Brilliant Products That Will Save You Money in The Long Run
Buying innovative products is one of the ways we can save money over time; we need to invest in great quality.
When it comes to budgeting, I always believe in looking at the long-term picture also. Buying more expensive products can work out much cheaper in the long run, as they will last longer. Okay, this is not the case with every product, so sharing ideas with each other really helps us all save money over time.
False Economy
It is a false economy to buy cheap and have to replace items more frequently – this will not help our budget and long-term debt freedom goals. So without further ado, here are my top genius products that saved me money.
Please note that this post contains affiliate links, and any purchase made through such links will award me a small commission (at no extra cost to you). These funds help me feed my cat and keep this blog running.
Okay, so I don't feed Sammy that! Okay, here is my list of absolute essentials to save you tons of money over time!
1. Warm Winter Coat
This is something I will never scrimp on. My latest winter coat was from Vero Moda UK, and I no longer feel the chills of winter.
Buy my winter coat from Amazon.
Spending more on a great quality jacket such as this is worth doing. Recently the zip broke, so I had it repaired by my local seamstress. So far, it is still going strong after six years. Finsavvypanda, in her post, recommends Canada Goose and Mackage for great winter jackets. Read more here.
2. Shark Anti-hair Wrap
A great vacuum is something I always ensure I buy, especially in times when I have had cats and dogs running around the house. Oh, and especially now, I have long hair! It wraps up other models easily. Olly over at Savvy Dad has created a full review on the shark anti-hair wrap.
3. A Good Suitcase
Revelation, made by Antler, has been a revelation! These suitcases last for ages and on Amazon are now £55- Mr. Budget, and I bought one like these, and the only reason we have had to replace it recently was that the wheels finally wore out! The price is so reasonable for what you get.
We recently paid £25 for the medium size ridiculously pink one, and we know it will last at least four years.
I buy cases in the UK from Argos. It is the cheapest deal, although at the moment (November 2019), it is selling IT suitcases, which don't last half as long.
The IT band can be up to three times the price. Here I went for the cheaper option because of this. Keep an eye on the Argos website closer to summer, as this is when they have great deals.
4. Slow Cooker
Another of the products that help save you money is a slow cooker or crockpot! Okay, so Mr. Budget put the idea of a slow cooker on the list – I can't claim I cook, but this is a great investment over time! I just picked out this slow cooker, as it's fun! It has a chalkboard surface to scribble on – great fun for the kids to get involved in when they help you prepare meals!
Again Argos, in the UK, would be my go-to store as it is cheap for slow cookers. Read my post on saving money on meals. We used to buy microwave meals for around £5 -7 a time.
Win! Win!
Instead, now we use fresh vegetables and meat, and altogether we are spending on average £4. This includes enough for one of us to take the leftovers to eat the next day – win, win, and a free lunch. Mr. Budget likes how the cooker cooks the meat, particularly for curries, because it always cooks the meat until it is soo tender! He can prepare the meal in 5 – 10 minutes and then leave it to cook all day. The beauty is that if I can't predict when I will finish work, tea isn't spoilt either.
5. Sandwich Box
Another money-saving product worth investing in is a reusable lunch tote bag.
There are many products that save money on food. Indirectly, I can save an absolute fortune if I take my lunch to work rather than paying for shop sandwiches.
My tote is from the dotcomgiftshop available in the UK. It is made of entirely recycled materials and has a great vintage map of the world, as you can see above! It's soo cute. They are less than a fiver, including delivery! Mine is in perfect condition, and I have used it for over a year! All it needs is a quick wipe every day – so easy to maintain!
Save a Fortune on Lunch
Regarding reusable products that save money, my tote bag saves me a small fortune on my daily lunches. It's foil lined and made of recycled material, keeping your lunch cooler longer. Read how I cut my spending by using this daily for work. It is saving me an absolute fortune!
6. Wegreeco Reusable Sandwich Wrap Set of 3
Another amazingly simple product that saves you money is these eco Sandwich wraps by Wegreeco, which complement any lunch bag (I wanted to move away from plastic lunchboxes).
These were the perfect solution. Also, they are ridiculously cheap! They go in the dishwasher. But I only put them on the top shelf, and you can also rinse them out – a straightforward solution and an official goodbye to one-use plastic bags!
7. E Coffee Cup – Leave It Out Arthur With Green (8OZ) Small
Another excellent reusable product that will save you money in the long run is a reusable coffee cup. I love the name, mine too!
I recently bought the small green one from e-coffee, having used a plastic one for a while.
My plastic one's top had broken, so I wanted now to move to easily recyclable products.
