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<\/p>\nWe’ve all made the mistake of buying things that turned out to be complete wastes of money. I’d bet you could look around the room right now and spot something that seemed like a great idea at the time, but is now just collecting dust.<\/p>\n
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But we rarely talk about the items you thought would be money down the drain, but ended up changing your life. Recently, Reddit user u\/AvaBlondeX<\/a> asked<\/a> people to share what those purchases were. The replies are full of unexpected things that people almost didn’t buy but now can’t imagine living without. If you’re trying to spend smarter, this list will definitely inspire you.Here are 26 purchases that people say are 100% worth it:1. “A KitchenAid mixer<\/a>. I’ve never been one for gadgets, but it’s the bees’ knees, and now I actually bake.” FG Trade \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n 2. “Grocery delivery. I live with chronic pain in a city without a car, and it genuinely makes my life easier.”<\/p>\n \u2014vaxhuvuden<\/a><\/p>\n 3. “I will forever sing the praises of my air fryer.”<\/p>\n \u2014just_another_classic<\/a><\/p>\n 4. “A weighted blanket. It’s amazing for migraines and nausea.” Viktoriia Yakovenko \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n 5. “A rice cooker. I genuinely can’t tell you how much less daunting ‘throwing something together for dinner’ is when I can just dump a cup of rice in that little gadget and focus on something to go with it. Maybe seems obvious to everyone else, but I was worried it would become another dust collector.”<\/p>\n \u2014Acedia_spark<\/a><\/p>\n 6. “An expensive pillow. It was $120, but I used to have terrible neck pain, and now it’s completely cured.”<\/p>\n \u2014FryRodriguezistaken<\/a><\/p>\n 7. “A garlic press. I have bought a lot of kitchen gadgets that I used once and never again, but the garlic press has been wonderful. No more annoying chopping needed. Yes I know, it doesn\u2019t take THAT long to chop a clove of garlic, but that\u2019s also why I love the garlic press \u2014 it actually works quicker.” Ana Rocio Garcia Franco \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 8. “Pre-chopped, frozen onions have changed my life.”<\/p>\n \u2014Eponymous505<\/a><\/p>\n Related: 17 Haunting “Final Words” People Said On Their Deathbeds, According To Medical Workers<\/a><\/p>\n 9. “A foldable wagon. I live alone, in a condo, and it has been such a lifesaver for hauling groceries and everything else up from my car in the garage. It\u2019s great when people come to visit, too, to help them bring everything up!”<\/p>\n \u2014nibletta<\/a><\/p>\n 10. “A walking pad! I was trying to cheap out on it because it hurts my soul to spend money on anything other that food, but it\u2019s so amazing. I can exercise peacefully in the comfort of my own home and with the TV on.” Liudmila Chernetska \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n 11. “An electric kettle. I thought I would use it sparingly, but I use it multiple times a day!”<\/p>\n \u2014ombremullet<\/a><\/p>\n 12. “A tofu press. For years, I pressed my tofu the old-fashioned way, with lots of heavy books and cans carefully piled high. But the tofu press does it so much more efficiently \u2014 and way less precariously. I use it almost every day, and eat way more tofu as a result. Love that thang!”<\/p>\n \u2014tarooooooooooo<\/a><\/p>\n 13. “An eyemask with Bluetooth headphones built inside. I need an audiobook or podcast to fall asleep, and the eyemask lets me do so without disturbing my husband, who prefers quiet. I also work nights, so I often take naps during the day, and the eyemask allows me to do so without asking everyone in the house to be quiet. It also use it to play white noise in total darkness when I have a migraine.”<\/p>\n \u2014Honestlynotokay_98<\/a><\/p>\n Related: Donald Trump Was Asked By A MAGA Voter To “Please Do Something” About High Grocery Prices, And His Response Is Going Viral For Being “Insane”<\/a><\/p>\n 14. “Therapy and medication for my mental health!”<\/p>\n \u2014Iwouldprefernotto007<\/a><\/p>\n 15. “A Hatch Sunrise Alarm<\/a> clock. It is so much more pleasant to wake up in the morning. So much easier.” “I wasn\u2019t sure whether to get some cheap stuff that might block the wind, but I ended up getting the expensive thing \u2014 and holy ****, that thing is warm. The pockets even stay mostly warm when it\u2019s below freezing. One of the best purchases of my life, even though I\u2019ll never really need it outside of this type of work.”