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Online Community Shares 40 Responses On The Best Life-Simplifying Purchases That Save Time And Money
Ever bought something and thought, "Why didn’t I get this sooner?" The right purchases can be total game changers—saving you a whole lot. Whether it’s a gadget that streamlines your mornings or an organization hack that clears the clutter (and your mind), smart buys make life easier. And let’s be real. Who wouldn’t rather relax than hunt for lost pair of socks?
So imagine the responses of life-changing finds when one internet user asked what items people own that has made their life much easier. People shared everything from genius gadgets that made daily tasks effortless to space-saving hacks that turned chaos into order. Some were practical, others surprisingly clever—and a few had us wondering why we didn’t think of them first!
More info: Reddit
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I know this is going to sound trivial, but always having accessible boxes of tissues (like for blowing your nose) around my home feels very nice. When I was growing up, we always had to use fast food napkins or toilet paper (paper towels were off limits 😄) and I hated it. I even keep a box of tissue in my car as well as packets of pocket tissues, and freely give them out when I see people sniffling.
It's nice to be able to wipe your nose with a clean tissue when you need to.
A dishwasher, hand washing sucks. It's time consuming, uses more water, and doesn't get the dishes as clean.
An energy audit through my power company. It cost $50, and included 25 LED lightbulbs, which were installed for me during the audit. Then I got back thousands of dollars in rebates when I had insulation, home sealing, and new HVAC installed, and will get tax incentives when I file in April. My home is more comfortable and my bills are lower. All positive outcomes.
OCCU understands that life is all about tradeoffs. We exchange our time for money and, in turn, use that money to buy back time. The key to a fulfilling life lies more in making the right choices when it comes to these tradeoffs.
In today’s fast-paced world, convenience has become a driving force behind many of our decisions. Our schedules are packed, responsibilities keep piling up, and more often than not, it feels like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. As a result, many of us are willing to invest in things that free up our time.
A set of four silicone covers in different sizes that I mostly use to cover plates or bowls when I'm reheating in the microwave, but they also can be used to cover a pot on the stove or a container in the fridge. Infinitely reusable and save lots of cleanup.
Mine is the opposite of yours- no smart devices in the home. Walk around and stretch my legs to turn off lights, adjust the thermostat, open and close the blinds. Fewer electronics means less to break, simple fixes if they do. I'll have my Speed Queen and by dumb dryer w/o a working timer until I die.
For $100 in supplies, I built 24 feet of shelving in my basement for storage. Made my life so much better.
Washing dishes might be a pain (because who wants to be soaked in water after?), but a dishwasher might just make it easier—maybe even enjoyable. And how about spin mops? They are lifesavers. No more bending or getting your hands wet, better coverage with less work, plus it saves space due to its compact nature.
Levity highlights how these items and tools have also boosted productivity and improved the daily life of many.
A bidet. Cleans you better than tp while saving a ton of it. I also have a bidet bottle for travelling because I can't imagine a life without it anymore 😅.
I rent an apartment and I bought one of those bidet attachments, that goes under your toilet seat and attaches to the water valve. Well the building and my apartments interior are rather outdated and I couldn't get the hose to attach to the water valve because I didn't want to break it. The valve and everything is original, from 1970, with layers of paint to verify. So I have to have the plumber, who takes care of all the properties owned by my landlord, come out and install it for me. After waiting so long, I might just upgrade to a good one, that will be worth me having the plumber install it, imho. After doing more research I think I'd prefer one that can warm up the water some.
I bit the bullet on a new bed purchase this last year and splurged on an adjustable base.
Being able to elevate my feet and head without juggling to organize a bunch of pillows feels like the epitome of luxury.
Sleep is improved, and I'm glad I opted to put the purchase on my credit card, even though I paid it off right away with savings budgeted for the big spend. The store would have given me 0% interest, but since I didn't carry the balance, I didn't pay any interest, anyway, and my card basically paid me with a kickback/cashback.
This is my goal. Have been thinking about getting one of these for a while now.
A KitchenAid stand mixer.
We make all our own pasta (I have both a roller/cutter and an extruder) and all our own bread.
It's saved us a lot of money in the long run, and it happens to be fun for me!
On her website, home management expert Chelsi Jo emphasizes the importance of investing in items that enhance efficiency by saving time, money, and space. She believes these choices can also help combat decision fatigue.
