What purchase under $1000 has changed your life the most? Most of the first x86_64 PC's that I loaded Linux onto. They were a hobby and that hobby turned into

What purchase under $1000 has changed your life the most? Most of the first x86_64 PC's that I loaded Linux onto. They were a hobby and that hobby turned into a career that I was able to retire from. It's still a hobby and the machines are still affordable.