Usually people ask similar question for $100, but I wanted to change that to $300 for two reasons:<p>1. Inflation.<p>2. I was just gifted $300 for my birthday.<p>Feel free to share small things, but also don't shy away from sharing the big purchases. Thanks a ton in advance.
I’ve bought books, each for less than $300, that have changed my life. Can’t get a better bang for the buck than a good book.<p>I recently bought a used Microsoft Surface Pro 3 from ebay for around $200, and installed Debian Linux on it, with a special kernel for the Surface. It runs Linux really well, and is now my main computer. I hate Microsoft as much as any normal person, but this hardware is excellent. I can use it as a tablet (the touchscreen works well) or with a wireless keyboard. Having a keyboard detached from the computer is far better than any laptop, for ergonomics and flexibility.<p>It came with Windows 11 installed, and I even kept it on a small partition that I boot into sometimes for Zoom meetings, as Zoom doesn’t work well on Linux—and for testing websites.<p>The machine was in absolutely perfect condition. The only issue is that the battery life is pretty bad (couple of hours at most), but I don’t know whether that’s because the battery is in bad shape or because of Linux power management.
If you don't already have them: noise cancelling headphones. If you like earbuds, the AirPods Pro are great. For sitting at a desk, over-ear headphones are extremely comfortable and have enough battery life to go all day. You can get a refurbished pair of Bose QC35 II's for $259.
- Linen sheets - nice and cool in the summer, cozy in the winter, only get softer with each wash and I prefer the texture over cotton or silk.<p>- Bidet, seriously no idea how I lived without this for so long.<p>- Standing desk, ranges in price, standing obviously has its benefits but also just being adjustable so that your arms are in the correct spot while sitting is huge.<p>- A nice (big) enameled dutch oven, le creuset and staub are both good choices - more versatile than a cast iron pan, less maintenance, will last forever.<p>- Mobility, stretching and self massage tools: yoga mat + foam roller + lacrosse balls + theracane + resistance bands + some sort of routine (joe defranco and kelly starrett come to mind), spend the extra cash on a deep tissue massage and some yoga classes
An SDR radio.
I can now spend hours listening to HF radio and discovering more about signal processing in a funny way.
It feels like being connected and listening to another wireless transmissions world, no need for metaverse uh :-D
Books comes to mind:
some quick examples<p>- I learned to do my own electrical work, a-z from a book from Home Depot, just by reading it on my daily train commute .<p>- Learned to sail, and received required certification all from a book.<p>Books really do open your world up.
Making the assumption that you work at a desk all day, and ignoring the good recommendations of a solid pair of noise-cancelling headphones, I'd recommend an ergonomic mouse and a nice keyboard. Personally I'm really into Logitech MX Vertical and MX Keys, but MX Master 3 is also very nice to work with. Has resulted in issues with wrists and hands reducing a lot. Your mileage may vary, though.
Pineapple corer. Think I got one for $5 off aliexpress years ago. Didn't think it would work, but it's super easy to take a pineapple and get almost all the fruit out. Pineapple's are good winter fruits since they are shipped in from the tropics regardless.
Oculus Quest 2<p>Buttkicker (used from Amazon) and installed it to my chair with an amp. Now playing games and watching movies has an extra Oomph.<p>An Ender 3 3d Printer I got years ago and use it everyday (it's even paid for itself selling stuff on Ebay)
Soup maker<p>Put everything inside, hit play, it will heat, blend, and stop automatically<p>It is basically a pot with a timer you can use to cook/heat several things, and not worry about forgetting you left something cooking
Here are all of my favorite sub-$300 purchases:<p>- A Moccamaster<p>- A really nice electric kettle<p>- A set of Insta-crates from Costco<p>- A crokinole board.<p>- A nice set of power tools (Makita, Dewalt, or Milwaukee).<p>- A REALLY nice steak dinner.<p>- A used T450s