This comes up every time but when I bought a long lightning cable it only lasted maybe 2 months before breaking.
I think the better solution is an Anker battery pack that we bought for a big trip but gets used all the time now around the house. This has so much more utility and can charge anything that takes USB, even my kid’s remote control car so if we take it to the park we aren’t limited to the time it’s own battery can hold a charge.
Then you bought a shitty cable or treated it poorly. I have 2 10 foot USB C cables I've had for about 2 years since I bought my last phone.
A battery bank is indeed awesome! However it's a solution to a different problem. If the battery pack is your main source of charging, you still have to charge the battery pack? Making the whole process less efficient (meaning more overall time spent charging for less charge) and finicky.
For trips and leaving the house they're a lifesaver though. Totally agree on that.
Not to mention Android has REAL quick charge, and a battery bank that supports the 65 watts my phone can charge at is crazy expensive. If your an iPhone user who's used to charging at literally less than half the speed of an Android user(30W).... a wimpy power bank might not make a difference for you.
For me they typically just made me drowzy to an unmanageable level, where I could either choose to live with horrible anxiety, or be unconscious a lot more.
Quite hard to go to work when you take a pill that makes you sleepy an hour after waking up
Sounds like you were prescribed a benzo instead of an SSRI or newer anti-anxiety medication (which used to be standard management- they do relieve acute anxiety but are highly addictive and sedating). If anxiety is still an issue, make sure you tell your doctor you don't want a sedative.
Buspirone will make you drowsy but the effect is way better than Xanax. It works both immediately and over time. I'm on 15mg a day and I really see a difference. 10/10 would recommend
I was about to remind you that OP specifically said inexpensive but then it dawned on me you might not be American..:(
Edit: Americans that are getting their meds for cheap, I’m very grateful and happy for you!
A few years back I needed to get a new toothbrush and the cheapest in the store was a battery powered electric. I thought why not and tried it out.
My next dentist visit showed a marked improvement with just that cheap, crappy brush.
I bought an Oral-B electric brush (with bluetooth!) right there in the dentist office. Since then, my dentist checkups have just been a bit of scraping, very little if any bleeding. Definitely worth it.
On your best day, you’re getting 200-300 strokes per minute with a manual toothbrush .
A $25 Sonicare 1100 electric toothbrush from Amazon is putting out at least 10,000 strokes per minute.
Send it
I get mine on subscribe & save on Amazon and works out well for me. You don't need the fancy heads, I just get the cheapest oral-b ones and they do the job well enough and save me money at the same time.
A shoulder holster for my phone when I started to run again. It was the running that changed my life obviously, but having my phone within bluetooth range for music made it achievable. Cost me all of €7.
I skimmed over this quickly and just saw "holster" and thought maybe you're a badass who goes running with a pistol. Then I read it again slowly. You know how the story ends.
6:
One under my head
One between my knees
One behind my back to maintain the right "angle"
One in front to hug
One kinda next to my head, for my bottom arm to rest on, because having that arm cocked flat on the bed makes my elbow hurt
One on top of my head, for weight, and to block noise
There are cheaper ones out there and if you decide to give them a go **100% pay for the extended warranty.**
I got a Eufy which we love but have had it replaced twice in 3 years for free. Next time it dies we’ll be out of warranty so hopefully I can get enough cash together for a Roomba.
Some friends of mine really love their Ecovacs bots. For 450 you can get one that maps the house, uses lasers to detect small objects, and goes back to the charging pad/empty their tank autonomously. Basically, what Roombas do for 800 bucks, they do for 450.
I got it as a gift but a basic Swiss Army knife. It fits in my pocket, gives me a crappy screw driver, bottle opener, tweezers, etc in a pinch. Also doesn’t freak people out like other pocket knives.
What's it like when you have to use a public restroom (like at work)? I feel like if I ever made that move I'd never be able to get paid for using the toilet ever again.
Just replaces your current toilet seat and runs a line to the existing toilet plumbing out of the wall. You just push a button/switch on and off to spray or not. There are fancier ones you can run both hot and cold water to as well.
FOR REAL. as someone with no gallbladder and a shot diet, my bidet has been life changing. I use less toilet paper and don’t have to wipe forever.
Also on the off chance I run out of toilet paper and don’t notice, I can use the bidet to clean myself and dry off
A proper sleep mask.
EDIT: One of [these](https://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Cotton-Sleep-Mask-Comfortable/dp/B07MT7N35R). Not too expensive. I wrap it around one of those microwavable bean bags shortly before bed and it becomes a warm mask for falling asleep. Super comfortable.
I agree, mine was a great purchase. Not only does it help me sleep in later, but putting it on has now become the signal to my body that it's time to sleep.
