The money wasted on crap....

[CoolRich59]

I am guilty of this as well. In fact, I have contemplated dumping Amazon Prime just because it makes it waaayy too easy for me to make impulse purchases for stuff I don't really need.

I recently got my renewal notice for next year and am not going to renew Amazon Prime. I know Amazon throws in lots of perks (Prime video, Amzn music, photo storage, etc.) to entice you. But, at the end of the day, I am going to do without the perks and save myself (and my wallet) from making needless purchases.

[trumpeting_angel]

I just moved to a 1- bedroom apartment, decluttering as I packed. Not enough! I brought way too much stuff.


So far, I have donated 1/2 of my old w*rk clothes. I expect to do a little (12-15 hours/week) in the upcoming couple of years, but not nearly enough to need all those clothes. It was surprisingly painless, especially since once they were hung up, there was no room in the closet. Now there's room.


Next is my collection of sheets, blankets, comforters, and bedspread. And then the books. If I can weed out this stuff, I should be able to manage with the storage in the apartment and the little storage closet in the basement.

[JoeWras]

I sometimes hoard home improvement. "improving" things I shouldn't. Projects that are "make work"?

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

Darling hubby says if I can’t take it to Independent Living I don’t need it!

[davebarnes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 ....50¢ (Canadian) pissed away.

So, that is 13¢ USD, eh?

[6miths]

Ah yes if only we had known. I'm chomping at the bit to downsize out of my monster home with its unbelievable monster garage and oversized lot. After bringing up 4 active children there is quite a bit to declutter and it is a work in progress. COVID has slowed us down a bit. Craigslist is helping a bit but honestly sometimes it is easier to just put things at the Magic Curb.

[HI Bill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREd My policy is that regrets are a waste of time and energy. So if something is not used or loved anymore, I just let it go and never think about it again. The money spent on that stuff is long gone and regrets won't change that.

+1! I love to get rid of excess junk. While I'm sorry I wasted $ on it, I don't dwell on it, and forget, usually, that I even had the items! Now, I try to only buy products that are better than what we already have, and if they're not, I don't buy them.

[HI Bill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6miths Craigslist is helping a bit but honestly sometimes it is easier to just put things at the Magic Curb.

Yes, and it's easier and faster to have a giant roll-off bin delivered to your driveway by your refuse company. I've done this twice for my mom, and threw away something like 40 cubic yards of junk; then I called a charity and had them come for the excess furniture. Easiest way....

[Rustic23]

I have a store room, a garage, and a large portion of the house stuffed with crap! However I don’t regret buying most of it. At the time I wanted it, could afford it, and most, say 95% brought me some sort of happiness, some more than others. Now I can relish the fact that my kids will have to earn their inheritance going through it!

[bolt]

I'm recalling a family members kid with over 100+ barbies, 100 was the goal. They exceeeded the goal!
Plus a few Kens & G.I. joes, & accompanying whatnot crap that was disposed of little by little over its hyped decade till it was all gone!
Then beanie babies became collectable.. .
Etc...

Additionally watching this country kick its economic currency can*down the road century after century.
In the 1900s, 2000s nothings changed.

Ive read about over 4 "Bank of Americas" after eaches meltdowns.
IIRC Fleet, BayBank, and another "name or two" broke its continued legacy & its capitals directions.
Like Woolworths assets, discharging debt & becoming Footlockers assets.

I recall learning one poignant saying:

'A nation is only as solvent as its currency'.

That saying was well known before a FIAT only world existed well over a 60yrs ago.(USA dropped gold standard in what 30s w/Rosevelt & 71w/Nixon, and an unknown one time before Rosevelt iirc? )
IIRC it was a well known adage after the Roman era.

Good luck & Best wishes......

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebarnes So, that is 13¢ USD, eh?

Gotta be closer to 36¢.

[street]

I hate to even think about the crap I wasted money on. Actually makes me sik why I needed that or this through the years.

[gwix98]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Oh, my, I thought these were just the normal by-products of a DIY life! At one point, we had three gas chain saws that had up and quit. I tried cleaning them, didn't help. Too expensive to get them fixed. Put them all out at the curb, where they vanished overnight; bought an electric saw and never looked back.

For most of us a good electric chain saw works just great!

[Amethyst]

Plus I love that it isn't nearly as ear-splitting as the gas saws, not to mention no more messing with %$!+-ing 2-cycle fuel.

I wouldn't try to cut down a big tree with it, though. For that, I'll hire somebody who uses a gas saw

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwix98 For most of us a good electric chain saw works just great!

[Lawrencewendall]

Advertisements and society as whole is to blame. Look at storage unit stocks. Going crazy! Even out in the middle of nowhere, you'll find storage units. EVERYONE has too much "stuff".

[drb111]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom It's no fun to come face-to-face with a past poor decision. At least you admit it! You could always try Craig's List or eBay. I've had good luck with both. It's amazing how there's a market for almost anything, as long as you're not looking to make a huge profit. I figure if I can give some piece of junk (to me) a second life, make someone happy and pocket $20, I'ts a win-win-win. I sold a bunch of old marine electronics components I had lying around. Sometimes you have an old system and one component fails. It's a lot cheaper and easier to buy that one component used off eBay than to buy (and learn to use) a whole new system. These things can get bid up surprisingly high.

Yep agree. I try to do a $1,000 challenge a couple of times a year. Roll through garage, basement and anywhere else. Try to raise $1,000. I did it recently. A small generator, 2 sewing machines and few golf clubs later and I was there. All on Craigslist and met at public parking lot .25 mile from house. Total time invested was less than 1.5 hours.

[Gkk2001]

It is amazing to read these comments and see how we are all the same. I along with all of you have fallen into the trap of needless spending many times. My plan today, buy less and less and always question the apparent need. If I do buy something, something else in the house or garage must go.

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lawrencewendall Advertisements and society as whole is to blame. Look at storage unit stocks. Going crazy! Even out in the middle of nowhere, you'll find storage units. EVERYONE has too much "stuff".

I read a book called "Rightsizing Your Life" by Ciji Ware, which I highly recommend. She tells the story of one lady who could not bear to part with all her treasures when she and her husband downsized. She put them in storage at $300/month. She finally got rid of them after 3 years.

As the author says, "You do the math".

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsncpa I had to get my septic tank pumped today, so I'm not really sure how to feel about this thread.

Courtesy of Tom Lehrer -

Hen3ry (the 3 is silent, you see) once said: "Life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it."

Not sure this is applicable here, but I'll believe it if you will. As ever, YMMV.

[Tracer]

This is the main reason the wife and I are no longer together. She was a rabid buyer of anything and everything. Most of it hardly used, used once or in many cases never used at all and still in its original box. She was an impulse buyer on steroids. Gave little thought if it was needed or would really be used. Never comparison shopped either. Over 40 years I can't even imagine how much money it all amounted to. Easily tens of thousands of dollars. All I could do is imagine what that wasted money, if invested, would be worth today. I saw a comfortable retirement going down the tubes which eventually caused our split. Having said that, I'm not totally innocent of buying things that I shouldn't have. I think everyone does that at one time or another. It's only dangerous when it's out of control.