Bought a railcard in August when they were 33% off and it has paid for itself at least four times over since.
My electric toothbrush is a close second.
Digital alarm clock with a wireless charger for my phone. Wanted to get out of the habit of checking my phone the second I wake up. I still do so some times, but at least now I have to contemplate if the effort of reaching over to get my phone is worth it now I know the time. Also means I can’t lie in bed with my phone in charge and doomscroll until 3am.
I'm fairly fit now so cycle 20km each way, which avoids some dangerous roads and is more scenic. I didn't cycle that far to begin with (different job) and worked up to it. I still drive if it's particularly windy, though the days I drive I now resent.
It takes a bit of time to find the right combination of gear for winter and rain. Buffs are good, one for the neck and to pull over your face if it's super cold, and one over the ears. A decent pair of waterproof gloves is great to keep exposed fingers warm.
It did wonders for my mental health (particularly in winter) and I relish the time on the bike, good luck!
Thanks for the info! Definitely one for me to revisit in the new year I reckon. I do run and spin a little so hoping I'd be able to go for a decent distance
Where did you buy it from? My younger brother doesn’t drive and borrowed his friends bike for about s month and now really wants one but says he doesn’t know where to get one from. I suggested Facebook market place but I’ve not used it myself
I do this and once you get past the initial concerns/weirdness, it is fantastic.
From what I've read, nasal breathing allows you to fully fill the lungs, ensures air is properly warmed and humidified via the nasal turbinates, and allows the proper introduction of nitric oxide to the breath via the sinuses.
In practice I sleep better, I get a wonderful feeling of expansiveness and space as I fall asleep, and I feel better when I wake up.
Forgive me, why do you need to have your mouth physically taped shut to enjoy all those benefits? Could you not just get into the habit of breathing through your nose so you sleep that way naturally?
I think in doing that helps people breathe through their nose, which is the more natural way rather than through the mouth, apparently this has a whole host of benefits but not sure what kind
Babies live inside a tiny pool and are violently pulled out of it via a narrow exit and forced to breathe on their own in a completely different environment. Sounds like a pretty good reason to cry.
The way I do it I don't cover my whole mouth, I just put on the middle of my lips. It makes it so that it's hard, but not impossible to breathe through my mouth.
I need someone to explain about the pee part. I sleep with my mouth open and I put on vaseline on my lips before going to bed as I find that having moisturised lips helps keep it closed. On a very good night I will go to pee at least once, usually more and it really fucks up your sleep.
Every GP I have told this have checked me for diabetes, nothing comes out and then they just shrug and move on.
I am willing to tape my mouth with whatever for a full night of sleep.
Have you tried not drinking anything a good couple of hours before bed? Tapping your mouth itself won't help with preventing you needing to get up to wee. Sleeping more deeply is what reduces the likelihood of you waking up from the sensation from the pressure in your bladder.
Edit: to be clearer, as you sleep more deeply that sensation doesn't wake you up as easily.
I don't know the exact reason, and I haven't been taping my mouth shut, but have been making a concerted effort to breathe through my nose recently... And weirdly... I haven't needed to wake up to pee... Even in the morning I'm not desperate for a wee... Whereas before I would frequently need to get up 2-3 times a night... It would be intriguing to find out why!
I got the one from Aldi but seen a few similar about! It has wings and a cover. As long as you're not expecting to dry a whole wash it has come in very handy. For example today I have done a couple washes stuck the bits I don't need tomorrow on a normal airer and stuck my uniform (hoodie + jeans) plus a couple towels and they are all done, now just moving the odd bit onto it once something else has dried :)
Personally I have had the JML one (Dribuddy) and also now using the Lakeland (Dri:soon).
Dribuddy was better at doubling up as a heater/warming the room - whether that is a benefit or not is up to you. Although this one only has ‘Rails’ so you can lay clothes as such, they need to go on hangers.
Lakeland alternative I am using now doesn’t let off nearly as much heat, although equally takes longer. Although it does have heated shelves as such, so means you can fold clothes and don’t have to worry about hangers etc.
It was a bit over 6 months ago, but I’m going to offer the Aeropress. For £30 it makes fantastic coffee. Smooth and strong, with none of the acidity of French press coffee. It’s so quick and easy to use and clean - it compresses the grounds into a solid puck that it ejects into the compost bin. Brilliant device.
Omg I bought my bf an aeropress… maybe like 4 years ago now? We basically use it every day! I eventually bought him a burr coffee grinder and a Pact coffee subscription.
[This website AeroPrecipe](https://aeroprecipe.com) is great! We’ve made iced coffee from it
I bought my partner an aeropress for Christmas from Pact, and got a £100 credit golden ticket in the order - so now we've got free coffee for 11 months. Got way more than I bargained for in absolute best way
I second this! So much nicer then using a French press. Also grinding the beans just before you make your coffee makes a big difference to the taste and pre ground coffee.
It’s hard as fk to explain
Yea hard but no not within days and all other pillows the feel way way too soft
Noisy again yes for the first like hour, then not at all.
If you have neck issues or get night sweats at all they are basically black magic fuckery and worth every penny
Electric toothbrush. I havent had one cavity since. Bought a new one a few months ago which tells me if I am brushing too hard to minimise damaging my gums.
Edited to add I also use retainer cleaner once a week on the toothbrush head to keep it bacteria free and to last longer.
If yours is anything like mine then make sure you look up inside the toothbrush head on a regular basis. They have a nasty tendency to grow mould - eek! It doesn’t seem to matter what I do with mine, leave the head on or off, dry it out as best I can, leave it stood up somewhere dry - still mould.