She explains that decision fatigue happens when people become overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks or chores they have to do daily. From deciding what to wear to managing household tasks, these daily decisions have a way of draining mental and physical energy.
Fake Christmas tree from Target. Although my wife is pining (pun intended) for a real one next year.
Kitchen scissors!!!! I do so much with my kitchen scissors everyday and having a pair is something that a lot of people overlook surprisingly.
At the heart of these choices, buying items that reduce stress and add convenience isn’t just about spending money—it’s about making smart investments that save time, energy, and mental bandwidth. Whether it’s a simple tissue box, an Instant Pot, or a pre-lit Christmas tree, these purchases show that sometimes, the best way to save is by choosing ease.
But not everyone spends with the same mindset. Some prioritize extreme frugality, others focus on long-term value, and some simply want to avoid hassle at all costs. Wondering where you fit in? Keep reading to explore different items and find out which purchases are truly worth it.
Invest in a comfortable chair or sofa. Comfort over looks.
Cordless vacuum - Vacuuming is the chore I hate the most so having a device that's easier helps me do it a ton more which saves my floor and rugs.
Corelle dishes - They last a lifetime and are so lightweight that it makes it easier to put away or put in the dishwasher.
Oh I love my Dyson cordless vacuum. It is super light. The only complaints I saw online were about the relatively short battery life. But really, this gives me permission to do timed cleaning. I no longer think that I have to vacuum everything in the house at once (this means I will procrastinate). I use the vacuum to do what is needed and then charge it.
Shoe shelves.
Well, a short bookcase I put in the closet to keep my shoes on. Now I know where they all are, I don't trip over them or lose them under the bed, and it's easy to spritz them with Sole-Pourri when I put them away.
🙂.
We screened our patio and got some outdoor infrared heaters so we can enjoy our backyard year-round without bugs in the summer and warm in the winter.
A spin mop! I debated getting one for so long but it totally saves me on water, product, and time. I know there’s mixed opinions but I’m glad I got it. Also having the removable washable mop heads is a huge saver for me.
We use a Norwex - mainly because it has a built-in sprayer (kind of like a Swiffer Wetjet, but everything is washable and you can fill the bottle with whatever you want). Before that, we had a Bona and a spray bottle.
I love my instant pot! I have an older model that I've had for a while now, and it's still going strong. It works magic on the cheapest cuts of meat and cooks dried beans in an hour, no soaking required.
Crockpot liners. I resisted them for years but they are in fact life-changing.
Sunglasses that are also readers. No more switching glasses to read something outside. How did I not know these existed till recently?
Up vote for the crockpot liners. I will never cook in one again unless I have one.
Air purifier! I have pets, allergies, and asthma and live near a large road so my house is dusty and my lungs are angry. A good purifier makes a huge difference. I got one for $150 this year that works better (imo) than the $800 Molekule purifier I splurged on when I got my house. The filters for that thing are like $90 a piece, no way! For that price I could repurchase my Shark purifier brand new, plus extra filters, for less than two Molekule filter replacements cost! So I’m really happy to have bought it and plan to sell the Molekule.
We bought one last year when there were forest fires near our house. BlueAir pure. Works great, although it is rather critical of our cooking.
A gym membership. It is my exercise, social life, and purpose. It also makes me feel great.
I swim everyday and chatting with the regular lap swimmers I meet have become my social activity.
A drinkmate (like a Soda Stream, but it can carbonate non-water beverages). We like bubbly water as an alternative to soda and the cost over time paid off quickly compared to how much we drink - and I don’t have to haul cases of it from my car haha.
I've had the Soda Stream but it didn't last very long, in that house. We all personally do not like plain water, bubbly or not and prefer flavored drinks. Well the syrups that are supposedly made to be just like the can/bottle, that you can get, at a store definitely do not taste the same, imho. There wasn't much of a comparison, for most of the branded flavors, of syrups that I had tried of my usual favorite bottled beverage, in my experience. Can be great for many people and saves money.
My Irobot Roomba J7+. It was a very pricey investment. But with 2 cats in the house we were vacuuming 2/3 times a week for 1,5 hour each. Time is money right? Now i only need to change it's dust bag every month or so and will vacuum manually about once a month too. It saves me sooo many hours to do other stuff. Best investment in 2023 for us.