This cup is made of bamboo fiber, so it is entirely recyclable. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee, so I will not have to buy another one, which is brilliant for the environment! They come in loads of cute colors, as you can see underneath.
8. Water Bottle With Filter
The lifestraw bottle is expensive but will save you money in the long run. The brilliant thing about this type of bottle is that it will withstand bashes and drops.
It also has a built-in filter, which is readily available to buy when the time comes to change the filter.
The membrane within the bottle takes bacteria and protozoan out of the water, so you can be assured that the water you are drinking is not harmful.
Find out more about the Lifestraw Bottle.
How I Use It
I fill it with tap water, but it's nice to know that I could fill the bottle with river water if I were on a long walk in the countryside. The cute little carabiner means you can attach the bottle to a backpack.
Think of the sheer amount of plastic you could avoid wasting and the amount of money you could save.
Money Saving Example
One water bottle = 89p daily x 30 = £26.00 approx £26 x 12 = £312 approx a year.
(correct at the time of writing)
So, you could pay off an even more expensive water bottle within a month!
9. Jbl Speaker
This is a money-saving piece of tech that will save you money over time. The quality of JBL speakers is impressive – we have had ours for five years and still love them! We purchased the black one and have never looked back!
Okay, so the price is not the cheapest, but I firmly believe that the quality and the fact that you don't have to buy another one for a long time really make this speaker a bargain.
It is rechargeable via the mains, and we haven't had any issues with how long it lasts between charges.
Charging is fast too. The version above is also waterproof – you can purchase others that aren't, but it is helpful next to the pool or bath!
Head over to find out more – JBL speakers
10. Asics GT2000 6 Running Shoes
In terms of sports products I use that save me money, these Asics support running shoes are a massive win!
I have low arches and therefore have needed arch supports in my everyday shoes to realign my feet.
These trainers are so supportive; they position my feet without needing the arch supports! Well worth the price tag – before I bought them, I had to replace my trainers every time my knees started to hurt.
Find out more about Asics GT2000 6 Running Shoes.
Average Spend
On average, I spent $150 /£120 a year on new trainers. Now I pay around $80 / £63 for a pair of these – they last me for 500 miles on average, which takes me around two years to complete!
The price tag sounds a lot, but over time is a significant saving, and I know my knee and foot health is maintained. I keep an eye out for the sales in my local sports shops – sometimes they can provide up to 50% or more of these trainers.
Asics running shoes
11. Running Belt – £12.95
My second genius money saver for running is this super slinky running belt for all your things while out running. This is amazing, and this one is the new version, complete with zips. It comes in different sizes, so all you have to do is measure your waist before you order your ideal size. It just looks like part of my spandex running leggings and is flat to my stomach.
Super Useful and Practical
When I first put it on, I was worried it was going to look like one of those horrific fanny packs from the 1990s, but I assure you it doesn't!
It holds my phones, so I don't have to have one of those annoying arm cell holders. I keep my cash and house key in it, and it just looks like an extension to my running spandex. Mine has lasted seven years so far!
12. Samsung Gear Fit
The next on my list is my ever-faithful Gear Fit 2. (Here is the UK option). It is fantastic and has made me more aware of how many steps I complete daily. Since I have downloaded S-Health to my phone (the compatible app), I have been able to track my heart rate, sleep pattern, and amount of exercise I do.
Over Time
The gear is durable and has survived so far being dropped over a hundred times and wet three times. I have lost over 24 pounds because I have been making sure I do 10 000 steps a day whenever I am not running. I have had my Gear for over two years now and intend to keep it for as long as software updates are available! Win, win.
Back to household money-saving gadgets.
13. Industrial Heavy Duty Clothes Rails Instead of Wardrobes
Another item you should buy today to save money in the long term is a clothes rail. Why spend a fortune on wardrobes when you can buy these sturdy clothes rails? We've put three of these, in different sizes, into the spare bedroom, and I love it. It's great to see all your wardrobe at once – I also love the modern minimalist look.
Advantages
Because they are industrial-grade shop fittings, they don't break with all the weight of the clothes. They come with castor wheels, so they are easy to move if you need to redecorate or fancy a switch. We bought ours in the UK from the Shop Fitting Shop on Amazon.
Before, we bought three rails from a home store that lasted a year. For all three we spent £60. This could have added up long-term to buy and buy again. They also could only fit a third of our total wardrobe without falling over, so they were a complete waste of time and money.
Having bought these excellent rails, we don't ever intend to purchase wardrobes now, so another long-term expense ticked off!
