i really enjoy this series in the strategist, and i also enjoy imagining what answers i'd give if they interviewed non-famous people with no brand deals who try to live a fairly anti-consumerist life. these are my six items:

• a long teaspoon.
  • one of the most life-changing items i've bought for the lowest amount of money. no more getting your fingers sticky trying to clean the peanut butter jar or get the last bit of chilli crisp. spoon out olives efficiently. stir drinks in tall glasses or jugs. i unexpectedly just use it all the time.
• kerrygold butter.
  • the number of degrees more delicious this is than any other butter is crazy. it is a different beast entirely. it's more expensive but unlike a lot of things that brand themselves as a small luxury, it's actually worth it.
• chinese preserved veg packets.
  • rice, eggs and preserved veg is the only emergency lunch i've ever found that ticks every single box: quick, cheap, tasty, healthy, 100% storecupboard. see also haidilao peanut sesame hot pot sauce, really useful as an instant sauce for noodles.
• soda crystals.
  • this is a really boring one but they clean the hob with no scrubbing required, just a wipe. and are also not too bad for the environment IIRC. a game-changer.
• nose rings worn as small hoop earrings.
  • they go with everything, they can read professional or cool depending on how you style them, and they're cheap to replace if you lose them. get 'em on ebay.
• piranesi by susanna clarke.
  • this is my catch-all book rec; somehow everyone i've recommended this to has enjoyed it, regardless of age, gender, whether they're a city-dweller or a country-dweller and whether they're big readers or not. i actually want to re-read it myself.