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" 
40 People Reveal What Cheap Purchases Overhauled Their Lives For The Better
Interview
Very often, your happiness, success, and contentment are a question of degrees of change. Make some small, subtle shifts in your routine and soon enough, you’ll find yourself on an entirely different trajectory. Hopefully, a better one!
Inspired by u/MedfordQuestions, the netizens of the AskReddit community shared the very best purchases they’ve made under $300 that have genuinely improved their quality of life. We’ve collected some of their most interesting and helpful answers to give you a dash of inspiration if you’re looking for small ways to enjoy life more. So, scroll down, and don’t forget to take notes.
Bored Panda reached out to the author of the intriguing thread, u/MedfordQuestions, and they were kind enough to share their thoughts with us about the (in)tangible things that make life better. You'll find our full interview with them below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Adopted my dog for £165 from the shelter. Pure joy every single day.
Boris Long-Johnson 5 months ago
They don’t cost £165 though do they? They cost way more than that when you add up? All the extra costs like food, vet bills et cetera and this is the reason why dogs end up in shelters because people realise they can’t afford to “run” them.
RELATED:
#2
Throw out all your socks and buy a bunch of identical ones. Never have to worry about matching again.
JayWantsACat 5 months ago
I just stopped caring whether they match. If I'm not wearing a suit or business attire, who cares?
#3
A really good pillow!
Your quality of life depends a lot on physical and purchasable things, to be sure. Your environment is important. The food you eat, what your workplace is like, your education, the gadgets you have at home—everything impacts you in one way or another. Just as one example, from our experience, a proper high-tech vacuum cleaner (cordless, with lights and turbo mode) can save you a massive amount of time. Who knew that doing chores could be semi-fun, eh?
Not all the things that affect your quality of life are tangible, however. Quality sleep, getting plenty of exercise, the depth of your relationships, the sense of purpose you feel at work, the joy you get from your hobbies… these are all things that money can’t buy. They’re essential to living well and meaningfully.
#4
Blackout curtains for my room. Absolutely improves my sleep quality, especially during the times of the year when the sun rises earlier.
Auntriarch 5 months ago
And a sleep mask for when you visit friends with pale curtains in their guest room
#5
My cat.
Robin Roper 5 months ago
I just adopted a 10 year old boy who lost his owner; so far it's been a good $95 investment.
#6
I have 3 laundry baskets in my trunk for shopping and groceries. It’s much easier to carry in a real full basket than lots of bags. I also find it helps in keeping my car organized and I get to organize the baskets when I put the groceries in the cars.
According to Investopedia, your quality of life is a highly subjective measure of happiness. There’s a lot of variance depending on your personal preferences, to be sure. However, it also includes more objective factors like:
- Health;
- Safety;
- Social connections;
- Family life;
- Job satisfaction;
- Cost of living;
- Housing affordability;
- Commute time.
#7
My dog.
He’s absolutely changed my quality of life and I use him every day for hugs, kisses, emotional support, comedic relief, a sleeping buddy, a work-out bestie, and most importantly….a reason to get up in the morning.
#8
Surprisingly, an electric toothbrush. I kinda thought they were a waste of money until I got one for Christmas about 8 years ago They actually do an incredibly good job.
StrangeOne 5 months ago
I agree. I got one after realizing I suck at using an manual toothbrush.
#9
My antidepressants.
Tim Douglass 5 months ago
I never found one where the side effects weren't worse than having depression. Gave up looking after one had me getting angry all the time. Don't need medicine that makes me want to a*****t people just for existing.
Other factors that have a major impact on your quality of life include the following, too:
- Healthcare quality;
- Purchasing power;
- Good climate;
- Low pollution;
- Access to high-quality education;
- Good work-life balance;
- Access to cultural and leisure activities.
As per Investopedia, governments can raise their country’s quality of life by investing more in safety, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and controlling costs. They can also provide affordable housing, offer family-friendly policies, and ensure that workers can earn a living wage.