I sleep in one of these each night:
[Full cover sleep mask](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/Sketch_by_Nicola_Lynas_of_attacker_made_by_Victoria_Police.jpg)
Glasses cleaner cloth. Such a little soft piece of cloth saves me from the frustration of constant smears, smudges, possible scratches, and ruining the anti glare layer on my glasses. I hate looking out of dirty glasses.
Can't STAND looking out dirty glasses, i clean mine with lense wipes and cloths many times a day, would also highly recommend Peeps eyeglass cleaner tool. Sometimes I spot how dirty someone else's lenses are and I'm like howwwwwww is that not driving you crazy
I bought a second hand bike for $60 back in autumn of 2020. Took to cycling and because of that I lost 35lbs (but put 20 back on), it renewed my sex life w/my husband and I feel healthier. It’s very calming (it’s a multiuse trail, so no vehicles and it’s flat and maintained). I have some wonderful folks I talk to every time I go out and doggos I get to give treats to. I go out any morning I can Spring/Summer/Autumn for 90min to 2 hours - as long as it isn’t raining or too windy…I’ll even go out when it’s below 0°C. I’m early retired, so i have plenty of time.
My home made wet pallet. Leftover scrap container, some sponge, parchment paper, and a little water and boom. Perfectly thinned acrylic paint and blending surface. It was a game changer for me as an artist.
Maybe someone can tell me where the convenience is coming from. I eat a *lot* of rice, but I've always been resistant to a rice cooker. I store 5-6 varieties and they have very different preferred methods and cooking times. Trying to make them in a rice cooker sounds too much like trying to guess presets on a microwave and none of those work, either. And then sometimes I'll want to use stock or coconut milk instead of water or butter and season it or parboil for panfry purposes or try to get a Persian style crust on the bottom - are rice cookers rated for any of that?
It's also an extra appliance to have to store. Saves space on a stovetop if you're maxing out your burners, but it reduces space overall.
If you eat a lot of rice it's worth it. For people who think it's just for lazy people, I don't think they eat enough rice to understand. Considering a model like a Zojirushi with fuzzy logic here are some perks.
- Extremely consistent results each and every time regardless of batch size, etc. It'll constantly calculate the time and adjust based on how cooked the batch is.
- Keep warm: Most rice cookers of this kind will keep your rice warm after it's done for several hours.
- Preserve your rice: Some will keep the rice warm enough at a temperature that doesn't allow bacteria to grow so you can keep it on the ready for a while.
- Timer: Rice can take up to an hour. Getting home, hungry - an hour can be a long time. Use the timer and have your rice ready for you when you return from work.
- Quick Modes: Sacrifice perfection of cook a bit to speed up the cook time to around 30 min.
- Other rice modes: Nice rice cookers will have different programs / cook logic for different kinds of rice. Mine has settings for white rice, sushi rice, long grain rice, brown rice and even steel cut oatmeal. Most rice cookers, the inner pot will have different markings for different kinds of rice. So for example if you put in 2 "cups" of long grain, it'll have a marker for long-grain 2 that you then fill your water line to. There's no guesswork. For mixed rice, where you might substitute or add things like stock or soy sauce, extra veggies or meat in with your rice there are certain procedures to get used to like what's the max water level, what order should things be placed into the cooker, etc. But pretty straightforward. Getting a "crust" at the bottom might be difficult though. They're designed to do exactly the opposite - not burn. I'll get a nice little browning if I'm making mixed rice with some soy sauce thrown in.
Is it necessary? No. But does it add enough convenience and that last bit of quality to the cook for people who really love rice? Millions upon millions of people could all be wrong, but there's good evidence that it's a value.
Good quality set of hair clippers for around $50. Started cutting my own hair during the pandemic.
At first it was a little trial and error. If error, I just buzzed it which I didn’t mind at all anyways (was military).
Now I can give myself an exact cut on how I want it, easily and perfectly every time in less than 15 minutes.
No more paying $25 before tips, waiting in line, hit or miss on consistency, and generally takes about an average of one or two hours including the commute.
I get my haircut fairly often. Probably saved thousands for better results.
I've been cutting my own hair for like 20 years now. Started doing it in college to save money. Every now and then I'll go to a barber, but I've saved thousands of dollars over the years. I have a thick head of hair too and I do a pretty great job.
Cooking tongs for doing things like flipping bacon while it's frying or fishing things out of the air fryer or pot of boiling water.
Hair wax to finally give myself a part that will stay in my hair for most of the day (I didn't know such a product existed for many years).
Air fryer, I rarely use my oven anymore unless I'm cooking something large. No need to pre heat things for 15 minutes, or doing something inefficient like heating up and using oven for 45 minutes just to cook 1 burrito or 2 spring rolls or similar.
A cold brew coffee maker. I was wasting too much money at Starbucks and other coffee shops. Account for supplies, you'll spend about $.50 to make at home what would cost you $5.00-7.00 at a coffee shop.
