25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (2024)

Table of Contents
We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about their favorite purchases that have saved them money. Here are the economic results: 1. Reusable Norwex microfiber cloths that will cut your cleaning costs. 2. A SodaStream to replace your LaCroix addiction. 3. A pair of wireless headphones that won't break on you. 4. A set of wool dryer balls to replace dryer sheets and make your laundry extra fluffy. 5. A bread machine so making delicious homemade loaves can be so much easier (and cheaper than buying bread all the time). 6. A French press that will cut down on your cold-brew bills. 7. A food saver so freezer burn can be a thing of the past. 8. An on-the-go water bottle with a built-in filter. 9. A drying rack that'll save money on your electric bill *and* help your clothes last longer. 10. Reusable sweeping and mopping pads you can use with a Swiffer Sweeper Wet/Dry. 11. Reusable bento boxes that will encourage you to actually make your lunch. 12. A contract-free phone plan that'll save you money. 13. A family-sized (it holds 18 cups!) Brita dispenser so you can skip all those bottled water purchases. 14. A food subscription to provide all the ingredients you need and cut down on food waste. 15. A sewing kit (and maybe some lessons) that will keep you out of the tailor's. 16. A small chest freezer to stock up on amazing grocery deals. 17. A slow cooker that'll make buying (and cooking!) in bulk more logical. 18. A menstrual cup so buying expensive tampons and pads can be a thing of the past. 19. Reusable grocery bags that will save you a lot of cents (while saving the environment). 20. A book to teach you how to budget, pay off debt, and save money. 21. A water bulb that'll keep your plants alive by watering them over time. 22. A refillable K-Cup so you can use any coffee in your Keurig machine (and create less waste). 23. Gel nail polish and a curing light for creating long-lasting manicures at home. 24. A Kindle that will save you money and shelf space. 25. And a color-coded(!) app to track your spending and keep you up to date on bills. Want to be featured in similar BuzzFeed posts? Follow the BuzzFeed Community on Facebook and Twitter. FAQs

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and itspublishingpartners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Like retail therapy for your bank account.

by Maitland QuitmeyerBuzzFeed Staff
25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (3)

Zoe Burnett

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about their favorite purchases that have saved them money. Here are the economic results:

1. Reusable Norwex microfiber cloths that will cut your cleaning costs.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (4)

amazon.com

"Seriously. I bought my first set of cleaning cloths in January and I have yet to purchase any cleaning supplies. The only chemical I use to clean is toilet bowl cleaner. I use water and Norwex cloths to clean every other surface in my home. Life-changing and money-saving!" —M. Piquette

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $47.50.

2. A SodaStream to replace your LaCroix addiction.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (5)

amazon.com

"I use filtered water and then add citrus, basil, or basically anything I want or have on hand. I have saved a fortune not buying LaCroix and I have DIY pamplemousse on demand!" —Kristin K.

Get it from Amazon $109.80.

3. A pair of wireless headphones that won't break on you.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (6)

amazon.com

"I used to spend money every few months on new earbuds because the wire kept wearing out. So I cut the middleman [and the wire] and got a luxurious pair of Parrot Ziks. Haven't had to buy earbuds for years now." —Rachel Elizabeth Miller, Facebook

Get these recommended headphones from Amazon for $198.88.

Or try these cheaper but very highly rated wireless headphones from Amazon for $24.99.

4. A set of wool dryer balls to replace dryer sheets and make your laundry extra fluffy.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (7)

amazon.com

"They help fluff up and evenly dry my down comforters/coats, and they're a natural, chemical free alternative to fabric softener sheets. Six balls cost [under] $15, and they last for years." —Casey Austin, Facebook

Get a set of six from Amazon for $11.99.

5. A bread machine so making delicious homemade loaves can be so much easier (and cheaper than buying bread all the time).

"Unless I'm being, fancy flour/yeast/etc costs about 40p per loaf (50 cents) compared to £1.20 ($1.60) for an equivalent loaf in the supermarket. —Hannah Haydock, Facebook

Get a 2-pound bread machine from Amazon for $58.49.

6. A French press that will cut down on your cold-brew bills.

amazon.com

"I love iced coffee. I drink it all year! Before getting the French press, I tried making over night iced coffee in a ziplock container... Let's just say it was a disaster. At night I fill my French press up with water and coffee grounds. By morning it's perfect. So instead of buying an iced coffee for about $3 at Starbucks, I can buy an entire container for around $10. Super easy and delicious." —Brittani June B., Facebook

Get this French press from Amazon for $16.99.

7. A food saver so freezer burn can be a thing of the past.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (11)

amazon.com

"It’s an investment up front, but when you save food items for months and sometimes years without spoilage, it’s very worth it! You can buy in bulk, then seal it whole or portion it out to save even more! I love buying more expensive items like meat and cheese on sale to always have it on hand." —Kristi-Marie Standing

Get it from Amazon for $64.95.

