£1,000 to make life a little easier and more pleasurable

[willowboom]

After a lot of hard work and study, I have started a new job that is high pressure and very responsible. It will involve long hours, travel and a lot of talking which as a natural introvert will be tiring (although really rewarding).

I’ve very kindly been given £1,000 and told to spend it on something/ things to make my life a little easier and more pleasurable. I am not to save it, spend it on day to day essentials etc. But I’m a bit stuck for ideas. What would you buy?

A cleaner for a few hours, a food shopping you really need/ want, something fixed in the house you’ve been putting off and savings!!

What would you enjoy?

I would buy myself a kindle/new books.
A flower subscription
Some nice chocolate
A lovely candle or perfume
Some pyjamas
Nice stationery.

Just a few little things that would give me pleasure whenever I used them. Congratulations on the job! X

A spa day.

A trip away somewhere.

Some new clothes to make you feel more confident at work.

A night and a meal at a super fancy hotel you wouldn’t usually justify staying at.

A new electrical item for the house, a TV, coffee machine, new mattress.

Think about things that you’d love to do/have but wouldn’t usually justify.

£1k as a one off? A robotic hoover which also mops!

Good bean to cup coffee machine, we have the Sage Barista Impress (or something like that)

Spay day with hot stone massage

Gorgeous new wool winter coat

Annual gym membership if you don't have one, and the kit (some funky Sweaty Betty leggings for me)

Silk pyjamas

New Jo Malone fragrance

Upgarde bedding to egyptian cotton

Egg chair for garden

A few new books to read in said egg chair

Does such a thing exist?!?!

Clothes that sit nicely and wash nicely and more of the stuff I have to wash cos I keep running out of like sports bras and towels

Some Cook meals for the freezer, lovely pyjamas, new bedding, weekly massage for a month and a heated throw.

A robot mopping hoover. That won’t take up all of it. The rest I would use on a nice day out to a National Trust property, maybe an afternoon tea.

Somethings for travel:
Suitcases to pack into
Noise canceling headphones
Kindle
Nice warm wrap if plane travel
Clothes that travel well and make you feel good.

Some ideas for home:
One off spring clean of the house
Robotic vacuum/mop as above.

What a kind gift!

I’d probably do:

~ A fun grocery shop, complete with lots of little luxuries you can pop in the cupboard and forget about until you’re making a bog-standard dinner a few months down the line. Stuff like luxury dried pasta, fancy sauces, puff pastry twists instead of breadsticks, fancy cordials, basically the posher version of your cupboard staples!

~ a good quality pair of overear headphones with noise-cancelling, depending on your commute/lifestyle. These were game changing when I needed to commute into London (also an introvert in an extrovert-y job!) and just wanted to tune out after work - now I WFH I still use them on the school run walk for a podcast/music to ‘transition’ between home and work stuff!

~ Nice travel stuff. A good quality suitcase/packing cubes (spending time figuring out my best options in terms of workwear/toiletries and keeping them packed and ready saves so much faff - and with good quality, intentionally bought stuff I found it easier to stick to a carry on!)

~ A bloom and wild subscription. Something about coming home to fresh flowers to put on the table made me feel far more grown up than most of the stuff that’s ‘adulty’ 😂

~ I might put some money aside for the end of my first month, and treat whoever has been supportive during all your studying etc to a lovely meal out ‘from your first paycheck’ without having to actually dip into your own funds very far 😂

Came on to say robot hoover! Ours is on every morning before we get up and coming down to a clean floor every morning is a thing of joy.
Otherwise id get a really beautiful mug which feels fabulous to hold. Have some noise cancelling headphones which would come a close second.

Thank you for the great suggestions so far. It’s been a long time since I’ve spent money on myself (all funds usually go on bills, kids and renovations) so it feels extravagant and a little bewildering.

I would buy a bedside table, a bin, some new trainers, table mats, and I would go to the dentists and get new glasses.
Fun times.

The robot mop and Hoovers are no good if you’re home is filled with young children who like to scatter Lego around the place. Ask me how I know.

I would spend a good chunk of the money on high-quality ready meals that I could either take with me for work lunches or have at the end of a long day. I like the headphones suggestion too.

Personally, if it really was for me it would be:

Some new clothes, shoes, bag and make-up for the job to boost confidence
Great headphones and a new tablet for watching stuff during travel/commuting, plus maybe a subscription for a streaming app
A new Kindle for reading while travelling
Possibly a mini break in a place with a spa if it works with childcare or a day out to one
Nice food thermos and drinks bottle set to take food with me when travelling/commuting

It’s not luxurious but a tumble drier if you don’t have one can be life-changing!

Agree with the robot hoover that mops. I'd love one.

Congratulations on the new job. I agree with the PP about getting things that will make life with the new job easier.

Our robot hoover / mop is a lifesaver. The kids called it Wall-E and I just have to remind them to clear up before bedtime if they don't want Wall-E to eat their toys so its been a double benefit.

Good noise cancelling headphones have been wonderful as well for long commutes. As is a good quality scarf/wrap for the times in November when the trains inexplicably have the air-conditioning on full blast.

I've got a robot hoover that mops & one which just hoovers for carpet in upstairs rooms. It's been life changing as I have a disability. In general though, it saves so much time/effort & would highly recommend

I couldn't live without my dishwasher either.

Also use a dehumidifier for drying clothes quicker.

Other things I bought to make my life better were new upgraded make up & skin care.

I also recently signed up for an electrolytes subscription which is really helpful energy levels but that's quite niche/connected to my health condition.

Oh and regular massages are excellent for wellbeing

Oh I bought a new iPad recently and love it. I use it for most things now!

I’d book a personal shopper at John Lewis and buy myself some key pieces - good coat, dress, decent bras, trousers etc.

Headphones, music and kindle if travelling a lot. Decent travel cup and cases.