21 people revealed most life-changing purchases they've ever made

February 2024 ยท 6 minute read

What we choose to spend our hard-earned money on can say a lot about us.

In an Ask Reddit thread, Redditors were asked, "What is the best purchase you have ever made?" Over 13,000 people responded to share their favorite buys, from a luxury mattress to an HD projector.

Keep reading to see some of their best responses.

Bluetooth earphones

Amazon

"[These] Bluetooth EarphonesI'll never go back to messing with wires!" - mr_jp

Buy them here: $110

Tools

Flickr/mtneer_man

"Tools. I have an arsenal of tools, but basic hand tools will last a lifetime and have saved me as much money as they've made me." - vigpounder

Kindle

Amazon

"My wife bought me a Kindle for Christmas one year, and I thanked her politely, while thinking 'Man, she doesn't know me at ALL. Why would ANYONE want to read books digitally?'

"But she had loaded a couple of books on it, and I thought I should be polite and read one.

"I have never looked back. Best purchase ever. I can carry several books around without the weight. If I hear about an interesting book, I can pull out my Kindle and be reading that book 30 seconds later via Amazon." - TheAbyssGazesAlso

Buy it here: $100

TSA PreCheck

John Moore/Getty Images

"TSA PreCheck. I'm like royalty now." - princeboot

Learn more about the TSA Precheck program here.

Running shoes

iStock

"[I went] to this shoe store that helps you pick out the best shoe for you feet, knees, length etc. It's really expensive, but it was so f---ing worth it.

"Haven't had any troubles with my knees since they helped me get a perfect fitted pair." - Yung__Lean

Electric kettle

Amazon

"1,750-watt electric kettle. Instant boiling hot water for coffee and cooking." - wastingtoomuchthyme

Buy it here: $20

High-quality mattress

istock

"No more waking up in the middle of the night because my wife adjusts. She no longer wakes up when I go to bed late, or shake the bed with held in laughter. No more back pain because my springy mattress dips and doesn't support my back. A comfortable sleep, but most importantly a continuous sleep through the night.

"I feel more refreshed after 6 or 7 hours of sleep on this [new, better] mattress then I did with 8 to 10 hours on my old one." - TheDanMonster

These are the best mattresses to buy for every kind of sleeper.

Computer

Shutterstock/Syda Productions

"A good computer. It's amazing to just be able to run all the games/programs I'm interested in without issues." - Ambler3isme

These are the best laptops to buy.

USB splitter

Amazon

"My USB splitter. I've never had so much freedom in my life. I am no longer limited to two ports. I can now use all my USB devices at once, it's a dream come true." - dirtmens1

Buy it here: $7

Rice cooker

Amazon

"My rice cooker. I just bought it and I've been using it every day. I always screw up my rice, but with this, it makes it come out perfectly. Plus, I'm able to cook vegetables with it, which adds more to my rice dishes." - IpodHero178

Buy it here: $30

Tailored clothes

Winston DeLoney/ Flickr

"Tailored shirts and suit. Up until I put them on, I'd never known what clothes that fit feel like. Yes, it's more expensive than off-the-rack, but not much more, and the difference is worth every penny." - handshape

Thermapen instant read thermometer

Amazon

"[My] thermapen instant read thermometer. If you like to cook, this is great. Zero second guessing if something is at the right temp." - bigBastardDude

Buy it here: $149

Lasik surgery

meddygarnet/Flickr

"Lasik surgery. Would recommend 20/20." - xRaw-HD

USB coffee/tea warmer

Amazon

"I spent $6 on a USB coffee/tea warmer because I found I always wasted half my cups of tea and coffee by letting it sit too long and get cold. Best $6 I ever spent."- partyc4t

Buy it here: $10

Netflix

Netflix Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings demonstrates how various gaming devices can be used to stream content during the launch of the Netflix streaming internet subscription service for movies and television shows to TVs and computers in Canada at a news conference in Toronto September 22, 2010. REUTERS/ Mike Cassese

"Netflix. I'll never go back to cable again." - SpawnOfSpawn

Rechargeable batteries

Rob Nunn/Flickr

"I bought a kit of four rechargeable AA batteries with charger that plugs into the wall for like $15. I bought that back in days of CD walkmen and Gameboys. I still use it today. Think about how many AA batteries I haven't bought since then." - picard_for_president

Buy it here: $20

Pets

Shutterstock

"My dog, Snoopy, who I bought from my neighbor for $20 when they were about to give him up to a shelter. He brought me almost 17 years of happiness and friendship." - eDgAR-

"Pets in general, but for me dogs in particular are just amazing. You shell out a few hundred and feed this animal, and in return if gives you unwavering loyalty and undying love." - Hurricane_Surge

"My kitten. I had been wanting one since I was a little kid, and now I've finally got my floofy baby. He was my coping method after a miscarriage, and he really really helped me." - RogueOfHeart33

HD projector

Amazon

"Expensive one: I recently bought an HD projector and it is incredible. Makes a huge difference to films and games." - WorldOfPayne

Shop HD projectors here.

French press for coffee

Flickr

"A French press for coffee." - alackofcol0r

Buy it here: $30

Smartphone

AP Images

"I've gotten more pleasure and use out of my smartphone than any other gadget I've ever purchased. I use it for books, comics, internet, social media, news, research, camera and video, light photo editing, as a flashlight, and for games." - NeverBob

These are the 20 best smartphones in the world.

A home

Homes are seen for sale in the northwest area of Portland, Oregon, in this file photo taken March 20, 2014. U.S. home resales surged to their highest level in 18 months in March as inventories improved, a sign of strength in the housing market ahead of the spring selling season. REUTERS/Steve Dipaola/Files

"My home. Bought [it] right before the market bounced back in a up and coming neighborhood in Chicago. In two years, the value doubled." - toby224

"[I bought] cheap land outside the growing city. Spent about $180,000, [and it's] now worth over $1 million. - NonTransferable

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