I kind of went off topic in this reply, realizing after I posted that I’d prefer to spin that into its own thread. What websites would you happy mutants recommend to others in general? (Please, nothing you’re being paid to promote.)
Reproduced here …
I’m more than happy to share that site, glad you enjoy it! Not to turn this into a commercial for them, but they’ve always been great for customer service and shipping, too. I do know what you mean about the budget, though. I try to be good about ordering only what I really need, with maybe one or two more decorative items with each order. (Which usually means some dark red military boot socks for day to day wear and stripes or rainbows for the weekend!
It’s just Amazon, the prices are the same, but the money in your purchase that would go to random affiliates instead goes to the charity of your choice.
From a Canadian perspective, I tend to be a fan of https://well.ca, who try to focus on natural products where possible. My partner and I try to support a cruelty-free household as much as possible, which means purchasing from companies on these lists
(Both of the above have logos and standards that are easy to find on products, and Well does a good job of making these prominent where possible).
I think there’s only about three purchaseable things I use literally every day that isn’t bedding or boring and hygiene related.
My anker USB charger thingies. The only downside is that they email you five minutes after you order and then like every day for two weeks practically begging for reviews. Unless I mistook them for one of the other companies that does that. Anyway. I have three (one by my nightstand, one in my overnight bag, and one at work) and they actually are great.
Pebble Time Round. I don’t want to look like as much of a geek as I am so the other smartwatches were out of the question. Charging once a day isn’t that big a deal and the interface is a lot less annoying than playing “trackpad” on my non-dominant wrist.
I forget what the third thing is so I’ll substitute it for … an off-brand silicone oven mitt. I don’t use it every day but it’s very nice to have. I’ve found myself using it for things like pulling cranky shit out of the microwave. It’s not particularly rugged and I’m concerned about the shiny surface long term. But it does the job despite not being the mitt I ordered.
I want to add the following un-endorsement though:
Slidebelts. The buckle falls off. Not while I’m wearing it (so far) but I’m not amused. I don’t know if the other brands are better. It’s the most I ever paid for a belt and I feel like Vimes’ Boots Theory of Economics screwed me over on this one. If the prospect of an impromptu scavenger hunt sounds fun to you, buy away.
