Becoming an adult comes with the joy of earning money to spend how you want. But that freedom has its ups and downs. People took to the internet to share the things they regret buying the most.
Note: Some quotes in this piece have been lightly edited for grammar.
1: Shredding Your Money
Those who grew up in the early 2000s fondly remember the game Rock Band. One nostalgic person remembered how fun it was and wanted to get that feeling again, so they purchased it. “I got the deluxe model, with the drums, guitar, and mic. That $200 set sat and gathered dust for a year.”
2: Driving Into Debt
Naturally, a flashy car was going to be on this list of things people regret buying. One car buff bought a 1982 Alfa Romeo Spider with 17,000 miles in 2009. “I thought I was getting a great deal,” they said. “Turns out I was about to develop a deep and expensive relationship with a mechanic specializing in Italian cars.”
3: Left Behind
A commenter admits it was naive to put their stuff in a storage unit before moving 1,000 miles away, assuming they’d return for it soon. “I had it for four years, and biannually, they would call to inform me that the price had been hiked up another $50. I finally cleared it out this year,” they said. “Never again.”
4: Car Troubles
One father regrets his and his wife’s first car choice, a 1979 Chevy Chevette. “Look it up if you want a laugh. I went to turn left once, and the turn signal handle broke off in my hand,” he said. Eventually, his wife had to train their child to turn the key while she held the wire to start the car. He said he gave it away for free when they could finally afford an upgrade because he didn’t want the guilt.
5: Buyer’s Remorse
One person with at-home fitness goals regrets buying an expensive multi-clothes hanger. “It’s called the Bowflex.”
6: Bad Timing
In the height of the mortgage boom in December of 2005, one person became a homeowner. Two months later, the market collapsed. “I lost 30% of the [home’s] value, and I’ve only been close to being above water once since. I badly want to move. I hate being stuck here.”
7: Gathering Dust
Admittedly, the exhilarating adventures people take in Go-Pro commercials make it pretty enticing. But that’s precisely why it became one buyer’s biggest regret. “I do not have a Go Pro lifestyle.”
8: Ambitious Goals
A shopaholic got used to buying clothes that weren’t an exact fit so they could lose weight and fit into them later. “I never lost that weight, so I never got to wear those clothes comfortably after the first or second time,” they said.
9: Pimp My Ride
One speedster says they regret “every aftermarket modification I made to my cars between 2001 and 2005.” The Fast and Furious franchise may be to blame. Someone responded that “FF” star Paul Walker said many people told him he’s the reason they wasted so much money on a Honda Civic in high school.
10: Family Matters
Living in a tiny mountain town with a small airport means you’re stuck if there’s a blizzard. Despite this, one resident let their family coax them into buying an expensive last-minute plane ticket from a big city 3 hours away. “The roads were still all closed the next day so that ticket was useless. I really should have stood my ground against my family.”
11: Sinking Costs
Another homeowner says their biggest financial regret is their house. They said they pulled the trigger quickly because they didn’t want to pass it up and miss out. “Two years later, I’m finding that I don’t love it as much as I initially thought I did, and it needs work we can’t afford.”
12: Money on a Mattress
Quality sleep is essential, but one person regrets spending $4,000 on a foam bed. “I don’t even think it is comfortable,” they said. “One of the dumbest things I have ever wasted my money on, and it was so much money.”
13: Suit Up
Many people believe that every grown man needs at least one good suit. But one consumer regrets listening to that advice. “I spent $1000 on a new suit I only wore a handful of times over the years before a) I lost weight, and it stopped fitting me well, and b) its cut started looking dated and unfashionable.”
14: Popping the Question
One lovebird purchased an engagement ring in college for a girl he thought he would marry. “When I showed it to her, she freaked out. I was stuck with a ring that the department store would not take back or refund.”
15: Small but Mighty
Pennies can add up in a big way. One gamer says they spent $80 on microtransactions on a mobile game within a month. “The figures I got were obsolete. Glad I dropped it but regret even giving them money.” It could be worse; one person said they know someone who’s spent $10K on micro-transactions in a single game.
16: Pricey Fossils
Now that you can find portable DVD players for next to nothing at your local thrift shop, it stings a little extra for one person who spent $450 on a brand-new one. “When VCR first came out, we paid nearly $800 for it!” another said.Â
17: Mickey Mouse Money
It may be the most magical place on earth, but not for your bank account. One dad says he regrets buying a trip to Disneyland. “My kid loved it, but we’ve found ourselves suddenly in a bad financial situation that, had we not gone, wouldn’t be a situation at all.”
Source: Reddit.
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