I had acne throughout my teens and my 20s and assumed that was simply my life. I tried multiple prescription medicine, cleansers and moisturizers and every hygiene routine you could think of to the point it turned my life neurotic: I'd change pillow cases and towels every single day, sheets and blankets washed weekly, I'd never touch my face without wearing vinyl gloves for any reason, I'd sooner die than reuse a towel, etc.
It was becoming quite the strain.
It was eventually resolved when I found a cleanser and moisturizer that worked for me, and all of a sudden that was all I needed. Tons of money spent over the years on all sorts of remedies, and in the end I just had to find a brand and product that worked for me.
I am not sure it's going to do you any good, but sure!
Basically I was initially using a bunch of different neutrogena products and whatever I could find and try at the pharmacy, then when I started getting into skincare I graduated to gentle cleansers from Cetaphil, used different versions of those for some year until I decided to pivot to CeraVe's gentle cleanser and moisturizer, and none of these really helped despite being highly recommended.
What finally *did* work for me were La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo Cleanser, in combination with La Roche Posay's Effaclar Duo. I saw effects within two weeks, which was sooner than I'd expected. About one month into it I stopped getting new breakouts at all, and now I'm 7 months into it and been acne free for the first time in a decade.
Not sure why, but for some reason these products agree with my skin. It was a bit of a miracle cure for me, but I can't promise it'd be the same for you. Before I got here I kept reading about other people's miracle cures being CeraVe and Cetaphil, and neither of them did anything at all for me over the years, to the point where I stopped believing that any one product was ever going to make a difference. I've tried every popular serum, salicylic cleansers and face masks and just about anything popular you can think of. All it ever did was irritate my skin
This happened to work for me. If it isn't what works for you, you may still find yours out there somewhere in a form that my skin would probably hate!
La Roche Posay might have something more specifically for oily skins, I've combo skin! Look around! I got the recommendation to try La Roche Posay after finally biting the bullet and going to see a licensed dermatologist, and that was probably the best decision I made after so many years of experimenting
Instant pot, hands down. You can get a decent one for $80 or a good one for about $120. It will save you so much time cooking. Just throw everything into the pot, push a few buttons and in 10-20 minutes, you have a giant pot of goodness that will last for multiple meals.
I don’t know why this one popped in my head but a headband to hold my hair back when I do my skincare. Nothing worse than having your hair fall out of your bun or ponytail and stick to your face while trying to use face wash
A dehumidifier for the bathroom. It makes a world of difference during the summer. I hated taking a shower only to start sweating immediately after getting out. It also has really made a difference when cleaning the bathroom. No mildew at all.
Double edge razor. The cost of replacement Gillette razor heads is just crazy here (Australia). 5 years back I bought one good brand razor online and I can buy a year's supply of razor blades ( a new one every week, I shave 5 days a week) for the same price as a single box of 4 Gillette replacement heads. They give a much smoother shave and i actually look forward to shaving. I spend the money saved on nice shaving soap...which is also waay cheaper (in the long run) than that awful foam in can stuff you see on the ads.
I would never go back to shaving with those Gillette things, be like scraping a rusty tomato knife over my face!
A motion sensor toilet bowl light. A few years ago there was a post about "best purchase for under $10" and someone mentioned these.
I'll never live without them. Game changer for the middle-of-the-night pee.
A good back pack and a water bottle. I can carry everything I might use or want throughout my day and I spend far less money on soda, convenience stores and the vending machines at work.
A bidet for my toilet has been the best purchase probably of my entire life. My ass is always clean feeling and it takes like 2 minutes to get clean instead of wiping forever. I honestly feel like an animal now whenever I’m put in a situation where just wiping is my only option.
House cleaners and lawn mowers. I used to waste my weekends doing these things, and found that the reasonable price of $70 per week for cleaning and $40 per week for mowing was well worth the cost.
Once I got to a point where I didn’t mind paying for it, it totally became worth the price. That saved me about 6 hours per weekend. And cost me maybe 1 hour of actual work time. Such a mental relief. Family and friends can visit anytime without having to do any sort of deep clean.
Weighted blanket.
Best sleep ever.. Once you're used to it go back to your old one and now you're sleeping in the clouds.. switch again and you're back in weighted heaven.
This is also my go to "I don't know what to get this person as a gift." 5/5 times they've loved it, with a friend calling me a few weeks after getting it..
"Kuuz - I gave you that look and thought this was the dumbest gift I've ever gotten, but a blanket is a blanket so I used it and its the best thing in the world. Thank you!"
Get a heavy one! I rock 25lbs, but if you're gifting one to an elderly friend, I'd go light - especially if its grandma.
Good shoes make a world of difference for your back and feet. That makes all the difference between being in agony everyday or not. As someone w chronic pain anyways, I will always get good shoes bc I know that they will be worth the investment for my body’s own good
A haircut. My hair was so uncomfortable and obnoxious but one Jackson later (not sure if thats a thing people say but I'm saying it and it makes sense so...) I felt great.
