Ah, money- that’s something we all work so hard to earn but often spend frivolously without a second thought. We’ve all been guilty of splurging on things that, in hindsight, turned out to be colossal wastes of hard-earned cash. But hey, it happens to the best of us, right?
One Redditor asked, “What is the biggest waste of money?” Many users commented on this thread, and we have selected the top 20 things for you!
1. Email Accounts
Who even came up with the idea of paying for something as basic as an email account? It’s the twenty-first century, and we’re still shelling out money for sending messages? That’s like paying for the air we breathe- ridiculous!
A discerning Reddit user commented, “My mother pays for her email account and has done so for decades. She refused to accept that it was ridiculous. It’s an MSN account.”
Another replied, “Sort of, back in the day. They were one of the first ISPs, and if you signed up for their service, they gave you an email address to go along with it. Once broadband got more popular, they eventually allowed you to keep your email free of charge if you cancel their service, but many elderly people don’t know this.”
2. Home Lines
Remember these? Yeah, the ancient relics that used to be a thing before cell phones took over the world. I mean, seriously, who needs a landline these days? Your cell does everything and more! You want to call someone? Boom, just tap a few buttons on your smartphone, and you’re connected.
One said, “My parents still pay for a home line, but the only people who call them are solicitors. They both have cell phones.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “My in-laws. They have had the same phone number since 1953 and refuse to have it ported to a cell.”
3. Lying to Your Therapist
So, you decided to invest in your mental health, and that’s awesome! You’re paying good money to see a therapist, someone who’s supposed to help you sort through your thoughts, feelings, and all that emotional baggage. But what happens when you start feeding them a bunch of lies? You might as well be flushing that hard-earned cash down the drain!
A Reddit user wrote, “From a therapist’s point of view: We care about your mental health, but we are not interrogators. It’s not our job to force the truth out of you, and we get paid either way. (And we’re not id**ts. We often know when you’re not being totally honest and need to make a clinically-responsible decision about whether or not it is worth confronting you over it.).”
Someone else replied, “If you end up lying about a health issue and it then turns for the worse, to the point where it will affect your life and work, then it would end up affecting your income eventually. That’s a pretty big waste of money, even if you didn’t have to pay a single bill in the process.”
4. Gold Leaf Food
Alright, so let’s get one thing straight- gold leaf might make your food look all shiny and Instagram-worthy, but does it add any real flavor? Nope! It’s like eating glitter- it might look pretty, but it isn’t going to make your taste buds dance.
Someone commented, “Any food that is covered in gold leaf.”
Someone else added, “Man, I hate those “World’s most expensive <blank>” food bits, where the only reason it’s expensive is because they sprinkle gold flake on it or put a diamond in it. I recall the “World’s most expensive milkshake” segment, and it was probably a good milkshake (even a $5 shake…), but they threw a diamond in it, making it “worth” something like $2,000.
My rule is if you can’t eat it, it’s not part of the food and shouldn’t be counted. So, yeah, gold flake does technically count, but it also isn’t that expensive (I can get a vial of it on Amazon for $10). If it comes in a gold-plated, diamond-encrusted “Souvenir” dish, then you’re buying the dish; the food is free.”
5. Printers and Inks
Sure, this might seem all convenient and stuff, but do we really need them in this digital age? When was the last time you printed something you couldn’t view on your screen? Exactly! Most of the time, we’re just printing random stuff that ends up cluttering our desks and taking up space.
One said, “Printers in general. I got rid of mine five years ago and haven’t regretted it since.”
Another added, “A few years back, I had a neighbor that would just buy a new printer every time he needed ink because it was cheaper; he’d just put the old ones for sale on eBay for like 15 bucks.”
One said, “Because the printer companies make cheap printers and expensive ink. It’s one of the early subscription services offered.”
6. Designer Baby Clothes
A Reddit user wrote, “Designer baby shoes that the baby will inevitably quickly grow out of… and also babies don’t need shoes?”
Another replied, “I know a woman who spent thousands of dollars on newborn-sized designer clothes / shoes and she didn’t end up wearing at least 90% of the stuff before she grew out of it(they clearly had money, but still 😐😐)”
We get it; they might look fancy and all, but who in their right mind would drop hundreds of dollars on a designer shirt or a pair of jeans? And the worst part is, they’re not even that much better than regular clothes.
7. Car Subscriptions
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Yeah, you even have to pay a subscription to use features on some cars now. Imagine buying a car and having to pay a subscription to use features that it already comes with.