Top tip – measure your room and leave allowance for moving the rails around.
14. Led Lightbulbs All Around The House
These have been a great introduction to our home – see my energy-saving post for further details on how much you could be saving.
Beauty Related
15. Use Microfibre Cloths To Remove Your Makeup.
Seriously this is the best beauty tip of my year! I was tired of buying wipes and throwing them away (worrying about the rubbish I created). The solution is to use microfibre – because of the surface, the fibers grab the makeup and lift away effortlessly.
Top Tip
There are branded products out there, but you say this is magic. It's just science – the branded clothes will try to get you to part with as much money for one piece of cloth ($15) as you will pay for a pile of these white unbranded clothes.
The clothes just wash in up to 40-degree wash cycles. You can always buy them as singles from Bodycare for 99p each, depending on your preference. They are white and tend to look a bit grubby when you remove mascara from them.
See my post here for other ideas for reusable items, and read my post on money-saving for sensitive skin.
16. Screen Protector for Your Phone
No longer are phones a novelty. Nowadays, they are necessary, and we need a non-functioning phone. I have invested in a tempered glass protector, which makes it possible not to replace my screen if I drop my phone. The protector absorbs all the shock waves.
For example, Mr. Budget bought one for his phone after our cat Sammy knocked his cell off the side table. The curved screen meant it cost £200 to fix!! Agh – never again!
17. Phone Case for Your Phone
Another wise investment in my case – I am the clumsiest person I know – my phones would cost me hundreds of pounds if I didn't invest a small amount in a superb. There is a rubberized case around the phone, and the phone sits in a small purse!
I love this case's color and its rubber layer to absorb shocks from being dropped – brilliantly designed! I bought the brown colored one, but I also think pink is cute.
18. A Great Second-hand Car
My 15-year-old BMW is amazing – read more about it in my post about saving money on motoring. The old girl has saved me tons of money over the past few years, as I have had zero car payments, and she does excellent mileage. See my tips for keeping second-hand cars in excellent condition in the same motoring post.
19. Simply Human Garbage Bin
I love these UK links here – they're handy if you have cheeky dogs and cats that love a forage in the garbage. I have the rectangular version made in the UK, and so far, we have had them for six years. They clean up easily – I bleach them every so often. Also, the lock on the lid is small animal proof. My dog Jasper, when he was alive, was very persistent. Regularly I would come home to the contents of the bins strewn along the kitchen floor and him sleeping in the middle of it!
After buying two of these, we only had this happen when we needed to close the lock on the bin itself! I wholly recommend these bins as they will last at least ten years or more. We bought one for general waste and one for recycling. The combination bins look great but were overly expensive and a little less roomy.
When I get my next puppy, hopefully in a few months, I will report on how effective they are for pups.
Oh, and a top tip – don't buy the Simplehuman bin bags – they are so expensive. I just got the nearest size in liters from Aldi.
Other Products and Things That Save You Tonnes of Money Over Time
Read these related posts for ideas on:
How To Save More Money Each Month by Cutting Personal Spending
Save money over time on beauty:
Save Hundreds Waxing at Home: Eyebrows and Top Lip
Smart home products that save money:
Ways To Save Money on Energy at Home †“21 Ways
6 Good Financial Habits That Save Money in The Long Run
- Budget using a budget workbook
- Switch, switch, switch
- Remortgage regularly
- Buy second hand
- Get cashback on items you buy online or in-store.
- Shop around
Budget
If you create a budget, you are telling your money where to go. You will end up eventually with more and more cash. Plus, it makes you accountable each time you want to make a purchase. My budget planner is an excellent way of getting organized and making money work for you.
Switch, Switch, Switch
Regularly switching suppliers for cable, electricity, gas, credit cards, and many other things can save you thousands over time. Gone are the days when companies rewarded loyal customers over time. Forget that idea! You need to look for a new deal to save money over time.
I use Uswitch for comparing my energy suppliers. It lets me put my key information in and compare new tariffs with my present tariff.
I have recently switched to Shell Energy, as it will allow me and Mr. Budget to get a free Hive learning thermostat fitting, and the tariff is also cheaper than my previous one. The beauty is you can benefit too from this, but you get all this and a £50 gift card also.
Remortgage Regularly
Omg, this can change your life! Interest (the money the bank charges for allowing you to pay for your home over time) is a considerable cost we forget.
Think of it like this. On my mortgage, even with a low-interest rate, it's around £250 a month.
Just imagine what it would be like to be free of that payment but the whole mortgage payment! It's a big chunk of monthly money that would be yours in cash.
