I'm thinking of things like:
Often we don't realise how much we base purchasing decisions on "everyone is doing it", without researching properly or even just stopping and thinking about it for a second. What other examples can you think of?
Divorce
tl;dr
Popcorn/soft drinks at the cinemas
Fast fashion - why buy just what's in style only to discard it before the next season
When the commercials start, just run to the nearest Coles/Woolies and buy the snacks there. Should take less than 15 minutes =)
Lol cinemas should die out in a few years anyway
No good movies for a while now plus new tech and bigger TVs will phase it out like the video rental shops.
I'd be surprised if that happens - many people use the cinemas to catch up with friends or dates etc. It's a social event. Not quite the same at home even if tech does close the gap!
There are some good movies, The Martian for example.
lol no
Buying and wearing clothes that are a few sizes to small. It really shows!
Who does this?
This is a common occurrence where I live. Just recently in the line at the post office there was a girl wearing short shorts that were at least 2 sizes to small. Her underwear was sticking out the bottom of the shorts! It must be hellish uncomfortable!
Oh no. Which post office was this specifically?
So that I know… not to go there ;)
Ha Ha Ha. If I tell you, you'll know where I live. I don't want to be identified by any post office customers.
Razors. People who use the Mach 3s etc are throwing money away like its out of fashion. Double edge safety razors are the best shave you can get. Much better than the crap and gimmicks they try to sell you. And blade cost is 10c which I can get several shaves with.
I bought a razor sharpener for $15, haven't changed razors in a year!
Where do you recommend getting them?
mensbiz is a good Australian based company otherwise there are plenty of online stores. I personally use a Merkur 34c with a nice silver tip badger brush and feather blades. Throw in some Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream and you're set!
Disagree, I think a base model Mach 3 is without equal. Safety razors are fine if you shave every day, but if you leave stubble, you need the moving power of a Mach 3.
I would you suggest that you try a double edge safety razor with a Feather razor blade before you make that conclusion. I don't think there is anything sharper, they are a serious blade
That's not the sole criteria, the Mach 3 has perfect blade spacing.
@thorton82: That is purely marketing hype. There is no need to "perfect spacing" it's a solution to a problem that never existed. More blades were added to razors purely as a way to gain a competitive advantage "This has three blades so it's three better". The best shave you could possibly have is from a cutthroat - one blade, and sharpness has everything to do with it. Getting a sharp blade as close to the skin as safely possible is all that is needed to gain a great shave. . Gillette and others are locking people into an ecosystem to which you have to purchase extremely expensive disposable heads that are no better than technology that has been around for hundreds of years. If you don't believe me thats fine keep using the Mach 3, if you want to liberate yourself and your money and get one of the best shaves possible maybe look into a good quality double edge. There is a vast community and a wealth of information on the interweb.
@triple675: No that is personal opinion based on experience, not marketing. I have used many kinds of razors, I find Mach 3s to be the best. I don't care about what brand I use, I care about functionality. The blades of a Mach 3 have good spacing between them. For me the Mach 3 allows enough hair to go through, without being continually clogged, while still providing a close shave. It is the best compromise for me. You care too much.
Sounds pretty neat, do you have a link to one I could check out please?
@triple675: Interesting thanks.
Also good read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_razor
Gillette are really (profanity).
@malouphix: Hey malouphix the Merker 34c as suggested by Malarkey is a good place to start. It is a well regarded double edge that has been around forever. Typing it into Google will bring up alot of forums and comparisons to other shavers. My personal current setup is a Edwin Jager using Astor blades. But everyone is different and half the fun is working out your combo.
@thorton82: I'm not here to have a shaver debate, as I said thats fine, I'm glad that the Mach 3 is working for you. However, just looked at the price of the blades and it looks like a head is around the $3.50 mark. Now considering that the blades for a double edge that I use are $12.95 for 100, or 13c a blade and would easily last as long as the blade on a Mach 3 there is a price difference of 26 times between the two. Now unless you can prove your Mach 3 shaves 26 times better than a double edge you are going to find it difficult to say that the difference in price is justifiable. Remember this conversation is titled "What's the dumbest thing that way too many people spend way too much money on?"
Expensive dinners
VB
HSV's
Actually Falcons lose their value much faster than an hsv.
They're both shit
Christmas presents! Everyone seems to be spending waaaay too much on Christmas presents.
and then they complain about the stress of buying presents and being broke
Crisco (or similar hampers) - if you just bought the half price specials at Coles or Woolworths you would get similar food for half the price. Plus the amount of thieving on delivery day around low income suburbs. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of people who buy these things and swear by them.
