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None of us want to see our hard-earned money go to waste. That’s what makes buying things of poor quality and other unnecessary spending so painful. But sometimes you can’t know that you’re spending money on something that is totally not worth it until you see what you got.

After such unsuccessful attempts at shopping, many people let their frustrations online, and today, we’re bringing them all to one bittersweet list – arguably only amusing to those who weren’t the ones paying. If you’re curious to see what people were frustrated about, scroll down to find netizens’ instances of ‘money not so well spent’ on the list below and use this as a reminder – buy cheap, buy twice.

On the list below you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with an expert in personal finance, the co-founder and CEO of ‘Spring Planning’, and the co-author of “Women & Money”, Julia Chung, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about saving money.

#1

The Box My Cats New Cat Tree Came In Had Instructions To Turn It Into A Little House, And My Cat Prefers The Box To The Tree

Cat inside a homemade cardboard house labeled "heavy," reflecting spending regret.

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    #2

    Bought A Fake Snake To Deter Birds. Instead They Used It As A Nest

    A snake coiled on wooden beams, regretted spending money on unneeded pest control.

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    #3

    I Think The Raccoons My Brother Paid To Get Rid Of Are Back

    Raccoons on a roof, a humorous reminder of spending money on unexpected home visitors.

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    Cactuar Jon
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What did he pay them the first time? They look like they want double this time

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    Have you ever found yourself in the “you have to save money” and “treat yourself” limbo? If you have, you might take comfort in knowing that you are definitely not alone. Arguably especially relevant for young adults, who are trying to create a life for themselves, at the same time trying to actually enjoy living life, such a limbo can feel really draining.

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    Take something fun, like a concert or traveling, for instance. Both might be quite costly, but on the other hand, you will never be this young again, so what better time is there to enjoy one or the other? (Or both?)

    For many, feeling torn between saving money and ‘living life’ results in them looking for middle ground – buying the cheapest concert ticket, for instance, or looking for affordable ways to get from point A to point B. But the former might result in a seat with no visibility whatsoever and the latter – sleeping in airports, neither of which make the two experiences any more enjoyable.

    #4

    My Husband Was Very Upset About This Cake. Thoughts?

    Top image of beautifully decorated number cake; bottom image shows a messy, regrettable cake fail.

    The baker we ordered it through said it was "no problem" and she's done "many like it". It was $175 plus he tipped her $20. She dropped it off at our house at 6am (she was supposed to bring it around noon-2pm) so in the chaos of her literally waking him from a deep sleep with the doorbell and handing her the tip (he prepaid for the actual cake so he didn't have to handle that), he didn't even think to check it and she didn't offer (probably because she knew it's not what we wanted lol). He stuck it straight in the fridge and didn't even look at it until we were getting ready for my party, and he was heartbroken. We don't usually order cakes like this, we just don't have the money, but he wanted to do something nice for me this year because we've had a lot of crap going on. He was very upset with the final product. Not only was it ugly and not what he wanted, but it tasted awful, it was very bland but also VERY salty. He reached out to her about it, but heard nothing back whatsoever, so he left a review showing the pictures. Her site isn't up anymore, or on Google. 🤷🏼‍♀️

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    #5

    Paid $12 To Go To This “Pumpkin Patch”, Aka A Field With Pumpkins Placed In It

    Sparse pumpkins scattered across a wide, grassy field under a cloudy sky.

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    Be it traveling, a concert, or anything else, for that matter, it’s important to think long and hard about what it is that you want and if it’s worth spending your money on. In many cases, it is, so you can go ahead and treat yourself; but when it’s not, taking a moment to think about it can really help minimize unnecessary spending.

    Discussing unnecessary spending, the personal finance expert Julia Chung pointed out that the things we tend to regret buying are the stuff that isn’t aligned with our values; like visiting a place we didn’t even want to go to or dining in a restaurant with people we don’t like. Thinking things through beforehand might help avoid such situations.

    #6

    There Aren't Enough Seats In The Lecture Rooms, So I Don't Have A Table Or Seat, Even Though I Pay A Lot Of Money To Study

    Seated student observing a classroom presentation, showcasing regretted spending decision.

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    Corvus
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone working at a university - this shouldn't be allowed to happen. It's the university's responsibility to provide extra chairs, if they are needed. Or, at least, that's our policy.

