36 Things That Are Actually Expensive And Not Necessary, Yet Folks Still Pay For Them
Interview With ExpertIf you are a fan of the theory of minimalism, you might know that it’s the simple life that gives pleasure, rather than the one spent on unnecessarily hoarding things. Well, not everyone thinks so, because sometimes, people end up buying things—just for face value—which are actually a complete waste of money!
When a Reddit user posed the question, “What’s a total waste of money, yet people still pay for?”, netizens revealed a lot of things that honestly bring no value to our lives but are very pricey. You might be able to relate to a lot of these things, so just scroll down and check out for yourself!
More info: Reddit
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Lip fillers. 99% of the time it looks like s**t.
Any fillers. Most of the time the face doesn't look younger - it looks plastic. And the person looks like mutton dressed up as lamb.
Not being able to move your face into actual expressions is weird.
Load More Replies...Maybe instead of shaming mostly women for trying to adhere to unrealistic ever changing beauty standards we fix our f****d up beauty standards
That’s why they look like orífices. Correct me if I’m wrong but (tee hee) the facial lips and the a**s are the same tissues. So Cartman was right.
Purebred pets.
Why? Just go to the shelter. Oh, and quit making new breeds that have medical issues.
I foster for a UK-based rescue, and moggies and mutts are the best! They are generally healthier and suffer from less genetic issues as they have a nice, wide gene pool compared to pure breeds. As a result, their insurance typically costs less and their lifespans are longer. Animals from shelters will also usually come neutered and vaccinated. Adopt don't shop!
The designer name breeds is a real issue. Just because you put breeds together doesn't automatically create a new breed. A husky and a labrador don't create a huskador, a pug and jack russel don't create a jug, they create mongrels. Calling a mongrel a fancy name and saying its worth thousands doesn't make it true. An ethical breeder does it to enhance a specific breed, to preserve and/or improve upon an established line, not because 2 breeds are cute. There's science behind breeding any animal. Something that back yard breeders don't seem to grasp. Go to the shelter. There's a million of these designer breeds waiting for homes. And for the love of God. Stop breeding merle's. The coat may look unique and interesting but they're a dumpster fire genetically.
Merle’s are not just the coat colors. It’s a genetic mutation and you can safely breed a Merle as long as you are not breeding two Merle’s. You never want double recessive genes that’s the genetic dumpster fires you mentioned. There is also ghost merle genes. Which have no outward characteristics of a Merle, meaning you must do genetic testing first to find out if your stock is carrying this gene. So in other words, don’t breed Merle’s unless you’re prepared to do the work to make sure they’ll be healthy! (I have a gorgeous blue Merle chihuahua and she and my tricolor male make beautiful healthy pups with wide coat color variations)
Load More Replies...The shelters and rescues are filled with pitbulls, mixes and other big dogs. I don't want a big dog because I am not capable of giving it what it needs. The limited number of small dogs that they do have go fast and for a significant amount of money.
Never had a dog in over 50 years that wasn't a "pound puppy". I've always looked for middle aged, middle sized mixed breed females and have had remarkably good luck.
Load More Replies...My partner has a rescue French Bulldog who was a b***h at a puppy farm so that idiots with money could buy dogs that had built in genetic defects. Bizarre. She came to their family with all kinds of nervous hang ups, it took a year to get her settled and she’s now the loveliest little beastie, a snoring, farting Frenchie but she’s still the loveliest thing 😀 her partner in crime is a whippet / Staffy cross and he’s scared of rain, wind, in fact any weather that’s not completely calm and bland, leaves blowing around is cause for much upset! Adopt your animals, this is the way.
Nothing wrong with ETHICAL purebred breeders that breed to standard, do testing, and never over breed. The reasons why so many dogs end up in shelters are because of irresponsible breeding, lack of training, just not wanting them. If laws were to be put into place to ban unethical breeding like doodles and "oops" litters, the shelters wouldn't be full.
The only ethical breeding is for people who need working dogs
Load More Replies...The Netherlands is the first country to have banned breeding and buying short-snouted dogs and cats ( such as bulldogs, persians) as well as some others breeds that lead to a lot of suffering in the animal. I'd say that's a very healthy step forward.( you can keep the animals you've got till they die obv) I'm not certain what makes people decide that the constant breathing trouble of their pet is "cute" and something to go for, but I'd love for them to take a long hard look at themselves ( and no, obviously no shame on people who adopted a pet who happened to look like that)
I have a 100% Beagle and I will fight you if you tell me I am wrong for it. Pistols at dawn sir!
Or stop making up new breeds because your lab had an oopes baby with a poodle.
I totally read lab as the place rather than the animal.
Load More Replies..."Just go to shelter" ? Not here I have been trying to adopt for years, but with kids and a cat in the house it is almost impossible. Most dogs has to be alone and only owners ready to handle nervous and aggressive behaviours. I dont want a amstaff or similar and they are over 90% of the dogs.
Donating to mega churches. The pastor already has a mega mansion, there is no need to donate. People are falling for false hope.
Had a grandparent donate 200k$ when they passed. Left 10k$ insurance for burial to family. Would've rather seen it donated to cancer research.
Trying to buy their way into heaven. Why worship a god who takes bribes?
Load More Replies...Or spend it on legal fees to get child rapers off the hook.
Load More Replies...George Carlin: "There is an invisible man in the sky that sees everything... and he needs MONEY." I am paraphrasing, of course.
Wasn't there a video with one saying God wanted him to have a car or something.
One of the questions that got me in trouble in Catholic school…why does God need money?
Or giving your last penny a billionaires legal costs and campaign...
Aren't most mega churches evangelical? Which is doubly weird since Martin Luther seperated the protestants from the catholic church because he was appaled by them selling indulgences.
But Kenneth Copeland, worth about $800 million dollars, needs that new jet! Just ask him.
It's a scam. If these people are so naive to donate then that's their poor judgement and they'll have to deal with any disappointments.
Problem is, we all have to deal with the consequences of churches meddling in elections where they don't belong. The more money they have, the more they can meddle.
Load More Replies...We live in a world that is constantly on its feet and just keeps evolving eternally, with a rise and fall of inflation along with the changing economy. Oddly though, humans have this unquenchable thirst to own things that are expensive, even when they aren't needed.
