9 cheap products that solve some of life's everyday annoyances

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A makeup spatula

A makeup spatula
Every Last Drop Makeup Spatula, available at The Container Store, $4.99

The annoyance: You can't reach the last few drops of your makeup, ultimately leading to waste of perfectly good product.

The solution: A makeup spatula that helps you get every last drop of valuable product. This little tool combines an extra-long plastic handle and a thin, silicone spatula to help you get to those hard-to-reach parts of any makeup bottle and scrape out all of the product you can, leaving nothing to waste. At just $5 a pop, this will probably save you a good deal of money by making your expensive makeup or skin-care products last a lot longer.

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An extra-long charging cable

An extra-long charging cable
AmazonBasics 10-foot Charging Cable, available at Amazon, $10.79

The annoyance: Your outlets are inconveniently located, so you can't use your phone while it's charging unless you want to sit on the floor in the corner of the room.

The solution: A phone charger that's long enough to cover the distance between your outlet and bed (or couch, chair, etc.). This charging cable can be wrapped up if you're using it in a nearby outlet, but it can be easily extended if you need to plug your phone in to an outlet that happens to be far away — so you can continue scrolling through Instagram from the comfort of your own bed.

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An avocado slicer

An avocado slicer
OXO 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer, available at Amazon, $9.99

The annoyance: Cutting and preparing your favorite fruit always turns into a hassle and a safety risk.

The solution: A handy tool that can split, pit, and slice avocados. It has a soft, non-slip grip and a serrated blade that can slice your avocado, but is soft to the touch — so you don't have to worry about any knife mishaps. A fan blade makes thin slices in a snap and a stainless steel pitter seamlessly pops out the pit with a simple twist. It's a simple, safe, mess-free way to prep your next avocado toast.

A colander scoop

A colander scoop
Joseph Joseph Scoop Colander, available at Amazon, $8.99

The annoyance: You don't want to pick up a hot pot or pan to drain it of boiling liquid.

The solution: A large colander that's shaped like a slotted spoon. Use this to scoop pasta, veggies, and more directly from the pot to your plate. It makes serving super easy — you don't need to pull out a strainer or worry about lifting a hot, heavy pot full of pasta. Plus, it's dishwasher safe, so cleaning is a breeze.

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A collapsible water bottle

A collapsible water bottle
Que Collapsible Water Bottle, available at Amazon, $19.95

The annoyance: Your reusable water bottle is too big to tote in your everyday bag.

The solution: A water bottle that can collapse to be just over four inches tall. With a lightweight and compact design, this bottle is perfect for taking on the go. It can hold cold or hot liquids, plus it's leakproof, so you don't have to deal with cleaning up any unexpected spills.

A headphone cord organizer

A headphone cord organizer
Tophome Earphone Cord Organizer, available at Amazon, $5.99

The annoyance: Whenever you reach in your bag to grab your earphones, they're in a tangled mess.

The solution: A nice little organizer that keeps your earphones tangle-free and easy to find. Simply roll up the cord and place it on the organizer, then buckle it in. It takes just a second to do, but will save you plenty of time trying to figure out how to gently detangle knots without breaking your earphones.

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A pair of texting gloves

A pair of texting gloves
Knit Tech Gloves, available at Nordstrom, $17.40

The annoyance: It's freezing cold, but you still need to send an important text or use the map on your phone for directions.

The solution: Gloves that are touchscreen-friendly, but don't sacrifice on warmth. The pointer finger and thumb each have special tips that let you text while wearing these thick-knit gloves. Never worry about freezing your fingers just to make an important call again.

An egg timer

An egg timer
Burton Egg Perfect Egg Timer, available at Amazon, $8.92

The annoyance: No matter how much you try, you can never get the timing right to make the perfect hard or soft boiled egg.

The solution: A heat-sensitive timer that tells you exactly when your eggs are ready. Place the timer in the pot of boiling water along with your eggs. As they cook, the timer will change color, signaling to you that the eggs are ready. There are three settings — hard, medium, and soft — so you can choose exactly when to take out your eggs, and know they're cooked to your liking.

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A pair of smarter socks

A pair of smarter socks
Bombas Socks, available at Bombas, from $8

The annoyance: Your socks slip off your heel and you're left with uncomfortable, scrunched up fabric under your feet all day long.

The solution: Socks that are thoughtfully designed to stay on and stay comfortable all day long. Engineered with all of the most common sock related annoyances in mind, Bombas has features like a blister tab that keeps your sock cushioned around your ankle as well as "stay-up technology" which keeps calf and knee-high socks from falling down. My Insider Picks writers and editors have called Bombas the best socks they've ever worn, and they're a surefire way to never deal with sock slippage again.