Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
30 Times People Bought Ridiculously Cheap Things That Looked Sketchy But Turned Out To Be The Best Purchases
The Universe can reward you in mysterious ways. Many of us have one or two items at home or at work that continue to impress us with their quality and longevity every single day. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to call them the best purchases we’ve made. And price… actually doesn’t have all that much to do with the quality of the thing in these fringe cases. Sometimes, Fortune smiles on us, and a sketchy cheap buy turns into a lifelong companion.
Whether it’s a pair of cutesy pink Hello Kitty nail clippers from Japan or a flannel jacket for $2 that’s still going strong after a quarter of a century, these are the accidental heirlooms that we pick up throughout life. If this were an RPG, these would be [Legendary] quality and crafted by elves (and/or possibly dwarves). Scroll down for the very best stories about suspicious products and services that turned out to be awesome, as shared on this viral r/AskReddit thread. Oh, and remember to upvote the posts you enjoyed the most, dear Pandas.
Now that’s not to say that price doesn’t matter at all when it comes to quality (master crafted products cost a lot to make, and the labor’s expensive, too), but it’s weird how high quality can lurk in the unlikeliest of places. Do you have any cheap things you bought that have lasted for years, Pandas? We can’t wait to see what you have to say, so drop by the comment section.
Bored Panda reached out to Sam Dogen, the author of 'Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom' (out July 19) and the founder of the Financial Samurai blog, for his opinion about saving on non-essential purchases and how to avoid impulse buying. He also shared some vital information about bear markets and how long they last. Read on to see what he had to tell us.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I was traveling in Japan and needed nail clippers. All I could find is this cheap pink Hello Kitty grooming kit.
These clippers are the best I ever owned. They have stayed sharp and functional for 20 years. I'm very protective of them. Everyone in the house knows, you don't touch Dad's pink Hello Kitty nail clippers.
Ozymandias73 3 years ago
Had to LOL when I read "Dad's" clippers. If they work that well, I'd be protective of them too!
Suz66 3 years ago
I love a man that's comfortable using pink Hello Kitty clippers! That's very sweet.
Izzy 3 years ago
i love seeing men tearing down toxic hyper-masculine patriarchal standards, one small move at a time
Load More Replies...
Marilyn Russell 3 years ago
It’s funny - I’ve still got an alligator shaped nail brush I’ve had for almost 40 years that came with bubble bath and it is still in perfect condition. I love that little thing.
Sam, the mastermind behind the Financial Samurai project, told us how we can recognize whether or not a purchase is absolutely necessary or if we only think that it is.
"We really only need shelter, food, water, and clothing—your core expenses. Literally, everything else is unnecessary if we really think about it," he explained to Bored Panda.
"Hence, if you're really worried about your finances, the first step is to calculate your core expenses. Once your core expenses are calculated, you can then list out every other item on your spreadsheet and decide where to cut," he advised.
RELATED:
#2
Seed packets from the dollar store. While in college my boyfriend and I were broke. Really broke. But I still wanted to do something to celebrate spring. We were getting a few cheap things at the dollar store when I noticed they were selling these seeds packets from a big old bin that you had to dig thru. 4 for $1. No tax. I immediately begged to buy one despite our strict budget.
Boyfriend was incredulous I'd want to buy sketchy seeds but dutifully handed me a quarter. I ended up picking out tomatoes.
Well we got home and I carefully placed about 3 seeds in washed out cans. I watered them and watched them sprout. I loved tending to my little garden. I ended up with 3 beautiful HUGE tomato plants. It was a bumper crop. More than we could eat.
I sold the extra produce to my classmates. Made like $25. Good seeds!
Bill Evs 3 years ago
I grow a lot of veg and when I initially started I used to buy seeds on the more expensive side thinking they'd be better quality. Don't get me wrong, they did grow well but then I bought a cheap multi pack and they all grew just as well too. Since then I've just bought cheap seeds and never had any real problems. In fact lots of websites will send you free seeds. I think it's more to do with how they're looked after rather than how much they cost.
Rachel Parker 3 years ago
I think that's possibly true of seeds. But not of bulbs. If you want to plant bulbs (which I recommend, some grow happily indoors pots) get quality ones from a specialist, not mass-produced packs from a supermarket or similar, because they can be just too old and dried out to ever grow.
Load More Replies... BrookeBT 3 years ago
I work on a farm -this is my first summer there. There is nothing more exciting and heartwarming than watching the plants grow. It's so cool.
Travis Fox 3 years ago
I buy seeds at the end of the season when they are half price, put them in the freezer for the winter, and they sprout just fine the next spring. Its a great money saving tip.
A. 3 years ago
Also, fertilizer doesn't have to be super expensive. Depending on the plant, you can use banana peels (potassium), coffee grounds, etc. Ixoras like pickle juice, so when I empty a jar, the plants get the liquid. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of bananas, but my gardenias love the potassium, so I'll buy one, cut it up & put it in a jug of water. I have the best plant on the block.
Jaybird3939 3 years ago
I see stores selling veg. seeds for 2.50 for 1 pack. Dollar Store is a bargain in this case. All of the seeds I've bought there have been good. My black thumb may have killed some, but that's not the seeds fault!
#3
I bought a $6,300 tiny house trailer from a MAGA guy out of state who said he’d take guns or cash and had a bunch of barking dogs. A little fixing up, and it has been a home for a homeless transgender youth for 4 months now!
Kusotare 3 years ago
I bet it would bug the MAGA guy no end if he knew what his former trailer was being used for!
Tatiana Kouzmanoff 3 years ago
Is funny the irony of you judging someone you don't know, assuming he will judge someone he doesn't know is lost on you.
Load More Replies...
Jenny Michelle 3 years ago
I'm confused ..was it worth that or they paid that? Just seems a bit steep for a homeless youth to be able to afford.
Elixir 3 years ago
I think they fostered or let out the house for free after they bought it really cheaply.
Load More Replies...
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
Go ask them on Reddit 3 years ago. Cos that where and when it was posted.
Load More Replies...
Anne McKinney 3 years ago
Way to go! From MAGA to transgender youth. Now there's a transformation I can get behind.
"During bear markets, your key is to survive long enough until the bear market is over. Historically, bear markets have lasted about 12 months and experienced a 37% drawdown in stocks. Hence, if you can hunker down for 12 months by cutting as much of your non-core expenses as possible, that is your best move. For eventually, the good times will return again," Sam said.
According to financial expert and author Sam, the best way to tackle impulse spending is to wait a week before buying anything. That way, you'll have fewer regrets. "Whether you're suffering from real estate FOMO or wanting that expensive watch, by waiting a week, your emotions will calm down. Once your emotions calm down, you'll be able to think more rationally before spending money," he explained that you can make better decisions with a cooler head.
#4
No label old beat to s**t vinyl acetate record with hand written “That’ll be the day” on it. Paid $1.
Ended up being a live Buddy Holly recording.
Sold it for $970.
unfilteredCigarette73 3 years ago
That is so cool. I don't think I would have been able to part with that record.
New Everywhere 3 years ago
Bought a "mystery box" of cds for like $2 (mid 2000s). All of them were terrible except two. One was MIA's Kala, instant fan.
John Anderson 3 years ago
Careful, Buddy's widow will come after you wanting her share of the proceeds.
#5
I randomly found a wedding videographer online and booked him for a very affordable rate for my wedding assuming it wouldn’t be very good quality. Two weeks after the wedding, he emails me a high quality, well-edited video. He had a drone I hadn’t noticed because he was outside of the venue getting b-roll with it before I even started getting ready for the big day. I was floored and now I recommend him to everyone who ever plans to get married ever.
Edit: He has definitely upped his prices since then (he did the videography for my wedding last summer) and rightfully so, because he does great work.
Dan Padgett 3 years ago
In regards to the edit. Artists deserve to be paid. Whether it's design, photography or even traditional art work. Yes, your nephew can hold a camera/use Photoshop. With no experience or training, it's gonna be c**p. Well done to this person for validating this person's expertise and price increase.
Eric Mac Fadden 3 years ago
In music and video I always had to make the client's will, if I don't they could look for someone else cheaper (and worse, of course). Art can be technical too and it has a humongous and expensive learning curve...
Load More Replies...
Chriss21 3 years ago
I googled "cheap wedding dress" and found a sketchy, very unprofessional website that sold dresses. Ordered one for $95 (including shipping to another continent) because you need around 2-3k to rent a dress in my country. They sent me an email, asking for my dimensions, because the dresses were custom made. One month later, I had my wedding dress, delivered at home. It fit perfectly and it was amazing, exactly how I wanted it! Best purchase ever!
Lady Lava 3 years ago (edited)
I wore a lovely dress at my wedding that was only 120 euros (in 2009). It seems to me that labeling a dress a wedding dress is a reason for sellers to increase the price. That's such a scam! Mine came from the prom/gala dresses section, but was entirely suitable to get married in.
Load More Replies...
Lisa Intally 3 years ago
Don't skimp when it comes to your photography because those pictures are ones that live forever.
Lisa Johannesson 3 years ago
See, this is how you help artists get exposure. You pay them, because you're a client.
Riley Quinn 3 years ago
When I started my first business, I practically gave my services for free. Worked like a fool, but word spread, and my business grew so fast that I didn't have to waste money on ads.
#6
I bought a turtle for 5 dollars in china town and she’s turning three this year
Edit to add a few things: Chinatown in Chicago which is why her name is Al Capone (we call her Al) I am hoping she will outlive me because I can’t imagine losing her. Don’t worry I study biology and environmental science (going in a PhD program) she is treated like a queen.
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago (edited)
I'm sure she is. Such a little cutie. Good luck with your degree.👍🍀😃
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
It was posted on Reddit 3 years ago. Wishing them good luck with their degree here on this site is a waste of time as they won't see it.
Load More Replies... Amy Taylor 3 years ago
I have 2 Los Angeles Chinatown turtles that will turn 4 this year. Since I know a lot about them, I built them a fabulous home I call Playa Tortuga with a little "beach" and water fountain as well as a great "tanning" dock, lol. I feel really sad for the ones people buy with no knowledge of their care, and stick them into a fishbowl. Then they get huge and they "release them" into ponds in the park. They aren't native to here, so they will likely end up dead. They are a lot of work, but if you know what you're doing, they are lovely little creatures.
Troux 3 years ago
Food for thought: The pictured turtle is a yellow-bellied slider, one of the many turtles which is illegal to sell in the US when their carapace is under 4" long, an effort to reduce the spread of salmonella, which all turtles carry. The law is a little silly, but remember to wash your hands after you touch a turtle OR ANYTHING A TURTLE HAS TOUCHED. Salmonella stronk.
