I wanted to reflect on my purchases in 2020 and properly analyse which purchases have really impacted me in a positive way, and which purchases have been unnecessary. And hence, this post.
Best Purchases in 2020
(in no particular order)
1) Kenwood Chef XL KVL4100S Stand Mixer
See how tot and tight the dough produced by the stand mixer is! |
I can easily make bread at home, even on weekdays as most time is passive! I'll just leave it on and do my work at a side and tend to it the dough is almost ready. The only downside of owning this machine is that I am using the oven really frequent now and my electricity bill has since skyrocketed...oopsie. But honestly, I felt much more confident trying out new recipes after I've acquired this stand mixer :) This stand mixer is like the fuel to my already burning bright hobby of baking :p
2) IKEA Flintan Chair with Armrest
Price: RM289
With the prolonged remote working arrangement now, having a proper chair has been more crucial than ever. I used a simple plastic chair from IKEA that costs probably around RM30 ss my work chair. It works fine, BUT, I realised that it wasn't ideal for working long hours after two weeks into the WFH situation and decided to invest in a proper chair. I opted for the Flintan after much research, because it seems to be the most affordable chair that provide ergonomic support.
However, as I tend to slouch (unconsciously)...I still do get neck and/or backaches. But it's a lot better compared to when I didn't even use a proper ergonomic chair, as the structure of the chair forces me to somewhat sit properly. Not 100% properly, but at least better than before.
3) Foldable bamboo lap desk
Price: RM48.88
I have always wanted to buy one of these lap desk because I'm a lazy bump that enjoys using the laptop on her bed. I bought this the moment CMCO 2.0 was announced in October, knowing that we will be spending more time indoors, I thought why not try out one of these.
In the end, I barely used it on the bed because....one day my laptop slid and fell off the bed while using this. Ouch.
(Laptop is doing well so far. Hope it stays okay. Yes I know I am careless human being)
Despite so. This has been one of the best purchases I've made last year because:
1) It helps me ensure that my eyes are 180 to the screen. I now use it to level my laptop screen and my eyes on my desk.
2) I've never used my laptop on the bed since (after a painful lesson huhu)
4) Cast Iron Skillet
Price: RM55I love that I can dump the cast iron skillet straight from the stovetop to the oven.
Dak-Galbi on my cast iron (: |
5) Getting my hair dyed professionally at Kimarie SS2 hair saloon
Price: RM259I was surprised by the fact that I opted to go to a saloon, to be honest. If you know me I'm one of the biggest cheapskate when it comes to these kind of spending. I am the type of people who believe that it's much more worth it to buy a box of dye for about RM30-50 and DIY at home! Why would I pay like ten folds more when I can do it for cheap myself!
But somehow. Somehow. Not sure how and why. But when I saw a targetted advert on my Facebook account by Kimmarie SS2, offering a cut & wash + dye + hair colour lock treatment service for RM199 (extra RM50 surcharge for hair length that exceeds shoulder), I decided to give it a go.
Good job, Facebook ad algorithm. Because I think that was one of the best decision I've ever made. LOL.
~SyOk sEnDiRi zone~
but hey! this little makeover made me feel good and confident about myself :) It wasn't a drastic change but I liked the change it brought to me :)My hairdresser was Chong Iu, he was really patient in explaining the types of hair colour that would look good and last longer with my hair colour, which was pretty jet black at that time. He recommended me to either go for Copper Black, which has a nice brown shade BUT is higher in maintenance as the colour tend to fade to a dirty brown colour, or ash brown, which would go lighter as time passes and is deemed more 'low maintenance'. I decided to go for the latter.
It's been six months since I dyed my hair and the colour is holding itself strong. I still like how it looks till date, even though my black hair has since grown out. I quite like the change in the shade of colour from black to brown!6) New pillow from Akemi
I've had my old pillows for...god knows how many years. I've gotten myself a contour pillow from Akemi and I absolutely love it, been sleeping much better after the swap :) ! Pillows are an investment worth splurging on as it ensures a good night sleep!
And my little Aussie get to inherit my old pillow |
7) Reusable Face Mask from Aeon (A Mask Story)
Price: RM15
I love these masks from A Mask Story so much! Despite being 5-layers with filters built-in, I find them comfy and breathable :) They fit nicely and the straps are adjustable.
