11 things that are never worth the money
Of course, one person's waste of money could be another's best purchase. Everyone has different values surrounding money, which means different choices make them happy.
In a Reddit thread answering the question "What is something that is never worth the money?", users contributed the purchases they personally feel aren't ever worth it.
Here are some of the things they hate to spend on:
Phone cases from retail stores. "[They're] $30-$40 in store as opposed to $5-$10 online," writes Reddit user cssensing87.
Screen protectors from retail stores. "$40 for a glass screen protector at best buy, $6 for a three pack on Amazon," writes user HR_kevin.
"Well over my last three phones, my $5 screen protectors actually lasted as long as the phones themselves actually did, no idea how screen protectors are supposed to be actually spoiled ..." adds user Zenotha.
Gambling in casinos. "For me, right now, it has to be the casino, my place of employment," writes Reddit user Phyler. "I overheard a woman complaining yesterday, 'Eight years! I've been coming here for eight years and have never left ahead!'"
In-app purchases. "I always get over it and delete the app eventually anyway," writes user peopleisaweirdword.
Name-brand medicines like Advil and Tylenol. "Generic Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen are cheaper and are the exact same thing," writes Reddit user Dizzy_Panda.
However, user AWildBugHasAppeared cautions, "On the flip side, if your doctor tells you to get the expensive one never get the cheap one without asking if they're ok too. Some cheap medicines contain additives that might interfere with other medicines your taking, or they contain things you might be allergic to, or they don't release the dose at the same rate, leading to an inconsistent delivery which may be problematic in some cases."
Carnival games. After playing and winning a carnival game, user snoopiku was underwhelmed by the prize. "Came away with a 18" tall stuffed dog," they write. "$20 for something I could have bought for 5 bucks. I don't think I saw a single person at the carnival with a large/grand prize from the dart game."
Extended warranties. "The problem is the chances of you using an extended warranty are so small that it's not worth it in the vast majority of cases. And, many of the 'in-store' warranties that are offered don't even cover the most common causes of failure on the products they're covering," writes Reddit user BagOnuts. "Consider the profit margins on extended warranties: While your typical product may net the seller a 15-20% profit, extended warranties are nearly completely profit. You're pretty much just getting duped into paying a retailer more for your purchase.
"If you really want an extended warranty or 'protection plan' or whatever," they continue, "you're much better off buying it from an independent firm, not the retailer that's selling you the actual product."
College textbooks. "College textbooks are upwards of $200-$300 depending on the subject, most have summaries/study guides online somewhere," writes user mardybum430. "Or buy it the semester after from someone who's just taken the class."
Payday loans. "I don't care how pressed for cash you are," user oGsBathSalts writes of the notoriously expensive loans, "they are always a bad idea."
Restaurant steaks. "Buying steak at any restaurant is never cheap and every time I order it, I'm always disappointed by the lack of flavor," writes Reddit user usmcawp. "It is much cheaper to simply buy a steak, rub some sea salt and throw it on the grill or pan sear for a couple of minutes. It is simple and always tastes marginally better. As someone that is decent at, and enjoys cooking, I truly believe restaurant steak is not any tastier than making it at home, and is definitely not worth the price."
An expensive coffin. "It won't make you any less dead," writes user makeslamememes.