Memere 3 years ago
Yes, it's another stock photo chosen by the BP editor. The OP didn't include a photo of their actual turtle, so BP did the best they could!
Load More Replies...
Vepřík Boubelatý 3 years ago (edited)
She certainly will outlive you, these are very sturdy. We have one for 25 years - she is foundling, so we don´t know how old is she. She survive one really harsh winter, when she froze in her container (broken window), few escapes and was returned to us by the neighbors at the end of the street, when we thought we had lost her for good...cool animal.
Pepinie Tojetajne 3 years ago
We found water turtle on the road, gave her home. We have her six years now :)
"It's important to remember that every purchase you make is with after-tax money. Hence, you should calculate how much the item costs in pre-tax money. This greater number will help curtail your impulse spending as well."
Sam stressed that every single dollar that you spend on something you don't need is one less dollar that you get to invest in building passive income for financial freedom. "Given time is our most valuable asset, impulse spending is essentially making us poorer for losing time."
Some of us have a weakness for buying things on impulse. Others are strongly affected by advertisements (or think that they’re immune to them but actually aren’t). Some love to bargain-hunt and stumble upon hidden treasures completely by chance. Others take buying very seriously and do massive comparisons on price, quality, and functionality before committing to any single purchase. And some are a combination of all of these, in varying quantities (we’re looking at you, handsome mirror Pandas!)
Bored Panda recently had a chat with Matt Johnson, Ph.D., a professor of consumer psychology at Hult International Business School and Harvard University, and the author of 'Branding that Means Business: How to Build Enduring Bonds between Brands, Consumers and Markets,' about ads, contrast, fonts, what consumers notice first, and why context is so important.
#7
The Bra of Mystery.
First strike: I bought it from a grocery store.
Second strike: It was marked down to $2, and plastered with stickers reading, "Final sale!", "No returns!", "We're not liable if this [takes your life]!", "I'm sure there are people who love you!" and the like.
Third strike: Upon ringing it through, the cashier did a double-take at the screen, looked at me with great concern, and asked if I was sure I wanted to buy it.
After failing to self-combust and send me straight to hell, it wound up being one of the nicest bras I ever had. Wore it for two years before the inevitable underwire tit-shanking.
I still wonder what they thought was wrong with it.
IcyPenguinToes 3 years ago
"underwire tit shanking" 😂 😂. The phrase I didn't know I needed in my life.
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
It happened to me once and all I can say is ouch! That bastard shanked me like I was a prison snitch.
Load More Replies...
Nicola Roberts 3 years ago
Hahaha never put those three words together before, and yet instinctively knew I am one of the victims!
Christy Kindness 3 years ago
OMG UTS the scourge of womankind!! We've all been shanked, thank God it finally has a name! The healing can begin!
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
The size? The color? The fact that it was the last one? Was the packaging all torn up? Was it smudged or just generally shopworn looking?
TheEndIsNigh 3 years ago
This is the best post ever. Seriously, you win the universe.🏆 Thank you and goodnight.
#8
This bamboo back scratcher my wife got me for 3 bucks like 15 years ago. It is right here next to me. I use it to scratch my back, gesticulate while I pontificate, fend off my cats, harass my cats, and use as a tuning fork to make strange noises to annoy my wife.
I joke that in the event of a house fire, this back scratcher is the only thing besides my wife and cats that I'd take with me. (Its not a joke though, I really would go for it first).
Pittsburgh rare 3 years ago
I also need something to gesticulate while l pontificate. Totally get you
Chewie Baron 3 years ago
Especially to raise it the air, shake it, and shout “Young Man!” at anyone who annoys you!
Load More Replies...
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
I have an extendable backscratcher I keep on my desk, and it's such a godsend that I bought a second one to keep in the office at work! Perfect for those hard to reach itchy spots, can be used to hook things that have fallen behind the furniture, and when my dog was still alive and would roll over next to my desk chair asking for tummy scratches I used it on him too (because he was small and therefore out of reach!).
V Martinez 3 years ago
I have the same kind and love it! I keep a spare in my vehicle for those hard to reach places! (When I drop something.) lol!
Load More Replies... Kusotare 3 years ago
Do not underestimate the bamboo backscratcher. My dad probably had a dozen or more of them stashed all over the place, so one was always handy if he needed a good scratch. He's been gone for about a year and a half, and I think my mom is still finding them. He even had one in each of the cars!
Notyomama 3 years ago
I have one at my desk right beside me. It is awesome. It was a dollar at Walmart.
Load More Replies... 
Jill Bussey 3 years ago
LOL! I bought a bamboo back scratcher from a closing down shop; I paid about 10p (about 12c?) and it's worth its weight in platinum!
Phil Rubin 3 years ago
I have one of those back scratches bought in the San Francisco Chinatown in 1994. Still using it.
Jennifer Brown 3 years ago
I had a bamboo back scratcher that I got as a door prize when Pier 1 turned 40 (at least 25 years ago) best freebie I ever received. Kept in my bed with me for nighttime back itching emergencies. It even traveled to the UK and back when I lived over there. Neighbor's dog got ahold of it a few months back and chewed on it, almost destroyed it, managed to fix it with a little sand paper.
#9
A tour guide approached us outside the Vatican offering the best discounted Vatican tours. This guy was the definition of sketch. But we were like “oh what the hell, when in Rome.” (Pun intended). It was indeed a discounted tour and turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Rome. Tour guide was awesome and we skipped all the lines to get right in.
Kirsten Kerkhof 3 years ago
I paid a single Euro for a church tour that took me all through the 13th century church and up into the roof space (between the ceiling and the actual tiled roof). The tour was over 3 hours long and really interesting. It wasn't advertised or anything, I just walked into the church, saw the tour guide, and jjoined.
Marco Conti 3 years ago
I was born in Rome, when I studied at the conservatory I killed time visiting out of the way small churches and Roman ruins. Some of the best times I have ever had. Once, on a rainy weekday morning, we entered the Pantheon and it was empty of tourists. This old guy said "Music students?" and proceeded to give us a organ concerto while the rain fell through the hole in the center. Magical.
Yayheterogeneity 3 years ago
It's actually a very good thing to do for all the museums and sites in Rome.
Susann Taphophile 3 years ago (edited)
We once had a castle tour in Greiz, two friends, me and the tour guide. The guide had lived for decades at that castle. Was really interesting and it was like five euros. And I once had a janitor open a church for me, showed me around and turned on the light in the crypt.
Joe Gandalf 3 years ago (edited)
Our tour of the Vatican was similar. First we were approached at the subway station by a random "tour gigolo". He was a nice guy, so we allowed him to escort us to the tour company he worked for. The woman who ended up being our tour guide was funny, extremely well-informed and very patient with the group. She knew what was interesting & what to skip; she also navigated us around all of the long lines. I loved our month in Italy (Xmas time!) and miss it - especially the incredible food!
Katinka Min 3 years ago
Making a living from giving tours, the post and the comments frustrate me a bit. It's hard work, please pay us and TIP us! (And, no, I don't do public tours like this for the exact reason that I am not a student wanting a wee bit of cash, but a professional who needs a decent wage)
Rob Van de Graaf 3 years ago
So why don’t you set a proper price for your tours then?
Load More Replies... Lululoonie 3 years ago
Can confirm, we did the same thing to get in Vatican city without the lineup
Emma Dakin 3 years ago
Commenting to lower the bloke below. Pfft spells to solve your problems 😂👇
Memere 3 years ago (edited)
If you're talking about one of the spammer/scammers that pop up hourly on BP, I think maybe your comment is on the wrong post. I don't see a spammer/scammer on this one, but keep up the good work, Emma! Also, be sure to downvote them - it's about the only way to get them blocked.
Load More Replies...Professor Johnson explained to us that it’s contrast that grabs our attention the most because our brains are hardwired to notice differences in our environments. If your goal is to stand out from the crowd, you can’t copy what others are doing in order to sell your product. You’ve got to create contrast.
"What this means is that the context of the ad is huge. The context is the background; and if the ad wants to be in the foreground, it must stand out against it," the professor of consumer psychology said.
"The context is two things. First, it’s the features of the channel itself. If you’re running a paid ad campaign on IG for example, there are going to be lots of highly curated images of faces, landscapes, and brunches. So the last thing you’d want to do is feature a visual ad with any of these qualities. Instead, maybe imagery that is text-based or otherwise against the grain would be the way to go," Professor Johnson told Bored Panda.
"Secondly, it's about standing out against the competitive landscape—everyone else who’s running ads on the same target market. This speaks to the content itself, as well as the brand’s ability to distinguish itself, personality-wise from that of its competitors." In short, high-quality content doesn’t always stand out based on its own merit alone, even if it’s very creative. Without contrast, it can get lost in the surrounding noise.
#10
One of those square, window size, box fans. Technically wasn't a purchase, I found it outside the dumpster of my Junior-year college apartment back in 2008. I'm a fan of airflow and white-noise, so that fan ran 24-hours a day for nearly 11 years outside of when I was away on vacations and for brief periods in winter (most of that on the lowest setting, but I mean, there were long stretches of literally months+ where it wasn't turned off). [Broke down] earlier this year when I can only assume some critical component burned out. I'll miss you, completely free thing that provided me a decade of a light breeze and air circulation.
PurpleDoople 3 years ago
They replaced died with broke down? BP mods, I know you need your monetization, it’s understandable as you are a business, but have any of your sponsors told you the word died was an issue of any sort?
Seedy Vine 3 years ago
I know! If it's affecting my life I need the details!
Load More Replies...
Verbalocity 3 years ago
You can duct tape an AC filter to the back (exact same size!) and it will filter smoke. Use it during brushfires.
HarriMissesScotland 3 years ago
I just read that having a fan in a baby's room can help prevent SIDS. Not 100 % of the time, of course, but about 72% of the time.
Moo Moo Futch 3 years ago
I had a fan that gave up the Will to live over the last week as it's been pretty hot in the UK. I've run that metal desk fan every day during spring/summer as the white noise makes me sleep like a baby. I was a bit tearful when I took it to the dump.
Anne McKinney 3 years ago
I hear you. We had one on the back patio table that lasted for years, even after getting wet, knocked over, drink spills etc. RIP back patio box fan.
Riley Quinn 3 years ago
I use the fan option in my AC unit, which I won't run until it hits the 90's. It's an environmental thing with me.
