Five Products (Under $10) That Have Changed My Life

I’ve discovered something about myself recently: I love trying new things and/or new ways of doing things.

I’m not always a huge fan of change, but if a product or method seems that it will make my life easier, save me time, or save me money…BRING IT ON!  Sadly, most products are big on promises and short on delivery.  However, when I do come across one that really does work, I spread the word like wildfire!

The other day I found myself raving about one of my new favorite products again and that’s when I decided to share my discoveries with you.  Some of these items may be new to you, some may be obvious and already in your arsenal of awesomeness….But all of these products have been through rigorous testing and have passed my stringent list of qualifications.  All FIVE of these products meeting the following criteria:

• They cost less than ten dollars.
• They have changed my life. For Real. 

Insta-Dri Polish by Sally Hansen

Price Tag: $3.99

I’m all for splurging on the occasional mani/pedi-but with kids, and a hectic schedule I’m lucky if that happens once every couple months.  I love the “polished” look of polish, but I’m usually pressed for time.  Whenever I polish my nails at home, smudges are inevitable! Someone needs help opening a juice box, or I forget and start folding laundry…and then it’s too much of a hassle to start over, so I just scratch the idea all-together!  With Insta-Dri by Sally Hansen, a home mani/pedi is actually possible!  The over-sized brush is genius, and one coat is all that’s needed. Plus, it really does dry in record time which reduces the likelihood of smudges by like 99.8% for me.  I’ve found myself venturing away from my sheer nude go-to color and branching out to some fun summer colors all because the process with Insta-Dri is quick and painless!

Lemishine

Price Tag: $4.00

It’s no secret that in Arizona our water is anything but soft.  It didn’t take long for me to realize that until we invest in a water softening system, SOMETHING had to be done about our hard water.  I don’t care what brand of detergent, what type of dishwasher we had, EVERY glass had that beautiful white calcium haze on it.  That is, until I discovered Lemi Shine and my dishwasher has never been the same. You find it in your local grocery store, right next to the detergent.  Trust me, JUST TRUST ME- your dishes will thank you. My glasses are clear, my plastic doesn’t have film, and mama is happy!

Keurig K-Cups

Price Tag: $9.99

Okay, I know this one is kind of cheating since you can’t use the K-Cups (Under $10) without buying the Keurig machine itself (Which is DEFINITELY OVER $10) It was nearly two years ago that I packed away my trusty 12 pot Starbucks Coffee Brewer and made the leap to the Keurig and I’ve NEVER, never looked back.  K-Cups are an obvious choice over buying your coffee from a local coffee shop on a daily basis, the savings and time are tremendous.  But for those of us who brewed our own pots at home, it wasn’t such a black and white choice.  You definitely pay for the convenience, but waking up to the reality that all that stands between me and my coffee is one button and virtually no clean up? Yes please.  Note: Boxes of K-Cup coffee in a wide variety can be purchased at discount retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club for a very affordable price.

I Heart Organizing Tools

Price Tag: $3.00

I recently stumbled upon an Etsy Shop that had me at “organizing.” I’m a sucker for home organization and fell in love with these ideas!  Upon seeing her array of offerings, my first thought was, “I could totally make these myself in Photoshop!” and then I realized the time, effort and energy that would take and said to myself, “WHY WOULD I?!”  Jennifer has put together an entire library of adorable and functional home management documents: meal planners, babysitter notes, cleaning lists, etc.- and she personalizes them for your family.  I ordered four of them, she emailed me the .pdf files within just a couple days and I instantly had beautiful tools to help me keep my crazy family on track. And trust me, we need all the help we can get!

Bb Cream

Price Tag: $8

I would like to introduce you to my new BFF, Bb Cream.  Bb stands for Beauty Balm. This magical formula is perfect for someone like me who is short on time, short on skill, and short on desire to cake a bunch of creams on her face.  There are many brands out there, the one I tried and now am in love with is made by Loreal.   Essentially it works as a primer, a skin corrector, a moisturizer and a tinted foundation- all in one!  It covers well, is lightweight and I am smitten.  When I first started seeing ads in my favorite magazines for Bb cream I was skeptical. How could one cream do all that?  I was hesitant to try it, but I’m SO glad I did!

 

There you have it friends, my list of my current favorite, life-changing products. Perhaps you have a running list of your own? What products do you love and will you share with the rest of us? 
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Noelle Larson is a mom still searching to find the “balance” between her spiritual journey, family, ambition, inner peace, world peace…all while trying not to blink so she doesn’t miss one minute of her beautiful, messy life.  Noelle writes at metromom.org where she journals her crazy days chasing after her kids and husband, deep thoughts, and captures her latest adventures.