Some of the countries with the best quality of life on Earth include Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Oman, Switzerland, Finland, and Iceland.
#10
Kindle. I got mine maybe a month before covid hit and it really helped to keep me entertained during lockdown. I've read over 100 books per year since getting it.
George Costanza 5 months ago
I just read free digital books from the library on my iphone/ipad. No extra gadget needed.
#11
A good ergonomic desk chair. Didn’t realize how much my back was suffering until I upgraded total game changer.
#12
Comfortable underwear.
Meanwhile, from a more individual perspective, you first have to define what a good life is for you, and then take steps toward making this a reality.
But subjective factors aside, you can improve your life by having loving relationships, getting access to good healthcare, doing meaningful work, volunteering, and having time for your hobbies.
Quality rest, good food, doing exercises you enjoy, meditation, and practicing gratitude also improve your life.
#13
A wife. Engagement ring and wedding ring together were like $200. This was over 30 years ago, we were poor as dirt, and we lived within our means.
#15
75 yr old retired lady with my car parked away from my condo front door. A wagon for groceries! OMG! Thankful for it every time I use it. Also, it came in really handy taking my toddler great-niece for her first Trick or Treat!
We were curious about the inspiration behind the online thread. The author was happy to share what happened. "I was inspired by something very simple: a Yeti water bottle I bought that I now use every single day. It might seem like just a water bottle, but having ice-cold water with me wherever I go has noticeably improved my daily life," u/MedfordQuestions said.
"It made me realize that some purchases—even small ones—can really increase quality of life in subtle but meaningful ways. That got me thinking about other items I’ve bought over the years that had a similar impact, and I figured there had to be lots of people out there with their own examples," they told Bored Panda.
"So, I turned to Reddit and let curiosity (and the power of the community) do the rest."
#16
Tons of answers, but today im saying curved shower rod. Cost maybe $15 but it pretty much added two full feet of space at shoulder-height and my shower doesnt feel claustrophobic anymore. .
#17
I started taking vitamin d3 5000iu daily (with magnesium and vitamin k2 for absorbtion) because i read itll help my psoriasis. Didnt help my psoriasis, but my lower back pain was gone. Like poof, disappeared.
This might not work for everybody, but it worked for me. All for some cheap vitamins.
Fellfromthemoon 5 months ago
2000 IU daily, max 3000. Contrary to popular belief, Vitamin D3 can be overdosed.
#18
Said it elsewhere, an extra freezer. So good to have the extra space!
Hiram's Friend 5 months ago
We have an extra freezer and it looks NOTHING like the photo. We have to move stuff to find other stuff and then put it all back in some form of advanced Tetris.
According to the redditor, some comments left by other internet users genuinely surprised them. "Some responses really made me reconsider items I already owned. I hadn’t thought about them in the same way others had, but after reading their comments, I realized I enjoyed and benefited from those things more than I’d given them credit for. That was a fun shift in perspective," they opened up.
Meanwhile, Bored Panda also wanted to get u/MedfordQuestions' thoughts about the intangible things that make all of our lives much better. From their perspective, the most vital things are presence, simplicity, and small comforts. Together, they create consistency.
"Things like meaningful conversations, quiet moments in nature, or having a daily routine that includes one personal joy—even something as simple as good coffee or a walk in the morning—can make a huge difference over time."
#19
Mattress heating pad.
You will never feel closer to royalty than when you climb into a pre-warmed bed in the dead of winter.
#20
Noise-canceling headphones.
They give me peace of mind whenever I need a break from everything.
Italian-Swiss Panda 5 months ago
I'm addicted to mines and I have several different ones. For me, by far the best ones NC-wise were the wired Bose in ear Quietcomfort, the ones with the little thingy (like a flat box) where you could switch on/off the NC. Unfortunately, Bose stopped producing them and only has those ear buds where the NC is decent, but not as good/strong as to the wired ones. So Bored Pandas, I shall be forever grateful for recommendations from Pandas who knew and loved the wired Bose ones! Thank you, gracias, merci, danke, grazie,obrigada!