#11
my dog was a stray, adopted by a couple, but returned because he was too high energy
so his adoption fees were 50%
best $45 I've ever spent
Katy McMouse 3 years ago
My puppy was a return to the shelter puppy - the family couldn't handle a "hyper" dog with small children in the house. He was not even 3 months old, what did they expect from a puppy? The shelter employees had him in the intake side but when one of them heard my 13 year old mention getting a young dog, she brought him out for us to meet. My 13 year old actually cried when he picked him up. Three years it's been and he's been the smartest, calmest dog around. He loves everyone and everyone (including neighbors) loves him. I can't imagine what life would be like without him and I'm eternally grateful the first family couldn't handle him. 20220608_2...957ada.jpg 
Kristy P 3 years ago
Love this! My dog was returned at 9 months to the shelter for being crazy. He WAS a very hyper dog and was a great running companion when we were both younger! Some dogs aren't for everyone!
Load More Replies...
Hiram's Friend 3 years ago
Never had a pet that wasn't. They all turned out to be great.
Load More Replies...
Melina Boker 3 years ago
I got a discount from the animal shelter when I got two cats instead of just one. This was 8 years ago, still superhappy with my cats!
Zophra 3 years ago
Ultimate discount: When we got one of our cats. the kill-shelter helper actually said. "It's buy one, get three free day!" While she was joking, it broke my heart how many cats were there. I'm glad we both adopted from shelters!
Load More Replies...
Wysteria_Rose 3 years ago
My cat was only $50 from the shelter. She was obviously owned before (she was found on the streets after a snow storm), was already spayed and declawed (front and back, no, I'm not okay with that cause she was defenseless). But she's the best fifty bucks I've ever spent, my little fur baby!
E M 3 years ago
I'm so glad you have her and she's out of the hands the sick POS who declawed her.
Load More Replies... 
sturmwesen 3 years ago
High five to another high energy return pup. (I had to pay 300 € after a 50€ not-neutered-discount)
Philly Bob Squires 3 years ago
My Samoyed, Sasha that I rescued from a shelter. $50.00 adoption fee. She was a year old. Had her for 14 1/4 years. Best, smartest, funniest and most loving $50 bux I ever spent. RIP my cloud! 1597469_10...55ad96.jpg 
OffKeySinger 3 years ago
My rescue husky mix was returned by two different adoptive families. Family #2 beat me to her, but returned because people underestimate what it takes to add a husky to your family. She's the best dog, but I remember in the first six months, she wasn't sure if we were her forever home because of all the returns. That broke my heart. After steady consistency, one day the look in her eye went from skeptical went to full love and trust. Don't get me wrong...huskies are WORK but 4 years later, she's the best dog. Loving, silly, and playful.
#12
Bought $20 army cargo pants from the military surplus store.
Pros:
- Same material and double kneed as Carharts that were twice the cost
- SUPER rugged, and don't care about stains (work pants... plus they're camo!)
- Roomy, comfortable, designed to fit you even if they're not exactly your size
- More storage space than your mom's Kia
- Made in USA, not by oppressive labor overseas, plus support locally owned shop
Cons:
- Wife won't be seen in public with me wearing them
Mohsie Supposie 3 years ago
So the camo is so good, it makes you both invisible? I'd say that's a double Pro!
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Maybe I'm just weird, but I think cargo pants/shorts are sexy on a man. Or I'm just jealous of all the pockets he has.
JJ 3 years ago (edited)
I bought sand-colored combat boots for like 20 Euro about 11 years ago. They were labeled as "used" but never worn. These boots made it through 6 years of muddy stable work in fall and winter and now serve me as hiking shoes. I had to replace the laces once but those shoes are just great and will probably last another 11 years. Army equipment is amazingly durable.
Bobby 3 years ago
It was still made with slave labor. Military uniforms are (mostly) made by prisoners who make less that$1 an hour
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
He did point out that there are no overseas slave-laborers. Didn't say anything about hime-soul ones
Load More Replies... 
Riley Quinn 3 years ago
I used to buy my ex's work clothes at 2nd hand shops because of how rapidly he would stain them. I'd buy regular jeans, but I would use old denim scraps to reinforce the knees. A fraction of the price of manufactured work clothes.
"If the content can’t grab attention and stop the consumer in their tracks, they won’t have the opportunity to appreciate the ad’s quality. This is especially true in the digital environment, where the first job of any piece of content is to stop the thumb. Only after this first step can the quality of the content shine through."
Human beings also find faces and text intrinsically appealing. "These are special visual stimuli because they drive the brain’s automatic processing. You can’t look at a face without automatically processing its emotion, and you can’t look at a string of words without automatically processing their meaning. Because of this automaticity, these naturally drive attention and are often processed quickly within a visual scene," the expert said.
If the words on the ad are written in a legible enough font, our brains access their meaning first, “sometimes even before simple features like color." That’s what makes a good font so important: it gets the message across and creates the foundation for a positive reaction from the customer. That’s known as the fluency effect.
"All things being equal, we (at least in 'The West') also have a general heuristic for looking at any visual scene, which is to start at the upper left and then move across to the left, before scanning the entire scene. This is largely owed to the fact that most Western languages are read left to right,” the professor told us.
#13
Guy said there were a bunch of bricks in his back yard he wanted to get rid of. $5 for all of them if you'd come pick them up because they were "larger than regular bricks and were very heavy."
I grabbed a friend and headed out because I needed some cheap brick for the edging of my garden.
Guys house was across the river and in some really run down looking neighborhood...really glad I grabbed my friend at this point. We pull up and the guy is waiting outside, and he looks like he's 80 but I know he must have been a 35 year old guy who just smoked 10 packs a day... So the guy takes us to his back yard and shows up the pile of bricks, which turn out to be 50+ antique Louisville Fire Bricks.
So I look at the guy and tell him, "I'll take half of them...and as payment I'll give you $20 and some advice." And of course the guy is looking at me like I'm an idiot, but he accepts my money and helps me and my friend load up about 30 bricks. After I close my truck and get in the car to drive off I tell him to google the antique fire bricks and adjust his craigslist listing...
I went back to look at the listing a few days later, and he had changed the price from $5 for the whole pile, to $5 PER BRICK, which was the going rate at the time. Nowadays they go for $20/brick...
BEST BUY EVER!
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago
It was really good and honest of you to advise the man to sell the rest of the bricks and to advise him about them. I am sure he appreciated your help too.
Evan Martin 3 years ago
Kind to take advantage of someone who doesn't know better? Honest would be telling him upfront and saying "I don't want to take advantage of you". The guy would have probably still given him a great deal for telling him and then still been able to sell the rest at a higher price easily. Win win...without being Freddy first. In my mind the buyer usb either kind or dry honest. Let alone a moral person.
Load More Replies... #14
I broke a filling in Mumbai in 1999 and had to use a local dentist. $7 and still going strong.
lkthorlyn23 3 years ago
Live in San Diego and my dentist is in Tijuana...great dentist..my last filling was $200..root canal was $350...all the newest equipment and techniques. Tons of Americans go to TJ for dentists and specialty doctors...not a little back alley town anymore..over 2 million residents. Yes it's still a poor country, but they cater to Americans...and you don't hear about Americans being hurt in TJ...there is no money in killing off your customers!
Kathy Wilbourne 3 years ago
$200 for a filling is cheap by American standards? Yikes! I had a filling a few weeks ago that cost me about $8. An earlier visit where he removed a loose chip was about $4. Same region as OP. Um.....
Load More Replies...
Mahayana 3 years ago
I cut my foot in India and had to have stitches and see the doctor 5 other times to changes my bandages and check-up because of a high risk of infection. My friend ask me if I was going to do a claim it to my assurance. The amount was 2.60$ for the 6 visits AND antibiotics! The stamp for the assurance claim would have been more…
Heather Steinbrink 3 years ago
I cracked a crown on my way to my in-laws. They made an appointment with their dentist for me. The dentist gave me a "temporary" crown about 10 years ago. I've had several dentists look at it and have never been advised to get a "real" one. Guy was good to me because he liked my in-laws and I didn't have dental insurance.
Rosie Mroczynski 3 years ago
While Chiang Mai Thailand was the place to go for dental when I lived in Hawaii, friends here in Thailand are heading the Mumbai for dental work soon!
Lisa Johannesson 3 years ago
Wouldn't trust an American to accurately judge any prices associated with health care.
#15
Went camping and forgot knives for food prep. Went to local grocery store and bought package of 3, cheap, no-name, plastic handle paring knives, different sizes. BEST KNIVES IN THE HISTORY OF THE PLANET!!! THEY ARE STILL MY MAIN KNIVES, YEARS LATER!!!
Péter Rózsahegyi 3 years ago
I guess the photo is not related to the post because they are Zwilling J. A. Henckels knives. They are not hand made Japanese swords, but definitely not 'noname'.
Kandi Heiple 3 years ago
My husband bought me a 20 piece Henkel knife set for Christmas last year and I love them
Load More Replies...
LuckyL 3 years ago
We were at a vacation house my family rented and the knifes there were so great. Took a closer look and they were IKEA knifes, so I took a picture. Back home when I needed to go to IKEA I tried to find the knifes in the knifes section but wasn't succesful. Asked an employee if she knows the knifes from the picture. She pointes me over to the isle and there are these sets of three knifes wrapped in plastic packaging for 10 Euros total. I LOVE these knifes. Bought one for my sister, my mom and me each.
2x4b523p 3 years ago
I’ve had that 3-knife IKEA multipack knives since I moved into my first home 20 years ago. Pretty sure they were around £3 back then. They are still my favorite knives over my husband’s expensive knife set.
Load More Replies...
Beeps 3 years ago
This happened to me: had to organise the buffet for a work event and realised I’d forgotten to bring a knife to cut the pies with. Went into the cheap supermarket on the way and bought a three-pack of kitchen knives for about £5.00. They were really silly looking, too with colourful, patterned blades. I thought: “What the heck, I’ll just throw them out afterwards.” They turned out to be the best knives ever, and I still use them regularly now, four years later.
Aileen Grist 3 years ago
Years ago -about 60 I guess - my parents bought a pizza kit cheap because noone near us in the UK really knew what they were. It came with a small plastic knife. My mum used that knife for the rest of her life to cut carpet, lino, whatever it was so sharp it would go through anything
Flash Henry 3 years ago
My friend got me a super cheap chef knife from Walmart, and that thing is freaking phenomenal.