\u2014Lazy_Ad2099<\/a><\/p>\n 17. “A gym membership! I actually go regularly, and I saw results almost immediately. I kind of kick myself for waiting until I was 30 to join a gym! I really enjoy it.”<\/p>\n \u2014Kairos27<\/a><\/p>\n 18. “A heated mattress pad. It was a frivolous purchase, and I didn\u2019t think I would use it that much, but it’s so worth it. Having the option for full body heat after a long day or to soothe back\/joint pain has been a game-changer.”<\/p>\n \u2014Pretend_Opossum<\/a><\/p>\n 19. “A refrigerator with water and ice through the door. I thought it wasn’t necessary and was a waste of freezer space, but we got it, and now we love it. It’s amazing not needing to fill ice cube trays or open the door for cold water.” CatLane \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n 20. “At home hair laser. They are so expensive, and I wasn\u2019t sure if it would work on my hair color on my legs\/bikini area. But it worked so well that I have practically no hair on my legs anymore, and I only have to use the laser maybe once every two months. I used to get so many ingrown hairs and sensitivity from shaving and waxing, so it’s been life-changing. I really regret not getting it sooner.”<\/p>\n \u2014ihavenosisters<\/a><\/p>\n Related: “I\u2019m Not Paying $14 For Something That Used To Be $5”: Frustrated Adults Are Sharing The Everyday Things They Refuse To Buy Because The Price Has Become Outrageous<\/a><\/p>\n 21. “A hotel-style bathrobe. I live in New England in a 100-year-old house with paper-thin insulation, so it makes a world of difference when getting out of the shower in the winter.”<\/p>\n \u20144ordersofwendysfries<\/a><\/p>\n 22. “Our Vitamix<\/a> has been such a workhorse. We got it the week before my daughter was born, and she\u2019ll be 13 soon. That Vitamix is still chugging along, and it has never had one issue. It’s especially helpful because I eat a plant-based diet involving lots of smoothies, sauces, and soups. I definitely eat healthier because I have it.” Oana Szekely \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 23. “YouTube Premium. It is our primary source of TV, so it is nice not to have embedded ads.”<\/p>\n \u2014GamingCatLady<\/a><\/p>\n 24. “A box for jumping cars. I keep it charged in my car, and I’ve had to use it this winter on several mornings when it was below zero and killed my battery. I’ve been able to help other people with it, too. It’s soooo much easier than trying to find cables and someone who will take the time to help you jump your car. We actually ended up buying a second one, so we have one for each vehicle. It also has plugs for charging other things, a nice bright flashlight, and an air compressor for blowing up tires.”<\/p>\n \u2014No_Voice1259<\/a><\/p>\n 25. “Hello Fresh meal kit delivery. I was convinced I wouldn’t make the meals or that I wouldn’t like them, but I decided to try it because I’m trying to lose weight by making healthier choices. Its the best decision I made last year. Not only am I eating healthy, but I’m saving so much money by not eating out and then throwing away food. Also, the meat and produce are both packaged well and bought fresh, so they last longer than the stuff I buy at the grocery store.”<\/p>\n \u2014sassyandsweer789<\/a><\/p>\n 26. And finally, “Christian Louboutin heels. Best decision ever!” Khoa Vu \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Do you have any surprisingly worth-the-splurge purchases to add? Let us know in the comments or using the anonymous form, and your response could be featured in a future BuzzFeed Community<\/a> post.<\/p>\n You Might Like: Just 32 Incredibly Cool Products You Didn\u2019t Know About Until This Very Moment<\/a><\/p>\n You Might Like: 22 Things On Sale At Amazon This Week You\u2019ll Be So Glad You Bought \u2014 Especially At A Discount<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Person](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/f13ff6d9bc9c69c7d019a9f337397afb.jpeg\"\/)
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16. “I got a Carhartt jacket<\/a> for work. I work at a golf course, and when winter started coming, I realized normal winter clothes won\u2019t cut it when you\u2019re on a mower with zero protection from wind. You would be surprised how many layers even mild wind will cut straight through.<\/p>\n![\"Person](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ec6a37ab3fe69b2595ae17428933696d.jpeg\"\/)
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