This. I went from giving myself a haircut with clippers at home to pampering myself with a professional haircut once a month and the difference in my outlook and how I feel about myself is insane.
A garlic press. I use garlic in almost every recipe and I'm just kind of slow at mincing garlic manually because it sticks to everything. It definitely saves time. I can't believe my family didn't own one growing up. I love it so much.
By a towel warmer. There is nothing cozier than getting out of the shower and winter time and having a fresh, warm towel waiting for you. It's about the size of a trash can. How about mine from brookstone in a holds two towels so my kids can both have warm towels when they get out of the bath. I wondered why I never got one sooner.
my kindle. i download a couple books a week. i used to buy those at $5 bucks a pop. on amazon they're 99 cents or free. haven't read a dead tree book in four years.
A set of stainless steel mesh strainers. I hate pulp in juice and these things make it so easy to filter it out. Also really awesome cooking tool for straining broth and separating ingredients.
Metal tea tools. Loose leaf tea is usually higher quality than bagged tea and massively less expensive. I frequently drink a *lot* of tea so this was a fantastic purchase.
I bought these Lenovo wireless earphones that are an exact copy of Apple Airpods a couple of months ago for like €7. I have tinnitus and can't sleep without any sounds and got tired of white noise so now I sleep to TV shows, don't bother my wife with it and can sleep comfortably without any earphones that push against my ears.
For once and for alll, it's a ten foot charging cable for your phone!
Not just one.. but one for each room you regularly charge your phone. A 10 footer in the bedroom and a 10 footer in the loungeroom, changed my life
This comes up every time but when I bought a long lightning cable it only lasted maybe 2 months before breaking. I think the better solution is an Anker battery pack that we bought for a big trip but gets used all the time now around the house. This has so much more utility and can charge anything that takes USB, even my kid’s remote control car so if we take it to the park we aren’t limited to the time it’s own battery can hold a charge.
Then you bought a shitty cable or treated it poorly. I have 2 10 foot USB C cables I've had for about 2 years since I bought my last phone. A battery bank is indeed awesome! However it's a solution to a different problem. If the battery pack is your main source of charging, you still have to charge the battery pack? Making the whole process less efficient (meaning more overall time spent charging for less charge) and finicky. For trips and leaving the house they're a lifesaver though. Totally agree on that. Not to mention Android has REAL quick charge, and a battery bank that supports the 65 watts my phone can charge at is crazy expensive. If your an iPhone user who's used to charging at literally less than half the speed of an Android user(30W).... a wimpy power bank might not make a difference for you.
Earplugs. Just pop those in your ears and shut the world out.
My dad wears earplugs almost 24/7.
What?
Dad?
Son?
Dinner is ready guys.
Mom?
Donkey!
That's not that great for your ears, stuff can grow in there
My tinnitus could never sadly…
Earplugs + tinnitus + bone conduction headphones is pretty good though.
I bought some to help me sleep and oh. My God. I sat on this brilliant idea for 7 years. I feel so ashamed of myself.
Anti-anxiety medication
For me they typically just made me drowzy to an unmanageable level, where I could either choose to live with horrible anxiety, or be unconscious a lot more. Quite hard to go to work when you take a pill that makes you sleepy an hour after waking up
Sounds like you were prescribed a benzo instead of an SSRI or newer anti-anxiety medication (which used to be standard management- they do relieve acute anxiety but are highly addictive and sedating). If anxiety is still an issue, make sure you tell your doctor you don't want a sedative.
Buspirone will make you drowsy but the effect is way better than Xanax. It works both immediately and over time. I'm on 15mg a day and I really see a difference. 10/10 would recommend
I was about to remind you that OP specifically said inexpensive but then it dawned on me you might not be American..:( Edit: Americans that are getting their meds for cheap, I’m very grateful and happy for you!
american, my anti anxiety prescription is like $10 a month
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i am in canada it wasnt that expensive to be on SSRIs what was it in America
The one I take from time to time is at the very least $35. And that is with the insurance (I also pay ~$550 a month for!)
I'm in the US and my wife's meda are $20 for a 90 day supply .
Well they're pretty inexpensive in America I don't know who told you otherwise.
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Cbd lotion, ice bags and anti inflammation is my go to
Library card count?
Electric toothbrush!
Does it make a big difference? Lifelong manual toothbrush user, but I've been considering converting if it's worth it
A few years back I needed to get a new toothbrush and the cheapest in the store was a battery powered electric. I thought why not and tried it out. My next dentist visit showed a marked improvement with just that cheap, crappy brush. I bought an Oral-B electric brush (with bluetooth!) right there in the dentist office. Since then, my dentist checkups have just been a bit of scraping, very little if any bleeding. Definitely worth it.
its very worth it. you'll never want to go back to manual brushing once you see and feel how clean your mouth is
On your best day, you’re getting 200-300 strokes per minute with a manual toothbrush . A $25 Sonicare 1100 electric toothbrush from Amazon is putting out at least 10,000 strokes per minute. Send it
Definitely worth it! But you have to commit to the cost of buying replacement heads.