Ozymandias73 3 years ago
Not knives, but pots and pans. A $20 set of 6 but man, I swear...BEST set I've ever had! Non-stick, scratch resistant OMG just awesome. Walmart brand. Cobalt blue. GET YOU SOME!
Philly Bob Squires 3 years ago
A plain old cheap Wal-Mart knife we use in our kitchen is the one I call "the thumb remover!" That damned thing is so sharp... and yes, I've nicked my fingers and thumb a few times being a bit careless.
Susanne B 3 years ago
My husband won a knife in a package game. It looked like some chinese thing, with a bamboo handle so I didn't think much of it, and I had very good knives because my father was a cook and gave me some. Then one day I decided to try it out before getting rid of it. It turned out to be the best knife for cutting thin slices of ripe tomatoes and other vegetables. I think it had cost approximately 3 dollar.
Rhon Young 3 years ago
The son of a friend got a job selling knives. These knives started at $70 for the smallest knife! He wanted to practice his spiel so I played customer to his sales pitch. He asked me to get out my bread knife. He pulled out the bread knife from his sales kit and a strip of thick leather. It took him a couple of goes to cut the leather strip. My $2 bread knife cut through that leather strip like it was soft butter!
Marketing isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Pumping a lot of money into advertising a product won’t necessarily lead to more purchases. A lot depends on the industry: the brand, the product, and the ads can influence consumers in varying ways depending on what you’re selling.
"In some industries—such as the luxury industry—the brand is the primary differentiator, and the product and its advertising are much less important. But in other industries, such as expensive technology, or automobiles, the utility of the product is extremely important, as is the brand reputation. Generally speaking, the more expensive the product is, the more important the features of the products are going to be. When it’s an expensive purchase, people are generally much less willing to go out on a whim simply because they like a brand or an ad," the expert told us.
"And more still, advertisements can play a big role in driving purchases for certain types of products in certain contexts. Ads are particularly important when there is a very quick turnaround between seeing the ad and having the opportunity to make a purchase. This is very common in digital media. For example, if an ad for some new shoes hits you on social media, along with the opportunity to buy those shoes within just a few clicks, the ad itself can make a massive difference," he said.
#16
I was giving these college aged young women a Lyft ride. One asks how "that Craigslist thing went" so my ears perked up. The other says something like "he complained it went back too far, just don't put it back so far, duh."
Eventually I deduce they are talking about a recliner - which I've been looking for one for some time now. I interject and ask about it. Lady has a Laz-E-Boy electric recliner she just wants 20 bucks for. I'm like, "listen I know it's sketchy but if you've got Craigslist rando's in your house Lyft at least gave me a background check."
We pull up, I end the ride, and follow these ladies into their house. I knew I wanted it as soon as I laid eyes on it.
So, this college chick is helping me stuff a recliner into my back seat and all I can think is this is how Buffalo Bill kidnapped that girl in Silence of the Lambs.
Twenty dollars for a recliner so lazy it reclines for me.
Rachel Parker 3 years ago
No, it's electric. Some recliners you have to move a lever and adjust it yourself, but an electric one you just push a button.
Load More Replies...
marianne eliza 3 years ago (edited)
My 91 yo parents each have their own electric recliner/lift chair. Necessary at this point.
pink_panda 3 years ago
Damn, don't mean to judge but that's a lot of parents.
Load More Replies...
Amanda P 3 years ago
Now I'm picturing a recliner made of human skin. Thanks for the nightmare fuel.
Load More Replies... Riley Quinn 3 years ago
After hearing so many Craigslist horror stories, I decided the whole kit 'n kaboodle would go to charity. The money I would've earned wasn't worth risking my life.
#17
I built my own mattress. I was online shopping and stumbled upon several mattress-in-a-box companies such as Purple or Casper. I noticed that they consistently had diagrams on their websites that showcased the different layers of foam they use to construct their mattresses. I simply went to a foam wholeseller and in the dimensions of a queen mattress, I ordered different types of foam (standard, soft, memory, eggshell) in varying thicknesses. I stacked them all up on top of one another and have slept like a baby for the last 2 years. It cost me $300 as opposed to a similar mattress from an online site that woulda cost hundreds more.
Furmama0501 3 years ago
I am in awe of this one. I never would have thought of something like that. Kudos to you!
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
Go tell them on Reddit 3 years ago where and when they posted it
Load More Replies...
M O'Connell 3 years ago
I bought a 100% natural fiber mattress (wool and cotton over steel springs, 100% USA grown and assembled). I bought a queen mattress, but the company goofed and sent me a queen box with a full mattress in it. I didn't discover this until I had fully unwrapped it (at which point it couldn't be returned). The company did the right thing and sent me the size I paid for, and never mentioned the full size mattress again. It's furnishing my guest room :)
Question everything 3 years ago
I've had a medium to firm mattress gor £120, memory foam, was good until I hurt my back and it was painful to sleep on it. Now I have a medium to soft spring mattress that's super comfy and I don't wake up sore... £650 (not the most expensive either) . My friend had one for £70, felt more like a waterbed than a mattress. The price usually reflects the quality. I suppose OP's mattress was good quality for cheap.
Load More Replies...
SkekVi 3 years ago
yeah the box mattress companies are such a scam!!! Never buy any mattress in a box, it's cheaper to make something that level of firmness yourself. If you need something truly firm though, get a good air mattress + a foam topper if you can't afford one of the truly high end kind.
Riley Quinn 3 years ago
Never constructed my own mattress, but I did design and build my own queen-sized sofa-bed fold-out for my futon.
Isabel Care 3 years ago
I am 19 stone and when I sleep on my side my hip can feel the slats of the bed. Instead of buying a new mattress, I added a 4 inch layer of dense foam underneath mine.
#18
I bought a blanket in Mexico in 1986 for $5. I still have it and it is super soft and comfy. It has been abused, washed, etc and it is still in great shape.
Tami 3 years ago
I had one of those from about the same time, and someone stole it out of my car. I still miss that blanket!
GlitterQueen541 3 years ago
My sister got a hammock-swing in Costa Rica for a pack of twizzlers. We used it for years!
#19
Costco fluffy flannels. It feels like a chinchilla is hugging you and I’ve had mine for three years with no signs of wearing down despite almost daily use in the northeast winters.
icamon 3 years ago
Costco tends to have high end, quality cloth items they get in bulk. Our best sheets ever (no fade, no wrinkle, over sized, elastic all around the fitted) by Spalena, were purchased from Costco. Now I but them direct to give as gifts. You can get benzoyl peroxide all over these and they still don't fade. LOVE them. Similar experiences with dish towels and bath towels from Costco.
Jennifer Norton 3 years ago
I have a flannel that I bought in college in the 90's from a sporting good store.... so soft and so amazing. I still wear it to this day!!!!
Jeffrey Diehl 3 years ago
We all have them in our family in our regular size and one size up to wear as an outer layer when we have to wear layers.
#20
Not my purchase, but still one of the best: My brother gifted me a Snuggie one year for Christmas. I had painstaking tracked down a bootleg album he wanted and he got me a buy one, get one free, snuggie. I didn't speak to him for weeks. I have routinely used that damn snuggie for every camping trip I've been on over the last 7 years, and I will tell you it has become the most useful gift I've ever gotten.
DDmaybeandor 3 years ago
If someone didn’t speak to me for weeks because I got them a gift they didn’t want, they would no longer receive gifts from me.
Andy Frobig 3 years ago
If someone didn't speak to me for weeks because I got them a gift they didn't want, I'd say "it worked!"
Load More Replies...
Jill Bussey 3 years ago
But have you told him it's "become the most useful gift I've ever gotten?"
Maurie La White 3 years ago
If they can merge a snuggie and a quillow, then my world would implode due to absolute comfort.
Aisling Raye 3 years ago
A hill I am willing to die on - the slanket is a million times better than the snuggie. Slanket is the thing that snuggie decided to copy and they did it in an incredibly awful way. Go look them up. I got my slanket like 15 years ago and it's still one of my absolute favorite things.
Wysteria_Rose 3 years ago
They just look dumb but some of my best blankets/snuggle items are a blanket with a hood and sleeves (not a snuggie brand product but something almost the same).
Ovata Acronicta 3 years ago
There was a small group of folks in high school who would have snuggie days. Lil Snuggie cult, lol. Gotta cult comfortably!
Rebecca Olds 3 years ago
My fiance bought a snuggie on cheap at sears. Never liked the idea of them. Then some cold nights waiting for him to come home, i used it. They are warm and will instantly put me to sleep if I'm not careful. Got my own knock off brand later. We call them walking blankets.
Leoninus Fate 3 years ago
wtf? I thought siblings were supposed to give You stupid junk You didn't want, that's actually what my sister told me on my first Christmas with them {I'm adopted}
#21
A 2 ft. foam cube with a soft fabric cover. It's a chair, a table, a footrest, padding when I was moving, all sorts of stuff. It was $3.
I love my foam cube
#22
A two dollar game in a steam sale. It was skyrim.
Dan Padgett 3 years ago
That's not a purchase, that's a whole new lifestyle. I remember when I first got Skyrim for the 360. I was in college and didn't stop playing for days/weeks straight. Then I got it on PC and modded it, so that's another few hundred hours. Good purchase my friend, good purchase.
Ozymandias73 3 years ago
LOVED Skyrim when it first came out. My newest escape now is Horizon: Forbidden West
Load More Replies...
PurpleDoople 3 years ago
I got little nightmares and metal gear rising, both 75% off. Best 4.99/7.50 i spent on games
Andrea Josipović 3 years ago
Never been a gamer, but Skyrim took me and i refuse to play anything else.
Hutt'nKloas 3 years ago
Steam or Humble Bundle sales offer frequently good PC games for low prices.
Erla Zwingle 3 years ago
And a shout-out to your parents, or whoever was paying your college expenses, so you could play your little heart out instead of maybe studying. Or is "days/weeks straight" just an expression?
Hutt'nKloas 3 years ago
@ Lisa Johannesson : Millions of players will disagree. With mods included its lifespan is increased by years. Now if you tell us why you think its garbage some may acknowledge a fair point 😉
Load More Replies... #23
A cat toy that is literally a feather on the end of a stick. It was only a dollar, my cat gets hours of entertainment from it.
just me 3 years ago (edited)
My cat swallowed one of those (the string, not the stick). Wound up being a very expensive toy.
Load More Replies...
Jessica Cifelli 3 years ago
My cat's favorite toys are a red milk jug cap, an aluminum foil ball and an old sock. Recently pulled my couch out to vacuum under it and found like 40 red milk jug caps...
