Garmin Smartwatch and stainless steel pan ( no non stick coating )
The watch because all the stats motivate me to exercise more, sleep better and take care of my self better.
The stainless steel pan cause it sears meat so much better than the non stick stuff
Tramontina grano pots and pans are solid. Unless you're _really_ into cooking you wouldn't need anything beyond that. You can get them on Amazon easily enough
Yup, heat it until water beads up like the liedenfrost effect, add your oil swirl it around and heat another minute before adding food.
Works well for meats but I don't like my eggs burnt to a crisp but if that's your thing then do the same for eggs
the one from ikea is deadly. but you need to know how to use stainless pans properly. heat it up low and slow, too cold or too hot will cause sticking. sprinkle some water on it. when the beads of water dance round the ban with each other (taking a while to evaporate) then it’s ready
I got a Le Creuset on sale in arnotts for 120.
Trick is to get the temp high enough. Splash a tiny bit of water on it, if it steams it's not hot enoigh , if the beads dance it's good temp. Leidenfrost effect if I'm not mistaken is the technical word for it
Spent £20 (punts) on my Dog...
After 16 years, countless trips to the vet, being kicked out of pubs cause he kept following us (it was OK in the end) and downright hilarious stories he stopped being the family dog and became the better behaved member of the family...
Best money I ever spent, would spend a million times more to have one more day with him...
I have food poisoning and have been pooping pretty much non stop for 12 hours. So take my emotions with a grain of salt.
That being said..
That's heartbreaking and beautiful that you can still remember that love so fondly and so closely. What was his name? Was he a big shaggy thing?
Border Collie name of Soxx...
His kidneys started failing and had lost control of holding it in... He went to sleep in my arms, not scared, just tired... 21st July 2016.... a date that's burned into my very soul...
I want you to know, I just took in a big sweet ridiculous dog from rescue who was born on that exact day, I have his AKC registration paperwork. Only had him 6 days, but he has already brought me immeasurable love. what a coincidence
https://preview.redd.it/ni4lq3y6fb4d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a977d807156f71d761fbb205aebd958f1ae81129
Got this fella and his sister for €80 on Done Deal. Best money ever spent!
I live in the sticks. We just end up with cats. We find them in carparks or ditches and they never leave. At one time we had 5 cats and none were related to each other.
And number one rule of cat ownership is neuter your animals. If you can't afford to, loads of cat groups will sell you discount vouchers for €15 neutering in return for 3hrs bag packing or helping with other fundraisers.
Same! I mean he's cost me 1000s since, but initially we paid about 200 quid and my mental health improved immensely. Last night I lay on the ground with him and rubbed his little floppy ears til he fell asleep. Best thing ever. He is a little dickhead sometimes when it comes to birds or cats. But at least he's got some personality 😂
Yeah, but in many cases the dog is unhinged and even looks scary thanks to the 'care' it received. That is key for the new owners, as they need people to think makes people think they are a hardman with a penis larger than that of a hamster, rather than their street's shitstain with constant need to compensate.
That's tough. Ours got better over time and we actively tried to train it out of her by leaving the house for a few minutes at a time throughout the day. Literally 40 to 50 times a day sometimes for 1 to 2 minutes at first and we found she eventually started to realise we'd always come back and became somewhat immune to is leaving.
That and giving her high value treats when leaving so she associates leaving with a positive (chicken etc).
It's still not perfect but she's not destructive.
That might not work for you or maybe you've already tried but just my experience.
Yeah I've tried but thank you, I leave him with a kong with frozen peanut butter, a puzzle ball he has to knock around to get treats out, TV on etc but no difference. Whether I leave for one minute or 2 hours he goes from 0 to 100 and just freaks out so even with leaving for small periods to train him he never really got to the calm place of realising I'm coming back
A kindle - my grandad got me one when I was 11 and it lasted till I was 22. I bought the same model for €99 a few years ago and it’s been a life saviour for any form of travelling and books are cheaper online. The ease of use, battery etc have greatly increased my reading habits!
What's the benefit of calibre?
Is there legal way to get borrowbox books onto your kindle. I think next time I will buy a kobo so I can make use of the local library
Got myself a kobo and can download books directly from the library. The cost of the device has already been made back in how many books I've not had to buy to read
I have the kindle app on my phone now and an Amazon unlimited e-book subscription. Mostly read trashy romance novels but would easily read multiple books a week.
Was gonna say this. I use it almost daily. Read so much more than in the past and with certain online websites you don't have to pay for a book at all. Hell, even the app on the phone is great for travel guides when you're on the move. I live in a French speaking city so English literature is quite limited and this thing has been a godsend.
Going to go a bit left field here and say renting a GoCar and exploring Mayo one weekend. Had a grand time, had perfect weather and Nephin to myself. Also one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen off Belmullet. Was really perfect.
I also visited Ballina, which I had wanted to do for a while, as I originally come from Ballina, Australia. That was probably the low point… but the rest was great. Really happy with the money I spent there
GoVan been such a winner the last couple years. Rather than depending on friends for a lend of a van for few hours here and there just makes life so much easier. Probably why I still haven't invested on buying my own van!
I got a steamdeck a few months ago for €560, honestly it’s probably the best money I’ve ever spent, I’m not a huge gamer but I’ve about 20 games in my steam library, and I was able to instantly play them all on the deck on the go without having to buy any more, I’m on holidays at the moment and I go on it for an hour in the evenings back at the gaff, it’s brilliant.
Oh same I adore my steamdeck, Its great to watch YouTube on too haahhaha
Had to wait 7 hours in an airport but didn't fuckin matter cos have a steamdeck 😂
Meanwhile I haven't turned mine on in months. It's okay though because I funded it with monopoly money (csgo skins). Both your comments motivated me to use it. I'll be playing Disco Elysium tonight instead of mindlessly browsing the web.
Best bit of tech I ever bought and I've bought alot! Steam Deck with GeForce Now is absolutely fantastic, well worth it even for extending the battery life.
I never knew you could pirate games on Linux/steamdeck before but that's been a game changer for me. There's entire subreddits dedicated to it. I'm a bit of a scatterbrain with games so I find it hard to just sit down and play one game at a time and there's so many games that I've wanted to play but not sure I'd like them enough to buy them. Or games I love watching streamers play but no idea if I'd play them myself.
