Have you ever made a purchase that you regret?

[inkfingers]

Have you ever spent a lot of money on something, and then it turned out that it wasn't that great at all? Or have you ever wasted your money on a spur of the moment purchase? Or, have you ever spent way too much money on something that you really love, and continue to enjoy to this day?

I find that I don't spend my money very often, but when I do, I spend a lot all at once on one item. And these items tend to be non-essential things like stuffed animals and an American Girl Doll. The thing is, I always worry that I wasted my money, but I still enjoy the items that I bought. Once I see something that I want to buy, I think about it for few days to a week or so, and then make up my mind whether or not to spend my money. If I really want the item, I'll end up daydreaming and thinking about it non-stop until I buy it. For the most part, I have used and enjoyed the purchases I've made, but sometimes I wonder if I should've spent all that money.

 

[GadAbout]

I would argue that if you really truly get enjoyment out of your purchase, it was worth it. The only exception would be if it is wildly beyond your budget (causing you to do without other, more essential expenditures). Too many people on the spectrum have settled into a life of very little enjoyment. You need joy and satisfaction in your daily life, just as all humans do.

The fact that you wait a few days shows good impulse control, but it might be even better if you could shop around for a sale or a discount. Those American Girl dolls are very nice, but way overpriced, for about a fifth the cost you can get some really decent 18" dolls at Target or similar retailers.

So enjoy your life but also keep in mind other factors.

As for whether people have ever made a purchase they regret - of course! We all have!

 

[Judge]

Years ago I bought an 8mm video camera. Very expensive and I really had no real use for it. Eventually one day it simply stopped working. Couldn't even open it up to retrieve the video cassette stuck inside.

Yeah, lots of regret over that purchase.

 

[Isadoorian]

yep yep yep

last year I got new RAM for my Computer (as an upgrade from the dinky 8GB I'm using currently, which is 4 2GB Sticks) It cost me ~$223 with taxes. It was 16GB DDR3 RAM, 2 sticks of 8GB each (I'm too poor for the newer stuff ) and I had it for a day or two; figured it was nice but it s too damn expensive, so I brought it back for a refund. Nothing like Buyers Remorse!

 

[RMX07]

All. The. Time.

It’s always all-or-nothing with my hobbies and interests. So I’ll research the heck out of something for days/weeks—whether it’s to do with photography, gaming, music, etc—buy all the things I need (and usually the best quality stuff if I can justify it), do the activity for a while (which is completely all-absorbing and all I can think about, even when I’m at work), and then stop for no apparent reason, usually because something else has captured my interest.

The thing is, I almost always come back to that interest at a later date, so it’s not necessarily money wasted... Just... money that didn’t necessarily need to have been spent at that moment.

I haven’t picked up quite as many new interests in the last few years, and seem to be cycling quite regularly between a handful of current interests, luckily. It doesn’t help when your interests are expensive, though! (never get into fountain pens if you want money for anything else in life).

 

[Isadoorian]

never get into fountain pens if you want money for anything else in life

Same goes for Mechanical Keyboards and Artisan Keycaps

 

[Fino]

I read the title and my brain immediately said, "LOL yes"

 

[SusanLR]

I think it happens to everybody. An impulse buy.
The worse with me is if I buy a pair of shoes or some item of clothing that just sits in the closet
because I find after wearing it once or twice it just isn't comfortable and no matter how nice
it looks, comfort is most important.

I've really went the other way the past few years trying to make my money last for important things
in everyday life. Now I usually have to think it over and go back the next day for a second try.
I've lost a few things I really wanted by doing this as it would be gone by the time I got back.
But, the discipline is worth the results.

 

[RMX07]

Same goes for Mechanical Keyboards and Artisan Keycaps

Thankfully, I nipped that one in the bud! Only have two mechanical keyboards and two sets of custom keycaps (not artisan ones) and I *think* I’m OK with that.

Or maybe I shouldn’t speak too soon, haha. Either way, this is another very good example of a money sinkhole

 

[shysnail]

All the time. In fact, my process is almost exactly the same as yours @inkfingers. I'll see something, want it, daydream about it, and then decide whether to get it or not over a period of days or weeks.