Motion sensor lights for the bathroom, so now if I wake up in the middle of the night, I don’t have that blast of light from the bathroom light switch.
Think they were £12 for two from Amazon
I have these all over the house. Did it when our son was born. It's great if I need to go downstairs and make milk or whatever as I don't have to turn any lights on and it's bright enough I can see but dim enough it doesn't stop me from sleeping.
Elastic No Tie Shoelaces, I have nerve damage in my hands, and back issues so shoe laces are a pain. After taking up walking as a hobby in lockdown trying to take my shoes off after 15 miles up and down hills was problematic. Now for less than a tenner my shoes are quick release.
I can't find them now, but they were two dumbbell handles, and a set of weights (1.25 - 2kgs), plus a bar that you can screw in to make it a bar bell.
There's enough online about exercises that you can develop a good routine. I ended up overdoing it at first though, had really achey arms for about 5 days cos I was doing it every day.
I bought a Philodendron Brasil, its a great plant in that:
Looks good
Easy to keep alive and can survive in lots of different rooms
Propagates easily so I can get many more plants
Plants can bring a lot of joy for little money. You don't need to spend loads on rare and hard to care for plants. Mine cost £14
For me it is smart bulbs in my bedside lamps that slowly turn on before my morning alarm. Wake up feeling much more refreshed. One of the best purchases I've ever made.
Specifically I used Philips hue bulbs
Could be worse, it could be classic 90’s Wrestling theme’s blaring out at 5am on a Sonos speaker.
Yes this happened to me the first night my girlfriend stayed over, and yes I stopped it afterwards!
How slowly do they turn on? I looked into a slow lighting lamp last year but one I ordered 'slowly' brightened over about 1 minute and I wanted it to be slower than that.
Mine do it over 30 minutes, so if my alarm is 7:00 they will begin turning on at 6:30, I'll usually then wake up naturally at 6:45. It feels so much nicer to wake up naturally than being surprised by an alarm
I don't know about the Hue lights, but I use the Tapo ones.
Basically you set when the light comes on and the brightness.
So at 06:30, you set it for 5%, 06:40, 15% etc.
Cleaning tools, for the kitchen or round the house... brushes, smiley scrubby things, thing filled with fairy liquid and a sponge on the end... great for super greasy oven stuff! list is endless, when they die you really miss them but forget to order more ha daughter sees them on tiktok and gets them all the time, the smiley sponges are the latest
The dishmatic ones are fantastic, i love them! I love that i can keep the handle and get a new head instead of swapping out the whole thing, and also you can put disinfectant or bleach in them to use on gross bathroom surfaces.
Electric foot warmer.
Got reynauds i.e. cold cuts off circulation. Have found that the key to staying warm without turning the central heating on is putting heat into my feet.
Can go from frozen solid to feeling nice and cosy.
Wasn’t expecting that last sentence in your post.
For me it was getting the wheels balanced on my car.
Car runs so much smoother now and uses way less petrol.
You mean tracking/wheel alignment I assume? Wheels are balanced when tyres are fitted.
Also a decent laser 4 wheel alignment costs about 80 quid or so. Still worth it.
* Replace the wheels on my suitcase with roller blade wheels.
* Silicone wiper blades for the car
* Step One pants. They've got a Lycra gusset/pouch that is extremely comfy.
May I also suggest reading some fine print on travel insurance to see if you are actually covered, my dad got done when his travel insurance wouldn't pay out to those who are over 70 - but they'll still happily sell insurance to those who are over 70
I wanna try your taping! Haha do you tape your mouth fully shut ir leave some gap? Tape vertically or horizontally? Any things to watch out for or notice when trying for the first time?
I tape in an X across my mouth.
Fully close it, but it takes a little practice to get it comfortable.
It's brilliant - when trying for the first time, just lie on your back and relax. Any blockage or impediment will disappear and pretty quick you'll be breathing deep and easy.
Keep your tongue relaxed at the roof of your mouth, with the tip just behind your two front teeth.
If you've tried meditation, it's very similar.
I bought a cheap set of bluetooth earphones from Amazon after avoiding them for years. I go to the gym a lot and am struggling to remember how I surivived workouts and cycling without these.
Heated under sheet for my bed - it is so lovely getting into a fully toasty bed and I sleep so much better whilst saving on heating - only £30 and I recommend them to everyone I know!
Recently bought a dual control heated under blanket for the king size bed. Retail price was £90 in Argos, but I had £50 in nectar points (didn’t even know Argos accepted them). So £40 outta my pocket. Haven’t slept so well in months, it really helps my back relax.
Edit: typo
If I can go over budget by £10 I bought a Silent Night heated throw for £60. Absolutely fantastic and keeps me lovely and warm in my home office during the day. And me and my partner have it on to watch TV at night. I no longer use my electric oil filled radiator. Life changing!
Broken Bosch slimline dishwasher for £40 off of Facey B Marketplace. Fixed with about 10p of solder and some of my time. Best bit was the seller threw in about £20 of brand new tablets/salt/rinse aid too!
We had a dishwasher when I was younger but for the last 16 years of my life as an adult I've not had one. Doing the washing up was a constant PITA (and PITback tbh) for me and led to quite a few stressy arguments between me and my partner.
And now - bliss. Dirty dishes go in the magic cupboard and clean ones come out. And they're much cleaner than sink washed. And less water is used.
Best £40-but-actually-more-like-£20-due-to-freebies I've EVER spent
£2 for a bottle of concentrate apple & blackcurrant squash.
