# What's the most useful thing you've ever bought for under $20?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-thing-youve-ever-bought-for-under-20/693249
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [July 16, 2014, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-thing-youve-ever-bought-for-under-20/693249 "2014-07-16T03:52:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-thing-youve-ever-bought-for-under-20/693249/41 "2014-07-17T12:12:24Z")
[This puppy.](http://www.homedepot.com/p/Warmwave-1-500-Watt-Electric-Fan-Portable-Heater-HFQ15A/202025247?MERCH=REC-_-NavPLPHorizontal1-1-_-NA-_-202025247-_-N)
It has kept me warm at work when I used to go into the office, it takes the chill out of the air at home right quick when we have the windows open, and it’s actually on right now on the end table next to me blowing warm air because I just got home from dropping off my husband and it’s chilly this morning.
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### Author:  [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-thing-youve-ever-bought-for-under-20/693249/42 "2014-07-17T12:33:11Z")
Psst, **Missy** , that’s not a puppy. One can tell because it doesn’t come running when called. This means it’s probably a cat.
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### Author:  [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-thing-youve-ever-bought-for-under-20/693249/43 "2014-07-17T14:35:03Z")
Well SHOOT - that’s why the kibble in it’s bowl isn’t being eaten! I should have bought cat food! Thanks, **Doctor Jackson!** 😃
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### Author:  [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-thing-youve-ever-bought-for-under-20/693249/44 "2014-07-17T14:45:01Z")
Disappointed. Was hoping for puppy pics. ☹
My useful thing is a saddlebag that fastens to Flexi-leash retractable dog leashes. It has four compartments and it can hold a wallet and keys, clean bags, dirty bags, etc. It’s pretty tatty looking now but it still does the job and it was only $5. I see it’s now $9. I should probably get another one.
[http://www.amazon.com/Flexi-LB-Leash-Accessory-Bag-Black/dp/B0002DH396](http://www.amazon.com/Flexi-LB-Leash-Accessory-Bag-Black/dp/B0002DH396)
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### Author:  [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-thing-youve-ever-bought-for-under-20/693249/45 "2014-07-17T15:06:24Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#):
>
> My reusable “K cups”, similar to [these](http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/3/reusable-k-cup). I now get single serve convenience without paying more for the coffee. My wife and I use these on a daily basis.
I have those, too - they’re the only reason I can afford to use the Keurig my in-laws gave me for Christmas two years ago! (If I used the disposable pods, my coffee habit would bankrupt the family, plus the county would have had to build another landfill!)
> [@Gatopescado](#):
>
> A neighbor _gave_ me a car that I still use daily.
Several years ago, my dad gave me his old mini van, because the family grew, the budget didn’t, and Dad was looking to get rid of it anyway. I drove it for two or three more years, and then gave it to my niece two years ago, when she and her fiance moved to his hometown. (I didn’t want her to be in someone else’s “territory” without her own transportation, because I’m a big ol’ worrier.) The van (and the relationship) are still going strong.
Most recently, our porches were being attacked by carpenter bees. I bought a bee trap similar to [this](http://www.amazon.com/Chrisman-Mill-Farms-Wood-Gone/dp/B00DFKIJ6E/ref=pd_sim_lg_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0AX0DV4F9A083ACH0XZH), thinking that it would never work. Surprise! It works! My son made another one for the back porch, plus some for his great aunt - cheap and easy, really, since we had plenty of scrap wood on hand.
And the thrift store finds:
A Braun immersion blender, new in the box, for about $3.00. Spiffy little gadget!
A brand new, still in the box, [Moen](http://www.moen.com/kingsley/chrome-one-handle-low-arc-bathroom-faucet/_/R-CONSUMER%3A6102) bathroom faucet set - installed in the guest bathroom. $4.99 plus tax.
Most recently - a still-packaged air cast for $3.00. I have two, but one’s nearly worn out. Experience says it will come in handy!
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### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-thing-youve-ever-bought-for-under-20/693249/46 "2014-07-17T16:12:19Z")
Eyeglasses. When I first started buying prescription eyeglasses online twelve years ago, I thought they were a bargain at about $70 a pair. Now I get them for $10 or $20 a pair including shipping and handling. It has probably been 8 years since I spent more than $20 for a pair, but only because I don’t need anything fancy like bifocals or progressive lenses or designer brands.
When I was in high school I got a pretty decent bookshelf stereo system for $100 or $150. When it finally bit the dust I looked into buying a new one but it doesn’t seem anybody is selling anything comparable any more. You can buy high quality systems for $500 and up (which are wasted on me frankly) or really crappy systems for $50 and under (which even I can tell are crappy). I finally found a comparable quality stereo for $5 at Goodwill that has served me well for the last few years. If anything, it’s a little better than the one I used to have.
I got a window air conditioner in 1996 at a neighbor’s yard sale for $5 or $10. I still use it almost every summer and it works fine.
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