the two I'm ready to grab and go if I'm sent on an unanticipated overnight work trip or just randomly want to go on a quick trip for fun with girlfriend/friends.
magnesium glycinate!!! I had severe insomnia and anxiety and holy cow the difference since i started taking it is INSANE. its like $15 near me and it was legitimately life changing
We host a monthly potluck. It costs us about $300 in food and drink each month AND it actually saves us money, because we: - clean the house more frequently. - get invited to hang out more. - eat out less often. - cook more. Our friends have enriched our lives immensely. More importantly, I now value the quiet time between work and dinner in a way that I’ve never appreciated.
For me it was a hammock. I now sleep in one fulltime. I started with a cotton Brazilian hammock with the plan to switch from a bed because at 48 years old I was sick of never being comfortable for very long in every bed I had ever bought. In my research I discovered hammock camping and backpacking. Total life changer for me and even with all the hiking and walking at work I get full recovery in just one night in my hammock. Zero pressure points, can easily be moved out of the way and super easy to toss in the washing machine. Best thing I ever bought.
I'm a stomach and side sleeper. I can't imagine I'd sleep well in a hammock.
I often side sleep in my hammock but back sleeping is the most comfortable and I rarely slept on my back in a bed but sleep that way most of the time now.
The BedFan. It was $200ish and goes at the foot of the bed, under the top sheet and blows air up my legs. Night sweats handled!
Had one, got it from a friend doing promotional item segments on morning television. Was a little noisy, which I could deal with, but that first time you pass gas in bed and you basically dutch-oven yourself, game-over... sad sad day.
Chemex and a subscription to Trade. My morning coffee is lit. Multiple sets of things in the house my wife and I both use. Scissors and floss for example. The 3M temporary glue plastic hooks for entryway. I hang my keys, the dog leash, and my shoe horn so I don't have to bend over all the time in my cramped entryway. Oh yeah, and I love my long shoe horn. I hate tying and untying my shoes so I leave them just tight enough to be snug but loose enough that I can shoe horn in without squishing up the back of the shoe. TSA precheck. I get anxiety in the airport so cruising through security and not having to take off shoes and all that is super helpful. Therapy and executive coaching (which is basically work relationship therapy).
A good cordless drill Hair clippers (i got one with a built in vacuum for ~25, and used it for over 4 years now) ... You'll want to also get a decent sized handheld mirror, and maybe some thinning shears too if you go this route. You'll save thousands... Adjustable weights - Power block 50 Sport Cheap bidet - you don't need the warming ones Viscose bamboo bed sheet set - I overheated for 40+ years until I got this... Clothes that fit well - My weight goes up and down a lot from working out and dating... CPAP - Completely changed me...higher energy, working out, losing weight, better performance at work, etc... A bunch of the same white and black socks...don't waste time matching socks :p Magnetic USB cables with universal heads - they sell them on Amazon, and the ones that also do data are more expensive... incredibly nice being able to use the same cable on Lightning, mini usb, and USB-C ports Convection toaster oven - I use this almost every day. Heats up faster than my full sized oven, and does almost everything i need. Car cameras (front and rear) - Got my set on sale for $40, and works amazingly. Caught a motorcycle crash (i was not involved) and helped them out with the video so far. Car with backup camera - my gf doesn't have one, and it suuuuuucks not having it for some tight spaces.
Vitamin d and magnesium supplements, you won’t notice it right away, but after like a month or six weeks you’ll just feel a bit more energy, and overall vitality that’s hard to explain. Really just made my mood a bit better a lot of the time.
Cloth shower liners. I used plastic for so long and they would get so gross, I'd end up throwing them out every 3 months or so because cleaning it again was just too much of a chore. Now I just put in the wash every month or so.
•Quality shoes. I own less shoes now but they make my nyc walking culture life much more comfortable. •produce. Seasonal and local ish. Tastes like real food. I eat crap outside less. I splurge on good ingredients. • cashmere and wool sweaters. Lasts forever. Odor resistant. You look polished. • lemon squeezer. You get all the juice out and you feel fancy. • nice soft towel. Feels like a hug.
Tower fan with a remote. I’m hot but not getting out of bed.
Weighted blanket and noise cancelling headphones for those over stim days !
Hey, you wanna try out the Smush Shush?
Squatty Potty, if you don't have one get one now. You will never shit the same way again!
Second this. Also if you're cheap like me, another option is to put a small cardboard box right in front of your toilet to rest your feet on.
My apartment was not weather sealed properly. On top of that we had wall heating units that would keep running and running, never hitting the right temperature. On top of that, you couldn’t program it to come on multiple times. Waking up 5 am in the winter absolutely sucked, as I had to to put them on and wait 30 min for it to just start. I bought a device called Sensibo. It solved all my issues. Has an internal built thermometer, and can cut off or turn on the heat/AC when a temperature is hit. And I can schedule multiple times for on and off. Waking up in the morning to a warm apartment was amazing. Also my bill for electricity was way lower.
