For many of us payday is here (or, at least, on the horizon), and that means one very important thing: a payday treat.
With summer underway – and the sales in full swing – HuffPosters have been treating themselves.
Each month we’ll be sharing what we’ve spent our cash on, from hiking boots to wedding-ready sandals (and everything in between).
Slingback Leather Sandals, & Other Stories, £75
Brogan Driscoll, Life Editor
“I’ve got weddings coming out of my ears this year and needed a pair of comfortable, good-quality, black heeled sandals to wear that would withstand hours on the dance floor.
“I’ve been eyeing this pair up for a few seasons – & Other Stories keeps making them year after year, so they must be good – and when my friend told me “the cream versions are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever bought” I decided to take the plunge.
“They saw me through a wedding that lasted until 2am without a blister in sight. So I’d say they were a very good investment.”
Stojo On The Go Coffee Cup, Amazon, £9.99
Jess Brammar, Executive Editor
“I’m cheating a bit here, because this is actually the second one of these I’ve bought, but this month I gave mine to my boyfriend and got myself a new one.
“Those tasteful glass reusable coffee cups might look nice, but who manages to carry one around in their handbag all the time? Worse if you’re a bloke who doesn’t even have a handbag. I haven’t forgotten my cup since I had once of these collapsible beauties, and now my other half can fit his in a jacket pocket.”
Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen - Black, Asos, £20
Louise Whitbread, Reporter for HuffPost UK Finds
“I love a sharp cat-eye flick. It’s taken me years to perfect – and when I came across this Clinique eyeliner three years ago, it quickly became the only one I’d buy.
“Twenty quid is pricey, yes, but it lasts me six months, meaning I only ever buy two a year. It has a really fine nib, like a felt tip pen, so you can be really precise while you navigate around your eyelid. Most of all, I love it because it lasts all day without crumbling or smudging.”
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Amazon, £12.99
Nancy Groves, Life Editor
“This is one of those books I’ve heard people mentioning for months. And when I say people, I mean mostly women. The three in the title are Maggie, Lina and Sloane – all of them real, all of them American. That’s important to know from the off. Author Lisa Taddeo actually moved to the towns where they live to write this book, which took her almost a decade.
“It’s the story of their sex lives – and it’s highly specific. But it’s also a parable of female desire versus female desirability, and how much power any of us have over our own happiness.”
Cloudrock Waterproof Speed-Hiking Boots, On Running, £180
Jimmy Leach, Editor-In-Chief
“I cycle most days which means that, although I don’t wear lycra, I dress rather badly most days. My kids use it as another reason to avoid being seen with me – the ‘geography teacher on a field trip’ look is just too distressing, apparently.
“But there is hope. I recently pottered up a mountain and to do that, I needed actual proper hiking boots. A real risk of the Full Geographer. I was rather pleased with my acquisition. These Cloudrock ‘speed-hiking’ shoes are a little over-specced for my needs, but they fulfil two rather important requirements.
“The first is that, actually, they look pretty good – better than they do in the picture online. The second – and perhaps more importantly – is that I could whip them out the box, slap them on and shuffle up several thousand feet without a blister or chafing in sight. Seriously impressive.”
Floral Print Midi Dress, Zara, £49.99
“I was panic-shopping for an outfit to wear to an abroad wedding when I saw it – a bright red floral dress with a ruffle trim hem. The first thing that sprung to mind was the dancing woman emoji. And when I touched the material – a super light, floaty fabric – I knew I had to try it on.
“Fast-forward 10 minutes: I was no closer to buying a wedding guest dress but I had bagged myself a lovely summer dress. It’s a booby number, I’ll give you that, but it’s also super cool. I’d go as far as saying the perfect heatwave dress. You can wear it to work, but you can also wear it to after-work drinks – now that’s what I call a winner.”
Oral-B Cross Action Electric Toothbrush PRO 600, Amazon, £22.99
Amy Packham, Assistant Life Editor
“I’m always told by my dentist I should get an electric toothbrush, but sort of ignore him because it’s not the type of thing I want to ‘treat’ myself to on payday. Alas, after finding out a few people close to me had jumped the gun and gone ahead, I got FOMO and wanted my own (lol).
“I didn’t want to spend 50 quid on one, but I did want it to work properly, so I scouted out prices in a few shops until I came to Wilko, which had one on offer for £25. The offer has ended now, but I found the same one available on Amazon for £22.99.
“It’s working wonders (I hope?) and I feel like a Very. Good. Adult for looking after my teeth properly.”
Kirkton House Wool Rich Doormat, Aldi, £7.99
Rachel Moss, Life Reporter
“I live in a small flat with a whopping great communal garden, so naturally I’ve been traipsing in and out, using the lawn as an extension to my living room during the heatwave – great for cooling off, not so great for my cream carpet.
“To reduce the damage, I picked up this bargain doormat on a recent trip to Aldi, to remind myself (and any guests) to brush off the worst of the dirt and leaves en route. So far, so good.”
Correction - This piece previously stated the incorrect price for the Cloudrock Waterproof Speed-Hiking Boots.
We all work hard to earn our money, so it shouldn’t feel like hard work to spend it well. At HuffPost Finds we’ll help you find the best stuff that deserves your cash, from the ultimate lipstick to a durable iron to replace the one that broke (RIP). All our choices are completely independent but we may earn a small commission if you click a link and make a purchase.