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    #7

    My 7 Year Old Spent Saved-Up Pocket Money On 4 Mystery Box Toys. We Warned Him

    Mini Boo collectibles with polka dot figures, showcasing months of saving regrets on a wooden table.

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    StPaul9
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Another lesson: Toy tank portrayed firing may not actually fire.

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    #8

    2 Minutes After I Bought My Breakfast And Left It Outside

    A mouse peeking from a brown paper bag with croissants, next to a bottle of water.

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    The expert continued to note that there is no ‘one right way’ to spend your money other than a way that is aligned with your values and your goals for the future.

    Just like there is no right way to spend money, there is no one right way to save money, either – while some tips and tricks regarding saving can be helpful to many, what works for one person may not necessarily work for another.

    #9

    Poor Man Couldn't See Wtf Was He Suppose To Do

    Man on couch confused after accidentally buying 60 pairs of reading glasses online; regret over spending money.

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    Tucker Cahooter
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If he is like me he will either lose or break half of them before the end of the week, so no harm done

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    #10

    I Need A Pair Of Those For Cleaning The Hair Out Of My Bathtub Drain

    Jumbo forceps held next to a wooden water bottle, symbolizing regretful spending.

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    #11

    Cyber Truck Is Cyber Stuck On Local Santa Cruz Beach

    Car stuck in sand on beach as people gather around, illustrating regret after spending money.

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    Discussing advice for those struggling to save money, Julia Chung emphasized that it’s important not to beat yourself up about it. “Sometimes we're struggling to save money because we just don't have enough,” she told Bored Panda. “I've read enough personal finance media, books, texts to know that what people hear all the time is that it's some kind of moral failing on our part if we can't save money. It's not. The first thing to do is to stop beating yourself up.”

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    #12

    This Haircut That I Paid $60 For

    Uneven haircut, illustrating regret after spending money on a trim.

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    T.M.P Janssen
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Okay, this is ouch. That should be a case of "I refuse to pay".

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    #13

    I Paid 16 Euros For This Pizza

    Burnt pizza with ham, cheese, and tomatoes; an example of spending money.

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    #14

    I Ordered An Iced Tea From A Cafe At My University. When I Complained To The Barista She Told Me “That’s Just How We Do It Here, This Isn’t Starbucks”

    Plastic cup with a tea bag floating in water, highlighting instant regret spending money on a questionable beverage choice.

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    “The second piece of advice is to be realistic: Do you actually have enough to save?” Chung continued. “Sometimes you do because you've been spending on things you don't even care about. Sometimes you do because there are changes you've been wanting to make in big places like the cost of your housing and transportation that you just haven't pulled the trigger on.

    “It's not coffee or avocado toast that is getting you in financial trouble, by the way. It's larger expenses, whether housing, transportation, holidays, and so on, that really make it tough,” the expert added.

    #15

    Wore These “Waterproof” Hiking Boots For 30 Min In The Rain

    Worn-out black boot with detached sole, symbolizing regret after months of saving.

    I have to walk home now

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    #16

    I Bought This Pallet Specifically For The “Blue” Middle Shade. Wasted My Money Because I Need It For My Halloween Costume

    Colorful eyeshadow palette with floral design, showcasing shimmer shades, illustrating instant regret after spending money.

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    Nicola Roberts
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Who though using tinted plastic to cover make-up was a good idea?

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    #17

    I Ordered This "Ottoman" For My Wife... Should Have Double Checked The Dimensions

    Purple footstool on carpet with feet in gray socks resting on it, depicting regretful spending.

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    “Other times, you simply don't have enough,” Chung noted. “You may be in a low-paying job in an expensive part of the world and you are scraping your way up. You might be a single parent just trying to get through each month with enough food in the pantry. Those are really good reasons to not have enough to save. It doesn't mean you never will, but it might mean you don't right now.

    “I often tell parents of very young children that if you can save anything during those first 7 or so years, I'm impressed with you. Reduced income, increased housing and childcare and living expenses all combine to make those times in your life really tough.”

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    #18

    I Spent My Hard Earned Money On A "Smile" Cookie To Brighten My Day. This Is What I See When I Open The Bag When I Get Home

    A cookie from Tim Hortons with a messy face design, symbolizing regret in spending money.

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    #19

    This Is The Hot Tub Of The Airbnb Which Was The Main Reason Why I Rented The Spot. Smelled Terrible And Was Obviously Not Cleaned In Forever

    Inflatable hot tub with murky water in a wooden fenced yard, representing regrettable spending.