IKEA automatic blinds. ~$250 and all I have to do is press a button to raise or lower them. They also blackout the light.
Electric callus remover for feet. Pretty cheap and gets your feet ready for sandal weather.
LASIK eye surgery. Anyone with poor eyesight should do it.
After surgery I had dry eyes for years, had to get glasses.again albeit not as bad as before. But the absolute worse is degraded night vision and the halos/star effects around bright lights. What pissed me off was all the people I talked to who said it was great, then afterwards saying they had same problems. I rate getting Lasix as my worse life decision. Think carefully about eye surgery.
These stories are what’s holding me back. I don’t hate contacts or glasses enough to risk that. Thanks for your comment.
It’s nice while it lasts. Mine wore off after about 7 years.
Reading this thread makes it obvious that the north just went through a cold winter lol
A $10 handheld milk frother 🙌🙌🙌 Totally unnecessary so I never splurged, but then I mentioned it in passing to one of my kiddos before last Christmas, and now I've got this mini "luxury" item that makes every hot drink taste infinitely better somehow. I literally use it daily and almost cried when I thought I'd broken it (i.e. fully submerged it in water.... ftr, it was fine once it dried out.)
Heated gloves for the arthritis in my hands. Thirty minutes each morning and my hands are fine for the rest of the day. Mine are battery powered.
Weight bench, curl bar, weights, dumbells.
A $20 kitchen scale. Measuring your food and understanding what a true portion size is (per serving) is both incredible for weight loss and incredibly staggering in how much smaller it is than you think. Worth every penny.
Clothes folder, you can get them for like €7 on Amazon, enabled me to fully clean and organise my wardrobe, and I use it everyday!
A good Japanese kitchen knife
A 3d printer. If you’re a DIY’er, and can design your own stuff, you can make fittings, gauges, guides, braces, boxes, the list is endless.
A cordless vacuum. Turns out 99.9% of the reason I hated cleaning was the damn cord and time it takes to hassle with it. Now it hangs i the hall where I pass and see it daily and I vac nearly daily, even if I don’t hit every room every day… I still get some done.
TSA precheck. Worth it even if I just fly across the country once a year. Flannel corn heating pad. It was $15 and I use it for everything, cramps, wisdom teeth removal. It's my favorite cheap buy. More than 1k, but an adjustable bed frame.
I bought a cheap string of outdoor fairy lights, solar charged, and dollar for dollar, I'm not sure I've ever bought anything that's given me so much happiness 😊
Bidet. Clean faster, and spend less on TP. Worth the money.
Pregnancy pillow! I am not pregnant, just fat but that shit is a life changer!
Smartwatch. Daily timer for taking my meds, plus I actually know when somebody's calling or texting and don't have to take my phone off silent. Also really good noise-canceling headphones. And a magic bullet for quick smoothies.
CPAP machine, sleep clinic found I had 83 interruptions per minute (over 30 is Sleep Apnea), now I have under 3. I can get 3 hours of sleep with this thing and still feel better than 12 without it
Compression mats for the areas in your kitchen where you stand a lot to prep/cook/clean. Especially makes a difference for feet and knees after a long day of work!
a doggy stairs for my bed.
Love this. I got a ramp for our dog when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Should’ve gotten it earlier, bc he was already too unstable to learn how to use it.
Flonase. I’ve always suffered from spring allergies and for most of my life I got by with once daily doses of Allegra D. If god forbid I didn’t get on this regimen early enough in the spring, I’d completely suffer to the point that I could barely function. The past few years it seems the pollen levels have gotten so unbearably high again that even with the medication I still felt this way most days in the spring. I was starting to become really devastated until last year I tried Flonase for the first time in addition to Allegra D, and all my symptoms basically went away. I take it daily in the spring and I can live my life again, it’s truly life changing during these months.
A theracane to massage knots out of my back.
Body pillow. Not a waifu (but, hey, go for it). Just a straight up body pillow. I’ve only had one for a few years and I’m 46. I sleep so much better. Wish I’d tried it literal decades ago.
Electric hot water kettle. Can’t go back to relying on the stovetop for preparing tea and coffee. Also, Turkish towels. Quicker to dry.
Ten thousand dollar Japanese bidet.
Randy, is that you??
About 10yrs ago I decided to replace all the switches in my condo with smart switches. The ability to just say "ok google, turn on the kitchen" when you're walking in with hands full of groceries? Worth every penny, and it wasn't super expensive either.
Those little Wyze cams for $25. They connect to WiFi and you can communicate 2-way, if needed, and also have motion detection with notifications that go to my phone. I travel, so it’s nice checking on the pets and family at times. Also good to make sure nobody is going into places they shouldn’t (house sitters, pet sitters, kids, etc).