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Article created by: Mantas Kačerauskas

Experience is a great teacher. When you make mistakes and learn from them on your own, those lessons stick very well. However, some errors are quite costly in terms of time, money, energy, and new gray hairs. So, ideally, it would be great if you could learn what nasty pitfalls to avoid from someone else who's been in the ‘trenches’ longer.

Inspired by user BrightInMyNorthernSky, the members of the popular Mumsnet online community shared their best cautionary tales to spread a bit of their wisdom on the internet. They touched a bit of everything, from work and relationships to health. We’ve collected some of their top tips to share with you. Scroll down to take a peek, Pandas!

Bored Panda got in touch with Glenn Geher, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz and a published author. Dr. Geher shed some light on the importance of failure and how it relates to success in life. Read on for his insights!

#1

Person writing with a pen on documents, illustrating cautionary tales shared in an online thread to warn others Never Get personal loans to pay for something for your partner/spouse. If they can’t get it, there’s a reason. Don’t get into debt for them. No exclusions.

SilverBranchGoldenPears , Scott Graham / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #2

    Two women in a kitchen having a serious conversation, illustrating cautionary tales shared to warn others of mistakes. Don't let anyone stay without a clear indication of when they will be leaving. Invited a friend in dire straits to stay with me but never agreed a timescale. She ended up staying 18 months and barely paid anything in that time. Our friendship disintegrated for various reasons. Never again!

    cadburyegg , Liza Summer Report

    #3

    Woman covering her face with hands in a well-lit room, representing cautionary tales and sharing online warnings. Never forgive a cheater - they will ALWAYS cheat again and if they left you because you're the OW they will cheat on you. I believe this to be very true having worked in domestic abuse for many, many years.

    ByNavyOtter , Fa Barboza / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #4

    Various contraceptive methods including pills, condoms, and IUDs displayed on a blue background. If you’re not mature enough to have a conversation with your partner about contraception, then you’re not ready to be having sex. Just because he’s not hitting you doesn’t mean he’s a great guy.. raise the bar or stay single. Don’t accept the google log in notification thingy if you’re not 100% sure it’s actually you (ds learned that one the hard way recently).

    Chocolatepeanutbuttercupsandicecream , Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #5

    Couple holding hands at a candlelit table with wine glasses, illustrating cautionary tales about relationship mistakes. When you start dating you should be finding out, within the first few months: If they want kids If they like holidays If they have debt If they have kids/wife elsewhere (sounds obvious but you'd be amazed) What they see as retirement

    KitKatChunki , René Ranisch / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #6

    Person in a mustard sweater typing on a laptop, sharing cautionary tales in an online thread to warn others of mistakes. Always check your refund is in your bank account no matter how many times customer services say it will be there in x amount of days.

    ItsAnAbsoluteCasseroleDownThere , Christin Hume / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #7

    Person holding a credit card while using a laptop, illustrating cautionary tales shared in an online thread. Check your credit card statements regularly. My balance was a bit higher than I thought but instead of going back through the statements, I figured I'd just lost track and did a 0% balance transfer for the whole amount. It wasn't until a hotel charged me for a room I'd cancelled within the free cancellation period, that I happened to trawl back through the transactions and saw a £2,700 charge, 3 months previously, for a trip to Euro Disney. I have never been to Euro Disney.

    JiraffDeSaki , rupixen / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #8

    Patient receiving IV treatment in hospital bed, illustrating cautionary tales shared online to warn others of mistakes. My cautionary tale would be not to ignore physical symptoms no matter how disgusting you feel, but seek medical help. Otherwise you might end up very, very ill!

    SheepAndSword , Olga Kononenko / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #9

    Person counting cash with focus on hands, illustrating cautionary tales about financial mistakes and warnings online. Never pool all your money in a joint account if you are the higher earner, no matter how "trustworthy" you think your spouse is. Also never, ever give them a credit card in your name.

    DancelikeFredAstaire , Alexander Grey / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #10

    Pregnant woman jogging at sunset in a park, symbolizing cautionary tales and lessons not to repeat mistakes. If you're a runner, don't run behind a combine harvester going down a narrow country lane, because it might clip a wasps' nest, leaving you (and the dog) COVERED in really cross wasps.

    Vroomfondleswaistcoat , Alex McCarthy / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #11

    Hand squeezing cream from tube onto wrist, illustrating cautionary tales of mistakes shared in an online thread. Never, ever mistake a tube of haemorrhoid cream for a tube of Deep Heat cream.

    IwaslostinFrance , cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

    Data1001
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The other way around, I should think.

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    #12

    Hand holding a beige bra against a clear blue sky, illustrating cautionary tales about mistakes in clothing choices. Stretch marks are not caused by not wearing a bra. Many/most 14 year olds will get them , perfectly normal .

    statetrooperstacey , Chu Chup Hinh / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

    #13

    Person writing cautionary tales on paper with a pen, sharing online lessons to avoid repeating mistakes. Do not, under any circumstances, break your employment contract by leaving before the end of your notice period even if it does feel like a lifetime. Always try to negotiate with your future employers. I didn't. I've had three incredibly stressful weeks with threats of legal action and the only reason they let me go in the end was because I spent all last weekend, including BH Monday, getting the company out of a very tricky situation.

    BrightInMyNorthernSky , Unseen Studio / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #14

    Hands holding a long receipt, illustrating cautionary tales shared online about learning from costly mistakes. Always check how many items they’ve got when you brought a return. One time out of three they do a mistake. And always check your shopping receipts straight after the transaction. The day when you forget to do this you will be overcharged.

    pizzaHeart Report

    #15

    Hand holding house keys in front of a door lock, illustrating cautionary tales to warn others from mistakes. Get a spare front door key cut and hide it somewhere safe outside. Locksmiths charge a fortune to come out to your home to break you in.

    calimali , Maria Ziegler / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #16

    Hands gripping a steering wheel while driving on a rural road, illustrating cautionary tales about driving mistakes. My DH was driving around without tax for a couple of months. We both now pay monthly so it can’t expire without us realising again

    StormingNorman , Alex Chernenko / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #17

    Close-up of worn US dollar bills symbolizing cautionary tales about financial mistakes shared online. The easy option, comes at a price.

    NeelyOHara1 , Madison Kaminski / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #18

    Packages of Strepsils orange and cool sensation lozenges displayed on a white surface with one orange lozenge visible. Do not go to bed sooking a strepsil. I fell asleep and woke up in the morning it was still in my mouth (albeit much smaller) and it had burned a hole in the roof of my mouth. It was weeks before it healed properly. Also, do not sniff olbas oil whilst laying down. I did this and some dribbled out the bottle and down my nose and my nose and throat felt dry for days and days even though I guzzled water to try and get rid of it. It was awful!

    Hungrycaterpillarsmummy , Psiĥedelisto / wikipedia (not the actual photo) Report

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