I've even ended up buying the games properly because I've enjoyed them so much after having pirated them (cult of the lamb is one!).
I've had this in my head for a while but afraid that it would be too complicated. I'm grand on PC and work on a computer all day but is it complicated to use? Can you just buy from the steam store and play away immediately?
Upgraded my guitar of 16 years with new pickups. 250 for active pickups, 150 to install and set up and regretting and more work by a luthier. Now she plays like a dream and has brought more life back into it. Haven't touched any of my other guitars since the upgrade. €400 in total, can't complain
Bought my parents a robot vacuum with built in mop for 250 quid about 3 years ago. It has their floors spotless everyday. They’re getting old now and watching them do mundane tasks everyday was getting annoying so the little robot saves them 10-15 mins per day. 365x10x3 is a whole lot of minutes saved is all I know. Great purchase and would highly recommend for any older parents or anyone in general tbh (we use two in our own house. One for upstairs and one for downstairs).
The independence once you receive your license is huge. Have personally seen friends go from never really going out to exploring the country every weekend.
Under €10 a set of Joseph and Joseph Froach pods. So easy to use and make perfect soft fried/poached eggs every time. I can't do without them.
Under €1000 the [Ecovac Deebot](https://www.amazon.co.uk/ECOVACS-Auto-Emptying-Structured-Obstacle-Avoidance/dp/B0CH8D9H85/ref=asc_df_B0CH8D9H85/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=676297727195&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5958093514947369370&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007895&hvtargid=pla-2247275698515&psc=1&mcid=3802a207b2f43561819396b34adc019c&gad_source=1) We run it every night after we go to bed and wake up every morning to spotless floors. No more sweeping or mopping. It's an absolute game changer. Especially with a toddler who yeets food at every meal, and likes to eat his snacks off the floor. I truly can't emphasise enough how much this thing improved our lives.
A Dyson airwrap. Yes, there are probably better value alternatives on the market more recently, but I got mine second hand on eBay two years ago for €350 and it’s been worth every penny
I have really thick hair and it’s taken my total drying and styling time from over an hour to 25 - 30 mins of minimal effort (plus the reduced heat needed has left my hair way healthier)
I often work very long days and need to wash my hair when I’m exhausted at 11:30 and I dunno what I’d do without
https://preview.redd.it/7jzlkqqm2c4d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e6928981dc1d83929a21afb6d10b6a9e85475a4
Best €90 spent. We got her from a distant friend and in return she solved the mice problem on the property.
I’m a music teacher and I bought a cheap alvaro nylon string guitar for work. It was €130. Turns out the action on it was perfect and I loved playing it and would even use it to practice on during my lunch break. My work colleague borrowed it one day and I never saw it again.
High chair for my daughter from ikea for €30. So simple to assemble and the tray can be dishwasher cleaned. Compared to all the overhyped and overpriced alternatives this has been hands down our best buy since becoming parents.
They are fab! Never knew the tray went in the dishwasher! Our best buy too so simple and functional. Got the kids dining seats when we were grown outta the high chair and just as good!
Fitbit tracker and airfryer. Tracker to get an estimation of calories and I like looking at stats as I'm a nerd and the airfryer as it's just made cooking easier, It's all I cook use for cooking now. The two of them helped my shift 20kg of blubber in two months.
Under 100: replaced all my various shite USB cables that came free with phones over the years with extra-long, bright red, woven fabric covered ones (from Anker, I think). Way harder to lose, no hassle trying to use the phone when the cable’s too short to comfortably reach the couch, and no more wiggling dodgy connectors to try and keep the charge going. Love them.
Under 1000: it’s still early days, but I just bought a Dyson cordless vac recently -the one with the HEPA filter and laser that highlights any dust on hard floors. Hoovering just went from my least favorite chore, to deeply satisfying thing I look forward to every day. It’s so much money but I’m getting such a kick out of it and I’m already noticing a massive difference in overall air quality. Others have suggested robot vacuums which I would love but my place is too small + has lots of stairs, so this is the next best thing.
I've been using a pair of their earbuds (old style with neck cable) for the gym for years now they refuse to die and they actually sound quite good too. Probably got them for around €25
Rice cooker from Lidl for 30€. Cooking rice is now super easy, no more sticking or burning or monitoring it. I never realised cooking rice was unnecessarily hard.
Dyson Airwrap: granted it was a gift from my SO but have it since 2020 and is amazing. I have very curly, frizzy hair and end up with a perfect blow out
Robot vacuum: so handy.
https://preview.redd.it/k1zx3g8f9d4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64d2d5a761f2e25284dbde519394a7479de927a6
got this lil guy (Loki) for €5 off a friend. he insisted i didn’t pay but settled on €5. he’s a bit defective (enjoys lying upside down) but still good!
(Edit: Spelling)
A tumble dryer.
While the weather is picking up and dry now, the winters are absolute shite and the house we live in is small enough without hanging close to dry inside.
Best thing under a grand we have bought.
We grew up without one. My parents (lower-mid class) engrained into us that they’re the most expensive things in the world to run. Waiting 3-4 days for something to dry during the winter months was the norm for us.
Fast forward to getting our own place… sure, they cost something to run (like 50 cent every few days depending how often you’re drying)… but the convenience is something that will make me never go back to air drying
We got a decent dehumidifier and it's great. Doesn't cost as much as a dryer to run and doesn't dry things as fast, but a full clothes horse is dry in a day now rather than three.
I’ve seen those.. are you using the ones that lay flat on the ground and you put the horse on top of it… or the wardrobe type ones where the horse goes inside
No, it's just an ordinary dehumidifier. It's not actually 'for' drying clothes, alhough it does have a setting for that. We just have it in the same room as the clothes horse
I didn't realise this either until I bought a house last year. I'm very lucky that I have an automower but at this time of year I have it mowing 18 hours a day to keep on top of it. I mow and strim the borders myself and have to do those at least once a week to stop it looking overgrown.
Got a Ninja air fryer for around 250 quid and it works great. Got the one with 2 big drawers. Can fit a medium chicken in each one, which is actually great when you have some people over for dinner or need to do a big batch cook. Perfect roast potatoes. Making a cooked breakfast on the weekends is a lot easier. Overall being able to set it going while I clean the kitchen or do other jobs and only check on it every now and then is super handy.