#21
Reading glasses. Don't fight it. If things don't look 100% clear, get a pair. It will change your life.
Uncle Panda 5 months ago
Reluctantly standing in front of the reading glasses display for my first visit, I realized it was an altar to time. Nobody wants to stand there the first time - you're acknowledging your vanishing youth while admitting a small but significant loss against the ravages of time.
What are the top cheap purchases you’ve ever made that have legitimately made your life much better, dear Pandas? On the other hand, what intangible choices, changes, and habits have had the biggest positive impact on your quality of life, too?
We honestly can’t wait to hear what you have to say. You can share your experiences in the comments below.
#22
A vacuum robot - especially if you have pets
An air purifier - stopped sneezing every morning as soon as I woke up
Automatic cat feeder - now I just refill (and provide wet food) and its easier to control portions.
Melissa Harris 5 months ago (edited)
They make an automatic pet feeder that chills so you can put wet in it! Great to feed your cats small portions throughout the day or set to automatically feed for a weekend.
#24
Leatherman multi-tool. It has saved me in so many situations and is essential when I'm at work.
Boris Long-Johnson 5 months ago
No use in Britain unfortunately because of our stupid knife laws you can’t everyday carry them (they have a locking blade).
#25
A sunrise alarm clock. Wakes me up gently with light instead of a blaring noise, and it’s made mornings way less miserable.
#26
I recently bought a charger with two USB-C ports and one USB port. I love the flexibility of charging my phone, watch, and something else with one box!
#27
A milk frother. I use it to froth my half and half every morning, the husband uses it to mix pre workout, I use it to mix flavor packets into carbonated water and I use it to mix chocolate collagen in milk for chocolate milk. I’ll never live without one and they cost $10.
#28
Shoehorn.
#29
For me it was my walking pad for under my desk when I WFH! I am obsessed with it. Before I would sit all day and then feel rushed to immediately get outside and moving after work. Now I walk while I work and have so much more time to do stuff with friends and family after work because I'm multi tasking. I'm also the leanest I've ever been!
#30
Bought a weighted blanket and my sleep improved 100%.
keyboardtek 5 months ago
Even though I bought a memory foam mattress, I added a 3 inch memory foam topper to it and my shoulders no longer get numb when sleeping on my side.
#31
Dental floss. Learned my lesson after one root canal. My mouth is so much healthier. I can’t go to bed without flossing or my teeth feel disgusting.
#34
Ok it's not used every day but I highly highly recommend everyone own a complete set of Stain Devils, or at least the ones for the 4-5 most common types of stains (varies depending on your household but I always keep the Oil, Coffee, Wine, Chocolate, Blood ones on hand). So, they're enzymatic solutions that target that type of stain specifically and work incredibly, unbelievably well. Like, to the point that no matter how high your expectations might be after reading this, those expectations will be hugely exceeded. I had a big coffee stain on a shirt at work, couldn't treat the stain for 6 hours or so, and the coffee Stain Devil got it out 100%. Same for blood stains etc. Just read and follow the directions, each one of them has its own method.
Uncle Panda 5 months ago
I settled this in a different way - I only wear clothing in food colors.
#35
My Mirena IUD was about that much with insurance. After over twenty years (since I was 12), I was able to wear light-colored pants again and not spend 7-9 days every month wearing a tampon, pad, *and* adult diaper. Best quality of life change ever.
Melissa Harris 5 months ago
That is not normal menstrual flow. Sounds like it something a better Gyno should have done something about two decades previously.
#36
A fitbit. Since I bought my first fitbit ~7 years ago, I *move* more overall, am much more active, and feel better. Proof? I'm currently on a 1673-day streak of >10K steps/day, my base heartrate is 53, and I'm 70 years old.