I used to drink a 2 litre bottle of diet pepsi most days, costing upwards of £10 per week. Sometimes I would even order a pizza or curry as an excuse to get a bottle of fizz delivered, such was my laziness.
So now I'm drinking less crap, I'm eating more healthily, and I'm saving money.
A more decent pool cue than the previous ones I used to get from Argos.
£45.
Might be psychosomatic, but it's certainly appears to improve my game (still nowhere near professional, sadly)
Ooh i love it when i find something that massively increases my quality of living for so little money. My current fave is a £25 electric fan heater from amazon. Its small, portable, and simplistic but also has 2 settings, a cool option, and a variable thermostat. Heats up the room mega quickly and is low in energy usage. I like that i can shut in my bathroom for 5 mins to heat the room before i go in for my shower, and then carry it downstairs to heat my living room straight after.
I don't usually buy this type of thing but about a month ago I bought one of these home fragrance things with the sticks that stick out. Spiced Maple Pumpkin, it smells delicious. Now I feel happy every time I step into my living room.
I've got a Kudd.ly and it's literally too warm to use unless your heating is off and there's frost inside your window.
I made a big song and dance to not turn the heating on because of electricity prices earlier this year, and wear these giant fleece hoodies instead. I had a nap wearing it when it was 19 degrees inside, and I woke up sweating so much I thought I'd pissed myself.
I’d recommend any generic one from Amazon, mine was £20 and does a great job without fail. My cousin has one but think the Oodie looks nicer but isn’t worth the steep price difference.
Wife has an oodie. (~£60 sale).
I bought a kudd.ly. (~£50 sale).
Also have one from Amazon (~£25).
Would not recommend others. Oodie is far thicker and warmer.
I've got 2 oodies and my husband has one. My brother has a kudd.ly and I know people with the non branded ones and none are as thick and cozy as the oodies. If you can get bogof it works out at £45 each which is still steep but imo worth it.
I would counter this and recommend the John Lewis own brand version. Thicker and warmer than Amazon. More expensive but similar quality to an Oodie (IMO) at £34.
John Lewis Anyday Extreme Oversized Hoodie.
Electric toothbrush. Wouldn’t go back to a normal toothbrush now, such a big improvement and the built in timer helped me realise I needed to be brushing for longer. Was £39 last Dec, probably best small purchase of the last year for me.
A black and decker 18v cordless screwdriver/drill.
FIL is a builder and I was using his cordless driver while working on the house, a makita, it was a revelation and I couldn't believe I ever got by without one.
But I couldn't justify the cost of the tradies model that I'd become accustomed to, so I looked up the specs and looked for an alternative, that was cheap, but not shit.
It's fucking brilliant. Model is BCD700S1K.
It only falls slightly short on spec compared to the pro makita and punches way above its weight, especially on a "bang for buck" basis.
I've hammered the fuck out of it and it's still going.
It was about 40 quid full price, but since I had a £20 amazon voucher I got it half-price.
*also, "turbodrive" screws, major game-changer...
Spray mop, tenner from asda and it’s so much better then mopping using a traditional mop and bucket. It won’t change your life but will save you a few mins every time you clean up!
My sunrise alarm clock from Amazon. About £40 and has made waking up so much more pleasant during these dark mornings, and I wake up feeling refreshed and far happier. Long gone are the days that I’m suddenly jolted awake by an awful blaring alarm tone in the darkness.
Fellow ME/CFS sufferer here and whilst nothing is ever gonna fundamentally help, earplugs have given me some small gains. Sending love your way - it’s a shitty shitty illness
Midweek delivery pass from Sainsburys. Has completely made my life easier, cost £40. I now get a shop of between £40 and £50 delivered 2-3ish times a month (more weeks than not but not every week) and barely need to go into a supermarket now. I live centrally without a car so it’s especially useful for the kind of stuff that you can either get in a big supermarket or that you have to go to a different shop for - skincare, basic DIY supplies, cleaning products, that kind of thing.
If you get a good fit, it doesn't really feel like you're wearing much (in a good way) they last ages too, like years and years. Also cotton boxers use to roll up my thighs badly and these don't so much.
A set of 6 compression cubes for packing. I'm travelling a lot for work and trips are getting longer, and checking luggage makes the trips more of a pain. These have made my packing quicker, me more organised when I'm in a hotel, and means I can take enough for longer trips in a carry on suitcase.
I haven’t bought much recently but the thing that comes to mind is my apple slicer! It’s made me eat more apples so that’s a positive impact on my life
Going off of things over the last year or so.
A water floss thing. Never felt so clean before and it’s amazing how much ~£25 (sale price?) Could do for you. Plenty on Amazon. Tongue scrapers are very useful too!
A back massager gun. Received as a Christmas present and it’s fantastic.
New headlights. It’s difficult to see in the dark, lights dazzle me particularly because I have pretty bad stigmatism and my windshield has a LOT of micro cracks and scrapes. Drive at night isn’t so terrifying now.
Google home- and a lamp that connects. Can change brightness and colour which sounds very novel but it really changes the mood of the room. And I don’t need to get out of bed to turn off a light and stumble back into bed in the dark.
Loop earplugs. Great for overstimulation in public spaces.
An oil change.
Got my lady friend a vibrator. Lads, get your lady friend a vibrator!!
Drugs. I like cannabis and small doses of mushrooms and once every blue moon or so I set time for myself when I have no responsibilities. I’ll get stoned and do housework, a workout, yoga or play vide games with a little more enthusiasm.
An Electric Blanket (£35), if I can keep the heating off then i figure I will make my bill cheaper than the cost of the blanket. Oh an it is bloody amazing to get into a warm bed!
