16 Things You Can Buy For Under $100 That Can Change Your Life
When facing life’s questions, who do you turn to for advice? For me, I turn to experts. In the past year, I had the opportunity to ask over 100 brilliant people 11 questions as I put together for my most recent book Tribe of Mentors. One of my favorite questions I sent to each was: What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
Their responses were immediately actionable, which is one thing I look for when compiling the mix of questions included in the book. Here are 16 of my favorites and a little about who recommended each:
1) The Five-Minute Journal and a Spiralizer
“The Five-Minute Journal gives focus to each day. I got it at Urban Outfitters. And maybe the Spiralizer, too. It makes salad so much more fun and interesting to eat.”
— Anníe Mist Þórisdóttir. Professional CrossFit Athlete.
2) Tile Mate Key Finder
“Tile Mate key finder on Amazon. It’s given me hours of my life back that were previously spent dashing around the house, looking for my keys. Works great with pets, too!”
— Neil Strauss. Eight-time New York Times best-selling author.
3) SleepPhones
“SleepPhones. It’s a headband that goes over your eyes and ears and that has in-side two ultraflat earphones so you can listen to books as you fall asleep.”
— Matt Ridley, author of multiple books, including The Rational Optimist.
4) Bucky Neck Pillow
“My Bucky neck pillow. I travel all the time, and I don’t get much rest on the road, so it’s important for me to be able to sleep when I can.”
— Stephanie McMahon. Chief Brand officer of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE).
5) Philips Wake-Up Light
“Without a doubt, I would say my dawn simulator [Philips Wake-Up Light]. It is an alarm clock that wakes you up with light instead of sound. Because of this change, you feel as if you are waking up on your own and aren’t groggy.”
— Mathew Fraser. Professional CrossFit athlete.
6) Winco TN719 Spatula
“It’s amazing what the right tool can do to your breakfast.”
— Darren Aronofsky. Award-winning filmmaker behind cult classic films such as Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Wrestler.
7) The FriXion by Pilot Pen
“I’m a bit of a pen geek. I recently found an erasable pen — the FriXion by Pilot in blue. It writes so smoothly, and being able to erase it gives me a sense of power and delight. I often use the pen with a “smart” notebook (like the Rocketbook Everlast smart notebook) that can be reused.”
— Laura R. Walker. President and CEO of New York Public Radio, the largest public radio station group in the nation.
8) Host Defense — MyCommunity Capsules, Multi Mushroom Support for Immune Response
“Paul Stamets’ Host Defense MyCommunity mushroom complex is the most incredible immunity supplement I have ever taken (and I have taken a lot of them!). No matter how much I travel, how many hands I shake, or how exhausted I am, I don’t get sick as long as I take the supplement diligently.”
— Samin Nosrat. Writer, Teacher, and Chef.
9) Hearos Xtreme Protection Earplugs
“Earplugs for sleeping. I’ve tried them all. Hearos Xtreme Protection NRR 33 work best and are the most comfortable. If you really want to go to extremes to also control light, Lonfrote Deep Molded Sleep Mask is the best for airplanes or anywhere else.”
— Andrew Ross Sorkin. Financial columnist for The New York Times.
10) 10-Foot iPhone Charger
“Easy. My ten-foot iPhone charger from Native Union and my Fierce lip balm from Tata Harper.”
— Dr. Brene Brown. Author of several books, including The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, and Braving the Wilderness.
11) Manduka PRO Black Yoga Mat
“I got a Manduka PRO black yoga mat for about $100 (on sale). It is such a heavy, luxurious mat that it encourages me to practice at home, which is frankly a miracle.”
— Leo Babuta. Founder of Zen Habits.
12) Deuserband Original Exercise Band
“A Deuserband Original has been an amazing discovery for me. Especially when I spend long sessions in a chair, it feels great to stretch my arms and back, and it improves your posture.”
— Fedor Holz. Professional Poker Player
13) Blinkist App
“Blinkist — an app that condenses nonfiction books into 15-minute reads.”
— Liv Boeree. Professional Poker Player
14) Butterfly Petr Korbel Table Tennis Racket
“My Butterfly Petr Korbel table tennis racket. Because when I bought it, I knew I was really committing to my training as a Ping-Pong player. I have always loved the game, always told myself I’d try to get good someday. Buying it said that day is now.”
— Brian Koppelman. Creator of Billions, co-writer of Rounders and Ocean’s Thirteen.
15) Electric Single Burner
“An electric single burner. I use the Aroma Housewares AHP-303/CHP-303 Single Hot Plate. It costs less than $20 and is great for keeping a cup of coffee (or three) hot!”
— Jon Call. “The Anabolic Acrobat.”
16) Large Weighted Blanket
“The large weighted blanket from Weighted Blankets Plus LLC. I am not an expert on the science of why it works, but the “deep touch pressure” helps the body release more serotonin. When I’m anxious, stressed, or can’t sleep, I use it and I instantly feel calmer.”
— Whitney Cummings. Comedian, actor, writer, and producer.
BONUS: Want to Win Every Day?
If so, here are 5 things to do right after you roll out of bed. It’s a checklist that will help you win the morning — so you can win your day, and your life.
