Life-changing use of gift card?
January 30, 2017 8:42 PM Subscribe
I have a macy's gift card worth about $100. I could just use it for clothing, but I'd like to put it towards some item that would enhance my quality of living - an extra amazing hair dryer (upgrade from the cheap one I have now), a particularly fantastic set of sheets, etc. The kind of thing that makes an area of your life more enjoyable or easier to manage. Please give me your recommendations!
Great sheets, or bath towels.
posted by Miko at 8:51 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Miko at 8:51 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
A food processor, if you like to be in the kitchen
posted by Countess Elena at 8:54 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 8:54 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
I bought some really great bath sheets from Macy's recently.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 9:03 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Nimmie Amee at 9:03 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
I would buy a really nice cashmere/wool/blend wrap. I got one at Nordstrom for $100 about 11 years ago and I've used it 3 days/week ever since. It's the one entirely indispensable piece of my wardrobe.
posted by suelac at 9:06 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by suelac at 9:06 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
If you cook, a good knife or pot/pan.
posted by shoesietart at 9:06 PM on January 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by shoesietart at 9:06 PM on January 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
A great bra
posted by vunder at 9:07 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by vunder at 9:07 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Towels. Large extra fluffy towels. Or a nice plush robe.
posted by littlesq at 9:12 PM on January 30, 2017
posted by littlesq at 9:12 PM on January 30, 2017
Do they have a Breville Smart Oven? My entire family loves that thing like it's an actual family member and we use it multiple times per day (it can toast, bake, broil, dehydrate, etc).
posted by julthumbscrew at 9:14 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by julthumbscrew at 9:14 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
I just upgraded my down comforter and got one of the Charter Club Vail ones from Macy's and I LOVE it. Charter Club also makes some nice robes.
posted by blackcatcuriouser at 9:14 PM on January 30, 2017
posted by blackcatcuriouser at 9:14 PM on January 30, 2017
Are you eating well? Macy's sells those modern pressure cookers (known as Instant Pots but that's only one brand name) that people swear by.
posted by furtive_jackanapes at 9:16 PM on January 30, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by furtive_jackanapes at 9:16 PM on January 30, 2017 [6 favorites]
If it were me I'd think about durable plates that look nice (I like Fiestaware but there are many others), a good frying pan (not non-stick), a good pot, or a nice chef's knife. Any of these things, if maintained, might last you a lifetime of daily use.
Cheep versions of these things work but tend to fall apart after a few years.
I'd recommend a good winter coat or a sturdy pair of boots but those will be significantly more than $100.
posted by DrumsIntheDeep at 9:22 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Cheep versions of these things work but tend to fall apart after a few years.
I'd recommend a good winter coat or a sturdy pair of boots but those will be significantly more than $100.
posted by DrumsIntheDeep at 9:22 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'd match that $100 and get a North Face coat for next winter. 25% off right now!
I have *never* seen them on sale with more than 10% off. If that even happened, it might have been a dream.
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:33 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
I have *never* seen them on sale with more than 10% off. If that even happened, it might have been a dream.
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:33 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
How about a Sonicare?
posted by kickingtheground at 9:36 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by kickingtheground at 9:36 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
hello i have cleverly arrived before jessamyn to recommend a heated mattress pad
they are glorious, i use mine year round
posted by poffin boffin at 10:25 PM on January 30, 2017 [9 favorites]
they are glorious, i use mine year round
posted by poffin boffin at 10:25 PM on January 30, 2017 [9 favorites]
Do not get an expensive hair dryer. I made the mistake of buying one of those "professional" hair dryers that cost 5x the cheap one I was using before. I hated it -- it was very heavy and made my arm hurt to use, the settings were not useful (either hot or too cold), the fan was so strong it tangled my hair, etc. I went back to a cheap Conair and it is SO MUCH BETTER in every way. Hair dryers are one area in which spending more money is counterproductive.
posted by Mallenroh at 11:50 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Mallenroh at 11:50 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Put it on a quality pillow!
posted by mountainblue at 4:13 AM on January 31, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by mountainblue at 4:13 AM on January 31, 2017 [1 favorite]
Macy's has Fiestaware (and often on sale). Fiestaware has been around forever and will probably be around for years to come, so it will always be easy to replace a broken dish. It helps if you like the mix-and-match look, of course.
I also like Macy's for makeup and handbags, if that's your jam. And good sheets and towels are always nice to have.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:21 AM on January 31, 2017
I also like Macy's for makeup and handbags, if that's your jam. And good sheets and towels are always nice to have.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:21 AM on January 31, 2017
If you live in a cold climate I highly recommend using that money to get a mattress warmer or an electric blanket. You can get ones that you put straight on your mattress and then put the fitted sheet overtop of it. You turn it on for a bit before you go to bed so that when you crawl in bed it is womb warm. WOMB. Stress doesn't exist in the womb bed. Unhappiness doesn't exist in the womb bed. Sore muscles don't exist in the womb bed. You seriously have no idea.
Mattress warmer.
[mic drop]
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 6:00 AM on January 31, 2017 [8 favorites]
Mattress warmer.
