• Converting $20 to local currency, I’d probably go with this:

    This is so-called “Liubao Tea”, a kissing cousin to pu’er tea. I did a review of my first batch(es) and it has rapidly (literally with one round of brews) reached the top of my circulation in teas.

    The depicted tea is one aged from 1991 (the one I reviewed was tea stems from 2003) and is of one of the higher grades. A 100g package will set you back about $15 or so at today’s exchange rate. 100g is about 15-20 servings, and each serving can be brewed multiple times (even my tea stems can be brewed four times without loss of flavour), so it’s quite the bargain.

    Save it for a time when you really need something warm, rich, and comforting. It will last forever as long as you store it in a cool, dry, dark space. And personally I think it’s a bargain at 15 bucks.

  • @[email protected]
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    2110 hours ago

    A 10-foot USB cable. Most people use whatever’s packed in with their electronics, and it’s pretty rare to get anything longer than 6 feet. Having the extra length is really nice in many situations.

    It’s also one of my go-to inexpensive gifts or part of a care package for someone in the hospital. The extra length there is often the difference between being able to use a device while it’s charging or not.

    • The Octonaut
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      98 hours ago

      They’re rare because 10 feet is too long for a reliable USB data transmission. But yes good for charging.

      • folkrav
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        11 hour ago

        Eh, I have audio interfaces and MIDI controllers on 10ft cables cause shorter just don’t reach my PC, works perfectly fine. Longer than that is a gamble but as far as I know 10ft is the upper bound of the USB 3.0 spec, so should be totally fine unless you have especially shitty cables.

  • @[email protected]
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    79 hours ago

    Fluffy stuffed animal. If I didn’t have a couple stuffed kitties to hug I probably would have killed myself already. Nice to have something to pretend loves you

  • @r0ertel
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    69 hours ago

    The Lady we got ours from isn’t showing up at the farmer’s marker anymore, but for well under $20, you can make your own corn pillow

    This winter’s been bad for deep freezes and 4 minutes in the microwave will keep my corn pillow hot for an hour or more.

    • @friend_of_satan
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      29 seconds ago

      Some Warmies are under $20 too. My son freaked out when I started to put his cute new kitty in the microwave haha

    • themeatbridge
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      1013 hours ago

      I wouldn’t even consider that a luxury item. In cold climates, warm socks are required.

    • @grue
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      28 hours ago

      I’ve got a Gerber Dime pliers-based mini multitool on my keychain instead.

    • @shalafi
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      19 hours ago

      Swiss Army Classic for those shopping. eBay has tons, take you time, hundreds of cool designs.

      Cool trick: search “TSA lot” and you can get knives by the pound. I got 50 one time, fixed, polished, sharpen, etc., gave them away for Christmas at the office.

      • @[email protected]
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        18 hours ago

        SD mini is 20 usd I think brand new as well. It is so small you don’t even notice it on your keys. Everyone should have one. I buy them as gifts for people when I don’t know what to get and the amount of thanks I get down the line is wild

        This probably sounds autistic but I have super long hair and I’ve managed to grow it longer than ever before because when I see an obvious split end I just hit it with the mini scissors

  • @[email protected]
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    1512 hours ago

    A beard trimmer. Shaving sucks and irritates my skin, plus I look like a baby without facial hair. But that’s only one benefit.

    I have been using a beard trimmer to cut my own hair for the last 10 years which has saved me probably $2000 worth of haircuts (estimating a $25 haircut + tip every 2 months). Not to mention saving about 1 hour waiting at the barber every time. I only messed up once and had to do a buzz cut.

    • @[email protected]
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      712 hours ago

      So you just buzz cut your entire hair essentially? I did that once and looked like a serial rapist

      • @grue
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        28 hours ago

        Don’t get a beard trimmer and also use it on your hair; get a hair trimmer and also use it on your beard. Specifically, get the kind that comes with an assortment of combs up to 1" (and then maybe even buy the 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" combs that are sold separately, too).

      • doc
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        611 hours ago

        Only of you do it wrong, or you want to look like a serial rapist.

        If you have a simple cut/style all it takes is a little practice to DIY.

      • Higgs boson
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        310 hours ago

        It only takes a few minutes of YouTube videos before you can do a passable men’s haircut.

        I cut my own hair during the pandemic and never went back to paying for it.

      • @[email protected]
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        9 hours ago

        So you just buzz cut your entire hair essentially? I did that once and looked like a serial rapist

        Buzz cut was only once because I messed up. Usually I do a trim, short on the sides and back and longer on top. It’s easier than it sounds - I just use a smaller mirror along with the bathroom mirror to see the back.

    • bacon_saber
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      311 hours ago

      I’m sure it’s preferable to looking like a baby with facial hair

  • @[email protected]
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    1012 hours ago

    Not luxury, but I keep a small AAA flashlight with me nearly all the time.

    Easier to handle and faster to use than a phone light. Also doesn’t use phone battery. I clip it on my hat if I need both hands like taking out the trash.

    I have an Olight i3T but I would try out the i3T 2. More lumens and better battery efficency.

      • @friend_of_satan
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        12 hours ago

        This is a less-than-20 usb-c rechargeable light. Not AAA, but honestly I’d take this over AAA. I got this one at Home Depot.

    • @shalafi
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      29 hours ago

      Few dollars over OP’s request, but an Olight Oclip is straight awesome for a multipurpose light. Simple UI, super lightweight, long lasting, quick charging (USB-C), magnetic or clip-on, extra LED for red light.

      I clip mine to the cross piece on my hiking pack to illuminate the trail. I’ve also used the red blinky light so my wife can be certain where I am, nobody think I’m a deer and shoots at me, and so 4-wheelers can spot me.

  • @[email protected]
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    510 hours ago

    Freshly roasted coffee beans. A bag sets me back maybe $13 or so and gets me approximately 10 cups. Not what I would call outrageously expensive but I enjoy it a whole lot

    • @Krudler
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      26 hours ago

      May I share with you that I roast a lot of things and it’s mind-blowingly easy, it saves a lot of money, and it’s a lot better than buying roasted from the store!

      I used to use my oven, but it’s literally as simple as raw almonds 325 in the air cooker for 15 minutes sometimes. Depends on the ingredients, I’ve never done coffee but I think I’m going to do that this afternoon!!!

      • @[email protected]
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        24 hours ago

        Unfortunately, I believe coffee might be a different beast. I’m not sure you will be able to achieve desirable results with that type of equipment.

        In fact, James Hoffmann recently made a video on whether it’s possible to roast coffee beans in an airfryer recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyLXmbTnJIY (tl;dw: not if you want good coffee)

  • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed
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    1713 hours ago

    If you use your phone a lot (or if your battery is old and you haven’t replaced it), a power bank is very useful.

    A reputable powerbank (such as those from Anker) cost just under $20 USD for 10,000 MAH