# Your most useful purchase.



## ali (11 May 2011)

Yesterday I pulled out a little 2 step ladder that I bought for my first house a hundred years ago. I use it so regularly that it made me think it has paid for itself a million times over. 

I bought a new really sharp kitchen knife last month and every time I use it now I wonder how I ever managed without it.

Anyone?


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## csirl (11 May 2011)

Mini travel iron - small enough to fit in a pocket. Have it for c.10 years. You'd be surprised how many hotels dont have an iron in each room and going to a meeting with a creased shirt does not give the right impression.


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## michaelm (11 May 2011)

A cordless screwdriver that someone gave me and a bottle opener that's shaped like a key come in quite handy, but i didn't purchase either.  Maybe Colm Rapple's 'Family Finance 2002' was the best thing I ever bought (probably could have got that in the Library).  I don't buy/have much stuff, however, I'm in the middle of moving house and am living out of bags currently; this has given me a renewed appreciation of just how little stuff I actually need.


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## Firefly (11 May 2011)

Our mattress (not for that  ) but just for the comfort. Bought it a few years ago and spent a lot on it (1,500 I think). Out-does the beds in most "good" hotels we've stayed in. Worth every penny.


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## micmclo (11 May 2011)

My little 50cc scooter 
Yes, scooters are pretty uncool and I look like a teenager on it
And the bikers won't nod at me ,   They shun scooters

But I can skip down the shops or work or anywhere in no time.
No buses, luas, Dart or cycling anymore

Worth very little, around €300 and it's scratched to bits.
But I love it and will never sell it!


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## horusd (11 May 2011)

My coffee maker. It's on the go a lot, ( I know too much coffee), but I would curl up and die if there wasn't coffee and my trusty little coffee-maker. Also, as a gardener I have a little handheld thingie that is like a mix between a fork, a small shovel and a hoe,from Lidl or Aldi and cost about a fiver. It and my secateurs go everywhere with me in the garden.


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## JP1234 (11 May 2011)

My V shaped pillow, put my head in the bend of it and wrap the rest of it round me, so comfortable!

My husband has a garage full of most useful things........can never find what we are looking for when we need it though!


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## Purple (11 May 2011)

csirl said:


> Mini travel iron - small enough to fit in a pocket. Have it for c.10 years. You'd be surprised how many hotels dont have an iron in each room and going to a meeting with a creased shirt does not give the right impression.



+1 on that. It also means that I can usually get away with cabin baggage when travelling which saves so much hassle.


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## Vanilla (11 May 2011)

Every coffee machine I have ever bought, and there have been a succession of them. For my husband it has to be his IPod ( touch,32 gig, blah blah) which rarely leaves his hand. Ooh, also my babyliss 'big hair' thingy which actually gives a blowdry like the hairdressers do, only better.


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## Purple (11 May 2011)

If we are including things we got for free I'd have to say that my wife makes it into my top ten.


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## Guest105 (11 May 2011)

Joining AAM, I have saved a fortune form heeding all of the advice and information contained here. I don't know how I managed without it


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## truthseeker (11 May 2011)

My camping chairs. I never go camping. I use them when we have visitors or when we want to sit outside. They cost around 7 euro each in Dunnes a few years back. I have 2 of them, theyre black, but I saw some bright blue ones this year that got me interested! My husband pulled me away from them.


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## gipimann (11 May 2011)

Terribly "girly" I know, but it's got to be my hair straightener - having grown up with thick wavy hair that never looked tidy, it's what I've been waiting for all my life!!

@micmclo - I'll nod at you if we ever pass on the road!


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## thedaras (11 May 2011)

My Babyliss big hair dryer..saved a fortune.

A"Becko" portable TV,which Ive had about 15 years,never a days trouble.

My "Wand", (most women will know what that is..nothing too exciting guys ,its a hair curler!)again saved a fortune..

My table easel..bought in lidls years ago,and still as sturdy as when I first bought it.

Cant get the V shaped pillow anywhere..seems to be permanently out of stock.


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## fobs (11 May 2011)

My ipad...love it. Have used it every day since getting it for my 40th birthday.
My magnetic book mark... Cheap as chips.
Also have a babyliss big hair styler which is very good.


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## Marion (12 May 2011)

http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/foolproof-egg-timer/

I bought in CrateandBarrell NY years ago. I remember picking it up and saying this has to be the best gadget ever. 

It is. I love boiled eggs and I also love hard-boiled eggs. 

It is available in lots of shops here now for much cheaper than the price in the link above.


