Stupid Purchases

[Megan]

So we've all bought great things that have saved us money. Or that have been worth the expense because we get so much use from them. But I'm sure we've all bought things that ended up being a total waste of money. What are your "not so smart" buys?

I have never been a big video game person. I like to play casually, but that's about it. I still get suckered into buying games for my computer and even bought a Gameboy Advance a few years ago (right after they came out, I believe). Did I ever use that thing? Barely. I dug it out a few months ago and listed it on eBay and ended up getting close to $80 for it, which was a surprise, given that it was outdated, but it still was just a stupid waste of money.

And now I find myself looking at other handheld gaming systems. When will I learn?

[purplefdu]

So long as you don't purchase them its ok to look DH has been dying for a PSP for ages. He got to buy a laptop two years ago when he worked some insane overtime when he needed something to do on the job. He chose the laptop, even though he could have bought the PSP and some games for way less. By time he gets one he'll use it every spare second, lol.

We do have a PS2 we don't use near as much as we could, as well as an old Sega handheld my best friend gave us when she got a PSP. But since they were both gifts its not as bad as if we'd budgeted for them ourselves.

[Greg]

Originally Posted by Megan

What are your "not so smart" buys?

My weakness runs towards books I start browsing at the bookstore that I then absolutely must have that day....

Also cell phones. Stupid stupid cell phones that never work right.

[rolltimer]

My stupid purchases involve accessories for the first generation ipod Shuffle I bought two years ago. I use it almost daily to listen to podcasts while I run. Over the past two years I have bought:

• Cheap in-ear headphones to use as a spare. They sound tinny and are uncomfortable. Approximately $5

• Cheap cassette adapter to use in tape deck in the car. Worked okay for the first couple of times I used it but it got inserted backwards into the tape deck and won't come out. Approximately $3

• Cheap silcone skin with a loop at the top for attaching to keychain. Loop ripped. Approximately $1

• Somewhat cheap silcone skin with armband. Sweat and moisture seep inside the skin making the shuffle slide out after a few miles of running in hot weather. Approximately $13

• Belkin Tunecast FM transmitter. Has only 4 present stations and poor reception. Approximately $20

• Plug-in Personal speaker. Don't recall manufacturer. Doesn't play loud enough. Aproximately $15

• Inspire plug-in charger. Never shows when shuffle is fully charged. Less than $5

• Case Logic ipod shuffle specially made case with armband. Cannot access controls with ipod shuffle zipped up inside and the armband is uncomfortable. Cost unknown

After many mistakes and mis-purchases, I have a DLO case with armband that is serviceable for running and an all purpose Case Logic case for transporting the Shuffle and its most needed, but not entire, repertoire of accessories. For that a small suitcase would be required.

All totaled, I easily spent as much or more on the accessories as I did for the Shuffle since I purchased it refurbished.

[Tightwad]

Bread machine, Foreman Chicken Rotisserie, both went to Goodwill after one use. VHS player/dvd player/recorder. We only use it for dvds, never recorded jack on it. Paid $250 from Amazon a couple years ago. Saw them at Big Lots for $40 last weekend.

[Lynnae]

Definitely books. I just hauled off 4 bags of books to Goodwill this weekend. Some of them I've been meaning to read for years now. I finally admitted to myself that I was never going to read them and got them out of the house.

I think the other thing is craft supplies. I keep trying to convince myself I'm crafty. I wasted money on yarn when I was going to learn to knit. I finished one scarf. The rest of the yarn? Goodwill. Then I convinced myself I was going to scrapbook. I have a Creative Memories cutting system that's still unopened. I've had it for over a year.

Next it was stamping. Have my stamps seen the light of day? No. Fortunately it's been quite some time since I've made these purchases, and I seem to be breaking my bad habits. I've finally accepted the fact that I'm never going to be crafty. And I'm limiting my books to the amount that will fit on my bookshelves.

[hermione]

We had the same problem with yarn until our heater broke this winter and my sister and holed up in my room with our dogs and DVDs and started crocheting ourselves some blankets. We've finally solved our yarn problem and have some nice warm blankets.

We love books, though, and those are purchases we never regret. We've built a giant 8' tall by 12' wide shelf along one wall of our biggest room and once we get rid of all the stuff piled on them now, we're going to have our very own library.

[Kathryn]

Winter coats, snow pants, sweaters, slippers etc. for my son. He just does not like to wear heavy clothing, and even though he sometimes complains of being cold, he would rather be cold that put on too much clothing. We've been through this so many times that I should know by now, but I still find myself feeling like a "bad mom" if I don't at least try to provide him with the option of wearing something warmer than a long-sleeved t-shirt.

[Megan]

Oh yarn. Yes, that's another one I got into a few years back. I've put myself on a yarn buying freeze until I use up some of the stuff I have (except that I just promised a friend I would make her a blanket and the color and type is very specific). I'm currently trying to kill two birds with one stone and use up a bunch of the yarn I have and make a blanket for the bed in my spare bedroom. It will get rid of the yarn I have as well as prevent me from having to buy a blanket.

[Gootsy]

Books and DVDs are 2 things that I've, in the past, spent considerable amount of money on that I really wish I hadn't. I mean I've still got a stack of books I bought in November that I haven't read, and like 10 DVDs purchased between Aug and November that I haven't watched.

Granted some of them were really good deals but wtf. So far this year I haven't bought any, which's nice. One thing I've been saying to myself to keep me from renting/buying these things is, "Geeze you got all those books and DVDs at home you bought that you haven't watched yet... watch those before buying any more."