What is the BEST "value" you ever paid for?

[LRG]

My huge mouse pad/desk mat. For $40 it is a fantastic value not only for the mousepad but the fact that my mouse will never come off of it as the pad has the exact same size as my desk. It is also very comfortable for your wrist and hands when typing.

Glorious 3XL Extended Gaming Mouse Mat / Pad

 

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[Milkanic]

I would have to go with the Tandy 4000 my parents got for Christmas in the late 80s.
I technically paid $0 but being a computer nerd at early age has paid off in spades.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

These things seem to clean ANYTHING.

HUSTLE/GRIND IDEA
In fact, if you buy a box of them and head off to the Goodwill store, I'm sure you can buy anything there filled with dirt, grime, rust; clean it up, and resell at a profit.

Scrub Daddies can't hold a candle to 'em.

 

[JAJT]

These things seem to clean ANYTHING.

These things are basically just slightly more durable forms of melamine foam but work 100% exactly the same for cleaning.

Mr clean costs like 10 bucks for an 8 pack.

Melamine foam is 10 bucks for, literally, 100 of them: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZB2HOQ/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

Now, I'm sure most of us don't need 100 bricks of slightly less durable cleaning erasers, but it's a good demonstration of how a company added value to a cheap product (just over free, really...). They saw that melamine cleaned well but didn't hold up all that great, added some durability to the things, and charged 10x more for them.

 

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[Johnny boy]

90% of my happiness comes from myself. It’s free.

But, with that said, the best 3 things I ever paid for are as follows

1. $1900 a month to live on a lake.

Vastly improved happiness. Made me chill out and enjoy life more.



2. $5000 for my 1977 Datsun 280z. My daily driver. Love washing this thing.



3. Gym membership

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I'm in the mood to spend money, and other "great values" in the last year?

I mentioned this in the APP thread, but CANVA has been absolutely a life-saver for me. I'm so happy that I'm now nearly free of Adobe.

 

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[MrOutside]

Hard decision but I’d have to say my Anova Precision Cooker. Cooking meat is especially rewarding with the thing.

I normally shy away from beef cooked on the “rare” side (looks raw to me). But the device let me cook thick steaks and they come out the same shade of pink inside from edge to edge. A quick sear in a hot skillet and it’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten. A food revelation.

Also great for pasteurizing eggs, while still keeping them mostly liquid, for safe home-made mayonnaise.

 

[MetalGear]

A gym membership and the Insight Timer app...a free meditation app that helps me chill the fck out when I feel anxious.

Better than the drugs pharma tries to shove down your throat

 

[Supercar]

Oh, how could I forget?!!! The best value was about 100 roubles that I paid back in 1993 to learn English well enough to come to the US!

 

[JAJT]

Well after finishing a book in 1 day (132 pages, so a short book), I can totally see the appeal of the Kindle now.

Never understood why anyone would get one when Smart Phones are so prevalent but now I totally get it.

Firstly, it doesn't strain my eyes. It's VERY easy to read in any light level. The frontlight on a kindle is worlds better for reading than the backlight on a smartphone.

Also, this thing is so much easier to pick up than a physical book. I never really considered picking up a book "hard" before, but I also would NEVER pick up a book if I didn't have dedicated time to pick it up for. It could be literally right next to me but the desire to pick it up and read 3 pages wasn't there. On the kindle it has that same "easy access" as a smartphone. Wife runs to the store with the kids and I can just pick it up, be exactly where I left off, read 10 pages, put it down, and not feel upset at having to stop. No trying to figure out what page I was on, what part of the page I was in, worry about closing the book without a bookmark, etc...

The "time left in chapter" is also a super nice touch. It's no different from just flipping ahead in a book and seeing what's left but having it there and available at all times is just... nice. Same with the progress % through the book. It's a nice touch.

I can't accurately describe it but there's a certain "Je ne sais quoi" about this device that just makes it ultra easy to pick up.

Maybe this is all just "new device excitement" and I'm in the honeymoon phase of a new "thing" in my life but so far I'm totally sold on it. If it wasn't for this thread I never would have considered getting one

 

[AgainstAllOdds]

A flight to China.

Prices I negotiated down with suppliers more than paid for the trip. Then what I learned spiraled into years of exploring and going to "uncomfortable" places to make more money.