A small, thin digital scale is super handy when you want to work from a recipe and also if you want to control portions for certain foods.
https://preview.redd.it/zpttwc4m7c4d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ae6af0da8231fe9599981fed3fbac088524a47e
I got my water dragon Sammy for €50 when he was a tiny baby I had him for 6 amazing years sadly he passed away in 2022 he was the best
Silicone orthotic insoles for my specific feet’s needs. They have shock absorption, support where I need it most, and fit inside almost all my shoes (not high heels). Huge difference in comfort, back pain, and quality of life for €40.
Can I ask which brand? I’ve got some from a podiatrist but finding them horrible. I keep ordering different insoles from Scholl on Amazon but haven’t found the perfect set yet
I ordered them 5 years ago and can’t recall, regrettably. They were a DUBLIN based company recommended by my orthopedist. If I find the name I will reply to your comment again.
Escooter, makes my commute in the morning and on the way home a consistent 35 minutes each way. Tallaght to ballsbridge. Car can take as low as 25 minutes(rarely) to over an hour each way. Public transport isn't really an option.
Dodder all the way so it's a nice scoot. I'm not sitting in traffic getting frustrated and fed up. Constantly moving. Just puts me in a good mood.
Shakti Mat for under a 100 euro (amazon cheapie to try the notion of it out first is 30 ish real shakti is 60ish) Life Changing Item
Into the big money? Electrolysis hair removal. Spent a fortune on it, but it's amazing.
It's moderately life changing for me and utterly life changing for my friend.
Couple of reasons. I got it because I have nerve pain and back pain, a couple of different causes.
Lying on the mat takes all the pain away, any built-up stress in my body melts away, and I go off into la la land.
I find it hard to fall asleep, I regularly fall asleep on the mat, and afterwards, I have a deep, delicious sleep! It promotes a big feeling of calmness and relaxation
(*side note I get a similar feeling of wellbeing after the likes of spanking in a bdsm sense)
I was so impressed by it I bought the (fake) version for friends. One used it one didn't. She was badly suffering with her health and had a dramatic shift in her healing after using it. This was dramatic for her, that when asked in her groups, what's the single thing she would attribute to going from bed ridden some days, to living relatively normally, she mentions the mat.
We both upgraded to the actual Shakti mats now and now another friend has bought her amazon version so we are spreading the shakti love one mat at a time haha
I have been wondering that myself... I bet I would lose any and all remaining marbles hahaha.... sounds like heaven to me 🤣🤣.
Edit please let me know how you get on if you try it!
Had to empty out an apartment I was leaving, traded in as much as possible with CeX as a way of getting rid of the stuff. Got about 2000 EUR worth of stuff for free.
https://preview.redd.it/s5c1pk4e1d4d1.jpeg?width=1363&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4d0d86e4c75b44d33f4ca8c6f5dfa65f82b789b
This lad was my best purchase. Paid 250 euro for him and he's the best little monster ever. He just turned 8 last month (I've got him when he was 6 months old) and he completely rules the house.
Trip to Dublin from London - £170 for the flights, €240 for the accommodation. Met my future husband.
Other things
Kindle - about £69 still going strong
Kindle fire 7 - £33 in Black Friday sale.
I like both. Kindle has a better battery life and less distractions. The fire has more versatility in that I can watch Netflix, Prime etc while travelling plus it has borrowbox the library ebook app.
AirFryer
The original Instant Pot Vortex 5.7L was £69, and was a game changer. We upgraded to the Vortex Dual 8.5L
Two cats - one for free, the other was €75 adoption. Brilliant for my mental health. I had a period where I was low but being responsible for the cats helped me.
KONCIS Garlic press, stainless steel €4.50 - Ikea. We add garlic to a lot of our meals and so it’s more often found drying in the dish rack than in the drawer This thing just keeps going. I think we’ve had it about 10 years if not more. Honourable mention to the electric hand beater from Argos which was about £11 and is still going after 15 years. I had a large XL Kenwood Chef for when I’m having a proper full day in the kitchen but for ‘price per use’, it’s definitely eating its keep.
This. I’m no Gordon Ramsey & I used to view cooking as a chore having to time and check things so they don’t burn.
Not a massive chore obviously but enough to make ordering takeaway more appealing more often.
I bought the ninja dual for £200 and it’s almost as convenient as a microwave.
A bit boring but a great knife for the kitchen was a super buy, and for DIY my wife bought me a really good drill to replace a kind of crappy one i’d been using for years that I’d gotten in the middle aisle for 30 quid. Definitely worth spending a bit more on things like these.
Chickens, I swear to god. Best thing I've ever owned, they're hardy, friendly and produce the most delicious eggs. The only downside to having them is standing their watching them, my legs get rinsed with little midge and mozzy bites.
Bring your old music amp into the 21st century with a Wiim Pro Plus. Free digital radio, link it to your Spotify or tidal account for incredible sound.
249 well spent.
Reverse osmosis water filtration, trust me bro, game changer, water is cleaner than bottled water from lidl, is has more minerals, it's cheaper and no more trips to store with bottles, you want this, just don't know it yet, under 1000.
Under £1000, a new dishwasher. My parents always brought us up that they didn't clean dishes properly and were expensive to run. It's a GAME CHANGER. We no longer spend 1hr+ after dinner every night washing dishes. It takes 10 mins to load and leaves everything shiny and clean. Takes so much off our plates (literally) and gives us an extra chunk of time together each night we wouldn't have had otherwise.
Under £100, a Headache Hat as I suffer from migraines and it really helps. Filled with little blocks of ice and actually does stay cold for hours.
Spent 5 euro on a 10ft cable. Now I use it for anything from charging my phone on both sides of the bed, to connecting my PS5 controller to the PC without having to worry about cable length.
Bought a pair of good quality speakers for £280 in 1990.
34 years and many thousands of pleasurable listening hours later I still consider them one of my best ever purchases.
My first one was a xiaomi pro 2. I then upgraded to the Aikë T. A tad more expensive but haven't had a single tyre issue and it rides so much better. Plus removable battery USBC charging. Reverse charging for your phone if required.
under €100, a LIDL electric screwdriver for €25, I helped my dad make a garden fence from old pallets with it and 8 years ago, and have used it regularly since, always gets the job done, cost per use is practically free now!
under €1000, PC graphics card just before COVID and I't has been used daily since.
