What have you thrown money at to improve your life?

[Gottodosomething2026]

I'm a bit low at the moment and I was wondering if anyone has thrown money at things to make their lives better or easier. I don't have tons of money to throw at things but I have a bit that I could use. I'm stressed, my job is hard (currently job hunting), I'm lonely and generally a bit worn out and weapy.

In all honesty it doesn't matter what the rest of us throw money at OP. What would make YOUR life better? Think about it. Would having a cleaner or a robot vacuum or a gym membership or heated throw or a streaming membership or whatever make you happier? You give far too few details about your own life for anyone to suggest things.

Not masses of money but I buy myself a bunch of flowers every week. Definitely cheers me up and gives me something to smile at whenever I walk past.

I used to think it was a waste of money because they die so quickly but for £5-10 the small amount of joy I get from them is worth it.

Same goes for houseplants most of which are from supermarkets. Hope things get brighter for you soon x

Well it depends
if you’re low and can’t be bothered cooking then a meal delivery service
if you’re job hunting then invest in updating your CV and buying a fabulous outfit for interviewing
buy a really indulgent book or 3 month magazine subscription
If you feel a bit shit, i’m a believer in having a good snotty weep in the shower and letting the water wash it all away (and buy some fabulous shower wash 😉)
things will improve

Business class for big holidays. Makes it so much better

What would make your life feel better? I got Invisalign for my teeth and that really lifted me, but obvs that might not be something you want or need.

Just looking for suggestions.

I like buying jigsaw puzzles – but they need to be really nice ones like the Galison Joy Laforme ones. So I always have a puzzle on the go now and I find sitting down for a few minutes doing a few pieces quite meditative And it’s just a nice thing to do..

I think budget plays a part
a fiver on some flowers is different from a £650 handbag or £100 per month gym subscription

Boring but I think having a safety net of savings is very reassuring when you are job hunting. Is paying for someone to review your CV or do interview coaching relevant to you?

Pay as you go private health care. And it was far less expensive than I was worried it would be and it was enough to get on the right track back with the NHS. It might be dramatic to say it saved my life but it certainly looks like chalk and cheese.

Garlic - supermarket garlic is absolutely shit, bleached Chinese rubbish. I buy organic British garlic and my food is so so so much nicer 😂

You mention you're lonely which can exacerbate all of the other issues.

Do you have friends/family you could arrange coffee dates with? If not make it your mission to make some new friends and throw money at doing that.

Art/dance/yoga classes, sport/craft/book clubs...whatever floats your boat. It's a bit of a slow burn to meet people you gel with but so so worth it for your mental health and to be able to chat about what's going on in your life.

I was just talking to a friend who got laser eye surgery and raves about it.

If I had the money I'd get a gardener.

I have done, and would recommend, getting deep tissue massage. Like a sports massage for the non-sporty. It's not particularly fun, it's more like osteopathy than indulgence but I feel it helps get to the bottom of ongoing general aches and pains.

Good gym membership with a spa, great for the dark evenings

cleaner once a fortnight, coming home to a sparkling house lifts my mood for the week ahead

agree with a nice bunch of flowers seeing them when I walk in the living room and kitchen makes me smile

occasional food box delivery, might do a wine subscription for the first time this month for cosy season

@Scrambledomelette Do you use a particular company?

Invest in yourself a little bit.
i don’t have tons of cash to splurge, but a foot spa some lovely oils with a heated blanket, glass of wine and indulging in some rubbish telly cheers me up sometimes.

A cook and a housekeeper. I’ve not been able to find either. I have a cleaner who does a lot extra - ironing, changing sheets etc but I want someone to do my returns, laundry and help cook. I’ve tried all the meal subs but they don’t work for our needs.

I'm a member of a yoga and pilates studio less than 10 minutes walk from my house. The package allows 16 classes a month. It's so worth it for my physical and mental health and wellbeing.

My audible membership. I have the one that includes 24 books in 12 months.

We pay for services that save us time so we have a cleaner (she changes the beds, does our washing and ironing as well as cleaning), a gardener, someone who cleans our oven twice a year, window cleaner.

We pay for a private healthcare and have a private GP as dealing with the NHS was very stressful.

We set up a home gym to save time and travelling to the gym and it means we exercise more so feel better.

We eat out often to save the time and effort of cooking.

We try to have things to look forward to like holidays, concerts, theatre shows etc.

I hope you find something that helps you and that you’re feeling brighter soon.💐

Really helpful given the OP says I don't have tons of money to throw at things but I have a bit that I could use 🙃

I did a couple of courses at a local college over a year and a half so I could meet new people and have a change from my undesirable job situation, also a chance of scenery. On a cheaper level - good quality coffee, 200-thread bedding from John Lewis, Now TV subscription, and the occasional stay at a 4* hotel.

A window cleaner and someone to do the ironing. As I hate doing both those things 😒

Do you currently finish work on time? Is your stress down to the type of work, or is it the amount of work? After being downgraded on my performance appraisal from “exceeds” to “meets” because although I had covered for a colleague during maternity, I hadn’t actually done any duties that were a grade higher. My volume of work (and stress) went up but this wasn’t recognised.

So I stopped working over my hours. If it doesn’t get done in my 37 hrs per week I carry it over. I don’t work in the NHS or the MOD so nobody is going to die if I don’t finish a task (am aware NHS and MOD staff don’t have that luxury).

It’s changed my life. I have more time to do the things I want to do. I joined a sports club and it’s been brilliant - everyone is very supportive and I rarely feel lonely as I’m out three nights a week with them.

A bit rogue, and an ongoing cost, but our cat. We lost our lovely girl cat to cancer in 2024, and my DP said no way to getting another as I was so heartbroken, but for a donation of £100 we adopted a little orange boy from Cats Protection shortly after. He’s my funny, furry best buddy. He makes me laugh every day, is an excellent bed friend if you’re feeling poorly, and is just an all round joy.

Less nuclear option, reformer Pilates. I try and go twice a week and it’s made a huge difference to my strength and the way my body looks - but more than that it’s 50 minutes of not thinking about anything else than the task in hand.

Several years ago, for the first time in my life, I spent £1000 on myself - most of it on PT sessions as I had become very overweight and unfit. The rest of it on bootcamp, yoga, pilates group classes. Before then I always told myself these things were too expensive and I could get fit by myself at home for free. But I didn't.

I tried two PTs and one turned out to be brilliant. I worked with her for a year, lost a stone in weight and became fitter and stronger than ever in my life. Due to an injury and her moving away, I have slid back a long way but I am still way stronger and fitter than before, and I know how to lift and avoid injury, how to create good posture etc.

If you can, spend money on getting strong and supple. Almost everything in life is better if you are fit: way less stress, better mood, much more energy, better sleep, mental clarity, self confidence. And people respond more positively to you if you stand tall and move with energy. It is a brilliant thing to do.