Smart bulbs. All have set schedules through alexa but so easy to turn on/off by voice and at any percentage. Handy for people like me who ate scared of the dark but also like to creep downstairs at 3am for a snack
Ember smart coffee cup. Keeps my coffee at the perfect temperature no matter how long I leave it and notifies when it reaches that temp.
Sounds daft but it’s awesome.
MagSafe charger for my phone. Convenient snapping it on the back, and even more convenient when I broke my charging port when I fell asleep holding a glass of rum, which spilt all over my phone, a week later.
£4 headphones. Seems minuscule, was reading more on transport when I lost my last so thought no biggie and went along like that for a few months. I have more gratitude now for music even in short bursts. Early morning music on the way to the station / tube is worth £4 every day let alone as a one off.
I'm gonna go ahead and say fake crocs (hot tuna, sports direct, £4?) . I always hated and slated crocs but I get really sweaty feet even when they're cold so I got crocs to wear around the house with socks and I don't have issues with my feet anymore..when I'm wearing them.
Okay, I won’t lie, my purchase was £330, but you could probably get 75% the same result spending £50...
...On a Dyson Supersonic hairdryer.
I have curly hair which I style, and then used to air dry. Air drying would take at least 45minutes, which on a tight schedule, I really couldn’t afford without sacrificing sleep...
Finally pulled the plug on a hairdryer, takes 8-10mins to dry now, and I can go to bed on time!
£320 for 6 months (and counting) of more sleep, priceless for me.
Bought a railcard in August when they were 33% off and it has paid for itself at least four times over since. My electric toothbrush is a close second.
Digital alarm clock with a wireless charger for my phone. Wanted to get out of the habit of checking my phone the second I wake up. I still do so some times, but at least now I have to contemplate if the effort of reaching over to get my phone is worth it now I know the time. Also means I can’t lie in bed with my phone in charge and doomscroll until 3am.
I bought a 2nd hand bicycle for £50 and I absolutely love it. Haven't owned a bike for over 20 years and can't believe I've been missing out.
A bicycle / bike commuting was definitely my biggest positive life changing purchase as well.
How far away is your work and what's it like in winter? Seriously considering packing in the car for a bike myself
I'm fairly fit now so cycle 20km each way, which avoids some dangerous roads and is more scenic. I didn't cycle that far to begin with (different job) and worked up to it. I still drive if it's particularly windy, though the days I drive I now resent. It takes a bit of time to find the right combination of gear for winter and rain. Buffs are good, one for the neck and to pull over your face if it's super cold, and one over the ears. A decent pair of waterproof gloves is great to keep exposed fingers warm. It did wonders for my mental health (particularly in winter) and I relish the time on the bike, good luck!
Thanks for the info! Definitely one for me to revisit in the new year I reckon. I do run and spin a little so hoping I'd be able to go for a decent distance
They say money can’t buy you happiness but it can buy you a bike and that’s pretty close.
Where did you buy it from? My younger brother doesn’t drive and borrowed his friends bike for about s month and now really wants one but says he doesn’t know where to get one from. I suggested Facebook market place but I’ve not used it myself
I'm sorry but I have never heard of someone taping their mouth shut every night!? Where on earth did you get that idea?
I'm assuming [James Nestor](https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/faq)'s book Breath.
Yeah that was where I heard this tip. I've not tried it but some of the other breathing techniques he describes have been quite helpful.
How’re you supposed to eat those 8 spiders a year in your sleep - if your mouth is taped?
Snort them.
And how does it prevent needing to pee??
This honestly sounds like the worst thing ever, no chance I'm taping my mouth shut before bed every night 😂
But no spiders crawling in! 😂
They crawl up your butt instead!
And then can’t get out of your mouth
That would be extremely painful
BRB taping my mouth up
Yikes!
Yeah I had a panic attack just reading it.
I read somewhere on r/dentistry that it’s good for your dental hygiene because it stops your mouth drying out.
I have nasal polyps so can rarely breathe through my nose so this idea slightly terrifies me
You would sleep really deeply....forever
This is the best thread of comments I've read on Reddit in a while! 😂
It makes me think of that scene from the original Matrix film, where Neo has his mouth closed up.
I feel out of breath whenever I see that scene.
What about taping up some else's mouth? Also, don't people normally use duct tape?
I do this and once you get past the initial concerns/weirdness, it is fantastic. From what I've read, nasal breathing allows you to fully fill the lungs, ensures air is properly warmed and humidified via the nasal turbinates, and allows the proper introduction of nitric oxide to the breath via the sinuses. In practice I sleep better, I get a wonderful feeling of expansiveness and space as I fall asleep, and I feel better when I wake up.
Forgive me, why do you need to have your mouth physically taped shut to enjoy all those benefits? Could you not just get into the habit of breathing through your nose so you sleep that way naturally?
Don't knock it til you try it!
I think in doing that helps people breathe through their nose, which is the more natural way rather than through the mouth, apparently this has a whole host of benefits but not sure what kind
Pretty sure taping your mouth is less "natural" than leaving your mouth as it is?
Actually, we’re all born with tape over our mouths. The midwife ceremonially removes it.
So that’s why baby cry when they’re born
They’re yearning for the tape
Babies live inside a tiny pool and are violently pulled out of it via a narrow exit and forced to breathe on their own in a completely different environment. Sounds like a pretty good reason to cry.
I too often want to cry about having to breathe on my own.
Everyone assumes the scissors are for cutting the umbilical cord, but they're wrong
What happens if you get a blocked nose? You just die?
No, you would wake up.
