What I'm Loving & What I'm Looking For - Prime Day 2023

Products that have already proven their worth + the ones I’m hoping get the Prime treatment

Tomorrow starts Amazon’s exclusive Prime Day deals! Beginning in 2015, the sale provides Prime subscription members with exclusive deals and sales and has expanded to teaser, pre-Prime Day deals and invite-only deals. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t spent a stupid amount of time looking through my Amazon lists trying to see if anything is on sale.

I want to share some products I’ve really loved over the years plus what I am keeping an eye out for. The majority of my recommendations are under $100, and they’re really the type of items that may have sat on your “maybe” list.

Amazon Product Suggestions

Favorite Product:

Kindle Paperwhite - The Kindle eReader isn’t anything new. But it might be my favorite invention of this century. The physical book versus eReader debate remains, but as someone who actively uses both, this is an excellent buy. I hold a library in the palm of my hand. Already, it allowed me to hold a library in the palm of my hand but now you can also borrow eBooks from the library which makes the palm library a reality.
I read a lot of nonfiction, and that often means large, bulky books. With my Kindle, it is a much more comfortable reading experience, especially since I wind down for the night reading! Typically, I can go weeks without a charge. It is also waterproof, glare-free, and also emits less blue light than cell phones or tablets. The latest model is $139. If you’ve been debating about an eReader, I’d highly suggest making the jump - the older models are still relevant! For reference, I have a 2018 10th-generation Kindle.

Pet Products:

Slow Pet Feeder - My cat developed the morning habit of eating so quickly that she would regurgitate entire pieces of food. Gonzo is enthusiastic when it comes to her food. The fact that this was happening around the same time of day, made me think it wasn’t a health issue. Spending $20 (currently $15.99!) to test if my cat was just eating too damn quickly was the best $20 I’ve spent. Also, the elevation allows cats to eat more naturally and comfortably so it is better for their health as well.
Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Dogs and Cats - Both my pets shed like crazy. This brush is life-changing. I’ve seen it on countless must-buy lists, and it 100% is a must-buy. My favorite feature is how easily it is to clean the hair from the brush. Seriously a click of a button and you can sweep it out. My dog loves the brush. For my cat, it depends on the day. Typically it is $29.99, and now it is $15.49, so I would snatch this up.

Get Headaches?

Between sinuses and stress, I find myself having a headache far too often. These products can help me relieve a headache without having to take anything or just help me relax.

IMAK Eye Pillow: I keep this in the freezer and it is super relaxing. It fits your face, and, with the ErgoBeads, gives a slight massaging sense. It blocks out light, feels light on your face, and is comfortable.
TheraICE Migraine Headache Relief Cap: This cap is a bit bigger, goes around the head instead of a band strap, and covers the forehead as well, which is a plus for me. You can also use it for hot and cold. And trust me, when you keep it in the freezer, it gets really cold. I actually use it at room temperature although with summer here it might go in the freezer. I actually wear it pretty much every night before bed. The compression helps me relax, I have a bad habit of keeping my face tense.
RENPHO Eyeris 1 - Eye Massager for Migraines: I bought this on Black Friday. While I do enjoy it, it is definitely something to keep an eye on for a deal. It has five modes of heat, vibration, and compression. And it works great, it is very comforting. But the buttons are so sensitive to changing the modes. I love it when I get it set how I want it, but I’ve definitely been frustrated trying to. The buttons are also barely there which is weird. Usually $130, but right now it is available for $70 - I’m not sure if you are going to get a better deal than that. Of the three, this is the luxury choice.

Bags

I love bags and purses of all kinds. Guilty of having probably too many, but I can also say I can be picky when it comes to my purses. My current favorite bag is actually the Vera Bradley ReActive Sling Bag and, if I was gainfully employed, I’d be checking out the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag everyone seems to love (I’ve never bought anything from Lululemon. I don’t think I’ve ever even been in their store). But among my many bags, here are two which stand out:

SIMTOP iPad Sleeve Tablet Sleeve: If you’re looking at this bag thinking, hello, Tori, this is a tablet sleeve with a strap. YES. That is the point here. There are times when my iPad suffices instead of bringing my laptop along - like sometimes when I am doing admin work at the fire station and don’t want to bring my backpack. But my iPad doesn’t always fit in my purse, or I don’t need the entire purse (Loungefly - make your mini backpacks just a little bit bigger to fit the dang iPad). Sometimes, my iPad, keys, and phone are all I need. I couldn’t believe how hard it was to find, essentially, a tablet sleeve with a carrying strap. This is basic, and it is perfect. Since I bought this in 2021, I have seen more iPad-sleeve-with-strap bags, but this continues to do the job. Gray might be my favorite accessory color.
NUBILY Laptop Bag for Women Waterproof Lightweight Leather 15.6 Inch Computer Tote Bag: If you’re a professional woman looking for the ideal bag, look no further. It is seriously right here on Amazon. Not Nordstrom. Not Louis Vuitton. Not Coach. This. It calls itself the ultimate carryall, and it is. The bag has a separate long and shoulder strap, separate compartments for tablets and laptops, a top zipper closure (a big one for me - I can’t do a bag if it doesn’t have a total closure), and varying-sized individual compartments and pockets for different items. It comes in a few colors, but I bought the dark purple.
When I worked fully in-office in downtown Pittsburgh, I brought a backpack for day-to-day use. I am confident that this bag could replace that backpack. It is sturdy but lightweight. I’m also guilty of throwing random stuff into my bag and then searching forever for it; the design of this bag makes it slightly easier to be organized. The only thing I’m not sure if this would store well would be shoes. But definitely worth the $40.

Eyeing Prime

I’m really curious how many lists the average Amazon shopper has because I make a list for everything. I kept my Prime Day 2022 list. The most exciting purchase I’m looking to make is a new TV for my bedroom. My TV from my freshman year of college finally bit it.

The evolution of the television product is fascinating to me. I remember in the first Fast & Furious, they were stealing combination TV/DVD players. And this was a big, exciting heist.

Now, you can get a decent TV for under $300. You can get a basic but still smart TV for $120, some of which are currently under $100 with Prime Day Deals. And I’m not looking for anything fancy or huge, so I am really excited to see what deals pop up!

My bedroom seems to be the prime focus this year (yes, it is a pun); I’m also keeping an eye out for a remote-controlled standing fan or window AC unit. My bedroom gets really warm, which is great in the winter. Not so much in the summer. I’m also looking for a humidifier, and I never realized how expensive those things can get or how many features they can have.

Mostly, I will be searching to see what I already have saved to see what deals I can score, as opposed to impulse buys. And, to be honest, that mainly means jewelry-making supplies (crimp beads galore and materials galore), books, and beauty supplies. Nothing too exciting, although learning and creating are among my favorite hobbies…self-care anyone?

When Prime Day started, it was about the big slashes on big prices - I don’t feel that hype anymore. It is more, where can I save on what I’m already using, and wanting, or what is a justifiable price to try it out? But Prime is worth its cost in two-day, free shipping, and Prime TV. Everything else is just extra…but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to look to save! What are you buying this Prime Day?