I've never understood the need to spend so much at Christmas especially when kids are little and can't tell a garage sale toy from shop bought - and why do adults need gifts?
WTF!!!!
Sex
Haircuts when you can do a buzz cut at home in less than 5 mins! lol
I cut my own hair since last 5 years :)
Have a cookie
If only!
There's nothing stopping you from getting a no.1-4 buzzcut. The only catch is you need to change your sexual orientation first.
Haha! Underrated comment.
Anything from Harvey Norman.
Holidays to Bali
Bought WRX 2015 while driving Toyota 86:)
People buying stuff from eBay (either buy it now or bidding) at a price which is more compared to even big stores selling prices at that time.
Also in Gumtree, where people post their ads with a ridiculous price. Like someone got a gift RRP $500 without a receipt. He/She will post to sell it for firm $450 whereas many stores will be selling the same item for the same price or even less.
yeah, but the stuff will probably sell. people are dumb. I sold a very slightly used kids toy ride-on car on ebay for $250. it cost me brand new from kmart $140
Make up, clothes and plastic surgery :)
If you do it in the wrong order you might need to shop again at Victoria secrets.
Selling in eBay?
Like 10℅ fee
I'm still praying they'll get some legit competition soon. I have a bunch of stuff to sell, and still no better options…
Have you tried Facebook groups?
Join one and post your items there.
Are there FB groups just for selling stuff?
@mgowen: yes as long as you can put up with terrible spelling (but that's Facebook in general) I have found them really convenient. Search Facebook for sell and your area or suburb eg I'm a member of buy swap sell illawarra. Quicker than eBay and less time wasters than gumtree.
Do you mean feeBay?
The new Surface Book. $2300 for a computer, and people say MacBooks are overpriced.
Agree totally. I could get an ASUS Zenbook UX303UB Touchscreen Ultrabook for $999USD. Superior in every way except weight, 3.23pounds.
That's only the base model as well! You can get a Macbook Pro w/ Retina Display with 512GB of storage for one hundred dollars more. Don't see what people see in the Surface Book. Looks like absolute garbage for that price. But so will any computer so. :P
Foot massagers. Probably all massagers in general.
The children thing is a good point because adults seem to neglect how much it costs them to take care of a child until they become self sufficient. There's every chance that a person or a couple without kids could easily retire well before 40, assuming they are earning around $60,000. Kids are a money suck, most definitely.
They could be a source for them dollars once you enter retirement though
Yeah but you don't have kids to treat them as ATMs/investment assets. That's just disgusting.
That's right, you shouldn't…
My point is that if you think kids are a "money suck", well, you might as well could think of them as an investment.
Luckily your parents didn't think the same.
Schools - people who pay to send their children to private schools they are not happy with. When asked why? The reply was "Its the IN school"
Taxis
Go uber or walk
Walk or ride or call a friend.
Go hard or go extinct!
Cigarettes
Credit card interest
Takeaway lunch everyday
What's the dumbest thing that way too many people spend way too much money on?
Ozbargain…
Nonsense. OzBargain is the smartest thing people spend way too much money on.
Not really. They hook us in with the 'community' and the allure of a great deal, then when we are hooked, which is so easy we end up spending way to much on crap we don't need or some cases actually want, just because it's a 'bargain'. The smart one is the one who owns the site collecting all the cold hard cash for creating this community, which is cool.
Video effin games. How is COD MW not as fun as COD MW3? NBA2K12 not as fun as NBA2K16. Why do you spend on the latest console release?
Comics. $2,500 for a cover variant??? The contents the same, FFS.
Shoes. I want Jordans. I want Jordans. I want Jordans.
Standard regular manicures. I understand the occasional because you aren't trained in nails and caring for them but seriously paying someone to paint your nails with over the counter nail polish. No.
Hey man, if you're not careful, you may cut yourself and bleed to death. Might as well get a professional to do it
Like I said above… "I understand the occasional one…. but paying someone to PAINT your nails." I never mentioned cutting nails. You can't bleed yourself painting them.
I'm sure you could bleed to death by painting… somehow. Sounds like a challenge.
If you take up nail polish chroming, you'll eventually bleed from the nostrils after a couple of years. The good news is you'll be too far gone to care what your nails look like.
iPhones
Eneloop from dickie…
Iphones..