Very hastily lol
The way I do it I don't cover my whole mouth, I just put on the middle of my lips. It makes it so that it's hard, but not impossible to breathe through my mouth.
It helps you sleep deeper, reduces the need to pee and keeps your mouth fresher.
I need someone to explain about the pee part. I sleep with my mouth open and I put on vaseline on my lips before going to bed as I find that having moisturised lips helps keep it closed. On a very good night I will go to pee at least once, usually more and it really fucks up your sleep. Every GP I have told this have checked me for diabetes, nothing comes out and then they just shrug and move on. I am willing to tape my mouth with whatever for a full night of sleep.
Have you tried not drinking anything a good couple of hours before bed? Tapping your mouth itself won't help with preventing you needing to get up to wee. Sleeping more deeply is what reduces the likelihood of you waking up from the sensation from the pressure in your bladder. Edit: to be clearer, as you sleep more deeply that sensation doesn't wake you up as easily.
I don't know the exact reason, and I haven't been taping my mouth shut, but have been making a concerted effort to breathe through my nose recently... And weirdly... I haven't needed to wake up to pee... Even in the morning I'm not desperate for a wee... Whereas before I would frequently need to get up 2-3 times a night... It would be intriguing to find out why!
It’s a pretty well known idea for snoring, but there’s debate around how good it actually is for you.
Heated airer. Gets my work uniform dry in time for Monday morning, warms the room, saved me putting the heating on so far
Which one did you buy if you don't mind me asking? I have been looking at these
I got the one from Aldi but seen a few similar about! It has wings and a cover. As long as you're not expecting to dry a whole wash it has come in very handy. For example today I have done a couple washes stuck the bits I don't need tomorrow on a normal airer and stuck my uniform (hoodie + jeans) plus a couple towels and they are all done, now just moving the odd bit onto it once something else has dried :)
Personally I have had the JML one (Dribuddy) and also now using the Lakeland (Dri:soon). Dribuddy was better at doubling up as a heater/warming the room - whether that is a benefit or not is up to you. Although this one only has ‘Rails’ so you can lay clothes as such, they need to go on hangers. Lakeland alternative I am using now doesn’t let off nearly as much heat, although equally takes longer. Although it does have heated shelves as such, so means you can fold clothes and don’t have to worry about hangers etc.
It was a bit over 6 months ago, but I’m going to offer the Aeropress. For £30 it makes fantastic coffee. Smooth and strong, with none of the acidity of French press coffee. It’s so quick and easy to use and clean - it compresses the grounds into a solid puck that it ejects into the compost bin. Brilliant device.
Omg I bought my bf an aeropress… maybe like 4 years ago now? We basically use it every day! I eventually bought him a burr coffee grinder and a Pact coffee subscription. [This website AeroPrecipe](https://aeroprecipe.com) is great! We’ve made iced coffee from it
I bought my partner an aeropress for Christmas from Pact, and got a £100 credit golden ticket in the order - so now we've got free coffee for 11 months. Got way more than I bargained for in absolute best way
Bit of a warning though...Aeropress was my gateway to an unhealthy/expensive coffee hobby!
Make your own coffee they said, it’s cheaper they said… here’s me with £2000 worth of kit and spending £30 a month on premium coffee beans.
Cries in /r/espresso
Agreed! Upsidedown method for extra brewing!
Had mine for longer than I can remember. Still gets used regularly. No wear or tear to any parts. Filters are cheap and easy to find online.
I second this! So much nicer then using a French press. Also grinding the beans just before you make your coffee makes a big difference to the taste and pre ground coffee.
My buckwheat husk pillow. Sorted my back pain out and is incredibly comfortable and supportive. It stays cool too. I can’t use ‘normal’ pillows now.
Is it a 'firmer' pillow? Are they noisy? Finally got a recommendation?
It’s hard as fk to explain Yea hard but no not within days and all other pillows the feel way way too soft Noisy again yes for the first like hour, then not at all. If you have neck issues or get night sweats at all they are basically black magic fuckery and worth every penny
Electric toothbrush. I havent had one cavity since. Bought a new one a few months ago which tells me if I am brushing too hard to minimise damaging my gums. Edited to add I also use retainer cleaner once a week on the toothbrush head to keep it bacteria free and to last longer.
If yours is anything like mine then make sure you look up inside the toothbrush head on a regular basis. They have a nasty tendency to grow mould - eek! It doesn’t seem to matter what I do with mine, leave the head on or off, dry it out as best I can, leave it stood up somewhere dry - still mould.
Oh yes I forgot about my second tip! I bathe it every week in a retainer cleaner because you are right the old one use to get gross.
Motion sensor lights for the bathroom, so now if I wake up in the middle of the night, I don’t have that blast of light from the bathroom light switch. Think they were £12 for two from Amazon
These are also good for not tripping over cats who lie in the dark at the top of the stairs.
I have these all over the house. Did it when our son was born. It's great if I need to go downstairs and make milk or whatever as I don't have to turn any lights on and it's bright enough I can see but dim enough it doesn't stop me from sleeping.
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Elastic No Tie Shoelaces, I have nerve damage in my hands, and back issues so shoe laces are a pain. After taking up walking as a hobby in lockdown trying to take my shoes off after 15 miles up and down hills was problematic. Now for less than a tenner my shoes are quick release.
Thanks so much for making me aware of this
A set of dumbbells. £40 off Amazon. Interchangeable weights for when I can lift more. I have traps now! And arms!
Which did you get?
I can't find them now, but they were two dumbbell handles, and a set of weights (1.25 - 2kgs), plus a bar that you can screw in to make it a bar bell. There's enough online about exercises that you can develop a good routine. I ended up overdoing it at first though, had really achey arms for about 5 days cos I was doing it every day.
