Skimm This

Skimm Special: Your Best and Worst Pandemic Buys

Listen Later

On this special episode of Skimm This, we wanted to take a break from the news for some comic relief, and get a chance to hear some of your voices. A few weeks ago, we asked you to fill out a survey about how the past year has been. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And we started getting a lot of must-read responses to one question in particular: what was your best or worst pandemic purchase? 

  • First up: A wannabe survivalist builds out his basement to store lots and lots of powdered milk. We decided to check in with him...and his wife.
  • Then: We heard about some toys for kids that didn’t exactly come as advertised. 
  • Next: Millennials are becoming farmers, with new chicken coops and garden boxes sparking joy. 
  • Later: Some purchases ended up being some serious silver linings. Looking at you, new mattress and blow-up swimming pool. And other pandemic buys became new hobbies that are hopefully sticking with us post-COVID.   
  • Finally: We’ll break down the trends from the year’s purchases...and give you some tips on what makes a good one (and how to avoid the bad). 


    • On this episode, you’ll hear from: 


    • Luke Vargas, senior audio producer, theSkimm
    • Skimm’rs Dominique, Lisa, Heather, Mia, Julia, Shelby, Sara, Anissa, Jessica and Kelly 


      • Want more Skimm? 



      • Sign up for our free daily newsletter
      • Check out Skimm Your Life, a newsletter giving your product recommendations and life hacks 
      • Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now 
      • Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts


        • Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Ciara Long and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear. 

        Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        Skimm ThisBy theSkimm
        • 4.5
        • 4.5
        • 4.5
        • 4.5
        • 4.5

        4.5

        3,618 ratings

        More shows like Skimm This

        View all
        The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

        The NPR Politics Podcast

        25,816 Listeners

        The Excerpt by USA TODAY

        The Excerpt

        1,217 Listeners

        The Daily by The New York Times

        The Daily

        112,279 Listeners

        Up First from NPR by NPR

        Up First from NPR

        56,636 Listeners

        9 to 5ish with theSkimm by theSkimm

        9 to 5ish with theSkimm

        1,870 Listeners

        Today, Explained by Vox

        Today, Explained

        10,281 Listeners

        Start Here by ABC News

        Start Here

        6,436 Listeners

        Post Reports by The Washington Post

        Post Reports

        5,207 Listeners

        CNN 5 Things by CNN Podcasts

        CNN 5 Things

        1,340 Listeners

        The Journal. by The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

        The Journal.

        6,065 Listeners

        Fiction - Comedy Fiction by The Sunset Explorers

        Fiction - Comedy Fiction

        6,450 Listeners

        What A Day by What A Day

        What A Day

        12,356 Listeners

        Consider This from NPR by NPR

        Consider This from NPR

        6,401 Listeners

        Morning Announcements by Betches Media

        Morning Announcements

        1,530 Listeners

        Well Played by theSkimm

        Well Played

        179 Listeners

        The Headlines by The New York Times

        The Headlines

        747 Listeners

        The Wirecutter Show by The New York Times

        The Wirecutter Show

        1,167 Listeners