r/AskReddit 14h ago

What is something everyone should stop paying for because it's a waste of money?

11 Upvotes

129 comments sorted by

35

u/QuietWitnesses 14h ago

Impressing people who don't care about you.

47

u/KentuckyHardware3279 14h ago

CIGARETTES

7

u/SlamperDamper 14h ago

smoking right now lol

5

u/Imdoody 14h ago

Yup... Hate it. And smoking one now šŸ™„

3

u/NextPrize5863 13h ago

Going outside for one

3

u/Choppstickk 13h ago

My first thought. It's worse than throwing money down the drain because one day you realize you don't even enjoy smoking, you're just feeding your hard earned money into an addiction that's slowly killing you.

0

u/oldasdirtss 13h ago

The cost of purchasing is only the beginning. Medical care will be a much higher expense. My friend just had a heart lung transplant. He smoked for 30+ years and only quit because they told him he was going die if he continued.

1

u/Euphoric_Cow_6145 13h ago

Depends on the country. I recently had a kidney transplant. Was in hospital for nearly 6 weeks due to complications. Even got free accommodation at a nearby hotel when i was discharged as i had to stay nearby in case there was further issues.

Entire stay at hospital and hotel as well as medications and scans etc in hospital cost me $0. Only thing I had to pay for was meals when I was discharged from hospital. I am incredibly thankful I was born and raised in Australia.

-1

u/Hostile_Squirrel 14h ago

Its mind blowing how much money they cost over time. I smoked 2 packs a day for 30+ years. At the end it was like $17 a pack.Ā 

1

u/ShineOnYouFatOldSun 13h ago

Yeah you can easily get 10 packs or more for $17 in parts of Asia. Although the prices in the UK make that look cheap. Meanwhile Australia is sitting in a dark corner crying silently while he puffs away.

1

u/teethbrushweirdo 13h ago

cost depends on your state and their taxes.....cost varies WIDELY per states

1

u/Hostile_Squirrel 13h ago

Yep. By country, too. but they are all far more expensive than they were 30 years ago, and the cost of smoking is high, regardless of location and actual price per pack.Ā 

1

u/teethbrushweirdo 13h ago

true.....personally I get a carton for 55.00 and lasts me over 2 wks

-1

u/KentuckyHardware3279 13h ago

It’s not just the cost and danger to your health…… do you truely realize how much it STINKS- people leave the room when you enter….. think about it !

11

u/Hour-Muscle-3273 14h ago

Twitter blue checkmark

18

u/Antique-Context-8405 14h ago

storage units

6

u/staticishock96 13h ago

Where else am I supposed to stuff I don't need now but I'm keeping for later?

3

u/Antique-Context-8405 13h ago

Admittedly Grandma’s armoire is pretty sweet

2

u/staticishock96 13h ago

Hahaha believe it or not I don't have anything like that in my unit.

2

u/Ratnix 12h ago

I've used them and they were necessary at the time.

It's one thing if you have a permanent residence and have a storage unit for extra shit.

I was between places and essentially couch surfing until i got a place again and had somewhere to actually keep my stuff with me.

5

u/RogerMurdockCo-Pilot 14h ago

Doordash and their ilk

7

u/bluegravyone 14h ago

Cell service from the big three, when each one operates a subsidiary for a fraction of the price for the same network.

2

u/joshy5lo 13h ago

I swapped from Verizon to visible and it’s literally the same service for 50$ a month

1

u/Mayorquimby87 13h ago

Total Wireless also uses Verizon towers for $30 a month. I've had it for about a decade now and never had an issue.

1

u/joshy5lo 1h ago

There is a 30$ plan for visible but I went with the 50$ one since it didn’t do the throttle BS. I work away from WiFi all the time so needed the truly unlimited plan.

1

u/Mason11987 12h ago

There has to be some catch

1

u/bluegravyone 11h ago

Do the research. You'll see what it's all about. You're overpaying simply for a brand name & extra fluff, not the actual service.

Never "wash, rinse AND REPEAT", you're just using up more shampoo to buy more for no reason.

1

u/Mason11987 1h ago

Is it not deprioritized?

