Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Explain Which Things Are A Complete Waste Of Money

People Explain Which Things Are A Complete Waste Of Money
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Years ago I happened to be in the same room as a friend who'd convinced themselves that purchasing a timeshare was a good idea. Try as I might, I could not get them to change their mind. Have you ever looked at the return on those things? They're horrible investments. Ever try unloading one? You can actually find them on Ebay––that's how desperate some people are to get rid of them.

After Redditor SamoooRa asked the online community, "What is a complete waste of money?" people shared some of their own observations.


"Cheap appliances..."

Cheap appliances that break after a year and need to be replaced, ultimately ending up in landfills.

symphonicity​

"You won't lose weight..."

Detox teas/drinks. Your liver and kidneys do the job, you aren't detoxing a damn thing.

You won't lose weight by having uncontrollable diarrhea and if you do, you will be too sick to enjoy that 3 pounds you lost.

ApostropheJ

"When you buy a bunch of toys..."

When you buy a bunch of toys for a dog or cat then they only want to play with, boxes, paper, cardboard, cheap socks and shoes, shoelaces, and bowls.

ItsThe50sAudrey

I loved my old cat very much...

...but he ignored every toy I ever purchased and played with paper clips. I should have known.

"The fleshlight I bought..."

The fleshlight I bought got stolen before I got home to pick up the package. 100$ wasted. But I hope whoever has it is enjoying themselves.

ThatSmartGuy

This is the perfect time to say...

..."Go screw yourself!"

"If you want to donate..."

People starting a GoFundMe to give their money to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to pay their mortgage. If you want to donate there are so many more important causes right now...

kali13au

"I'm no insider..."

Gym memberships if one doesn't ever go to the gym. I'm no insider, but I suspect this "ghost member" phenomenon is pretty quantifiable and reliable based on statistics and that it figures prominently in how gyms set their fee structures. I'm guessing that without these ghost members, the folks who actually show up would end up paying significantly more. So, waste of money for the ghost member, but I really appreciate their willingness to subsidize my fitness routine.

SouthernSnowshoe

Planet Fitness has made an entire business model off of this.

It's rather hilarious to know how many people I've met over the years who had a Planet Fitness membership but totally forgot about it until they actually read their bank statements.

"Buying a car..."

Buying a car above your budget and earning money to pay for gas and/or parts, rather than buying a not as fancy car and living comfortably. A lot of people just want to look rich in modern society.

SuddenInvestor

"Period."

The strip club. You ain't taking her home. She doesn't understand you. She's not even your friend. She's all about extracting maximum paper from your pocket. Period.

LostintheWoods

"Smokers never realize..."

Cigarettes.

Smokers never realize how much they spend not only on the product but on health issues later on.

RaspberriesAreEvil

"Putting that money away..."

Spending $5 a day for your morning coffee. Thats $1800 in a year. Putting that money away for life emergencies and mortgages adds up quickly.

Mymoggievan

You know what?

I have a few of my own habits. Sometimes I just don't want to cook. Other times simply getting to enjoy a coffee while out on a brisk stroll makes me happy. That peace of mind is often worth the loss, and it's all about choices. Do you want to make a big purchase of some sort someday? Then maybe slimming down your budget to cut out the coffee works for you. It differs from person to person, and that's okay.

Have some of your own observations to share? Feel free to tell us about them in the comments section below!

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Miriam Margolyes
David Levenson/Getty Images

'Harry Potter' Star Miriam Margolyes Offers Mic Drop Explanation For Why Respecting Pronouns Matters

Sometimes it is just that easy to make people happy. This is a lesson learned over and over in our lives, but that's because it's an important one.

Actor Miriam Margolyes shared how she learned to change her behavior to make others happier. Margolyes appeared on The Graham Norton Show recently and brought up a fairly polarizing subject in the United Kingdom: trans people.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk looks on during a public appearance, as the billionaire once again turns a newsroom style decision into a culture-war grievance broadcast to millions on X.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Elon Musk Cries Racism After Associated Press Explains Why They Capitalize 'Black' But Not 'White'

Elon Musk has spent the year picking fights, from health research funding to imagined productivity crises among federal workers and whether DOGE accomplished anything at all besides leaving chaos in its wake.

His latest grievance, however, is thinly disguised as grammatical. Specifically, he is once again furious that the Associated Press (AP) capitalizes “Black” while keeping “white” lowercase.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk; Yale University School of Engineering and Applied Science
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images; Plexi Images/GHI/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Elon Musk Gets Brutal Wakeup Call After Claiming That Yale's Lack Of Republican Faculty Is 'Outrageous Bigotry'

Elon Musk—who has repeatedly whined about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)—took to his social media platform to whine about a lack of conservative faculty at Yale University.

Musk shared data compiled by The Buckley Institute (TBI), a conservative-leaning organization founded at Yale in 2010. TBI found 82.3% of faculty self-identified as Democrats or primarily supporting Democratic candidates, 15% identified as independents, while only 2.3% identified as Republicans.

Keep ReadingShow less
Barry Manilow
Mat Hayward/Getty Images

Barry Manilow Speaks Out After Postponing Farewell Tour Dates Due To Lung Cancer Scare

"Looks Like We Made It" singer Barry Manilow is in the process of saying goodbye to the stage and meeting his fans in-person, but he has to press pause for a few months after receiving a jarring diagnosis.

On December 22, 2025, the "Mandy" singer posted on Facebook, explaining that a "cancerous spot" had been discovered on his left lung.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame, the last time audiences saw Captain America before his unexpected return was teased for Avengers: Doomsday.
Disney/Marvel Studios

Marvel Just Confirmed That Chris Evans Is Returning For 'Avengers: Doomsday'—And Fans Have Mixed Feelings

Folks, once again, continuity is more of a suggestion than a rule in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel has officially confirmed that Chris Evans is returning as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, and the internet has responded exactly how you’d expect: screaming, celebrating, arguing, and a very justified side-eye toward how Sam Wilson keeps getting treated.

The confirmation comes via a teaser now playing exclusively in theaters ahead of Avatar: Fire and Ash. There is no official online release, despite leaks circulating. If you didn’t catch it on the big screen, Marvel’s response is essentially: sorry, guess you had to be there.

Keep ReadingShow less