Just for fun while I’m on vacation!!
What has been your favorite/best purchase:
- Under $10?
- Under $50?
- Under $100?
- Under $500?
- Over $500?
My answers (I had to include more than one, couldn’t decide between them all…):
- Any BAGGU bags – I get so much use of them, and use them for everything – also I LOVE LOVE LOVE these Japanese washcloth thingies I use in the shower
- Vegetable saver for the fridge, CLEAN probiotics, Josh Rosebrook spf tinted moisturizer
- Coyuchi organic cotton robe
- Any flight ever to spend time with my family
- Eyeglasses. So I can see 🙂
huh. no clothing items at all. interesting. although if there was an under $250 category, I’d probably include my Birkenstocks, and my 6397 shorty jeans.
Your turn!!!
Under $10: Maybelline Great Last Mascara. I have tried many vegan/no animal testing ones in hopes of making the change to something better, but I have yet to find one worthy of this.
Under $50: A vegan leather tote bag with printed butterflies on it. It is the perfect size and I carried it all winter.
Under $100: My Kindle
Under $500: Tickets to Green Day! Best concert ever!!! My two teenage girls, husband and I attended and it was the most memorable evening.
Over $500: Probably the most money I have ever spent on myself. My violin. I recently started taking lessons and bought an instrument for myself. Playing it has saved me in so many ways….
I’m intrigued to read other’s comments!
$10 – Sam Edelman boots from the thrift shop
$50 – My wedding ring, lol. It’s sterling silver from Amazon
$100 – Melissa x Jason Wu sandals. I would wear them every day if I could
$500 – my green velvet couch, purchased for $120 off of Facebook marketplace
Over $500 – my Macbook Air. I was still using my clunky 2007 laptop before last month.
Under $10: Organic Rosehip Seed Oil
Under $50: Everlane scoop and box cut linen tees
Under $100: A Trusco Tool Box- Japanese made, stainless steel, amazing for everything from art supplies to sewing supplies
Under $500: Linen duvet and bedding- amazing. My mom never stops raving about it (even though she totally judged me for spending a few hundred when I bought it) and I hope to die with it. Two different prints so my husband and I flip it to either the blue stripes side or the ivory and gold side when we get bored
Over $500: I don’t think we’ve spent $500 on anything….except maybe our one child the year she was born for hospital costs and such. Best $ spent, well worth it.
Okay, I’m very aware that it’s foggy and cold here today on the CA coast, which has influenced my answers…
Under $10?
My 32-liter Nalgene. I use it every single day.
Under $50?
An Irish wool fisherman cardigan I found at a thrift shop. Works over just about anything and is one of the warmest items I own! Another contender is the 100% Alpaca wrap I got at the same thrift shop.
Under $100?
hmmm. This is my typical price range, so I’m a little stuck here! My Frye Sabrina 6G boots that I got on Ebay, maybe? They are my go-to boot in the winter.
Under $500?
This one’s tough. More recently, I got a couple ES sweaters that completely satisfy my winter wardrobe (Rhodes and Billie), but EVER? In 2013 we were in Paris and ate at Les Deux Amis in the Oberkampf neighborhood, and ordered the fixed menu. The server/owner paired every item with a specific local wine, and I think our lunch spanned 3 hours. It was the best meal I’ve ever had.
I also just booked us a night at the Hotel le Negresco for our Honeymoon in June (THE hotel to go to in Nice) — not sure if it yet counts as the best purchase as I’ve yet to go, but I’m very excited for it!
Over $500?
We ordered the Chef’s menu at the Publican in Chicago for my fiance’s birthday a couple of years ago. Best stateside meal we’ve ever had…. not even sure if it was over $500, but it was certainly close, and the only other $500+ purchase that came to mind was car repairs…
Under $10: Orchids from Trader Joe’s
Under $50: A ceramic vase I bought at an art gallery in Cedar Keys
Under $100: A maple tree I just planted in my back yard
Under $500: my Eileen Fisher black tank dress. I’ve managed to work all four seasons!
Over $500: I just took my Mom to Savannah for her 75th birthday and we had the best time eating, shopping and walking around the city. Experiences + Memories always equal money well spent!
Under $10? My cat! I mean, she was adopted not necessarily purchased. The Sacramento SPCA would lower the adoption fee to $5 for adult cats occasionally since they’re harder to find homes for.
Under $50? My denim jacket. It’s not perfect, but by far the most worn item in my closet, aside from black jeans.
Under $100? This is definitely the hardest category! Almost everything fits in it. I’d say tickets to see Tom Petty. Seeing my favorite artist live was the best experience.
Under $500? Plane ticket to NYC last year.
Over $500? This is a tie between my DSLR camera and my study abroad trip to Paris.
Under $10? Kiss My Face Pure Olive Oil soap. The only soap my face likes, and believe me I’ve tried nearly everything
Under $50? A pair of Vera Wang ponte pants I scored for $15 – I wear them ALL THE TIME, and my beloved Kosmotology lotion bar – like the olive oil soap, it has rescued my rosacea-ridden face from destruction
Under $100? A few things: my UNNOWN leather sneakers – I have never felt more like myself in those shoes and they are dang comfy
Under $500? My classical guitar bought from a small family factory in Spain
Over $500? Our virtual reality headset – I don’t play it as much as I like but it’s freakishly fun and it’s a great cardio workout
Under $10?
