Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

talk to me if you stupidly bought something £££ you couldnt really afford

769 replies

WhyDidIDiddle · 30/03/2025 19:44

In my defence, I have had a horrible time featuring death which has left me on a swing between dark depression and f*ck it do it now you might be dead tomorrow.

I bought a pair of shoes that I really liked but were a ridiculous amount to spend on shoes of any kind. I feel a bit sick when I think of it. I will keep them as its not bankrupting but it is stupid out of the savings money. I do like them but it was really really really stupid. No one should spend that much on a pair of shoes.

Hoping I am not alone and someone can make me feel a bit better with similar tale that didn't end horribly.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
21
VictoriaEra · 30/03/2025 22:19

Having recently lost a great love after many years of illness, I understand what you’re saying. I fluctuate wildly between thinking I will die in the night to thinking I must live each day as if it’s my last. Completely understand the impulse buy in this context. I’ve bought a ridiculous amount of new clothes recently.

SpringIsSpringing25 · 30/03/2025 22:19

edwinbear · 30/03/2025 19:51

If you really like the shoes and you can afford them, it’s really not a waste of money. You’re allowed to have nice things! DH and I spent £20k on a cutlery set when we were young, pre-kids and had money. That’s arguably a ridiculous amount of money to spend on knives & forks, but 20 years later, we still get pleasure from them.

How much? (I can hear my dad saying it.!! 🤣). What makes it so expensive what it's made from or who it's made by?? I can't even imagine spending that much money on cutlery, even if I won the lottery!! I'm genuinely shocked.

But I'm glad it still gives you pleasure this many years later 😊. Have you ever regretted it?

LillyPJ · 30/03/2025 22:18

WhyDidIDiddle · 30/03/2025 20:06

After @edwinbear s post about the cutlery, I googled silver cutlery to look at prices. It lead me to this on the Asprey site - if you would like to "Enhance your dining experience with Asprey's Bobsleigh Salt and Pepper Shaker set" (which is admittedly very cute) you can do that for ... guess how much?

. . . . .

yes

£7,950.

https://www.asprey.com/products/bob-sleigh-salt-and-pepper-set-in-sterling-silver

Brings to mind that saying: a fool and his money...

Doingmybestbut · 30/03/2025 22:17

modgepodge · 30/03/2025 20:14

Even as a yearly cost that cutlery is £1000 a year or almost £3 a day!

This was my thinking, too. If you use it at each meal, it’s cost you £1 per meal.

LunaNorth · 30/03/2025 22:17

Spent £5k on a horse. Managed to sit on her twice, spent £630 on a saddle, then discovered she’s pregnant.

I’m now spending £520 a month to keep an upduffed cob on what is essentially an all- inclusive holiday, with no chance of riding her on the horizon.

She’s the best money I’ve ever spent 🥰

fluffbreeder · 30/03/2025 22:17

My kids would take the bastard teaspoons in their lunch boxes and loose them.

I have many things, I went to a beauty counter and spent over £450 on makeup, I don’t even wear much makeup. I just got carried away.

I currently have a classic Porsche in my garage and I can tell you all the reasons my beautiful 911 means the world to me but I will need to sell her one day for my pension fund and I really really should have said no.

I have a pink Burberry Alexa, it’s lovely but I didn’t and don’t need it, rarely use it as I prefer my hush bag!

I also book flights and holidays I can’t really afford, but they motivate me to work harder!

Growlybear83 · 30/03/2025 22:17

Moveoverdarlin · 30/03/2025 21:11

I did the same. Persevered for two weeks but HATED it.

Me too! I love my iPad and iPhone but I hate my MacBook with a passion and it’s been tucked away under the sofa for the last two years.

babyproblems · 30/03/2025 22:16

Can the cutlery person make a new thread with all the key info because I can’t find any other updates 😂😂😂😂

TiredCatLady · 30/03/2025 22:16

A beautiful silk dress for a formal ball. It’s gorgeous and I’ve worn it once in the 15 years since I bought it. I definitely couldn’t afford it at the time and lived on noodles and beans on toast for months. I love it and felt amazing in it (still have the photos even if I can’t get u to it these days). I feel so guilty every time I look at it though as it’s been sat in a garment bag for far too long.
Currently trying to sell it as a prom dress in the hope I might be redeemed by a teenager getting their dream dress for £20.

TitusMoan · 30/03/2025 22:16

Latenightreader · 30/03/2025 20:11

Quite. Makes the £26 I spent on a paperback of The Chalet School and the Oberland (admittedly 20 years ago & I had very little money at the time but I was so happy to finally own a copy) pale into insignificance!

Edited

Joey Goes to the Oberland? I’ve got an early hardback copy ❤️

Hoppinggreen · 30/03/2025 22:16

If it doesn't put you into debt or financial difficulties then nothing is a bad purchase if it makes you happy BUT you have to use whatever it is not leave it in a drawer or cupboard

LillyPJ · 30/03/2025 22:15

edwinbear · 30/03/2025 19:51

If you really like the shoes and you can afford them, it’s really not a waste of money. You’re allowed to have nice things! DH and I spent £20k on a cutlery set when we were young, pre-kids and had money. That’s arguably a ridiculous amount of money to spend on knives & forks, but 20 years later, we still get pleasure from them.

