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Now with only a few clicks of a button, we can get everything we need or want. This has led to a serious discussion of what consumerism brings us and how we should change our shopping habits. And this is not the only reason why people sometimes need to think twice before confirming that purchase. Together with this goes untrustworthy brands, low-quality items, and influential hype of purchasing unnecessary things. 

Reddit user @u/Badass_Band1t asked people online “What should people seriously stop buying?” and received almost 40k upvotes together with 27.5 comments where other users shared their opinions about things that, for various reasons, should not be purchased in the future. 

Most of the answers showed that people are very much concerned about plastic use. A lot of comments suggested that we can all live without buying single-use plastic products when there are so many alternatives that are friendly to the environment. Plastic water bottles and cutlery were among the things that pollute surroundings the most and can be easily replaced with reusable items. 

I guess that spreading awareness about MLM (multi-level marketing) scams stuck in people’s minds as these companies and their products were also mentioned by users of Reddit. It was stressed in some of the comments that any kind of unnecessary things that provide you with temporary happiness are not worth buying as they only take up space but usually have no value. 

What do you think people should also stop buying? Leave your thoughts in the comments down below!

More Info: Reddit

#1

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Animals that are so inbred to meet a certain 'breed standard' that they are a walking vet bill from birth. Brachycephalic dog breeds such as French Bulldogs being an example.

Sarcastic-Me , stanze Report

#2

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Shark fin soup. The fishers only want the fin and throw the shark out to the sea after cutting it since the other body parts have no monetary value, letting the shark to die

marisquo , jay.tong Report

#3

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Puppy mill puppies!

bagelmama11 , gianni Report

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Aisling Raye
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ADOPT DON'T SHOP. I feel like I have to say this so many times. Look for a pet at your local shelter. Give them a chance. I promise that an adopted pet knows that you saved them. In my experience they are always the sweetest.

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#4

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Anything an influencer gets paid to promote

nagygirl23 , HumongoNationphotogallery Report

#5

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group The sewage that comes out of TV Evangelists' mouths.

datazulu , Robert Couse-Baker Report

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denzoren
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not to mention the robbery with all these "seed faiths" and donations preying on vulnerable persons.

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#6

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group University books… boycott them, ridiculous price for individuals to pay for education, should all be online publicly for free.

AidanOP , Teresa Grau Ros Report

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GFSTaylor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not for free. The people who spend months and years writing them need to earn money from their work.

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#7

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group So much. Stop buy so much. You don't need all that f*****g s**t.

SolarisIX , Blondinrikard Fröberg Report

#8

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Animals they can't take care of for the rest of their lives.

mcontant , Phil Fiddyment Report

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Julia Larsson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like parrots who outlive their owners. If you want to buy one (please do your research ofc); find an adult parrot.

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#9

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group A new phone every year.

Gabochuky , Daniel Grothe Report

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denzoren
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've had my phone for the past 3 years and it's a gem. It's not even high end, it's a based model ASUS and it does everything I need it to. It fell numerous times and haven't broken!

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#10

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group GLITTER. Sparkles, glitter and sequins on everything, especially kids items.

You think it's hard to get that s**t out of your house after craft time?

It's MICROPLASTIC, and it's going into our waterways and oceans. Yet the toy stores and clothing stores are adding more sequins and glitter every day. Makes me furious. Just stop buying it!

candidlycait , m01229 Report

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Zophra
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably have heard this elsewhere but "Glitter is the herpes of the craft world."

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#11

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Detox teas or anything that claims to help rid you of “toxins” in your body. If you can’t do that s**t on your own already then you need a kidney or liver transplant, not a tea that a fit mom is trying to sell you.

TheBereWolf , Judit Klein Report

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M O'Connell
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In their defense, I don't think they have any medicinal properties at all, but the schisandra/kuchika/chicory/dandelion "detox" teas are quite delicious.

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#12

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Caskets.

Especially those sealed tight ones... Our dead need to decompose, and they will, but the casket can just explode.

When I'm dead I want to be buried in a blanket and tossed in a hole. Let nature worry about me.

