They say the best things in life come free. But what if nothing comes free? What then?

The next best thing you can do is find the most bang for your buck. Things may seem expensive, but if you look hard enough, you can find some pretty impactful object for not much money at all.

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I started thinking of this after stumbling across this Reddit thread, where a user asked others to weigh in with what $100-and-under purchase has absolutely changed their life.

After a lot of thought, below are my picks. What are your favorite cheap, yet important purchases? Let us know by sending us a message on our app or on our Facebook page.

 

  • 1

    Wireless Bluetooth Heaphones

    I remember the day I discovered this.

    I was planning on hitting the gym after work, but I forgot my headphones at home.

    Music is a must for me at the gym, so I went to the mall on my lunch break and bought a cheap $20 pair of wireless bluetooth headphones.

    Life-changing.

    Not having a wire to worry about interfering during my workout was amazing.

    You can go for a more high-end pair of wireless headphones, but if you know where to look, you can find some for well under $100.

  • 2

    Have you ever really looked at the shoes you wear every day?

    If you have, you will notice the generic insoles that come with your shoes are likely a thin piece of foam that does little to relieve the stress you feet go through every day.

    Once I realized this, I bought a cheap pair of gel inserts to put in my shoes.

    I was working in a warehouse at that point in my life and I was on my feet all day, moving large objects and being generally active for 8-9 hours at a time.

    Making that move was one of the best I had ever made to be more comfortable.

  • 3

    iPhone Case

    I bought the case below when I got my most recent iPhone. This thing takes a beating.

    I've dropped my phone a million times, but my phone has taken no damage and has no scratches. Absolutely fantastic.

  • 4

    Grip Socks for Sports

    I play a lot of sports. I also suffer a lot from blistering, mostly on the back of my heel.

    This was especially true for my soccer cleats. I've tried many different types of cleats in a few different sizes, and I've come to the conclusion that my heel must be oddly shaped, which leads to rubbing and blistering.

    I bought a pair of TruSox to help fix that. Yes, they are definitely expensive for a pair of socks, but they are a great investment.

    They have pads on the bottom and heel that reduce the amount of sliding between the foot and the shoe you wear.

    Many different brands have their own version too, like Nike, Adidas, TapeDesign, and Storelli, to name a few.

  • 5

    Rubber Wedding Ring

    This is an odd one, but hear me out.

    As I've said, I'm an active guy. I'm also married, and I had a traditional wedding ring.

    However, weightlifting and wearing a ring do not mix well. It hurts to lift with one on and it can damage the ring.

    What I used to do was keep the ring in my pocket while I worked out, but one time, I must have had a hole in my pocket because it disappeared.

    After that, I bought a rubber ring for around $20. It doesn't hurt at all when you are working with your hands, and honestly, I forget it's there most of the time.

    The definition of getting the most of your money.

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