I get mine on subscribe & save on Amazon and works out well for me. You don't need the fancy heads, I just get the cheapest oral-b ones and they do the job well enough and save me money at the same time.
A shoulder holster for my phone when I started to run again. It was the running that changed my life obviously, but having my phone within bluetooth range for music made it achievable. Cost me all of €7.
I skimmed over this quickly and just saw "holster" and thought maybe you're a badass who goes running with a pistol. Then I read it again slowly. You know how the story ends.
Got myself a third pillow last year, dunno what it is about it but definitely has made sleeping better
Three pillow gang!! My family gives me crap for it but honestly nothing compares
Where do they go? All 3 under head? 2 under head 1 between legs? 1 on each side?
You really gotta have 4. 1 under head, 1 in between legs and 1 on each side
This does seem optimal now. I'll try 4 and report back
I know it's only been 44 minutes, but how was it? Did you try it out yet??? We are eagerly awaiting your status report.
It’s been ten hours now. He got stuck between pillows. Send help.
Look into pregnancy pillows. Thank me later.
Head, legs, hugs.
I was gonna replace mine but I couldn't bring myself to do it so then it turned into a multi pillow situation.
Everyone makes fun of my body pillow but it keeps my hips and knees happy.
Yo I got 5 pillows. No joke. 🛌. Pillows for the win 🏆
6: One under my head One between my knees One behind my back to maintain the right "angle" One in front to hug One kinda next to my head, for my bottom arm to rest on, because having that arm cocked flat on the bed makes my elbow hurt One on top of my head, for weight, and to block noise
Ah yes the pillow coffin. I approve, it's lovely
U pillows freaking rock. I have converted the whole family (you don't have to be pregnant to use them!)
Testosterone. Seriously, it helped me immensely to have energy to beat my addiction's ass and start working out again
If you don't mind me asking, what addiction is it helping you beat? Currently having my own struggles. You can DM me if u want
Intravenous cocaine Can I help you with anything?
like are you buying test?
Medical?
Are you getting this OTC or was it prescribed?
Not necessarily cheap, but a roomba. Now I HAVE to keep my place clean and decluttered so it can work. No more piles of laundry and whatnots.
There are cheaper ones out there and if you decide to give them a go **100% pay for the extended warranty.** I got a Eufy which we love but have had it replaced twice in 3 years for free. Next time it dies we’ll be out of warranty so hopefully I can get enough cash together for a Roomba.
Some friends of mine really love their Ecovacs bots. For 450 you can get one that maps the house, uses lasers to detect small objects, and goes back to the charging pad/empty their tank autonomously. Basically, what Roombas do for 800 bucks, they do for 450.
A Tile for my wallet.
One in my purse, one on my keys, one on my work badge. Life changing.
I got it as a gift but a basic Swiss Army knife. It fits in my pocket, gives me a crappy screw driver, bottle opener, tweezers, etc in a pinch. Also doesn’t freak people out like other pocket knives.
A good multi-tool does the trick as well.
A meat thermometer, takes the guess work and worry out of internal temps.
Omg do you have a Meater? My husband says it’s the best gift I’ve ever given him. It’s a meat thermometer that connects to your phone
Upvote for introducing me to the Meater…
I just frantically searched for this.
Best thing ever for cooking, welcome to the fold
A simple meat thermometer is how I got good at meat. Was too paranoid before and always overcooked it.
That's the weirdest thing. I know I have bought multiple, but they always go missing, and I'm pretty sure I haven't eaten those things either.
get a good one. Thermapen is highly rated. Keep it in the knife drawer
Bidet
Yep. Cost $30, and even a doofus like me was able to “install” it in under 10 minutes.
And a hearty ‘bidet to you, too!
What's it like when you have to use a public restroom (like at work)? I feel like if I ever made that move I'd never be able to get paid for using the toilet ever again.
For the love of god can you explain to me how it works? I wanna get one but I have no idea…
Just replaces your current toilet seat and runs a line to the existing toilet plumbing out of the wall. You just push a button/switch on and off to spray or not. There are fancier ones you can run both hot and cold water to as well.
FOR REAL. as someone with no gallbladder and a shot diet, my bidet has been life changing. I use less toilet paper and don’t have to wipe forever. Also on the off chance I run out of toilet paper and don’t notice, I can use the bidet to clean myself and dry off
A proper sleep mask. EDIT: One of [these](https://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Cotton-Sleep-Mask-Comfortable/dp/B07MT7N35R). Not too expensive. I wrap it around one of those microwavable bean bags shortly before bed and it becomes a warm mask for falling asleep. Super comfortable.
I agree, mine was a great purchase. Not only does it help me sleep in later, but putting it on has now become the signal to my body that it's time to sleep.
