I always enjoy hearing about the small decisions that end up making a big difference. Maybe you paid off a debt, switched banks, canceled a subscription, started budgeting, found a better credit card, or simply changed a spending habit that saved you more than expected. It doesn’t have to be anything major. Sometimes the simplest changes have the biggest impact over time. What’s one financial decision you’re glad you made recently, and would you recommend it to others?
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Cut ties with Delta Dental, which put me out of network with all dental insurance companies. Now I am unfettered by constraints of payment, and can do any procedures I am competent to do.
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Signing up for Amazon Prime for a 1-week trial for $1.99. I do this a few times a year to take advantage of Prime-only specials, such as Prime Days which just ended or an item I want to buy that has a special price for Prime members. During this trial period, our Prime/Chase Visa gives 5% cashback instead of 3% for all Amazon purchases, so I stock up on things I know I’ll use such as paper products, toiletries, etc. I also buy high-dollar gift cards for Amazon and Home Depot to use after the trial is over. Surprisingly, the 5% cashback applies to gift card purchases so a $1,000 Home Depot or Amazon gift card in effect costs $950 (we also get a 10% military discount at Home Depot, so we are effectively getting 15% off all Home Depot purchases using the gift card).
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At first I thought, “Okay, DYI dental work…” then I seem to recall you are a dentist. Please confirm 
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Shopping for auto/home insurance. ANNUALLY. Do it after you complete your taxes.
For decades I was a USAA customer. My FIL had a few decades on me. One day I received a cold call from Allstate. The last time I checked prices (admittedly a long time ago), there just wasn’t enough cost savings to pursue. This time, Allstate cut my costs by almost 50%. We’re talking $5k/year combined. I was stunned.
18 months later, I had a washing machine go berserk on my 2nd floor. $80k work of repairs later, Allstate handled the claim. The next year, I was hit with a huge price increase - homeowner went from $2300 to $8000 annually. Allstate gave me a silly/absurd explanation.
Shopped around, State Farm came in $100/yr more on homeowner’s that I had been paying, $200 less a year on auto. Huh. I think the insurance industry has issues.
Reminder: shop your insurance.
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Really enjoying reading everyone’s answers. It’s interesting how what feels like a small financial decision can end up making a much bigger difference than expected. Thanks for sharing your experiences, and keep them coming! I’m always curious to hear what worked well for others.
Yes, I am a licensed dentist.
One of the best financial decisions I made over the last year was becoming much more intentional about my purchases instead of buying things on impulse. If I want something that’s not essential, I wait a few days before buying it. Most of the time, I realize I don’t actually need it.
The money I saved has gone toward paying bills, building a small emergency fund, and buying better-quality items that last longer instead of replacing cheap ones. It wasn’t a huge change, but it made a noticeable difference over time. I’d definitely recommend giving yourself a short “cooling-off” period before making non-essential purchases.
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I agree. Rather than going to Home Depot or Lowes again, I take some time to think about a more inexpensive solution.
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To always check e-Bay before buying anything. I just bought two Dewalt 20V batteries for less than one cost at Home Depot.
legit point. Just make sure what you got isn’t counterfeit. The money is in the battery of battery powered tools. Since we’re talking DeWALT, if you pick up any used tools from garage sales or ebay, there are ways to figure out how hard they have been used. I did not know this, but it does stand to reason that nail guns have a lifetime cycle limit. There are ways to ask the tool how many nails it has fired.
The batteries and charger I bought might be Chinese counterfeit. But they are new and they work. Buying them used from a pawn shop entails more risk, at least to me.
I also bought a new Makita 18V battery for a good price on E-Bay, and it works fine. There must be a high retail markup on batteries.
Markup is huge. But if they work… I just gave up with all the battery nonsense. I’m going to learn how to open up the dewalts when necessary and replace the batteries.
While out on amazon today, I ran across a number of Chinese made kitchen faucets. Less than $50. 1/5th the price of HD or Lowes. Searched where all the stuff comes from for the BB stores - China.
I bought my step daughter a condo at the beach so she could finally move out of the house.
So, you have a spare bedroom now. When will you post your rental terms? 
Happen to have 2 daughters, a son, and 2 grandchildren with me. I feel the pain relieved.
The problem will be if they use proprietary parts for repair, like washers.
Found out the hard way that lawn mower shops do not disassemble and clean carburetors anymore. They just replace them with cheap Chinese replicas and mark up the price. Found them online for my Toro. Next time, I will just do the same thing myself at far less cost. Can’t get a lawn mower repaired for less than $110 at a shop these days.
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My point was that I suspect there isn’t much difference between what “legitimate” businesses charge and the Chinese replicas. Right now I have BB products that completely underwhelm me. The garbage that the BB stores are selling, they won’t stand behind anymore.
I guess I would encourage everyone to think outside of the box when it comes to purchases. I don’t need a washing machine that has wi-fi. I need a washing machine that won’t destroy my house (it happened, and as an engineer I find it inexcusable).
Henrius, I’m going to be quiet now, you and I are hijacking the thread. 
In the third world, good older appliances are repaired again and kept working forever. Because the labor is so much cheaper and imported new goods so expensive.
Here an appliance repairman will charge minimum $200 for a visit. Therefore we replace good older products with new-fangled under engineered ones. Not sure this is the best path. I have kept washing machines running for years and years. As soon as products are computerized, repairs by owner get more difficult. Not sure that this is not by accident.
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I replaced all my other lawn equipment with Greenworks 80V sold at Costco. They had a sale on the 80V lawnmower and I finally replaced my old gas mower that was constant repairs and maintenance. No more running for gas and changing the oil every year. This was probably my best financial decision.
Thinking about replacing my lawn mower at the office with electric, as the area to cut is so small. But my home takes me 3.5 hours. Not sure a battery mower would be practical for that.