 

[Niptuck MD]

whatever it cost for both fastlane and unscripted physical copy books and audio books LOL oh and INSIDERS subscription (ten fold)

also the only other thing I can think of is my Dodge Ram 3500 diesel dually because the times i got laid off, was able to make money by using it.

 

[wade1mil]

In hindsight, car insurance.
Otherwise, probably the expenses from creating my card game.
I learned a shit ton from that process.

 

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[JAJT]

I wouldn't trust a $200 new rack with, literally, my life.

This is really an important point. You don't NEED a rack to do most of the movements (except maybe the bench press). You need a rack to save your life when the movements fail. Even a spotter can't solo-catch a bar loaded with 200 lbs that's free-falling to the ground hovering just over over your neck. Power racks are life-saving devices.

That being said, the company I bought mine from is offering this guy for just over $200. Says it has a 700 lb capacity:

AmStaff DF-1161A Power / Squat Rack | Fitness Avenue

I own a different one that cost about double this (and came with a lat-pulldown attachment) though.

The total cost is going to add up though. Ideally you probably want something that looks like:

- Power rack
- Bench
- Olympic bar
- Weight (300 lbs in mixed weights is a common set to buy)
- Gym mats so you don't ruin your floor

The weight alone is usually anywhere from 75 cents to a dollar per lb. So even if you do get a $200 rack, you're still looking at another few hundred bucks in weights.

This stuff isn't cheap, but having it and using it is one of the best investments you can make in your health.

 

[Steppenwolf]

First I was like shit all the nice items have already been picked (Blackroll & alternative odor blocker)

1.Alpine Musicsafe ~ 20 €

Since I am going out to clubs and festivals alot.

I damaged my ears on a 12 hour rave when i was 19 and then had a tinnitus, got infusions to increase blood flow in the head to help recover the ears.

I have been wearing these now for 5 years bought 4 pairs since then. You can hear people way better in loud venues with these and they keep all the extreme high noises out. + Nobody even recognizes that I am wearing them

Keep your ears safe lads, your old self will thank you alot.

2. The Prodigy Concert ~ 60 €
Insane experience, surviving in the moshpit for 1 1/2 hours felt like a ritual.

3. Bose Companion 3 ~ 300 €

Good audio quality is a must in my eyes.
This 2.1 System is producing such a well sound, I would hate to miss them in my everyday life.
Small yet loud - if needed.





4. These Mustang Boots. ~ 80 €

I wear them from September till April here in Germany.
You can easily take minus 20 degrees celcius with those and easily + 15 degrees.
Already bought a second pair. One to go out with and the other for fancy occasions.

5. Neti Pot

The Neti Pot has been a game changer when you`re starting to get a cold.
(You can also do it preventive)

Warm water, sea salt
Let it rinse through your nose

It`s really unconfortable at first but it works way better than anything you'll get from big pharma.

It treats stuffed nose and throat issues. Since your throat often gets infected by the bacteria coming down from your nose.

6. The One Thing

Out of all books this one blew my mind the hardest and the lessons learned from it will definitely make myself a fortune. I read this just 2 months ago and this Book was exactly what I needed for my current life situation and where my business is currently at.

 

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[million$$$smile]

.This.



It has probably made me more money for the cost than anything I else I've ever had..

If I didn't have a calculator, I'd be breaking rocks in a quarry with a chipping hammer.

It makes me look/feel smart even though I don't even know what all the keys are for!

I believe one of the cheapest best inventions in the last century.

 

[TheCrow]

What is the best "value" you ever paid for?

Just curious to hear people's experiences.

For me, my foam roller was a great value. It cost around $20 bucks but helps relieve my back and neck of stress and pain. On bad days, rolling on this thing becomes the best $20 bucks I ever spent!

What is the best $X you ever spent?

There is no limit ... if you spent $80K on a Corvette and felt is was the best value ever, then that's OK!

Let's hear it!

The best value I ever paid for was my property. My lifestyle (off-grid) is more labor intensive but stress-free. I have fewer migraines, fewer stress-related health issues, I have peace, tranquility, freedom... I am able to enjoy golden eagles, red tail hawks, hiking, camping, beautiful mountain scenery, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, mountain lion, elk, and billions of stars. I can sit around a campfire whenever I choose. I can grow food. I can enjoy my dogs and my cats control the rodent population. I moved here from a city years ago and it’s the best value ever that I have paid money for.