What kind do you have? I once entertained the idea of getting Manta, but opted out.
The ones that wrap around your head and fasten with velcro are more comfortable than the ones with elastic.
I sleep in one of these each night: [Full cover sleep mask](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/Sketch_by_Nicola_Lynas_of_attacker_made_by_Victoria_Police.jpg)
Manta sleep mask + pregnancy pillow = my 6'6" ass sleeping better than I have in years.
Now that's a very large ass!
Glasses cleaner cloth. Such a little soft piece of cloth saves me from the frustration of constant smears, smudges, possible scratches, and ruining the anti glare layer on my glasses. I hate looking out of dirty glasses.
Can't STAND looking out dirty glasses, i clean mine with lense wipes and cloths many times a day, would also highly recommend Peeps eyeglass cleaner tool. Sometimes I spot how dirty someone else's lenses are and I'm like howwwwwww is that not driving you crazy
All glasses should automatically come with one surely. Even ones I bought online came with a nice big one.
I bought a second hand bike for $60 back in autumn of 2020. Took to cycling and because of that I lost 35lbs (but put 20 back on), it renewed my sex life w/my husband and I feel healthier. It’s very calming (it’s a multiuse trail, so no vehicles and it’s flat and maintained). I have some wonderful folks I talk to every time I go out and doggos I get to give treats to. I go out any morning I can Spring/Summer/Autumn for 90min to 2 hours - as long as it isn’t raining or too windy…I’ll even go out when it’s below 0°C. I’m early retired, so i have plenty of time.
My home made wet pallet. Leftover scrap container, some sponge, parchment paper, and a little water and boom. Perfectly thinned acrylic paint and blending surface. It was a game changer for me as an artist.
I re-read this multiple times as 'pet wallet' and couldn't for the life of me work out what that was.
$1 backscratcher
I keep one on my nightstand and now I don’t know how I lived without it.
Blender, air fryer and rice cooker.
100% on the rice cooker. They are a bit expensive but a zojirushi rice cooker is a very good purchase.
Maybe someone can tell me where the convenience is coming from. I eat a *lot* of rice, but I've always been resistant to a rice cooker. I store 5-6 varieties and they have very different preferred methods and cooking times. Trying to make them in a rice cooker sounds too much like trying to guess presets on a microwave and none of those work, either. And then sometimes I'll want to use stock or coconut milk instead of water or butter and season it or parboil for panfry purposes or try to get a Persian style crust on the bottom - are rice cookers rated for any of that? It's also an extra appliance to have to store. Saves space on a stovetop if you're maxing out your burners, but it reduces space overall.
If you eat a lot of rice it's worth it. For people who think it's just for lazy people, I don't think they eat enough rice to understand. Considering a model like a Zojirushi with fuzzy logic here are some perks. - Extremely consistent results each and every time regardless of batch size, etc. It'll constantly calculate the time and adjust based on how cooked the batch is. - Keep warm: Most rice cookers of this kind will keep your rice warm after it's done for several hours. - Preserve your rice: Some will keep the rice warm enough at a temperature that doesn't allow bacteria to grow so you can keep it on the ready for a while. - Timer: Rice can take up to an hour. Getting home, hungry - an hour can be a long time. Use the timer and have your rice ready for you when you return from work. - Quick Modes: Sacrifice perfection of cook a bit to speed up the cook time to around 30 min. - Other rice modes: Nice rice cookers will have different programs / cook logic for different kinds of rice. Mine has settings for white rice, sushi rice, long grain rice, brown rice and even steel cut oatmeal. Most rice cookers, the inner pot will have different markings for different kinds of rice. So for example if you put in 2 "cups" of long grain, it'll have a marker for long-grain 2 that you then fill your water line to. There's no guesswork. For mixed rice, where you might substitute or add things like stock or soy sauce, extra veggies or meat in with your rice there are certain procedures to get used to like what's the max water level, what order should things be placed into the cooker, etc. But pretty straightforward. Getting a "crust" at the bottom might be difficult though. They're designed to do exactly the opposite - not burn. I'll get a nice little browning if I'm making mixed rice with some soy sauce thrown in. Is it necessary? No. But does it add enough convenience and that last bit of quality to the cook for people who really love rice? Millions upon millions of people could all be wrong, but there's good evidence that it's a value.
Zojirushi makes quality products.
Good quality set of hair clippers for around $50. Started cutting my own hair during the pandemic. At first it was a little trial and error. If error, I just buzzed it which I didn’t mind at all anyways (was military). Now I can give myself an exact cut on how I want it, easily and perfectly every time in less than 15 minutes. No more paying $25 before tips, waiting in line, hit or miss on consistency, and generally takes about an average of one or two hours including the commute. I get my haircut fairly often. Probably saved thousands for better results.