Kel_how 3 years ago
If you have cats, look up Cat Dancer on Petco, PetSmart, Chewy, Amazon, etc. Less than $2 and all 4 of my cats love it. Two of them hardly play with anything, but they LOVE these. And also Da Bird! More than $2, but they lose their minds.
Terry Tobias 3 years ago
When I first got my kittens I couldn't afford store bought toys so I made my own. I took a wooden chopstick and threaded some curly ribbon through a hole I made in the end. Then I made some balls out of aluminum foil. My kitties loved those toys and played with them until they were destroyed... so I would just make new ones! Best investment ever.
Furmama0501 3 years ago
My dog when she was younger loved getting the lids off my empty Vitaminwater bottles. They were thicker so they lasted longer than other bottles. If she didn't destroy the lid I would put it back on for round two.
UpQuarkDownQuark 3 years ago
I bought a catnip pillow at a Saturday market for $9. I had adopted a kitten, but had to wait a few days to pick him up as he was undergoing an antibiotic course. It was there for him on his first day home, and he cuddled and played with it most days for all of his 15 years. I slept with it for a quite a while after passed, and still have it.
Nancy Lynch 3 years ago
$2 grocery store mini fishing pole with working plastic reel with a feather on the end. My cat would get get the feather end and start walking away. That's when I'd start reeling him in and we'd play tug-o-war with him growling the whole time! I would have to hide it in between games or he would try to walk off with everything. I miss that guy.
Upstaged75 3 years ago
My cat's favorite toy is a piece of styrofoam shaped like a miniature couch. It came in a package as padding for something my dad bought. She lays on it, bites it, wrestles with it, and just generally thinks it's the best thing ever. I've since learned that expensive cat toys will quickly get old, but free pieces of random trash will be loved for all time. :)
#24
I was traveling from a different city straight into work, where my uniform was a white shirt, with a conspicuously black bra. Wasn't stopping home, so I did stop on the first corner store I found and bought a five-dollar white bra that looked roughly my size as they had nowhere to try them on. Just to wear one night.
10/10, comfiest bra I ever owned, wore it every day of my life for about a year. It gave in at some point - it was still a 5 dollar bra. But damn, I dream of the day when all my bras fit that well.
magpookie1133 3 years ago
That's why when I find something comfy, I stockpile. I still have shirts/bras/shoes that I bought 5-8 years ago waiting to be used.
Wonderful 3 years ago
I have 1 bra like that. The place I got it from is no longer open and the company that made the bra no longer exists. I've looked on eBay and have a search saved to notify me if one miraculously appears. Bra is around 16 years old now. I don't know what I'm going to do when it dies... there will definitely be a funeral with a 21 gun salute and some boy scout playing taps on his bugle. Maybe I'll cremate it and scatter it's ashes on my other bras so it will make them better. I get teary eyed just thinking about it ;)
Riley Quinn 3 years ago
Wearing a white bra under a white shirt/blouse accentuates the bra. Your bra should match your skin color so as not to be noticeable.
Jeffrey Diehl 3 years ago
Some big department stores have one or two people who are experts at fitting a bra. My wife and daughters found one when we lived in San Francisco. She saved them so much money and pain. So much so that they all gave her Xmas presents every year until we moved away.
#25
I bought a button down shirt from the thrift store in the mid-90s that I still wear today. The shirt if obviously even older. It doesn't have much wear on it either. I think it made of rayon and something else. The brand is K-mart. They don't make 'em like they used to.
MagicalUnicorn 3 years ago
I have some thrifted shirts from my teens and 20 years later they are still great quality, definitely better than new nowadays
Lara Verne 3 years ago
I was 17 and bought two secondhand shirts, each for one euro. One was from thin fabric, great for summer, other with long sleeves, for colder weather. I am 32 and still wear both. They still look good.
Lea S. 3 years ago (edited)
I have a rayon rainbow skirt I bought in '05. I was not doing laundry like an adult yet and that poor skirt was ABUSED. It blessed me at so many musical festivals, hippie gatherings and pride celebrations. It has grass stains and one cigarette burn and some purple stitching. People have seen just the skirt in local news or footage of events and known it was me. I got the grass stains rolling down the hill at my college with some of the most joyous people I knew. I love it to my very soul....the colors are still bright and I still feel SO BEAUTIFUL in it.
Rebecca O’Donnell 3 years ago
Lea S., love the story of all the happy memories this skirt gave you. I sure you are beautiful wearing it. Your post gave me my first smile of the morning :)
Load More Replies... 
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
My husband & I were in an antique store in OB (San Diego) and he saw this Hawaiian shirt for $10. Fit him perfectly. I can't remember the brand, but it was a "real" Hawaiian shirt. He wore that thing to death.
Riley Quinn 3 years ago
I'll choose quality-but-untrendy and vintage clothing at a 2nd hand store any day over buying new. Not only is this recycling, these clothes generally last longer.
Ronald Nye 3 years ago
Went to thrift store in Santa Cruz, CA. Found a fringed leather coat that was basically brand new. Weights 10 lbs. Beautiful cut and warm. Looked up coats on various sites and found it originally cost $550.09. Got it for $40.00. Best buy I ever made
Ivy la Sangrienta 3 years ago
That's why I buy most of my clothes from vintage stores. The quality is way better and somehow they also fit better.
#26
At the end of a long road trip with some mates, I bought a $20 pair of sunglasses in a gas station just outside Chicago. They fit me better than any pair of sunglasses ever did, or ever will, and they made me look awesome. For years I constantly received compliments about them and was asked where I got them. I lost them after 5 long years and have hated myself for it every since. They were so no-name they didn't even have a brand name on them at all, so I have no idea who made them. I have no way of finding that gas station, either. I've literally spent hundreds of dollars trying to find sunglasses that come close to that same perfect fit/style, but I can't.
Judes 3 years ago
Years ago I had a friend with a similar story about sunglasses. Only difference is, one day he dropped them in a urinal and couldn't bring himself to retrieve them.
csaclint 3 years ago
so you're adult friend dropped something in a urinal and rather than being an adult and taking it out, left it for some other poor sap to take out. sounds like a horrible human
Load More Replies...
Memere 3 years ago (edited)
I would agree, but then again, I've seen people who drop 100 bucks or more for fancy schmancy ones. So, in comparison, 20 bucks is cheap. Personally, I wouldn't spend 20 unless I was in serious need & that was all that was available - I stick to the 5-10 dollar rack at WalMart!
Load More Replies... Stephanie A Mutti 3 years ago
You can spend a ton of money on sunglasses which you end up losing OR you can just buy the occasional cheap pair which you also lose. One is less devastating to lose.
Collette Moisan 3 years ago
I was at a Giant Tiger store & they had a pair of sunglasses that said CANADA on the side. They were the best for protecting from the glare of the sun. I paid $2 for them. Have not found another pair since.
europaleta 3 years ago (edited)
My story too. The best sunglasses I ever had were bought at roadside gas station. Lost them for a day last month. Imagine my panic level ;) Still haven't even looked at the dusty ray bans on the shelf.
Anne McKinney 3 years ago
Sigh. I had a swimsuit like that once. A cheapo Kmart one but damn I looked good in it. Haven't been able to duplicate it since.
#27
I bought a cheap hoodie from Costco 4 years ago and it survived a car crash, a move and 3 years in high school before I left it on the bus. I loved that thing.
Potty pagan panda 3 years ago
Good stuff at Costco. I went today to fuel up, petrol is a lot cheaper than anywhere else around my area. Went in to browse and got my granddaughter a jacket for $47 warm thick and so well made. Gave it to her and it’s 2 jackets, one inside the other, thought it was a vest. Bargain!
Spring Fisk 3 years ago
maybe someone on the bus found it and now it is living its 2nd best life with them.
#28
A body pillow. When I had major abdominal surgery, finding a sleeping position was hard. This really helped as it too the pressure off my front.
Beck 3 years ago
Absolutely! Got one with my first pregnancy. In will never sleep without one now snd that first pregnancy turns 25 this year.
Raven Jules 3 years ago
Me too, my baby is 25, I have restuffed it, its a U shape, will not sleep without it. ☺
Load More Replies... #29
This summer we bought an inflatable above-ground pool off amazon, it was my MIL's choice, an impulse buy for $300. I was super pessimistic about it, as was everyone else (family of 7). We've spent nearly every day in that pool having fun as a family. I've never really gotten such family-wide value out of something like that.
Jai Stewart 3 years ago
I just ordered a 10ft wide 3ft deep steel framed pool for the summer, $120. Better still the store sent the wrong pool and I got an unintentional upgrade. So a $250 pool for $120.
Yeah, you heard 3 years ago
In what alternate reality is $300 "ridiculously cheap"? Most of us have barely got a few bucks to rub together.
marianne eliza 3 years ago
Unless you also buy a pump and filter and chemicals to treat the water, it's petri dish.
Wysteria_Rose 3 years ago
Honestly, I would rather have a small inflatable pool than go to our apartment complex's in ground pool. It's never clean, there's always at least four families with twenty kids there (it's not big either), and just annoying to go to cause they close it randomly. I just want to cool off and be outside, but we have no lawn space or water hose to fill it. At this point, I want a small house just to have a yard with a hose so we can have a small inflatable pool.
Jeffrey Diehl 3 years ago
We got one from Costco a few years ago. The doggos (Lab/Newfies mixes) now own it and let us use it every once in a while.
#30
Spent $11 for a pair of 10ft phone charger cords on Amazon. I figured as often as I had to replace them, $11 wasn't bad for two. Three years later and I'm still using the first one.
Furmama0501 3 years ago
Mine aren't as long but I got a pair of long ones from Amazon too. Braided so they are more durable. I love them!
Kristy P 3 years ago
I have one where the end that plugs into the phone does so at a 90 degree angle. Love it.
Load More Replies... 
Kay Phillips 3 years ago
So true especially if you have an iPhone. Original charger lasted me two or three months before wires started showing and then it eventually gave in; cheap miniso knockoffs for 3€ lasted me YEARS
Riley Quinn 3 years ago
Yep, me too. I use one daily, the other is in a carry pack to take with me just in case.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
I have so far only replaced my charger--cablea after i had to get a different phone. And the leftover - cables are still working. And even that will 2nd with the charger-plot-ruling in the EU.
#31
Fugly/sad/misshapen potted plants from the grocery store. They just need some love and its so fun to see them grow!
