India, April 9 -- I know that book snobs will excoriate me for this, but I have to admit that investing in a Kindle changed my life. No longer did I have to weigh down my suitcase with heavy books when I travelled. Nor did I have to wait until I went abroad to buy some of my favourite titles. And most important of all, I could read easily no matter how low the light. Since those early days, I have moved on from the physical Kindle to the app on my phone and iPad, and it has been a complete game changer as well.

That started me thinking of the purchases that have the ability to completely transform your life, in both big ways and small. And thinking back over the last decade, I realised these are the principal ones that have made a differ...