Things That Pay For Themselves

[jeffrey]

What are the things that you you use that have paid for themselves?

[disneysteve]

That's easy. My computer and internet access. By shopping online, selling on ebay, booking travel, saving umpteen trips to the library for research, switching to digital photography, getting recipes, moving to an online savings account and a hundred other things, we've literally saved/earned tens of thousands of dollars, far, far more than our computer cost.

[genmed]

Our annual state park pass.

[mom-from-missouri]

1. My computer access. I can usually at least break even with ebaying stuff to pay for it each month. ($14). Also can IM, email and send photos to family instead of spending postage or phone call money.
2. My garden plants, fruit trees, grape vines and seeds. Our garden will feed us, and excess will be sold at the farmers market
3. My chickens--for the eggs
4. My sewing machine
5. Crockpot
6. Ceiling fans (keep the AC and heat from being used as much)
7. Cloth napkins vs paper towels or paper napkins. I just throw in with the next batch of laundry
8. Clothes line
9. All in one printer, copier, fax and photomaker. I don't have to pay someone else to fax, copy and only print pictures I want.
10. Digital camera
11. Cell phone. We don't have to pay any long distance
12. Carpet shampoeor. Cheaper to buy it than to rent one 3 times.
13. Digging a well to water stock
14. Pump for the pond to pump water to the garden to avoid having to use the pricey rural water.
15. canner
16. deep freeze
17. our camper. Even with the increase in gas, its cheaper to pull it than to pay for a hotel room or rooms if the whole family goes (5 kids = 2 rooms). We take our own food and camp for under $25 a day usually, or if we are taking turns driving somewhere, we 'camp for free' in rest stops or walmart parking lots till we get to our destination. Everyone gets their own bed, we can do our own laundry, cook our own food.... It also makes a great "guest house" when family or friends come to visit. They don't have to get a hotel room if they want to have privacy vs staying in the house with us.
18. Paid for a perm tag (lifetime license plate) for a trailer years ago. After about 8 years its now paid for and we don't have to renew it and pay yearly.
19. Chainsaw (for firewood)
20. Lawnmower. To mow our lawn, due to the size, they want $120. We have a big rider, with 3 blades, so fewer passes thru the lawn saves gas.
21. Fish in the pond. We have several free fish dinners a year now.
22. The beef in the field.
23. Microwave
24. Tiller. According to ads in our paper, it would cost me at least $40 to have my garden tilled each time. I've already done it 3 times this year. DH paid $300 for it last year, so its already paid for itself.
25. my new car--a Chevy Aveo @ 37mpg on the highway, vs my suburban at 17 mpg on the highway as fuel is now $3.29 a gallon and rising.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

My little green carpet cleaner on sale $59 plus tax. With two dogs running around the house throwing up and peeing, I can clean much faster and easier than the handheld steam cleaner I had. I cannot tell you how much use it's getting.

[cschin4]

Coffee pot - I always make a quick pot of coffee and take and fill my cup "to go". I have not purchased coffee in a convenience store or restaurant in a long time. I love my coffee.

Electric guitar - I took this up as a hobby. I am not very good but get hours of enjoyment out of playing and learning. Free entertainment!

Electric blanket - Keeps me warm and I can turn the thermostat down a bit

Snow Blower - Not necessarily economical but saves on an aching back and potential risks of injury, etc from snow shoveling. We aren't getting any younger.

Cordless drill - I have become quite handy since I have a nice little drill I can use for quick jobs.

[cptacek]

Usually not, but this year my health insurance.

[Ima saver]

My water purifier. I drink a lot of water and don't buy bottled.

[LuxLiving]

My youneedabudget software. See youneedabudget.com! Thanks Jesse!

[tarah86]

My computer and DSL access. Those two things are my main income earner.

[Cassandra]

My sewing machine. From mending rips in seams to tailoring to making my own clothes, it has saved me hundreds of dollars in clothing expenses.