BevLive , Rob Oo Report

#13

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Products with palm oil in.

Yabanna_Koogarappa , Aul Rah Report

#14

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Cigarettes. Quit while you can. If you need help doing so, we can be friends and I can help you all I can.

ParanoidOzzy666 , Fried Dough Report

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Jenn Ryan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've tried to quit so many times throughout the years. I've tried every product and cold turkey. I can get over the physical addiction just fine. It's the mental addiction I can't get past.

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#16

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group any kind of shower gel or facewash that has those plastic microbeads in them.

The beads are small enough to get through most filtration systems and are ruinous to marine life

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/microbeads-international-ban-damage-marine-life-plastic

graeuk , J B Report

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M O'Connell
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The 'Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015' phased-out and effectively banned the sale of these products in the US in 2019.

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#17

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Fast fashion.

icee5728 , Denkrahm Report

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Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Absolutely! I have bought hardly any new items of clothing in a decade. I buy most of my clothes at thrift stores.

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Sweetie Dahling
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me too! I can't remember the last time I bought a new-new item of clothing (except for underwear/socks). Plus finding a good bargain in a thrift shop is just so much more satisfying than finding one in Primark/H&M/etc.

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lara
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Be sure you stop all those fashion nazis who are out there telling you that you shouldn't wear "boomer fashions" or whatever it is. I wear what I damn well please.

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Beeps
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And please, please, please, let’s add items of clothing made of polyester to that list!

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Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You mean the cheap—-and often transparent, not to mention very badly sewn—-crap that falls apart with the first wash? Hard pass. Give me homemade or older and better made thrift store or online consignment stuff to wear. Sometimes you find real gems so well made they’re virtually indestructible. You may pay a bit more, but they’re what’s known as “investment pieces”, and well worth that investment.

biene avatar
Lila Launehase
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This needs to be higher. Fast Fashion is the second biggest polluter of our times.

rens_1 avatar
Rens
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I lost everything but the clothes I was wearing 3 years ago; I was able to buy new clothes. I take very good care of them, I want my clothes to last so I don't mind paying for quality. I'm a plus size so it's not often that I can find clothes at thrift/charity shops. My best friend buys all her clothing, shows, bags and jewelry from charity shops. She could probably open her own shop!

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Caroline
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's hard though sometimes, because "ooh, that's pretty...but I don't need it, I have enough jumpers. Aww..." So I never look at clothes unless I need some. I only have 2 drawers of stuff for the whole year, and 3 pairs of shoes!

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Dash Dot
Community Member
2 years ago

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Potato Puffin
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This!! Im on month 7 of not buying any new clothes - I've used secondhand marketplace apps and a swap group on facebook and it's been so much fun! Ive saved a fortune, reduced my carbon footprint and got lots of new (to me) clothes for very little :)

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Ivana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Best choice I ever made was giving up fast fashion. I use to take up 3 closets in my house but now I only use half a closet for my clothes. Feels so great, laundry is finally manageable, the clothes I do have are all really nice and items that I really love. I even hate shopping and going to the mall now.

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Debby Keir
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have a UK store called Primark, and they are really inexpensive. I know that a lot of youngsters buy wear and then dispose. However, I only get to go there once every year or so, and 'stock up' with cheap tees, long tops and trousers. I'm 70 now, and am still using ones from 10 years ago. Once it's too worn to wear, it goes either in the rag bag, or to make rag rugs. So, not all fast fashion is used that way, and not everyone can afford 'slow fashion'. I DON'T buy cheap shoes though - my feet deserve better.

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Eglė Bukauskaitė
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Disagree on that. Affordable clothes are a human right. Influecers and FF corporation are the cancer of humanity - glamorizing massive hauls and "going out of fashion" within like a month.

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Kitti B.
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

because of this eco friendly behaviour thift stores became extremely pricey and fast fashion became even cheaper. So I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna pay extra money on used clothes while I can dress up nicely from H&M. I usually wear those items for 5 or 6 years anyway.

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Ivy la Sangrienta
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't buy a lot of clothes per year (Except socks and underwear, their quality has really gone downhill) but when I do it's usually from vintage shops/flea markets. I prefer the old styles.

