20 Life-Changing Items Anyone Can Buy for Less Than $100

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It might come as a surprise, but changing your life for the better doesn’t always require radical lifestyle changes or spending a lot of money. In fact, there are a lot of small, inexpensive ways to bring about positive changes in your life.

Let’s look at some of them!

Carbon Monoxide Detector

Detail shot of a carbon monoxide alarm or CO warning device in a basket of firewood in an apartment in front of a fireplace
Image Credit: Redaktion93/Shutterstock.

Carbon monoxide is a gas with no color, odor, or taste, and it can cause death by suffocation. Homes with fuel-burning appliances are more at risk of having trouble with carbon monoxide, so a detector could literally save your family’s lives.

 

Automobile First Aid Kit

Man with first aid kit in car
Image Credit: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.

Having a decent first aid kit on hand when you’re on the road could prove to be critical while you wait for help to arrive after an accident. It can also be useful when mishaps occur and your car is nearby.

 

Portable Air Compressor

Automobile compressor. Electric pump inflates a car wheel close-up
Image Credit: NATALLIA B/Shutterstock.

Few things throw a wrench into plans the way a flat tire does. An air compressor can quickly refill a tire so you can get back on the road. If there’s an active leak, the compressor can buy you time to get a repair or replacement without paying and waiting for a tow.

 

Extra-Long Phone Charging Cord

Plug in power outlet Adapter cord charger of smart phone on wooden floor
Image Credit: DAMRONG RATTANAPONG/Shutterstock.

A lot of cords that come with new phones aren’t long enough to let you use your phone while it’s charging. An extra-long cord solves this.

 

A Ride Home

Similing taxi driver talking with female passenger.
Image Credit: Snapic_PhotoProduction/Shutterstock.

If you’ve had too much to drink, call a taxi/Uber/Lyft. It can keep you out of jail, and it might save your or someone else’s life.

 

Heated Blanket or Mattress Pad

electric blanket with controller on a sofa
Image Credit: Freer/Shutterstock.

The most important function of a home’s heating system is to keep pipes from freezing and bursting, not to make people warm. By lowering your thermostat, you can save a lot on energy bills, and an electric blanket uses much less energy to warm you up than the system uses to heat an entire home.

 

Library Card

Face, student and woman in university in library ready for learning. Portrait, education and happy female from Brazil standing by bookshelf with book for studying, knowledge and literature research.
Image Credit: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock.

If you live near a library, you can have easy access to borrowing books, video media, and more. Here’s some great news: library cards are usually free or really cheap.

 

Sunscreen

Smiling woman in hat is applying sunscreen on her face.
Image Credit: SNeG17/Shutterstock.

One bottle of sunscreen can last a long time. The best brands are relatively pricey, but the cost pales in comparison to fighting (or dying from) skin cancer.

 

George Foreman Grill

A view of a shelf dedicated to a variety of George Foreman grill appliances, on display at a local department store.
Image Credit: The Image Party/Shutterstock.

These grills are affordable and portable. They cook food quickly and well, they self-drain grease, and they’re easy to clean.

 

Foldable Clothes-Drying Rack

Happy housewife hangs wet linen on the clothes dryer after laundry at home. Household chores and housekeeping
Image Credit: goffkein.pro/Shutterstock.

Setting out your clothes to dry saves money because you’re not using a dryer. A foldable rack means it’s out of the way when not in use. This is especially beneficial for people who live in apartment buildings with shared laundry facilities.

 

Good Pens

Fountain Writing Pen
Image Credit: KristinaShu/Shutterstock.

If you write a lot, you’ll quickly discover the benefits of a nice pen even if it costs the same as 10 cheap pens. They feel better in the hand and write so much more smoothly.

 

Blood Pressure Monitor

Man check blood pressure monitor and heart rate monitor with digital pressure gauge.
Image Credit: Me dia/Shutterstock.

High blood pressure is known as “the silent killer” because many people have no idea they’re at risk. Having your own monitor means you can check it whenever you want and then seek medical attention if there are alarming signs.

 

Electric Toothbrush

Young and cheerful woman brushing teeth with electric toothbrush during morning hygiene procedures in the bathroom
Image Credit: RossHelen/Shutterstock.