[mic drop]
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 6:00 AM on January 31, 2017 [8 favorites]
I always cheap out on jeans cause i can't wear them for work, but I do wear them every weekend so I would try on every pair of jeans until i found the perfect ones and put the 100$ towards that.
posted by WeekendJen at 6:28 AM on January 31, 2017
posted by WeekendJen at 6:28 AM on January 31, 2017
Recently on AskMeFI: Which moderately expensive thing has most radically improved your life? (That question specified a $1000 budget, but many of the responses were for items under $100.)
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 6:43 AM on January 31, 2017
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 6:43 AM on January 31, 2017
we registered for expensive towels from macy's when we got married 5 years ago. they fell apart within a year or two and we're still using the $10 target towels we thought we were replacing at the time.
posted by noloveforned at 8:57 AM on January 31, 2017
posted by noloveforned at 8:57 AM on January 31, 2017
By the way, I could recommend the world's best sheets & towels, but Macy's doesn't carry them, so check with me when you're ready to spend the bucks. Also, as a long time heated mattress pad user, I agree very much that it's like going back to the womb, but bear in mind that even the most expensive one will eventually devolve into the feeling of sleeping on wires. I have a pillow top mattress and I felt that the benefits of the womb were outweighed by the feeling of wires. I got a plain mattress pad and have been using my old hot water bottle while I debate the idea of an electic blanket.
posted by janey47 at 10:43 AM on January 31, 2017
posted by janey47 at 10:43 AM on January 31, 2017
I'd get a Sunbeam Premium Mattress pad (although they are curiously more expensive at Macy's and Amazon than Costco and sunbeam.com). It's heavenly.
posted by radioamy at 11:26 AM on January 31, 2017
posted by radioamy at 11:26 AM on January 31, 2017
Do you cook? A really good quality knife makes cooking better. Do you drink tea? People swear by instant-ish electric tea kettles; I want one when I have disposable income again.
posted by theora55 at 12:29 PM on January 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 12:29 PM on January 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
We've had our mattress warming pad for about 4-5 years and it has delivered nothing but bliss. I can't think of a better $100 that I've ever spent.
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:18 PM on January 31, 2017
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:18 PM on January 31, 2017
The thickest memory foam pad for your bed that you can find. Oh my god - my $90AUD mattress pad was the best thing ever! I sleep so much better and my joints and muscles thank me every day.
posted by ninazer0 at 1:51 PM on January 31, 2017
posted by ninazer0 at 1:51 PM on January 31, 2017
I'm here to say heated mattress pad, too, BUT -- mine heats separately across three zones:
1. Head/shoulders
2. Torso/upper legs
3. Calves/feet
It's DA BOMB!!!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 2:46 PM on January 31, 2017
1. Head/shoulders
2. Torso/upper legs
3. Calves/feet
It's DA BOMB!!!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 2:46 PM on January 31, 2017
I have a pillow top mattress and I felt that the benefits of the womb were outweighed by the feeling of wires.
i put a regular mattress pad between my heated one and my fitted sheet and i have never once felt a wire aside from the big ones that connect to the heat setting dial which i sometimes drag into bed with me in my sleep in a quest for MOAR WARMS
posted by poffin boffin at 3:10 PM on January 31, 2017
i put a regular mattress pad between my heated one and my fitted sheet and i have never once felt a wire aside from the big ones that connect to the heat setting dial which i sometimes drag into bed with me in my sleep in a quest for MOAR WARMS
posted by poffin boffin at 3:10 PM on January 31, 2017
An Instant Pot which gives you rice cooker/slow cooker/pressure cooker capabilities or Nutri Ninja System which gives you blender/food processing/single high blend/ crushing/dough mixing capabilities.
I've had both a heated mattress pad and a heated blanket and prefer the blanket, I just like to snuggle into something and can tuck it under if needed....
posted by IpsoFacto at 3:50 PM on January 31, 2017
I've had both a heated mattress pad and a heated blanket and prefer the blanket, I just like to snuggle into something and can tuck it under if needed....
posted by IpsoFacto at 3:50 PM on January 31, 2017
Agree that a quality knife is game-changing in the kitchen. We have Wustoff Classic knives. The 8" cook's/chef's knife is $129 at Macy's (it's cheaper at other places like C&B, but obviously you don't have a gift card there!
I also love my electric tea kettle!
(FWIW, I am a big fan of expensive hair dryers, but not ones they sell at Macy's. In the $100 range I'd get CHI. It's fairly light and quiet, and makes your hair feel softer than a regular dryer. I recently upgraded to a Dyson which is amazing--it dry's my hair so fast--but it is absurdly expensive and only sold at places like Sephora.)
posted by radioamy at 5:45 PM on January 31, 2017
I also love my electric tea kettle!
(FWIW, I am a big fan of expensive hair dryers, but not ones they sell at Macy's. In the $100 range I'd get CHI. It's fairly light and quiet, and makes your hair feel softer than a regular dryer. I recently upgraded to a Dyson which is amazing--it dry's my hair so fast--but it is absurdly expensive and only sold at places like Sephora.)
posted by radioamy at 5:45 PM on January 31, 2017
A booze decanter.
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:22 PM on January 31, 2017
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:22 PM on January 31, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Toddles at 8:49 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]