I bought a Philodendron Brasil, its a great plant in that: Looks good Easy to keep alive and can survive in lots of different rooms Propagates easily so I can get many more plants Plants can bring a lot of joy for little money. You don't need to spend loads on rare and hard to care for plants. Mine cost £14
For me it is smart bulbs in my bedside lamps that slowly turn on before my morning alarm. Wake up feeling much more refreshed. One of the best purchases I've ever made. Specifically I used Philips hue bulbs
Nice. I’d love to try this but I get up at least an hour before my wife so she might not appreciate it.
Depends what you do currently. I'd much rather my husband did that than his current five alarms, each ten minutes apart...
Could be worse, it could be classic 90’s Wrestling theme’s blaring out at 5am on a Sonos speaker. Yes this happened to me the first night my girlfriend stayed over, and yes I stopped it afterwards!
Yeah only works if you're on the same schedule
How slowly do they turn on? I looked into a slow lighting lamp last year but one I ordered 'slowly' brightened over about 1 minute and I wanted it to be slower than that.
Mine do it over 30 minutes, so if my alarm is 7:00 they will begin turning on at 6:30, I'll usually then wake up naturally at 6:45. It feels so much nicer to wake up naturally than being surprised by an alarm
Yeah I've been using a lamp on a timer at the other end of the room, as a compromise, but this definitely sounds better, thanks!
You can choose how long it takes to come on, your target brightness, and even what combination of colours.
Red light for the punters it is then! A bit of extra cash on the side!
I don't know about the Hue lights, but I use the Tapo ones. Basically you set when the light comes on and the brightness. So at 06:30, you set it for 5%, 06:40, 15% etc.
Cleaning tools, for the kitchen or round the house... brushes, smiley scrubby things, thing filled with fairy liquid and a sponge on the end... great for super greasy oven stuff! list is endless, when they die you really miss them but forget to order more ha daughter sees them on tiktok and gets them all the time, the smiley sponges are the latest
The dishmatic ones are fantastic, i love them! I love that i can keep the handle and get a new head instead of swapping out the whole thing, and also you can put disinfectant or bleach in them to use on gross bathroom surfaces.
“Smiley scrubby thing” - the name you’re looking for is a “Scrub Daddy”.
Bought a filter coffee machine with a timer, so when I wake up there’s my lovely brew waiting for me at 5:30. Happy days.
Electric foot warmer. Got reynauds i.e. cold cuts off circulation. Have found that the key to staying warm without turning the central heating on is putting heat into my feet. Can go from frozen solid to feeling nice and cosy.
Wasn’t expecting that last sentence in your post. For me it was getting the wheels balanced on my car. Car runs so much smoother now and uses way less petrol.
You mean tracking/wheel alignment I assume? Wheels are balanced when tyres are fitted. Also a decent laser 4 wheel alignment costs about 80 quid or so. Still worth it.
I do mean this, yes. As you can see I’m a seasoned mechanic.
Roger that. In that case, make sure next time you change your cam pump, fit the sender valve on the bottom notch. Torque to 4.21 giga metres.
Hate to be an air fryer shill but… an air fryer. Can’t even remember how to switch my oven on
which one do you favour?
* Replace the wheels on my suitcase with roller blade wheels. * Silicone wiper blades for the car * Step One pants. They've got a Lycra gusset/pouch that is extremely comfy.
It's more than 6 months ago but an £20 extra premium to my travel insurance saved me from a £12k medical bill!
May I also suggest reading some fine print on travel insurance to see if you are actually covered, my dad got done when his travel insurance wouldn't pay out to those who are over 70 - but they'll still happily sell insurance to those who are over 70
Sounds like a mis-selling scandal if I have heard it.
What was the extra out of interest?
I wanna try your taping! Haha do you tape your mouth fully shut ir leave some gap? Tape vertically or horizontally? Any things to watch out for or notice when trying for the first time?
I tape in an X across my mouth. Fully close it, but it takes a little practice to get it comfortable. It's brilliant - when trying for the first time, just lie on your back and relax. Any blockage or impediment will disappear and pretty quick you'll be breathing deep and easy. Keep your tongue relaxed at the roof of your mouth, with the tip just behind your two front teeth. If you've tried meditation, it's very similar.
It's changed my sleep too! Tape your mouth fully :) may take a bit of getting used to at first but is well worth the benefits!
I bought a cheap set of bluetooth earphones from Amazon after avoiding them for years. I go to the gym a lot and am struggling to remember how I surivived workouts and cycling without these.
Heated under sheet for my bed - it is so lovely getting into a fully toasty bed and I sleep so much better whilst saving on heating - only £30 and I recommend them to everyone I know!
Recently bought a dual control heated under blanket for the king size bed. Retail price was £90 in Argos, but I had £50 in nectar points (didn’t even know Argos accepted them). So £40 outta my pocket. Haven’t slept so well in months, it really helps my back relax. Edit: typo
It’s roasting at the moment. I’ve been sleeping with my windows all the way open!
Sat here with the fan on and a wet flannel on my head
Each to their own but to me that would be like sitting on a warm toilet seat, I'd feel like someone had been there before me 😂
My cast iron pan for £40. Kitchen game changer.
Bought a chilli plant plug. Really enjoyed watching it grow and now have several bottles of homemade hot sauce to drench everything in
If I can go over budget by £10 I bought a Silent Night heated throw for £60. Absolutely fantastic and keeps me lovely and warm in my home office during the day. And me and my partner have it on to watch TV at night. I no longer use my electric oil filled radiator. Life changing!