JJ 3 years ago
I got a tray of six strawberry plants for 1 Euro in a hardware store about 6 years ago. Turns out they are self-seeding. It's not that we get to enjoy strawberries, though. The birds are faster ...
MellonCollie 3 years ago
Buy a net, or even better, a kind of pop-up tent made from net fabric that you can put over them to stop the birds from getting to your strawberries!
Load More Replies...
Shay Tracy 3 years ago
I've got a potted rose bush that I found on clearance, looking like a stick. She's gorgeous and smells incredible and has moved with me 3x!
Broad Panda 3 years ago
I buy from the damaged plants section and give them a nice wee trim and lots of attention.
Ruth Kilpatrick 3 years ago
I bought a Joseph's Coat rosebush from Walmart. It was on clearance for $1.98 and looked dead. Just needed a little water. Now I can't find one for under $20. download-6...252ede.jpg 
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
I took home a Pachira plant that someone left outside their home to take. It was 2m and more, but stuck in a tiny pot, the poor thing. I only had my bike with me, but somehowe i got her home, re-pottet her, googled what kind of thing she even is (it just looked so sorry out there) and now she's happy in my kitchen in a large pot. Named her Audrey
#32
I bought a $17 toaster about 20 years ago and it’s still going strong!
M O'Connell 3 years ago
I regularly use the waffle iron my parents received as a gift from the bank in 1984 when they opened their joint checking account!
Amaranthim Talon 3 years ago
I have a George Forman grill I got like that... about 25 years ago. Still works great!
Load More Replies...
#33
Zenni is a glasses frame online shop and at first I was skeptical by how cheap it was but my god are the frames durable. 100/10 would recommend
Aisling Raye 3 years ago
I cannot stress this enough... WhereLight.com (They will verify your prescription tho)
Kookamunga 3 years ago
I'm with you, Wherelight is awesome! So many unique frame styles and great prices.
Load More Replies...
Heather Menard 3 years ago
Yup I use Zenni for my sunglasses. Under a hundred bucks and look great
Amaranthim Talon 3 years ago
I have three regular prescription glasses from Zenni and a pair of prescription range graded safety glasses. Excellent company and product.
Kerri Russ 3 years ago
I have 3 pair of Zenni glasses but my experience is different.... mine are crappy, cheap, and easily bendable (and they weren't billed as bendable). The prescription is wonky as well with a wide space for the bifocal so there is this wide blurry line where the line would normally be if they weren't line-less. Just not a good experience for me.... I'll stick to the expensive glasses from the eye doctor's office. They've never let me down and I get service for the life of the frames.
Joshua David 3 years ago
I just purchased my 12 pair in a year from zenni. They don't even verify your prescription.
Procrastinating Panda 3 years ago
I got my glasses off of eyebuydirect and they are relatively fragile. Maybe I should look at this.
#34
Audible. Thought I was making a mistake actually starting to pay for a subscription. Now I’ve been using it almost every day for over a year.
Michele Viney 3 years ago
Love Audible! I have insomnia and this is the one thing that gets me back to sleep. Ironically I also listen in the car and it actually keeps me awake, useful when my parents live 4 hours away and I make sure I have enough book time to get me there and back.
TheDag 3 years ago
Honestly i've been a subscriber for 2 years and its great. Means i can still listen to books in work and be read a book while i fall asleep just gotta remember to set the sleep timer or its a pain figuring out what bit your on :D
The Deez 3 years ago
Yes!! I fall asleep to audiobooks every night! The "bookmark" and sleep timer are my best friends. If I wake up in the night, I just go to my bookmark, fast forward to the part that I don't remember hearing, and reset the sleep timer!
Load More Replies...
Bill Evs 3 years ago
There's lots of free audio books on Youtube. Not sure of the legality of it mind you.
Beck 3 years ago
I listen to the chills app. Plays old like 50's TV horror shows. It is awesome if anyone likes old school horror.
Dan Padgett 3 years ago
I think I would enjoy Audible but avoid on principle. They advertise HARD and it's irksome. Also heard people say they are really difficult to cancel with.
Emiloy 3 years ago
I can’t speak to experiences from other countries, but I’m in Canada and have cancelled and restarted my audible 3 times now with no problems.
Load More Replies... #35
Just a couple weeks ago I saw a flat screen TV for $40 at a thrift shop. Or it might've been a computer monitor, I'm not sure. From corner to corner, it's about as long as my elbow to my fingertips. It had a PC input, all the video inputs, two HDMI inputs, some USB inputs, cable input, the whole works. So immediately, I wasn't sure if it was too good to be true. It turned on and all the buttons worked, but there was no remote. Also, I was told there was no returns, only exchanges.
Well, I went ahead and bought it anyway, and it works like a dream! I finally have something I can bring with me when I make my next move. I can change the volume and input with the side buttons, so that's basically all I need. One day I might get a universal remote so I can change the brightness, but I'm basically set.
Francesa Miller 3 years ago
I was the remote for my dad. "You, get up and change the channel."
WildHoneyPie 3 years ago
I remember those days, lol. Dad got to pick the shows too.
Load More Replies...
Darla Taylor 3 years ago
Go on Amazon and purchase the remote that matches that tv, that’s what I did a couple of years ago for a remote I couldn’t find.
#36
$12 rain boots at ValueVillage. I've thrashed these things living in rural Alaska and they're still totally watertight 2 years later.
Random Panda 3 years ago
I'm from Alaska and I still have several wardrobe pieces that came from Value Village. That place is great!
#37
$70 ring from JC Penny’s.. Wife for 22 years and counting. That’s $3.18/year. Really good investment. Of course she throws it at me from time to time, but a $70 ring doesn’t do too much damage. Plus, she throws like a girl, so there’s that.
NicNor5560 3 years ago
We bought our rings for $50 each at a catalogue store that was closing (not Sears but everything was blue like Blockbuster's). Either that or melt our first rings ... My MIL objected ferociously so we ended-up at that store. Best buy ever. Still going strong even after 30+ years.
#38
I am late to the party, but in 2006ish I purchased a home that was never gutted after Hurricane Katrina. Had lots of water in it for way too long and about 2 feet of muck. But the house only cost me 16k. I put 50k in parts into it, and did 90% of the work myself. After 12 months I rented it for $1800 a month. After a few years, sold it for a bit over $300,000. Was a lot of fun for 22 year old me.
#39
I bought plane tickets from Pittsburgh to Dublin, Ireland from a sketchy sight. It involved 3 layovers and 2 airlines. The company had a 1-2 star review on every website I went to and didn't find a single positive review, but I bought the ticket anyway. After 20 hours, 4 flights, and a really sketchy layover in Portugal I flew across the Atlantic with no problem for $200.
Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago
To me 20 hours, 4 flights and a layover wouldn't be described as " no problem ".
Roberto 3 years ago
Well, I did NY (Stewart) to Edinburgh and back from Bergen, Norway to NY (Stewart), four years ago for USD 69 each way. No connections, direct flights, with Norwegian. Two amazing cities.
Roberto 3 years ago
By far the best thing that has happened to me was a mistake fare by American Airlines in 2015. For half an hour they sold practically free tickets in Brazil and Chile. They made a mistake with the exchange rate in their website, and instead of multiplying the price of the ticket, they divided it. So, a USD 10.000 ticket, which should cost 6 million Chilean Pesos, cost 16 Pesos. Equivalent to USD 0,03. Surprisingly, AA respected the price. I was able to buy First Class tickets to NY, Paris, Tokyo and Sydney, for myself, my wife and two children, spending only about USD 1200 in airport taxes. It was more than USD 130.000 value! I even returned another four tickets to NY because I wouldn't have the time to use them. And the most incredible thing is that I also earned more than a million miles and was able to continue traveling (in couch) for a few more years. It was the most productive half hour of my life. American Airlines, I will always love you. Forever and ever!
Load More Replies...
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
In Portugal, no less. I'd understand sketchy thoughts in colombia, but Portugal?
Load More Replies...
Dre Mosley 3 years ago
Should be a 7 hour trip though. I'd be willing to pay more if it mean not going through 20+ hours of that.
#40
I bought a fake wood (plastic) mantle clock from ValueCity for like $10 because I needed something for my first apartment. I received a surprising number of compliments on it and was asked more than once if it was a family heirloom because it looked so old. It also lasted for like 10 years until some movers broke it. I was kind of proud of displaying that stupid cheap clock.
Jenny Michelle 3 years ago
We've had a swing chair for years now ..I used to lay my Daughter on it when she was a baby and rock her to sleep ..movers broke the bars to the canopy by forcing it to close to get it in the van ..I was heavily pregnant with my son so wasn't there to supervise ..it's hot out now and I'd love to swing on that using the canopy as shade ..but I can't as its impossible to get replacement parts for it 😒..sorry the bit about the movers touched a nerve :(
kcanded 3 years ago
Did you check online for another? Dang, when you're pregnant you should be comfortable! and it's great to have something to rock your baby to sleep!
Load More Replies...
#41
This will never see the light of day, but... 25 years ago, I bought this cool long-sleeved tie-dyed T-shirt at a thrift store for $0.25. I still have it, and finally just downgraded it to an around-the-house shirt because of the holes around its collar.
Isabel Care 3 years ago
I glue small applique flowers over the holes in my favourite clothes. No sewing, no throwing out
#42
$17 Target brand boat shoes. I bought them about 6 years ago, and just wore them randomly for things like going to the grocery store, or running down to my car. Then I found they were great practice shoes for disc golf. They lasted 1.5 years of planting and twisting on concrete before they finally folded. Went back, they've been discontinued for YEARS. RIP
Vanessa Richardson 3 years ago
I bought *the* comfiest pair of slip-ons at Aldi 2 years ago for $6.99. Wore them nearly everyday for 2 years before the rubber soles had worn themselves down to paper-thin in some spots. Had to resort to eBay to find another pair—paid $16 for them the second time around, but totally worth it!
Aisling Raye 3 years ago
Rainbows for life but I have a $1 pair of flip flops from Old Navy that I bought about 20 years ago for a trip to Havasu that are somehow not dead yet. (I got the Old Navy ones bc I wanted something I wouldn't care about if i lost them off of the side of the boat. I had to learn that lesson the hard way on a previous weekend lol)
Dan Padgett 3 years ago
I bought £20 comfy trainers from Deichman in Scotland. Expected them to be throwaways. I'm still wearing them 5 years later. I initially used them for working in a restaurant.
