We all need a helping hand or a little boost every once in a while, and fortunately, we can buy ourselves some game-changers for pretty affordable prices.
But we might still be surprised at just how much money we can save on something that will make our lives better.
Redditor Floozerz pointed this out when they asked:
"What life-changing purchase can you make with less than $100?"
Dentist-Quality Brushing
"An electric toothbrush, it's a game changer. I'm actually excited to brush my teeth now."
"Also, the waterpik. Add that with the Sonicare and it feels like you came back from the dentist every time!"
- ThatsRobToYou
Luxurious Showers
"A new showerhead, especially if you rent. It’s so easy to upgrade a basic, low-quality shower into a decent or even luxurious daily experience."
- Freshies00
A Pillow Made of What?
"A good pillow. I went buckwheat, and I'll never go back."
"They stay gloriously cool, and bonus points for winning every pillow fight ever for the rest of eternity. Those things have some mass to them."
- Notacop9
Prepared on the Go
"Auto-related, but:"
"A portable air compressor for your car that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Never visit the gas station again to put air, digital display, stops when it’s at the desired PSI."
"A battery jump box. You'll never need to find a stranger to jump a dead battery with. Just turn it on, connect cables, and start the car."
"Traction pads for when you’re stuck in winter snow or ice. Put it under the wheels, slowly drive over it to gain traction, get out, and place the pads back in the trunk."
"Silicone wiper blades. You’ll never need to buy another pair ever again. I recommend PIAA Si-Tech, NOT their Super Silicone line."
"A dash-cam. Concrete proof that an accident was not your fault, worth its weight in gold."
- JRocMaf*kaNomsayin
A Good Air Compressor
"I just got an air compressor. No more hand pumps to fill the kids' bike tires or sports balls, and I can fill my tire pressure at home. Can’t believe I didn’t buy one sooner."
- nBrainwashed
Kitchen Appliances
"An air fryer. The amount of time saved by not waiting for the oven to preheat, the energy efficiency, the speed of cooking."
- PeteGraffe
Appliances for Pets
"An automated pet feeder. It takes a two-times-per-day chore down to once every few weeks refilling the whole thing."
"Plus, I always know he’s been fed the right amount, same time every day, even if I’m running late somewhere or I feel like sleeping in."
- sjjdhdhfhf
Did We Mention Kitchen Appliances?
"My rice cooker changed my diet and lifestyle when I had one. Usually, the best ones are around $100, but for basic stuff, you don't need anything special."
- roguepixels89
An Irreplaceable Pan
"A nice frying pan with nonstick coating and a heat-safe handle… and a nice pot with a heat-safe handle and pouring cutout so you don’t spill liquids all over the place."
- tooshiestyforu
More Meals, Less Waste
"A food saver! Nothing is freezer burned in my freezer. I have recouped the cost 5x over at this point."
- Keryia111
A Home Orchard
"Plant a couple of apple trees... You'll get years of entertainment caring for them and watching them grow. The first apple you eat off of them will amaze you."
"I ended up planting 15 trees: 10 bought and 5 grafted myself. I bought some apple rootstock and then went on Facebook and joined a scion wood exchange group. The scion wood is around $3 a piece, and the rootstock was $6 a piece."
"I now have Sommerset Red Streak, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Empire, Wolf River, Golden Delicious, Belle de Boskoop, Golden Russet, Pink Pearl, Pendragon (x2), Dolgo crab, Kingston Black, and two random crab trees I'm going to graft next year."
"I also planted a peach tree, two cherry trees, four hazelnut trees, and two heartnut trees."
- minimumsquirrel
Improved Health
"A gym membership. Never underestimate the benefit of working out and doing cardio."
- LesChatsVerts
Convenient Beauty
"For those who do their make up on a regular basis: a led lighted mirror is a real game changer."
- RandomFrenchGal
A Good Shave
"A good shave soap, splash, balm, and brush. It makes shaving enjoyable."
"And don't forget a nice razor."
- PandaMayFire
An Improved Mindset
"Audible. Improve your mind/mindset and watch your life improve."
- No_Communication6112
Though none of these items were all that expensive on their own, their long-term positive impact on each of these Redditors made the already affordable purchase all the more practical.
Sometimes, I write these articles sitting at the table with my kids while they work on school stuff. The 'communal office' feel of the dining table has its ups and downs, but today was definitely an up.