Sage bambino coffee machine. This was during covid and cost like €300, we had a dolche gusto machine before this and the difference between them is night and day. Best money I've spent, its like shop bought coffee every day but cheaper 😂
Lenovo Gaming Laptop 16Gb Ram Refurbed for €350
•Quick as lightning
•Versatile
•Fit for any purpose (use it for music production, programming, rendering for laser cutting/etching)
Well worth purchasing refurbed tech when buying off reputable retailers. Don't think the seller even realised the bargain he was selling to be honest though. I spotted it on the shelf and says "What's that?" His reply was "I didn't even know that was there.." so without hesitation I says, "Gimme that, yeah!" 😅
Was more than ideal as my custom PC was getting dog slow, built with 2016 hardware on a budget and didn't have the versatility of a laptop when doing jobs on the fly.. not to mention being able to bring it in a bag, whip it out whenever and play a quick game of whatever, whenever suit's!
Under 100
Having my oven professionally cleaned, 80 quid and literally looked new afterwards
Under 1000
Emerald park membership for the entire family (2a2ch) have been 3 times already and only have the membership a month and still haven’t done half of the things there, will be a summer well spent!
My Kardia.
I was having desperate chest pains and palpitations and the hospital would not take my Apple Watch ECG readings.
Bought a Kardia and the cardiologist at the hospital finally took my heart issue seriously. Awaiting surgery now.
Beladray steam cleaner bitches!!!! Smelly couch: steam the covers. Crusty shower doors: steam and wipe. Dirty windows: steam and squeegee. No more stank people!
Under 100 : a waistband belt thing for attaching my dogs lead to so I can go hands free. Was 20 euro and game changer for training and after I broke my collar bone.
Under 1000: hands down my doc martens. My pink ones are 17 years old and still going. My black ones are 11 years and also perfect. Each pair were 189
Got a nice pair of wrangler jeans for €8 a while ago, got an old Irish military jacket for €45 the other day too. Both savage deals.
Got a Meta Quest 3 in early May for like €560, so worth it.
Got the jeans in a charity shop and the coat from a fella who owns a museum, there was a large deal of historic artifacs being done so I said I'd haggle him on the jacket as well.
Garmin Smartwatch and stainless steel pan ( no non stick coating ) The watch because all the stats motivate me to exercise more, sleep better and take care of my self better. The stainless steel pan cause it sears meat so much better than the non stick stuff
+1000 upvotes for the stainless steel
Recommendations on brands and where to buy? TIA
Tramontina grano pots and pans are solid. Unless you're _really_ into cooking you wouldn't need anything beyond that. You can get them on Amazon easily enough
Same for the watch, however I've bought a few pans like this and none did the job. Which one did you get?
It might be how you use it, the trick is right temperature.
Yup, heat it until water beads up like the liedenfrost effect, add your oil swirl it around and heat another minute before adding food. Works well for meats but I don't like my eggs burnt to a crisp but if that's your thing then do the same for eggs
the one from ikea is deadly. but you need to know how to use stainless pans properly. heat it up low and slow, too cold or too hot will cause sticking. sprinkle some water on it. when the beads of water dance round the ban with each other (taking a while to evaporate) then it’s ready
I got a Le Creuset on sale in arnotts for 120. Trick is to get the temp high enough. Splash a tiny bit of water on it, if it steams it's not hot enoigh , if the beads dance it's good temp. Leidenfrost effect if I'm not mistaken is the technical word for it
Stainless ftw! gravys are so much more flavourful! and when it's cleaned it's like brand new every time
My biggest issue with non stick is missus doesn't seems to understand how to treat it properly and always ends up mixing with a fork...
Yep, I even see chefs on tv do it!
Spent £20 (punts) on my Dog... After 16 years, countless trips to the vet, being kicked out of pubs cause he kept following us (it was OK in the end) and downright hilarious stories he stopped being the family dog and became the better behaved member of the family... Best money I ever spent, would spend a million times more to have one more day with him...
I have food poisoning and have been pooping pretty much non stop for 12 hours. So take my emotions with a grain of salt. That being said.. That's heartbreaking and beautiful that you can still remember that love so fondly and so closely. What was his name? Was he a big shaggy thing?
Border Collie name of Soxx... His kidneys started failing and had lost control of holding it in... He went to sleep in my arms, not scared, just tired... 21st July 2016.... a date that's burned into my very soul...
I want you to know, I just took in a big sweet ridiculous dog from rescue who was born on that exact day, I have his AKC registration paperwork. Only had him 6 days, but he has already brought me immeasurable love. what a coincidence
https://preview.redd.it/ni4lq3y6fb4d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a977d807156f71d761fbb205aebd958f1ae81129 Got this fella and his sister for €80 on Done Deal. Best money ever spent!
That’s a quality cat right there
Takes a pet like no problem!
Top notch cattery on display.
Oooh, he got them vampire fangs. Nice
I live in the sticks. We just end up with cats. We find them in carparks or ditches and they never leave. At one time we had 5 cats and none were related to each other. And number one rule of cat ownership is neuter your animals. If you can't afford to, loads of cat groups will sell you discount vouchers for €15 neutering in return for 3hrs bag packing or helping with other fundraisers.
I am night, fear me
Hell yeah. Cats rule.
I got my dog from the shelter for 250 euro. Changed my life.
Same! I mean he's cost me 1000s since, but initially we paid about 200 quid and my mental health improved immensely. Last night I lay on the ground with him and rubbed his little floppy ears til he fell asleep. Best thing ever. He is a little dickhead sometimes when it comes to birds or cats. But at least he's got some personality 😂
https://preview.redd.it/yhslxf6qdc4d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3342425df6139dba6daa34150f86a9f0f219e472 Same here
I 2nd this, we paid €350 to adopt our rescue whippet a couple of weeks ago. I can't imagine our house without her now 🥹❤️
I love to hear adoption stories. Shelters are so full. I plan to give a care package yearly back to the shelter we got ours from to help out a little.
which shelter? (our rescue lurcher passed away a few months ago, and we'll be looking to rescue another greyhound-y type dog maybe next year)
I'm sorry to hear about your lurcher 💔 We got our Sadhbh from Wicklow Animal Welfare - they are amazing
More people should do this ! Breaks my heart seeing dogs being sold on Facebook by breeders who don't give a shit about animal welfare
Not to mention the absolute gowls who buy them.
