Salt, pepper

Even if your food budget isn't tight, there is a huge variety of dried beans available and many are very cheap eats, often just pennies per pound. Don't forget the benefits of eating dried beans and lentils, they are a protein-rich and a nutritious substitute for meat, also high in fiber and antioxidants. They are easy to cook, and can be used in all kinds of recipes from savory to sweet. I cooked garbanzos, kidney, mayocoba beans, and black eyed peas yesterday and let them marinate overnight in a spicy Italian dressing, so we'll be eating a colorful summer bean salad for lunch today, and the ingredients in the homemade dressing cost more than the beans.

Staples themselves are very cheap...but.................

But...paper clips are probably cheaper.

$1.48 for 250.

Especially tpaste with fluoride.

Especially Dawn dish soap. I use it for everything including laundry and floor/bathroom scrubbing.

they same way that you brush your teeth. Takes about as long, but when you use these between the teeth and massage the gums...they prevent "gum disease"..you can get between 75 - 90 for about $3.00

hundreds of uses, from cooking to cleaning and beyond.

If you suffer from gout, a $6 quart of cherry juice is cheap (compared to a visit to the doctor) and effective.