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Ask HN: What do you spend money on that greatly increases your quality of life

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Re: Ask HN: What do you spend money on that greatly increases your quality of life

#61

Post by b3b0p »

davidjnelson wrote: post #46
stoatom wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For office work: http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/performance-wor... For relaxation: http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/lounge-seating/... disclaimer: I have the first, I want the second ;-)

The Herman Miller Embody is really great too.

This is what I have. I had a Mirra, Aeron, and Steelcase Leap.

The Mirra was fine, nothing special.

The Aaron was horrible. Yes, I had it fit for the right size.

The Steelcase Leap and Embody are both top tier. You can almost argue the Leap is superior since you can get it in leather, making it easy to keep clean and free of stains and you can get it with a headrest.

They also make a Leap Lounge and it's sublime. I wouldn't mind the Herman Miller lounger though.

Either way, you can't go wrong. You have to find out what fits you best. Many rave and swear by the Aeron, but for me it was terrible and uncomfortable. The Embody and Steelcase Leap are sublime to me though.

Re: Ask HN: What do you spend money on that greatly increases your quality of life

#62

Post by mattbgates »

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #49
mattbgates wrote: post #17

Lets just say... a weekend trip to Colorado definitely helps me with quality of life, and I certainly don't mind spending some money when I go there.

Too euphemistic for me, is this a pot (cannabis) reference?

Haha, hiking in mountains helps me relax a lot. But whatever else people find up in Colorado... must be enjoyable too.

Re: Ask HN: What do you spend money on that greatly increases your quality of life

#63

Post by majewsky »

pm215 wrote: post #56
hdi wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How did you negotiate that with your employer, and also are you doing contract/constancy work where an arrangement like that is slightly more realistic?

No, I'm doing what I would classify as "normal" developer work. Negotiation: I have had (on a sample size of 1) no luck getting this at initial employment, but I have managed (sample size of 2) to arrange it after working somewhere for a couple of years and building up trust and a reputation as an employee worth hanging on to. At that point I was able to get 4-day working set up following an RSI episode bad enough th…

Whereas some here are asking whether to switch from full-time to part-time, I have the reverse situation right now. I was hired by my current employer on a 70% part-time basis (i.e., 28 hours per week) since I'm still finishing my degree. That is nearly done now (thesis is submitted, only the presentation is left), and I'm struggling with the question whether to pursue going back to full-time. The extra money (70% part-time also means 70% pay) would be nice to build up assets, but OTOH I feel like my time is more valuable in my own hands at this point (I'm in my late twenties).

Re: Ask HN: What do you spend money on that greatly increases your quality of life

#64

Post by majewsky »

shoo wrote: post #54

Here are some things I've stopped spending money on lately, without decreasing my quality of life: * Stopped spending money on public transport. Now I just ride my bike everywhere. positive financial ROI within a few months (even including the occasional expensive bike repair) + benefits to mental and physical health. * Stopped spending money buying books, now I just borrow and read books from public libraries. It's…

> Stopped spending money on public transport

How expensive is public transit in your area? And do you bike when the weather is bad (i.e. precipitation or glaze)?

Re: Ask HN: What do you spend money on that greatly increases your quality of life

#65

Post by majewsky »

jonsen wrote: post #41

Tobacco. Yesterday i spent $32 on tobacco. 50 grams of fine cut rolling tobacco. About 80 cigarettes I can make from that. I used to be an occasional smoker but years back my brain switched into craving mode. The system is then so wisely arranged that when I improve my quality of life with a few dollars worth of dried leaves, I at the same time contribute about thirty dollars worth of quality to society.

> I at the same time contribute about thirty dollars worth of quality to society.

Did you factor in the increased healthcare costs from your smoking? These frequently outweigh any money recovered from tobacco taxes.

Re: Ask HN: What do you spend money on that greatly increases your quality of life

#67

Post by jonsen »

majewsky wrote: post #65
jonsen wrote: post #41

Tobacco. Yesterday i spent $32 on tobacco. 50 grams of fine cut rolling tobacco. About 80 cigarettes I can make from that. I used to be an occasional smoker but years back my brain switched into craving mode. The system is then so wisely arranged that when I improve my quality of life with a few dollars worth of dried leaves, I at the same time contribute about thirty dollars worth of quality to society.

> I at the same time contribute about thirty dollars worth of quality to society. Did you factor in the increased healthcare costs from your smoking? These frequently outweigh any money recovered from tobacco taxes.

What is your point? Healthcare greatly increases quality of life.

Re: Ask HN: What do you spend money on that greatly increases your quality of life

#68

Post by romanovcode »

bnegreve wrote: post #19
sintaxi wrote: post #16

For me these are the best places not to compromise... First: shoes, jacket, headphones. Then: bed, computer, stereo. Then: floor, kitchen, bathroom. Then: tools, truck, yard, garden, grill. Last: a good view and plenty of time to enjoy it. Always remember above all else good health and good friends are worth pursuing.

Upvote for the view! I think most people don't realize how important it is to have something to look at.

On the other side - you forget about it in one month and don't even notice the good view.
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