What's been your best purchase of the year?

[CactusRabbit]

I have 2. First is my coffee machine. It grinds the beans, so I can have a freshly brewed coffee each morning. I love it!
Second one is a prize from postcode lottery. It's a rechargeable hot water bottle, and it's been a game changer! Especially useful for when I'm cold watching DS play rugby....

Re: the poster with tiny yellow plastic ducks - did you put one on a photocopier in your office? There was one such duck on the copier near where I sit in my office recently... never heard of this trend before, guess it could be someone else!

I bought a big fancy indoor grill.

I’ll have to go without eating to afford the steaks & fancy cuts of meat to go on it.

Seems oddly self defeating. 😭

It sounds like you maybe worked with this “prankster” - tell us, were they as annoying IRL?? 😂

Weight loss injections

I don't know who it was; is intriguing though! 😁

A cheap and mega comfy lounge set from Amazon.

I've got the Ninja Cafe Luxe. It's amazing!

@Robyn847

You didn't work in Torquay did you ?

As i had reason to visit an office there a couple of months ago, and mentioned to the young lady there that she must like ducks. As she had a little yellow duck on her desk and a couple of others nearby.
She explained that an unknown colleague had planted ducks around the office...
She was of the opinion that the colleague still worked there but no-one had worked out who it was / no-one had owned up.
Tho I believe the ducks appearing had continued after their first visit.

btw that is exactly what the elf on the shelf would have done re your neighbour.

I feel this needs to be my 2026 purchase of the year, could you post a link to this please?

Amazing really that people like Duck Twat walk among us

Holy gels

They're gel nail wraps but after application you set under the uv lamp. My partner bought me a lamp for Christmas 2024 with anticipation of me painting my nails but I just couldn't be arsed.
I saw these wraps and I'm absolutely sold. Easy to apply, you get at least 2 plus weeks out of them...I only remove as dont like regrowth but they've not chipped at all. Easy to remove and no nail damage.
Working out at £7.50 a good which is significantly cheaper than a salon visit but as good.

Ooh I ordered 2 sets of Chelsea Peers lounge sets in Next sale, never heard of them before but they looked comfy 👍🏼

Could you link to these please? Wettest winter ever and sick of putting sodden trainers on the radiator.

I’ve not tried the lounge sets but if they’re anything like my new dressing gown, you’re in for a treat.

God, I really wish I had some money! 😂I would actually really like to give WLI a go. I only need/want to lose about 2 stone so I'm possibly not overweight enough to be able to get them on a private prescription but I'm envious of the whole lack of food noise thing. Anyway, I can't afford them.

Probably the most bargainous thing I bought was DS's coat off Vinted, it's cashmere and an eclectic brand that for silly (fan-cultish) reasons would have cost over £400 new, over £500 second hand after they stopped being made, but was on Vinted for about £35 because the seller had no clue. He loves it.

Our new roof. (that's one reason why I can't boast about my new Blundstones/new kitchen/car/phone etc) 🙄Possibly the least fun thing we've ever spent a fortune on.

My ongoing Rock Choir membership. It makes me so happy although I've read some really beastly comments about RC on MN. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Ah well. I reserve the right to love it.. the weekly rehearsals, learning the new songs, the people, the gigs and the excellent events (in the past year, performing at, and opening Edinburgh Fringe and a wonderful Christmas event at the NEC performing with Sam Ryder and Emilie Sande.. was amazing and fun... to name but two events ).

I'm not a high earner but it is money well spent on an excellent hobby that I do with my best friend.

Minoxidil for hair growth has been my best purchase. My hair feels so much better and stronger after losing hair due to anaemia.

My Lulu Guinness gloves in the softest black leather with the red lip motif on each. Fleece lined. I feel like an assassin as I slowly pull them on and then wiggle my fingers.

I know you weren't asking me, but I have period pants from m&s. I don't have terribly heavy periods but did buy heavy duty just in case. They're super comfy and have never caused any problems at work. But I might bring a spare pair in if I was worried x

Flights to Japan. We went in April. They were ultra cheap & incredibly inconvenient & ought on impulse
Something I NEVER do. We had to take DC out of school, but so glad we did it anyway (no fines here). It's been far too long since we travelled.

I'm extra glad as we can't take DS out anymore as he's in high school, and can't afford the 2x or 3x exorbitant school holiday pricing.

The won't have found them all in 500 years.... They'll still be looking!!

Yep. Of course I know they'd find it funny. I was friends with them before they bought the house. I didn't just let myself in on a whim, it was to set their house up for that days Elf on the Shelf, so they obviously wanted me to go in and set mischief up in the first place. I can't remember whether I told the Mum in advance or not. 🤔 I've had to nip in to move Lego when their Son has left it out before school and they worried the dog might eat it. I nipped in for something and ended up cleaning dog sick up whilst I was in there. I've switched hair straighteners off when they've gone on nights out. I've done emergency babysitting. I've fed their Guinea pigs when they've been on holiday AND kept a dead one in my freezer so the 4 year old could have a funeral for it when they got back. I'm a good neighbour not a knobhead neighbour!

What's wrong with me? Fun, that's what. Fun.

Never did I imagine a group of 40-60 year olds would get so wildly enthusiastic about searching for tiny plastic ducks. It was nearly 5 months ago and they've still not found them all. I was honestly STUNNED by the amount of fun and joy it created in a usually stressful boring. Even the Christmas doo and Attending the company awards evening didn't do as much for team bonding as those plastic ducks!

And no, they weren't from Temu.

No, not me, not responsible! Nowhere near Torquay.

I nipped back into my old workplace just before Christmas to take some biscuits and goodies and fully intended to hide some more when I visited, but totally forgot and found them in my handbag when I got home. Opportunity lost! I'm totally kicking myself.