 

[Greg R]

I'm going to add THE FASTLANE SUMMIT to this list.

 

[Arthur Charles]

One of the best value I paid for recently is the Xiaomi Mi Band. I really could not care less about how many steps I have taken during the day, or how many hours of deep sleep I had during the night. I don't use it as a "fitness tracker", but rather as a useful reminder for many things.

I bought it for $10 online 2 years ago. It is a very simple device which can vibrate and has 3 LEDs to indicate different things (I don't use them at all though). No screen. Battery life is 30 days, sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less.

Here is what I use it for:
- It wakes me up in the morning with a discreet vibration pattern that I have set. I hate the sound of the alarm clock, this has been a game changer!
- I have it vibrate to notify me of incoming calls, so I can leave my phone away from me most of the time. You can set it to notify you of pretty much any notification on your phone, for specific apps or contacts.
- I use it a lot as a timer. Yeah, it's useful for cooking pasta, but also for focusing on tasks. For example, I set a timer for 25 minutes, leave my phone and computer away, and read a book for 25 minutes straight, nothing else. The soft vibration reminds me that time is up This is useful for quick naps too.

There you have it. At this price, it offers a battery life no fitness tracker can compete with. It is lightweight and you can get different bands if you'd like. You can take a shower with it, no problem. I really find this band to be of pretty good value. Of course, I use it for basic stuff, but it still offers the classic fitness tracking features (heart-rate, sleep tracking, steps count...). Since you can choose different vibration patterns for specific notifications, you can use repeating reminders for routines ("time to write in your journal"), break bad habits ("stop biting your nails!"), or any other idea you might come up with ("take your medication every day at 8 pm"). Of course, the more you use it, the less battery life you'll get out of it.

 

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[Itizn]

$1000 plane ticket to leave my home, job, and friends and go halfway across the world in pursuit of the fastlane.

Life hasnt been the same since

 

[ZF Lee]

For my allergic skin that is prone to breaking out in hives and drying out, this works very well:

Works well also for recovering wounds, especially when an itch begins.

Had I used this when my allergies first broke out ten years ago, I would have avoided nights devoid of sleep, tears and anger from weeping allergic sores, further worsened by scratching provoked by that irritable itching....and saved my poor parents from a lot of grief as well...

And although MLMs are generally hated around here, I use Mary Kay facial products. Some acne-specialised face washes and masks and recommended washing styles helped clear off lots of pimples without much of the pains of poking the zits out.

I should have gone through that route of proper washing with the right face treatment products long before in my puberty.

Instead, I went through the conventional route of expensive 'spa' sessions that had people skewering your face and raining agony upon them. And the pimple places just got re-infected or worse, left craters.

Shit could be worse, but I don't want my girl to kiss a war-zone on my cheeks lol

 

[racyred09]

I see this all the time and I STILL don't get it.

Maybe because I'm so comfortable cooking traditionally and that's what's "comfortable" for me but I just don't get it.

I can rinse and cook perfect rice of any kind on the stovetop in about 20-25 minutes.
I grill most meats on the grill in minutes.
Speeding up roast times would be pretty nice but if I'm honest I never cook roasts outside of large family gatherings and in those instances I like spending the time to get the house smelling awesome in the oven.

I own a few slow cookers as well and they literally only get brought out for large family gatherings as devices to keep food warm in.

I just don't get any of these time savers. I like the idea of them but when I consider how I do things normally I just don't see the improvement.

I'm totally glad people love them though. I just feel out of the loop, haha.

I didn't get it at first, either. But think about what you're doing when you cook those other things- would you light the stove up for your rice, then go take a shower and forget about it? Would you turn on the grill and then go run some errands? And that's the beauty of it- once it's turned on, it's completely passive. That's why I say the value is not having to watch over it; you don't save time on the cooking process necessarily, but you DO save time with the things you are able to do while you're cooking and not having to remember that something is cooking.

There's two types of people when it comes to kitchen appliances in my opinion. Those like me who love the old school way of cooking, and those who love the new.
For me you can't beat the feel of hand grinding your own mince. Chopping your own garlic. The feel of mixing with your hands and preparing the food "with love" excuse the cheesy expression. And of course the smell of the house when something has been cooking all day. I like all this more than eating the food itself.