Marion


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## Sue Ellen (12 May 2011)

gipimann said:


> Terribly "girly" I know, but it's got to be my hair straightener - having grown up with thick wavy hair that never looked tidy, it's what I've been waiting for all my life!!
> 
> @micmclo - I'll nod at you if we ever pass on the road!



GHD (hair straightener) - without a doubt.  The one thing on the desert island


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## salaried (12 May 2011)

The laptop I am using now. Two reasons I head to aam every night after work and have found solid advice on everyday issues and hope I have helped others along the way as well. Second reason I bought this laptop for my wife to encourage her to learn the basics which is something we did every weekend, That was two years ago and now she is teaching me.


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## Betsy Og (12 May 2011)

Love my caravan - holiday use one !! Brilliant family fun, kids adore it, paid for itself in hols already (wasnt that new or expensive).

At a more modest level - got a Lidl cooler box that you plug into car cigarette lighter, very handy yoke.


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## Bubbly Scot (12 May 2011)

The coffee machine we bought in South Africa for about ten pounds. It's better than any we've bought before or since.

The ipod my husband gave me years ago, since replaced by various iphones but I'll never forget the freedom of having my favourite music simply "there".

A fold up camping chair, take it anywhere and have a seat.

A clip board. Handy for everything from writing on the move to writing music in the garden.


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## Holtend82 (12 May 2011)

My Car !!!
Payed about €6000 for it 5 years ago and still goes like a dream!!
Laughs when going through the NCT and never breaks down


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## JP1234 (12 May 2011)

thedaras said:


> Cant get the V shaped pillow anywhere..seems to be permanently out of stock.




Have you tried Argos, I got one for my mother in law recently and when I did the online check at a couple of stores as we weren't sure where we would be stopping en route they all had them in stock. I think they were about €11.00.  I paid €15.00 for mine plus €5 for 2 pillow cases from a small local shop.


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## thedaras (12 May 2011)

Hi JP1234..thanks so much for that..
I have just reserved one.
Do you know if they are the same ones that Clearys sell? Thats were I saw them,but they were out of stock twice, I think they were 25e..
Cheers


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## JP1234 (12 May 2011)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

No idea if they are the same one that they have in Clearys but we got one from Argos for my MiL and it was absolutely fine. I bought hers up in Derry but I imagine they will be from the same place buying this side of the border.


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## horusd (12 May 2011)

Purple said:


> If we are including things we got for free I'd have to say that my wife makes it into my top ten.


 

Only in the top ten Purple.  I hope Mrs P. is  number one  if the ship of domestic bliss is to sail on calm waters!


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## Ceepee (12 May 2011)

My first house, bought in 1998.  2-up, 2-down, doubled its value in two years, and enabled us to trade up.  Oh, those heady days of property ladder-climbing.


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## Leper (12 May 2011)

My power washer - great satisfaction blasting everything in sight


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## Lex Foutish (12 May 2011)

Ceepee said:


> My first house, bought in 1998. 2-up, 2-down, doubled its value in two years, and enabled us to trade up. Oh, those heady days of property ladder-climbing.


 
Careful now, Ceepee. You don't want to be banned for discussing property values on AAM! 

My best purchase ever was my current putter. Always behaves perfectly when it's required to. Better than any wife, Purple!


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## Lex Foutish (12 May 2011)

Leper said:


> My power washer - great satisfaction blasting everything in sight


 
You sound like Marion in a Robocop outfit!!!!!!


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## One (12 May 2011)

A Waterford Stanley Erin solid fuel stove that has a back boiler.


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## DrMoriarty (12 May 2011)

My [broken link removed], never leave home without it.


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## micmclo (12 May 2011)

My George Foreman 

Brilliant device

It's kinda entering the English language, people don't call it a grill, just a George Foreman


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## horusd (13 May 2011)

DrMoriarty said:


> My [broken link removed], never leave home without it.


 
Lol, Brilliant Doc.


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## Firefly (13 May 2011)

Lex Foutish said:


> My best purchase ever was my current putter. Always behaves perfectly when it's required to.



The Holy Grail...my putter literally had a mind of it's own. So did my last two come to think of it  . I play golf left handed and things got so bad a few months ago I started practicing with a righthanded putter. (wasn't too bad either relatively speaking). So I spend about a month and a half practicing and glad to report that the putting is sorted and I've knocked 2.5 off my handicap. Anyway...back to the thread...my most recent purchase was a Golf Buddy Platinum...a golf GPS device for 400 euro. It's savage and I'm a happy bunny for now.