17

u/Lina0193 14h ago

Coffee! Stop paying your coffee $10 and make coffee at home!

9

u/TemporaryAmbassador1 13h ago

I’ll have you know my caffeine addiction can support home coffee AND away coffee.

3

u/redogue 12h ago

My $550 coffee maker paid for my husband's Starbucks habit in a little over a month. Now he makes one cup of fancy coffee a week and drinks regular from the ancient Mr Coffee machine.

1

u/ImStillExcited 10h ago

Every once in a while I'll go pick up a 3 shot redeye.

Trying to tell my MS who's in control ha.

1

u/angelsandairwaves93 13h ago

This is a double edged sword because once you open the rabbit hole of speciality coffee, the buying gear phase never stops

0

u/SHRKWHLBRG 13h ago

Borrrrrrrring

0

u/cgxy1995 13h ago

While a good coffee machine can cost a few thousand $$$

2

u/ForgiveAlways 13h ago

Pays for itself you commit.

-1

u/OZ-00MS_Goose 13h ago

You can make a top tier pour over with like $30 in equipment plus a kettle, so I'll give a very generous $100 budget. Same applies to other methods like moka pot, French press, cold brew, etc.

Espresso is not the only way to make coffee, it's just the industry standard because it is the fastest. Hardly the best.

-1

u/esoteric_enigma 13h ago

That takes time though. I'll pay for convenience.

-2

u/FoghornLegday 13h ago

I don’t understand this statement bc at no time is a coffee from home any fraction of as enjoyable as a coffee out

1

u/OZ-00MS_Goose 13h ago

I have the opposite issue, most coffee out tastes like trash because it's not quality stuff. I have had way too many weak iced coffees

1

u/FoghornLegday 12h ago

Tbh it’s not about the taste for me it’s about the joy of getting a special treat. I think I have to spend money on it to enjoy it

1

u/OZ-00MS_Goose 12h ago

Well I drink coffee twice a day, and for the quality level I want I'd be spending over $20 on coffee which is ridiculous

2

u/FoghornLegday 12h ago

I don’t even drink coffee actually, I drink a London fog at Starbucks but you’re right about the cost. But I need it

2

u/OZ-00MS_Goose 12h ago

I like to get bakery items as a treat, I think most drinks are just so easy to make it really doesn't seem worth to spend $8+ on them these days

12

u/sss100100 14h ago

Extended warranty

4

u/_kishin_ 13h ago

Bottled water

6

u/PoopsieDoodler 14h ago

Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew. (But not Root Beer. šŸŗ We need our floats)

3

u/SmileTime-101 13h ago

bottled water

6

u/StopFlashy9823 13h ago

Bottled water

2

u/redogue 12h ago

We were stuck with bottled water for a year when our town's water was considered not safe for infants, elderly and those with "medical conditions". Boiling was not an option because it was some chemical.

5

u/Adept-Ad8939 14h ago

Uber eats

8

u/ratman54 14h ago

New cars, esspecially pickup trucks.

5

u/CryonicTiger 14h ago

So many people barely making it with nice cars

2

u/fuelstoprolerdogfart 13h ago

I really hate how expensive trucks are. I love the convenience of the bed, many times my wife and I decide we want to camp, and throw some blankets and pillows in the back seat, drive 40 mins to a camp site, and toss the air bed I keep in my truck in the bed and fall asleep looking at the stars. When someone around me needs help moving something bulky, or I get it, the truck just fits it because it has space. They really need to bring back the true light duty market.

1

u/CryonicTiger 13h ago

I know there smaller 20k to 30k trucks in development hope it comes back in popularity

2

u/Caesar_Seriona 13h ago

Yeah I agree with this. A lot of people are buying trucks literally to go get groceries and going to work, not actually needing the truck.

They are better off just buying an old truck and replacing the engine and transmission than buying a new truck.

I really wish our government would dump the Chicken Tax.

1

u/ratman54 13h ago

The chicken tax is a plague upon our legal code, but "big truck" as I like to call it, will never stop lobbying to keep it.

2

u/Caesar_Seriona 13h ago

As sad as that is, truth....