My teenager, peeking over my shoulder as I filled in the title, quipped:
"My nonbinary a$ would LOVE to know what it's like to sit in a chair normally - but all I got is goblin mode."
Reddit user Lemonkainen asked:
"What is a simple pleasure that the opposite sex rarely/never gets to experience?"
My kid may be doomed to spend eternity sitting in chairs like they think the floor is lava, but they're not the only one missing out on things the rest of us take for granted.
Here's what Reddit came up with.
And Constricting Wees
"Having to squat to take a piss on dirty bathrooms."- Suryyur
Summer Fashions
"Wearing a light sundress on a hot day."- TheLadyRica
Unleashing The Beasts
"That feeling when you take off your bra after a very long day."- Euro_Girl
Give Women Pockets!
"Getting to put their phone in their pocket."- BAD_TIME_MAN
"My girlfriend is exceptionally mad that I can even put a Kindle in half of my pockets. The difference is insane!"
- gregedit
Happy Fashion GIF by Rosanna PansinoGiphyDrunk Bathroom Besties
"The amount of camaraderie from drunk girls in a bathroom."- sharkyshark303
"Amusingly, my wife met some drunk girls in a bathroom, helped them a little, and I got a promotion out of it!"
"I had won a sales contest for the company I worked for."
"All expenses paid cruise, they rented the whole boat."
"Norwegian cruise lines. 4000 sales people globally, 100s of us won."
"She was in the bathroom, and two women were just drunk on the pre-party for the cruise ship. She helped them out, they liked her."
"It turned out that their husbands both worked for the SW region manager of the USA, and as such things go, they introduced me to their husbands, who introduced me to the regional manager, who hired my sorry butt and had the company pay for my green card."
"So the drunk camaraderie in the bathroom was the key element to the whole thing. Thank you drunk women in bathrooms! It changed my life."- likes2gofast
"Drunk girls in a bar are amazing."
"I had a group stop me to hug me so they could smell like me."- Dudeidk247
So Stiff
"Morning wood so stiff you feel like you could use it to rip open the hatch on a submarine."- macrotron
"Fall asleep in a bed."
"Wake up in a tent."- sabrefayne
Late Night Games
"When you're in a bar and they put the leftover ice cubes in the urinal, and you make a game of how many of them you can melt before you run out of pee."- Beginning-Bed9364
excited the sims GIFGiphySmall And Safe
"Feeling small in someone else's arms."
"My husband is bigger than me and I've now become dependent on his body for sleep."
"Curling into his warm enveloping embrace is a pleasure I want everyone to know at least once."
"Hugs and cuddles."
"The safety and comfort are immeasurable."- katz332
Let It Down
"Not completely unique to women, but taking out a tight pony tail or bun after it being up all day."
"I’ve had short hair my entire life."
"When covid hit and I couldn’t get a haircut, I decided I was just going to grow it out because why not."
"Ended up growing it out for about a year and a half, to the point where I was tying it up to keep it out of my face."
"Letting that down at the end of the day was pretty incredible."- BimmerJustin
"When my daughter was little, at the end of the day she’d rip hers out and come to me and say 'shake it'."
" She’d want me to shake my hands through her hair and let me tell you the ultimate relaxation and bliss on her little baby face was something I cherished and still remember years later!"- lulu-bell
"Taking boxers off after long day and workout."
"The same could be said for women and bras/panties tho."- Graybo95
Smothered
"When you don't have to smother you vagina with pads after a full week of being uncomfortable."- island-breeze
"Just had a baby. "
"5 weeks of wearing a pad everyday."
"The first day without having to wear anything was life changing."- ProfessionalCoyote54
breathe mandy moore GIF by NRDCGiphyUp Close And Personal
"When we are wearing jeans and the sewed hem between the legs rides right up my tw*t through out the day."- Asparklingtreasure
Are They Really Missing Out
"C*CK AND BALLS TORTURE."- M0RYYY
To All Be Equal
"To be f*cking sexless for once."
"Aka to be neither masculine or feminine."
"Aka: objective, It's like trying to overpower a Machine gun or trying to manipulate a nuke/ make em love you."- Content_Watch_2392
The Itch We Almost Hope For...
"That awesome feeling of scratching my sack when it has one of those intense itches."- MasturMechanic
Sloth Scratching GIFGiphyBut Did Everyone Know They Were Missed?
"Orgasms."- johnwayne344
"Multiple orgasms."- Dr_JoJo_·
Potty Tricks...
