Whenever I’m walking around the city on a sweltering August day and stop at a pushcart for a ice-cold Coke I take a swallow and think that’s the best money I ever spent.
Used books are a huge value, especially considering how many books I buy. I also love used clothing stores… they are full of treasures that I would never pay department store prices to own.
Bargain books kick arse.
I have gotten so many of my big history books on royalty that way. The best one-a softcover for six bucks that was originally seventy some dollars.
I got a little laser pointer for $2.95
Every night, I wear out our two dopey cats as they chase that red dot all over the living room. Finally, I can get a decent night’s sleep without those furbags jumping all around the bed at 3AM.
Books from garage sales. My mother adores garage sales so every other weekend or so I get dragged out of bed at an ungodly hour to go out with her. I think I’ve found some of my favorite books at garage sales. My first Anne Rice book, my first David Eddings book, lots of fantasy stuff, some non-trashy romance novels, Clan of the Cave Bear and sequels were all purchased for about 50 cents each or less.
Kitty
I like those 50 cent vending machine toys. I still have my fav- the rubber alien with boxing gloves. He sits near my gauges in my truck. My ex gave him to me 3 years ago and he still makes me smile. 
Along the same lines as Zenster, My Leatherman Super tool,
Ive had two, the first I lost after 3 years (stupid belt in the snow) my second I have had for 4+ years, and I have used is for everything. As a barbecue fork while camping, Emergency clamp tighener/ battery remover/installer on my car, thousands of boxes opened and cut down. Numerous carvings, little wood trinkkets yadda yadda yadda.
Only problem is that it is now almost worn out, It opens as fast as a butterfly knife, and is rather dull, and the pliers are so loose that when I open the handles the jaws stay shut.
I am going to send it back in, and they shouldsend me a brand new one. I keep putting it off because I cant stand to be without it.
My ironing board. My dad got it for me when they had a buy-one-get-one-free thing at Costco, and he was buying himself one anyway, so I got the free one.
I never fold it up. When I’m not ironing, it moves all over the house depending on my needs. Right now it’s in the dining room, where it is a gift-wrapping station for the holidays. I also drag it into the kitchen when I’m cooking up a storm and need more counter space. I have some back problems so it is so much more comfortable to stand and work at the ironing board than bending over a table.
I never thought this was weird – to get so excited over my ironing board – until I wrote this post. I’ll have to think on this one.
My army-issue P-38 can opener. A piece of stamped metal about 1" long that fits on my keychain. It cost about 50 cents. My motorcycle has a circuit that shuts off the engine if it’s in gear and the kickstand is down. A broken wire made the bike “think” the kickstand was down when I was zipping along at 80mph on the 405 freeway. I had recently stopped carrying my Swiss Army Knife, or other pocket knife, and all I had was my P-38 can openeer. It’s about as sharp as a dull rock, but I was able to strip a wire with it and be on my way in just a few minutes. I’ve even opened cans with it! BTW: My 1994 Yamaha Seca II was less than $4,000 new. It has over 60,000 miles on it and it’s the perfect commuter bike! Fast enough (top speed 125mph) for the freeways, small enough for “lane sharing” when the traffic is stopped, and it gets 50+ mpg. And it looks good, to boot!
My dad bought one of those hand-cranked food processors for me from an ad he saw on teevee. I think they cost about $20. And it works! I’ve used it to chop onions, make salsa, mix meatloaf, and even chop up Spam for Span-salad sandwiches! (Trust me. Spam-salad sandwiches made with Miracle Whip and sweet pickle relish on white bread are actually good!)
A yellow-handled folding “fish knife” (that’s what it says on the little plaque on the side) made by Imperial (Ireland). I think it cost about $3.00, and it’s nice and sharp. I had it with me “camping” once (a few of the neighbours and my dad and I would camp out at a lake for JetSkiing) and a neighbour remarked that it was a nice knife when she used it.
Biggest thing: a huge 30-something inch color tv. Cost: $0.
Someone was putting it out for the trash as we passed, and when we stopped to inquire, they said it had been hit by lightning and their insurance company just bought them a new one. We were welcome to take it, and we did, along with its remote, figuring it would be fun to fiddle around with since the price was right, and it wouldn’t cost anything extra if we put it out for our own trash a few weeks later. As it turned out, we got it fixed for free (ingenious mate), so we got a huge, lovely, modern replacement for the little 12" tv we had been forced to resort to for the last couple years.
Others:
THE LIBRARY.
The 90-minute drive to see the smile on my aging parents’ faces.
Free ISP.
Potatoes - usually on sale at .99 for 10#.
Also, ditto on the Ramen noodles and shelter cats.