I understand the other perspective though as I'm sure people get the same kick and feel as I get when they use the latest gadget to do the thing they are doing.
It's like people who like muscle cars and people who like supercars, They both share the love of the cars.

I'm the type of person who bakes her own sourdough breads, makes sauerkraut, and so on, but this is just a reinvention of the classic stovetop pressure cooker. The intent isn't to replace the food prep process- I've made beef bourguignon in mine!- but to allow you to do other things than wait for a timer to beep once it's cooking.

 

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[SpartanWarrior77]

Eat every day chia seeds and flax in my breakfast.

Rich in minerals, fibers and vegetables fat omega 3.

A few dollars and so much wellbeing.

Careful, flax has a LOT of estrogen.

 

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[GuestUser450]

Cheeseball Alert: my wife's engagement ring. A ridiculous purchase on paper; immediate depreciation, came bundled with huge responsibilities and obligations, could easily be lost, stolen or possibly thrown at me at some point, etc. But the ROI from what it symbolized has been infinite.

Also, this sweet fan from Home Depot. Arizona is hot.

 

[biophase]

Something I'm amazed that nobody posted yet, is that you should figure out if you even NEED deodorant in the first place.

Diet and genetics can play a pretty significant role in not only how much you sweat but how you smell when you do sweat.

If you don't sweat all that much, and don't smell offensive when you do sweat, you can probably get away without using the stuff in the first place in most situations.

Of course you can't trust your own nose for this - you really need to ask someone you trust to "give it to you straight".

And of course common sense applies - if you'll be out in the sun all damn day or get active without the opportunity to shower/change, all bets are off

LOL, I never use deodorant. I didn't even know what it was until high school when I saw other kids rolling stuff into their armpits. I started using it because I thought that's what everyone does. But then stopped in college. I haven't used any in 20 years and I still have friends.

 

[amp0193]

Depends on what those groceries are... processed "long shelf life" food might seem like a good value, but in the end it will cost you dearly in energy, productivity, and health care costs.

Type-2 diabetes starts with cheaply processed engineered food often found on the interior of grocery stores. Cheap and yes, seemingly valuable, but ultimately expensive.

Maybe my favorite thing about being on the fastlane, is getting to shop by ingredient labels (finding what's healthiest for me), and not having to worry about the price tag.

I haven't had to look at the price of food in like a year, and I've never felt better.

 

[Wisarut]

The book "Mastery" by Robert Greene, it was long, but it was worth my time and the money I spend on it.

It was a wake upp call for me that it would be sad too go through my whole life and not have mastered atleast one skillset.

 

[PapaGang]

Here is something I've had for over a year now and today I realized that it has provided tremendous value for me:



Behold the Neo 120 bidet. Bolts under your existing toilet seat, taps into your existing water line. Install takes less than 10 minutes. It's silently changed the lives of my family.

After spending time in South Korea and Japan, I wanted to have a bidet. Foreign and strange at first, I found that I would emerge from the bathroom feeling like a newborn baby.

It's less than $40.

Oh, and we had ZERO worries about TP supply during COVID. You use drastically less paper.

And if you have any problems with clogs pertaining to flushable wipes, you can rest easy. You aren't spending dumb bucks on those wipes anymore. You can *wipe* that expense off your monthly budget sheet my friend.

My good friend got curious and tried it. He got one less than a week later. And then one of his friends did the same.

Buy one from Amazon. Like today. You're welcome.

 

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[becks22]

Not so much a product as a service but in December 2014, I got a turbinate reduction on both sides of my nose. I couldn't smell or breath well or spend any amount of time outside, had a permanently stuffy nose, and got winded very easily since the whole 20% air flow through my nose didn't work that great. Took 9 months to heal fully because of the cartilage but it's been 3 years this month and I feel better than ever. Combining the surgery with weekly allergy shots, I can now go hiking in the Adirondacks or spend all day outside without wheezing. Only cost me my co-pay since I was under my mom's health insurance at the time but I would pay any price for the benefits the surgery bought me.

 

[MetalGear]

An aluminum or stainless steel water bottle is also a great investment...

Kleen Kanteen or HydroFlask

MG

 

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