We’re all looking for ways to make our lives better without digging too deep into our pockets. From 30-cent gloves to 7-dollar glasses, here are 18 cheap items that may come in very handy for you sooner or later.
Flosses
Keep your dental health game on point with flosses. These thin strands of nylon or teflon can help reduce plaque in between teeth and, hence, save you from discoloration, soreness, cavities, and gingivitis, as the UIC shares. Floss picks go for as little as $10.
Exfoliating Gloves
Baths can make you even cleaner when you use an exfoliating glove. You can get a pack of 30 pieces for just $10 (or $0.33 for individual purchases). The best part is that they come in light, moderate, and heavy textures, allowing you to choose what’s best for your skin.
Baby Wipes
It isn’t only babies that should benefit from these soft, damp pieces of cleaning paper. Baby wipes can be used to clean dirt, sweat, and any other form of impurity, serving you better than ordinary tissue paper. You can get a pack of 100 for only $4 at retail stores.
Pens
You’ll need a pen at college to jot things down in class, at home to note groceries you’ll need, and at the office to sign some documents. You’ll even need them at international airports to sign customs papers. Make sure you aren’t left stranded when you need one by getting a pack for just $1.5.
Satin Pillowcases
The $4 pillow cases made from this soft material don’t just make you sleep better. The Sleep Foundation says that they have hypoallergenic and beauty-related benefits, as they absorb fewer allergens, reduce the risk of acne, maintain skin hydration, and reduce hair damage.
Thermometers
Many people may think thermometers are only useful in hospitals or during scientific research. Well, they’re $2 items you can use while cooking or baking to measure the temperature of food or, when you feel sick, to measure your body temperature.
Jumper Cables
As a car owner, a time will come when you’ll leave the car in accessory mode, forgetting to turn it off completely. As the AAA Club Alliance says, this will drain your battery and can happen at the worst time possible. Having $11 jumper cables on standby will save you from the stress that’ll follow.
Duct Tape
Duct tape is a general-purpose repair accessory that comes in handy a lot more than you may think. You can use it to pack boxes and patch holes, and it’s also water-resistant enough to be used on pipes. You can get a 10-yard tape for as low as $1.25 at dollar stores.
Fire Extinguishers
For the amount of safety they bring to you, fire extinguishers come as cheap as $14 per piece. They can be your saving grace against losing your car, your home, and even your life during a bad fire incident. The law even makes them mandatory for commercial buses and trucks, QRFS reports.
Cell Phone Mounts
If you use maps on your phone to navigate while driving a lot, a phone mount will be a literal lifesaver. For just $4, they take away the need to hold your phone while at the wheels of your car, which can make you lose a bit of concentration. Hands-free activities become much easier.
Button Phones
Smartphones have taken over the mobile market so overwhelmingly that people have forgotten that button phones exist. These $25 cell phones come with longer battery lives and can help in emergency scenarios when you need to dial 911.
Foam Rollers
If you exercise or do work that makes your body sore, foam rollers can bring you relief. As Healthline explains, “Foam rolling can be an effective way to reduce muscle tension before starting your workout. That’s especially the case if you have any leftover tension from exercising over the previous few days.”
Scalp Massagers
Scalp massagers may increase blood flow to the scalp, loosen dandruff, and promote hair growth. But we bet none of these beats the stress-relieving sensation that comes with using them. You can get a shampoo massager to use while bathing for as little as 99 cents.
Keychain Escape Tools
When you get into an accident, your seatbelt is there to save you. But what happens when you get stuck in it, especially if your car has fallen into water or has fire spreading through? A $5 keychain tool is a multipurpose item you can use to cut seatbelts and also punch out car windows to save yourself.
Portable Fans
There are days when you’ll go out of the house, maybe in the subway, and find yourself caught up in the most unexpected heat wave. Portable fans will come in handy here, and you can get one for as low as $5. They aren’t heavy, so you don’t have to worry about their weight.
Phone Card Holder
Also called stick-on wallets, phone card holders can take your organization game a notch up. Just stick this $3 adhesive or magnetic holder to the back of your phone, and you don’t have to get a separate wallet for your credit cards or driver’s license.
Soap Dispensing Dish Brush
When you have to always take time applying soap to your brush whenever the lather goes away, it isn’t hard to see how doing the dishes can get tiring. With $4 soap-dispensing dish brushes, however, your flow is seamless, and you also get to reduce the clutter at the sink.
Blue-Light Filtering Glasses
Spending a lot of time on your smartphone or computer takes a toll on your eyesight. Although River Heights Eye Care says there are no studies that show it reduces eye strain, $7 blue-light glasses are great accessories that can help regulate your sleep-wake cycles.
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