Method Moisturizing Body Wash in Surfside
Under $50?
Sephora Favorites Sun Safety Kit — I get one every year,
Under $100?
Nike Flex RN–also get new ones every year
Under $500?
I got 2 sets of sateen sheets from Brooklinen–sooo comfy.
Over $500?
Our old house, and the new one.
Would love to know where you got your linen duvet. I’ve been in the market for a while. Thanks.
Under $10? At this time, it’s probably my levain starter made with small amounts of organic flours and filtered water. I never fail to be amazed at the bread I can make with it. And that’s odd because folks didn’t go to Kroger to buy yeast 100 years ago:) But I dig that I can ‘capture’ and harness yeast!
Under $50? My Frye Campus Boots thrifted about 15 years ago and I still wear them all year round. I had them resoled a few years ago and that was far more costly then the cost of the boots.
Under $100? The meal my husband and I had during a recent local ‘restaurant week’.
Under $500? I think it might be my washing machine. While I’m sure the parts are from many different places globally it uses very little water and washes like a dream. We bought it used from Craigslist.
Over $500? Bikes and travel
So, except for the boots and bikes none of my choices are clothing either. How interesting! Thanks Grechen and enjoy your vacation!
Under 10? Pictures I printed of my kids that I put up on my classroom wall.
Under 50? Lands End canvas tote. I have a large one I use to bring my purse, laptop, lunch, etc. to work everyday.
Under $100? Allbirds runners. The most comfortable shoes I have ever worn, by a long shot.
Under $500? A used DSLR for portraits of my kids.
Over $500? Airfare to Paris.
10 — my first pair of Levi’s 501s (thrifted), because they reassured me that there are in fact jeans in the world that fit me well.
50 — Um, like, everything? Right now, it would be the complete Thomas the Tank Engine storybook I just bought for my three year old. He likes the original stories even better than the video version, which makes me so happy and proud.
100 — All Clad 4 qt chef’s pan. bought it at an outlet sale. use it almost every day I’m at home.
500 — our TarpTent — big enough for two adults, a kid, and a dog, and weighs only 40 oz. My backpack and backpacking quilt would be runners up in this category, but those need to be replaced soon, to accommodate changes in family, locale, and backpacking goals for the next 5-10 years. The tent will be around for a while yet.
500+ — my bike. secondhand Surly Crosscheck. Don’t ride as much or as far as I used to, but I still love my bike.
Grechen — doesn’t the Coyuchi robe count as clothing? (I lived in mine while I was pregnant.)
A shout out to a fellow Crosscheck owner. I’ve got mine kitted out as a single speed and it is the oldest bike I own having ridden it for thousands and thousands of miles! They’re awesome and I always feel a connection with other Surly owners…
Under $10?
The three-pack of moisturizers that Trader Joe’s sells around the holidays. I’m pretty sure they are re-labeled L’Occitane. Whatever they are, I stock up and use them year-round, year after year. Please don’t discontinue them, TJs!
Under $50?
The camping fees for our annual trip to Los Olivos.
Under $100?
My Global chef’s knife. Just holding it makes me happy.
Under $500?
Lunch for two at Azurmendi in Bilbao, Spain. It was our first wedding anniversary and it was the most magical meal I have ever had.
Over $500?
Our murphy bed. We got it on craigslist for ridiculously cheap ($800 including delivery and set-up) and it changed our lives. Highly recommended for anyone who living in an apartment, especially a 1 bedroom or studio.
Under $10 – Primal Life Organics tooth powder. It’s amazing and yes I could make my own but my teeth are in great shape and it’s more efficient to buy theirs.
Under $50 – my vintage Coach Purses (each). Have 3 styles in 2 colors. That’s my purse capsule. Everyday. Fancy event. Casusal events.
Under $100 – de Mamiel season serum. I buy from a store in London each season. Price is just under $100 in UK.
Under $500 – rag and bone walker boots. Wear 3+ times a week. Goes w everything. I wore to
A black tie event in January as my heels would have been too cold. I wore w beat up jeans and a black linen tee. THEY GO W EVERYTHING.
Over $500 – My husband buys my jewelry or I’d say that. But Crossroads concert tickets. 2013. Madison Square Garden. Eric Clapton and 25 other amazing artists. Two nights. Mind blown.
Thank you for providing this procrastinator-friendly questionaire!
Under $10 – Teva-like sandals I bought on a white water rafting trip in Bali for $9 US and have worn in Costa Rica, Cape Cod, and everywhere in between.
Under $50 – My ankle rain boots that were on clearance at Anthropologie for $30. Bought them two years ago, I wear them weekly.
Under $100 – My Everlane modern zip backpack. Couldn’t have gotten through grad school without it.
Under $500 – Tickets to see Alan Cumming in the last week of the most recent revival of Cabaret.
Over $500 – A Greek isles cruise through a student travel agency taken a lifetime ago, I think it was $750 for the week (not including flights of course). It was the dinkiest boat, didn’t even have a pool but I went with my bestie and we had SUCH. A. TIME. Sigh.