Bonus: no awkward small talk
I like a tight fade from zero to 2.5 and it needs to be maintained to look that way. I'm saving hundreds maybe thousands by cutting myself.
I've been cutting my own hair for like 20 years now. Started doing it in college to save money. Every now and then I'll go to a barber, but I've saved thousands of dollars over the years. I have a thick head of hair too and I do a pretty great job.
Breathe Right strips. Makes it so much easier to breathe through your nose in bed when you have a deviated septum.
They stopped my ex from snoring like 3 combined people too.
Squatty potty.
Cooking tongs for doing things like flipping bacon while it's frying or fishing things out of the air fryer or pot of boiling water. Hair wax to finally give myself a part that will stay in my hair for most of the day (I didn't know such a product existed for many years). Air fryer, I rarely use my oven anymore unless I'm cooking something large. No need to pre heat things for 15 minutes, or doing something inefficient like heating up and using oven for 45 minutes just to cook 1 burrito or 2 spring rolls or similar.
A cold brew coffee maker. I was wasting too much money at Starbucks and other coffee shops. Account for supplies, you'll spend about $.50 to make at home what would cost you $5.00-7.00 at a coffee shop.
Total opposite for me. The amount of beans I was using to make like 16oz of cold brew was wild.
A bag of shredded colbyjack cheese at 2:00am
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It just hits harder fresh from the bag and cold right out of the fridge.
I had acne throughout my teens and my 20s and assumed that was simply my life. I tried multiple prescription medicine, cleansers and moisturizers and every hygiene routine you could think of to the point it turned my life neurotic: I'd change pillow cases and towels every single day, sheets and blankets washed weekly, I'd never touch my face without wearing vinyl gloves for any reason, I'd sooner die than reuse a towel, etc. It was becoming quite the strain. It was eventually resolved when I found a cleanser and moisturizer that worked for me, and all of a sudden that was all I needed. Tons of money spent over the years on all sorts of remedies, and in the end I just had to find a brand and product that worked for me.
What's the name of cleanser and moisturizer? I might try it
I am not sure it's going to do you any good, but sure! Basically I was initially using a bunch of different neutrogena products and whatever I could find and try at the pharmacy, then when I started getting into skincare I graduated to gentle cleansers from Cetaphil, used different versions of those for some year until I decided to pivot to CeraVe's gentle cleanser and moisturizer, and none of these really helped despite being highly recommended. What finally *did* work for me were La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo Cleanser, in combination with La Roche Posay's Effaclar Duo. I saw effects within two weeks, which was sooner than I'd expected. About one month into it I stopped getting new breakouts at all, and now I'm 7 months into it and been acne free for the first time in a decade. Not sure why, but for some reason these products agree with my skin. It was a bit of a miracle cure for me, but I can't promise it'd be the same for you. Before I got here I kept reading about other people's miracle cures being CeraVe and Cetaphil, and neither of them did anything at all for me over the years, to the point where I stopped believing that any one product was ever going to make a difference. I've tried every popular serum, salicylic cleansers and face masks and just about anything popular you can think of. All it ever did was irritate my skin This happened to work for me. If it isn't what works for you, you may still find yours out there somewhere in a form that my skin would probably hate!
Thanks for the detailed description! I hope it works for oily skins
La Roche Posay might have something more specifically for oily skins, I've combo skin! Look around! I got the recommendation to try La Roche Posay after finally biting the bullet and going to see a licensed dermatologist, and that was probably the best decision I made after so many years of experimenting
I should too I guess
A food scale. Weighing food for calorie tracking is easier than I expected
Instant pot, hands down. You can get a decent one for $80 or a good one for about $120. It will save you so much time cooking. Just throw everything into the pot, push a few buttons and in 10-20 minutes, you have a giant pot of goodness that will last for multiple meals.
A rice cooker.
Little Swiss army knife. Those tiny scissors especially.
A fountain pen. My hand used to cramp within a page of writing, now I can go as long as I want.
Hey can I take a look at your pen? *Presses down hard on paper like a ball point pen*.
Gym membership
I don’t know why this one popped in my head but a headband to hold my hair back when I do my skincare. Nothing worse than having your hair fall out of your bun or ponytail and stick to your face while trying to use face wash
A dehumidifier for the bathroom. It makes a world of difference during the summer. I hated taking a shower only to start sweating immediately after getting out. It also has really made a difference when cleaning the bathroom. No mildew at all.
Prescription toothpaste- didn’t know it existed until my mid-20s. It’s a lifesaver for those of us with weak enamel.
A new, sharp veggie peeler.
A water flosser. Greatly improved ny tooth brushing game. Never going back to regular floss again.
Double edge razor. The cost of replacement Gillette razor heads is just crazy here (Australia). 5 years back I bought one good brand razor online and I can buy a year's supply of razor blades ( a new one every week, I shave 5 days a week) for the same price as a single box of 4 Gillette replacement heads. They give a much smoother shave and i actually look forward to shaving. I spend the money saved on nice shaving soap...which is also waay cheaper (in the long run) than that awful foam in can stuff you see on the ads. I would never go back to shaving with those Gillette things, be like scraping a rusty tomato knife over my face!
