What has been your smartest investment?

When I graduated from college 10 years ago, I bought a sewing machine. At the time, I suffered from severe buyer's remorse, but since then I have made curtains for every apartment and house that I've lived in, quilts for friends and their babies, and tons of new clothes (as well as repairs to the old ones).

This tip comes from Real Simple reader GRETCHEN GORLINE, Lakewood, Ohio