tell me the last thing you bought for under $50 that radically improved your life.

@dratom @kevin true but the people here are less stupid and give better answers

@kevin a subscription to English @lemonde instead of the NYTimes.

@slacy @kevin autogenerated youtube videos of what?

@kevin @stefan
a double-wall mug

@kevin For less than $30, this fan from Dreo. I have no air conditioning in my home, and this tiny fan is extremely quiet and pushes just enough air on Low to make a real difference in my ability to sleep comfortably in Summer. Before getting it, I honestly never thought a fan could be this quiet and this effective.

@argonaut Oh interesting, just learning that this exists!

@kevin

@kevin For $25, a hardcover copy of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised. This book has opened up an entirely new perspective for me on parliamentary procedure in the American tradition. This past year, I was elected to representative public office and appointed to a seat on my town's Planning Commission, and this book has been absolutely life-changing.

Immersion blender*

*ours was a gift, but I assume it was under that price cap

@kevin
I like coffee, and I usually use either a simple Chemex pitcher or a stainless steel Bialetti moka pot, which were each under $50 when I got them, maybe a little more now.

@kevin To protect my copy of RONR while transporting it back and forth in my briefcase to public meetings, I use this leather book cover from TheAntiq, for less than $30:

@gogobonobo @kevin how is it possible? i thought nu-reddit made it impossible

@function @kevin …I have some Christmas money and this is an excellent idea.

@cultdev @kevin They just made the API cost money, which is why Narwhal has a monthly subscription now.

@cultdev @kevin my plan is cool animations of shortest path search algorithms, based on real maps. I'm actually almost ready to post the first video, I'll reply here when I do!

@kevin low tech low maintenance companion

@kevin tacos

@argonaut @kevin @stefan I’ve been using double walled tumblers for years since my parents got me a set as a gift. They are great and don’t “sweat”

@kevin I installed #ZorinOS (a Linux distribution) on an old desktop and now I can work with it and play with it, without looking up every 5 min "how to deactivate Copilot"

(It was actually free, not bought but I might buy the pro version at some point, once it has improved a bit on some aspects)

@kevin

When playing the long game? Probably, when I exchanged my toothbrush the last time.

@kevin @MCDuncanLab
$30 IKEA Alpstuga - Best value CO2 air quality sensor.

CO2 may affect cognitive performance. Lets you know if you should open windows, turn on fan, or walk outside (especially with bad air circulation at work). Stepping stone to deciding to buy air filter.

If you like it as a clock, it’s a no brainer.
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/alpstuga-air-quality-sensor-smart-70609396/