Just look around your room and you will notice a few things which you bought but now lie forgotten in some corner. The real issue, however, arises when we question why we buy these expensive things knowing they could be a total waste of money.
To understand more about the human psyche and the factors that influence our decisions, Bored Panda reached out to counselor Faizan Maniyar for an interview. He mentioned that psychological factors come into play and influence people to spend on seemingly unnecessary items.
Starbucks. Premium pricing for very mediocre coffee.
They use cheap beans and over roast them to the point they're bitter and taste burnt. What they're selling is an image that silly people think makes them look upper-crusty. It's basically white wash with extra sugar and flavors to cover up how well you've been duped.
I was a barista for many years while in college and any real barista dislikes Starbucks. Overly sweet or burnt coffee and have the incorrect names. Ex: macchiato is a 3 oz expresso shot marked with foam on top (the name mean 'to mark,' it's not that giant super sweet tooth rotter people buy.
I used to bartend next to a real coffee house next to a university. Mid 90´s. That was some good coffee and espresso. And we weren’t whiny if it took 5 minutes for our drink.
Load More Replies...But they add enough sugar, caramel, and whipped cream to make it palatable. These people don't want coffee they want drinkable dessert at 7am.
Their coffee USED to be a little better than other coffee, but once they went streamlined so the coffee would taste the same everywhere, the quality went down to just as bad as Dunkin's. And the "baristas" are just pushing buttons, not creating anything.
Myself, and most of my friends don't really class Starbucks as coffee. It's a warm mildly coffee flavoured bubble tea.
I feel like many people go there for the sugar more so than the coffee. The coffee is just an excuse to enjoy 4 pumps of syrup in the morning.
The image of a sophisticated urbanite with a logo on their cup is what most people are after.
Tell that to our next USA president. I can’t stand the side of fries with every meal. Give me veggies. How do people live that long eating that c**p?
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Bottled water when you live in a place with clean faucet water.
So true. I see people in the supermarket loading up with dozens of bottles when our tap water is 100 % safe and tastes better.
Ugh sooooooo jealous!!! My tap water tastes like farts and bleach had a baby
Load More Replies...I still get, very occasionally, guests in my rental apartments who bring a supply of bottled water with them. We're in the Swiss Alps, the tapwater here is among the best you could find anywhere in the world. The myth that's been accepted by some over several generations is that the minerals in Mineral Water are what makes it special. With very few exceptions this is simply not true. (Badoit stands out, it's almost salty, slightly fizzy, good for rehydration.). Pretty sure we could just bottle the tapwater and get a better 'quality' water than most of the bottled stuff., and without using all the plastics too.
Yes, I run a chalet rental business in the 4 valley ski resort in Switzerland our tap water get actually bottled under the Aproz brand and still there are people buying plastic bottles...
Load More Replies...I live in Buxton. You can fill a huge container with water from the well in town, it’s free, or you can go to Morrisons and buy a bottle of Buxton water for a quid. That water has been pumped to the plant, bottled, wrapped, palletised, shifted to the Morrisons distribution centre, put on a lorry back to Buxton and displayed for your convenience. Or there’s the free stuff 🤷🏻♂️ guess what folk do, yep they buy it. Tap water is great here too.
PS When I had fish they swam in 100% Buxton Water 😂 it required a little adjustment ‘cause it has certain minerals in it but it’s free so I was willing to do the legwork.
Load More Replies...i have a cracker plant almost in my back yard. i am not drinking the local water.
They seem to be finding microplastics in bottled water these days. And do we need more throwaway plastic bottles on this planet? I'll drink from my spring, thanks.
I live in Central Florida, and the water tastes like s**t, but I don't buy bottled water. I bought a ZeroWater filter system, and the filters last long enough that it's cheaper than buying bottled water.
My faucet water tastes yucky so I use a Brita pitcher that I always keep filled in my fridge.
Same here. When my cats refused to drink the tap water I put in their drinking water fountains, I got a Brita pitcher. If your animals don't drink the tap water no way am I. Animals know!
Load More Replies...Our tap water is clean and my parents put in a filtering system to the refrigerator and water spout at the sink. I still prefer bottled. I can not only taste the chemicals in the water, but they often make me sick to my stomach causing digestive & intestinal problems.
I have clean water coming out of the faucet however I still boil my water, let it cool, then put it in a water pitcher. It does taste better.
Products endorsed by celebs.
Aye! Oh, and I've got something pathetically similar, also from the US, "magas" beloved leader, comrade trumptardsky with a long list of failures AND his inbred daughter bodybags when the COVID pandemic was in full swing combined-6...8f2f68.jpg
Faizan elaborated that people often compare themselves to others and feel the need to "keep up," which can lead to purchases that align with social norms or expectations, even if they are unnecessary. He pointed out instant gratification, where individuals prioritize immediate pleasure over long-term benefits, leading to impulsive spending.
"Purchases can serve as a way to express one's identity or elevate perceived social status. For example, luxury items might symbolize success or sophistication. Another key factor is the fear of missing out on experiences or trends that can push people to spend on things they might not truly need or value," Faizan noted.
New smart phones every year.
I’ve got you beat: I’m still using an iPhone 6! And it doesn’t just work, but it also prevents theft, as no one wants an iPhone 6. 😀
Load More Replies...Mine is still receiving texts and calls. So it's working much better than I'd like.
My last one was 5 years old. I once had to upgrade because they no longer made the parts for mine!
I'm glad some brands are offering updates for 5+ years nowadays. I just stay away from flagship phones (currently rocking a Pixel 6A for 2 years now, cost $250 US). It will get updates until July 2027, after that, I may look into LineageOS unless I get a good deal on a newer phone.
I've had my iPhone 12 since December 2020. Still works fine other than the battery. I'm going to use it until it dies. LOL
I'm only thinking about getting a new phone because Samsung doesn't give it more (security/system) updates anymore. But I don't really want a new phone because what I have is working just fine. I'm just worried about the lack of updates. Also the battery sucks but that is entirely my own fault.
buy a last years model, you can save big bucks that way. Or if you're techie, look into LineageOS.