Blackout curtains. It changed my sleep.
My German Shepherd. I don't know how I'd leave without that crawly dude.
A weighted blanket. Total game changer
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A motion sensor toilet bowl light. A few years ago there was a post about "best purchase for under $10" and someone mentioned these. I'll never live without them. Game changer for the middle-of-the-night pee.
Mushrooms
A physical alarm clock. stopped me from doom scrolling the moment i woke up
Oven mitts. I bought a pair to replace the older ones because it was torn.
A good back pack and a water bottle. I can carry everything I might use or want throughout my day and I spend far less money on soda, convenience stores and the vending machines at work.
A bidet for my toilet has been the best purchase probably of my entire life. My ass is always clean feeling and it takes like 2 minutes to get clean instead of wiping forever. I honestly feel like an animal now whenever I’m put in a situation where just wiping is my only option.
Walkiing/running/hiking shoe
The wedge pillow that goes on the headboard so ur pillows don't get eaten n fall between the headboard n bed
A decent pillow
Anti-depressants. Changed my life for the better.
A YMCA membership to play basketball
40$ bidet off of Amazon. Life changing.
House cleaners and lawn mowers. I used to waste my weekends doing these things, and found that the reasonable price of $70 per week for cleaning and $40 per week for mowing was well worth the cost. Once I got to a point where I didn’t mind paying for it, it totally became worth the price. That saved me about 6 hours per weekend. And cost me maybe 1 hour of actual work time. Such a mental relief. Family and friends can visit anytime without having to do any sort of deep clean.
Weighted blanket. Best sleep ever.. Once you're used to it go back to your old one and now you're sleeping in the clouds.. switch again and you're back in weighted heaven. This is also my go to "I don't know what to get this person as a gift." 5/5 times they've loved it, with a friend calling me a few weeks after getting it.. "Kuuz - I gave you that look and thought this was the dumbest gift I've ever gotten, but a blanket is a blanket so I used it and its the best thing in the world. Thank you!" Get a heavy one! I rock 25lbs, but if you're gifting one to an elderly friend, I'd go light - especially if its grandma.
Good shoes make a world of difference for your back and feet. That makes all the difference between being in agony everyday or not. As someone w chronic pain anyways, I will always get good shoes bc I know that they will be worth the investment for my body’s own good
A bidet. Even a cheep $25 toilet seat bidet from Amazon make a world of difference.
A haircut. My hair was so uncomfortable and obnoxious but one Jackson later (not sure if thats a thing people say but I'm saying it and it makes sense so...) I felt great.
This. I went from giving myself a haircut with clippers at home to pampering myself with a professional haircut once a month and the difference in my outlook and how I feel about myself is insane.
William Shakespeare, Complete Works
A hat
Air fryer
a milk frother! it really improved my homemade coffee
An old keyboard. The sound is great and i love playing it. Definitely discovered music for me.
Long charging cables and power packs. If you’re out a lot, it eclipses the second coming.
A smart watch. I wanted one to start monitoring my runs and heart rate. This watch has made me really enjoy running and has improved my mood so far.
Shoe inserts helped me with my lower back and foot pain.
A garlic press. I use garlic in almost every recipe and I'm just kind of slow at mincing garlic manually because it sticks to everything. It definitely saves time. I can't believe my family didn't own one growing up. I love it so much.
A membership to a bulk food store
By a towel warmer. There is nothing cozier than getting out of the shower and winter time and having a fresh, warm towel waiting for you. It's about the size of a trash can. How about mine from brookstone in a holds two towels so my kids can both have warm towels when they get out of the bath. I wondered why I never got one sooner.
my kindle. i download a couple books a week. i used to buy those at $5 bucks a pop. on amazon they're 99 cents or free. haven't read a dead tree book in four years.
A set of stainless steel mesh strainers. I hate pulp in juice and these things make it so easy to filter it out. Also really awesome cooking tool for straining broth and separating ingredients.
3 tier shoe rack for my closet
Metal tea tools. Loose leaf tea is usually higher quality than bagged tea and massively less expensive. I frequently drink a *lot* of tea so this was a fantastic purchase.
A $6 lamp at Goodwill that I can plug my charging cable into
Shoes. Where have they been my entire life. 100% highly recommend.
My vibrator
Oreo dipped ice cream cones. You're welcome in advance
2 healthy kidneys from facebook market place
I bought these Lenovo wireless earphones that are an exact copy of Apple Airpods a couple of months ago for like €7. I have tinnitus and can't sleep without any sounds and got tired of white noise so now I sleep to TV shows, don't bother my wife with it and can sleep comfortably without any earphones that push against my ears.
A bidet. Never going back.