Things that have measurably enhanced your life in 2018 (free or otherwise)

[TheWombat]

This year we bought a few items that have really worked for us in 2018. It made me wonder if I can use the MN hive mind to identify other things that would enhance life, save time or make me more productive generally. They don’t have to be ‘bought’ things - new principles or ideas that made life better generally are also very welcome!

Here are my contributions:

Expensive things:
roomba robot vacuum effective, time saving, worth the money. If you have a disability, a bad back or just find vacuuming boring this is for you. It’s ridiculous how much I love it.

Quooker flex boiling water tap this was expensive but we saved hard and bought it as a Xmas present to ourselves last year. Never regretted it - it makes great tea, and saves so much cooking time. If you drink lots of hot drinks you’ll love it.

Pre-lit artificial Xmas tree Bought this in the sale a couple of years back, after swearing never to get an artificial tree. The ease of it all - and the realism of this one has converted me, it’s saved so much time and countless arguments around putting the tree up each year, plus I don’t have to worry about where/how to ‘recycle’ a real one each January.

Cheap / free things:

Maybelline fit me concealer works better than Nars creamy concealer- no settling in fine lines, easy to use, available on Amazon and CHEAP.

magic sponges keep one in the car, in the office, bathroom etc - cleans suede, muddy trainers, tiles, screens, everything. Fab.

Stocard app - saves all your loyalty card details and frees up wallet space. Genuis!

The gym! I'm like a new woman after exercise 😁

Yes to the roomba too. I have a disability and can't vacuum but hate nagging my husband or kids to do it. They should be available on the NHS for people like me. Immediately improves your mental health as well as your physical environment.

Yogic breathing - free and easy to do. 10 mins a day helps to reset the body and brain.

An overlocker for sewing. This has just arrived at the tail end of 2018 for me, but it has made sewing so much quicker and made sewing with knit fabrics a joy.

Google keep and my husband finally getting on board with a shared calendar.

Oooh yes! You’ve reminded me of Yoga With Adriene on YouTube. Free yoga sessions you can do anywhere and even if you aren’t bendy. I need to get back into that habit...

Mine’s good sex after years of shit/no sex. I may like a new woman.

Also, shaving my head, followed by very very short pixie. It saves so much time, and hair cuts done at barbers for a fraction of the cost and no need to book!

Purchases are - bepabthen as a moisturiser. Has saved my ikky face skin.

And decent sports bras. My old ones were manky.

I also love my amazon echo.

My tassimo machine. I now start every day with a Costa latte

Am tempted by the Alexa / echo thing especially because it works with the roomba! I know a few people who’ve told me it’s been a game changer for them and they wouldn’t be without it now..

parkrun

Absolute game changer for health and quality of life

My soda stream! Changed our recycling at least 😄 and my water intake!

New neighbours.
A 6 figure inheritance.
Gel insoles.

A Dyson V8 Total Clean. Amazing anc gets up the dog hair off the carpet that even scraping up on hands and knees could not do (awful old carpet).

Couch to 5k. Free app, Jo Whiley as voice coach (awesome) and I've actually been doing ok!

Discovered Decathlon. Great for good quality cheap sports stuff.

Marks and Spencer's fizzy mango and passion fruit drink. Comes in a bottle like plonk. Really yummy.

I'll second parkrun. I feel so much better for doing it and met some really nice people as well.

Slow cooker

My friend who acts like my mum/big sister. It's la big warm hug with an occasional telling off.

Volunteering at a local nature reserve. Lopping back overhanging scrub and vigorously attacking brambles and Himalayan balsam in all weathers is very therapeutic.

Oooh that sounds awesome Errol! And yes to slow cookers, makes it easier to eat healthily when you get in from work knackered at 6pm...

A dog. (I know, divisive) But she's improved our physical health and mental health (especially my night shift working, miserable son).
Making my own beeswax cotton food wrap.

Ohwhatfuckery I am definitely on Team Dog and team cat If you are at all a dog person I recommend @ dogrates and @ blairbraverman on Twitter. Both excellent dog accounts. In fact Dog Twitter may just be one of my fave discoveries of the year. It genuinely improves my mental health I think..

Sertraline.

Haverhill

Other things to add to the list:
Epsom salt baths, Biore watery essence SPF 50, and mint Velvet biker jeans - but buy them in the sale because £80 is RIDICULOUS for high street jeans.

To do list app. It's amazing - shit gets done when I have a list.

Mine has been my Vax cordless vacuum. I got it refurbished from a company on eBay, and it was as good as new but half the price. My carpets look so much better for being able to use the rotating brush on it, and it's really handy to just whizz around downstairs when there's unexpected mess. I love it.

Oh and I discovered that body shop strawberry body butter has solved my eczema patches quicker than E45 and H45 creams do, and it seems to stay away longer too.

I second the Stocard app.

My Bissell Crosswave hard floor cleaner has transformed my life. Instead of sweeping then mopping my hard floors which took ages I just vac and wash in one and it takes half an hour. Absolutely brilliant and worth the money.

Getting salbutamol prescribed for my son. No more trips to a&e for his shitty breathing since that beautiful blue inhaler moved in

My bike. Many years old and has been stuck in a shed, unridden, for much of it's life. I now ride it to work and back, it's getting me fit and sorting my anxiety at the same time.

Mindfulness.

Books.