8. An on-the-go water bottle with a built-in filter.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (12)

amazon.com

"I can fill it up anywhere and have filtered water, so there's no need to buy bottled water." —Mary Catherine H

It's also great for making infused waters!

Get the larger size from Amazon for $21.35 (available in two sizes and eight colors).

9. A drying rack that'll save money on your electric bill *and* help your clothes last longer.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (13)

amazon.com

"I love mine and have saved not only on my electric bill but also on laundry sheets. And it is collapsible for easy storage!" —Your Opinion Is Moo

Get it from Amazon for $29.44.

10. Reusable sweeping and mopping pads you can use with a Swiffer Sweeper Wet/Dry.

Amazon

"You can use any kind of floor cleaner you like — save even more $$$ by making your own floor cleaner (there are tons of recipes on Pinterest)." —Samantha B.

Get them from Amazon: a five-pack of reusable microfiber dusters for $15.48 and a two-pack of reussable microfiber mopping pads for $10.01.

And get a Swiffer Sweeper Wet/Dry Kit from Amazon for $11.94.

11. Reusable bento boxes that will encourage you to actually make your lunch.

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amazon.com

"I spent about $20 on reusable bento boxes. It encouraged me to cook my own meals at home using the sale flyer from the grocery store instead of grabbing something on the run. It easily saved me half as much money on food as I was spending previously." —Tonya Brown, Facebook

Get a set of four from Amazon for $13.95 (available in three color sets).

12. A contract-free phone plan that'll save you money.

"We only spend $50 a month and have unlimited talk, text, and internet." —Cassy Michael

Check out the $45 plan at Straight Talk.

13. A family-sized (it holds 18 cups!) Brita dispenser so you can skip all those bottled water purchases.

amazon.com

"We were spending a fortune on bottled water because our tap water tastes awful. The Brita is amazing, our water tastes great now, and no more buying expensive (and environment-destroying) water bottles!" —Felicia-Marie Gauthier, Facebook

Get it from Amazon for $39.59.

14. A food subscription to provide all the ingredients you need and cut down on food waste.

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Hello Fresh

"Joining Hello Fresh has saved money and space. I have a smaller fridge, and all that excess shopping ended up being wasted before I joined." —Tina Johnson Smithee, Facebook

Plans start at $6.99 per meal.

15. A sewing kit (and maybe some lessons) that will keep you out of the tailor's.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (19)

containerstore.com

"I had found the perfect outfit for graduation senior year, it just needed to be taken in. My parents gave me the option of them paying to get it taken in or getting matching shoes. I got the shoes and a $20 sewing kit and had my grandmother show me how to fix it in an hour. Between altering and re-hemming my own clothes and doing the occasional fix for other people, I have saved/made a couple grand since then." —Jamekin

Get it from The Container Store for $6.99.

Take a beginner's sewing class at Udemy for $19.

16. A small chest freezer to stock up on amazing grocery deals.

"I bought a cheapo little chest freezer so I could stock up a little extra when meat went on sale. Then I learned to buy bulk fresh fruit when it was cheap and in season and freeze it for breakfast smoothies. Eventually I managed to cut my food budget for five by 20% *and* we eat healthier! Pro tip I learned from a friend's misfortune: Buy a freezer alert thermometer! They are less than $20 and will alert you to a power outage *before* everything spoils." —Kathleen Hoskey, Facebook

Get this freezer from Amazon for $239.99.

17. A slow cooker that'll make buying (and cooking!) in bulk more logical.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (22)

amazon.com

"It means I spend less per portion because I can buy a whole bag of carrots (for example) instead of just one or two — I make stuff in bulk and freeze portions. I'll do 15 minutes prep in the morning before going to work (or even the night before) and it will be done by the time I get home. They are pretty versatile too. I've done curries, stews, roast joints, chili, and even cake." —Hannah Haydock, Facebook

Get a 6-quart slow cooker from Amazon for $39.99.

18. A menstrual cup so buying expensive tampons and pads can be a thing of the past.

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amazon.com

"In addition to being better for you and the environment, it pays for itself after two or four periods. Way cheaper to invest in this once rather than continually have to buy tampons." —Lauren S.

Get it from Amazon for $26.87.

19. Reusable grocery bags that will save you a lot of cents (while saving the environment).

"Here, the plastic/paper bags costs money (25–50 cents each) so over the years I've probably saved $200–300, and cloth doesn't dig in as hard on your hands." —Emma Cha Black, Facebook

Get a 10-pack of reusable bags from Amazon for $34.95.

20. A book to teach you how to budget, pay off debt, and save money.

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amazon.com

"Paid off $75K in debt. Seriously changed our lives. Best $20 we ever spent." —Leah Wilson

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

21. A water bulb that'll keep your plants alive by watering them over time.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (27)

amazon.com

"My house plants thank me for that one." —Hans

Get a set of three from Amazon for $19.97 (available in six color sets).