"Cutting a turd in half with your piss."- OGproztate
Sometimes We Literally Can't Hide Our Excitment...
"Being able to hide how insanely sexually attracted I am to someone."
"No boners here!"- FriendlyGanache5519
james corden will my boner ever go away GIF by The Late Late Show with James CordenGiphyYou've gotten to experience a little bit of joy with Reddit, but now it's your turn to get in on the fun.
What's a simple pleasure you just don't see other genders getting to experience?
People Break Down The Best Non-Sexual Pleasure They've Ever Experienced
Life is full of the simplest pleasures; we just have to be open enough to all of them. Pleasure is not singularly linked to the sexual aspects of our brains. Everything from a good grade to a winning lottery ticket can give us full on body spasms. For me, the sound of Adele can transcend me to a place of peace and send shivers of ecstasy down my spine. When you stop to enjoy the moments, you realize finding sensation, is far easier than we think.
Redditor u/neeluxmth26 wanted everyone to share about what certain things in life give us all the feels and tingles by asking... What is the best non-sexual pleasure or sensation a human can experience?My Mixtape
Driving Off Episode 11 GIF by The SimpsonsGiphyHaving someone sincerely listen to the playlist you put on.
My grandpa's here!
Arriving early to pick up my grandkid (F7) who I (M61) had not seen in months, she spotted me in the hall outside her 2nd grade classroom, With a squeal of glee, she blurted out, "My grandpa's here! My grandpa's here!" Her joy was very evident. Yeah, that stayed with me.
Auditory Feelings
Water coming out of your ear after it's been stuck there for a bit.
My ears don't always clean right and once a year I need to get my ear cleaned out at a doctors office. It hurts during but feels so good after.
They take a spray bottle and shoot up your ear with water and month old ear wax comes flowing out. It's like an enema for my ear, feels so good.
Counting threads...
Happy In Bed GIF by MypenleaksGiphyFresh bedsheets.
When I was a kid, I would play at the beach for hours. I'd run back to the house, rinse myself off and dive under the blankets. Most cozy comfortable feeling ever. Instantly out cold.
New Schedule
Working from home (before Covid once per week, since Covid 100% of time), I low-key already do this. Work more Mon-Thurs if needed, do meetings Friday early morning and then mostly chill. Same amount of work gets done per week regardless. This is in two different companies btw, and haven't had a single complaint so far.
the little things
Doing multiple in case someone already said one:
- When your scissors glide along the wrapping paper
- When you're using a nonstick pan and all of the sauce/ grease just sliiiiiideeeessss right out
- When there's a pause in the music and you hit the next note at JUST the right time
- Finding money in your wallet when you thought you had none
- When you're nice to a restaurant employee and they give you free food in return 💕 this one is fun for everyone involved so it's extra good 🥰. Edog6968
Chug...
Waking up at 3 am with massive thirst and then you take that nice, cold and godly sip of water!
I appreciate this so much more since in college there was a chance that water bottle had vodka. Starting to chug what you think is water and turn out to be vodka is the absolute worst throw up feeling I've had.
That Extra Day
waking up GIFGiphyHaving a 3 day weekend and waking up on that Saturday realizing you still have two more days off.
Adding to this, thinking it's Sunday, and that tomorrow you have to get up early to go to work, and suddenly realize it's still Saturday.
The Givers
Seeing someone happy with the gift you gave them.
You know what I like to do? I like to put a lot of effort into the wrapping paper. I even learnt a way to do it without any sellotape and my good friends were so wowed and impressed with what I had created.
I love the whole process of preparing and giving a gift. I love it 100x more than receiving any gift. One of the very few things that brings me true joy.
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Life is chaotic and difficult.
Most things are out of our control, plenty of those things are tragic and stressful, and everybody else is facing the same uphill battle, so receiving regular support isn't always a sure thing.
But there are moments where all that chaos seems to subside. These stolen slices of comfort are unfortunately all too brief. You may strike on one every couple days at most.
And so many of these simple pleasures involve physical sensation. The stress of life can leave us in the realm of thought full time if we're not careful.
These brief encounters with pleasure, however, remind that we are human beings and we live in a concrete world that we can touch.
Voltaire1778 asked, "What are some of the best non sexual feelings?"
Just a Good Day
"For somebody who struggle with social anxiety it's that moment right after meeting when you are heading home..."
