Sometimes, in an effort to improve our lives in some capacity requires us to make a significant dent in our bank account.
Even though it might be yogurt for dinner for a few weeks after, we still feel good about our expensive purchases when we see the difference a high-powered washing machine makes, or feel the cool air from our upgraded air conditioner.
That being said, it's not always the most expensive items that come to the rescue in our lives.
Indeed, sometimes the most useful or helpful purchases we've made might actually be found in the bargain bin.
A recent Redditor was eager to hear about the best purchases people made for $20 or less, leading them to ask:
"What’s a purchase under $20 that made your life way easier?"
Can See Right Through It...
"Clear/transparent umbrella."
"Since it's see-through, I can hold it as close to my face as I need at any angle and still be able to see where I'm going, no matter how stormy and windy it is."
"Plus it's just less depressing than being under a dark umbrella that hides the sky from view (I like having some natural light and being able to watch the rain)."- laurpr2
Nails Be Gone!
"Strong magnets with hooks on them."
"They attach to the back of a metal door or the fridge and give you secure places to hang things you need to keep track of."
"Like keys, for instance."
"Or a small flashlight."- markmakesfun
Perfect Medium Rare
"A meat thermometer. I am so much more confident cooking now."- No_Detective_715

Slips Right On
"Long shoe horn."
"It may seem trivial for many, but I have a bad back, and it was a necessary tool and an absolute life changer."- ooOJuicyOoo
Every Now And Then... Size Does Matter...
"6ft charging cable."- butterf1y
The Sound Of Silence...
"Earplugs."
"I have been sleeping with earplugs for over 20 years now."
"When I lived with my parents, on the weekends my father would get up wee hours in the morning and start whistling and wake me up way before I would have naturally."
"The eventual noise in the middle of the night, or even the newspaper tossed by the paper boy, would wake me up."
"I wish I used earplugs at those times."- CosmoCafe777

...Or The Sound Of Music
"Headphones for whenever I want to just be in my own little bubble."- Lux_pearls
Tangles Be Gone!
"I bought a box full of little plastic clamps that I've attached to my desk for cable management and now none of my charging cables, headphone wires and etc get in the way on my desk."- RxMurloc
The Claw!
"A grabber."
"I have osteoarthritis."
"A grabber is a tool that you use to pick things up with so that you don't have to reach down/across out of what is comfortable."
"Another great use for ours is when we knock something behind the washing machine and dryer."
"Out comes the grabber."- sjp1980

Better Safe Than Sorry
"Condoms."- DMTmakesmehorny
"Can save you up to 300k in the long run."- deansmythe
Happy Feet!
"Multiple pairs of the same socks at once, then throwing out all my other socks and no longer needing to match them after laundry."
"Been doing it for 20 years."
"Nobody noticed you always wearing the exact same socks."
"My dozen pairs of socks all go into one bag, and I blindly pull two out and they always match."
"If there's a hole in a sock, I immediately throw it out and never worry about needing to match it."
"Every 5-6 years, enough socks are worn out that I buy an entirely new set."
"The old socks then end up as backup for rain or travel, and they just get throw out when unneeded."- ZirePhiinix
...To Each Their Own?...
"A 25 feet hdmi cable."
"I couldn't make the mirroring work so just bought a long cable."- sengir0

When You Can't Reach That One Spot...
"Back scratcher. It’s the extending one, but it HAS to have the little metal bear claw."
"You know it when you see it."
"Trust me on this one."- AttemptingMurder
Magical Darkness
"Sleep mask."- MarvelousOxman
Is There Anything Better Than A Nice Cuppa?
"Electric Kettle."- GreatDimension5074
"I learned this was a thing while traveling Australia, and it’s been one of the greatest purchases for me when I returned to the states."
"Use it every day."- Ok-Hat-8759

We're all bound to make an expensive purchase that makes our lives easier, one way or the other.
Sometimes, however, our lives can change through a discovery in the bargain bin.















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