22. A refillable K-Cup so you can use any coffee in your Keurig machine (and create less waste).

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amazon.com

"I love treating myself with my French press, but for mornings when I really need to have a single cup of coffee on the go, I like to use the Keurig. And those K-Cups definitely add up (plus they’re horrible for the environment). With the reusable cup, I can add any kind of coffee I want and it tastes just as great!" —Mary Cruz

Get a pack of four from Amazon for $13.95.

23. Gel nail polish and a curing light for creating long-lasting manicures at home.

"I’m a bartender so if I want my nails to stay nice after excessive hand washing, opening bottles and other constant damage by using my hands and nails, I have to get the gel polish at the salon. Since I’ve been getting them done twice a month for years, I’ve learned how to do them by myself. I recently went on Amazon and bought my own light and polish, which are the same brands my favorite salon uses. It was a bit pricey up front but saves me around $80/month." —Stephanie C.

Get the light from Amazon for $31.99 and the OPI gel polish from Jet for $14.95+ (available in three colors).

24. A Kindle that will save you money and shelf space.

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amazon.com

"I bought my Kindle so I wouldn’t spend so much money on physical copies of books. It has saved me tons of money, not to mention shelf space!" —Cheakpeasarenice

"Sign up with BookBub. You’ll get an email with e-book bargains every day. You pick the genres, they’ll tailor to your preferences. I get books for 99 cents, sometimes even free!" —Anne R.

Get the new Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon for $129.99.

25. And a color-coded(!) app to track your spending and keep you up to date on bills.

"It may seem tedious to log every purchase, but if you’re a student like me and have limited money, get a spending tracker! Just download any app, and if you need to pay to upgrade and get full features, DO IT. It will be worth it. I have saved so much money by just keeping track of where my money is going." —Pooki

Download Homebudget from the App Store and Google Play for $4.99.

Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Want to be featured in similar BuzzFeed posts? Follow the BuzzFeed Community on Facebook and Twitter.

25 Investments That Will Save You Money In The Long Run (2024)

FAQs

Is $25 000 in savings good? ›

The median saver has closer to $5,000 in the bank. So if you have $25,000 saved, you're on the good side of the middle by a comfortable margin. That's a lot of cash to leverage — but also a lot to protect. Here's how to utilize, preserve and grow the impressive financial cushion you've built.

How to invest savings? ›

First, open an investment account based on whether you are investing for retirement, education, a kid or another goal. Select investments—such as stocks, bonds, funds or real estate—that match your risk tolerance. Minimize your exposure to risk by spreading your money across a range of asset classes.

How much will a $25000 CD make in a year? ›

That being said, here's what you can expect to earn with varying rates for a 1-year (short-term) CD: 7.00% APY: $1,750 for a total of $26,750 after 12 months. 6.50% APY: $1,625 for a total of $26,125 after 12 months. 5.75% APY: $1,437.50 for a total of $26,437.50 after 12 months.

Where is the best place to put $25,000 dollars? ›

A high-yield savings account may make a perfect home for your $25,000 emergency fund. These accounts usually come with FDIC or NCUA insurance on balances up to $250,000, which is well over the $25,000 mark. So, even if something happens to the financial institution you open the account with, your money will be safe.

What is the best thing to invest in to make a lot of money? ›

Funds are an affordable way to diversify and invest in bundles of stocks or bonds. Government and corporate bonds can provide a source of income and cushion stock market volatility. Investors with a higher risk tolerance may consider alternative investments.

What is the 30 30 30 rule for savings? ›

The 30-30-30-10 system allocates 30% of your money to housing, and another 30% goes for necessities. You devote 30% to financial goals and keep the remaining 10% for personal spending.

How can I make my money grow faster? ›

The classic approach of doubling your money by investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds is probably the one that applies to most investors. Investing to double your money can be done safely over several years, but for those who are impatient, there's more of a risk of losing most or all of their money.

Is $20,000 a lot of money saved? ›

Is $20,000 a Good Amount of Savings? Having $20,000 in a savings account is a good starting point if you want to create a sizable emergency fund. When the occasional rainy day comes along, you'll be financially prepared for it. Of course, $20,000 may only go so far if you find yourself in an extreme situation.

Is 20 000 a lot in savings? ›

The recommended amount to save varies from person to person, as everyone's financial situation differs. But for many people, $20,000 is a sizable emergency fund goal that will go far. If you have a large chunk of savings set aside, make sure you keep it in a bank account that earns interest.

Where should you put $25,000 in savings? ›

If your $25,000 is your only savings, you need to be sure it is in non-risky securities, like a high-yield savings account. Ideally, you want an emergency fund covering three to six months of income if you have a stable career and low debt.

Is 20K in savings OK? ›

While $20K may not let you quit your job, it's enough to start building financial security, whether you max out your retirement accounts, invest in fine art, or divide your cash between multiple investments.

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