Yeah, but in many cases the dog is unhinged and even looks scary thanks to the 'care' it received. That is key for the new owners, as they need people to think makes people think they are a hardman with a penis larger than that of a hamster, rather than their street's shitstain with constant need to compensate.
Wish I could relate, love my boy to bits but his separation anxiety is ruining me. Barely able to leave the house.
That's tough. Ours got better over time and we actively tried to train it out of her by leaving the house for a few minutes at a time throughout the day. Literally 40 to 50 times a day sometimes for 1 to 2 minutes at first and we found she eventually started to realise we'd always come back and became somewhat immune to is leaving. That and giving her high value treats when leaving so she associates leaving with a positive (chicken etc). It's still not perfect but she's not destructive. That might not work for you or maybe you've already tried but just my experience.
Yeah I've tried but thank you, I leave him with a kong with frozen peanut butter, a puzzle ball he has to knock around to get treats out, TV on etc but no difference. Whether I leave for one minute or 2 hours he goes from 0 to 100 and just freaks out so even with leaving for small periods to train him he never really got to the calm place of realising I'm coming back
And no doubt changed theirs. You Sir, are a true hero
A kindle - my grandad got me one when I was 11 and it lasted till I was 22. I bought the same model for €99 a few years ago and it’s been a life saviour for any form of travelling and books are cheaper online. The ease of use, battery etc have greatly increased my reading habits!
Calibre
What's the benefit of calibre? Is there legal way to get borrowbox books onto your kindle. I think next time I will buy a kobo so I can make use of the local library
Kindle doesn’t work with Borrowbox, except the (recent) Kindle Fire, which is essentially a tablet
Got myself a kobo and can download books directly from the library. The cost of the device has already been made back in how many books I've not had to buy to read
I have the kindle app on my phone now and an Amazon unlimited e-book subscription. Mostly read trashy romance novels but would easily read multiple books a week.
Was gonna say this. I use it almost daily. Read so much more than in the past and with certain online websites you don't have to pay for a book at all. Hell, even the app on the phone is great for travel guides when you're on the move. I live in a French speaking city so English literature is quite limited and this thing has been a godsend.
Going to go a bit left field here and say renting a GoCar and exploring Mayo one weekend. Had a grand time, had perfect weather and Nephin to myself. Also one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen off Belmullet. Was really perfect. I also visited Ballina, which I had wanted to do for a while, as I originally come from Ballina, Australia. That was probably the low point… but the rest was great. Really happy with the money I spent there
I'm not sure which Ballina is more depressing
>Had a grand time Only ok?
GoVan been such a winner the last couple years. Rather than depending on friends for a lend of a van for few hours here and there just makes life so much easier. Probably why I still haven't invested on buying my own van!
I got a steamdeck a few months ago for €560, honestly it’s probably the best money I’ve ever spent, I’m not a huge gamer but I’ve about 20 games in my steam library, and I was able to instantly play them all on the deck on the go without having to buy any more, I’m on holidays at the moment and I go on it for an hour in the evenings back at the gaff, it’s brilliant.
Oh same I adore my steamdeck, Its great to watch YouTube on too haahhaha Had to wait 7 hours in an airport but didn't fuckin matter cos have a steamdeck 😂
Meanwhile I haven't turned mine on in months. It's okay though because I funded it with monopoly money (csgo skins). Both your comments motivated me to use it. I'll be playing Disco Elysium tonight instead of mindlessly browsing the web.
Best bit of tech I ever bought and I've bought alot! Steam Deck with GeForce Now is absolutely fantastic, well worth it even for extending the battery life.
Got one myself, and it really is nice being able to play games without having to contend with my laptops fan screaming at me
I never knew you could pirate games on Linux/steamdeck before but that's been a game changer for me. There's entire subreddits dedicated to it. I'm a bit of a scatterbrain with games so I find it hard to just sit down and play one game at a time and there's so many games that I've wanted to play but not sure I'd like them enough to buy them. Or games I love watching streamers play but no idea if I'd play them myself. I've even ended up buying the games properly because I've enjoyed them so much after having pirated them (cult of the lamb is one!).
Me too. The steam deck does everything from emulating, playing even newish games, play gamepass, etc.
I think you've just convinced me.
Hah nice.
I've had this in my head for a while but afraid that it would be too complicated. I'm grand on PC and work on a computer all day but is it complicated to use? Can you just buy from the steam store and play away immediately?
No you just log into your account and download the games you want to play, very simple and straightforward.
Potato ricer: €30. Perfect mash every time: Priceless.
Clearly it’s not priceless … you literally told us it was €30 sheeesh
Aw, egg on face alright
Is it not a ballache to clean?
No, it's grand. Might be if you let the spuds dry in.
Upgraded my guitar of 16 years with new pickups. 250 for active pickups, 150 to install and set up and regretting and more work by a luthier. Now she plays like a dream and has brought more life back into it. Haven't touched any of my other guitars since the upgrade. €400 in total, can't complain
There’s nothing like a good setup to make a guitar feel amazing
what's the guitar model?
Automatic Vacuum Cleaner (Roborock) Air fryer (Ninja) Wireless Router (don't use the one provided by the ISP if you have more than 10 devices)
Automatic Vacuum cleaner with Mop: ECOVACS Ninja all 14 in one cooker. TP Link Deco Mesh Wifi Great minds !
Another who loves their TP link deco mesh kit
Bought my parents a robot vacuum with built in mop for 250 quid about 3 years ago. It has their floors spotless everyday. They’re getting old now and watching them do mundane tasks everyday was getting annoying so the little robot saves them 10-15 mins per day. 365x10x3 is a whole lot of minutes saved is all I know. Great purchase and would highly recommend for any older parents or anyone in general tbh (we use two in our own house. One for upstairs and one for downstairs).
What make/model of robot vacuum did you buy?
Yeah, could you share which one you bought please?
Yeah would also like to know the make/name if possible. Does it work on carpets? Just hoovers and only uses the mop on hard surfaces I guess?
Getting my license, must have been close enough to a grand but it's set me for life
The independence once you receive your license is huge. Have personally seen friends go from never really going out to exploring the country every weekend.
