Sometimes a new purchase will have way more of an affect on our lives than we expected and, a lot of times, it's not the really expensive items that have the biggest impact.
Something like an air fryer making dinner faster and easier to cook can give you back a lot of time that you might otherwise have spent cooking, and that time adds up fast.
Redditor KingPin1010 asked:
"What life changing item can you buy for less than $100?"
More Screens
"Another monitor."
"Your productivity will increase dramatically."
- ItsTribeTimeNow
"I have 3. But maybe you are right..."
- TJonesyNinja
"There's never enough monitors."
- Account Deleted
Greenery
"House plants. They will make you happy looking after them. I recently bought a venus fly trap, she caught her first fly today. So proud."
- ManonastickUk
"This is so wholesome I could die."
"I started keeping and growing plants and herbs, and just not killing them feels like such a huge accomplishment. Seeing a new sprout is like a celebration."
"Now I understand why people have graduations for kindergarten."
- NeckroFeelyAck
"Feed me Seymour!!!"
- ManKittie
Hungry Feed Me GIFGiphyQuackers
"Two pet ducks. You may be tempted to go for one. But trust me. You need two. And you’ll have about $76 left over."
- duckmama89
"They don't tell you this in school, but the ducks in the park are free..."
- IntroDucktory_Clause
"Ducks are free in the pond near my house. They’re tricky to catch but worth it in the end."
- HerNameIsGrief
More Than Just Rice
"Rice cooker. That f**ker kept me fed during depression when I barely had the energy to get out of bed. Takes less than nothing to get some rice in there and flip the switch. Want something sweet? Throw coconut and sugar in there. Want flavor but can’t be f**ked to make anything? Get some Spanish rice or saffron goin. You can throw tofu in there with it if you need. Yeah it’s not the best for you but hot food is better than no food."
- HotTopicMallRat
"Cooking old fashioned oats in the rice cooker has become a winter tradition in our family. The texture of the oats is fantastic. The kids and I pick and dry fruits in the warmer months to use in oatmeal during the winter months."
- DameLibrio
Best Use For A Buck
"I bought a $1 back scratcher from an asian market in town. Best $1 I ever spent."
- matthewsmazes
"My boyfriend came home from work one day raving about this back scratcher his boss had. I thought it was the dumbest thing. A few days later he comes home and says he found the same one at a gas station for $8. I rolled my eyes thinking who needs a back scratcher for $8. It’s the best thing ever. It looks like a little metal skeleton hand and it’s extendable."
- pepperedcitrus
Tea With Ease
"If you have trouble getting up or functioning in the morning, and like a nice cup of coffee or tea, an electric kettle with a timer can be a real game-changer. Or just getting an electric kettle if you don't have one."
- zazzlekdazzle
"An electric kettle with a thermometer will up your tea game by leagues."
- Psychological_Tear_6
dolly parton tea GIF by London Theatre DirectGiphySo Snuggly
"A king sized blanket for a queen sized bed."
- ImHere4theFunnies
"I got a king for a double bed. Best decision ever! The double sheets fit the bed, but I couldn't snuggle completely under them without curling up. Now. I can hide completely under the duvet stretched out. Best thing ever in the winter!"
- Zanki
"If I pull the covers completely over myself the boogeyman can’t find me."
- apgeorge69
Save Your Shins, And Your Eyes
"Motion sensor night lights. Can’t tell you how many stubbed toes or falls they have prevented. Also a cheap intruder alarm."
- epanek
"Get a motion activated toilet bowl light. They're amazing. Don't kill your eyes in the middle of the night when you gotta pee."
- Onlythegoodstuff17
"Relatedly, a dimmer switch for the bathroom. Works in the middle of the night, as well as early mornings, as you can gradually increase the brightness to match your current tolerance for the world."
- Cimarro
Support Your Cranium
"May sound simple, but a good pillow. It is amazing the change in body aches, and sleep you see when you have a good pillow that fits you."
- shartnado3
"I thought that I liked memory foam and other fancy pillows, but the real life changer for me was a buckwheat pillow. I have sleep apnea, and it allows me to get my head into the perfect position and keep it there comfortably."
"Before you go out and buy one, please research the pro's and cons. They aren't for everyone."
"Consider them if you like a firmer pillow, occasionally wake up with an achey neck from lack of support, and want a pillow that breathes well. Someone in the comments has also pointed out that you will win every pillow fight you get into."
"Downsides are: if you shift around in your sleep a lot, you'll need to adjust the pillow to fit your new position. Adjusting the pillow and settling in makes a little bit of noise as the buckwheat husks rub against each other, kind of like dry leaves crinkling. Some people are also allergic to buckwheat, but there are other similar fillings such as millet husks. Organic fillings also need to be replaced once in a while, since it breaks down over time.
- Phosphero
Make Your Mornings Easier
"Step 1: Throw away all your socks.
Step 2: Buy 3-5 packages of the same sock.
Step 3: Enjoy a life without ever having to match socks again."
- slykly2
"OMG!! I thought I was the only one that did this. My husband and kids make fun of me but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. One gets a hole, throw it out and move on. No worries about finding the mate and getting rid of the pair. No matching socks when doing laundry. No worrying about wearing two different socks at the same time (sorry, my OCD won’t let me do this). This makes my life so much easier!'
- turtlefreak23
It doesn't take a $1,000 new toy or appliance to make a big difference in your life. Sometimes it's something like a $10 water bottle you found on sale that makes drinking water easier and more fun that makes the biggest improvement.