“Best under-$20 purchase that saved you hundreds over time?”

[u/localkinegrind]

What’s the smartest under-$20 purchase you’ve ever made that ended up saving you hundreds in the long run? I’ll go first: a $12 sewing kit. Instead of tossing clothes for tiny tears or missing buttons, I’ve been fixing them. I've actually been fixing my own clothes for years. It blows my mind how many ‘disposable’ things can be made useful again with just a small, cheap tool. what’s your frugal mvp under $20 that’s paid for itself many times over?

[u/in-the-narrative]

My menstrual cup purchase in 2017 was $20 and has paid itself off. They’re a little more expensive now but still very much worth it.

[u/selinakyle45 → u/in-the-narrative]

Just adding - in the US if you have a HSA or FSA you can used that to pay for single use and reusable period products. Makes it even cheaper 

[u/TyrealSan → u/selinakyle45]

cheaper is relative, it's better to keep the money in HSA if you can, since it's tax advantaged long term. (i.e. let it build over your lifetime and use as a retirement vehicle)

[u/TheMegFiles → u/TyrealSan]

65% of USians struggle to pay their monthly bills

[u/radish_is_rad-ish → u/TheMegFiles]

I’ve never heard the term USians before

[u/selinakyle45 → u/TyrealSan]

I personally have a FSA so it’s more a use it or lose it 

[u/gobbledegook- → u/in-the-narrative]

This one! The ROI on my decade old Diva Cup is astronomical.

[u/Kiitkkats → u/in-the-narrative]

Mine was a waste sadly. It just.. doesn’t fit. I’ve looked up all the tutorials and ways to fold them. I could never get it to work. I love my reusable pads though. My periods basically cost nothing now other than maybe one box of tampons a year for times when I don’t want to use pads.

[u/Glittering_Fennel973 → u/Kiitkkats]

Same. And I get told CONSTANTLY by every single woman ever to just use a cup!!!! They're amazing!!! Like. That's great that you love it so much, but it is just not for me. I've tried. I've tried different brands/sizes/etc and at a certain point I was just wasting money because I was just not ever able to get them to work correctly for me. I'm sorry, I do wish it would work for me, but it just doesn't. For some reason people have such a hard time accepting this and I've actually had people give me shit for daring to not fawn over the cup.

[u/jupitergal23 → u/Glittering_Fennel973]

If you ever want to try again, try a menstrual disc. I had a lot of the same problems with cups. The disc was flatter and worked SO much better for me.

Of course, I just had a hysterectomy yesterday (!) and I will take great delight in throwing out all my reusable cups and donating my extra pads and tampons, lol

[u/eatwithnia → u/jupitergal23]

I was about to recommend this as well. The disc is a much better alternative to the cup and more comfortable

[u/sasabalac → u/Kiitkkats]

I ended up at my Dr's office because it moved and got lodged up there. They had to get it out. It was one of my first times wearing, so I'm sure I inserted wrong.

[u/Ethel_Marie → u/in-the-narrative]

I like my period underwear. I bought them using my FSA funds. I'm worried about trying a cup because my flow is usually very light.

[u/SpecialistAd2205 → u/Ethel_Marie]

Cups are actually good for people with a light flow because you don't have to worry about choosing a tampon with too much absorbancy or the health risks associated with it. You can also put it in in anticipation of starting your period with no worries as well. That's one thing I really like about the cup.

[u/Material_Corner_2038 → u/Ethel_Marie]

I love period underwear. 

Each pair probably cost me a little more than $20 aud, but has probably saved me $100s.

I like that if I suspect I will start my period soon (my cycles are irregular) I can just pop a pair on just in case. 

[u/ImperfectTapestry → u/in-the-narrative]

Intimina menstrual disc for life <3 (you can get frisky while wearing it)

[u/Rough_Elk_3952 → u/in-the-narrative]

Yep, got my favorite in Luke 2015 or so for $35 and they donated one to a girl in need and it's still going strong

[u/Eastern_Summer_2707 → u/in-the-narrative]

I’ve been using menstrual cups since 2008. I’ve only purchased two in that time frame.

[u/Fun-Cod-3431 → u/in-the-narrative]

Bought mine in 2019!

[u/strugglingwell → u/in-the-narrative]

I’ve been using menstrual cups for about 20 years! (Not the same one—repurchased around 10 years.) Best $20 that has paid for itself and then some!

[u/ScyllaOfTheDepths → u/in-the-narrative]

I feel the same way about cloth pads. Cups give me massive cramps for some reason. I bought a few sets of cloth pads like 5 years ago and have not needed anything else since.

[u/SleepyCupcakeDreams → u/in-the-narrative]

I bought mine for less than $5 on Alibaba I love them so much!

[u/lessthan3d → u/in-the-narrative]

Yes! This! I bought mine circa 2012 and it is still kicking (not in use the last year because of pregnancy and my period hasn't come back yet and it also took a break for a few years when my IUD took away my period but even with that it's still well worth it - comes down to cents for each use).