Load More Replies...I only have a smartphone because I'm required to have WhatsApp for work, and I sometimes use Uber. Otherwise I'd still have a dumb phone!
My ohone company sent me a free phone because they were upgrading the network and the old phone would no longer work.
Load More Replies...many are not made to last much longer... ...my Nokia is bulletproof
Tipping for to go orders. You’re putting in the order and picking it up yourself. Whoever is handing you the bag should be paid appropriately by their employer and if they’re not it’s not your fault.
If someone is picking up something for you and delivering it to your front door in their own personal vehicle, you should be tipping them for the personal service you received. Tipping the kiosk at McDonald's, not so much.
To go order, as in you pick it up from the place and someone just hands you the bag
Load More Replies...Tipping - it is ridiculous and should be done away with for 100% of things. Those that keep giving people extra money for doing their job are part of the problem.
Did they pick it up from somewhere and deliver it to you? Then TIP them for the personal service. Did they hand it to you across a counter - hell no, no tip for you!
Load More Replies...What a weird take. The employer being liable to better pay their employees, but stiffing the employee and still supporting that business. It doesn't change tipping culture, but it does make you look like a total a*s.
Weddings.
1000000%. Spend it on yourselves, go on a nice trip or something.
Me, my wife, the preacher and two witnesses, followed by dinner at a Chinese restaurant for the lot. Whole thing, including gas 'cause the minister lived 90 miles away, was under $100
Load More Replies...Tip from a previous wedding planner at a Four Seasons Hotel -- call the florist, band, etc. and ask for the pricing for flowers for party with X number of guests. Do not tell them it is a wedding.... tell them later. The pricing for the same service for a party is different than wedding pricing.
Our wedding cost a little over $3000. We did everything ourselves including delicious food. Only invited about 30 people. Had a great time and fond memories. No one needs a blow out.
Our wedding cost maybe $3000 at most. The most expensive thing was the venue. We did everything DIY and I found my dress on sale for $100. All of our flowers were silk that we bought on amazon, except the bridal party flowers, but those we bought at a wholesale place and put the bouquets and boutonnieres together ourselves. We did end up getting a lot of cash as gifts which covered a lot of the cost so we used it on stuff we needed for our apartment.
While still often unneccessary expensive weddings aren't the neck braker, but divorces are...
I read some years ago, from a reputable source (and I wish I could remember which) that, statistically, couples who have very expensive weddings are more likely to split up within five years.
Well, not in my case. I've been "executed"..er, married for..(God almighty! Wife is going to kill me for no remembering how many years we've been married! Thanks m8, thanks a lot for getting me in trouble) Anyway! More than... 6 years, that's absolutely certainty! And (this is the best part) i absolutely refused ANY help paying for my execution, er, marriage from my Parents and my in-laws, even my brother was trying to help me (you wouldn't believe how good it is treating to waterboard his a**e if he does that) even I said to my now wife that she's absolutely forbidden for paying for her wedding dress or anything she wanted for our big day...long story, short, I paid well over 7 figures (£) for our wedding. My little brother, no recently, made the same cardinal sin as me and since heand his now Wife saw how beautiful was my execution, he did the same thing as me, even paid first class trip for his In-laws, brothers and sisters from Australia (Melbourne). Do I have a regret? Hell NO!.
Load More Replies...Our expert further explained that marketing strategies are designed to capitalize on psychological biases to drive consumer behavior. He said that limited-time offers or "only a few left" messages create a sense of urgency and make people feel they might lose an opportunity.
Another such strategy that Faizan highlighted was anchoring bias where showing a higher price first (e.g., "was $199, now $99") makes the discounted price seem like a great deal, even if the item is unnecessary.
"Social proof is also a tactic where highlighting reviews, testimonials, or how many people have purchased an item makes people feel validated in making the same choice. Bundle deals and upgrades also play a part as offering multiple items at a discount or suggesting upgrades can make people spend more, even when they initially intended to purchase less," he added.
Dude wipes, Man Soaps, Alpha Mouth Washes, and other products that charge a premium for keeping insecure men from feeling emasculated by basic hygiene.
Alpha Mouth Washes? What the hell is that, coolant/anti-freeze I assume.
Does it wash the "Alpha" bs out of their mouths? Worth it then !!
Load More Replies...Alpha mouth washes . . . . . No way that exists . . . . they don't exist, right . . . . . dammit, now I need to know *Google's it* . . . . Did you know you can buy mouthwash for dogs?
A little tangential, but deodorant for men goes out of its way to remind you that it's not going to make you smell like a flower. So my deodorant is called "old wolf" or something... I hope I don't smell like a damp dog...
I heard of a concealer or some kind of make up advertised at "war paint"
LMAO! Even tho I can afford anything I want, I've never, ever been a fan of spending more than £50 quids on fancy, personal stuff like that, and my Wife knows it
Everyone knows that the alpha mouth wash is regular Listerine. If you can handle that first thing in the morning, the day will be fine.
At our house, it's called Blisterine. And I do love the medicinal taste of the "brown" flavor.
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Most things that have the pink tax on them for women. Ex. The generic blue razors are exactly the same as the fancy pink ones marketed to women.
50 cents? Man, those jumped. I paid about 15 cents for my most recent ones a few years ago and I didn't just go with the cheapest; I got about 20 different ones to compare, made meticulous notes before settling on my favorite. Then got a 100 pack for $15 that I'm still going through. And was gifted another 100 pack of a different brand, so now it seems I'm set for life.
Load More Replies...The pink tax is not a tax on things that are pink. It's things that women *have* to pay for that men don't, such as period products and bras, or things that they are expected by society to purchase as standard, such as makeup and handbags.
It's more than that. Some products are used by both men and women, and despite no or minimal differences, the one marketed to women is more expensive. As the OP says, a very common example is razors. The pen company Bic was in trouble a few years ago when they made pens with packaging labeled 'for her' that were about 50% more expensive than identical Bic pens (except for color).
Load More Replies...Disagree. Men blades are wary more expensive (cause they are a different quality). But also other hygiene products for men (i.e. deodorant) are at least here in germany more expensive compared to the female product. Edit: Also see next post :-)
Every gendered product is a rip-off. Except tampons.
the pink tax doesn't literally mean pink items are more expensive. It means things that are made and marketed for women are more expensive than the men's version
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Life coaches. 99.9% of them are crypto bro scam artists.