8) This RM10 dress I thrifted
9) Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic
10) These linen shorts
I WAS RATHER APPREHENSIVE WHEN I BOUGHT THESE. Because it seems too good to be true. Linene shorts??? RM9.84??? Whattt???? Reviews were also mixed, but I decided to give it a go since it's only RM9+
I bought four pairs at once just to qualify for free shipping. And my gosh these shorts the comfiest pair of shorts ever. I'm so glad I bought four of these in different colours. I wear them at home as my house wear, wear them to jogging, and sometimes I wear them out too.The only thing I don't really like about these pants are the pockets - they are made out of polyester which feels flimsy. But hey, they're not visible AND they cost less than RM10 each AND I wear them at least once a week which makes their average cost per wear super worth it.
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I'm trying to deduce if there are any patterns I can observe from my best buys of 2020, and it seems like cheap but good quality clothing is one of them x) Also, things I use every day (Flintan chair, bamboo foldable lap desk, pillow & face mask) and things that support my hobbies (cast iron skillet & stand mixer) are other trends I notice :)
Now let's move on to the worst purchases I've made for the year 2020.
Worst Purchases
Disclaimer: worst purchase doesn't mean that they're horrible items. It may be things that are great but just that I didn't really need it or it doesn't fit my lifestyle.
1) Suit from G2000
Price: RM200+
Don't get me wrong. G200's clothing is great. I love their styles and their fit is tailored more for petite Asian built body. It's not that the quality is bad, but I've only worn it once just because...we went into lockdown one month after my purchase. And hence, one of my worst purchase.
I was rushing to do a complete overhaul of my wardrobe last year, probably due to peer pressure and also I felt that my closet was too cikgu. I remember spending hundreds on new work clothes during the first two months into my new job.
From this experience, I learnt to not rush into buying clothes.
2) Cheap earphones
Price: RM10-20
Note: Cheap doesn't necessarily equate to bad. I know there are cheap earphones that are well-built and of good quality but somehow...I've been unlucky T_T
I bought a couple of pair of earphones for RM9.90 on Shopee and Lazada...and in just about 2-3 of them failed on me after a month or so of usage :( One of them got snagged on something when I was jogging and one side just stops functioning.
Perhaps the problem is in me, the end-user, for being rather careless. But I can't help but feel that I've just wasted money and resources when I had to change earphones every one month or so when they fail on me :/ Perhaps I should invest in one that is much more sturdy, shock-resistant one.
I am currently using earphones from Xiaomi (bought at RM39) and they've been serving me well for about 2 months. Please let it last long.
3) This blue off-the-shoulder top from Jin Hayari
Price: Somewhere between RM50-70
Sneezing in 3...2...1... |
In fact, I bought the skorts along with this top because you can get 50% off the second item you purchase. I bought the top feeling 50/50 about it.
I've only worn it once since my purchase in July 2020. Somehow I feel that it doesn't really resonate with my personal style and hence I am kinda regretting this purchase.
4) Kitchen Timer from Daiso
Price: RM5.60
It went bust less than one month after purchase :( Again, it might be just me. Because I've bought their kitchen timer before and that one lasted me for at least a year.
I also realised that I can't change the batteries for these? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't seem to remove the batteries from the battery slot.
I'd prefer to buy one that is sturdier, knowing how clumsy I am as a person. ANd preferably one which batteries I am able to replace to reduce wastage.
5) CHILIPULVER Plant watering sensor
Price: RM19.90
This is a neat product - this watering sensor starts flashing when your plant needs water - perfect for fussy plants.
The watering sensor is helpful for fussy plants like the calathea, they act out dramatically when you miss watering |
It is a good product, just that nowadays I learnt how to gauge whether or not my plants need watering. Or perhaps it's because I'm home much more often now so I can roughly tell whether my plants need watering.
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My Takeaway
1) Never rush into buying things
Unless they're essentials that you need (eg: food, medicines)
Do your research. Try to compare the different prices on different platform or shops.
Things typically will go on sale. Be wise when you want to make your purchase. If you know there's a sale coming up (eg: 9.9, 10.10), you might want to check out if the product will have any additional offers, or your card provider/bank might throw you some additional coupons/vouchers!
For example my stand mixer. I could have waited till 12.12, or Black Friday to steal some deals. I admit that was rather rash of me to rush into the purchase and I was feeling quite down about it for a while, which lead me to my next point
2) To not beat yourself up for "bad" purchases
It happens. No point beating yourself up. If you really regret it, check the refund policies (but please don't abuse it!) and see if you can make a refund.
This is why I am extremely careful with my clothes purchases, especially online.
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Definitely, I want to be more mindful when buying stuff. To properly think through whether I need that item, will I be using that item every day, would it bring vast improvement to my life.
Here's too more mindful shopping in the future!
Thanks for the sharing!!
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