2020 is the year that refuses to quit. Every time we think we've made it out of the murky fog of political divide and the worldwide pandemic, something new and horrific pops up to make things worse. With that mindset, never feel bad for taking of yourself in whatever way you feel is right.
Want that shiny bauble to feel the first bit of hope all year? Do it. Just ask these people.
Reddit user, u/professordull123, wanted to hear what you're happy you bought when they asked:
What was your best purchase this year?
Clean, Clean, Clean.
working bart simpson GIFGiphyI bought a new vacuum cleaner.
It's so much better than my old vacuum cleaner. I love it.
Who Needs Pants In Quarantine?
Bought some pants a week or two ago, I've had only two pair for quite a while and it will feel nice to have some more
Nice. Find.
Purchased a solid 14k gold Swiss watch at a garage sale for 5$.
Probably my purchase of the year.
Buying Something Then Getting To Work
I bought a running 84' Camaro for the sake of learning how to work on cars and having a project vehicle. I've been wanting to do this since I was a kid.
So far I've rebuilt drum brakes, changed u joints, changed all wheel bearings/seals, bought a new carburetors, upgraded to an electric radiator fan, restored all the gauges back to factory original, and a bunch of other stuff. I will say I've learned a substantial amount so far!
When I get some money saved up, I'm gonna tear into the engine and rebuild it.
Silence Is Golden
homer simpson japan GIFGiphyA soft close toilet seat.
No longer will i be awoken in the night by the phantom midnight pooper
Worth It To See
Lasik. Seriously I have not had a second where I have regretted it. It truly is life changing. People who just see naturally you have no idea how good you have it
...To answer some: it was not painful. I had some dry eye on the way home after the surgery that felt like sandpaper but once I was home I napped(thanks to the medicine) and by the time I was awake it was gone and I could see. It takes some time for it to heal but the healing process is painless.
The surgery did not hurt whatsoever, you are completely numb and it was extremely fast. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not try to cut costs for it, this is your vision so make sure you find someone very reputable. If you are on the fence about, DO IT! It's seriously the best decision I've ever made. Thanks for the awards!
You Know What This Desk Needs? A Cutting Block.
I impulse bought a massive cutting block from Ikea that lives on our counter for 14 dollars. We love it, even if Ikea performed some sort of jedi mind trick to get us to buy it (we came in for a desk).
You Can't Beat Those Prices
I bought a $2 travel mug that gets me free coffee from a gas station on every Tuesday. I can't wait for my 200th "free coffee" because after that I'll have essentially paid less than 1 penny for each refill. This is the goal in life.
Never Discount A Good Night's Sleep
A new bed. I sleep so much better now.
Same. I didn't realize how badly we needed a new mattress.
Mine wasn't terrible, just too small. I let my dogs sleep with me, and trying to fit myself and 120lbs of dog on a full sized bed wasn't very fun or comfortable.
A View To The Stars
lisa simpson space GIFGiphyA telescope.
It's so incredible to see Jupiter moons and Saturn. And see that there is much more in the sky than meets the eye...
...For those who intend to purchase a telescope, I really recommend to spend some time doing research. There are different kinds of telescopes and their use depend on the purpose you have. A good telescope for viewing planets may not be the best for observing deep sky objects. A telescope may be great to use at home, but might be too big to travel with. Another might be easy to set up but not the best for astrophotography. It's really important to do some research to find out which kind better suits you.
Joggers For Not Jogging
Comfy pants. Haven't owned good sweat pants ever. I finally ordered 3 really nice pairs since I've been working from home all year. The day after I got them the vaccine was announced. You're welcome, Earth.
EDIT: I'm not a comfy pant expert but people keep asking me what I got so...I got three different styles from Nike. My favorite was these Nike club fleece joggers. There are many recommendations below though.
Handy Dandy Knapsack
A good backpack.
I didn't think it'd be so handy, but I use it every day, and it's knowing that I can just grab it and go instead of worrying about getting stuff gathered up, or realizing I left something home that I needed.
I'm mildly obsessed with backpacks. I don't even know how many I have but definitely one for every occasion. Do I not have pockets and just need something to keep my phone, wallet and keys? I've got a pack for that. Need to throw my laptop and other work accessories in? There's a pack for that. 2-3 day trip? We're covered. Multi-day backpacking trip? I'm good there. And somehow I still want to buy more...
Butt What
Technically not this year, but in December 2019 without knowing what was around the corner, I bought a bidet. Little did I know what a great purchase it would actually turn out to be.
Even without the pandemic it's probably the best purchase I've ever made.
Lights Out
Melatonin gummy bears. I use to wake up in the middle of the night but now I get great deep sleep.
Robots For The Win
A Roomba! After having 3 spinal surgeries a few years ago, hoovering has been the worst. This bad boy has helped me more than you'll ever know.
Big Ticket Items
House. My wife and I were both WFH in a 500 square foot apartment which did not go well. We finally got a house with room to spread out and it's made our lives much easier. I recognize this is not an easy whim purchase, but instead was one that we've been saving for 8 years for.
Cluck Bucks
I'm not saying it was chickens... but it was chickens.
They eat weeds and table scraps. They give us eggs. They give us good compost. They are funny as all heck. They force me to go outside regularly. But the best part is they are really good for my family's mental health, just hanging out with them, which is especially needed this year.