Life coaches. That's what religious clergy are supposed to be, and look how that works out.
Maybe they're atheist...but guess then it doesn't count...
Load More Replies...An untrained and unqualified advice columnist you pay to advise you directly.
Load More Replies...And career coaches are their own brand on LinkedIn. I keep getting requests from people who are going to make me earn 10x. Sure, dude.
Faizan strongly believes that emotions play a strong role in spending behavior. When we asked him to elaborate, he spoke about four major emotions that fall prey to these marketing tactics.
He explained, "First is boredom: shopping can be used as a way to alleviate boredom and provide a sense of novelty or excitement. Online shopping, in particular, offers instant engagement. Next is stress: retail therapy is real—buying items can temporarily distract from stressors and create a sense of control or comfort."
"Then comes happiness: positive emotions can lead to spending as a way to reward oneself or enhance an already good mood, often without considering long-term consequences. The fourth one is loneliness: people might buy things to feel connected to others or fill an emotional void, especially through purchases that align with social trends."
Cigarettes.
Over the past year, I've cut down from 1.5 to 2 packs a day, to just under a pack. And that has been a struggle. If you've never been addicted to something, have a little compassion for others. Most of us WISH we'd never started and could stop. People griping and being nasty to us and about it makes it that much harder. That being said, there's no reason for a smoker not to be polite
When I smoked, many of my friends couldn't understand why I would inhale unnatural substances into my body. Now people inhale flavoured vapes, and it's not a problem. Go figure.
Extended warranties on inexpensive items.
Or one's on expensive items that won't cover anything. Like America Home Shield or Auto Shield
Absolutely. I was an HVAC dispatcher for several years and almost every time a customer submitted a claim to American Home Shield for a repair for their AC the claim was flat out denied.
Load More Replies...I was visiting family in another state and forgot my watch. I went to the mall to find a cheap watch to use for the duration. Watch was on sale $20.00- warranty -$18.00! I burst out laughing, I know they have to ask as part of their job, so I apologized to the salesperson.
In about 1998 I bought my 1st washer and dryer at Best Buy. The guy tried to sell me a 10 year extended warranty. I asked why I would need one. He said they don’t last very long. I asked why I should buy it if it’s a piece of shlt. He had no words. The washer lasted 20 years and the dryer about 15. They were the cheapest models they had. I do recommend a quality extended manufacturer warranty on cars before your base warranty runs out though, not that aftermarket BS.
This is exactly what my thought process is. They tell me how great the product is and then tell me I should buy an extended warranty. Sheesh. 🙄
Load More Replies...However I would always recommend the extended warranty on laptops. I know it's not a cheap item as the post says but I've never regretted it. Dell also pretty much replaces any part that goes bad.
Most countries have consumer protection legislation, which covers manufacturing faults.
If the expense of an extended warranty is justifiable, then the item is such a piece of junk that the purchase price is not. A reliable product generally does not need an extended warranty.
Psychics.
She looks like the real deal, she's got the beads and everything lol
I read it a 'Physics' at first wondering if I missed something important 🙃
Load More Replies...If you make an appointment with a psychic, don't tell her when you're coming. If she's really psychic, she should already know.
My mom is paying some woman to have contact with my grandma. The woman my mom was on/off on speaking terms with when she was alive. The woman who chose to support my mentally ill aunt by never ever mentioning me nor my mom ever again (to her, my aunt) and by tossing out all evidence of our existence (pictures, my mom's school papers etc). But sure, my mom wanted some sort of closure and the psychic (my mom is on first name terms with the psychic but I *magically* always forget it) seems to've calmed my mom about losing her mother a bit. But I am still not at all comfortable with the arrangement. I try to think of it as my mom paying for closure and that she'll move on shortly. Not as my mom paying for a scam artist. 😬
The lady i saw a few years ago knew things about my life that i had forgotten about. But what kicked it for me was when she said she saw my dad watching me and crying. He passed in 2010 and was so physically and mentally abusive to me because i was born effeminate and later came out as gay and we didn't mend fences or have any closure before he passed. Then she tells me my mom is sitting there with a hand over her mouth because she didnt do anything to stop the abuse. She then gave me examples of things that happened. When he took me outside and pointed to the corn field and said he would bury me because dead fággots are the only good fággots. She was hitting left and right. I don't have facebook, Instagram or even insticart for that matter. She had nothing to go on. I do hate that so many prifit by scamming you while already digging into your pockets. Sad that the ones with the talent are getting grouped into it. Before I met her i was 500% skeptic of all of it but wow.
Lass looks like alike she just found out her boyfriend listens to Joe Rogan . . . .
Well, due to these marketing gimmicks, it's clear why people fall prey to them, but what after? When a person realizes that they have been duped, surely there are consequences.
Faizan emphasized that realizing a purchase was wasteful can lead to several psychological outcomes. He spoke about buyer's remorse, which is the regret or guilt experienced after making a purchase, especially when it wasn’t necessary or didn’t bring the expected satisfaction.
As per him, people may experience discomfort due to the conflict between their spending behavior and their values (e.g., "I value saving, but I wasted money"). He further mentioned that repeated instances of wasteful spending can lead individuals to feel they lack self-control or financial discipline.
Gambling.
Today, I witnessed a woman dump $260 worth of lottery scratch cards into the trash--all losing ones. She spent much more than that, too. I just can't wrap my head around that.
My best friend's mom is addicted to gambling and spends about 50$ a day on scratchers (she calls it her entertainment). She has won a 50k pot and a 10k pot. I think she's still behind... 1000$+ a month over 30 years is much more than the 60-70k that she's won. She is not wealthy, is quite broke, it's super sad.
Load More Replies...That's exactly what I tell my students when I teach them probability.
Load More Replies...I always find it odd that cigarette adverts are banned (rightly so) but any app you download has loads of ads for other gambling based apps, also every other tv ad is for some kind of bingo game
They make no promises that you’ll win; in fact, they’re very open and insistent about gambling being “entertainment”. In what way is that a “scam”?