#43
Melamine sponges from China. I hated having to buy a small pack of Mr clean magic erasers often so tried to find them in bulk. I call them Mr Wei's magic eraser cause it was from a Mr Wei
Manny_Flawz 3 years ago
I bought a pack of 100 for 5 dollars from a place in Malaysia about 6 years ago. Still have about 85 left. LOL
#44
Went to a garage sale, little girl was in charge, shes like 12. I dont know s**t about turn tables but she has a set on a table, i ask how much, she tells me 20 bucks. I ask her if they work, she tells me she has no idea, her dad got new ones and wants to get rid of these. I wait for dad, she tells me hes sleeping, she says "dude just take them", im like , no 20 cant be right maybe 200? She looks at me like im stupid, fine, ill take them. I drive straight to a p**n shop and see what i can get for them, or if they even work. They f*****g work, dude looks up prices and comes back with a 1200 dollar offer. Best 20 bucks I ever spent. EDIT: to clarify, this happened in one of the nicest neighborhoods in Plano, TX, I dont remember the brand, this happened like 7 years ago
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago (edited)
LOL at them deciding to censor the word "p-a-w-n". That's... not a naughty word, guys.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
Maybe he DID sell it on a p o r n shop, though?
Load More Replies... #45
I got an adjustable phone mount at the dollar store when I had an iPhone 4.
Still use the same one with my iPhone X
Laugh or not 3 years ago
Not an Apple product, then, or it would never be compatible with more than one version of their iPhone.
#46
I bought a 2001 Subaru Forester with 250,000 miles for 2k and that lil shitbox has yet to ever let me down for the past 2 years, Edit:[Pic of my trusty ol’ Shitbox](https://imgur.com/gallery/wvBr9XL) I just drove it back and forth from LA to Phoenix with no problems other than a small oil leak! I do all my own maintenance on it and I plan on replacing it’s engine in the next couple of months due to the fact that a new EJ251 isn’t too much money.
#47
A 27 Dollar dash cam. Got it off Amazon. Its Shaper Image, included an SD Card. And was 27 bucks. I thought it was gonna be a waste. It wasnt. I have it on whenever I drive. Turns on automatically. Records automatically. You can turn auto rewrite on or off. Has a high quality camera. Infrared leds for night time driving, the mounting mechanism works great. Its stabke and has never fallen. Its not the best in the world. Its not 4k recording, but its 1080, high 120 fps, and was 27 bucks, when some other can run up into the high hundreds. 10/10 would buy again. 10/10 would gift to someone. Actually works great and was 27 bucks.
LuckyL 3 years ago
Think it was 27 bucks - could be wrong, but I think 27 is correct.
Load More Replies...
Indosidius 3 years ago
Hey guys, upvote this randomly deleted comment! And it won't cost you 27 bucks.
Load More Replies... #48
Dad bought me a flannel jacket for $2 (from the equivalent of a dollar store) in 1994. Wore it for everything you can think of. Wore it yesterday. Still going strong after 25 years Edit: pic taken today by request. The jacket https://imgur.com/gallery/2gFBZKc
#49
Any harbor freight tool. If used properly, at minimum you get your money's worth. At best, your $20 torque wrench has earned you a few thousand dollars worth of work/saved repair bills by doing your own work.
Cody 3 years ago
Absolutely! A lot of tradesmen like to complain about Harbor Freight. But for your average everyday homeowner, I've found Harbor Freight tools are great for the price! One tip that I've read is, buy a cheap tool first. And if you end up using it enough that it breaks, then go buy the expensive version.
Cody 3 years ago
Also wanted to give a shout-out to Ryobi tools from Home Depot. I have an old blue set of Ryobi tools I was gifted from my dad when I went off to college. They're still going strong 17 years later, and I don't even know how long he had them before giving them to me.
Load More Replies...
John Topper 3 years ago
Yes! A thousand up votes to this. Harbor fight tools are fine for light use. You don't need to spend hundreds more for professional tools if you're only going to do a few jobs with them. Their high end Icon stuff is just a good as snap on.
#50
I was lured into a ghetto housing area by the prospect of a $40 surface pro 2017. People approached me with weapons and I was like “God I’m going to die.” Then, a man walked between them and said, “Are you the buyer?” I said yes and I paid for the computer and he said, “sorry, they thought you were here to harm me.” I then left and now I’m here.
#51
Pair of $11 ankle boots from Walmart. They actually fit (which is amazing in itself, I wear around a 10.5/11 WW in women’s shoes), they were so comfy, looked cute with any and all pants, and lasted for several years. Still miss those damn boots years later.
#52
I risked a huge box of magic cards. I spent around 200, it easily came out around 2k to 3k. This box was just a random pickup on the internet from craigslist.
#53
Stain removers from the dollar store are surprisingly effective.
Daune Tullina 3 years ago
Soilove is my favorite dollar store laundry stain remover. It cuts grease on stove tops really well too
#54
$1300 for a salvage title, 22 year old Honda motorcycle. Owned it for 10 years and all I ever had to do to it was tires, brakes, oil changes/scheduled maintenance. Never had an issue with that wonderful bike.
#55
Knock off north face hiking shoes in Vietnam. Cost me $20. Used and abused and still going strong. Edit: this blew up and my inbox is a mess, for everyone asking about getting cheap shoes ect. There's a whole subreddit dedicated to that r/fashionreps
#56
A little $40 speaker set for my bedroom tv I got in 2006 and still works great.
#57
Kerbal Space Program. Looked like throwaway game that would get me a few hours of entertainment for like £5 back in 2012. Over 3000 hours later I can say that's the best £5 I've ever spent!
#58
Flight cargo escort for discounted tickets. I flew to Shanghai fro New York for about $200 total, on JAL business class. In return, I had to sign to take responsibility for cargo on the flight. I saw the cargo on the loading dock, it was a pallet covered in a camouflage tarp. I received my tickets in person upon arrival at JFK. I'm pretty sure I helped traffic drugs or weapons across borders. I can't remember the name of the company. Also, I don't think it exists anymore, because it was sketchy as f**k. Edit, they were called Air Courrier. I found an article about it, in case you think I was bullshitting. I did this before 9-11. High times. https://www.gonomad.com/1558-flying-cheap-air-courier-travel-gonomad-mini-guide#targetText=An%20air%20courier%20is%20basically,to%20escort%20cargo%20by%20plane.&targetText=As%20payment%20for%20your%20temporary,trip%20ticket%20to%20a%20destination.
Michelle Carlson 3 years ago (edited)
My husband used to have a job where he'd pick up bank paperwork couriered by a plane at night. He'd drive out on the tarmack, pick it up and the deliver it to various banks. Can you even imagine being able to do that now?! We used our own vehicle, never had to show ID, sheesh.
#60
I bought official PlayStation wireless headphones for 20€ a few years ago(they usually cost about 70€ brand new). I thought it was a sketchy sale but nope, they are fine and I still use them to this day
#62
This fall I bought a 2014 Honda Accord with under 80k miles for $9,000 from a guy on Craigslist. His English wasn't the best and we barely looked over the car before buying it since it was starting to snow and we wanted to get home. The guy bought it from an insurance company because it had been totaled. I did have to get an alignment ($100) but other than that it's been perfect.
#63
I bought a jailbroken Firestick last year for $100. 12ish months later I’ve cutout my Directv and strictly use the firestick. That thing has saved me close $1000 so far.
Bex 3 years ago
Is that a bargain, though? I just got a Firestick a few months ago for $25. Not trying to be rude, I'm actually curious.
IDK_Something 3 years ago
I imagine it being jailbroken is what makes it a bargain. Though a Google search still says it wasn't a bargain lol. I suppose it's just compared to paying a cable company monthly.
Load More Replies... #64
Really cheap truck stop pocket knife. I'd left mine at home on a road trip and I really just am used to having one in my pocket because they are useful. Expected it to toss it away when I got back from the trip but 3 years and several dead hookers later it still works like a charm.
Indosidius 3 years ago (edited)
Sometimes I wonder how many people disguise truth as jokes on Bored Panda? Dead hookers? Cheap knife? Truck stop? Which one is the lie? And that was satire, incase anyone wonders. [I will see myself out now]
#65
5$ pack of 2 pairs of earbuds from amazon!! they were the best ive ever used. one lasted me the whole school year, the others I gave to a friend.
#66
I'd buy a sketchy repeated comments filter about now. Edit: Deleted a dup. Day later this post still shows up as phantom weirdness in my post history. It has no date.
Cody 3 years ago
Complaining about seeing the same post on Reddit multiple times. Looks like BP isn't too picky about what they hit CTRL+C on from Reddit.
Load More Replies... #67
What’s with this thread? It’s got silver, 300 comments and like 80 points. Plus many of the comments are duplicated. This is weird
What do you think ?
Deborah Chapman 3 years ago
I bought a Mabeline brown eyebrow pencil and a hair pick when I was 16. I am sure I paid less than a dollar for each of them. I have used them daily ever since. I am 66 now. I am still using them both! That is 50 years! I might retire the eyebrow pencil soon. It still works but out of respect, I think I will retire it. ;)
Jihana 3 years ago
A few years back I spent a week in Berlin. Weather forecast said that the whole week the temperatures won't drop under 25°C, even at night, so I thought I'd be fine not bringing a jacket. Turns out they were seriously wrong, and at night it got down to like 13°C, and I was freezing. Went to a cheap clothing store to look for a jacket. I really have problems finding something affordable in my size, so I did not expect to find something, but there it was, a faux leather biker jacket in my size, for about 20€. I LOVED that thing, and wore it till it really disintegrated. I lovingly called it "my Berlin desperation jacket"
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
We had a small DVD shop at the local mall (remember those?), and I wandered in one day and had a look through their $2 bin. I found a copy of a movie called "Osmosis Jones", and I thought what the heck and bought it. It turned out to be a *seriously* underrated little gem. I still have that DVD to this day.
Marcus Lynch 3 years ago
I spent $25 and adopted a dog shaved to the skin and so ugly that we couldn't even tell what breed it was till his hair grew back. Turned out to be a Maltese Poodle who is so gentle that he's now allowed to go on hospital visits and was my wife's cancer buddy throughout all of her chemotherapy visits.
Jody E 3 years ago
In December 1999 I bought a sarong in Indonesia, Bali because I forgot a towel. It was my first full day and I decided to bargain hunt and find seller who would sell me a sarong for $1. I did! and 22 years later I still use it before/after a shower. Just this month it got its first rip and I am sooo sad. 20220623_0...95d33b.jpg 
NicNor5560 3 years ago
No kidding! I have one too for exactly the same purpose - bathrobes are too hot for me. Mine came from Hawaii and I bought it during Carabram (multiple countries open up their cultures for people to visit/eat/see during a long weekend).
