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Purchases Under $20 That Actually Changed People's Lives

A man pulling a one dollar bill out of a wallet
person getting 1 U.S. dollar banknote in wallet

Reddit user Mean-Effort3779 asked: 'What’s the best purchase under $20 that changed your life?'

We've all found ourselves justifying an expensive purchase.

It is something that our friends and family might dismiss as an extravagance, but one we have absolutely no regrets over due to its long-term impact on our lives.


Of course, not all worthwhile purchases need to put us back hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Sometimes, we may discover that the best purchase we have ever made in our lives might not have even made it to double digits on its price tag.

Redditor Mean-Effort3779 was eager to hear about the most worthwhile, inexpensive purchases people have ever made, leading them to ask:

"What’s the best purchase under $20 that changed your life?"

The Joys Of Multi-Tasking

"Book holder so I can eat soup and read at the same time."- GlumDistribution7036

Afternoon Delight

"A brownie."

"Girl I fancied at work was sad so on my lunch break, I bought her a brownie and gave it her for when she went on hers
We're now very happily married, and she says the brownie really won her over."-
bob_is_bob

...Or At Least Know A Lot Of People Who Do...

"Rice cooker (assuming you eat a lot of rice)."- boomer1204

GIF by MediaMarkt EspañaGiphy

Stay Safe Everyone

"Condoms."

"I’m glad we didn’t have kids."- wornoutseed

Hot And Ready!

"I bought a popcorn air popper for $0.25 at a yard sale in 1992."

"I had that popper for 28 years, and I cried the day it died."- LuxnLula

It's All About The Ambience...

"A sound machine for sleeping in a room with thin walls."- candamana

Sonic Youth 90S GIFGiphy

Time For An Upgrade

"Driving a older car, blue tooth radio adaptor for like 10 bucks allows me to listen to audiobooks and Spotify while driving."-orlangodseye

Always Looking Presentable

"Travel-sized clothing steamer."

"Ironing is a pain in the butt, but this takes seconds to heat up and makes clothes look so much more presentable."- MinuteMaidMarian

A Modern Age Necessity

"6 foot long phone charger cord."- love2go

got to go lol GIF by Chris Giphy

Eternal Moisture

"I've always had drastically dry lips, so I would spend a lot of money on lip balms and lip repair kits and all that crap."

"I walked into my local 7-Eleven one day, and they're selling this lip balm from a brand called SHE for $1.99."

"I tell you it's one of the best things I've ever bought in my life!"

"My lips are nice and supple I went back and bought the remaining four."- Ok-Catch-5813

Eco-Friendly And Efficient

"Mine is reusable notebook with erasable pages."- bluemedian

No Price For Friendship...

"Same thing I say every time this is posted... the free cat from the shelter."- procheeseburger

In Love Cat GIFGiphy

...And Friends Look Out For One Another!

"A security camera pointed directly at our cat litter boxes."

"My male cat has had two urinary blockages in the last 6 months, and that camera saved his life."

"We were able to pick up on the issue within hours."

"Urinary blockage in cats is a medical emergency, and we got lucky."- ThatsNotMyOreo

And No More Spillage From Trays!

"A counter top ice maker."

"Bought one randomly one sale for $20 and it’s the best purchase my husband has ever made."

'It sounds silly but only having to press a button and you get a full container of ice?"

"So convenient especially for those who use a lot ice."- RosesAndPonds

A Matter Of Time

"Casio f91-W."

"Never had a watch before this one, having an easy way to check time without taking out my phone made a great increase in increasing productivity and reducing time spent on my phone, it goes for around ~$13 and the battery will last several years."-PogDogMan

Sci Fi Art GIF by Imagine DragonsGiphy

Sometimes, we just have to allow our bank account to take a hit to make a necessary purchase.

But always remember, inexpensive doesn't always mean cheap...

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