Cheap items.
What comes to your mind when you think of that phrase?
Fast food? Hanes boxers? Counterfeit watches?
Cheap is said with such disdain – yet it shouldn’t be.
Some cheap items are worth far more than you pay for them.
You have to filter through all of the crap to find the gold.
Well, I've been filtering through all of the excrement just for you.
Today, I am giving you ten cheap items that are worth 10x their cost. These items are essentials for you that are inexpensive and will be more valuable to you than gold.
1. Books on Money Are Worth Their Weight In Gold
Just like Dire Straits – you want your money for nothing (and your chicks for free) – with these books, you can at least do just the former.
Financial literacy is one of the most important skills you can learn as a man. According to The Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission established by the United States Congress in 2003, there are five fundamental principles you have to understand to become financially literate:
- How much you earn, including your pay, benefits, and tax withholdings
- How to save and invest, including creating an emergency fund and setting aside money for both short-term and long-term goals
- How to protect your money by buying insurance and knowing how to avoid fraud
- How to spend wisely through budgeting and comparison shopping
- How to borrow money at the lowest possible interest rate, and how to keep your credit strong with responsible repayment habits
Genuinely understanding each of these concepts takes time. In the United States, the education system does a poor job teaching about finances. Subsequently, many people waste their money – I don’t want you to be one of them.
Instead of taking a class for hundreds of dollars, I suggest reading the best books on money.
You can grab the following books for under $20 –
- Why Didn’t They Teach Me This In School? – Cary Siegel
Cary Siegel was motivated to write this book when he realized that schools were inadequately teaching his kids about handling money. He breaks down 99 principles to master in eight lessons – teaching you how to manage your money so it doesn’t manage you. Siegel has an MBA from the University of Chicago, and he must know a thing or two because he retired at the age of 45! - Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert T. Kiyosaki
This memoir was written 20 years ago and is still one of the best-selling personal finance books ever written. Robert Kiyosaki walks you through his childhood memories. He contrasts his not-very-wealthy father and his best friend’s father, who was one of the wealthiest residents in Hawaii at the time. - The Total Money Makeover – Dave Ramsey
You should all know Dave Ramsey – if you don’t, what are you doing with your life? Nevertheless, Ramsey has written five New York Times bestsellers, and this is one of them. The book provides a solid foundation for saving enough money so that the next life emergency won't derail your finances, and you can retire comfortably.
There are tons and tons of books about money – take $20 out of your next paycheck and invest in one. If you're interested in more of my favorite books, click here to check out my Amazon store with over 100 of my top books you should own!
2. Fantastic Fragrances Don't Have To Cost The Earth!
The importance of a fantastic fragrance cannot be understated. It’s been proven by many studies, including a study published in the Personality and Individual Differences Journal in 2013, that a man’s scent is the #1 factor for women in choosing a potential partner.
That’s pretty important. And even if you already have a relationship – do you really want to walk around smelling horrible?
A fantastic men's fragrance doesn't have to cost an arm and leg. There are tons of quality cheap fragrances for men. There are hundreds of options under $20 that women love.
Armani Code by Giorgio Armani is an excellent quality cheap fragrance. This is classified as an oriental spicy fragrance and is one of the most iconic and contemporary fragrance for men.
Another quality cheap fragrance – CK One Shock for Men by Calvin Klein is another option under $20. Despite its loud packaging, One Shock is a refined, oriental scent that conjures thoughts of warmth and freshness.
If you want to see more quality fragrances for winter on any budget, click here to check out the best cold weather fragrances for men!
3. The Neck Gaiter Is Stylish And Practical!
When it comes to the most versatile accessory a man can own – the neck gaiter tops them all. A neck gaiter is a closed tube of fabric that can be worn in a multitude of ways. This universal accessory can be worn as a scarf, balaclava, hood, beanie, headband, and even a wristband.
Neck gaiters are a perfect layer of insulation to keep you warm during all the fall and winter months. These are particularly popular with outdoorsmen and the military – due to their versatility.
On top of all of that – they can be made and worn as a face mask. You'll want to be careful using a neck gaiter as a face mask as not all of them are equipped to protect you. Slick Gaiters has you covered in this department with their recent upgrade of a 3-Ply full frontal protection filter holding pocket. Trust me – you need the most versatile men's accessory now more than ever!
4. A Quality Watch Is More Affordable Than You Think
Looking at that heading, you might think it’s a contradiction – but it’s not. Before you click away because I own multiple Rolex watches – hear me out.
The truth is that many of you can't afford a watch over $1,000, let alone $10,000. Luckily, you don’t have to spend that much for an excellent watch anymore. Some of the best low budget watch companies include Timex, Casio, Seiko & Citizen.
When looking for a quality cheap watch, there is one rule I want you to follow.
Don’t buy a counterfeit watch. This should go without saying. Any serious watch enthusiast will notice you’re wearing a knockoff, and you will lose all credibility. On top of that, you are actively funding criminals.
5. The Accessory Case: An Inexpensive, Elegant Way To Protect Your Investments
Speaking of watches – once you own a lot of them, you’re going to need somewhere to store them. Accessory cases are the answer to this problem.