#37
Prescription eyewear from online seller (ie Zenni). My optomitrist quoted me $ 600 + tax (CAN $)for the lenses alone - not including new frames ($ 375 + tax for the ones I liked).
Instead I bought a style of frame I had been wearing for years, and including my complex and somewhat high progressive prescription it was about $ 150.00 USD including shipping. I wear them everyday, have had many complements and best of all I CAN SEE. This was a life changer.
Mother of Giants 5 months ago
Agreed!! I have needed glasses all my life, but as an adult, the cost was just too much, so I was wearing glasses with an almost 12 year old prescription. Getting the eye exam done, and asking for a written prescription to order new glasses myself was easy and cheap. I now have a new prescription bifocals, prescription sunglasses and a my everyday use prescription transitions glasses. And the best part is I only paid $180 for all three!
#38
Hoka shoes. I have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. A good pair of shoes has really improved my quality of life.
Hiram's Friend 5 months ago
Check out OrthoFeet. Large comfortable shoes. I wear an 11.5 5E. Lace up styles that you can step into without tying and untying them.
#39
Nice notebook, pens and a few self-help books.
Learned that therapy is not for me and journaling and self-help books have worked best for me.
Little Bit 5 months ago
Same for me too. Since keeping a journal, practicing breathing exercises, going for a daily walk and taking magnesium glycinate, my mental health and emotional stability has improved greatly.
#40
My first instrument. I wouldn’t know most of my friends or what to do with all of my time if I never picked up an instrument.
#41
My cats auto litter box (she uses it every day, not me😆).
Bored Birgit 5 months ago
Can someone recommend a brand that is easy to clean? I'd like to buy one.
#42
Pillows between your legs. I use a king at 6’0 and adjust based on if my knees like it more if the whole body. The amount of stress it takes off your hips and back is ridiculous.
Also a cuddle pillow, which is what I call a super soft pillow I wrap my arms around. Great for your shoulder, and also, obviously, great to cuddle.
keyboardtek 5 months ago
I have herniated disks all throughout my spine. I do exactly that to keep my spine aligned when sleeping on my side. The one between the legs keeps the lumbar spine straight and the one under the upper arm prevents the shoulder from collapsing and getting rounded, which causes arm numbness.
#43
ASICS shoes.
#44
A Tilley hat. I've had mine for about 10 years. It's been through oceans, pools, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, washing machines...and it still looks brand new. Still has a lifetime warranty. Still has a warranty protecting it against being lost. AND it fits my large, misshapen head. Best $100 I ever spent.
#45
I bought lots of underwear, socks, shirts so I don’t need to do laundry as often as I used to.
LillieMean 5 months ago
This is not necessarily good because sweat and secretions stick to clothes that have been dirty for a long time and the result in the long term is permanently smelly underwear and socks. Then you have to go to more trouble by soaking the socks in some vinegar water and wondering what to do with a shirt whose armpits smell like sweat even after washing. Experience comes from periods of depression.
#48
Might not be what you intended, but an e-harmony year long subscription. Now I have a wife and 2 kids. Changed my life daily.
#49
Don't use it every single day, but getting an electric shaver was a great decision and has saved me a lot of time and hassle. .
Mike F 5 months ago
They're great if you spend a lot of time on the road. I bought a Braun rechargeable and got a smaller "travel" shaver that runs on AA batteries. The rechargeable died a long time ago, but I still have the travel shaver and it works like a champ. No need to pack shaving cream or backup blades. And, the cleaning brush stores right in the lid.
#50
My wife got me a cheap projector for Christmas. Didn't think we'd use it but we tried it (it had YouTube, Netflix etc on it) and we began watching shows in bed at night. It quickly became our favorite part of the day.
#51
I spent a stupid amount of money on a medcline pillow set and it's really improved my sleep and kept me from walking up with dead fingers.
#52
Recharging the AC in my car before summer.
