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It’s the weekend, you’ve just been paid – but how to put that excess cash to good use?
We’ve scoured the shops for a selection of splendid stuff you can pick up for less than £50 – enough to plug that hole in your wallet without going completely mad and dropping ten grand on a cabinet made from bits of old cars.
Why? In the words of Jennifer Aniston, because you’re worth it.
Thirsty Plant kit (£22.50)
Technology Will Save Us specialises in affordable, simple self-built products that clue you in on how gadgets work. Experience is the best teacher, goes the saying, and in the Thirsty Plant kit that’s amply demonstrated.
In the hour or so it takes to put it together, you will learn a little about circuitry and electronic components without so much as a soldering iron required. And at the end of it all, you’ll have a solar-powered device that’ll tell you when your house plants are in need of watering. Perfect for teaching the kids – or yourself – the basics of electronics.
36 Chambers W sweater (£51.50)
Signal your affiliation to the Wu-Tang Clan this Yuletide with the greatest Christmas jumper we’ve seen since, well, last Christmas. Knitted in classic Wu black and gold, it’s available in S to XL sizes and will be posted out to you (from the US) in early December.The perfect way to stay warm and cool at the same time.
And yes, we’re aware that we’ve broken our own £50 rule already – but come on, if a Wu-Tang jumper doesn’t warrant an extra £1.50, what does?
Things Come Apart (£19.95)
A glorious coffee table addition for any fan of technology and design, this book explores 50 classic machines and products in the best way possible: by taking them to bits. Every item, from an Apple Mac to a microwave, is deconstructed to its constituent components and lovingly photographed by author Todd McLellan.
Celestron Powerseeker 60AZ (£49.99)
Whether you’re gazing at distant heavenly bodies or peeking at the goings-on in your neighbourhood, the Powerseeker will prove a more than capable ally. The 3x Barlow lens offers up to 175 times magnification and all optical elements are fully coated to aid image brightness and clarity.
Boardwalk Empire Seasons 1-3 Blu-ray box set (£49.20)
Television doesn’t get much more lavish, more compelling and more lovingly made than Boardwalk Empire, and this box set puts all three seasons – that’s 36 episodes – of HBO’s award-winning period drama in one place. A talented ensemble cast, including Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon and Stephen Graham, married to stellar writing and superbly accurate period sets and locations make this many-faceted recreation of Prohibition America worth every penny of its colossal budget. And it’s all yours for less than £50.
Tom Wiggins
Contributor