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## Pique318 (13 May 2011)

Pah, you materialistic so-and-so's.
(Purple escapes due to his romantic nature)


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## Vanilla (13 May 2011)

Pique318 said:


> Pah, you materialistic so-and-so's.
> (Purple escapes due to his romantic nature)


 
I'm not taking this grievous insult lying down- read the darned title- it's a thread about our most useful *purchases.*

How anyone could think referring to their spouse in the context of this thread is romantic is astonishing.


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## micmclo (13 May 2011)

Firefly said:


> Anyway...back to the thread...my most recent purchase was a Golf Buddy Platinum...a golf GPS device for 400 euro. It's savage and I'm a happy bunny for now.



Are those actually legal? I know rules are taken very seriously in golf.
Is estimating the distance not part of the game? Could you use your GPS in a competition?

Just wondering, golf can be old fashioned about these things


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## TarfHead (13 May 2011)

I bought a Packard Bell DivX player for about €40.00 about 4 years ago. It was the first device I had that allowed me watch downloaded movies & TV through the TV.

For the money spent, along with the content 'acquired' , it has enabled of hundreds of hours of entertainment.

As a hard drive it's embarrassingly slow and the 'bubble' RC is fiddlyt, but I stil use it, despite the proliferation of better, smaller & faster devices.


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## nai (13 May 2011)

micmclo said:


> My little 50cc scooter
> Yes, scooters are pretty uncool and I look like a teenager on it
> And the bikers won't nod at me ,   They shun scooters
> 
> ...




i nod at scooters .... just maybe not at the tracksuit/white runner people on their souped up noisy 50cc mopeds - hope you're not one of those 

My motorbike has to be my best investment - has returned at least 2 hours a day to my private time for the past 7 years, has allowed me to work anywhere around dublin without worrying how to get there and how long it will take. Longest commute time ever was 35 minutes and that was swords to blackrock for 2.5 years. current commute is 20km and it takes 18 minutes, 20 on a really busy day ! park anywhere for free ..... the list goes on.


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## Purple (13 May 2011)

Lex Foutish said:


> My best purchase ever was my current putter. Always behaves perfectly when it's required to. Better than any wife, Purple!



Yea, ye see I don't play golf. But if I did...


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## Oscaresque (13 May 2011)

Holtend82 said:


> My Car !!!
> Payed about €6000 for it 5 years ago and still goes like a dream!!
> Laughs when going through the NCT and never breaks down



Me too, only ours was €2000 6 years ago from a family member who did us a favour on the price. Probably doesn't have long left in her (approaching her 13th birthday) but when she goes she'll owe us nothin'.


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## Lex Foutish (14 May 2011)

Firefly said:


> The Holy Grail...my putter literally had a mind of it's own. So did my last two come to think of it  . I play golf left handed and things got so bad a few months ago I started practicing with a righthanded putter. (wasn't too bad either relatively speaking). So I spend about a month and a half practicing and glad to report that the putting is sorted and I've knocked 2.5 off my handicap. *Anyway...back to the thread...my most recent purchase was a Golf Buddy Platinum...a golf GPS device for 400 euro. It's savage and I'm a happy bunny for now*.


 


micmclo said:


> *Are those actually legal? I know rules are taken very seriously in golf.*
> *Is estimating the distance not part of the game? Could you use your GPS in a competition?*
> 
> Just wondering, golf can be old fashioned about these things


 
I think they're legal in most clubs now but have to be cleared by a local rule, passed by the committee. Open to correction on that........

You could argue, Micmlco, that they give you a yardage, like a 150 or 200 yard marker does, which would be like having a marker at every single yard of distance from the hole.


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## Lex Foutish (14 May 2011)

Purple said:


> Yea, ye see I don't play golf. *But if I did...*


 
I would love to see you use your wife as a putter...... 

Then again, maybe she's this kind of woman.


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## Firefly (16 May 2011)

Lex Foutish said:


> I think they're legal in most clubs now but have to be cleared by a local rule, passed by the committee. Open to correction on that........



Spot on. Yardage-only devices qualify and local rule required...if the device can be used to measure wind/gradients in a GUI competition/shield etc it's disqualification. I was putting off buying one but I must say it's handy if you're in the wrong fairway!


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## Complainer (18 May 2011)

Probably the then top-of-the-range Dawes Super Galaxy bike that I bought with my first emergency tax refund in 1982. It lasted me for over 25 years, around all parts of the east coast, with occasional trips further, like the Maracycle. I was really miffed to have to sell it off a few years back, but I really needed an MTB to allow me to avoid traffic by choosing a grassy route.


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