5 (Inexpensive) Ways to Buy a More Productive Life. (opens in new tab)

I wouldn't actually recommend getting the kind of whiteboard marker pictured in the article. They're generic and easily mixed up in the sea of crappy markers you're trying to get away from in the first place, so you'll inevitably spend a few minutes at the end of every meeting scribbling a line on the whiteboard with each marker in the room to make sure you're taking your marker (because ostensibly yours is the one that writes well). Not to mention that losing the cap is frustrating.

I got a whiteboard marker with a "retractable tip" and I really recommend it. It basically looks like a slightly blown up pen, fits in most of the same places (e.g. in your bag), and fits in your hand a little better (ie more like a real pen).

I know it seems trivial, but those pens were a real game changer for me. And yes, I know how sad that sounds now.

edit: I thought about not linking to an item since it'd look like I was trying to sell them, but the item the author linked to was a single dry erase marker (for close to $20, currently), which is either hilarious or outrageous depending on your sense of humor. I got some Expo markers[0]. Cheaper, more pens, more colors (although if you want just black pens I think there's a cheaper 3-pack out there).

0: http://www.amazon.com/Expo-Retractable-Markers-Fashion-17516...

I can vouch for numbers 3 and four. I even had one of two power cables burn out on a month long trip, in a country where I couldn't buy another. Redundancy to the rescue.

Meanwhile, a very small USB drive on my keychain has proved it's worth time and again. There are times and places when Dropbox won't solve your problem.

I have #1 (compact power strip) and it's saved my butt a couple times on long layovers. And usually I make friends with someone else who also needs to charge. Cool life hack.

Ditch your cellphone entirely. Stop watching TV. Automate something. Delegate. Start saying no.

as your income goes up, you will find that buying multiples of things you like, and buying consumable products in bulk has a very high return on investment from a convenience and marginal cost savings point of view:

* device chargers for home, office, car, and backpack/briefcase

* several pairs of the shoes or sunglasses you really like

* bottled beverages and non-perishable snacks in bulk (JERKY!)

* cheaper versions of things you use at home, for when you're traveling (in case you lose them)

* multiple monitors for your workstation

etc.