If you remortgage when your current interest rate is up – say – after two years, you can remortgage your house based on the money left on your mortgage's balance instead of the original amount. This automatically cuts your interest!
So.
Instead of £140,000 over 25 years.
Say you paid off £10,000 in 2 years…you would remortgage on…
£130,000 over 23 years instead.
This automatically is going to reduce your overall interest payments. I use these calculators online to check whether my remortgage would be worth doing, balanced against potential fees.
Moneysavingexpert has a calculator where you can experiment by looking at the potential saving you could make on a new deal, comparing two mortgages, or the effects of overpaying your mortgage.
Play around with it – I have played with different ideas and screenshots before making a decision.
Martin Lewis' mortgage calculator
Another thing you could do is overpay your mortgage. This payment will not be subject to interest and will go straight to the capital amount.
So for me, I am going to use the debt payment we are so used to making to overpay our mortgage. I have given myself ten years to pay it off, but I secretly hope I will smash this! I aim to match my mortgage payment with the same overpayment and avoid getting used to the extra money.
The main point is with mortgage overpayments that anything that you can pay off your mortgage contributes to paying it off quicker. That's still a win! You have to check with your mortgage provider what their rules are. They might be happy with you paying small chunks off every month, or they might have a minimum amount you have to pay. Another rule worth checking is the percentage you can pay off each year. I usually ring up my mortgage company, and asking these questions is easy. I also get the sort code and account number of the mortgage, along with my mortgage number, so that I can manage my overpayments directly from my account.
Soon, I will share with you my mortgage overpayment plan, and you can see how exactly I am going to achieve financial independence.
Martin Lewis' mortgage early payoff calculator
Buy Second Hand
For years, I have lived by this mantra – use again and use for longer than everyone thinks things can last. In wartime Britain, people used to survive on minimal things, and clothes had to last. Now I'm not talking about darning your socks or dashing to buy some knitting needles or anything, but serious savings can be made by purchasing second-hand anything.
- Second-hand designer clothes can be picked up for a ridiculous reduction in price just because someone doesn't want them anymore. My Ted Baker jacket, from eBay, cost £24 including postage!!! The retail price would have been a whopping £200!
- Go to boot sales – My Roxy jacket is still perfect six years on and costs the earth a total of 99p!
- Check out local stores, get ideas, even try clothes on and then see if you can buy them cheaper online!
- Browse charity shops for second-hand style – I paid £3.99 for a similar pair of lightly used NB trainers that I knew would be brilliant over time. For my first pair, I had initially paid £45!
- Challenge yourself to have a no-spend month on clothes. Did you need anything? This has worked consistently this year so far for me, and I have saved approximately £400!
Fashion second hand is also helping you to become more eco-friendly, waste less, and keep things for longer.
Get Cashback for Online and In-store Purchases.
It is astounding how much cashback can build up if you join one of these sites! Already I have cashback being tracked, which adds up to approx £200.
For this, I joined Quidco and Topcashback and bought things I needed anyway, but I was sure to follow the links from their sites to get my cashback tracked.
Some of the things you can get cashback on:
- car insurance
- breakdown cover
- energy tariffs
- home insurance
- pet insurance
- purchases such as – electricals, appliances, accessories – the list goes on
- holidays
- car rental
- broadband
- TV
How Does Cashback Work?
The BBC explains this brilliantly:
Cashback sites are a simple idea. Instead of going directly to a shop, you access a retailer's online store through a link from a cashback website. You still receive your item directly from the retailer, but you also get some money from the cashback website. It is often a percentage of the total price you paid. The sites have links to retailers of everything from groceries and toiletries to insurance policies and broadband deals.
Shop Around
I believe in checking out competing prices with any purchase I am about to make, especially with a large purchase. Depending on the purchase involved, I limit myself to a certain amount of time because you could go on and on searching and never make a decision. The time involved would negate the money you could save if you spend too much time. Nevertheless, I have still achieved significant reductions on purchases by using price comparison sites or even ringing up my supplier and negotiating what I want. For this to work, you must write down the key things you need before you call. Then you will be clear and more assertive in your approach.
In Conclusion
To conclude, these products are all tried and tested and have all saved me money over time. Has this made you rethink a potentially expensive purchase that you were putting off in favor of something cheaper? Has it made you re-evaluate whether this expensive purchase could last much longer and therefore cut your cost over time?
Remember to read my section on saving money if this has got your creative juices for saving money.
There are many ideas on how to save money on: clothes, meals, vet bills, cold remedies on a budget, general personal spending, and topics such as cheap books for kids.