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Original poster

I spent a lot of money on an experience and didn't enjoy it

176 replies

Newname101 · 25/01/2025 18:43

There's something I've wanted to do for ages, do dh and I bought very expensive tickets yo do it. We travelled into London which he hated and it was short and wasn't for me, I left feeling stupid and sad that we spent out money on it. Dh said at least we gave it s go and we had the money spare. I enjoyed walking through St james park with dh more than the activity.
It's really made me doubt myself and worry about doing things in the future.

OP posts:
Ellmau · 25/01/2025 18:46

You can't second guess yourself after the fact. You didn't know you weren't going to enjoy it, so don't feel bad now.

If you think doing more research about the event before going would have changed your decision to do it, then that is something you could do next time. But it might not have helped anyway - sometimes you have to experience it yourself to know.

PullTheBricksDown · 25/01/2025 18:48

If you don't allow yourself to take risks and make mistakes you'll never do anything. That's all it was. If your DH is saying it was an affordable mistake, even if expensive, then that seems sensible to me.

PixieandDelilahsmum · 25/01/2025 18:50

I don’t think you can always know if you’re going to enjoy something unless you try it.

WaltzingWaters · 25/01/2025 18:50

You can’t always know in advance what you will or won’t enjoy. You thought you’d enjoy it, you tried it, and didn’t. But life wouldn’t be any fun if you didn’t at least try!

PermanentTemporary · 25/01/2025 18:51

It's always a bit sad when something doesn't work out, but taking a punt on something is a risk worth taking. At least you enjoyed the walk.

Why does he hate London?

ohyesido · 25/01/2025 18:52

Was it the murderer exhibition? Lots of people are disappointed with it.

thenightsky · 25/01/2025 18:53

What was it? I want to do an interactive experience thing, but worried it won't live up to my expectations.

devastatedagain · 25/01/2025 18:54

What was it and how much was it

Have you never done something you thought wasn't worth the money before?

Original poster
Newname101 · 25/01/2025 18:54

It wasn't the murderer exhibition, dont want to say it as its still going and don't want to spoil it for those who have tickets.
Dh gets travel sick so the trip on the tube makes him ill, also with anxiety after a really hard few years he hasn't been in London since covid so thus was a big thing he was doing for me. I'm pleased that he did as we got a day together.

OP posts:
neverknowinglyunreasonable · 25/01/2025 18:55

No harm done, just try something else. Unless it was dogging, that's harder to forget and move on from. Harrowing. I hear.

LivingLaVidaBabyShower · 25/01/2025 18:55

honestly i do loads of stuff and sometimes thing like crystal maze or monopoly game or even theatre can just be really hit and miss.

Some examples
I went to hamilton twice
first time was amazing.
second time was absolutely depressing (tickets were over £100 each, half the cast were crap (the alexander hilton looked like he'd been found by the bins and layfayette / jefferson couldnt do half the dance routine) AND i was sat next to the most annoying person EVER)

In reverse, first time i went to crystal maze experience it was DIRE, second time was insanely fun....

I also went to that stupid alcatraz bar in shoreditch for a friend visiting from another continent. It was expensive and SO bad and i was totally embarassed as when i visited her we had an amazing time and everything was lovely 🙈

All were researched - all were well reviewed

Its pot luck, you cant control everything and you arent stupid / bad at picking things. Dont let it stop you trying new things

Coconutter24 · 25/01/2025 18:55

If you didn’t do the activity you’d probably still be wanting to do it so surely better that you did it and now you know it’s not for you

Original poster
Newname101 · 25/01/2025 18:57

It was 200 pounds all in which was a lot of money for what it was

OP posts:
ohyesido · 25/01/2025 18:58

At least you know now. I was obsessed with the idea of Dopamine Land and disappointed did not begin to describe how I felt after going.

Ameliepoulainandthephotobooth · 25/01/2025 18:58

It’s silly to question yourself and imo slightly ott.
You didn’t like it so you won’t go again.

snowflakelake · 25/01/2025 18:58

You aren't always going to like doing things.
But that doesn't mean that trying things is a bad idea.
It's perfectly normal to try things and not love the experience in the way you anticipated.

It also sounds like getting your DH in London and helping him face his anxiety was a good idea, particularly if you both had a nice walk in a different place.

WinterFoxes · 25/01/2025 18:59

But you really wanted to do it. So you did. I think that attitude to life is worth whatever it cost you. Because most of the time what we want to do is worth doing. But we have to get into the habit of making the booking and giving things a go. Sometimes those things will be free and utterly amazing. It balances out.

Crankyaboutfood · 25/01/2025 19:00

Newname101 · 25/01/2025 18:54

It wasn't the murderer exhibition, dont want to say it as its still going and don't want to spoil it for those who have tickets.
Dh gets travel sick so the trip on the tube makes him ill, also with anxiety after a really hard few years he hasn't been in London since covid so thus was a big thing he was doing for me. I'm pleased that he did as we got a day together.

don’t sounds like a win, actually. it’s ok to not love things you think you will. you tried and you tried together. celebrate that.

wizzywig · 25/01/2025 19:00

Has his anxiety rubbed off on you? Why this reaction to a normal situation where an event ended up being crap?

Honestandkind · 25/01/2025 19:00

This is how I felt about skiing OP. Getting an experience is an experience, doesn't have to be positive.
I know someone who wanted to try fishing from a boat - cost a lot and he spent the whole time vomiting from sea sickness.

And don't forget how many of us have wasted money on weddings that are followed by divorces.

I'm dead curious what it was you did now

WinterFoxes · 25/01/2025 19:02

ohyesido · 25/01/2025 18:58

At least you know now. I was obsessed with the idea of Dopamine Land and disappointed did not begin to describe how I felt after going.

So was I. And then I read some online reviews and it sounded like an utter rip off, so I didn't go in the end, but if I had, I'd have been glad I tried it, as it sounded like such a good idea.

Axelotl · 25/01/2025 19:02

Such is life.
I've had that with a 2 week holiday to a Greek island. Now I research any holiday to death.

Changingplace · 25/01/2025 19:02

Oh well, these things happen I don’t understand why it would stop you trying something else another time, that’s a bit melodramatic!

I went to an interactive exhibition recently with some friends and we all came out feeling quite underwhelmed and that it was quite overpriced, but such is life.

It wouldn’t occur to me to then not try anything else new in the future.

SummerInSun · 25/01/2025 19:03

This is just life I'm afraid, as PP have said. My DH and I go to lots of gigs. Some I've been really sceptical about in advance and only went because DH wanted to, then absolutely loved. Others that we were confident would be great were really indifferent. You just can't know for sure in advance.

But it's so important in life not to give up on doing things just because they are occasionally duds.

Try to focus on the fact that you overall had a nice day and that your DH started to tackle his fear of being back in London. And that you have such a lovely DH that he did something you wanted to do even though it was uncomfortable for him AND is now being gracious about the fact a lot of money was spent on something you didn't enjoy. That's worth any amount t of money.

Chuchoter · 25/01/2025 19:04

Com on op, life is sometimes disappointing and whilst it's a shame it wasn't what you thought it was, make a joke of it with your husband. He sounds a decent sort to have gone along with you despite his reservations!

Learn to laugh about these things.

It can't possibly have been as bad as Withnail and I who went in an outing! 😂

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