17 Inexpensive Amazon Finds That Will Save You Money in the Long Run

published Jun 20, 2020
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
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Perhaps you’ve heard the saying It takes money to make money? Well, it also takes money to save money sometimes. Spend a little bit of cash on something now and, ideally, it’ll pay off, saving your hard-earned dollars in the future. For example, buy something to handle the TLC part for an appliance, and hopefully you won’t have to call a repair pro anytime soon. Take proper care of a pot and it’ll last you close to a lifetime. Organize your pantry the right way and nothing will expire before you remember to eat it.

Wanna save more of that cold hard cash that you’ve worked so hard to earn? Invest in these not-too-expensive Amazon finds.

1. Green Gobbler BIO-FLOW Drain Strips

The best way to avoid having to call a plumber is to keep certain things out of your drains in the first place. Your next best bet? We’ve had great success with these drain strips. Just pop one down the drain and it’ll proactively work to break up grease and gunk.

Buy: Green Gobbler BIO-FLOW Drain Strips, $10 for 24

Credit: Amazon

2. Thirteen Chefs Food Grade Mineral Oil

Keep your wooden bowls, spoons, and cutting boards in tip-top shape by oiling them down once in a while. Skip this step and the wood is likely to crack or warp over time.

Buy: Thirteen Chefs Food Grade Mineral Oil, $12 for 12 ounces

3. Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner

Yes, your dishwasher is a tool that you use to clean other things. And yet, you still need to also clean said dishwasher. Amazon shoppers are obsessed with this stuff and we’ve recently joined the fan club, too. We like these tablets for a hands-off deep clean when things need a good de-gunking.

Buy: Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner, $6 for six

Credit: Amazon

4. Bottle Bright

Have a few hard-to-clean water bottles in your arsenal? Don’t let them get moldy or gross. Just pop in one of these cleaning tablets and it’ll get all those hard-to-reach areas for you. Pro tip: We also like to use these tablets to clean the occasional pot or two.

Buy: Bottle Bright, $8 for 12

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5. LOLA Wowables Reusable Paper Towels

When you think about paper towels, you’re basically buying them for sole purpose of throwing them away. (And also adding unnecessarily to landfills!) Instead of buying them again and again, try a one-time purchase of these extra-absorbent cloth towels. They even come all rolled up to be just as accessible as regular paper towels.

Buy: LOLA Wowables Reusable Paper Towels, $20 for 30

Credit: Ghazalle Badiozamani

6. Stasher Sandwich Bag

Zip-top plastic baggies are also wasteful offenders against your bottom line. Buy a few of these and you’ll have them on hand to use over and over again.

Buy: Stasher Sandwich Bag, $12

7. Bee’s Wrap

One last idea in this vein: Instead of spending money on plastic wrap, Bee’s Wrap can step in. And unlike plastic wrap, it actually gets better the more it’s used.

Buy: Bee’s Wrap, $18 for an assortment of three

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8. Wine Away Red Wine Stain Remover

This stuff will save money off your dry-cleaning bill (and eliminate the need to call in an upholstery pro). It works, yes, on red wine, but also sangria and coffee stains.

Buy: Wine Away Red Wine Stain Remover, $8 for 12 ounces

Credit: Joe Lingeman

9. Full Circle Tenacious C Cast Iron Brush and Scraper

We love this bestselling brush for cast iron — and also general cleaning of pots and pans. And even for scraping food off dishes before they go in the dishwasher. It’ll outlast any sponge (yes, sponges are cheap but they can add up over time!).

Buy: Full Circle Tenacious C Cast Iron Brush and Scraper, $8

Credit: Amazon

10. Reusable Grocery Bags

Before the coronavirus changed grocery stores, a lot of shops were charging five cents per paper bag and we imagine that will be implemented again at some point. Bring your own bags and save those pennies.

Buy: Reusable Grocery Bags, $12 for four

Credit: Amazon

11. Tovolo Jar Scraper Spatula

Any peanut butter or jelly left in a jar is literally like leaving money behind. This long, skinny spatula will help you scrape out every last bit, thus prolonging the need to buy more.

Buy: Tovolo Jar Scraper Spatula, $9

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12. SimpleHouseware Stackable Can Rack Organizer

Canned goods tend to last a while, but it’s easy to lose track of what’s new versus what’s been in there a while. This organizer can keep things in order so that nothing goes bad before you can get to it.

Buy: SimpleHouseware Stackable Can Rack Organizer, $24

Credit: Amazon

13. Cole & Mason Fresh Herb Keeper

Fresh herbs can wilt quickly. This herb keeper can help them last longer, so that you don’t have to go back out and buy more. We love that the top is adjustable (to fit herbs of all sizes) and that it has a vented lid and removable dividers. Oh, and the fact that it really does work.

Buy: Cole & Mason Fresh Herb Keeper, $23

Credit: Walmart

14. ThermoPro Meat Thermometer

Our all-time favorite thermometer is a bit more expensive, so if you’re looking for a budget-friendly pick, allow us to suggest the bestselling ThermoPro. How will it save you money? Well, if you’ve ever burnt a steak or dried out some chicken, you know the answer.

Buy: ThermoPro Meat Thermometer, $14

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15. FoodSaver Cordless Food Vacuum Sealer

Not only can this vacuum sealer help you freeze food to make it last longer, but it also means you can start buying some things in bulk (which is almost always going to save you money). Note: For this handheld option, you’ll need special bags, but you can reuse them.

Buy: FoodSaver Cordless Food Vacuum Sealer, $25

Credit: Gripstic

16. GripStic

Stale cereal? Chips that are so soggy they have to be tossed? No thanks! These GripStics will help keep once-opened bags fresher for longer.

Buy: GripStic, $20 for 12

Credit: Amazon

17. Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a million times: Making coffee at home will cost you way less than if you were to buy it. Get a coffee maker you love and will actually use. We love this one because it can easily be set up to make concentrate, which can be used in hot or cold drinks.

Buy: Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker, $25