Load More Replies...Include the multistate lottery in this and I'm in. The multistate lottery is a poor man's tax.
So it isn’t true unless the lottery is included?
Load More Replies...DeLeTe AlL OtHeR GaMeS AnD DoWnLoAd OuRs! We'll give you $10,000 free coins!!
You can't even get match or game scores without something about gambling.
Homeopathic medicine.
There are many supplements and other natural treatment options that have benefit. They should be used in conjunction with traditional medical options and not in place of. Integrative Functional medicine helps many people and are the only medical specialty in the US that understands and can properly treat Chronic Lyme/Tick Disease.
If it's so good why do they bury the homeopathic part in small print where it's hard to find?
Big Pharma loves you for including this on your list. Yes...some of the remedies are quack but many of them work far far better than the super expensive lab developed sh-ite and don't have side effects that are worse than what you are trying to cure.
Pretty much anything Balenciaga.
A luxury fashion brand that sells the most ridiculous overpriced things such as clear tape chunky bracelet (over $3000), a bath towel as a skirt (over $900 ) and many others
Load More Replies...I have a friend who is ridiculous rich that gifted me a purse from this brand once, I’m grateful for it but I can’t say it’s any better quality than a £20 Amazon purchase
Well, that's definitely something to think about, isn't it? Maybe if we are more aware of the psychological strategies that are marketed to us, we might refrain from such purchases.
Did you find the insights provided by our expert helpful? Also, which of the things from the list have you purchased without thought before? Go on, now; don't feel shy. Just share them in the comments below!
Anything from Louis Vuitton.
Any designer who has their name prominently displayed on their sh!ttty product - I.e. Michael Kors
€56000 for a tea set in a leather box 😂 sometimes I wonder if the nouveau rich are this desperate or if there's some kind of an LV based tax scam involved.
I don't mind paying a bit more for something that will last. But I'm not paying more than $30-$50 for a purse. I use mine until they are falling apart. I just bought myself a Giani Bernini purse. It's exactly what I wanted, but Macy's wanted $99.50 for it. I got it for $37, on sale, coupon code they sent me and an additional holiday % off. It's worth $37, but not $100
This happened to me recently, both key fobs for my car were low battery and needed to have the battery replaced. I took them to the Acura dealer and they quoted me 240 dollars EACH! I looked up what kind of battery they took and ordered them on Amazon 20 for like 11 bucks. Then I watched a 2 min YouTube video and did it myself. I really just thought they only charge that much cause they know people will pay it.
I call BS. I work at a dealership and replace key fob batteries all the time. We charge about $5 to $6 depending on what battery it gets. And yes you can buy batteries cheaper but I know how to get the fob open without breaking it. $240 sounds more like a new fob, I think the OP wasn't clear on what they told the counter person they needed. You tell me you need a new key or fob and I will quote you a new key or fob, plus the cost of having it programed to the car. Some dealerships even give out new batteries in for free, we get them very cheap.
I just texted a manager over at our Acura store: he said $10 to replace the battery.
Load More Replies...It never crossed my mind that someone couldn't change a battery on a fob. I may have found a new career.
That price is more like for replacing the fob, which has to be programmed.
*ding, ding, ding* We have a winner!!! Exactly my thoughts!
Load More Replies...I really hate keyless cars! Recently the fob to my mom's car died and we couldn't even get in to the damn thing. It took googling a video to figure out how to open and start the car with the "emergency key". So stupid!
They charge a high price bc they don't want the job. People do it all the time in the trades. I was a printer and we all determined our prices in-part by:how finicky a customer was, how big or too small a job.
TBH we had a control unit for a machine that had a BIOS with the standard 2032 batt. When the battery went, (6-10 years) the unit defaulted to default settings, the unit wouldn't start. I would explain to the the techs how to fix, open, replace battery, plug-in display keyboard, and explain the settings they had to config. About 7. If they bothered to do it fine, cost them 2 euros and 30min. If they sent it back to me we only did refurbs. So I had to charge them 1500 euros . If the tech is to lazy or inept it's not my problem. You'd be surprised some techs I have to deal with. Spent a morning on the phone trying to assist a guy, couldn't set up TeamViewer, anydesk. Turned out when I gave him the IP he needed he wasn't putting points in. 1921791201 instead of 192.179.120.1 this c**k ducker is head tech in at an important clients.
Cosmetics - some of the prices on cosmetics is insane to me. I could never justify spending hundreds of dollars on it.
Right! I went to get a new eyeliner cause I lost my last one. I just needed a cheap one for my work xmas party and ended up not getting any cause I couldn't find any cheaper then like $20. Of course ended up finding mine the next day..
I found a really great lip gloss for around $15 in 2016. I hate spending that much but I have thin lips and oily skin so this was the best. Had to go out of town for work when they implemented the new liquid guides. This TSA woman tried to get me to throw it out. We went and checked my husband’s bag instead, no fee. I reenttered in the next lane over and I still had the same lip gloss, different color. That dude let me through. He saw it. Makeup is expensive and when you find what you like you treasure it. Also TSA can be power hungry jerks like cops.
Load More Replies...Try the dollar stores. They often have brand names and/or dupes. Today I was finally able to get some mascara - been out for months (don't use much). Walgreens carries L'Oreal Paris voluminous mascara for $12.99 regularly. It was on sale for $10.99 .$4 off for buying 2 w/ code glam4, digital mfg coupon for $5 = $21.98. Then 3 nail polish @ $2.49 =$7.47. Total of $29.45. Minus $15 in cpns = $15.64 w/ tax. Each mascara was $8.99, polish was $0.49 ea. This is the only way I can afford to buy this stuff. But considering it will last forever, I'm OK with it
With cosmetics, you are paying for the research and development.
I like the fact that in our wedding pictures I look like me. Yes, I styled my hair a little but just a long wave. My makeup was nothing more than a little mascara, lip gloss, face powder and eyeshadow. So i looked like myself. I look at these makeup tutorials where they have so many layers and products. It’s just so heavy looking.They take a huge brown swipe against their cheek bone. These people are not natural looking.
Natural diamonds.