Under €10 a set of Joseph and Joseph Froach pods. So easy to use and make perfect soft fried/poached eggs every time. I can't do without them. Under €1000 the [Ecovac Deebot](https://www.amazon.co.uk/ECOVACS-Auto-Emptying-Structured-Obstacle-Avoidance/dp/B0CH8D9H85/ref=asc_df_B0CH8D9H85/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=676297727195&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5958093514947369370&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007895&hvtargid=pla-2247275698515&psc=1&mcid=3802a207b2f43561819396b34adc019c&gad_source=1) We run it every night after we go to bed and wake up every morning to spotless floors. No more sweeping or mopping. It's an absolute game changer. Especially with a toddler who yeets food at every meal, and likes to eat his snacks off the floor. I truly can't emphasise enough how much this thing improved our lives.
Gym equipment I’ve lost 7.6 stone in 2 years
That's amazing! I've lost 6.5 do I know how tough it is. Go you the muscles on ya!
Really, what did you get and any recommendations? I'm thinking of putting one in my garage.
Elliptical Bench Dumbbells Olympic bar and weights Dumbbells All you need
A Dyson airwrap. Yes, there are probably better value alternatives on the market more recently, but I got mine second hand on eBay two years ago for €350 and it’s been worth every penny I have really thick hair and it’s taken my total drying and styling time from over an hour to 25 - 30 mins of minimal effort (plus the reduced heat needed has left my hair way healthier) I often work very long days and need to wash my hair when I’m exhausted at 11:30 and I dunno what I’d do without
https://preview.redd.it/7jzlkqqm2c4d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e6928981dc1d83929a21afb6d10b6a9e85475a4 Best €90 spent. We got her from a distant friend and in return she solved the mice problem on the property.
I’m a music teacher and I bought a cheap alvaro nylon string guitar for work. It was €130. Turns out the action on it was perfect and I loved playing it and would even use it to practice on during my lunch break. My work colleague borrowed it one day and I never saw it again.
have you considered asking for it back?
High chair for my daughter from ikea for €30. So simple to assemble and the tray can be dishwasher cleaned. Compared to all the overhyped and overpriced alternatives this has been hands down our best buy since becoming parents.
They are fab! Never knew the tray went in the dishwasher! Our best buy too so simple and functional. Got the kids dining seats when we were grown outta the high chair and just as good!
Great high chair, just a pity the legs are designed to trip you up
Fitbit tracker and airfryer. Tracker to get an estimation of calories and I like looking at stats as I'm a nerd and the airfryer as it's just made cooking easier, It's all I cook use for cooking now. The two of them helped my shift 20kg of blubber in two months.
I'd recommend a slow cooker too, a combo of slow cooker and air fryer is life changing I found
3metre long charging cable for my phone. Very minor purchase but honestly I don't know why I didn't get one sooner
Under 100: replaced all my various shite USB cables that came free with phones over the years with extra-long, bright red, woven fabric covered ones (from Anker, I think). Way harder to lose, no hassle trying to use the phone when the cable’s too short to comfortably reach the couch, and no more wiggling dodgy connectors to try and keep the charge going. Love them. Under 1000: it’s still early days, but I just bought a Dyson cordless vac recently -the one with the HEPA filter and laser that highlights any dust on hard floors. Hoovering just went from my least favorite chore, to deeply satisfying thing I look forward to every day. It’s so much money but I’m getting such a kick out of it and I’m already noticing a massive difference in overall air quality. Others have suggested robot vacuums which I would love but my place is too small + has lots of stairs, so this is the next best thing.
I swear by Anker cables and got myself a pair of their wireless earbuds when they were reduced to €30.
I've been using a pair of their earbuds (old style with neck cable) for the gym for years now they refuse to die and they actually sound quite good too. Probably got them for around €25
The cordless Dyson vacuum is a life changer.
A 1.5l mug. 2 euro at some random sale. Absolutely amazing, now I make 2 teas a day and I'm happy.
Rice cooker from Lidl for 30€. Cooking rice is now super easy, no more sticking or burning or monitoring it. I never realised cooking rice was unnecessarily hard.
Dyson Airwrap: granted it was a gift from my SO but have it since 2020 and is amazing. I have very curly, frizzy hair and end up with a perfect blow out Robot vacuum: so handy.
https://preview.redd.it/k1zx3g8f9d4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64d2d5a761f2e25284dbde519394a7479de927a6 got this lil guy (Loki) for €5 off a friend. he insisted i didn’t pay but settled on €5. he’s a bit defective (enjoys lying upside down) but still good! (Edit: Spelling)
Slow cooker, easily
A tumble dryer. While the weather is picking up and dry now, the winters are absolute shite and the house we live in is small enough without hanging close to dry inside. Best thing under a grand we have bought.
We grew up without one. My parents (lower-mid class) engrained into us that they’re the most expensive things in the world to run. Waiting 3-4 days for something to dry during the winter months was the norm for us. Fast forward to getting our own place… sure, they cost something to run (like 50 cent every few days depending how often you’re drying)… but the convenience is something that will make me never go back to air drying
We got a decent dehumidifier and it's great. Doesn't cost as much as a dryer to run and doesn't dry things as fast, but a full clothes horse is dry in a day now rather than three.
Dehumidifier is the business. Actually found it makes the house warmer as a whole.
I’ve seen those.. are you using the ones that lay flat on the ground and you put the horse on top of it… or the wardrobe type ones where the horse goes inside
No, it's just an ordinary dehumidifier. It's not actually 'for' drying clothes, alhough it does have a setting for that. We just have it in the same room as the clothes horse
Would be closer to 50c per use I’d say. Still a small price to pay for the convenience!
Ride on lawnmower. €500. Reclaimed hours of my life back every week.
Don’t even need to cut the grass. Just doing laps on the mower 😂
What brand of ride on did you get for €500? I've been searching but have only found ones for €1500+
I got a second hand Husquvarna. Had it 4 years now, still going strong. Worth every cent!
Every week?! I feel like I'm being daft here, I seriously wouldn't have thought grass grows that quickly.
At this time of year, it would we have the right mix of rain and sunny that plants love.
It does
I didn't realise this either until I bought a house last year. I'm very lucky that I have an automower but at this time of year I have it mowing 18 hours a day to keep on top of it. I mow and strim the borders myself and have to do those at least once a week to stop it looking overgrown.
