to ask you what things people spend money on that you just don't understand?

[FeelinTwentySixPointTwo]

This isn't a judgey thread or a bashing thread. People are absolutely free to spend their money on whatever they choose. Horses for courses.

But that said.. what expensive things do you see other people spending their money on that you simply don't "get"?

Mine is personalised numberplates. Cannot compute why anyone would care what combo of numbers or letters is on their car.

Interested to see what others think!

That's genius! 😁

Excessive gambling, prostitution/sex workers or any industry that obviously exploits people, ditto exploiting animals for entertainment (dog or horse racing), drugs (propping up worldwide trade that harms millions, including yourself), cigarettes.

And less seriously…. A brand new outfit for every wedding or event.

Cars, nails, take aways, crappy chain meals out, unnecessary seasonal crap,expensive crap bad for you brand food, giant water bottles, Costa & Starbucks, holidays in over crowded all inclusive hotels and resorts, Botox etc, endless house decorating and refits with the same rooms done over, fake grass, private education,vapes….

Disneyland and cruises fair enough but Lapland is a huge region of Northern Finland, Sweden and Norwayspanning 100 000km. It's not a theme park. You can't say it horrifies you. Most of lapland is beautiful, there's one tiny part of a city in Finland dedicated to father Christmas and the rest is wonderful wilderness, nature, picturesque in summer, snowy and beautiful in winter, amazing local people with an incredibly rich history, persecuted for a huge period of time.
Don't be so judgey to write off an area half the size of the UK based on the only single thing you know about it. We travel there regularly and have nothing to do with santa, we love the food, culture, the sport and the scenery. It's stunning, the people are warm and welcoming, it's absolutely not comparable to disneyland which is a man made theme park with less than a hundred years history and zero native people!

Cars and like you OP, personalised plates. I have a husband who loves cars and spends silly money (imo) on them. And his whole family have a personalised plate, all a variation of their surname. It’s a bit cringey when we all go out to the same place and they are lined up in the car park. He got me one when we got married and I didn’t have the heart to tell him so now I’m a personalised plate wanker too and it’s not something I love at all.

I understand why people spend their money on things they like even if I don’t , but honestly private number plates baffle me. I just don’t even get why people want them to like them.

Art for investment
Cars for investment
Houses for investment

The number of people who only buy paintings so they can sell it in a few years saddens me. Ditto classic cars and the listed houses they knock the guts out of.

It can depend on someone’s physical and mental state, for example being really burnt out and the intention is to relax, it can be less effort and sensory overload to go somewhere familiar.

People have holiday homes to have a ‘home from home’, going back to the same place is perhaps more similar to this.

Having said that, I stay in the U.K. for this reason, but some people want guaranteed sun.

Going somewhere new to explore or perhaps because you bored with the day to day and looking for new experiences is a totally different intention.

Apple products.

My brother (when we were still talking) would go on and on about his family all having iPhones on some sort of family contract.

Meanwhile I'm saying things like, "Sorry I didn't hear that", or "what?" it wasn't my hone I was fine talking to anyone else on it.

Haha this made me laugh. Was always a joke between my late sister and I that when we went to each others house and there was kitchen roll you much be feeling flush! A real luxury item!
But you're right, terrible for the environment and not really a necessity so even when I do have it I don't tend to use it much

Most of this is just people describing things they see as lower class.

This thread doesn't feel like it will go well!!
I'm slightly confused by some of the posts. Whilst I wouldn't personally choose to spend my money on some of these things, I can absolutely understand why some people choose to. Surely it isn't hard to understand why some people want to go to Disney, visit a hairdressers or pay for private school...?

And the same goes for fake nails, fake teeth and fake tits. Surely it’s not hard to understand why someone would want that? Or does it only apply to things that you agree with?

Do let me know how well you get on, inflating tyres by blowing into them with your lungs. Good luck! I hope you have very strong lungs.

This!!!

I just don't get it. We must have the oldest car on our street and in the school car park. I know some of the parents have "normal" jobs so I imagine financed brand new expensive cars. Why? Why have the added stress and more debt. I don't imagine our journeys are any different we still get from A to B. Even if we were wealthy I wouldn't spend on an expensive car it seems such a rip off to me.

For me, it’s expensive drinks. I was in a cafe the other day and coffees were nearly £5 each!
And don’t get me started on cocktails. If I’m drinking alcohol, a straightforward G&T / glass of wine is all that’s required, I get no extra pleasure from a cocktail 3x the cost and I don’t understand how others do. Just buy a bag of sweets if you want some sugar!

With hot drinks, I can have a perfectly lovely tea or coffee at home for mere pence, why would I spend a fiver on one in a caffe? I’ll buy a tea if I need to for politeness so I don’t become ‘that’ person who always asks for tapwater, but I resent it!

I half agree on coffee - I do sometimes buy one but only when that is the way to acquire caffeine when I need it, e.g. cold day at the playground with my kids, I don't really understand why you would go to a local cafe for coffee rather than make one at home

On cocktails, I feel like a really good one is worth it but they have to be good. OTOH I prefer the gin or wine that I have at home

Nope, it’s things I see as a massive waste of money and don’t understand why people get into debt to fund them.

It’s a nice thing to do, it’s an enjoyable experience catching up with a friend for an hour in a cafe.

Multiple subscription services, especially to software that could be replaced with free/one time purchase alternatives. I wanted to repair some old pictures and Adobe prices were infuriating, but I got a great deal from Photoglory so no way would I be looking Adobe's way again.

My DC are the most precious thing in the world to me. I bought a newish car for them to drive because I wanted it to a) work and b) be safe in any potential accident. A few hundred quid won't buy you that.

Oh, so many things ....

Pay TV, huge amounts of clothing/shoes/accessories, cigarettes, sports events, music events, going to the pub, package holidays ...

But even though I'd never spend money on them, I'd never judge anyone who did (well, except for cigarettes)

In general, we all like and value different things, which is one of my favourite things about our species. I'm not interested in Botox, expensive cars, overseas holidays or designer clothes, but if I had the money and space, I'd have a couple of sets of Royal Albert china, because I love nice pots and crocks. And what our household spends every month on books and posh bread would bemuse many other people, who just don't care about those things.

At the same time, I think it's possible to really like something without having the desire to own it. I love and admire beautiful, expensive watches - the sort with actual craftsmanship inside instead of just a battery. I enjoy going online and looking at these exquisite items with their equally exquisite prices. But although I can see that they give their owners a lot of pleasure, when do they wear them? How do they move around in public spaces with a timepiece costing £3.5m (that's the Patek Phillippe Sky Moon Tourbillon) on their wrist? And as watches are functional and meant to be used and enjoyed, would you buy one just to keep it in a bank vault?

Pizzas, steak, fish and chips and roast dinners are always nicer in a restaurant imo

Expensive designer handbags especially that quilted style
loads of drinks in pubs every weekend
lip fillers
cigarettes
tattoos
any kind of illegal drugs