Every penny counts when living a frugal lifestyle. Saving money means making smart purchases.
And even the smallest investments can have the biggest returns. From budget shopping to thrifting, frugal people know how to save money when it comes to shopping.
To help others save big, frugal people offered their best frugal advice for purchases $20 or less that have saved them hundreds of dollars over time. These are 30 purchases they've made that have saved them the most money.
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"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." - localkinegrind
"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." - BigDuke
"Our little $15 rice cooker really was worth it. I'm a pretty good cook but I really haven't been doing it much in the last few years. Enter the rice cooker - just toss in some rice, heat some frozen thing or another, pop some veg in the microwave and boom, dinner. Cheaper and faster and healthier than the burrito or fast food place down the road. Just gotta keep stocked on the frozen meals we like." - poshknight123
"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." - tx645
"Hair clippers. Haven't paid for a haircut in 5 years." - Efficient_Comfort_47
"Lunch box to bring your own lunch to work rather than eating out." - Tenet_Bull
"Honestly? A hardware shop near my house was closing and I bought a pack of every grit of sandpaper and it was not quite $20. This was about 15 years ago and I haven’t bought any sandpaper since. I made a joke about how much sandpaper my Dad had in his garage when he died, and then his wife said that sandpaper was actually my grandfather’s. It’s almost as if my family fears a sandpaper shortage and we hoard it. I dunno." - tc_cad
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"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?" - pbpantsless
"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." - raccoon_at_noon
"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." - in-the-narrative
"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." - revelry0128
"$7 basil plant in a pot. It’s well and alive still after three years." - FredBreadBad
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"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." - Duke0fMilan
"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." - puhnitor
"battery charger and pack of 12 rechargeable AAA/AA batteries combo." - CarevaRuha
"Water Sensor for the basement/under sinks. Screeches and sends an alert to your phone if it detects water. It saved us when our dishwasher was leaking and when our sump pump in the basement stopped working a few times over the years." - Pr1zonMike
"Cloth napkins." - Expensive_Bear_1059
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"Hair snake to keep shower drain clear. Clothes steamer to forego dry cleaning bills." - Voc1Vic2
"Huge pack of dish towels. Saves us a ton on paper towels. We still use paper towels for really gross or sticky spills but it’s cut down a ton. Bidet. Cuts down on a lot of toilet paper." - Jealous-Argument7395
"TV antenna." - switchfootball
"A fabric shaver. I paid it around $20. You can remove lint off your clothes and extend their life. You really need to be careful with thin fabrics though because it can create little holes in your clothes (learnt it the hard way lol)." - ybhgt-234ag
"A simple cheese grater allows you to purchase less expensive blocks of cheese, with no anti-caking additives." - orangezeroalpha
"A sunshade for my car windshield. I live in a brutally hot and dry part of California and have to park my car outside. The sun shade has saved my car interior from being completely destroyed by UV rays. Over 200k miles and my black interior still looks really good." - _skank_hunt42
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"Hot glue gun. Solves lots of problems." - gobbledegook
"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." - Birdo3129
"Bought a fantastic Lodge cast-iron pan at Goodwill for 10 bucks. I won’t need another pan for the rest of my life." - tedshreddon
"Took an online defensive driving course for $19.99 and it's saving me almost $100/mo on my car insurance for the next 3 years." - Hatty_Girl
"For me, a $15 French press. Stopped buying coffee out every morning, saved me hundreds within months." - Altruistic-Bar2459
"Dryer balls. They make my clothes soft without ruining my dryer, and last for years." - Grouchy-Display-457