What little luxuries are worth the splurge?

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Bed. That is the "luxury" you should prioritise above anything else.
I've slept in all kinds of qualities of bed (and discussed it with others who have done the same.)
The quality of the bed you sleep in at night is a huge factor in the quality of the you that you are when you're awake. The best sleep I've had on bad beds is still no better than the worst I've had on good ones and when you repeat that day after day, into week after week, into year after year, the cumulative effect on both your quality of life and physical health is immense. You should never make sleeping on a bad bed your long-term plan if you can possibly avoid it.
Every single day of your life is influenced by the quality of sleep you got before you started and therefore the quality and type of bed.
It is a huge gap in privilege between people who have lifestyles that make a good bed a standard expectation that is easily achieved and those who have to make do with what's cheap. The former group will always just be healthier, happier, better rested and more prepared for the challenges in front of them than the other.
I'd recommend a good quality pocket-sprung mattress (you can't really find cheap bad ones) over a sturdy wooden slatted frame although the modern foam mattresses are also very popular now and can be a good choice if you can't easily realistically get a massive heavy inflexible mattress where it needs to go.

getting an extra-long phone charging cable is such a silly purchase but it’s sooo useful. like i can’t live without one at this point. phone almost dead but the outlet is too far away? not anymore it’s not!

A bidet. Main con is having to use toilets not at home.
- honestly only thing preventing me to buy bidet is that vision that after every other toilet visit will be disgusting.
  long time ago I spent some time in japan and having integrated bidet in every toilet was amazing, but for me it is all or nothing, either want to live in the world of bidet or in the world of toilet paper, not in the middle.
  
  lmao i dont have that luxury i have no idea wtf you're talking about

For those who use cannabis like me, I gotta say a good vape is worth its weight in gold in the day to day experience.
- Can I ask, how often do you consume and what vape do you use? I consume mostly for recreation (I have a medical reason but Ill just honestly admit the recreational factor is bigger for me because my health issue isnt that serious) and Im a daily smoker at this point. Sometimes I worry about the toll its taking on my physical health and I know vaping is supposed to be less taxing. My wife also uses daily and she actually has medicinal reasons/has a medcard. Ive looked into handheld vapes and tried a few, but Im a bong guy and nothing as of yet has compared to the feeling of hitting a clean, fresh bong. All you really get if you look for advice online are a bunch of ads and adbait articles about vape # 2973 being the best for you
  
  I am a huge fan of my Volcano. Doctor told me to use a flower vape instead of smoking. Good life choice.

Good underwear. I like Saxx boxer briefs. Breathable, doesn't ride up, and they support my junk with choking it.
- I never used to think about the quality of my underwear until I got some from Saxx & Pair of Thieves. Now I can't imagine going back.
  
  Be sure to try MeUndies once, too. They have this special cotton-like material that feels like silk but breathes like cotton. 🤌
- support my junk with choking it
  If my underwear choked my chicken for me, it would free up so much time in my day!
  /s

Really good tea. Very cheap, but a lovely luxury that can take you to a different time and place. Love it.

A heating blanket.
Pros:
It's warm and cozy
It keeps achy joints happy in the winter
It attracts cats
Cons:
Your cat will claim it and you will feel guilty taking it back
- In the same family, I got a heated mattress pad. I’m sure it has paid for itself because I can keep the house cooler at night. There’s something so refreshing about sleeping in a warm bed with cool winter air.

Orange juice that’s not from concentrate, is strictly 100% orange juice, and has no sugar added. Get away from me with that cheap shit. I’d rather have water than bad orange juice.
Varieties that contain pulp aren’t better or worse; it’s just a matter of personal preference. Same with versions that add vitamins. (My personal favorite is Simply Orange.)

Good coffee. It's always worth it for me. There's still an upper limit of super-expensiveness I won't go past, but neither do I cheap out.
- I'm the same with tea. Cheap tea is awful, good tea is amazing. Unfortunately expensive ≠ good. Thankfully I've found a good supplier, for a reasonable price (for the quality).
  
  I'm a big fan of Harney and Sons for good black tea. Their Victorian London Fog is goated.
- And a good coffee grinder. The difference in freshness is quite noticable when grinding whole beans right before brewing a pot.
- Roasting coffee is a great hobby and has an incredibly fast ROI if you start with the popcorn maker method. I get best in class beans for less than half their roasted cost.
  
  Where do you buy un-roasted beans?

Good loose leaf tea.

A nice keyboard, mouse and monitor. It's the way you interact with your computer the most and yet many people seem content with bargain versions, even when they spend 8-10 hours a day using them.

Idk if this counts as a luxury or not but sometimes spending extra to get some fresh fruits or vegetables that are locally grown is so worth it.
As for the bed, amen. Hip problems run in my family and I replaced my old worn out bed with a hybrid bed and my hip pain became so much more manageable within 2 weeks.

A good, supportive pillow: You use it every day and it can help prevent neck issues. Most people keep pillows for quite a long time anyway, so if you find one you like, why not spend more on something that you really like?
A good monitor: I upgraded to a really big and high resolution monitor about a half a year ago and it has made a huge difference. Before I was experiencing really bad eye strain and it is gone now. I have more space to do my work, which has increased my productivity, too.
Good coffee: My morning coffee makes me happy. I don't usually spend a ton on coffee, but I do like to get decent, whole-bean coffee. About once a month I will treat myself to some really nice, fresh coffee beans. I live by a roaster and can get it for a good price and super fresh.
- What’s your favorite coffee, at the moment? We just got some Dean’s Beans (Sumatra French Roast) and my wife says it’s the best she’s ever had. I quite like it, as well.
  
  Not OP, but I do like coffee.
  I like to have one or two monthly “roaster’s choice” subscriptions. This way, I get to try something a little different every few weeks.
  I’ve enjoyed Black and White, Intelligentsia, and Sey so far.

Electronic soap dispensers.

A great keyboard, a good mouse, a laaaaaarge mouse pad.
I use those things throughout most of the day, why not make it enjoyable.
- I went back to a trackball maybe two years back and it is glorious. For whatever reason, my family had trackballs growing up and then I never had one as an adult.
  
  I made the switch several years ago and never looked back. Trackballs are wonderful. I splurged on a Logitech MX Ergo Plus. So nice.
  
  I had a Microsoft thumb trackball growing up and it was so good. There's a Logitech with a similar design, but it doesn't have the same feel. At work, I've been using a Kensington Expert and loving it. I don't know how people use regular mice.

Good shoes. The old school Birkenstocks completely eliminated my back pain. A good office chair and desk to avoid posture issues.
- I completely agree with this one. I used to use shoes and boots without caring until my feet started to feel uneasy. I switched boots and started to use insoles in some of them (specially my bigger vegan punk boots), also switched chairs.
  I have little to none back/feet pain even after using boots all day. Still, walking in concrete will always be more tiring than soft floors.
  
  Do boots make a huge difference? I never tried them because they felt too heavy and tired out my back.

41 comments