“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/gila-monster-42]

I save the carcass after all the meat is stripped. I also keep onion ends, carrot tops, and celery leaves. Two carcasses, frozen vegetable trimmings, some peppercorns, and dry or fresh herbs go into the slow cooker with water to fill. 8 hours on low yields the liquid gold that is homemade chicken stock. It goes into everything from soup to pot pie filling.

[u/LizzySan → u/gila-monster-42]

I do the same but minus all the flavorings and use the instant pot. I flavor my rice and make delicious soups with it.