And yet you just posted this - in relation to cars/car parts etc:
its not a waste .it makes you happy and gives you some thing to do. so if you where not doing this you would be spending money on other things any ways.
yea but i do not waste my money on either
The word you're looking for - criticising others for doing something and then doing something similar yourself - such as wasting money on a hobby - is hypocrisy. And yes, I'm one of several that negged him for it.
I can imagine your life is very boring :)
One more thing. in most cases cars are a necessary for transport so very big difference.
Yeah. Nothing says necessary mode of transport quite like chrome painted rims, shiny exhausts and huge rear wings when the speed limit means they never produce any worthwhile downforce. And some thump thump speakers and neon lights to improve your fuel economy…
I love my holidays and travel overseas because it is cheaper than travelling in Australia. I do agree that lots of people's holidays are a waste of money - people I know pay thousands more than I do because they "don't know how to organise it themselves" or would never stay in a hostel or apartment. Case in point a friend and her family just spent $18000 on less than 2 weeks in Hawaii, My family went for 6 weeks through America for less than this- and that was not a budget trip. I have friends who travel to beach locations for holidays when we have the best, cleanest and safest beaches on our doorsteps.
It's true - I most likely don't have a life - I'm too busy living to get one, but I would say all my holidays have been well and truly fantastic investments.
I most likely don't have a life - I'm too busy living to get one
that's gold, mate. i'm stealing that if you don't mind :)
So what was the ROI on your holiday?
My last 2 I probably came out about $500 ahead as I won both trips, got spending money and I bought a tap in America for $1000 that is $1900 in Australia.
Golden, priceless memories.
Another vote for iPhones. Unnecessarily spending hundreds of dollars for a brand new iPhone when a half price Android can do just as much (probably more).
Used iPhones. Unnecessarily spending hundreds of dollars for a preowned iPhone (because by some bizarro economic logic, old iPhones hold value even though it has old technology and old cameras and can't support 4G or even 3G) when you can spend less STILL, on a half price new Android that has, naturally, newer technology.
Beats by Dre Headphones. Noticing a pattern here? Surprise surprise, Beats is also owned by Apple. Some people like iPhones. Fine. But here you have no excuse. Unnecessarily spending hundreds of dollars on a Beats when you can get objectively better headphones with better builds and better sound quality for half the price. Heck, Beats is supposed to be premium headphones but they were caught out using inferior cheap parts.
If it's not the case now, it will be in the future: University degrees. They're not useless now but they're quickly approaching that point. Having a university degree used to be a way of differentiating yourself, but now everyone has one. God forbid if you're an international student paying full fees for one because the value you're getting from it is even worse. A university degree is not a guarantee of a job is the main point to take away, and it will only get worse in the future (degree value deflation, automation of the workforce etc).
On a governmental level War and bombing people. Yes, it's a good money maker for corrupt Government officials, weapons manufacturers, the military etc but it has to be said, it's not as much a bargain for us average folk. Imagine if the trillions the United States spent on the Iraq War (when it wasn't even them who were responsible for/had links to 9/11) were spent on education, or infrastructure, you name it. It was almost 15 years ago, if those trillions were invested in the right areas, we would be seeing a very different America today.
Fast expensive sports cars. I don't really see the point. You're not going to be racing down your local street, if you even race at all. If you bought the car to impress me, well, I'm neither impressed nor not impressed. I don't really care, except now I have the knowledge that you have money to waste (which is probably the whole point of this exercise anyway).
Make Up. I don't know who to blame for this one (men, women, or both) but it's probably cheaper to just appreciate your own natural look/beauty. One day I decided to take a walk down the aisle of the fairer sex, paying attention to the prices of make up. Let's put it this way: I don't blame women for being gold diggers because the make up companies are practically asking for your gold!
Jewelry. I'll forgive women because makeup can have a noticeable effect but jewelry is nothing more than gaudiness and depreciates just as fast as cars but without the practical aspect (you can't drive jewelry). If you can't tell the difference between "genuine" whatever-carat gold and fake ones using your own naked eye, then you don't need the more expensive option. I doubt most of your "friends" will be carrying gold identification equipment in their purses when you have a picnic with them.
Cigarettes. Spending money for the privilege of making your health worse and making the health of those around you worse. Why not just do it for free, catch a cold and sneeze on someone's face? PS. you don't look cool when you smoke.
No… Parenting is a game.
If you win, they will love you and support you when you retire, and give you money.