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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
FishPie2 · 01/04/2025 09:59

jackstini · 01/04/2025 09:51

I have a solution for the people with expensive perfume they will never use and can’t give away

Toilet air freshener
I know, I know - it seems extravagant, but 1 tiny squirt lasts ages and it’s better than it completely going to waste

I have done this with unwanted gifts and have been told my loo smells amazing 🤣

Looking forward to sloth pics and really hope OP gets the canteen!

I do this - someone bought me Chanel perfume and I don't like it and use it in my toilet as airfreshener. I found out my husbands carer would go in there and have a squirt before she went home, thought I didn't know but I didn't care. 😄

BeaAndBen · 01/04/2025 10:01

Hoppinggreen · 01/04/2025 09:21

I paid £250 for DD to feed Komodo Dragons last year
Worth every penny

That sounds incredible, my eldest would have loved that! His birthday gift was sponsoring the London Zoo Komodo dragon (Raja) for a few years and we visited regularly.

fourquenelles · 01/04/2025 10:01

TheJoanCollins · 01/04/2025 09:40

Are we still posting about expensive but unnecessary things or has this thread died a death because of the bun fight?

If it’s still on, I’ll tell you about my expensive upgrade…😉

Please!

I had a new kitchen in November and to keep the sides clear opted for 2 built in ovens, one a microwave combi and one an airfryer combi. Nearly £500 each. Well to use the microwave you have to take out ALL of the metal so I have a very expensive microwave that doesn't rotate and I can't figure out the timer. The airfryer oven is OK though.

My dad died last year and I have a small inheritance. I am looking at 30 foot narrowboats or Thames cruisers. I have never been on either in my life! But sometimes the fantasy is just as good.

Matriarchofmenopausemansion · 01/04/2025 10:05

About 15 years ago I spent £1500 on a carbon fibre mountain bike. I justified it because I had been assaulted at work and received £250 in compensation...so it was just a little bit more, right?! Hardly used it then it got stolen. I have also got previous for a niche perfume habit... bought 2 consecutive 100 ml bottles of Tom Ford Patchouli Absolu, at £240 each, which I loved and gave me so much pleasure. It's been discontinued so that saves me a bit now.

Arraminta · 01/04/2025 10:05

Remembered another. Back in 1998 I spotted the cutest, coolest car ever (a cherry red, Suzuki Cappuccino) parked outside a dealership. It was love at first sight. I pulled in, part exchanged my VW Golf for it, and blissfully roared away in the Cappuccino half an hour later.

DH was most surprised when I parked on the drive, I'd only popped out to meet a friend for coffee!

Familysquabbles23 · 01/04/2025 10:09

Not really in the same league as most
MNers.

Temu. I'm quite skint for complex reasons but I saw something, cheap, I wanted in Temu and ended spending like £150 on random stuff I don't really need.
Obvs some is useful, some is just tat I've banned myself from going on the app.

TheJoanCollins · 01/04/2025 10:15

Ok, just for you @fourquenelles 😀 and absolutely go for the narrow boat. 💐for your Dad

So, it was a big celebration year for DH and myself. We decided to splash out on a luxury holiday, somewhere I had always wanted to go to. Even though the holiday was over double what we would normally spend ( and for less days), we could only justify booking the lowest grade room, the garden room. We hardly spend anytime in a room on holiday, so how bad could it be?
Anyway, we arrived in paradise, but the room was ‘disappointing’. Dark, dingy and the garden view, was a view of trees and shrub land.
I suggested we see if there was an upgrade to a pool view room. We trotted off to reception, at the other end of the resort, and asked for the upgrade options.
’Luckily’ they had one room available. A one bedroom villa with private pool and a butler. I looked a DH, he rolled his eyes…
The upgrade was half the amount again of the original holiday. We never used the butler service as it didn’t feel natural to us.

Anyway, great holiday. It was a real eye opener, as was the following month’s credit card bill.

Katem90 · 01/04/2025 10:45

Familysquabbles23 · 01/04/2025 10:09

Not really in the same league as most
MNers.

Temu. I'm quite skint for complex reasons but I saw something, cheap, I wanted in Temu and ended spending like £150 on random stuff I don't really need.
Obvs some is useful, some is just tat I've banned myself from going on the app.

That’s what they’re trying to achieve, that’s how they get you!! I hate Temu 😣- I think you can actually return things though?

MyOhMelody · 01/04/2025 10:47

HappyHunting101 · 30/03/2025 20:14

I've never understood that stereotypical thing you see in movies where poor people are pocketing the silver knives and forks in fancy houses. I've always thought "what's the point, how much can they really be worth? And who would you sell them to?" I guess I was wrong and the right set are worth it 😄

I bought that lumea hair laser zapper thing for about £500 and have never really used it. That one bothers me.

I’ll buy it off you! Keep meaning to get one but can never just get there as they are so pricey.

Katem90 · 01/04/2025 10:53

I just spent £275 on two tickets to Lapland UK, that was the cheapest I could go for in December, by only taking my eldest (youngest is too young to appreciate it), and only me taking him, not partner! I’m not sure if it’s just a money milking experience, herding the money cows through an extended extraction machine… but if it’s magical it’ll be great mems all round.

My dad once bought me a pair of gloves for £75, I then lost them after wearing them once.

I also used to spend a few hundred quid on Vivienne Westwood? It’s not extreme but I did do it on several occasions in my early twenties.

AnnoyedAsAllHeck · 01/04/2025 11:01

PencilsInSpace · 01/04/2025 08:17

This is it, it's by Nina Paley, it's the goddesses from her film Seder Masochism, which you can watch here:

https://archive.org/details/sedermasochism

As you can see it's not the sort of quilt you could repair easily (although I do love traditional quilts, Mum left me a half-finished log cabin which I'm working up to finishing).