Load More Replies... Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Had a few myself. 1) Bought an off brand blow dryer back in the 1980s. It finally died in 2002. 2) Bought a brand new KIA Sportage in 2009. All we’ve ever had to replace is tires, batteries, and a couple brake pads. Every time I turn the key, it starts. 3) All my old iPhones and my iPod Touch are now clocks in different rooms of my house (found a clock app that automatically moves the numbers around the screen every few minutes so they don’t burn onto it). 4) Bought a down jacket for $25 at an Army Surplus store in 1979. Great coat. Warm AF, had pockets everywhere, the faux fur trim on the hood never got gnarly, and the dark blue color outside, as well as the orange color of the lining, never ever faded. Wore it every winter until it finally started coming apart at the seams in 2006. Hated to let it go. 5) Our Roku 3s. Decided to cut the cord when our cable, or rather, satellite bill got out of hand. Bought them on deep discounted sale when Roku introduced their 4s. Have 3 set up, living room, master bedroom, spare room. Never any problem with them whatsoever. Always work, and if they act up, turn them off, count 10, turn them back on and they reset perfectly. Best part is the total for all the apps we watch, including one that has all the major live TV stations on it, is still a fraction of what our previous bill was, and we’re never starving for something to watch! 6) Old Navy yoga pants. Bought them back in the late 2000s, and still wear them today. Maybe it’s because I never put them in the dryer, preferring to let them hang dry instead, I don’t know. But they haven’t stretched out, their color hasn’t faded, and the hems have never frayed. Glad I bought multiple pairs back in the day! 7) Same goes for several old tee shorts I have, some I’ve had for decades, and some of them were bought secondhand at thrift shops. There may be some little holes starting to form in some of them, but they’re still wearable in casual settings. 8) My AAA membership. It has saved my a*s numerous times in the last 30 years I’ve had it. 9) My online insurance company. Still the best deal in coverage, as well as the easiest company to deal with, and their auto insurance even covers my pets! I’ve been with them now for well over 20 years, which gives me benefits as a longtime customer, and have never even considered changing companies. OK, that’s 9 things. That’s enough for now. I’m 61, so I guess if you live long enough, the chances of you picking up a bargain that lasts virtually forever increase by the year.
M O'Connell 3 years ago
My $200 utility trailer. The guy I bought it from didn't want to deal with the hassle of replacing all of the wood on it because it was "in poor condition." That was more than 10 years ago and I still haven't replaced any of it (with it being stored outside 100% of the time). The guy apparently didn't know that the deck was marine plywood, which is assembled with epoxy as opposed to wood glue. The top layer was starting to disintegrate off of it, and still is. But 3/4" plywood is 7 or 8 plies. I've had thousands of pounds of landscaping material on it with no issue at all. I think part of the price was due to the sale occurring in Illinois and the trailer not having a title, but I live in Wisconsin where trailers under 3000lbs don't require registration (and thus no title/VIN).
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago
About 7 years I bought a bluetooth speaker for €10 fro a discount store and didn't think too much of my purchase even asking the cashier if I wasn't happy with it and kept the receipt could I exchange it? I need not have worried. It is one of the best things I have ever bought. It has a fantastic sound and is light and portable and keeps its charge for ages. I am so happy with it. I have seen similar speakers going for at least 4 or 5 times that amount and they were in the sales in other shops and I bought my one at full price.
Floyd Bartholomew 3 years ago
For some reason I really needed a portable battery powered speaker. I found a one at walmart in the 10-20$ range called a G-Zip from a company called G-Project. I've had it for over 10 years now. The battery on it is incredible, some years I use it for an hour or two nearly daily, other years I'd only pull it out every so often or when we're traveling, but I've only had to charge it with a usb cable like 15 times over those 10 years. The volume is strong and the Bass is solid. I'm sad that the audio cable is looking like it won't make it another year or two but I'm hoping that when it finally does stop working I can hack it to add an aux jack and continue using it for another 10 years.
NicNor5560 3 years ago
A lot of good deals in this post. Good for you! I had a coupon for just about anything I bought for my craft room. I love good bargains too. At some point, my husband's friend called me Mrs. Coupon (vs. Mrs. N.). Groupon has good deals too, especially for restaurants and vacation.
Deborah Chapman 3 years ago
I bought a Mabeline brown eyebrow pencil and a hair pick when I was 16. I am sure I paid less than a dollar for each of them. I have used them daily ever since. I am 66 now. I am still using them both! That is 50 years! I might retire the eyebrow pencil soon. It still works but out of respect, I think I will retire it. ;)
Jihana 3 years ago
A few years back I spent a week in Berlin. Weather forecast said that the whole week the temperatures won't drop under 25°C, even at night, so I thought I'd be fine not bringing a jacket. Turns out they were seriously wrong, and at night it got down to like 13°C, and I was freezing. Went to a cheap clothing store to look for a jacket. I really have problems finding something affordable in my size, so I did not expect to find something, but there it was, a faux leather biker jacket in my size, for about 20€. I LOVED that thing, and wore it till it really disintegrated. I lovingly called it "my Berlin desperation jacket"
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
We had a small DVD shop at the local mall (remember those?), and I wandered in one day and had a look through their $2 bin. I found a copy of a movie called "Osmosis Jones", and I thought what the heck and bought it. It turned out to be a *seriously* underrated little gem. I still have that DVD to this day.
Marcus Lynch 3 years ago
I spent $25 and adopted a dog shaved to the skin and so ugly that we couldn't even tell what breed it was till his hair grew back. Turned out to be a Maltese Poodle who is so gentle that he's now allowed to go on hospital visits and was my wife's cancer buddy throughout all of her chemotherapy visits.
Jody E 3 years ago
In December 1999 I bought a sarong in Indonesia, Bali because I forgot a towel. It was my first full day and I decided to bargain hunt and find seller who would sell me a sarong for $1. I did! and 22 years later I still use it before/after a shower. Just this month it got its first rip and I am sooo sad. 20220623_0...95d33b.jpg
NicNor5560 3 years ago
No kidding! I have one too for exactly the same purpose - bathrobes are too hot for me. Mine came from Hawaii and I bought it during Carabram (multiple countries open up their cultures for people to visit/eat/see during a long weekend).
Load More Replies... Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Had a few myself. 1) Bought an off brand blow dryer back in the 1980s. It finally died in 2002. 2) Bought a brand new KIA Sportage in 2009. All we’ve ever had to replace is tires, batteries, and a couple brake pads. Every time I turn the key, it starts. 3) All my old iPhones and my iPod Touch are now clocks in different rooms of my house (found a clock app that automatically moves the numbers around the screen every few minutes so they don’t burn onto it). 4) Bought a down jacket for $25 at an Army Surplus store in 1979. Great coat. Warm AF, had pockets everywhere, the faux fur trim on the hood never got gnarly, and the dark blue color outside, as well as the orange color of the lining, never ever faded. Wore it every winter until it finally started coming apart at the seams in 2006. Hated to let it go. 5) Our Roku 3s. Decided to cut the cord when our cable, or rather, satellite bill got out of hand. Bought them on deep discounted sale when Roku introduced their 4s. Have 3 set up, living room, master bedroom, spare room. Never any problem with them whatsoever. Always work, and if they act up, turn them off, count 10, turn them back on and they reset perfectly. Best part is the total for all the apps we watch, including one that has all the major live TV stations on it, is still a fraction of what our previous bill was, and we’re never starving for something to watch! 6) Old Navy yoga pants. Bought them back in the late 2000s, and still wear them today. Maybe it’s because I never put them in the dryer, preferring to let them hang dry instead, I don’t know. But they haven’t stretched out, their color hasn’t faded, and the hems have never frayed. Glad I bought multiple pairs back in the day! 7) Same goes for several old tee shorts I have, some I’ve had for decades, and some of them were bought secondhand at thrift shops. There may be some little holes starting to form in some of them, but they’re still wearable in casual settings. 8) My AAA membership. It has saved my a*s numerous times in the last 30 years I’ve had it. 9) My online insurance company. Still the best deal in coverage, as well as the easiest company to deal with, and their auto insurance even covers my pets! I’ve been with them now for well over 20 years, which gives me benefits as a longtime customer, and have never even considered changing companies. OK, that’s 9 things. That’s enough for now. I’m 61, so I guess if you live long enough, the chances of you picking up a bargain that lasts virtually forever increase by the year.
M O'Connell 3 years ago
My $200 utility trailer. The guy I bought it from didn't want to deal with the hassle of replacing all of the wood on it because it was "in poor condition." That was more than 10 years ago and I still haven't replaced any of it (with it being stored outside 100% of the time). The guy apparently didn't know that the deck was marine plywood, which is assembled with epoxy as opposed to wood glue. The top layer was starting to disintegrate off of it, and still is. But 3/4" plywood is 7 or 8 plies. I've had thousands of pounds of landscaping material on it with no issue at all. I think part of the price was due to the sale occurring in Illinois and the trailer not having a title, but I live in Wisconsin where trailers under 3000lbs don't require registration (and thus no title/VIN).
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago
About 7 years I bought a bluetooth speaker for €10 fro a discount store and didn't think too much of my purchase even asking the cashier if I wasn't happy with it and kept the receipt could I exchange it? I need not have worried. It is one of the best things I have ever bought. It has a fantastic sound and is light and portable and keeps its charge for ages. I am so happy with it. I have seen similar speakers going for at least 4 or 5 times that amount and they were in the sales in other shops and I bought my one at full price.
Floyd Bartholomew 3 years ago
For some reason I really needed a portable battery powered speaker. I found a one at walmart in the 10-20$ range called a G-Zip from a company called G-Project. I've had it for over 10 years now. The battery on it is incredible, some years I use it for an hour or two nearly daily, other years I'd only pull it out every so often or when we're traveling, but I've only had to charge it with a usb cable like 15 times over those 10 years. The volume is strong and the Bass is solid. I'm sad that the audio cable is looking like it won't make it another year or two but I'm hoping that when it finally does stop working I can hack it to add an aux jack and continue using it for another 10 years.
NicNor5560 3 years ago
A lot of good deals in this post. Good for you! I had a coupon for just about anything I bought for my craft room. I love good bargains too. At some point, my husband's friend called me Mrs. Coupon (vs. Mrs. N.). Groupon has good deals too, especially for restaurants and vacation.
Related on Bored Panda