You’re never going to get even half of what you paid. You could spend 10k on a natural and be lucky to get 3k back, or pay $1000 for a lab and get nothing back. They’re chemically and optically identical, only their growth origin is different. Somehow there are plenty of natural diamond lovers!!
Colored stones are so much prettier anyway. My favorites are padparadscha sapphires.
Aquamarine, emeralds, opal, l can think of a dozen prettier stones than diamonds.
Load More Replies...Buy diamonds (if you want them) at auctions - they go for a quarter of the price. (I mean jewellery with diamonds in, not Antwerp)
Get moissanite instead. Almost as hard as diamonds, much cheaper and more sparkly!
There is a difference between natural and artificial diamonds. The artificial ones are much purer, because they are produced under optimal conditions. Natural diamonds are contaminated with other minerals. Yet, natural diamonds are much more expensive despite being dirty.
'Contaminations' or 'impurities' are not the same as 'dirty'. Often the impurities make the stone. For example, blue diamonds (due to boron impurities) are more expensive than a clear diamond (the Hope diamond is a famous example). And lab grown are often structurally more regular, but red diamonds (thought to be due to some structural irregularity) are the most expensive.
Load More Replies...If you must buy a diamond, buy it from a diamond dealer instead of a jewelry store.
Clubbing. Expensive, extremely marked-up drinks.
You can get the same experience by....how? Have pre-drinks and enjoy yourself!
At clubs you're not paying for the drinks; you're mostly paying for the chance to meet slightly dizzy people of the appropriate gender.
Discos used to be very affordable and lots of fun for everyone.
I’m just too old, a night clubbing is the last thing I’d want to do, gave me a book and my warm bed please
Warning; Oddly specific, but, I keep terrariums and I can't believe pet stores and more now sell "leaf litter" for like $1 a dead leaf. WTF. The scam is "if you take leaves from outside they might have pathogens and parasites! We have sterilized them with special means to make it safe!" except often than not they are in fact NOT sterilized at all, and it's super easy to do it yourself with the free dead leaves you find outside. What a scam. Same goes for rocks, branches. A bit of research and elbow grease and you don't need to spend all your money on "natural decor". Stick "Repti-" in front of anything and some people will buy it cause "ooo it's made for my reptile". Repti-stick. Repti-soil. Repti-rock. etc..
My reptile room had 10 different snake enclosures, one for a tegu and one for a beardie. I bought Cyprus mulch for the tegu and a few of the snakes who needed high humidity environments but other than that every piece of décor was found outside for free. Thoroughly clean and disinfect them and its good to go, never had any issues with my animals health.
I've seen Sweetgum Tree balls (the dried fruit of a Sweetgum Tree and the bane of every homeowner with one of these trash trees in their yards,) for sale for over $2 each. We have several of these devil trees so dang, we can be millionaires. We also have a lot of mature oak trees on our property {we live on 10 acres 4 Hectares)}, we can be multi-millionaires. Bring on the gullible city folk with money!
Sainsburys (major supermarket chain in UK) has pledged to reduce plastic waste, but it didn't stop them trying to sell gnaw sticks - literally 3 sticks in a plastic bag - for hamsters. Luckily they weren't popular - can't think why?
Microtransactions, heard a story the other day about a woman who took out a 20K loan in her daughter’s name to pay off her Candy Crush debt.
She must really suck at Candy Crush to need that many power ups.
The fact that she could take out the loan without the daughter having to be present somewhere to sign is ridiculous.
Candy Crush is a game for morons and someone tell me how you can get in debt playing this mindless game.
Some people get really addicted to the game, which is designed to be addicting, and pay to get more turns on the game. They need their fix and can't wait for the turns to renew after half an hour or however long it takes.
Load More Replies...It's not entirely certain, but the way it's worded makes the most reasonable interpretation that the debt is the mom's.
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Taylor Swift Concert Tickets.
Also drinks/parking at concerts. Friend paid $32 for a double vodka at Clapton's Crossroads concert. Another paid $95 to park downtown for a McCartney show.
I refuse to buy tickets online when I have the option to buy in person. We have saved a lot doing that. It's usually like $20-$40 cheaper in person.
What many of y’all consider a waste of money is actually helpful for us disabled folks - like pre-cut produce or food delivery services. But to answer - alcohol. No good comes from it.
Amén! When I had foot surgery and my nerve blocker wore off they had me on Percocet. That just made me nauseous and dizzy. Not a good thing when you can’t walk. Give me weed and vodka! And a side of pizza.
Load More Replies...I stopped drinking for about a month and in that time I lost weight AND my taste for sugar. Now I get to be that annoying person who tells everyone about it, lol.
I do find it intriguing thinking about the question whether alcohol would be legal if discovered today
Actually, some does in my state. Approximately 43% of alcohol tax goes to the state finance office, who then use it to pay staff salaries and provide DWI prevention and treatment grants to every county ranging from $70K to $2.5M based on a complex formula that includes population and arrests. Some counties use the for equipment, dedicated DWI officers, roving patrols/checkpoints, etc. Edit: salaries paid are only for the DWI grant managers.
I’m disabled living in the sticks and housebound can only order shopping online n yes I by wine lol issue with that cos i5 ain’t mine it’s yours ! I’m 60 and a mum to two kids 23-20 so no online shopping no food n no one delivers fast food here not that I eat that stuff eugh home made from scratch only and yes leave my delivered by boots meds alone lol
Internet providers that still haven’t caught on to offering unlimited data plans.
The one we have here, if you change your plan you lose 50% of all the roll over you've got.
The fiber here has no limit. But the mobile comes with different steps, most expensive is unlimited.
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Reddit awards and gold or whatever.
that costs money? never knew! /gen. Also don't give BP any ideas 😸
Load More Replies...I don't care. I'm banned from reddit. I guess they don't like it when you tell teenage girls to spray their bullies with mace when the bullies touch them.
New cars. People will dump away $40k of their taxable income on depreciation alone every 2-4 years let alone, interest and taxes. Most of them say it’s because they need something reliable. Most cars will stay reliable for 10-15 years depending how much you drive. They don’t just break down all the time like some people think.
It also has a lot to do with the banks here because they'll fully finance a new car but not a used car. However, I do agree.
