12 Cheap Purchases That Improved My Life
12 Items Under $50 With a Drastic Impact
Today, I want to share a list of items I’ve personally bought over the last couple of years that drastically improved my daily life.
I am a big proponent of designing your surroundings in such a way that it makes it easier to adhere to the habits and goals you are building towards.
The items on this list aren’t expensive gadgets or fancy upgrades. They’re small, affordable tools that make my systems more frictionless, my habits more consistent, and my days more focused and enjoyable.
We often spend hundreds or thousands on productivity tools, fitness plans, or self-help books, yet overlook the tiny, inexpensive purchases that quietly compound value over years.
So here’s a curated list of my favorite essential purchases that actually deliver way more value than their price tag. Let’s break it down by category.
Optimize Your Focus
1. Physical Timer
This might be the single best investment I’ve made for deep work. Using a simple physical countdown timer lets me do distraction-free Pomodoro sessions without needing to rely on my phone. No phone needed = no distractions. A $10 timer keeps you focused.
2. Physical Alarm Clock
In the same way, one of the best sleep hacks is simply charging your phone outside the bedroom. I replaced my phone alarm with a basic clock. This means no doomscrolling before bed or first thing in the morning. Better sleep, mornings without instantly checking your phone and more peace during the night.
Upgrade Your Sleep and Hygiene
3. Sleep Mask
This one’s obvious, but most people actually skip it. It’s cheap, lightweight and effective. Light is the enemy of good sleep, especially while traveling, since many hotel rooms aren’t nearly dim enough. I sleep with a sleep mask most nights nowadays.
4. Nose Strips & Mouth Tape
Breathing through your nose is better for your health, sleep, and even facial structure. If you tend to mouth-breathe like myself these can be a game changer. Nose strips open your airways, and mouth tape (a small medical strip) keeps you breathing properly at night. It’s weird at first, but game-changing. I recommend reading Breath by James Nestor if you want to dive deeper into this topic.
5. Tongue Scraper
It sounds weird, but it works. Tongue scraping removes bacteria and buildup from your tongue, improving your breath and overall oral hygiene. You brush, you floss… but this is the missing piece. Takes 10 seconds. Costs less than a coffee.
Build a Smarter Learning System
6. Audible Subscription
If you “don’t have time to read,” you’re probably not using your ears enough. Audiobooks let you turn commuting, walking, or cooking into learning time. I go through 1–2 books per month thanks to Audible. It often has deals like 3 months for $3, and each month gives you a credit for a full book — even if you cancel later.
7. Anki App (Spaced Repetition)
My secret weapon for long-term memory. $30 on iOS (or free alternatives elsewhere). This is how I memorize languages, book highlights, and technical concepts. If you’re still relying on passive rereading or underlining, this will 10x your learning. See my post on Efficient Learning for a deeper dive.
8. Kindle
The most expensive item on this list — and even then, you can get one for around $50.
It is a frictionless way to read more. I carry mine everywhere. Whenever I’d normally scroll Instagram, I read a few pages. I’ve read more in the last three years than in the decade before. If you want to read more, make it easy.
Strengthen Your Body
9. Lifting Straps
If you’re lifting heavy on pull days (rows, deadlifts, pull-ups), your grip will eventually limit your gains. Lifting straps let you isolate the target muscle and keep progressing. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t train grip—just don’t let it hold back your back development.
10. Creatine
One of the most researched and effective supplements. It is not just useful for bodybuilders — creatine supports strength, endurance, and even cognitive function. It’s safe, cheap, and has long-term benefits for your health and energy levels.
Travel Smarter, Stress Less
11. Packing Cubes
Once you start using packing cubes, you’ll never go back. They compress your clothes, create order in your bag, and make packing/unpacking way easier. I use compressible ones for maximum space-saving. I take them on every trip, even weekend getaways. Worth every cent.
Boost Your Mental Health
12. Gratitude Journal
Write down 3 things you're grateful for each day. Or 3 wins. Or 3 moments you’re looking forward to. It is a simple habit that has massive mental upside. Whenever I journal consistently, I feel more content, optimistic and happy overall.
Final Thoughts: Optimize the Inputs You Control
If I had to summarize the logic behind all these purchases, it’s this:
Make the good path frictionless.
Design your life so that your systems support the person you want to be. A physical timer removes friction from deep work. Audible removes friction from reading. Packing cubes remove friction from travel. Gratitude journals remove friction from joy.
None of these are “sexy.” But the simplicity makes them valuable.
Cheap tools. Good habits. Big results.
That’s it for this week.
See you next Saturday :)
Tobi
💡 Question: What has been a cheap purchase you made recently that improved your life?
Great tips, love the idea of a basic timer
Thanks. Which Anki app are you referring to? From which developer?