What’s the smartest under-$20 purchase you’ve ever made that ended up saving you hundreds in the long run? I’ll go first: a $12 sewing kit. Instead of tossing clothes for tiny tears or missing buttons, I’ve been fixing them. I've actually been fixing my own clothes for years. It blows my mind how many ‘disposable’ things can be made useful again with just a small, cheap tool. what’s your frugal mvp under $20 that’s paid for itself many times over?
“Best under-$20 purchase that saved you hundreds over time?”
byu/localkinegrind inFrugal
Posted by localkinegrind
43 Comments
Condoms
It’s a consistent purchase technically, but my Kindle unlimited subscription has easily saved me hundreds of dollars, sometimes hundreds in a month, depending on if I find a good author/series!
TV antenna
luggage scale
Hair clippers. Haven’t paid for a haircut in 5 years
My wife bought a toaster oven on sale at Target for $19.99 and we used it daily for almost ten years, until someone gifted us a fancy one which broke after 2 years at which time I dug the old one out of the garage that we still use.
A part for the clothes dryer, .75 cents. A repairman would have cost us a couple hundred. We researched problem, found the part online and fixed it ourselves.
Paper clip?
Last time I used it was to clear the defrost drain in the refrigerator freezer that was 10+ years old.
Younger me would have hit the panic button repeatedly…
Coffee maker.
Hair snake to keep shower drain clear.
Clothes steamer to forego dry cleaning bills.
My menstrual cup purchase in 2017 was $20 and has paid itself off. They’re a little more expensive now but still very much worth it.
Reusable grocery bags. Where I live it costs $0.10 for a bag at the grocery store. I figure I’m saving at least $0.50 per week, $20+ per year. Also less trash to get rid of, so its a win win.
Rice maker for me, but I don’t know if you can still get one under $20.
I buy cheap rice in bulk and eat it 3-4 times per week.
Vacuum insulated stainless steel water bottle.
Drain snake.
$1.25 for a couple CR2032 batteries. Used one of them to replace the CMOS battery which had died on my desktop computer. Probably saved at least $50.
<$10 Rival ice cream maker from the thrift store, the kind where you freeze the bucket whole and don’t need any rock salt or ice.
I eat almost no sugar (diabetic) so making my own sugar-free ice cream is a decent savings over the brands I can get at the store (and often better macros as well). Couldn’t tell you how many 1.5-qt batches I’ve churned over the years.
Since it’s a thrift store find, it’s not 100% reproducible, but ice cream makers are relatively common kitchen items in my experience.
Lunch box to bring your own lunch to work rather than eating out
Insulated water bottle. I don’t buy bottled water anymore or drinks for that matter. I can have my coffee, tea, smoothie in there.
Water filter on my faucet (Pur brand) I drink the local city water with that filter and I don’t buy purified water.
One-gallon cold brew pitcher. I love a fancy coffee, but not the associated costs. Now I make a gallon and it lasts me a little over a week and costs… tbh I dont even know… maybe a couple of dollars per 32 oz cup between the creamer and milk and coffee?
Bread machine from goodwill for $3. But I would have paid full price for it too. We make bread almost daily since 2019 using the same machine. In addition we make rolls, pizzas and bunch of other stuff. I think at this point the savings are in thousands – the same quality bread goes for $4-5 where we are.
Well it’s more than $20.00 but it doesn’t have to be much more. But learn to change your own oil if you have a car. All of this is probably $100-$20p0 for the first time, plus oil and filter, and after the first one the tools are paid for:
-Ramps.
-Chock blocks for the rear wheels, safety first.
-A ratchet and whatever tool you need for your drain plug, usually a socket.
-Something to remove the filter, usually a rotatey finger type filter wrench is best. You can install the filters hand tight if you’re strong, instructions are on the filter usually.
-A funnel.
-Rags or shop towels and brakleen.
Maybe like misc. extension for your ratchet, or something extra to remove any dust covers/skid plates etc. Youtube your make and model and decide if its for you or not. It’s usually easy peezy.
Electric razor to shave my head. Saved thousands over the last 20 years.
I would say hundreds, but I have a 10 gallon tote that I got for 5 dollars I use for the most random af stuff that is basically a small tube / bucket and laundry hamper all in one.
An obd reader for my car. Check engine light came on and I was able to diagnose, make a small fix, and clear the code without driving back and taking it to the shop. I know car parts stores can read them for free, but we were out camping in rural Wyoming, so it was nice to have my own.
We haven’t yet reached the hundred mark but it’s certainly paid itself off- the mini air compressor that lives in my car. I got it on sale for $19.95.
The gas station charges $2 to turn on the air compressor, in exact change. $2.10 if you have to tap your card. With the amount of times I’ve had to completely fill a tire (both mine and others after various screw related holes, two leaking valve stems, one set of trailer tires that sat neglected for a season), or just top it up when it looks a little low in winter, it’s paid itself off.
Sunglasses are cheaper than eye surgery
Kitchen towels…! 20 of them last the week. (: I use them for dishes, counter cleaning, as napkins and as hot hands. ☺️ Theyre also good for putting hot dishes in when eating them, or for holding fruit when you’re eating it. 😊
Hair clippers. Haven’t paid for a haircut in 30 years….
Trojan condom
Well, not under $20 but several small purchases that have saved me hundreds. Norelco 4-head shaver and electric shears. Saves $50 a month in haircuts.
Old school replaceable blade double razor. Saves $14 a month compared to cartridge razors.
My double-bucket air fryer. Saves energy compared to the big oven and hundreds a month in at home meals.
My 2nd hand electric pizza oven pizzas cost me about $4 to make saving $16 every pizza compared to premium takeaway. Literally hundreds per year saved this way.
Hardware store sharpening stone. Never pay for sharpening knives again.
Hand tools, oil drain pan, auto jack. I save $50 every oil change I do myself and the oil and filter are synthetic and high quality. Hundreds saved every year.
Having my own sewing machine to hem, make covers, repair seams, restiich pockets in work clothing. Saves hundreds.
Carpentry tools to build shelves, furniture, home additions. Literally thousands.
Thrift store kitchen vacuum sealer.
Clothe napkins
My last bike was $20 second hand. Everything perfect.
My 2.50 Mini chopper I still use that I bought at a Walmart Black Friday sale back in 1997.
$7 basil plant in a pot. It’s well and alive still after three years.
battery charger and pack of 12 rechargeable AAA/AA batteries combo.
Safety razor.
I was spending $30 every other month for replaceable heads on my razor. Switched to a safety razor and it’s now less than $10 a year.
– French Press – make your own cold brew coffee
– Jumper Cables
– Toothbrush, toothpaste🪥 & Floss
– Water Purifier pitcher
– Jumper Cables
– Snow Shovel
– Ham Radio 📻
– Small Fire Extinguisher 🧯
– Drain Snake
Hario V60
Mirena IUD (free with most insurance). No periods, so no purchasing $$ period products. Also no babies! Win win.
Condoms
Hot glue gun. Solves lots of problems.