I call foul on that. I just asked the bank about a loan to replace the cash equity I withdrew on our HEL so it's MY debt, not 'ours'. 2019 Ram@ 94,000 mile (too good a deal to pass on) to replace my rusty, trusty 2008@165k miles. Interest quoted was %9 on that vehicle. Yup they'll loan it to ya, but it'll cost ya.
Load More Replies...My car is 14 years old. It’s never had a major issue. Everytime it has a blip, say I left the lights on and the battery drained. Or it need a new air filter. People go, “maybe it’s time for a new car.” WTF? Why? There’s nothing wrong with the car. It only has 80,000 miles. It’s the most reliable car ever. Why would I trade that for some expensive new junk that doesn’t even have knobs or buttons.
My car is due to be replaced soon (starting to have issues) and I am SO mad about the big screens and lack of buttons and knobs in new cars. I hate them and don't want a new one.
Load More Replies...I see so many expensive cars by the side of the road. People just don't do the routine maintenance. Car fails. Buy a new one.
Cars are a show-off how successful you are. EVERYONE should see it. Especially your neighbor.
The vehicle, a Toyota, I currently use is 13 years old and has over 300,000 miles. I will never buy a US made care again.
There's a pretty good chance your car is US made. What's the first digit of the VIN?
Load More Replies...My brother drives a 1995 Toyota. Still goes fine except it's much harder to get DOWN into than more modern cars.
Added frugal hack: raise a child who loves how things work and takes everything apart to see how it works, then puts it back together again! Introduce said child to your amateur car hobby and voila! Mechanic in the family! Free car maintenance for life!
I bought a new car. Same make and model, used with 30k miles, was only $3k cheaper. So, I spend the extra $3k, get a new one with 0 miles, and get a warranty. I put 15k miles a year on my car, so I essentially bought 2 extra years
Restaurant delivery service. F*****g insane.
I just ordered ubereats for the first time in over a year and I was floored by the cost. Can't believe people use that regularly.
Why the heII should a personalized individual delivery service be cheap?
A better question is, given the price, why the hell do people use it if they have the ability to collect it themselves?
Load More Replies...Mr D (used to be Mister Delivery) in Mzansi. If you order a pizza via their app, it's upwards of R200 for a large, excluding the delivery fee and tip. If I get the same pizza from the pizza place's app, it costs less than R200 even with delivery free and tip!
even Ubereats, bought a meal for R59.00 at the restaurant, on Ubereats it's R85, before Service fee, some other charge and delivery.... chicken licken costs R15 extra on average, on Ubereats before the fees.
Load More Replies...Where I live we are lucky to have McDonald's, Chinese, pizza and fish and chips takeaways within a 5 minute drive from our house. Yet I watch the people who live opposite us get their food delivered at least twice a week and I always wonder how much extra they pay to have it delivered.
Would it still be worth it if the person you expect to drive in a blizzard for you was paid a living wage?
Load More Replies...It depends... if you have Amazon Prime you get Grubhub+ included (at least in the US)... ordering from my favorite place only costs me a few bucks more to have it delivered versus pickup to-go after tips. My usual would be around $23 pickup, but $26.45 delivered, and I don't have to get dressed or drive 20minutes each way! Without a subscription to one of the services it can get a little pricey though, but there are also tons of promos.
I don't think that it's reasonable to have someone else driving 40 minutes for you in order to make 3.45$. Someone is losing out here and it's not you.
Load More Replies...Then this person can just walk up to a restaurant to get takeaway or just cook for themselves. UberEat/JustEat is the delivery of existing products from a restaurant/takeaway plus a small delivery charge.
We started using one way too often during the pandemic. At the time the prices weren't jacked up so we just payed tip and sometimes a delivery fee. Then the increased the prices over what it is in the restaurant. Then they added service fees. Then they doubled the delivery fee. That was really good for us because it stopped us from wasting money on delivery altogether! Can't believe how many people still pay all that.
I prefer to just walk and get it (if I can) or order from the old tried and true places.
Unpopular opinion, but... **Soft drinks at restaurants, cafes, and eateries**
It's just sugar water. For soda, add carbonation. **800% profit margin right there!** An old timer regaled us with a story how in the 70s, he used to help manage a burger joint. If everybody came in and only bought sodas... they'd be fine! Imagine that.. a burgers and fries joint, doesn't even need to sell, burgers, nor fries to stay afloat!
The controversy there (which is something I think about) is these levels of profit do help restaurants in an industry where margins are razor thin. [shrug].
which is why places give free refills. Once you've paid for the first drink they've made that 800% profit. You can't drink enough to make them lose money. Which is why you should never get the large drinks. Always get the smallest size possible when you're eating in.
We don't have free refills where I live, and still the drinks are ridiculously expensive...
Load More Replies...A friend owned a Dairy Queen. He said if you ordered a soft drink 95% of the cost to him was the cup.
Fabric softener.
Used to volunteer at a thrift shop. The fabric softener stink was overwhelming.
Load More Replies...Toss a few tennis balls in the dryer and you will never use fabric softener again. Besides, fabric softener coats the threads in fabric and makes it water repellent. I want a bath or dish towel that actually absorbs water.
That's why you don't use fabric softener on towels. As for using tennis balls: your clothes DO dry faster, but they really don't do anything for the static. Snap, crackle, and pop belong in my cereal bowl, not my face.
Load More Replies...Ask an oncologist, i have known a few that recommend avoiding fabric softeners. It's also banned in some countries...
The first thing my daughter's paediatrician told me to ditch was fabric softener, because it makes atopic skin worse.
Load More Replies...I use vinegar instead. Prevents the build up of gunk on the filters too.
Careful with the rubber parts of your washing machine
Load More Replies...The sheets can do multiple jobs: shoes & bags freshen; put under car seats; wipes away sand; cleans crayon off walls; add to seasonal clothes you're storing.
I've tried vinegar as an alternative, and tried just going without, but I've gone back to using conditioner in every wash, even though I'm generally skint. And since I don't have a drier and never used the one I had in the past, dryer balls aren't an option and certainly aren't more economical than fabric conditioner once you factor in the cost of running the dryer
You must not live somewhere with hard water. If I didn't use fabric softener all my clothes would be stiff and rough.
