Issue #43: The "hidden gem" subreddits I read every day

For food, fashion, financial advice, and more.

Edited by

Aliza Sir

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If you forced me to choose between Reddit and Instagram, I'd choose Reddit without blinking. I think Reddit is an incredible place — an imperfect one, certainly, but in the right pockets, a generous supply of community and wisdom and entertainment and perspective. 

If you’ve ever landed on a random subreddit or the homepage and felt discombobulated, disoriented, or even disgusted, this guide is for you. Welcome to my Reddit. (Editor’s note from Aliza: Me! I’m completely intimidated by Reddit — and have been begging Aja for this guide for months!)

Reddit 101:

Reddit is a platform for more than 100,000 communities, or “subreddits.” You don’t need to create an account to go into subreddits and read — but there are some benefits of doing so. With an account, you’ll get a custom feed of updates from your subreddits; you can also write posts and comments, upvote other users’ posts and comments, and more. 

Becoming a member of a subreddit is quick and easy: You just click “join.” And membership doesn’t come with any requirements or expectations; I’m a member of 30-plus subreddits, but I rarely post, preferring to lurk.

These are the categories of subreddits I read daily:

Food:

If you’re about to head to the grocery store… 

The Trader Joe’s “fan” subreddit is so pure. They obsessively track new arrivals and discontinued products, give food ratings, and trade food recipes and preparation tips. Always a good one to browse before a TJ’s run.

If you’re trying to track down an incredibly specific food…

Tip of My Fork is another very pure subreddit. People post pictures and/or descriptions of food they liked and can’t identify or find again. I once asked for help tracking down a specific cheese in the Starbucks charcuterie plate circa 2004 (basil pesto jack.)

If you’re looking for a great restaurant… 

Back when Sam and I visited New York every month or so, I was always scrolling FoodNYC. It’s a gold mine of dining info — like reading Infatuation but crowd-sourced. Sam was (very sweetly) impressed when I consistently picked great restaurants before his friends who lived in Manhattan had tried them. Several other cities, including Chicago, Philadelphia, and Austin, have dedicated food subreddits too.

If you’re curious what other people are eating…

I’ve always wanted to start an Instagram account of grocery shoppers’ food at check-out — What’s In Your Cart beat me to it. This subreddit offers a voyeuristic look at what people around the world are buying at the store. (If you’re fascinated, you’ll also enjoy Fridge Detective, where users deduce things about someone and their life from a picture inside their refrigerator.)

Interior design/home:

If you need help decorating… 

“Which color couch should I buy?” “Why does my living room look off?” “What’s missing from this kitchen?” All questions recently asked and answered in Design My Room, where people looking for interior design help can expect feedback from helpful strangers. It’s on my to-do list to post a picture of our living room; I know things aren’t coming together, and I’m not sure why. But Reddit will help me figure it out.   

If you’re looking for inspiration from other women…

Female Living Space is a subreddit for women to post pictures of their living spaces (bedrooms, offices, houses, etc.)! I love browsing for inspiration and general feel-good vibes. 

If you’re a fan of Le Labo and Diptyque…

Luxury Candles is a surprisingly serious community for those who love “premium candles at premium prices” (read: Diptyque and Trudon vs. Boy Smells and Bath and Body Works.) People are great at finding sales and generous about sharing when they do, which makes the DS & Durga obsession I’ve developed a little less pricey. 

If your plants always die within a few months…

I have a knack for killing every plant that enters my home, so I’m grateful for this community dedicated to helping people keep them alive. Someone posts a picture of their sick plant; others diagnose the issue and give them tips for reviving it. 

Money/work: 

If you want to have honest and thought-provoking conversations about money…

I originally joined the Money Diaries subreddit to read other peoples’ takes on Refinery29 Money Diaries (the comments are gentler than on R29 itself), but I’ve stayed for the frequent and thoughtful discussions around money from a woman’s perspective. Think “Stay at toxic job through generous maternity leave, or take new role for higher pay immediately?” and “The cost of beauty.”

If you need help navigating a tricky work situation…

Ask HR is a forum for people to get guidance about compensation and benefits, discrimination and harassment, and legal/ethical concerns at work. HR representatives (note there’s no verification) will provide their point of view in response to a situation or question. It’s genuinely interesting stuff and occasionally quite helpful.

Entertainment:

If you’re looking for your next book…

I love browsing Book Suggestions for ideas on what to read. Users will post requests based on books they’ve loved previously, a genre they’re craving, or even specific subject matter, and others will give them recommendations. To give you an idea, recent threads have included “Book to gift a 6'4" woman who feels disappointed by the lack of really tall female characters in fiction”, “What's the most addictive thriller you've read?”, and “Your favorite lyrical prose or ‘beautifully written’ novel.”

If you’re looking for your next show…

When Sam and I need a new show, I’ll go to the Televion subreddit’s weekly “what are you watching?” thread. People tend to share shows both recent and older, so you get a good spread of recommendations — and in general, I’ve found those recommendations are pretty reliable. Some of my favorite less talked-about shows from the last few years (Moxie, Industry, Starstruck, Bad Sisters, Halt and Catch Fire) have been Reddit recs. 

If you’re looking for your next movie or documentary…

The Movies subreddit is an incredibly reliable source of reviews and recommendations. I also find it satisfying to watch a movie blind and then see what other people thought — there are often opinions or observations I wouldn’t have developed on my own. And the lists are top-tier, including a stack-ranking of 2023 movies by Redditor ratings, best movies to rewatch once you know the twist or mystery (great category), and movies that had you unable to breathe you were laughing so hard. (The Documentaries subreddit is a good offshoot of this one if you love docs.)

If you’re looking for your next podcast…

Rounding us out, we have the Podcasts subreddit. This one functions pretty similarly to Television and Movies: People review what they’ve listened to and ask for suggestions based on the genre they’re in the mood for or other shows they like.

Travel:

If you like to travel solo…

Every year, I take two or three solo trips — from a long weekend in Miami to a ten-day stint in Berlin. This subreddit for women who travel alone is a great resource for destination ideas, recommendations, and tips; as an example, I’ve discovered shoes that are both stylish and easy to walk in, which countries to avoid at all costs, and how to (safely) meet new people without staying at a hostel. 

If you like to travel, period…

The regular travel subreddit is good too. It’s very popular, so there’s a near-constant stream of posts and comments. I feel like I’m living vicariously whenever I browse it, as users post reflections from, photos of, and tips based on their most recent trips. 

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Hopefully, if you haven’t been on Reddit, you’re intrigued, and if you have been, you now have a few new subreddits to check out. If there are any you loved that I missed, drop ‘em in the comments!

And ICYMI…

The most popular link from Monday’s round-up with friend and taste-maker

Sarah Shapiro

was this incredible Uniqlo bag she shared — capacious, but not ludicrously so, and available in a bevy of colors.

For even more Sarah x Platonic Love recs, check out this post featuring great podcasts, even more good bags, and the Etsy stores Aliza and I can’t stop shopping.

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