What’s the biggest waste of money you have ever seen?

[3luckystars]

Last summer I was in a newsagent and the woman in front of me bought 11 of those rubishy childrens magazines, she was having a party and wanted them to keep the children busy.

It was €55.

I’m sure there is a lot worse things that people have wasted money on, (and I can’t believe I am still thinking about It) but even one of them magazines is a total waste of money.

OOOhh - big thread on this a few months ago...
Most Mns thought they were fine and dandy and why not?
Those of us who thought they were naff were shot down in MN flames!

Buying a brand new car.

Expensive pic’n’mix disaster here, dc1, £18 for sweets! They were 17 so did know about the rip off pricing but neither of us expected £18 😂

On that note I’d say all cinema food, especially popcorn. Such a rip off.

Went the millennium dome when it was still called that for their winter wonderland in about 2003 I think; absolute extortion and it was shit. Dh and I are still bitter about it 😂 we took my little sibling and spent loads just to make sure he didn’t miss out but it was dreadful. 20 years ago we paid £45 for 3 crap fish and chip lunches that came in those little cardboard trays… plus all the rides were a separate cost plus you also had to pay an entry fee. Now I’m fuming all over again!

Bailing out the banks in 2008
Brexit
HS2
Covid loans and PPE

On a non political level those million pound birthday parties for a small child that celebs like the Kardashians and Beyoncé have, just because they can.

my god I think you win !

What? Noone is paying my utility bills? .

I do work partly from home but work ridiculously hard wherever I am. If I am working at home I often don't get the chance to even go to the loo I am so busy. I am literally drowning, trying to do the job of about 5 people. And so are most people I know in local govt right now. There's signs of burnout everywhere.

Same!
And working ridiculously long days because we can't stop anything we are doing but have about 1/3 of the staff we used to have.

The royal family.

My first professional hair colour appointment as a teenager in the 80s. Saved up to have highlights done, cost big bucks. I came out looking exactly the same as before. Of course I was far too intimidated by the salon experience to utter a cheep, in fact I thanked them profusely. I'm still annoyed about it.

Furlough
Brexit
HS2

Also, which council is paying their employee utility bills and also, are they hiring?? (As I sit here, chilly in my house as my employer won't pay my bills goddammit)

All of the national and international stuff.

Locally, the potholes the council keep bodging, that need rebodging two weeks later. Just do it properly the first time.

Temporary 4 way traffic lights that cause massive queues, but no one is working on anything that might need traffic restrictions.

The nearby House of Fraser was in a beautiful old building in the town centre. It was completely overhauled and refurbished in 2018. It closed in 2019 and has been empty since, thus ensuring that the original fabric of the building degenerates.

A drink and a panini each.

Good company with the people you love for 1/2 -1 hour?

A waste of money? I disagree.

Some of our loveliest memories of MIL involves us sat in cafes drinking coffee eating a panini/cake and putting the world to right. I wouldn't trade one of those memories.

I still walk into a Costa coffee a bit 20 mins from where I live and think of mil and the hot chocolate she had there..

Money well spent

I don't think there's really any such thing as a waste of money, everything we spend goes back into the economy. If you have it, it's almost a duty to spend it IMO.

As for the magazines, it would have cost just as much, if not more, to take the DC to the cinema or bowling or a theme park, who's to say her decision wasn't the better one?

Me too. I spend loads on coffees and breakfasts I don't really need, but it's quality time with people who add a lot to my life. I didn't do it when I couldn't spare the money, but now I can it's money well spent IMO.. and it supports jobs and the economy.

I always shout at the at the TV when a delivery advert comes on showing McDonalds. My experience is that it doesn’t even stay warm when you are sat in McDonalds.

I know someone who booked a £1k hotel room for a birthday. They didn’t have the money (it was showing off) anyway their car broke and they couldn’t go, it was non refundable.

The EU.

Twice cooked McDonalds fries, reheated in the oven area bit special though.

I hate the kids magazines, but DD loves them and to be fair they keep her entertained for ages. She uses her pocket money though. I think the adult ones are a far bigger waste.

I think it is Botox, anti aging anything, all cosmetic surgery (not reconstructive) - they all make people look ridiculous in the end. Just accept what you have and age normally.

Although my DH will say it is my old horse that costs thousands and just eats grass and sees the vet regularly 😂 but I love her and she is worth every penny.

Agreed.

This was what I came here to say.

Baby trainers.

Millennium Dome. Cost £800m. I still cannot for the love of God work out where that money went.
And it wasn't intended to be a permanent structure?

Trident

How much did he cost? Do you still have the receipt? Maybe you can return him

Kids mags are so expensive and times it by 4 I'm afraid I'd rather buy a game I can play with them all. But when we go away they like to get one. Alcohol I think is a waste but hey that's cause I don't drink haha but my brother's can go out and spend a 100 in one night out and I'm like that's a good food shop for the family

I’m sure not true across the board - but business travel.

Two relatives of mine work for the same company and recently flew in £15k seats along with everyone else in their department, equally this happened from four other offices across the world and they were all put up for the week in a very nice hotel.

The ‘meeting’ was a presentation with no networking or interaction opportunities. My BIL told me this could absolutely have been a teams call or similar.

Absolutely aghast at the cost of something like this when it seems so unnecessary, and how this must just happen everywhere, all the time.