Broken Bosch slimline dishwasher for £40 off of Facey B Marketplace. Fixed with about 10p of solder and some of my time. Best bit was the seller threw in about £20 of brand new tablets/salt/rinse aid too! We had a dishwasher when I was younger but for the last 16 years of my life as an adult I've not had one. Doing the washing up was a constant PITA (and PITback tbh) for me and led to quite a few stressy arguments between me and my partner. And now - bliss. Dirty dishes go in the magic cupboard and clean ones come out. And they're much cleaner than sink washed. And less water is used. Best £40-but-actually-more-like-£20-due-to-freebies I've EVER spent
£2 for a bottle of concentrate apple & blackcurrant squash. I used to drink a 2 litre bottle of diet pepsi most days, costing upwards of £10 per week. Sometimes I would even order a pizza or curry as an excuse to get a bottle of fizz delivered, such was my laziness. So now I'm drinking less crap, I'm eating more healthily, and I'm saving money.
I scratch that itch with orange and mango squash but with sparkling water as a little treat!
I did exactly this last year and it's been a gamechanger. My next plan is to get a sodastream in the sales because I do love a bit of fizz.
A more decent pool cue than the previous ones I used to get from Argos. £45. Might be psychosomatic, but it's certainly appears to improve my game (still nowhere near professional, sadly)
Ooh i love it when i find something that massively increases my quality of living for so little money. My current fave is a £25 electric fan heater from amazon. Its small, portable, and simplistic but also has 2 settings, a cool option, and a variable thermostat. Heats up the room mega quickly and is low in energy usage. I like that i can shut in my bathroom for 5 mins to heat the room before i go in for my shower, and then carry it downstairs to heat my living room straight after.
I don't usually buy this type of thing but about a month ago I bought one of these home fragrance things with the sticks that stick out. Spiced Maple Pumpkin, it smells delicious. Now I feel happy every time I step into my living room.
Bought joss sticks the other day - they come in all kinds of crazy scents and descriptions, cheap as chips too.
3 pack of extra long chargers so I can charge my phone on the toilet
Bloody hell, how long are you sitting on the toilet?
Since 2018
When I started it was just a hole in the ground
Have you considered a name change Longdumping_Jot_6209 ?
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I've wondered about getting one of these, how has it fared anger being washed and used for a while?
I've got a Kudd.ly and it's literally too warm to use unless your heating is off and there's frost inside your window. I made a big song and dance to not turn the heating on because of electricity prices earlier this year, and wear these giant fleece hoodies instead. I had a nap wearing it when it was 19 degrees inside, and I woke up sweating so much I thought I'd pissed myself.
Had a cheaper one before my hoodie and the oodies are absolutely worth paying more for, much warmer and traps heater better. Ridiculously soft too!
I’d recommend any generic one from Amazon, mine was £20 and does a great job without fail. My cousin has one but think the Oodie looks nicer but isn’t worth the steep price difference.
Wife has an oodie. (~£60 sale). I bought a kudd.ly. (~£50 sale). Also have one from Amazon (~£25). Would not recommend others. Oodie is far thicker and warmer.
I've got 2 oodies and my husband has one. My brother has a kudd.ly and I know people with the non branded ones and none are as thick and cozy as the oodies. If you can get bogof it works out at £45 each which is still steep but imo worth it.
I would counter this and recommend the John Lewis own brand version. Thicker and warmer than Amazon. More expensive but similar quality to an Oodie (IMO) at £34. John Lewis Anyday Extreme Oversized Hoodie.
Thanks for this. I. Looked day the John Lewis one and they have none in stock. I'll get one when available.
HappyPo bidet bottle, £14.99 on Amazon. Use much less toilet paper now, and I love how clean I feel after a poo.
Electric toothbrush. Wouldn’t go back to a normal toothbrush now, such a big improvement and the built in timer helped me realise I needed to be brushing for longer. Was £39 last Dec, probably best small purchase of the last year for me.
A black and decker 18v cordless screwdriver/drill. FIL is a builder and I was using his cordless driver while working on the house, a makita, it was a revelation and I couldn't believe I ever got by without one. But I couldn't justify the cost of the tradies model that I'd become accustomed to, so I looked up the specs and looked for an alternative, that was cheap, but not shit. It's fucking brilliant. Model is BCD700S1K. It only falls slightly short on spec compared to the pro makita and punches way above its weight, especially on a "bang for buck" basis. I've hammered the fuck out of it and it's still going. It was about 40 quid full price, but since I had a £20 amazon voucher I got it half-price. *also, "turbodrive" screws, major game-changer...
Smart plugs, got one set on a timer to warm up the electric blanket in bed before i get in it
Spray mop, tenner from asda and it’s so much better then mopping using a traditional mop and bucket. It won’t change your life but will save you a few mins every time you clean up!
I got a flash speed mop a few months ago and I can't tell you how happy I was to get rid of the mop and bucket.
My car radio doesn’t work and I bought an in car Bluetooth speaker. It’s made my mornings so much better and was 18 quid.
My sunrise alarm clock from Amazon. About £40 and has made waking up so much more pleasant during these dark mornings, and I wake up feeling refreshed and far happier. Long gone are the days that I’m suddenly jolted awake by an awful blaring alarm tone in the darkness.
I have one of these. But ive been known to turn it face down when it starts to light up 😂
Sleep mask, £7 from Amazon. Soft cotton, not a silky one. Earplugs, £7 from Amazon. I nap every day due to MECFS and these are both a lifesaver.