It's staying packed away until we've renovated the house!

That is stunning and would be a wonderful conversation piece! I know some people hang quilts on the wall. Maybe that would keep it less likely to get damaged?

Ireolu · 01/04/2025 11:02

I spend too much in general. In the last week i have spent £220 on cushions, £175 on 4 long sleeve tops and £200 on a saucepan. In my defence we haven't changed cushions in 8 yrs and fed up of replacing small pans yearly so got a lifelong guarantee one. None of it technically required but all of it makes life a little nicer.

peachgreen · 01/04/2025 12:03

LillyPJ · 31/03/2025 21:32

How about helping out someone else who maybe doesn't have food, let alone posh cutlery? Or anyone else in need? Or donating to a charity?

I mean sure, but that's not exactly in the spirit of this thread, right? I mean, not many of us ACTUALLY have a spare £20k. It's like talking about what you'd do with a lottery win.

FagsMagsandBags · 01/04/2025 12:03

Katem90 · 01/04/2025 08:49

Do you think you might be be a bit excessively unkind now? Possibly judgemental yourself?

I have apologised. I’m not having the easiest time, I have taken the points.

I didn’t intend to upset anybody

I don't think you did upset anyone and you've apologised over and over so please know that I think most of us can see you're not an arsehole and we all get it wrong. Thank you for owning shit and being nice in the face of a bit too much not niceness to you.

How are you feeling physically? I'm currently mildly, very, very mildly off my tits because morphine is kind like that.😁

KimberleyClark · 01/04/2025 12:04

youcannaecallherfanny · 30/03/2025 19:53

£20,000 on cutlery?! Is that a typo?!

Were they solid gold or something?

PalmTreeAngel · 01/04/2025 12:06

Katem90 · 01/04/2025 07:47

If I had it to burn on cutlery, I meant I think I’d already have those things. I just wouldn’t spend money like that on something like that ever, but i acknowledged everyone is different. I wish I didn’t say anything. It just seemed a really, really frivolous choice to me. In my mind you have everything if you’re willing to spend that on eating tools.

I do and would donate money, I’m not trying to win a badge. Everyone is entitled to enjoy things. But point taken, you all think I’m an arsehole for saying I’d rather help another person’s situation than spend tens of thousands on cutlery.

This.

Daftypants · 01/04/2025 12:06

I am generally sensible as regards spending, maybe because I grew up with very little ?
However , I spend a lot on my dog and a while back got business class flights because it was more than 14 hours flight one way and even longer on the return journey .
I’ve done economy long haul and it’s 🤪
We do need some things for our house but spent on the flights

PalmTreeAngel · 01/04/2025 12:06

I’m feeling like the 20k cutlery post completely derailed this thread.

PalmTreeAngel · 01/04/2025 12:08

Daftypants · 01/04/2025 12:06

I am generally sensible as regards spending, maybe because I grew up with very little ?
However , I spend a lot on my dog and a while back got business class flights because it was more than 14 hours flight one way and even longer on the return journey .
I’ve done economy long haul and it’s 🤪
We do need some things for our house but spent on the flights

Love that. It’s my dream to fly first class one day!

Katem90 · 01/04/2025 12:08

FagsMagsandBags · 01/04/2025 12:03

I don't think you did upset anyone and you've apologised over and over so please know that I think most of us can see you're not an arsehole and we all get it wrong. Thank you for owning shit and being nice in the face of a bit too much not niceness to you.

How are you feeling physically? I'm currently mildly, very, very mildly off my tits because morphine is kind like that.😁

Do you know, it really helped me to read this right now, so thank you very much for your considerate reply. I really appreciate that.

Oh really, can you lend me some? 🥹 I feel like it would definitely at least improve my mood? Because I have fibromyalgia as it is which I don’t love to talk about (I try not to major on it to pretend it’s not there!) and yep, I’ve got flu. Probably not helped by my 19 month old who honestly, doesn’t understand the concept of sleep 😅

The Q is what frivolous purchases are you gonna make in your slightly high state?

and… how are YOU physically, how come the morphine?

🌺 get well!

Iwannakeepondancing · 01/04/2025 12:09

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? What the actual! Were you millionaires?!

ElfAndSafetyBored · 01/04/2025 12:10

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 30/03/2025 20:05

We spent just under £1000 2 years ago on two wooden "steamer" chairs which we didn't need and have barely used. We can't leave them out in the garden because they cost too much money but they are ridiculously heavy and difficult to move in and out of the garage. Complete waste of money and I really regret it. I think I had a moment of madness imagining myself as some sort of Edwardian heroine lying in a stately home garden rather than a fat middle aged woman with a small town garden.

Edited to add: £20k on cutlery?????

Edited

I think with this sort of purchase you should just leave them in the garden and either get some good waterproof covers or just treat them regularly. Enjoy them! The money is gone now. I bet they are lovely.

KimberleyClark · 01/04/2025 12:11

I spent £500 on a handbag which is more than I’ve ever spent on a bag before, but at least it’s not in the LV/Chanel league, it’s Coach - but I love it.

ElfAndSafetyBored · 01/04/2025 12:11

Having said that, my £169 trainers live in their box and only come out when there is no chance of rain (rare) 🤣

MyFavouriteSpoon · 01/04/2025 12:12

My horse! He was £3k all in and worth every penny. This was 12 years ago and I had to sell him when I had the kids (to someone I know who still has him) which devastated me but was the best thing to do for him. I loved that horse, he had the best of everything and I was wearing rags in the meantime.