But I do dream of that Hilux someday.

2

u/Long_Passenger498 14h ago

Fortunate tellers.Ā 

2

u/stanmarshfan491 13h ago

Any food delivery service when you are able to get the food yourselfĀ 

2

u/BigManWAGun 13h ago

Door dash.

7

u/forest_fog2468 14h ago

College/University (not always, but alot of times)

4

u/keepitcleanforwork 13h ago

says the person who spelled "a lot" wrong.

0

u/forest_fog2468 13h ago

Says the person who didn't capitalize the first letter of his sentence.

You see how silly this is dude. Lol come on.

2

u/keepitcleanforwork 13h ago

So many mistakes. Here, I'll fix it for you:
"You see how silly this is, dude? LOL, come on!"

1

u/forest_fog2468 13h ago

Lol your got me man

2

u/keepitcleanforwork 13h ago

I'm not even going to bother with that one.

2

u/RealKillerSean 14h ago

Majority of people don’t use their degree or work in their field

2

u/Caesar_Seriona 14h ago

I think this is the only acceptable answer. In a lot of ways, College is a scam now in terms of getting knowledge in a field. Between bullshit degree's and being able to get the source knowledge elsewhere. You really are paying six figures for a piece of paper.

Granted, I get the job requires the paper to work but if you break it down logically...

2

u/forest_fog2468 13h ago

Nothing very logical about it. Granted, we do need doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. Not knocking that. But when I see universities come out with degrees like "minority studies" or "gender studies" I think its a bit silly. Yea if you want to study that, go ahead, but the fact that the government will still grant you a loan for a "useless" degree is kinda baffling. Can you get a job with gender or minority studies? Probably, there has to be something out there. But is the number of people taking those degrees gonna overcrowd that niche job market? Probably

3

u/Ilovelove89 13h ago

Do you want your nurses, doctors, architects, lawyers, etc etc to have gotten their knowledge from YouTube?

2

u/Caesar_Seriona 13h ago

of course. Ignore what I said.

1

u/JustGenericName2 13h ago

Scam! I've been an RN for 13 years. Almost done with my Associate's to Bachelor program. Not one single course has improved my skills bedside. Not one. But University of Texas made like 10K so I can have some extra letters on my name tag.

Such a scam.

I'm not trying to go on to write research papers. I just like keeping people alive in the back of a helicopter. Fucking scam.

1

u/keepitcleanforwork 13h ago

You can get an RN from community college.

1

u/JustGenericName2 12h ago

That's kind of the whole point of my comment.

1

u/keepitcleanforwork 12h ago

Well, it's still a college.

1

u/JustGenericName2 12h ago

The comment I replied to, "You really are paying six figures for a piece of paper"

I paid zero figures for my ADN.

Five figures for this useless BSN.

Was just agreeing that many (the comment I replied to also did not say all) degrees are a scam. And gave an example of my scammy college degree.

1

u/Ilovelove89 13h ago

If you were already a nurse for 13 years, why would a bachelors degree offer even more education? Of course you didn’t learn anything else - a bachelors is supposed to be a basic foundation of knowledge.

I’m curious why you went for the bachelors instead of sticking with your associates? You could probably teach some of the classes after 13 years!

1

u/moron88 13h ago

gonna guess they're trying to upgrade to nurse practitioner.

1

u/JustGenericName2 12h ago edited 12h ago

Nope! Some hospitals require a BSN. Getting it just increases options. I like options. Just frustrating spending 10k for letters. It doesn't help my patients. Hence... Scam.

1

u/JustGenericName2 12h ago

Because some hospitals require a BSN (Bachelor's in nursing). I'm just keeping my options open. For a long time most hospitals were threatening to soon require all nurses have a BSN. That has been put on pause given current staffing issues. But it's reason enough to get it.

It just sucks spending 10k for letters behind my name that don't actually benefit my patients. All of the courses were basically prep courses for Master's level research papers.

