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Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

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Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#1

Post by systemkwiat »

Hey folks,

I’m curious – is there anything you've bought in the past few years (since 2020) that really changed something in your life? Could be anything, like a gadget, a course, a subscription, even a massage or some random item you didn't think much of at first.

Let’s split it up into two categories:

- Under $100 - Under $1000

What did you get? And what was the impact? I’d love to hear the stories – big or small changes, whatever made a difference for you.

Thanks in advance for sharing!

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#2

Post by madamelic »

Under $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 games. Additionally, it allows me to turn something on without interrupting my monitor space.
---

Breaking the rules:

Over $1000:

- EightSleep

  - Why: Huge huge huge change in sleep quality plus it's really nice to be able to choose whether to get into a crisp, cold bed or a warm, toasty bed. The Autopilot stuff is interesting and does seem to work to keep you asleep but sometimes it can cause you to wake up especially in the transitional periods of the year (spring and fall).

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#4

Post by alumic »

Finally bought a rice cooker 6 months ago. No idea why I hadn’t done it sooner. Perfect rice every single time. I believe that qualifies.

Edit: I also bought an emergency jumpstart battery for my car. Saved me twice when my battery suddenly started having issues. Went from feeling “stuck” to back on the road in under 2 minutes.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#6

Post by websap »

I got a sound system for TV watching that supports Dolby Atmos to watch movies and TV shows at home. It's been great. I rarely go to the movies any more and this makes watching movies great.

It also made me realize how bad certain streaming services are - Youtube, which don't support Atmos and multi-channel audio.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#7

Post by damidekronik »

madamelic wrote: post #2

Under $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…

Which 49" do you have? I am looking to improve my setup and wouldn't mind some suggestions.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#8

Post by haolez »

jzig wrote: post #3

A bi-weekly house cleaner. Saved my marriage!

Did that a decade ago and it saved my marriage as well :D

I'd lived alone before marrying and I did all my chores, but my tolerance for messy stuff until I got to action was way more than my wife's.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#9

Post by ashconnor »

madamelic wrote: post #2

Under $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 used to use a soundbar for my computer but the only way to control volume was 1. With the Bose remote that came with it 2. Bluetooth.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#10

Post by madamelic »

damidekronik wrote: post #7
madamelic wrote: post #2

Under $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…

Which 49" do you have? I am looking to improve my setup and wouldn't mind some suggestions.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=43305

I guess _technically_ it's right at $1000 but you'll really struggle to find any big monitor for under $1000.

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