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In My 40s: Everything I’ve Bought That Was Actually Worth It

In My 40s: Everything I’ve Bought That Was Actually Worth It

The grown-up shopping list

Jacey Duprie's avatar
Jacey Duprie
Jun 25, 2025
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In My 40s: Everything I’ve Bought That Was Actually Worth It
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I honestly love being in my 40s. Truly. There’s a groundedness and clarity here that I didn’t have in my 20s or even my 30s.

That said, I still catch myself pausing when I scroll past posts where women say things like, “I’m not afraid to admit I’m 32 and pregnant!” or “Yes, I’m 38 and wearing a short dress!” And if I’m being honest, it always stops me in my tracks.

Not because I’m judging them, but because it reminds me just how deeply we’ve been conditioned to associate age with shame. My grandmother Meme used to tell me to never share my age. Of course, she came from a generation that believed youth equaled value. I know she was trying to protect me.

But I’m growing up in a different time. And while I still carry some of those old whispers in the back of my mind, I’m also proud to say: I’m 42. I’ve earned every year. Every stretch, every heartbreak, every scar, every lesson.

Being 42 comes with a few things I wouldn’t trade for the world: perspective, boundaries, better skincare, and a serious intolerance for anything uncomfortable (physically or emotionally).

It’s also changed the way I spend my money. I’m way less impulsive, way more intentional. I no longer buy things just because everyone else is. I buy things that make my life easier, more beautiful, more me.

Which brings me to this post: the things I’ve bought in my 40s that I’d absolutely spend money on again (or things I purchased in my 30s that have carried me through to my next era).

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