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    #20

    I Paid $100 For This? I Can Barely See Half The Field

    Stadium view of a football field with spectators, highlighting potential regret over spending money on expensive tickets.

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    During times when it’s difficult or impossible to save up money, it might be good to try and imagine when such tough times might end, Chung suggests. “Plan for those. What will you do when you get there? Yes, you might increase your lifestyle a bit – that's fair. [But] consider splitting the additional money between improved lifestyle and savings, so that you get to enjoy your life now as well as in the future.”

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    #21

    Something Tells Me The Salad I Bought Last Night Isn't Safe To Eat

    Southwest chopped salad kit on a counter, an example of regretted spending money after months of saving.

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    #22

    My Window Seat On The Plane I Paid Extra For

    Person sitting in an airplane seat, expressing regret about spending money.

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    #24

    My Neighbor Spent A Ton Of Money On A Granite Mailbox Post. They Used An “O” Instead Of A Zero To Make The Street Number. It Annoys Me Every Time I Walk By

    Granite post with "220" engraved, beside a forest, reflecting potential regretful spending choices.

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    #25

    I Had Misplaced My Wedding Ring, Spent Money Buying An Exact Same One; Only To Find The Lost Ring Later At Home

    Close-up of two rings in hand, symbolizing regret after spending money.

    I had misplaced my wedding ring, I didn’t want anyone to find out about the missing ring hence I spent a bunch of money to get an exact same band. Couple months later my mom found the lost ring at home. Now I’ve got two identical wedding rings.

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    #26

    Bought A 3-Pack Of Blank Cassettes And None Of Them Had Any Tape In It

    A person's hand holding a vintage cassette tape, illustrating regretful money spending decisions.

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    #27

    I Spent $12 On "Anti Fog" Mirror Film

    Foggy car side mirror reflecting regretful spending decision.

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    #28

    Paid $3 For A Chocolate Croissant, Got This

    A hollow chocolate croissant showing buyer's remorse, highlighting regret after spending money.

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    #29

    I Paid For An Upgraded Lake View

    Rooftop view with air conditioning units overlooking mountains and trees, symbolizing regretful spending decisions.

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    #30

    Company I Bought A Sculpture From Claims "Approx. 12cm" Equates To 7cm

    Mini crow sculpture beside ruler with chat screenshots about unexpected measurement discrepancies.

    I bought this bird sculpture for my dad for Christmas and spent, what for us, is quite a bit of money on it (£90). It's just arrived and there is visible glue around the beak, its legs are so uneven in length it can't stand up, and it's less than a third the advertised size. I contacted the company, TwentyTwenty One, to arrange a return and refund, and whilst that's possible (which is good though still annoying), the person on the company chat tried to convince me that 8cm is approx. 12cm. They even told me that it's actually the height standing up that counys - which if it could, would make it only 7cm. That feels like that's a push, right? Anyway, the interaction with customer service upgraded this from a mildly frustrating moment for me to a mildly infuriating one for me.

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    Robert T
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A third less than, not less than a third. Order a few more and then you can commit murder!

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    #31

    The Bacon And The Cheese Were Good And The Bread Was Fine Which Is Why It's A Shame The Egg Is The Size And Flavor Of A Buick

    Regrettable spending: disappointing bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich with minimal fillings on a foil wrap.

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    #32

    The View From My 30€ Ticket

    Football match obstructed by a large pillar, highlighting buyer's regret after spending months saving for tickets.

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    #33

    This Guy

    Diamond ring in a box for sale after a rejected proposal, showcasing regretful spending.

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    Bernd Herbert
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This whole "You need a diamond ring to propose" is an outright scam.

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    #34

    Months Of Saving, Travelled Over 5000 Miles And An 11 Hour Flight. Ladies And Gentlemen The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA

    Fog obscures the view of a large bridge, symbolizing regretful spending decisions.

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    Leah Woodard
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Please. 99% of the time it burns off by mid-morning. Take advantage, cross over to the Marin side, and get an AMAZING picture of the fog over the bridge and city!

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    #35

    My Sister Spent Her Own Money For A New TV For My Dad On Christmas Opened It And Turned It On And We See This

    A broken TV screen displaying colorful vertical lines, symbolizing regret over money spent.