"...kind of relief mixed with happiness that you had glimpse of normal social life and you know you've done well."
-- SpartaGoose
Dry and Warm
"Changing into pajamas and dry socks after you come home soaked with rain." -- LucyVialli
"Yes. I often come home in soaking wet muddy PPE after work, putting those soft trackies and a hoodie on is bliss. Bonus points if the wife has lit the fire." -- ac07682
"Especially if they have been warned up on the radiator first, semi orgasmic bliss." -- kerrangutan
Open the Flood Gates
"Taking a piss after holding it in way too long" -- alpengeist19
"I raise you... Pooping after holding it in for way too long." -- nappythenfappy
"Best is when it's 5 am and you slide back into bed." -- kahoots
"A beer and a dart go together like a piss and a fart." -- gerbil_juice52
"Ahhhhhhhhh"
"Drinking water when you're very dehydrated." -- cyainanotherlifebro
"In that moment you know you are truly a sl*t for water, daddy water is just never enough and you can never be without H2Ohhhhh." -- Deus-system-failed
"2am ice cold water better than any food I've ever tasted..." -- minecraftspiderweb
A Wave Washes Over
"Do you know the feeling when something really hurts you and the pain subsides? Your body suddenly relaxes and you could just lie down and sleep." -- Daniel_85
"like being on an injured ankle all day and then propping it up on a pillow after getting home?" -- lambofgun
"When period pains subside! It feels like such a blessing when that happens!!" -- chaipattee
Palpable Love
"When you mum cooks your favourite meal without telling you and you find your plate ready" -- psychotictornado
"Your in your room doing hw or playing half life, and out of no where. 'DINNER' you come down and see a plate of jambalaya. Best feeling ever." -- bisexualflame
Encountered Comfort
"Petting a kitten and hearing it purr." -- Billbapawpaw
"My cat doesn't purr, he does that thing where he rubs his paws on my leg and doesn't realize it hurts." -- Sammy6appless
"When your grumpy cat who doesn't like sitting on laps, comes to sit on your lap. You are the chosen one!" -- teuchterK
Rubbing and Scratching
"Head scratches and backrubs" -- Woah_thereSatan
"Who let a dog have Reddit" -- FIROEDA
"Back scratches and head rubs?" -- tjsearles
"Belly rubs" -- jrwhill
The Joy of Stepping Off Two Metal Blades
"You ever ice skate for hours then switch back to regular shoes? 🤤" -- lei-ra
"See also: ski boots and high heels" -- stonegallows
"I'm a hockey player, i've played for 3 years now and i can confirm." -- Redditor101354
Chills All Down Your Neck
"When the music just hits" -- GorgeousGamer99
"I love it when I find a new song that just hits something directly in my soul."
"And then I proceed to replay that song 400 times over the next two weeks until any and all emotion has been beaten out of it." -- Dahhhkness
A Few Favorites
"Taking off your clothes after working on a hot day especially if you work in a kitchen"
"Listening to someones heart beat while cuddling"
"Having someone play with your hair or tickle your neck"
-- Calvin1228
60 to 0
"The feeling of an adrenaline surge subsiding the instant after the fear passes."
"Like right after you narrowly miss getting hit by a car. Or when you're bouldering and your foot slips but you catch yourself in time and save yourself from plummeting to the earth."
"That sh!t feels amazing."
Sound Everywhere
"Ever been to an airshow. The feeling in your gut when a fighter jet (or plane with similar engines) flies past."
"Sooo much power! Feels good man."
-- ant_exe
Autumn's Best Elements
"Crisp fall morning, Leather jacket, seeing your breath vaporize in the cold air. Fall colors. The feeling of the leather jacket against leather seats the the car."
"I don't know why, but all of that is euphoric."
-- StanYelnats3
The Ominous Moments
"For me it's always been waking in the early dawn at about 4am, and just laying in bed listening to the blackbirds singing while half asleep and feeling at peace with the world."
"Also, there are certain sounds like a motorbike or a train passing by in the distance that always evoke a sort of weird, existential empty feeling for me. Specifically at dusk/night time. It's a bit hard to describe but I like it."
Nothing But Potential
"The 15 minutes after the final bell on the last day of school before summer vacation as a child. Just hanging out in the playground waiting for your mom to come pick you up (or the school bus)..."
"...and the pure, total freedom of weeks and weeks and weeks of summer ahead and nothing to do but play with your friends outdoors every day."