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Elmie Pumpkinbush
Community Member
2 years ago

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Katia Wolfe
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fast fashion is cheaply-made, trendy clothing that goes out of style quickly and has low durability (not made to last for more than one season). Most of these clothes fall apart quickly and end up in landfills, unlike well-made staple pieces that can last and stay in fashion for many years. Forever 21 and H&M are prime examples of fast fashion retailers.

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Mazer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thankfully I’ve never had the money to engage in this and because I like to be in nature…High fashion and nature really don’t mix

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#18

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Diamonds

OrangeyUnicorn , kyler kwock Report

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DarkAngelNic
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Diamonds are overrated and there are lots of gems more attractive.

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#19

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Anything involved in an MLM scam. I’m looking at you Young Living Essential Oils

wafflelover17 , Channy Yun Report

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Satirical Duchess
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

dear lord, why did that take me a second to realise it didn't say "men loving men scam"

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#20

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Plastic bottles.

Just buy a water filter and fill up the same bottle

Edit: for people saying just drink tap water, I agree 100%. I’m just saying there are a lot of people who only buy bottled water, drink it, throw it and buy another one. Ridiculously unnecessary. Those plastics are so difficult to recycle, if at all. Most just ends up in landfill anyway.

Trying to convince them to buy a water filter is good middle ground!

My FIL boasts about how eco-conscious he is but still does what I said above. Drives me mental.

ItWazFuken1ofYas , zeevveez Report

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Samantha Lomb
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

refilling a single use bottle does actually cause germ growth though. You need a reusable bottle than can be cleaned.

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#21

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Tiny plastic garbage

I see tiktoks of people unboxing like these mini-plastic toys (?) of name brand items.

And they will have 100s of them all individually wrapped in multiple layers of packaging just to have tiny replicas of a bottle of windex or lay's potato chips.

WitherWithout , Ivan Radic Report

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More Thinking Needed
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

81% of plastic ocean polution comes from Asia. Africa 8%, South America 6%, North America 5%, Europe <1%

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#22

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Red Delicious apples. You deserve better than that mushy garbage. Get yourself a honeycrisp.

1080TJ , Sonita Lewis Report

#23

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group K-Cups

If you have a Keurig, use the reusable K-Cup.

gizmosbutu , m01229 Report

#25

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Any home exercise machine or equipment that requires a subscription to use. You paid 2 grand for a treadmill and then a recurring monthly fee to use it. How is this business model working?

Hormel_Chavez , Make Lemons Report

#27

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group S**t made of plastic they use once and throw away.

LPTKill , Carl Campbell Report

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jpaul
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Europe has started a "0 plastic" campaign. progressively any avoidable plastic is prohibited

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#28

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Most saltwater fish if they aren't willing to put in the effort, and certain species that just can't be kept in captivity even with the effort.

90% of saltwater fish you see in the store except for most clowns, some tangs, some seahorses, and I think maybe cardinal fish are all wild caught.

More than any other pet, when you take home a saltwater fish you have purchased a piece of the environment and you should treat it with every bit of respect it deserves.

RhynoD , Aquatic Life Report

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Raven DeathShade
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why I stick with freshwater fish. My betta is perfectly happy in his ~30 gallon tank, and I'm getting him some more tankmates soon.

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#29

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group Online IQ test. If there was a way to fail an IQ test, paying for one online would be it.

theoceanisdeep , Alberto G. Report

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Sam Yobado
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just be sure to buy all the brain training apps first, to make certain you are the superest smart.

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#30

30 Items We All Should Quit Buying, As Pointed Out By People In This Online Group I can't understand the people that buy holiday decor every single year. Are people buying fake trees and tossing them every year and needing a new one? Same with ornaments and what not. Obviously people move out of their parents or they need to replace ornaments if they're broken or something but the amount in stores does not add up to me. Why so much new stuff every year?

PumpkinPieIsGreat , subherwal Report

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Lara Verne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No need to buy new ornaments every year. I still use ornaments from 1960s that belonged to my grandparents.

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Note: this post originally had 40 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.