Another person agreed to it and said, “”Your subscription to the program “BRAKES” has expired. Please renew for the ability to stop the car.””
Someone else replied, “Looking at new cars now. “Car’s app is free for the first 5 years, followed by a yearly fee!” Guess I’m not buying that car then.”
They might seem harmless with their monthly fees, but they can add up before you know it!
8. Fitness Subscriptions
One Redditor stated, “Bruh, I have been using a premium running app for like 6 years. It’s pretty bare bones, but I like it simple. Just track my time and mileage. Last year they started adding “features” like sharing with the community. No thanks. Then I need to add a pic and a username. Fine. Then they started removing features like pace, heart rate, and stride. I don’t use those anyway, so no biggie. But I knew what was coming. Next update: To improve functionality and user experience, we will be moving to a subscription service. Ugh.”
Another shared, “I hate things like this; also, I dislike devices with additional features enabled by default with no way to disable them. For example, we have an echelon treadmill; when you switch it on, it enables Bluetooth with no way to disable it. What this means for us, living in a busy area surrounded by other people, is that if we don’t quickly connect to it using our mobiles as soon as we power it on, someone else can connect to it and share their audio through the speakers we didn’t know existed.”
Cancel some of these and save that cash for something more exciting, like a weekend getaway with friends!
9. Cigarettes
Smoking might seem cool and all, especially when you see actors puffing away in movies. But let’s be real here- there’s nothing cool about simultaneously burning your money and your health. One said, “Cigarettes. Paying a ton of money to ruin your health.”
Someone else added, “After the final year exams, some kids went around offering smokes to everyone else in the dorms. Tried a couple. Was neat, I guess. But thankfully, I’m a cheapskate. Even back then, that stuff was expensive. And I’d have to pay for them every day? F*** no.”
10. Class Rings
How often do we actually wear class rings after graduation? It’s like they become these forgotten relics buried in the back of our drawers, collecting dust all day long. So why are we dropping cash on something that ends up being a fashion flop?
Someone commented, “Class rings! What is the purpose of them?”
Another added, “The marketing of class rings is predatory and unethical, but the rings themselves are just a form of memorabilia. It’s like spending $500 on a really good tattoo. Ridiculous for most people, but worth it if you wanna commemorate a personal memory that’s important to you.”
11. Credit Card Interest
We get it; life happens, and sometimes you can’t pay off the full balance every month. But let’s be real here- credit card interest rates are downright evil. They can go high in no time; before you know it, you’re drowning in debt.
A Reddit user wrote, “I’m still mad at myself for forgetting to pay it for a week and having to pay 50 bucks of interest and fees the following month.”
Someone else replied, “Agreed. You should never pay interest. Here’s the trick. If you have a big expense coming up (like a TV or vacation), get a new no-interest card with no interest for 12 months.”
12. Gambling
Seriously, hitting the casino or playing the lottery is like throwing your money into a black hole. The odds are stacked against you, and the thrill won’t last long. Instead, why not try investing that money or putting it into a savings account?
Someone commented, “This is a bit subjective, but to me, gambling. You’re literally throwing money away 99% of the time.”
Someone else added, “If I could gamble for a buck or two a hand, I’d go occasionally and have a fun evening and be out maybe 50 bucks at the end of the night. But seems games have 20 or 25-dollar minimums at the casinos I’ve been to. No thanks. I could lose hundreds of dollars in no time.”
13. War
One Redditor stated, “$2.2 billion just to murder 50,000 innocent civilians.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “And then there’s the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Whether they win or not, Russia is f***ed. Their economy is in shambles, their military is shown to be weak (as opposed to #1 in the world as they used to claim), their population is plunging, and tens of thousands of their reproductive-age men are dead.
Their goal of keeping NATO away from their borders is ruined, and Western Europe now finally sees fit to increase its military spending and move away from Russian gas and oil. Their influence in Asia is waning, with China stepping in to take over. Even if they somehow win, they’ll have to deal with Ukrainian insurgents for years, if not decades.”
So, here’s a thought- instead of throwing money at wars, let’s invest in peace. Let’s use that cash to build bridges, not bombs. Let’s put our resources into solving problems, not creating more of them.
14. Big Weddings
So, you’re all loved up, and that’s awesome! You want to celebrate your love with the biggest, fanciest, and most Instagram-worthy wedding ever. But here’s the thing- weddings aren’t cheap!
A discerning Reddit user commented, “My best friend’s wedding cost about £4000. Just both their parents and best mates at a very nice church and lunch after. That’s it. No reception.