These cases are inexpensive, elegant solutions to protect your investments. When it comes to watch cases, you can get individual cases or larger style cases – with multiple levels of drawers.
Another nice perk of a watch case is that they are often lined with some plush or silk that will naturally clean off the back of your watch after you wear it. I wouldn’t recommend you stop cleaning your watch all together when you get a watch case – but it’s a nice perk.
Accessory cases aren’t just for watches – they can be made for sunglasses and as a catchall for all of your small accessories.
6. Men's Concealer: Save Face For Less Than $20
Before you click away – let me explain.
It’s the 21st century; there’s nothing wrong with wearing a little makeup. Actors do it in every movie! Also, to be precise – I’m not talking about going full James Charles with makeup (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
But what I am suggesting is – you invest in a little protection for your face with a concealer.
Picture this situation – you wake up the morning of a huge meeting, and you look in the mirror to see a huge pimple. Knowing you, this rarely happens because you wash your face, but – nothing is impossible.
A similar situation happened to me. I had a Zoom meeting with my team, and I noticed a huge red pimple. With only 5 minutes till the meeting, I grabbed my simple concealer and hid the horrible “goiter.”
7. Wide Shoulder Hangers Are Worth 100X Their Cost
The wrong hanger can ruin a $1000 suit. The $10 you saved by buying a cheap wire hanger just cost you $990. To avoid this tragedy – invest in wide shoulder hangers.
This type of hanger is often included when you buy a suit off the rack. These hangers are thick and sturdy and will correctly support the shoulders of any upper garment you own. The contour of the hanger will also stop the dreaded should nubs you get from time to time.
If you can afford it, spring for the wood. Plastics are made from petroleum products, which produce gasses that may discolor the fabric over time.
8. Oral Hygiene Products Protect Your Teeth (And Your Wallet)
Do you like your teeth? I hope the answer is yes because you have to take your oral hygiene if you want to keep them.
Most men don’t even think about whether they practice good oral hygiene. You know how you look at someone when they have food in their teeth, or their teeth are incredibly yellow? You don’t want people looking at you that way.
To properly take care of your teeth, you need to invest in a few items that will save your teeth forever – the most important – an electric toothbrush.
I used to use a manual toothbrush for years until I had a small cavity. From there on, I started using an electric toothbrush, and I couldn’t be happier. These toothbrushes can do 31,000 brushing strokes per minute – they do all the hard work for you.
In addition to an electric toothbrush, you should invest in quality whitening trays and products. Even if you take great care of your teeth, age will discolor your teeth, and you can easily prevent this with whitening trays.
9. Cedar Wood Shoe Trees Keep Your Shoes Looking A Million Dollars
If you’re anything like me (and I think you are), you spend a lot of money on your footwear. It’s the foundation of any outfit. But are you properly maintaining them to the best of your ability?
No, I’m not talking about polishing – I’m talking about shoe trees and a shoehorn. With a shoe tree, you’re going to want to invest in a wooden one as soon as possible.
A shoe tree holds a shoe in its proper shape, so it dries out correctly and keeps the leather from cracking by wicking away moisture. The absorbent wood also helps dry out the lining of shoes to rot from the inside out.
They make plastic ones, but again you want to steer away from these for the same reason I mentioned earlier when talking about hangers. Also, plastic shoe trees won’t wick away any moisture.
A shoehorn is another one of the cheap items you need to invest in to maintain your shoes. When you put your shoes or boots on without using a shoehorn, the leather will change its shape with the pressure you put on the back of it.
To prevent this, you can utilize a shoehorn to extend your leather footwear's life even more.
10. Nail Grooming Kit
There’s nothing more unattractive than a man who doesn’t take care of his nails – no woman is going to let you get near them with unkempt fingernails.
You might be thinking, “I don’t need to give myself a manicure. That’s for women.” You’re wrong – men have to care for their nails just like any other individual.
A nail grooming kit is another one of the cheap items on this list worth a ton. A proper grooming kit will include:
- Nail Clipper
- Nail File
- Cuticle Nipper
- Cuticle Scissors
- Tweezers
Be warned – there's a learning curve involved with nail grooming. It’s something you have to take slowly as you can seriously harm yourself.
To learn more about a men’s grooming kit, click here to read my ultimate guide to manicure tools for men!
Conclusion – Cheap Items That Are Worth 10x Their Price
Cheap isn't always bad – in fact, some of the most inexpensive items can earn you the most money in the long run.
In today's article, I gave you 10 cheap items that are worth at least 10x their cost:
- The Best Books on Money
- Quality Cheap Fragrances for Men
- Slick Gaiters Neck Gaiter
- Cheap Luxury Watch
- Accessory Cases
- Simple Concealer
- Wide Shoulder Hangers
- Oral Hygiene Products
- Shoe Accessories
- Nail Grooming Kit
All nine of these items can be found for under $20, and their value is astronomical. Invest in these items now – you won't be sorry.
Now, I left one item off of this list. Can you guess what it is?
Give up? A journal. Here's 8 reasons every man needs a journal. Click here to discover why you need a journal now!