Wool dryer balls work just as well and are virtually infinitely reusable.
Err, even if that is true, the irony of using an electric tumble dryer to save money on conditioner.
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Super unleaded gas. Unless it specifically says in the manual that your car requires it, then spending more for 91 or 93 does nothing except empty your wallet faster.
Here in Oregon, gasoline is black and diesel is green.
Load More Replies...Had a mechanic tell me years ago that it doesn't matter which grade you use, as long as you use the same one all the time.
Tip: my ex used to work in cathodic protection and he said mid-grade is just a mix of high and low grade, and a mechanic told me that unless you drive a high performance vehicle, low grade is fine. But if you don't drive a ton, periodically use a cleaner additive.
Literally just a mix. There are two tanks, and three grades. Mid grade pumps 50% from each tank.
Load More Replies...I don't *get* the comment on spending more for 91 or 93 octane. In Europe, the standard is 95 - (you can get 93 for older cars some places) and the 'super' is 98. What the heck are you pumping into your cars and your atmoshpere????
The same fuel you are. There are thre different ways to report Octane rating. Europe uses a different (and arguably less accurate) one than the US.
Load More Replies...In IN and MI diesel handles are green and unleaded are black.
Use what it says in the manual. Other types may reduce the engine life.
Lower Octane than specified has the potential to cause damage, but in most modern cars, the engine computer will automatically adjust to account for it. Higher Octane will waste money, but cannot cause damage.
Load More Replies...True. It mostly depends on the compression ratio of the engine, but the manufacturer will tell you what octane rating the engine is tuned to.
https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=fuel+octane+ratings
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Reddit Avatars.
EA Sports FC 24/25 games (previously called FIFA). Large chunk of folks swear they will never buy the next version because of how bad the current one is, still end up buying it.
Used video game stores have lots of older versions of sports games for cheap game play doesn’t change much version to version.
So what I did was I would always get the last year's version. Always half price.
ALL video games. Not just a waste of money but a colossal waste of time. (Yes, I'm old.)
Big charities. Very little of what is donated (about 5p in every £) actually gets to where it is needed. Most of it goes to pay the eye-watering salaries of the directors and CEOs.
Too true, I knew an advertising executive for a charity (the one that uses starved looking kids in their advertisements) who routinely took his dates to expensive restaurants and charged the bill to the company credit card!
Load More Replies...PB Premium. I'm not going to pay for dark mode, especially on a site that has transphobic ads.
The nerve of charging for content theyve stolen too lol
Load More Replies...I don't really understand what you mean about this one.
Load More Replies...I thrift shop often and see a lot of people's once treasured junk in there. Seeing what ends up in thrift stores has cured me of a lot of useless spending.
I never believed initially that it'll be so successful investing bitcoin and stocks with Mr Harold Kendrick, despite the fact I invested a little amount as a beginner, I'm so glad I withdraw my $31,000 profit successfully. Contact him directly ᴏɴ Watsap+ 44 7407600166.
Single use razors, or all this "cool" ones with 300 blades. Till very recently I had a 40 usd safety razor which broke after 8 years. You spend close to zero cash on blades, and a little bit on a good shaving soap and alum. My next razor is much better. More expensive but I am sure it will outlive me.
Like most people I know i give to charities now and then. But it only took one story I read to sour me on most charities and make me think twice. The story was about a charity bash thrown by Kim Kardashian. Her and her filthy rich friends for some cause or another. But somebody behind the scenes said Kim just takes like 98% of it all for herself! And gave maybe one or two percent for the actual charity. There are no laws specifying what percent of your proceeds actually have to go to the charity... and none of it is taxed! The greed just boggled my mind. HOW rich does Kim Kardashian need to be? How many more zeroes are enough for these people?
There are no laws, but there is certification (in some countries at least) that charities can only get if they spend for instance more than 75% of the donated money on the actual goal of the charity, which means they can spend less than 25% on wages for their employees and on adds and stuff like that. And some certification demands that the charities publish their donated money and what they spend it on, so you can see that some charities only spend 80% on their goal but some spend 92% on their goal. I would only send money to charities that have such certification.
Load More Replies...Big charities. Very little of what is donated (about 5p in every £) actually gets to where it is needed. Most of it goes to pay the eye-watering salaries of the directors and CEOs.
Too true, I knew an advertising executive for a charity (the one that uses starved looking kids in their advertisements) who routinely took his dates to expensive restaurants and charged the bill to the company credit card!
Load More Replies...PB Premium. I'm not going to pay for dark mode, especially on a site that has transphobic ads.
The nerve of charging for content theyve stolen too lol
Load More Replies...I don't really understand what you mean about this one.
Load More Replies...I thrift shop often and see a lot of people's once treasured junk in there. Seeing what ends up in thrift stores has cured me of a lot of useless spending.
I never believed initially that it'll be so successful investing bitcoin and stocks with Mr Harold Kendrick, despite the fact I invested a little amount as a beginner, I'm so glad I withdraw my $31,000 profit successfully. Contact him directly ᴏɴ Watsap+ 44 7407600166.
Single use razors, or all this "cool" ones with 300 blades. Till very recently I had a 40 usd safety razor which broke after 8 years. You spend close to zero cash on blades, and a little bit on a good shaving soap and alum. My next razor is much better. More expensive but I am sure it will outlive me.
Like most people I know i give to charities now and then. But it only took one story I read to sour me on most charities and make me think twice. The story was about a charity bash thrown by Kim Kardashian. Her and her filthy rich friends for some cause or another. But somebody behind the scenes said Kim just takes like 98% of it all for herself! And gave maybe one or two percent for the actual charity. There are no laws specifying what percent of your proceeds actually have to go to the charity... and none of it is taxed! The greed just boggled my mind. HOW rich does Kim Kardashian need to be? How many more zeroes are enough for these people?
There are no laws, but there is certification (in some countries at least) that charities can only get if they spend for instance more than 75% of the donated money on the actual goal of the charity, which means they can spend less than 25% on wages for their employees and on adds and stuff like that. And some certification demands that the charities publish their donated money and what they spend it on, so you can see that some charities only spend 80% on their goal but some spend 92% on their goal. I would only send money to charities that have such certification.
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