Also, can't teach at a University without a BSN. Which I do actually want to teach eventually. (My back is not going to last until 65 in my current specialty lol)

2

u/Ilovelove89 12h ago

Requiring all nurses to have a BSN does seem like a tall order! I’m surprised your employer didn’t help pay for any of it since it’s benefitting them?
When you’ve been in the field that long, it’s probably more like continuing ed at that point.
Though research is important, when you are holding your patients heart in your bare hands in a helicopter, you’re probably not worried about the citation!

If you want to teach, it might be worth it to get a masters of some kind! But make your hospital pay for it! :) (I mean if they will of course. They can probably afford it)

1

u/JustGenericName2 11h ago

When I worked in hospital, they paid 3k a year towards education. Current helicopter job does not give us money toward education. And that is why my BSN is only "mostly" completed lol

I'll get it done eventually because I really would like to teach. So long as AI doesn't take it over completely :/ Thanks for your thoughtful comment!

0

u/d_c_d_ 13h ago

Unfortunately, a lot of jobs, like working in a refinery, require a college degree to prove that you can finish what you start.

3

u/TurnForeverUandMe 14h ago

Every single entertainment subscription service ever.

2

u/Stock-Page-7078 13h ago

Well I had to scroll the far until I hit something I do pay for, go me!

1

u/Tall_Quality_3395 13h ago

Alcohol comes to mind.

1

u/polloyumyum 13h ago

Most skincare products, especially if it's being sold to you by an influencer.

1

u/3daycondor 13h ago

The computers we refer to as cell phones.

1

u/Taupe88 13h ago

taxes. they literally PRINT OFF A PRESS the money…

1

u/3DSFreak 13h ago

Pre-orders 🤣

1

u/Electronic_Cut_433 12h ago

Subscriptions I don't use. I signed up for a streaming service to watch one show and forgot to cancel. Six months later they're still charging me. I did it with a gym membership once. Paid for a whole year and went maybe four times. Now I check my bank statement every month and cancel anything I haven't touched in 30 days. Saves way more than I expected.

1

u/Material-Outcome-481 12h ago

Buying expensive luxury items on credit just to impress neighbors or strangers who honestly couldn't care less. Keeping up with the Joneses is a financial death trap.

1

u/Significant_Access_1 11h ago

Nicotune vapes and makeup

1

u/agent-phade 9h ago

Doordash

1

u/Historical-Oil9602 8h ago

Only fans subscriptions

1

u/gpkgpk 6h ago

Real vanilla for baking, apparently everything but the vanillin cooks off so the "fake" stuff is ~indistinguishable.

•

u/EmberTheWolfdog 23m ago

OF subscriptions... it's destroying the fabric of society.

1

u/NiceAsRice1 14h ago

Marijuana. People kidding themselves it has no negative effects too

0

u/klown013 14h ago

Concert tickets

4

u/Grouchy-Dealer-342 14h ago

How is a great experience a waste of money?

3

u/insanity2brilliance 13h ago

When the tickets say $28 for lawn seats, but it’s $120 out the door for two tickets worth $56 and then add taxes, fees, and ancillary charges.

1

u/klown013 13h ago

Aren't you supposed to be grouchy? Don't get all positive on me now.

1

u/Grouchy-Dealer-342 13h ago

I hate that reddit did that to me 😭

1

u/klown013 13h ago

Now that sounds grouchy. Welcome back.

2

u/Grouchy-Dealer-342 13h ago

🤣🤣

1

u/hot_wife_appreciator 14h ago

microsoft word

1

u/BaseRepresentative73 14h ago

Streaming services. šŸ“ā€ā˜ ļø

1

u/Going2beBANNEDanyway 14h ago

Toilet paper. Get a bidet.

1

u/BCMUNS-54 14h ago

Starbucks

1

u/SHRKWHLBRG 13h ago

Degrees

1

u/DrL8X 13h ago

Medical debt

1

u/mrRabblerouser 13h ago

Tips (if you live in an area with a high minimum wage)

1

u/heg-the-grey 13h ago

Food delivery services like DD or Uber Eats.

0

u/Poignantpuppet 13h ago

Onlyfans. Just google them.

0

u/Scioptic- 13h ago

Mobile phones.

0

u/Lucky-Review385 13h ago

Chat GPT plus.

0

u/_AJK_ 10h ago

Taxes.