Ace 5 months ago (edited)
This should not be something that is needed at that frequency unless you have a leaky system. My Landy needed recharging about three years ago, still going strong. It's important to run the compressor occasionally through the winter though, otherwise the seals can dry out. But once they start losing gas they will only get worse, time for a new car.
#54
A walking machine. Like one of the mini treadmill pieces that don’t go over 4mph. Walking everyday and got to have a nice weight loss journey.
#55
A Roomba.
I live 2 blocks from the beach and have hardwood floors. I was sweeping every day and vacuuming every 3days and it didn't matter, whenever I took my socks off, the ground felt crunchy. This thing sweeps, vaccums and mops for me and I literally have no worries , I set it up to run when I'm at work and it does an outstanding job.
It's not an actual Roomba, it's an Amazon knock off. It has lidar to detect obstacles and it maps the apartment so I then go in th app and set restrictions on where it has problems like fan bases and where I have bathroom mats. I ran the thing a few times when I got it and observed it, drew the restricted areas our on the map and this thing is my new favorite appliance. I was hesitant at first because my previous roommates had bought a "Euffy" brand Amazon Roomba and it was pretty dumb it just had bumpers and would get stuck under things and we'd always have to 'rescue' it all the time, the only way we could get it to not go places was to close a door. 3 years later they have really evolved , i thought I'd have to watch it all the time but nope! It does it's things and finds its way back to the charging station no hassle !
#56
My aeropress, electric kettle and bean grinder cost less than $150 total and improved my coffee experience 100%. The aeropress makes a single serving of coffee very easily and the clean up takes seconds. The bean grinder and electric kettle make the rest of the process faster and easier.
And the flavor is improved. It's really surprising how much difference the method of making coffee has.
#57
Electric screw driver for $15 is my favorite product of the year - built a whole kitchen of Ikea cabinets.
#58
Cold and hot water dispenser. Tea on demand. Cold water. Drink a lot more water because of the instant clean cold refreshing experience.
#59
An air fryer. I’m an anxiety snacker and it’s opened up healthier snacks like roasted cauliflower. It lets me keep snacking but on good stuff instead of cheap trash.
bElLa sTairZz 5 months ago
could also buy grapes or other stuff you can just eat raw? not diagreeing with an air fryer, but the reasoning is misleading
#60
Good quality earbuds with active noise cancellation (anc).
years ago my first anc buds were from tozo. they were honestly decent.
since then, i've move from apple airpod pros (tried a couple of generations) to bose quietcomfort earbuds (also a couple of generations).
finally to jabra elite active 8 gen 2. they've been my favorite overall.
i highly recommend getting some good anc earbuds or headphones if you need personal high quality audio and you enjoy turning down the ambient sounds around you--people, commute noises, office chatter, travel sounds, annoying background music while shopping, etc.
this is a very personalized thing so, [look for highly rated ones,](https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/best/noise-cancelling-earbuds) but try out a few to see if they fit what you need and your ears.
#61
An Oral B IO8 electric toothbrush. I confess I love the app that comes with it to make sure I get 100% brush coverage twice a day. Game changer.
#62
For under $300 you can grab yourself a good watch, a reliable knife, and a few handkerchief/bandanas. All things you can carry daily and they all come in clutch.
What do you think ?
Rachel Pelz 5 months ago
Affordability means under $300 on BP. Wow. Not exactly what I was thinking of when I saw the thread. Seems like a lot of advertising...all these specific brands.
Rachel Pelz 5 months ago
Affordability means under $300 on BP. Wow. Not exactly what I was thinking of when I saw the thread. Seems like a lot of advertising...all these specific brands.
You May Like “I Can’t Believe Other People Don’t Do This”: 43 People Share Their Best Life Hacks 43 Horrifying Things People Have Woken Up To That Still Haunt Them People Are Sharing The Things They'd Learned Too Late In Life, And These 51 Ones Are Eye-Opening
Jonas Žvilius
Dominyka Proškėnaitė
Viktorija Ošikaitė
Related on Bored Panda