Right now, there's a whole series of collectors items that I want. I had them when I was a teenager and stupidly gave them away, thinking I didn't want them anymore. Now, I want them again, but I'm budgeting very carefully so that I put aside a little money each month and save for them. That way, I don't have to feel guilty that I'm spending too much because it's money saved especially for them.

I agree 100% with @GadAbout. If it's something that will bring you a bit of happiness, that's worthwhile of itself. There are a lot of miserable and hard things in life. You deserve things that make you happy, too.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

I don't impulse buy. If I want something I have a "wait 3 days" rule to make sure I actually do really want it. For expensive purchases it's a "wait a week" rule. I just bought a new laptop for >£1k which I made myself think over for 2 weeks. This approach pretty much removes any chance of buyers remorse.

 

[SamanthaJayne]

I've bought many items in the past, some I consider to be the best purchases I've ever made and others I sit and wonder what I bought it for haha .

Worse purchases:

A microphone for singing which cost over £180.. Seemed a good buy at the time but then I realised I can't sing!

A leather jacket I bought for over £100, it tore just three weeks later.

Best purchases:

A summery dress which is white and I've owned for the last 3 years. It's my favourite item of clothing and I love it! Only cost me £22.

 

[Kyou Nukui]

My bass guitar and amp are pretty cool.. looking. However, it's not exactly easy to figure out how to play, and I'm not bothering while there's other things going on.
It turns out that it was not something I actually, immediately, needed. I hope it'll help me fill winter days, though. So I don't have too much regret. The amp is nice for playing music from my phone lol.

This smartphone has insufficient memory, though. I just thought it would be great to have a decent sized screen to play games and watch vids. It turned out I couldn't keep the game I loved because the memory is barely enough for my music. I have to buy another one before autumn... and that would be a bit easier if I hadn't spent on the bass guitar and amp at the start of the year.

I don't so much regret buying things, as I regret not having enough money to buy and try more things. There's only one sure way to find out if they're good!

 

[Mary Terry]

I think everyone has bought something they regretted. My most recent "mistake" is a very expensive refrigerator with the ice maker and filtered water spigot in the door. The ice maker has chronic constipation and poops out about 10 little cubes every couple of hours. I'm an ice user, especially in summer when it is so hot!

 

[All-Rounder]

Rule of thumb, I play with the stuff in the store, take pics, but ultimately leave it there. It helps to have someone to remind me I don't need it too. It's good that 2nd hand stores let me put my hands on every plushie. xD

I would hate the looks of plushies on my simple elegant furniture design, took me a long time to throw everything away and just have 2 decorations and the rest are simple furniture boxes, practical and makes it look great. Gathering is bad for my home and difficult to clean and find

 

[Pats]

To everyone who goes home and thinks about a purchase for a few days or weeks. Have you ever decided you didn't want the item and decide not to go back and get it? So I'm wondering if you're deciding or just making yourself wait. Just curious about that. I'll do that in the store - carry the item around in my cart and while continuing shopping, decide whether or not I really want or need it. When I do that, about 75% of the time I put it back. Then sometimes decide later to go back for it and it's gone, then I can kick myself.

 

[Progster]

A good few years back, before I had internet to do research, I bought two very expensive quad speakers from a so-called expert... he assured me that I would be able to play the speakers with the amplifier that I have... but no; I hooked everything up and it sounded muffled and wrong - amplifier not powerful enough for the speakers. That was a hard lesson learned; now I always do my own research, or ask people I trust who don't have a vested interest in selling me stuff.

 

[Judge]

I still recall the sense of shock I had when I began removing clothing from my deceased mother's closet. I couldn't get over that perhaps as much as a third of all the clothing in there still had labels and price tags on them.

Having never been worn.

 

[Progster]

I still recall the sense of shock I had when I began removing clothing from my deceased mother's closet. I couldn't get over that perhaps as much as a third of all the clothing in there still had labels and price tags on them.

Having never been worn.

My grandmother had 87 woolen jumpers and cardigans... nearly all the same, with little variation in colour and hardly having been worn, if at all. The charity shop was very pleased to have them

 

[Judge]

My grandmother had 87 woolen jumpers and cardigans... nearly all the same, with little variation in colour and hardly having been worn, if at all. The charity shop was very pleased to have them

I suspect the charity shop had heart failure considering some of the things I had to drop off there. Just had no time to try to sell them for good money.

At least I can say much of my parents' belonging went to good people and causes and not to the dump.