Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

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...

More from Trending

Andy Ogles; Bad Bunny
Heather Diehl/Getty Images; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

MAGA Rep. Dragged After Claiming Bad Bunny's Halftime Show Depicted 'Gay Pornography'

Tennessee Republican Representative Andy Ogles was widely mocked after he claimed Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show was "pure smut" that depicted "gay pornography"—even going so far as to write a letter to the Energy and Commerce Committee demanding "a formal congressional inquiry" into the "indecent broadcast."

The rapper, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, delivered a largely Spanish-language show that has been hailed as a "love letter to Puerto Rico" and that drew from his latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which won the Grammy for Album of the Year just a week ago.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chris Brown (left) and Bad Bunny (right) are pictured separately amid online backlash and praise following Bad Bunny’s record-breaking Super Bowl halftime performance.
Marc Piasecki/WireImage; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Chris Brown Slammed After Appearing To Throw Bizarre Shade At Bad Bunny's Halftime Show

Bad Bunny’s record-breaking halftime show pulled in over 135 million viewers—fans, stans, casual watchers, and yes, professional haters who tune in just to be mad. Which brings me to the loudest one in the room: Chris Brown.

Brown took to social media to offer an unsolicited—and frankly bizarre—reaction to the Puerto Rico-inspired performance, posting a cryptic message that immediately rubbed people the wrong way.

Keep ReadingShow less
Todd Richards; Big Air Snowboarder Seungeun Yu
@btoddrichards/Instagram; Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images

NBC Broadcaster Speaks Out After He's Caught On Hot Mic Trashing Men's Snowboarding Competition At Olympics

Well, we've officially got our first hot mic oopsie of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics!

Broadcaster Todd Richards took to Instagram Sunday to apologize for comments he made during the men's big air snowboarding event that he didn't realize were being broadcast.

Keep ReadingShow less
Amber Glenn; Donald Trump
Andy Cheung/Getty Images; Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Olympic Figure Skater Reveals 'Scary Amount' Of Threats She Got After Her Criticism Of Trump

Amber Glenn, the first openly queer woman to represent the U.S. in figure skating, spoke out in an Instagram post about the torrent of threats she's received after criticizing President Donald Trump's treatment of the LGBTQ+ community.

Glenn had voiced criticism of the Trump administration earlier in the week during a pre-Olympics press conference, describing the period as especially difficult for herself and others in the LGBTQ+ community. Her comments were among several political statements made by U.S. athletes in the run-up to the Winter Games in Milan, Italy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rick Scott
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

MAGA Senator Slammed After Saying U.S. Olympians Critical Of Trump Should Be 'Stripped Of Their Olympic Uniform'

Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott was slammed after sharing a video criticizing U.S. Olympians who are conflicted about representing the United States amid President Donald Trump's controversial policies.

Scott spoke out after multiple Olympians made headlines for criticizing the Trump administration amid its nationwide immigration crackdown.

Keep ReadingShow less