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    #36

    My Mom Bought The Pro Power Save Devices. (Scam)

    Boxed Pro Power save device placed on a table, related to spending money regrets.

    She called me and told me she had a gift for me. To come over and pick it up. So I did. She excitedly hands me this and tells me how it’s supposed to to save me 100s of dollars on my power bill. Tells me how it cleans my dirty electricity from my appliances and it was developed by ELON MUSK…. Wow!! It’s so amazing I can’t even believe it!! She’s not got dementia or anything but she sure did fall for this one.

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    MZ (she/they/he)
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    From a commenter on the original post: I just went down the rabbit hole. Every site it’s advertised on includes a money back guarantee but also has a disclaimer at the bottom that they’re just a “marketplace” and are not responsible for returns. If you follow the link to the manufacturer, they require all of the original packaging to process a refund and don’t refund the original shipping cost (which they can completely make up). They also have a 15% restocking fee. To take it further, most of their registration information is redacted but I was able to link some to two older websites that were flagged for ransomware.

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    #37

    Paid For First Story Furniture Delivery. Delivered To Staircase Instead..!

    Couch stuck in staircase corner, a regretful spending decision.

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    #38

    Looks Like Squid

    Person holding unique white shoes, seeming to regret a purchase decision.

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    #39

    Spent Four Months Building A Campervan, Decided To Make A Little Money Renting It Out, First Rental Came Back Like This

    Damaged white van with dents and scratches, showing regretful spending decision.

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    #40

    Bought A $2500 E-Bike Two Weeks Ago. Locked It Up In My Apartment Building's "Secure Storage Room". Walked Downstairs Today To See This Where My Bike Was

    Bike rack with theft evidence, including bolt cutters and a shirt, illustrating regrettable spending.

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    #41

    Repaint Around Your Current Furniture, Keep The Tradition Alive

    Living room with unpainted walls behind a gray sofa, illustrating regret in spending money on new home decor.

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    ggus44
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's quite common (at least where I come from). I bought my apartment from an old lady and she did that. Before that, I lived with my mom and when we got the apartment painted, we did that. In both cases, the main reason was because the most of the furniture was attached to the walls (wardrobes, cabinets, desks, ...).

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    #42

    Bought This Ring On My Birthday And 9 Stones Fell Out In Just 48 Hours Of Wear. The Center Stone Is Loose, Too

    Diamond ring close-up showing craftsmanship; a possible spending regret.

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    #43

    I Was Charged $62 For A Haircut And It Wasn’t Even Cut Correctly

    Unfortunate haircut result highlighting instant regret after spending money.

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    #44

    After 20 Years With My Previous Instrument, I Recently Spent An Ungodly Amount Of Money Upgrading. Today…

    Broken violin scroll on a black surface, illustrating instant regret in spending money.

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    Floeckchen
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe the grain pattern was off. Can happen anytime and is sometimes not visible from the outside. Instrument makers usually take pride in their work and will fix their mistakes with no additional cost for the customer.

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    #45

    This Pizza At The Airport

    Poorly made cheese pizza being picked up, symbolizing regretted spending.

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    #46

    I Bought A Sprite, And This Is What Popped Out

    Hand holding a 7UP bottle in front of a vending machine display.

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    #47

    My Wedding Tux Pants Ripped 45 Min Before The Ceremony

    Torn blue pants showing regretful spending after months of saving.

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    #48

    I Paid For The WiFi On My 3hr Flight To Play, Only For The Servers To Shut Down 15 Mins In

    Person regretting a purchase, sitting on a plane with a laptop, wearing a tropical shirt, hands covering face.

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    sweetrottenpeaches
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    World of Warcraft is the MOST addictive game I've ever played with. I count years not hours in that game. Thanks Microsoft you fheked up the game so I can be free.

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    #49

    Bought A New Volume Of Berserk. Did I Get Scammed?

    Tiny "Berserk" deluxe book next to a ruler, showing a small purchase regret after months of saving.

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    #50

    Headphones Purchased 1 Year Ago Brand New, I've Barely Used Them. Why Does This Always Happen?

    Worn-out headphones with crumbling ear pads in a person's hand, signifying instant regret from spending money.

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    Note: this post originally had 74 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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    Poll Question

    Have you ever regretted a purchase because it was of poor quality?

    Yes, often

    Sometimes

    Rarely

    Never