# Small Purchases that Make You Happy **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012 "2003-08-09T12:36:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/21 "2003-08-10T02:13:21Z")
1. A new book or magazine. 2. A new bottle of shampoo. 3. A new skincare product. 4. Goblets or any kind of really big drinking glass. I love tumblers, too. Back when I still smoked (only occasionally) there was something about packing a new pack of cigs and twirling the little tab thingy to open it … ---
**Author:** ![Delly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Delly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delly)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/22 "2003-08-10T02:18:10Z")
Books Movies & DVD’s Always like buying them… ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/23 "2003-08-10T02:18:18Z")
I can’t believe nobody’s said porn yet. Anybody? ---
**Author:** ![SkyBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@SkyBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBum)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/24 "2003-08-10T02:19:15Z")
They make these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies on Friday’s down at The Old Grist Mill. I love Fridays… ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/25 "2003-08-10T03:34:18Z")
Pens, and paper. Uniball Vision Micro, in black, box of a dozen, please. And a hundred sheets of Crane’s 24 lb. 100 percent cotton fiber in pearl white. With matcing envelopse, please. sigh. Tris ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/26 "2003-08-10T03:54:07Z")
About once a month I’ll buy something KISS related…cheap stuff,nothing expensive. Stuff like magnets for the fridge (20 so far), Figures and whatnot. Today I got a new cd “the very best of KISS” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mojave66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mojave66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mojave66)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/27 "2003-08-10T05:06:28Z")
Computer bling-bling. For some stupid reason getting a cold cathode tube made me extremely happy. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/28 "2003-08-10T05:07:19Z")
Remaindered books. I just can’t resist any book that costs less than a magazine, and I usually get more than one, because they’re _such a bargain!_ Obscure music/lifestyle/humor magazines. When I’m feeling down, a trip to one of the really good indie bookstores/newsstands cheers me right up (this often turns out to be not such a small purchase, though, because the magazines are kind of pricey and I rarely buy just one). Small blank notebooks and other office supplies. I find something really alluring about an office supply store. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/29 "2003-08-10T11:13:46Z")
Did a job some time back doing video stuff for an American insurance company having a junket in London (and boy, they loved to talk insurance-the toilets were full of guys, drink in one hand, dick in the other- still talking insurance).The inspirational speaker-bloke was the guy who wrote “Tuesdays with Morey” – which I’d never heard of. As he talked it seemed to be an odd choice of inspirational material to get the junketeers out hustling policies, being in part about eschewing the pleasures of worldly goods in favour of human values (or something, anyway I get to use “eschew” so I’ll leave it at that) I guess the terminal illness angle had sold it to the insurance company. At the end Speaker-bloke takes a Q&A, and a little old geezer puts his hand up – his little old wife starts looking embarrassed already. ”In your talk you seemed to be saying that material things don’t bring happiness.” “Yes that pretty much right.” “Well, since being here in London I bought a shirt – and I can tell you that shirt has brought me real happiness,” and a smile of beatific contentment spread over his face – a look I would associate only with the highest Zen masters on the very cusp of achieving Nirvana (or possibly Fat Freddy’s Cat after crapping in Fat Freddy’s headphones). “Ah, yes, well I should have made it clear that I meant material things apart from shirts” ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/30 "2003-08-10T11:36:18Z")
Definately not drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/31 "2003-08-10T12:17:12Z")
Oooh, I have so many. 1.) New magazines. 2.) Glade candles. 3.) Red Bull. 4.) A good clearance book at Half Price. 5.) Tiny stuffed animals. 6.) New mascara. 7.) Cool pens. (Which I rarely buy, b/c I use them at work and people always steal them.) 1. Toys/treats for my dog. 2. Starbucks drip coffee. 3. Waffle fries from Chik-Fil-A. 4. A 12-pack of fluffy new socks. 5. A freshly baked muffin. From anywhere. _Love_ 'em. The sad thing is, I could go on and on. Sometimes a couple of bucks can make your day. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/32 "2003-08-10T13:42:51Z")
PENS! Office supply stores are both heaven and hell - so many cool things, and yet so many choices. Lipbalm, cool flavours and stuff makes me happy. Those are my noms for under 5$ things that get me really bubbly. ---
**Author:** ![karomon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@karomon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/karomon)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/33 "2003-08-10T13:57:19Z")
Another 99 cent store enthusiast! Once I got these unbelievably nice bamboo lantern candleholders at Weber’s that made my week. Cell phone charms. Too expensive for such little useless things, but they bring me joy. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/34 "2003-08-10T13:58:57Z")
A book. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/35 "2003-08-10T14:33:05Z")
Oh yes, books. Crystal Bic pens of any color and a brand new puzzle book. ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/36 "2003-08-10T14:45:53Z")
A brand-new paperback bought on a whim at the grocery store. Flowerpots, in any shape or size. I loooove flowerpots. ---
**Author:** ![ThatDuckIsEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@ThatDuckIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatDuckIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/37 "2003-08-10T15:07:24Z")
a big ol box of Lemonheads candy. mm mm good ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/38 "2003-08-10T15:25:26Z")
Stationery and shirts. Do haircuts count? This thread’s making me happy already 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/39 "2003-08-10T15:37:20Z")
Kitchen gadgets. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012/40 "2003-08-10T16:39:10Z")
Ooh, puzzle books! Puzzle books and a brand new blue ballpoint pen! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-purchases-that-make-you-happy/194012.md?page=3)