Wtf are you vacuuming for 90 minutes, at a time? How big is the house? I'm hoping it takes this long because you're also vacuuming couches, chairs and stairs, as well as the floors. I'm pretty sure they don't have a Roomba that can climb stairs and furniture yet, at least I don't think they do?? 🤔 I'm not sure if the amount of time saved, would justify the price of the Roomba, which I have no clue how much it is, except that it's a "pricey investment."
I purchased 6 reusable panty liners 5 years ago. They are still going strong.
Plants. Brings life and a nice pop of colour to the space.
I bought some realistic artificial plants for zero maintenance because I have whatever the opposite of a green thumb is.
So I saw that the opposite of a green thumb is commonly known as a brown/black thumb, because you can't keep a plant alive, so it turns brown as it wilts/dies, makes sense. I also saw the term Numb Thumb, also being the opposite of Green Thumb, which I personally like so much and will always use it.
A cookie jar. You don't even have to put cookies in it; I stored coffee pods in mine. They just feel so homey.
We have a small cookie jar with pointy cat ears as a lid. We store cat treats in it, natch.
Large silicon molds to freeze food like lentils, soup etc.
Medium silicon molds to freeze ginger, sauces .
You can freeze almost everything.
Glass food storage containers (33 oz). Mine are over 6 years old and don't smell or leak and will probably outlive me. They replaced multitude of plastic containers that smell.
Mission on getting back to Scotland: Get 50/50 split fridge so I can have a freezer I can actually fit things in. Every rental in USA has a fridge with a freezer you can't even fit a 4yr old inside. (Joke. JOKE. Calm your t*ts).
An Anker charging brick powerful enough to run my laptop and charge devices. It has multiple USB ports. I no longer have to juggle multiple charging bricks or the awkward OEM laptop power supply. It’s noticeably simpler so much that several folks have commented at work when they saw my simplified setup in conference rooms.
I think I have said this a dozen times: a small espresso machine.
Moka pot for the stovetop and battery-powered frother. Best lattes ever. We also have a Breville that does pour-over style coffee. It was pricey, but the coffee itself is fantastic.
Cute, unique bowls, trays and baskets. Adds a fun element and helps with clutter. My cat’s dry food bowls are two coral coloured vintage clam shell dishes. It makes me so happy watching them eat from something so cute and unexpected.
Professional Karaoke machine :) I’ve always wanted one and during the pandemic I caved and was like “why not?”. I now have weekly solo karaoke parties with the disco ball function lighting up my house and I belt out whatever my heart desires!
YASSSSSSS. Get whatever joy you can from life, given how s****y the world is.
I've got a power strip/surge suppressor by my bed that has multiple higher power output USB ports. I don't need separate chargers for my multiple devices by the bed.
A used Subaru Forester. I had chosen a Subaru because my niece had recently been in a serious car accident and I realized that health and safety was a good investment. 2 months after I bought it I got rear ended by a Chevy Malibu going 50 mph, I was fully stopped. I had some injuries (neck pain etc) but that car was a tank and protected me well. It would have been worse if I was still driving the Saturn sedan.
The car was a Tank? That would mean that most of the impact went into you. The car is supposed to crumble on impact, so that the force is being diverted away from the passengers
Lamps! Get some lamps you love. I also love my dusty rose velvet curtains. Of course you need a candle or two. Dried flowers.
Amazon prime.
Take it for granted now but having almost anything available to you in two days has changed behavior.
I have a disco ball in my living room and spotlights for it. Highly recommend for the vibes.
Sooooooo cheesy....but my urge to show up at their door with a bottle of wine and the will to partaaaaaay.....
Electric can opener it’s so much better than the normal one’s that don’t work half the time appletastic.
I found an old Ekco 50's manual can opener on etsy for $12, just like my grandma had. It outperforms the handle-turn manual openers AND the electronic ones. They changed a design that worked absolutely perfectly and gave us plastic trash that doesn't work. Bring back the Ekco's! images-679...146797.jpg
A scented candle. One you really love. I also like to have lush fabrics. Velvet pillows and a luxe throw
I don't use candles and am allergic to a lot of scents. They seem to be the go-to gift for women though, so I have three on my mantle I am trying to regift, but if I can't they will go to the op shop.