It’s the best wedding I’ve ever been to. Very intimate, lots of love all around, and they used their “wedding budget” they put a deposit down on a nice house and donated some portion of it to an orphanage the groom grew up in. They are both amazing people and are happy together.”
Another replied, “I’ve also been to $100,000 weddings where the families complained about being able to afford everything and with one couple being divorced in less than two years. Terrible waste of money but fun to attend to marvel at all the gaudiness, like the couple rising up from the floor to the theme of 2001: A Space Odyssey with fog machines working overtime.”
15. Jewelry
Let’s be real- jewelry is a shiny black hole in our wallets. We see those sparkly diamonds and gold chains, and suddenly, we’re hypnotized, ready to hand over our cash without a second thought. But do we really need all that bling?
One said, “Store-bought diamond jewelry, in general, is a huge scam. Often loses 50% of its “value” when you take it out of the store.”
Another added, “Jewelry in general, is way overpriced. I feel bad for my friend, but I’m glad for the way it influenced me. Back in 8th grade, a friend was tapping the tops of the door thingie through the hallway. He had a ring on, and sure enough, it got caught. He lost his finger. His brother was carrying it while they went to the office. He had to have it sewn back on.
Thankfully I didn’t see it, but everyone in school sure talked about it for quite awhile. Since that time, I’ve never wanted to wear a ring. When I got older, I did buy one. I was never comfortable with it, though. Occasionally I’d wear it for whatever reason, but eventually just stopped.”
16. Starbucks
A Reddit user wrote, “Starbucks!!! Can be up to $10 just for a drink.”
Another added, “Starbucks is not that good for its price.”
Someone else replied, “I’ll never understand Starbucks; no one will be able to convince me that what they sell is a proper coffee.”
And let’s not even get started on their secret menu. Sure, those colorful concoctions look cool and all, but do we really need a drink with a thousand ingredients and a complicated name that only a barista can understand?
17. New Pick-up Trucks
Pick-up trucks are the kings of the road. They can haul stuff, they look cool, and they make us feel like the bosses of the highway. But they come with a price tag that’s more shocking than a bolt of lightning!
Someone commented, “More today than ever. Brand new pickup trucks. Most people don’t need a pickup, and they are disgustingly expensive and luxurious now. As a young new homeowner, I see the appeal of a pickup. Do you need some landscaping rock? Just run down and get a load! That sofa you want to buy? No problem, just throw it in the truck!
But delivery services exist! I can pay for one hell of a lot of deliveries for the 60K new pickup cost. Ugh, but my overly marketed brain still wants one so bad!”
Another shared, “I knew someone who owned a truck and bought a cheap economy car for his 70-mile commute. The fuel savings alone were enough to pay for his car.”
18. Tattoos
One Redditor stated, “Tats on people who struggle for their next meal. Priorities.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “Fr, I knew a guy who got new ink when his wife had a baby on the way, meanwhile struggling to make car payments.”
And let’s not even get started on the “tattoo fever.” You know what we are talking about- that moment when you’re all hyped up about getting a tattoo. But here’s the catch: tattoo fever can be an impulse buy, and you might end up with something you regret later!
19. In-app Purchases
One said, “In-game purchases in video games.”
Someone else added, “I do this with paradox games (grand-strategy), but lately, they’ve started to get VERY greedy with DLC prices. I was fine paying 10$ for a dlc or two every couple of months when they had a game out for free, but charging 30$ for content that ALREADY SHOULD’VE BEEN IN THE F***ING GAME after I paid 60$ for the game in the first place is infuriating.”
Another added, “I used to buy and trade in-game skins. Thought it was great and worth the money, as I enjoyed the game. But then I didn’t play for 2 years and, upon reflection, realized it was all a massive waste of money.”
Some games even have “pay-to-win” mechanics. It’s like they’re giving an unfair advantage to players who are willing to spend more money. So, if you can’t afford the in-game purchases, you’re basically left in the dust while others speed ahead with their fancy gear.
20. Expensive Watch
A discerning Reddit user commented, “My boss just bought himself a 20k Euro Rolex. It shows the exact same time as my 15 Euro watch.”
Another replied, “There are three types of people who buy a Rolex: Scalpers who manipulate the supply to make money, people who just want a status symbol to show off, and enthusiasts who actually appreciate the level of craftsmanship in a mechanical watch. The first two groups are massive ***holes.”
We’re talking about a small fortune to know what time it is. And guess what? You can do that for free by looking at your phone or a regular old wristwatch!
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