If you had an electric toothbrush as a kid, you probably thought it was really cool. Then, as an adult, maybe buying a regular toothbrush seemed like a sensible budgeting decision. Making the switch to electric is worth it, as it cleans way more efficiently and thoroughly.

 

Air Fryer

Cooking potatoes and carrot sticks with spices in an air fryer
Image Credit: Francisco Zeledon/Shutterstock.

People are finding air fryers to be vast improvements over ovens. Food cooks faster, comes out crispier, and tastes better. Air fryers are also easy to clean.

 

Bidet Attachment

bidet in modern toilet with wall mount shower attachment
Image Credit: jantsarik/Shutterstock.

Many people who have experienced a bidet vow that they never want to go back. They’re efficient and comfortable, and they reduce the cost and discomfort of using toilet paper. It’s easy to attach one to an existing toilet.

 

Pet Cams

smart camera on wooden table
Image Credit: Jinning Li/Shutterstock.

Pet cams in the home have a number of benefits. One is that you can check on your pets from afar to make sure they’re okay. Another is providing additional deterrence to burglars. Finally, many people get great entertainment out of them!

 

Shelter Dog or Cat

Cute little puppy lying on floor merrily biting green plastic toy. Portrait on white. Playful pets, curiosity, pet shop or veterinary clinic commercials.
Image Credit: Gladskikh Tatiana/Shutterstock.

Adopting a shelter animal is inexpensive (sometimes free) and changes more lives than one. That animal gets a loving home and might have been spared from being put down, and the people adopting get a lovable companion that brightens their lives.

 

Electric Kettle

Transparent electric kettle with boiling water on table in the kitchen
Image Credit: Melnikov Dmitriy/Shutterstock.

These devices are quick and easy to use. Within just minutes, you can prepare coffee, tea, ramen, and more. They’re a lot more convenient than boiling water in microwaves or on stovetops.

 

Back Scratcher

Young Woman Using Back Scratcher At Office
Image Credit: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock.

One of the most maddening things is not being able to reach that itchy spot in the middle of your back. A back scratcher is a simple device that delivers much-welcome relief.

 

Keyless Home Entry

inputing passwords on an electronic door lock
Image Credit: Freer/Shutterstock.

A deadbolt with a keypad for entry can be super convenient. There’s no more fumbling for keys when your arms are full and no more locking yourself out. If someone forgets the combination, there’s still a key available. You can even program separate combinations for different people.

15 Behaviors That Are a Dead Giveaways Someone Grew up Poor

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Many people who grew up poor don’t exactly want to display this information for the world to see. However, it can come out in a wide range of behaviors that make it obvious that the person grew up lower class or in poverty.

Many people have habits that they picked up during those years that they haven’t let go of yet.

15 Behaviors That Are a Dead Giveaways Someone Grew up Poor

15 of the the World’s Greatest Lies

serious old man at park.
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There’s a lot of misinformation out there. Information is often wielded as a weapon and used against the public. Some lies are so colossal that they’re practically universal in our society.

15 of the World’s Greatest Lies

15 Things That Feel Illegal but Are Actually Perfectly Legal

African American judge pounding mallet in courtroom.
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Life is full of peculiar situations where our instincts often tell us that something just can’t be legal, yet the truth might surprise you. Here are 15 things that might feel illegal but are entirely within the bounds of the law.

15 Things That Feel Illegal but Are Actually Perfectly Legal

12 Things That Were Socially Acceptable 25 Years Ago, but Are Frowned Upon Today

Middle age blonde woman over isolated background skeptic and nervous, disapproving expression on face with crossed arms.
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Over the past 25 years, society has seen significant changes in what it considers acceptable behavior. What was once deemed perfectly fine in the past is now often met with disapproval. As cultural norms and values continue to evolve, it’s essential to reflect on these changes and how they shape our daily lives.

12 Things That Were Socially Acceptable 25 Years Ago, but Are Frowned Upon Today

12 Things You Really, Really Don’t Need In Your Home

Portraits headshoots blonde woman natural no make up just woke up bed head morning.
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One of the best ways to save money is to learn to live with less. If you live on less, then you need less and then you spend less. There are some stuff that you may have in your home that you don’t need.

There are several ways that you can adjust your lifestyle and learn to live with less. Here are some things you have in your home that you don’t need.

12 Things You Really, Really Don’t Need In Your Home