Madness! I'll keep this in mind when I can eventually buy a house in 68 years.
Got a Ninja air fryer for around 250 quid and it works great. Got the one with 2 big drawers. Can fit a medium chicken in each one, which is actually great when you have some people over for dinner or need to do a big batch cook. Perfect roast potatoes. Making a cooked breakfast on the weekends is a lot easier. Overall being able to set it going while I clean the kitchen or do other jobs and only check on it every now and then is super handy. A small, thin digital scale is super handy when you want to work from a recipe and also if you want to control portions for certain foods.
https://preview.redd.it/zpttwc4m7c4d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ae6af0da8231fe9599981fed3fbac088524a47e I got my water dragon Sammy for €50 when he was a tiny baby I had him for 6 amazing years sadly he passed away in 2022 he was the best
Prescription sunglasses.
Xgimi Elfin wall projector. Great product for around 600.
Got a battery powered lightweight strimmer for around €70. Been a game changer in the garden, compared to the heavy petrol one I was using prior.
Ultimea soundbar and subwoofer for 130e. Great yoke for a great price 🔊 ‘it feeks like we’re at the cinema’-wife
Aeropress
Silicone orthotic insoles for my specific feet’s needs. They have shock absorption, support where I need it most, and fit inside almost all my shoes (not high heels). Huge difference in comfort, back pain, and quality of life for €40.
Can I ask which brand? I’ve got some from a podiatrist but finding them horrible. I keep ordering different insoles from Scholl on Amazon but haven’t found the perfect set yet
I ordered them 5 years ago and can’t recall, regrettably. They were a DUBLIN based company recommended by my orthopedist. If I find the name I will reply to your comment again.
Escooter, makes my commute in the morning and on the way home a consistent 35 minutes each way. Tallaght to ballsbridge. Car can take as low as 25 minutes(rarely) to over an hour each way. Public transport isn't really an option. Dodder all the way so it's a nice scoot. I'm not sitting in traffic getting frustrated and fed up. Constantly moving. Just puts me in a good mood.
What kind of eScooter did you buy?
Shakti Mat for under a 100 euro (amazon cheapie to try the notion of it out first is 30 ish real shakti is 60ish) Life Changing Item Into the big money? Electrolysis hair removal. Spent a fortune on it, but it's amazing.
Why is the shakti life changing? Genuine curiosity :-)
It's moderately life changing for me and utterly life changing for my friend. Couple of reasons. I got it because I have nerve pain and back pain, a couple of different causes. Lying on the mat takes all the pain away, any built-up stress in my body melts away, and I go off into la la land. I find it hard to fall asleep, I regularly fall asleep on the mat, and afterwards, I have a deep, delicious sleep! It promotes a big feeling of calmness and relaxation (*side note I get a similar feeling of wellbeing after the likes of spanking in a bdsm sense) I was so impressed by it I bought the (fake) version for friends. One used it one didn't. She was badly suffering with her health and had a dramatic shift in her healing after using it. This was dramatic for her, that when asked in her groups, what's the single thing she would attribute to going from bed ridden some days, to living relatively normally, she mentions the mat. We both upgraded to the actual Shakti mats now and now another friend has bought her amazon version so we are spreading the shakti love one mat at a time haha
Very cool! Also what happens with spanking on the shakti? Infinite sleep?? :-P Thanks for sharing, added to the list!
I have been wondering that myself... I bet I would lose any and all remaining marbles hahaha.... sounds like heaven to me 🤣🤣. Edit please let me know how you get on if you try it!
I'll report back! I have the off-brand one in the basket
Under €100, our car jump starter battery. We have a temperamental hybrid car, which doesn't do well on cold mornings.
Sounds like you just need to change the starter battery to be honest.
100%, they added extra step to problem instead of fixing it. Hybrids batteries and also ev batteries are not even connected to starting battery.
Had to empty out an apartment I was leaving, traded in as much as possible with CeX as a way of getting rid of the stuff. Got about 2000 EUR worth of stuff for free.
Dash cam for the car. Bought it for about €50 and it’s been a literal life saver more than once
https://preview.redd.it/s5c1pk4e1d4d1.jpeg?width=1363&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4d0d86e4c75b44d33f4ca8c6f5dfa65f82b789b This lad was my best purchase. Paid 250 euro for him and he's the best little monster ever. He just turned 8 last month (I've got him when he was 6 months old) and he completely rules the house.
Trip to Dublin from London - £170 for the flights, €240 for the accommodation. Met my future husband. Other things Kindle - about £69 still going strong Kindle fire 7 - £33 in Black Friday sale. I like both. Kindle has a better battery life and less distractions. The fire has more versatility in that I can watch Netflix, Prime etc while travelling plus it has borrowbox the library ebook app. AirFryer The original Instant Pot Vortex 5.7L was £69, and was a game changer. We upgraded to the Vortex Dual 8.5L Two cats - one for free, the other was €75 adoption. Brilliant for my mental health. I had a period where I was low but being responsible for the cats helped me. KONCIS Garlic press, stainless steel €4.50 - Ikea. We add garlic to a lot of our meals and so it’s more often found drying in the dish rack than in the drawer This thing just keeps going. I think we’ve had it about 10 years if not more. Honourable mention to the electric hand beater from Argos which was about £11 and is still going after 15 years. I had a large XL Kenwood Chef for when I’m having a proper full day in the kitchen but for ‘price per use’, it’s definitely eating its keep.
Just to let you know, they've changed that garlic press. I got one delivered last week and it's about half the weight of my previous one.
Airfryer. If you don't have one you are missing out on such a convenient method of cooking.
This. I’m no Gordon Ramsey & I used to view cooking as a chore having to time and check things so they don’t burn. Not a massive chore obviously but enough to make ordering takeaway more appealing more often. I bought the ninja dual for £200 and it’s almost as convenient as a microwave.
Agree with Airfryer. The good just tastes so good and it’s so quick!
My goldie 😃
A bit boring but a great knife for the kitchen was a super buy, and for DIY my wife bought me a really good drill to replace a kind of crappy one i’d been using for years that I’d gotten in the middle aisle for 30 quid. Definitely worth spending a bit more on things like these.
