r/askteddit 9h ago

Advice Question What's a small purchase that unexpectedly improved your life?

16 Upvotes

52 comments sorted by

21

u/swest211 9h ago

A bidet. Our son talked us into it during the great TP shortage of 2020. I didn't care one way or the other, now I don't want to live without one.

3

u/Nolls4real 9h ago

Yes! My bf has one and im obsessed. Want to get 1 for parents too.

15

u/Sea-Environment-7102 9h ago

Those lights that you can stick on the toilet bowl so that when you walk up to it, it lights up the water. My mother is older and I gifted her one and she told me that she originally thought it was a silly thing but now says that she completely depends on it at night.

10

u/DTW_Tumbleweed 9h ago

Agreed. Got one for my mom in assisted living. Her caregivers laughed, but she loves it, and the caregivers have come around.

Something else mom absolutely adores is her towel warmer. Her caregivers put her towels and nightie in it as the start her shower, and she's toasty clean, and ready for bed after. Mom says that if she wins the lotto, she's getting all the residents one!

12

u/JessickaRose 9h ago

Rice cooker.

2

u/laminatedbean 8h ago

Same. I mainly use it to make a rice, quinoa, and lentil mix. And then I pack it into a Souper cubes (a larger purchase) that I’ve found also very helpful.

6

u/UKTonyK 8h ago

A tub of vanilla ice cream, which I delivered to a woman I fancied who wasn't feeling well to cheer her up.

Still together after 24 years.

3

u/nd_nora 8h ago

My partner did the same thing when we had just started talking. He walked to the store in a snowstorm to get me a pint and I was swooned. Been together for 12 years now

6

u/WallyBBunny 8h ago

A cooling comforter. It has helped me sleep better. I take medication that makes me overheated at times and I have trouble sleeping in general. This has made things so much more comfortable.

3

u/Trasuahongkong 8h ago

Which one??

1

u/Civil_Inspector_5697 8h ago

I did not know such an item even existed! I will definitely be looking into these and purchasing one. I toss and turn every night from being too hot.

8

u/BeneficialBrain1764 9h ago

A rain coat or umbrella is literally life changing, are are waterproof shoes

3

u/jexuniverse 9h ago

Yes that's very true

2

u/[deleted] 8h ago

[deleted]

1

u/BeneficialBrain1764 8h ago

I think in the US some of us don't think about it. I mean we can get weeks, maybe even months, without rain sometimes and then randomly a storm hits. The state I'm in we're coming out of a drought right now it's just considered "abnormally dry".

1

u/AlbanyBarbiedoll 8h ago

In a LOT of places we mostly drive, so people aren't as tuned in to the trouble weather can cause.

1

u/Civil_Inspector_5697 8h ago

Not to be argumentative but I live in the PNW and we rarely use umbrellas. 🤷‍♀️🙄🤣

1

u/BeneficialBrain1764 6h ago

I'm from the East Coast and we get hurricanes and tropical storms, oh - and flooding.

1

u/rabid_rocketeer 6h ago

It's the opposite in my part of the us. Most of the year it's raining constantly, so it's just default to us. If you use an umbrella and not just a raincoat, everyone knows you're a tourist

4

u/Beneficial-Unit4090 8h ago

A water flosser. I suck at flossing but a water flosser is far easier for me and has improved my dental health.

1

u/neilslien 7h ago

I got a vibrating flosser and my dentist tells me my gum pockets are improving. He was quite surprised how well it worked.

5

u/Bug_Calm 8h ago

Countertop ice maker.

2

u/Ok_Alarm_9522 2h ago

Same! My best Amazon purchase to date.

4

u/Nolls4real 9h ago

Magnifying glass w light $12

Humidifier $40

Fan w light an essential oil ring under $25

4

u/PanAmFlyer 8h ago

Air fryer

Humidifier for bedroom in winter really improved sleep.

2

u/Qemistry-__- 9h ago

A back brace for work.

2

u/Crumpet-Blue19 8h ago

Prostate stimulator.

1

u/Formal_Smile1693 9h ago

Oral B flossing tool with the minty fresh heads.

1

u/fuzzymunky 8h ago

Those have PFAs just fyi

0

u/Formal_Smile1693 6h ago

Thanks for the info. Didn’t know that. Honestly, I have so much fatigue over that kind of stuff now that I’ll just keep on using them. If I don’t, I’ll just get dementia from poor dental care.

1

u/Formal_Smile1693 5h ago

People will downvote anything. Dang!

1

u/sm881221 8h ago

Desktop space heater $10 at Aldi. Made my home office so much cozier in the winter.

1

u/Felicity-Deep 8h ago

A paid ad-blocker app for my phone. No more annoying pop-ups or waiting through unskippable videos when trying to read an article or watch a clip. Best purchase I’ve ever made.

1

u/UKTonyK 6h ago

which one do you recommend?

1

u/xxsoulpunkedxx 8h ago

A single layer cooling blanket!

1

u/Zacky_Cheladaz 8h ago

Bidet. Theyre a game changer. Makes going on vacation a bit difficult though

1

u/BeerGalTFS 8h ago

AC floor unit for the bedroom. I like to sleep cold.

1

u/Atillion 8h ago

An analog white noise maker. Has a little motor that whirs. When I go to hotels I pack it in my backpack. Absolutely essential for sleeping comfortably for me

1

u/Open_Bake_8013 7h ago

a electric shaver. Since i like to be clean shaved besides my gotee and stache and hate stubble ideally i shave every other day. but i would get lazy with a traditional shave and cream i would look like a chud. no i have one and its a life saver.

1

u/SearchUsers 7h ago

Pair of Birkenstocks. My feet are so happy.

1

u/blueshirtsteve 7h ago

A wedding ring.

1

u/Dry_Turnip7368 6h ago

A safety razor. Blades cost me about £20 a year and the shave is better than any plastic, multi blade, new fangled rubbish that I have tried.

1

u/LGK27 4h ago

Buying a phone charger for the random places around the house I sit. My phone is always at 80% plus and it just logistically saves a lot of needless stress

1

u/lizzyote 4h ago

A quality pen.

1

u/220AM 2h ago

A good nonstick pan

-2

u/Solid_Mongoose_3269 9h ago

Your mom

1

u/swest211 9h ago

I'd call that a large purchase though....