A waterbottle I bought from the university I'll be attending. I used to buy bottled water, but I have saved so much from switching to bottling my own water.

Cassandra

[PetMom]

White Socks - I don't wear shoes in the house, I wear these
and have gone years with not buying paper towels, if a mess
is that awful, I just throw it on out...I also make rags out of...

Micheals (a craft store) sale T shirts. These are 'brand new'
(for anyone hesitant about thrift store shopping) come in
lots of colors and sizes. I wait for them to go on sale every
few months for $2.50 for adult size and stock up. When these
get old and worn they go into the rag bag. Most local craft
stores have t shirt to decorate section. In winter they stock
sweat shirts and I buy these also on sale.

Linoleum 'wood' flooring. This is relatively new in flooring and
I have really liked it. A damp cloth cleans it. Carpets require
maintenance - this does not.

Juicer - make my own carrot and apple juices.

Cheese grater - one that makes it ultra fine. We use less cheese
with this.

A 5 pound sack of flour - many use stews and soups to extend
veggies and meat and that is good, but I have been making
from scratch calzones, pizza, pasta, egg noodles, bread and
dumplings. I add whole wheat flour and oats to make a
whole grain version. Super finicky eaters and guests love
this stuff and it is cheap.

Dollar herb plants I got at a little farmer's market years ago -
Sage, thyme and chives, these are hardy and require little
if any care. I use in a cheese herb bread, a herb pesto
and of course in regular cooking. The chives are a free
substitute for onions and scallions.

[scfr]

Sonicare toothbrushes --- We have been able to reduce the frequency of visits to the dentist, which is especially important for my husband who has a condition that causes excessive plaque.

I think many things that improve your health end up paying for themselves down the road.

[wellheeled]

Moisturizer with sunscreen.

In 30 years your skin will thank you.

[JBinKC]

CFL lightbulbs.
Chainsaw I had some limb damage due to an ice storm and instead of paying someone to clean up the area I cut the wood myself.
Now with this inventory of wood I decided to buy an EPA approved wood stove
I figure in another 2 months of burning free wood my EPA wood stove will have completed its payback period. It took only 2 years of burning to get my money back.

[disneysteve]

I was just reminded of another. I used to get my hair cut at Hair Cuttery. With tip, it was $15 and I went about every 5 weeks or 10 times/year, so about $150/year. Just over 2 years ago, I happened to be at a Conair outlet store. I took a chance and bought an electric clipper kit for $15, the cost of one haircut. I started cutting my own hair, which I have done about every 3 weeks since then.

So in 2 years, instead of spending about $300 at Hair Cuttery, I've spent $15 for the clipper. That paid for itself after the first use and has now saved me so much more. Plus, my hair looks nicer since I can cut it more often and not wait until it is out of control before going for a cut.

[Broken Arrow]

Nowadays, I try to look at everything in terms of what kind of meaningful value it brings to my life. If the cost is greater than my perceived value, or if the value is too low, then I don't buy it.

Things have changed a bit since even last year. I've got a computer (well, two if you count the one that I got for free), a desk to put the computer on, and a new mattress.... Hmm. Wow. I think that's it for all my major worldy possessions right now. Oh, that and broadband access.

Strange. I know I have more.... Smaller items though. Lessee.... Guitar, chairs. Hmm. Well, relative to what I paid for (and some I got free from friends), they've all paid back in some way.

[GoodBuyGirl]

My chest freezer. Gives me plenty of freezer space to stock up on good sales.
My internet service has been a great money maker plus a great learning tool as well as entertaining.

My Sunday papers have more than paid for themselves with all the coupons.

[My English Castle]

My $10 garage sale breadmaker has paid for itself in bread, speciality breads for gifts and pizza dough.

Got a AAA membership and it has saved us alot of money on break downs and towing etc. Got 4 free emergency calls and only had to pay a small amount on the 5th one. Pretty good since my husband uses his own van for delvery and he drives all over the state.