TSA pre-check. Best $85 spent to date.
Echoing this! It has made traveling sooooo much more enjoyable and reduces stress.
Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
21–30 of 618 posts
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#22I bought led panel lights for my shop. 2ft x 2 ft. Bright, cheap, easy to wire.
Proper lighting changes everything. I think the last set I bought were $180 for 6
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#23I got an Ember mug and use it every day and love it. It keeps my coffee at a set temperature (controllable via my phone over Bluetooth) so it doesn't get cold right away, and I can take my time drinking it. I've bought a couple more as gifts since, and the people I gave them to say they like them a lot. The impact on my life isn't anything to get excited about, but it's been positive nonetheless. I don't feel rushed…
That sounds up my alley! What kind of material is the cup if that's the one you're using? I couldn't clearly tell from the website.
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#24Under $100: - Ember mug - Why: lets me drink tea because I hate cold tea. Bleck. Under $1000: - 49" ultra-wide monitor to replace my dual monitor - Why: I use i3-wm. It works fantastically on it. - 5.1 Soundbar for computer - Why: I don't have to wear headphones constantly and also sound quality is so much better - Mount 50" TV above my desk - Why: Allows others to hang out in my office with me while I work / play ga…
I see that the cheapest Ember is now $130. My first-gen is about six years old, and the battery is about shot. I hesitate to drop another $150-ish on a new mug, but OTOH, is consistently hot coffee worth $25/year? Yeah, it probably is to me, so I'm going to have to suck it up soon.
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#25Gym membership. Without changing my diet, I lost 30 lbs and became much stronger. With further diet changes and a little bit of walking, I am closing in on 50 lbs lost while continuing to gain strength in every major movement pattern. I.e., I am probably losing little or no muscle.
Waterpik. Flossing for people who don't like to floss.
5k retina monitor. It made me fall in love with using a computer all over again.
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#26Under $1000:
- Schlage Encode Plus: not the nicest looking smart lock, but the best battery life and most reliable (works with Apple Home Key so you can open your door with your watch). You can also program it to auto lock, so it solves multiple problems.
- Meta/Oculus 1/2(/3?): BeatSaber + other apps is a great way to get video game and exercise time in at the same time.
- I recently bought a $200 non-stick wok (the scanpan TechnIq) and it is way better than the ones we previously bought from the local Target/IKEA. Yes, no high heat, but it works for us and has changed the quality of our cooking.
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#27I got an Ember mug and use it every day and love it. It keeps my coffee at a set temperature (controllable via my phone over Bluetooth) so it doesn't get cold right away, and I can take my time drinking it. I've bought a couple more as gifts since, and the people I gave them to say they like them a lot. The impact on my life isn't anything to get excited about, but it's been positive nonetheless. I don't feel rushed…
I got a Stanley Beer Stein[0] from a sale 2 years ago or something. Th best thing ever. I put in ice + my favourite drink when my day starts and the ice is still there in the evening. Completely crazy performance for an open-topped container.
[0] https://eu.stanley1913.com/products/adventure-big-grip-beer-...
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#28High end noise cancelling headphones (we have the Bose). Literal game changer if you have a snoring partner and sleeping is difficult.
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#29Under $100:
1) A bidet! Got one in the pandemic when toilet paper was scarce and I wanted to be more efficient, but now I'll never go back. The Tushy ones are good.
2) A safety razor & accessories. I get a cheaper, closer, less irritating shave, and I get to customize every part of it. This can certainly be a rabbithole you spend a lot of money on, but you can get a solid customized starter kit for under $100 that will be totally solid, and from then on you're saving money over cartridges and gel unless you really want to splurge.
I'll second the electric toothbrush suggestion too, its great having my teeth fel clean and smooth.
Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)
#30I’d like to be contrarian here and suggest that if you happen to be possessed of a sudden impulse to buy something, but you can’t identify any particular thing that you need, consider putting that amount of money into an investment or retirement account instead of searching for a trinket to buy. That way you are scratching the itch and you’ll be better off later on. In other words, you can have your cake and eat it t…
Or at least sit on the idea for a week or two before pulling the trigger. Lots of stuff I think I want in the moment turns out to be not so important.