Some of the best things under $20 I bought this year
A box opener and coupon cutter that won't slice your hand
I've been sharing this ceramic blade cutter with everyone who will listen. It opens all the Amazon packages, makes it super easy to cut coupons out when you don't want to reach for the scissors and if you have kids, you don't have to worry about them slicing themselves with your mail opener/box cutter. Safe. Effective. Cheap. It deserves a home in your junk drawer.
An outdoor smart switch for all the Christmas lights
Whether it's for you, your neighbor, or that family member who takes their holiday lighting very seriously, this Kasa outdoor smart plug is a great way to make your lights outdoor lights smart. It connects to your wifi network and lets you use the Kasa app or your favorite home assistant to control anything you plug into it. No more forgetting to fire up that blow-up Christmas Mickey that everyone seems to have this year. Set a schedule and Mickey and the lights will be up at the same time every time.
Give the gift of power
Two outlets just ain't enough these days. I have one of these behind my nightstand and it gives me enough outlets and USB ports to charge anything I need.
Tiny nightlights that elevate your home at night
I only had to see these once at a friend's house before buying them and telling everyone else to buy them. They're plugin night lights that make it much easier to navigate the home at night and make it feel like they were built into the house. For $18, it's a nice gift for yourself and it's especially a nice gift for someone who has small children. I've stepped on those small toys at night before but not since I installed these.
A glass screen protector with an installation kit that makes it super easy to avoid any 🫧
I've been installing Spigen screen protectors on my devices ever since I can remember and to be honest, ~$16 is a small price to pay when you're walking around with a $1,000 phone in your pocket. The latest editions of Spigen's screen protectors include the easiest installation kit I've ever dealt with and ensures the screen protector is installed perfectly each time.
A 100-pack of legit Velcro cable ties
These Velcro cable ties make any list I make because they're cheap ($9 for 100) and because they tame any cable situation I throw at it. Whether it's the cable nest in my drawer or the ones in my backpack, these make it super easy to bundle things up into a neat package that makes it easy to store and find things.
Small felt organizer trays that hide the clutter from my desk
These felt trays are simple ways to get things off the desk and into a contained space. I have a few on my desk and under my stand and some in my drawers. Loose things on my desk or my drawers give me this icky feeling so even if things aren't particularly organized, as long as they're in a bin, I can move on with my life.
A package tracking app that makes sure I don't forget something outside for days
Listen, having a toddler at home means there's always something being delivered and sometimes they leave it in a spot you don't check often because you don't get out of the house much. So while Parcel is free, I paid the $3 to track multiple packages and also integrate it directly with my Amazon account. $3 for peace of mind doesn't sound too bad, does it?