I still get pleasure and daily use from the cutlery I bought 20 years ago. It probably cost me only £20 or £30 though! I can't believe you spent so much on cutlery!

IShotTheDeputyItWasMe · 30/03/2025 22:15

edwinbear · 30/03/2025 21:45

@IShotTheDeputyItWasMe you bought a bear??

Yes. It just sits there though. Waste of money tbh. Even as I bought it, I was thinking, I shouldn't be doing this.

Iloveanicegarden · 30/03/2025 22:15

Two long haul flights for once in a lifetime holidays. What's so special about this? Well we upgraded to first class and it was worth every penny! No regrets.

edwinbear · 30/03/2025 22:14

EdithBond · 30/03/2025 22:04

I’ve never really understood fish knives.

Why do you need a different type of knife to eat fish?

You really don’t 😊. The fish knives are only used for smoked salmon - we don’t eat that much fish! But they are beautiful to look at and for me, personally, give me more pleasure than (for example), an expensive handbag. It’s the equivalent of a beautiful painting for us.

Switcher · 30/03/2025 22:14

That's my lottery winner shopping list sorted then.

Isanyonereallyanonymous · 30/03/2025 22:13

When my last horse was pts, I went out and bought an MG TF the next day. I’m still beyond gutted that I had to sell it because I was running 3 vehicles and it just wasn’t financially doable any more.

Edit - OP. Enjoy the shoes! Before I left my city job, I bought a pair of Louboutins. I love love love them. I don’t go to many places I can wear them, but if I get the chance I do. The soles are tired now but they’re too nice to just leave in the box

lashy · 30/03/2025 22:12

SiobhanSharpe · 30/03/2025 20:51

We went a bit OTT at the Chelsea Flower show about 30 years ago and bought a hugely expensive, (as well as just plain huge) garden umbrella, all ultra sturdy gorgeous, polished wood mast and fixings and a beautiful cream canvas top, it looked like a galleon in full sail.

It was around a grand, AFAICR. Yes, over 30 years ago...
The trouble was, the mice also took a liking to it while it was stored in the garage and one summer when we got it out and opened it up the sail looked more like a giant cobweb.

love the description! Parasol reduced to a cobweb 😂

ByEdgyPeer · 30/03/2025 22:10

MustBeGinOclock · 30/03/2025 20:50

Resin jewellery and ornament crafting has cost me a small fortune [to me] to buy everything I needed and probably went o.t.t with what I thought id need. There is a small spark of joy at times yes, as I've spent so much I'm going to see where it goes though.

My sister spent almost £700 on resin supplies, all the moulds, pigments..etc, back in 2021 whilst everyone was doing it.

She soon realised no one wanted to buy a resin pyramid with fairy lights in or a crap keyring and sold it all for roughly £30.

She gifted me a few of her creations and every single one either broke or has been lost somewhere. Somewhere out there is a resin teddy bear keyring that will probably still be in the dirt a million years from now. Very few people who started their resin "businesses" actually still do it

Oceangrey · 30/03/2025 22:08

I once spent £1,600 on a chair. It's a really cool wooden Windsor style rocking chair and it was deeply discounted as the shop floor model from Heals. No regrets, I love it.

£2k on a pair of earrings, they are lovely but I keep worrying I will lose one.

I'm about to spend a lot of money on a new kitchen and although I can afford it the total cost is making me feel a bit ill.

Love the stags head!

EdithBond · 30/03/2025 22:04

Tipofthecattoes · 30/03/2025 21:44

I find that really depressing - a set of overpriced fish knives as a present. How much joy can you get out of a fucking fish knife?

I’ve never really understood fish knives.

Why do you need a different type of knife to eat fish?

Mudkipper · 30/03/2025 22:04

MrsClatterbuck · 30/03/2025 21:11

Doing up house and needed a new sofa. Saw one in a furniture store dh and I liked to browse. I was with my dm and sofa and 2 armchairs were
£2.2k in the sale. It was good quality leather. When told dh about it he nearly had a fit at spending that much on a sofa. This was mid nineties. He came and looked at it and loved it so we bought it. 30 years later it's still going strong and the design could be described as nearly Art Deco.

Photo please, I love Art Deco.

ThisPinkBee · 30/03/2025 22:03

I return things when I get buyers guilt.

Ireolu · 30/03/2025 22:03

BillyNoProblems · 30/03/2025 20:05

I love the idea of spending a fortune on cutlery, embracing life! I've just spent 25k on a car for my mum, took the money out of savings because I felt so strongly that I'd rather have her drive a safer car than her old, small car. Also, spent 3k on a handbag that I've kept under the bed for 2 years because it's too expensive to use. Got it out today and wore it for the first time and it gave me so much pleasure

What was the bag? Life is too short. Wear in good health!

ThePussy · 30/03/2025 22:02

I love the stag head.

I’ve just spent just short of £200,000 on renovating my flat. It looks absolutely gorgeous, we had a fabulous designer and architect, but it still makes me feel a bit sick. We also have to furnish it as we chucked out all of our shitty old furniture when we had it renovated. It’s added considerably more than we spent to the value of the flat, and I don’t intend ever moving again.

Swipe left for the next trending thread