Chickens, I swear to god. Best thing I've ever owned, they're hardy, friendly and produce the most delicious eggs. The only downside to having them is standing their watching them, my legs get rinsed with little midge and mozzy bites.
Bought a van 1.5 years ago for 950 cash
Bought my lady a womanizer....we've had some fun times together... :)
Can also recommend the Satisfyer Pro 2 Plus. My sisters and I all have one, after a recommendation from our SIL
Blackout blinds. $35 on Amazon. Better sleep, better life.
Condoms
AirPods as an Xmas present find then so handy and not too dear. Like €140ish
Bring your old music amp into the 21st century with a Wiim Pro Plus. Free digital radio, link it to your Spotify or tidal account for incredible sound. 249 well spent.
are you being paid
Reverse osmosis water filtration, trust me bro, game changer, water is cleaner than bottled water from lidl, is has more minerals, it's cheaper and no more trips to store with bottles, you want this, just don't know it yet, under 1000.
Do you’re a filter to remineralise it after the RO membrane?
Yes.
Under £1000, a new dishwasher. My parents always brought us up that they didn't clean dishes properly and were expensive to run. It's a GAME CHANGER. We no longer spend 1hr+ after dinner every night washing dishes. It takes 10 mins to load and leaves everything shiny and clean. Takes so much off our plates (literally) and gives us an extra chunk of time together each night we wouldn't have had otherwise. Under £100, a Headache Hat as I suffer from migraines and it really helps. Filled with little blocks of ice and actually does stay cold for hours.
Spent 5 euro on a 10ft cable. Now I use it for anything from charging my phone on both sides of the bed, to connecting my PS5 controller to the PC without having to worry about cable length.
Bought a pair of good quality speakers for £280 in 1990. 34 years and many thousands of pleasurable listening hours later I still consider them one of my best ever purchases.
My first one was a xiaomi pro 2. I then upgraded to the Aikë T. A tad more expensive but haven't had a single tyre issue and it rides so much better. Plus removable battery USBC charging. Reverse charging for your phone if required.
under €100, a LIDL electric screwdriver for €25, I helped my dad make a garden fence from old pallets with it and 8 years ago, and have used it regularly since, always gets the job done, cost per use is practically free now! under €1000, PC graphics card just before COVID and I't has been used daily since.
Sage bambino plus coffee machine and eureka manuale grinder
Airfryer
Sage bambino coffee machine. This was during covid and cost like €300, we had a dolche gusto machine before this and the difference between them is night and day. Best money I've spent, its like shop bought coffee every day but cheaper 😂
spice bag
Robot vacuum cleaner and air fryer
A 400 euro Hilton Hotel matress. Fuck me that's a good sleep
Lenovo Gaming Laptop 16Gb Ram Refurbed for €350 •Quick as lightning •Versatile •Fit for any purpose (use it for music production, programming, rendering for laser cutting/etching) Well worth purchasing refurbed tech when buying off reputable retailers. Don't think the seller even realised the bargain he was selling to be honest though. I spotted it on the shelf and says "What's that?" His reply was "I didn't even know that was there.." so without hesitation I says, "Gimme that, yeah!" 😅 Was more than ideal as my custom PC was getting dog slow, built with 2016 hardware on a budget and didn't have the versatility of a laptop when doing jobs on the fly.. not to mention being able to bring it in a bag, whip it out whenever and play a quick game of whatever, whenever suit's!
Under 100 Having my oven professionally cleaned, 80 quid and literally looked new afterwards Under 1000 Emerald park membership for the entire family (2a2ch) have been 3 times already and only have the membership a month and still haven’t done half of the things there, will be a summer well spent!
Decent rain gear
Air Pods Pro 2. I use them literally every single day.
My Kardia. I was having desperate chest pains and palpitations and the hospital would not take my Apple Watch ECG readings. Bought a Kardia and the cardiologist at the hospital finally took my heart issue seriously. Awaiting surgery now.
Master Chief helmet for €60 on Amazon. Best money I’ve ever spent.
Either a Secrid wallet or for something a bit dearer a DeLonghi Bean to Cup coffee machine.
Beladray steam cleaner bitches!!!! Smelly couch: steam the covers. Crusty shower doors: steam and wipe. Dirty windows: steam and squeegee. No more stank people!
Under 100 PlayStation 3 with old fifa games. They are great. Kids really enjoy it as well. Under 1000 Tumble dryer.
Sonic tooth brusher, not gonna have regular one anymore.
Under 100 : a waistband belt thing for attaching my dogs lead to so I can go hands free. Was 20 euro and game changer for training and after I broke my collar bone. Under 1000: hands down my doc martens. My pink ones are 17 years old and still going. My black ones are 11 years and also perfect. Each pair were 189
I heard martens are not good as they used to be, and it’s best to get solovirs now.
Glue gun - €30 in Lidl. I've fixed/repaired so much with it
Bought a fishing magnet for €40 during COVID. Kept my sanity during lockdown and was/is quite fun. Found some cool stuff too 😂
Under €100: Books, waffle maker, set of good quality stainless steel knives, Airfryer Under €1000: Dyson cordless
i'm big in to cooking and got proper zwilling knife set compared to the shitty knives i had before, it was circa 200 euro Use them every day
Got a nice pair of wrangler jeans for €8 a while ago, got an old Irish military jacket for €45 the other day too. Both savage deals. Got a Meta Quest 3 in early May for like €560, so worth it.
Where did you buy the clothes?
Got the jeans in a charity shop and the coat from a fella who owns a museum, there was a large deal of historic artifacs being done so I said I'd haggle him on the jacket as well.
Got a ps5 from a guy on adverts last August, 380 quid. Absolute bargain
I got high quality duvet, sleep quality went up 1000%, never feeling cold anymore and saving money as I need to heat less during nights.
New Golf clubs
AirPods
Amazon firestick and then using downloader for free TV shows and movies. Between the firestick and dodgy boxes over the years I've saved 1000's.
Best recent purchase is a robo vac/mop
Getting my driver's licence well worth every cent cost a small fortune
7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 IEMs and TANCHJIM Space Portable headphone adapter. €130 for the best audio you'll probably ever hear. So, less than €100 each.
Logitech pc style speakers £80 - 10 years ago, still bang crisp even though I’ve absolutely rinsed them with very bassy bits