10 ways to upgrade your work desk for less than $100

These comfy additions to your computer desk won’t strain your wallet.

- MICHAEL CRIDER

Odds are good that if you have a desktop computer, you spend a lot of time sitting at your desk, either for business or for pleasure. So why shouldn’t your desk be as comfy and efficient as possible? While upgrading your computer can often take serious dough (especially these days), you can spend a lot less to improve your workstation itself in some surprising ways.

Here are ten ways to improve your workstation for under $100, presented in no particular order. Most of these cost less than $50, and many are under $25!

1. A FANCY DESK MAT

No matter what kind of mouse you use or what kind of desk you use it on, you need something in between to protect both of them. A $10 mousepad will do just fine, though gamers probably want something bigger. But why stop with big when you can get something freakin’ huge, like this 36-inch-wide Corsair mat (fave.co/3L95JxV) that goes under your keyboard and probably your lunch, too? It’s only $20. I splurged a bit on this fancy-pants felt mat from Etsy (fave. co/39Yunoh), and it’s so comfy I don’t think I can ever go back to a normal one.

2. GOOD SPEAKERS

If you’re working in an area where you don’t need to worry about disturbing others, a decent set of speakers is a great quality-of-life upgrade. The Edifier R1280T (