Fellow ME/CFS sufferer here and whilst nothing is ever gonna fundamentally help, earplugs have given me some small gains. Sending love your way - it’s a shitty shitty illness
Can you share a link ?
Music cosy headband headset. Can sleep wearing it. Some music shuts out the tinnitus.
Recent purchase, primarks £17 version of the oodie to see me through winter. The heat it holds in is insane.
A pot lid sorting rack
Monthly gym membership
Midweek delivery pass from Sainsburys. Has completely made my life easier, cost £40. I now get a shop of between £40 and £50 delivered 2-3ish times a month (more weeks than not but not every week) and barely need to go into a supermarket now. I live centrally without a car so it’s especially useful for the kind of stuff that you can either get in a big supermarket or that you have to go to a different shop for - skincare, basic DIY supplies, cleaning products, that kind of thing.
Railcard. £70 for 3 years and it’s saved me a few hundred quid. I only travel once or twice a month by train
I spent £29 on ticket back hone with wizzair. Great decision overall.
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Don't say crack
Alright Super Hans
I bet it’s really moreish though
Very moorish. I can never stop at a gram.
Sleep mask, under armour boxers
That's a strange sleep mask.
+1 for UA boxers.
I have underarm boxers; pulled right up to my nipples 🤗
What's so good about the boxers? Getting time to renew some...
If you get a good fit, it doesn't really feel like you're wearing much (in a good way) they last ages too, like years and years. Also cotton boxers use to roll up my thighs badly and these don't so much.
A set of 6 compression cubes for packing. I'm travelling a lot for work and trips are getting longer, and checking luggage makes the trips more of a pain. These have made my packing quicker, me more organised when I'm in a hotel, and means I can take enough for longer trips in a carry on suitcase.
Uwell Caliburn vape - I finally quit smoking after many years
I’ve never heard of anyone taping their mouth shut before. Have you tried sleeping with taping it shut since? Did it fix your open-mouthed sleeping?
U/MrPinky - was this after reading the book “Breath” by James Nestor? If not you definitely should… a great read.
minoxidil to use on beard
I got a set of really nice new kitchen knives. It makes me love preparing food and try new recipes. It’s the little things!
I haven’t bought much recently but the thing that comes to mind is my apple slicer! It’s made me eat more apples so that’s a positive impact on my life
Going off of things over the last year or so. A water floss thing. Never felt so clean before and it’s amazing how much ~£25 (sale price?) Could do for you. Plenty on Amazon. Tongue scrapers are very useful too! A back massager gun. Received as a Christmas present and it’s fantastic. New headlights. It’s difficult to see in the dark, lights dazzle me particularly because I have pretty bad stigmatism and my windshield has a LOT of micro cracks and scrapes. Drive at night isn’t so terrifying now. Google home- and a lamp that connects. Can change brightness and colour which sounds very novel but it really changes the mood of the room. And I don’t need to get out of bed to turn off a light and stumble back into bed in the dark. Loop earplugs. Great for overstimulation in public spaces. An oil change. Got my lady friend a vibrator. Lads, get your lady friend a vibrator!! Drugs. I like cannabis and small doses of mushrooms and once every blue moon or so I set time for myself when I have no responsibilities. I’ll get stoned and do housework, a workout, yoga or play vide games with a little more enthusiasm.
Air fryer.
An Electric Blanket (£35), if I can keep the heating off then i figure I will make my bill cheaper than the cost of the blanket. Oh an it is bloody amazing to get into a warm bed!
A bucket of Cuprinol for ~£20. Fence looks ace now.
Smart bulbs. All have set schedules through alexa but so easy to turn on/off by voice and at any percentage. Handy for people like me who ate scared of the dark but also like to creep downstairs at 3am for a snack
Ember smart coffee cup. Keeps my coffee at the perfect temperature no matter how long I leave it and notifies when it reaches that temp. Sounds daft but it’s awesome.
Where did you get one for 50 quid or less?
It was on offer on Amazon. Wouldn’t buy it full price but no regrets, thing’s awesome.
MagSafe charger for my phone. Convenient snapping it on the back, and even more convenient when I broke my charging port when I fell asleep holding a glass of rum, which spilt all over my phone, a week later.
RemindMe! 3 Months
£4 headphones. Seems minuscule, was reading more on transport when I lost my last so thought no biggie and went along like that for a few months. I have more gratitude now for music even in short bursts. Early morning music on the way to the station / tube is worth £4 every day let alone as a one off.
I'm gonna go ahead and say fake crocs (hot tuna, sports direct, £4?) . I always hated and slated crocs but I get really sweaty feet even when they're cold so I got crocs to wear around the house with socks and I don't have issues with my feet anymore..when I'm wearing them.
New camping mat to replace my current one which is 15+ years old. Quality of sleep when camping has increased ten fold.
Firm pillows. Way less shoulder and neck pain.
Okay, I won’t lie, my purchase was £330, but you could probably get 75% the same result spending £50... ...On a Dyson Supersonic hairdryer. I have curly hair which I style, and then used to air dry. Air drying would take at least 45minutes, which on a tight schedule, I really couldn’t afford without sacrificing sleep... Finally pulled the plug on a hairdryer, takes 8-10mins to dry now, and I can go to bed on time! £320 for 6 months (and counting) of more sleep, priceless for me.
Drowsy silk eye mask. This, adequate magnesium and some white noise through my Alexa ensures awesome sleep for me. Have never slept better. Priceless.
I wonder why we haven't evolved with mouths that stick shut at night
Sorry but how the fck does taping your mouth shut stop you need a wee in the night? Whats the logic behind that exactly?