Respites from Discomfort
"These are two weird ones but for some reason I like them."
"That great feeling in your stomach after you throw up and hopping in the shower when you're sick hits different."
In Good Hands
"When somebody trusts you enough to fall asleep while you're driving."
"Legit the best feeling I have ever experienced, knowing that they feel safe enough to fall asleep while their life is in my hands."
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These are tough times.
Money is tight for many. The future is uncertain for all. Political dynamics are in flux and it seems that everywhere we look we see an example of a growing social chaos.
We cannot simply tune out, of course. These troublesome plain truths are real, impact fellow human beings, and must be acknowledged regularly.
But sometimes, for sanity's sake, we need a win. And those are found in places large and small.
Some Redditors recently gathered to name the smallest, simplest pleasures that provide abundant relief. Their comments illustrate a mindset: be mindful of the things that feel good in a normal day, if only for a brief moment.
vasunn asked, "What are your little joys in life?"
A Private Ode
"The parking lot near my place occasionally has a van parked in it. The van has a license plate that says SALAD. Whenever I see this van I will say 'it's the salad man, in his salad van!'"
"I know this is stupid. I know it to my core. But I also know my life is ever so slightly better because of that salad man. It fills me with happiness to see his salad van."
-- theWildBore
Early Oasis
"I wake up at 6:00 am before my wife and 6mo old son. The house is dark and silent. I pour a cup of coffee and sit down on the couch. The moment that first sip hits my lips..."
"I'm not dad yet. I'm not husband yet. I'm just me in that moment, without a care in the world. I'll add that I adore my family, but that one moment each day is a nice little breath of fresh air."
-- Saragon1993
Suddenly, a Smoothness
"Finally getting that little piece of food out that's been stuck in your teeth for hours" -- dick-nipples
"Similarly, when you are laying on your side, and the low-side nostril is blocked, then you turn over and the mucus drains to the other side, briefly unblocking both nostrils." -- keenly_disinterested
Out of Character
"When I randomly wake up at night and notice that my cat is sleeping cuddled against me or next to my head on my pillow."
"He doesn't like to cuddle but at night he is often very close to me."
-- Knofferini
Contemporary Cave
"When it's cold in your room but perfect temperature under the covers and you're spending the entire day snoozing in bed." -- FrostyHiccup
"Waking up while fall camping or in the alpine is this feeling to a tee."
"You're nice and warm and snug in your sleeping bag except for maybe the tip of your nose that's a little chilly."
"If you're lucky and didn't have any weather you might have set up the tent without the fly. It's still near or below freezing out but the sun is warming you quickly."
"It's just such a nice feeling." -- satanicwaffles
A Dynamic Landscape
"Seeing the wildlife in the park that is basically my back yard. Owls, eagles, otters, beavers, all the little birds, turtles..." -- Squealio
"Yes! I live on a lake and love seeing all the ducks, geese, seagulls, herons, and egrets. But my favorite are the huge snapping turtles."
"I've lived on or within walking distance to this lake for about 25 years, and I never stop getting excited about the snappers. They look like miniature prehistoric beasts." -- techtchotchke
The Long Road He Took to Be Here
"Watching my old dog sleep comfortably."
"He came from a highly abusive home with trust issues and then I started fostering him when he was about 9 years old, adopted him a few months later and we're getting close to 3 years now."
"These days he mostly sleeps next to my desk as I work and next to my bed when I sleep, wish I had him earlier in life but I'll take what I can get."
-- TwoFoxSix
Earned Comfort
"Firewood. Getting outside and seeing immediate results of my labor is very rewarding. Plus a great workout." -- cloudywater1
"Exercise just hits different when you're splitting freakin' tree trunks in half with an axe. Or a wedge and sledge. Both are fun." -- MyCatGreg
Truly a Simple Pleasure
"I feel happiness when I eat a potato." -- botaine
"Similarly, I weirdly stopped eating cereal for several years. I recently got back into cereal, and it's strangely something I look forward to at night. Like, 'Oh sh** yeah, Raisin Bran tomorrow baby!'" -- messy_eater
Empathetic Sounds
"Playing Chopin on the piano. Chopin has a piece for every possible mood I'm in at the moment." -- Back2Bach
"So true. Chopin, more than any other composer, knew how to communicate an 'inner monologue' that comes alive when it's played in a state of flow rather than an extroverted performance." -- funhousefrankenstein
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