De-influencing thread - reasons why NOT to buy things

[Whowhatwerewolf]

Like quite a few people on here I have been trying to reduce or eliminate buying new clothes or beauty treats in 2026. For the most part I've failed miserably but I'm going to keep trying. One thing that helps me greatly is being de-influenced from a purchase. Unfortunately I'm very easily influenced by advertisements but my saving grace is that I can be easily dissuaded from buying things also.

Recently two lovely posters (@Johanna and @Cortietat ) managed to stop me from buying overpriced Sweaty Betty pilates socks and a potentially somewhat wonky Eribé fair isle cardigan respectively by telling me what wasn't so great about these items. I'm so appreciative as this has saved me heaps of money. So I was wondering whether anyone else has anything they'd liked to be talked out of purchasing?

The idea is to post something on this thread that you're considering buying despite trying to save money via a no buy or low buy commitment or simply because you're not sure about a purchase. Other posters respond to say why you shouldn't buy. If anyone thinks what you're considering getting is the best thing since sliced bread and you should definitely proceed they keep quiet about it please as this isn't the thread for that.

So...is anyone in?

Kat Slater would love that bag.

Is his monocularity why he's called Pirate?

I'm unlikely to talk someone out of a third cat. I think three is a maximum reasonable number of cats to have.

These cost more per ml than petrol.
Try Baby Shampoo from Lidl or Aldi.
Sending you good vibes and a scratch-free scalp!

Sounds like an expensive clothes hanger that's harder to hang things over...

Personally, I'm not 'keen'.
Those shoes look like they've been through more trauma than the cast of ER, and stitched up by Satan. 😉

Can you do your job whilefocusing on not falling off the thing? In video calls it will be very distracting for everyone as they wonder why you’re turning a bit red and in a constant state of approach. Any reason why you can’t get out for some fresh air for a 20min walk every so often?

Has anyone bought a Luna bag from Fablou? Their ads are chasing me around Instagram and I do need a very spacious but not too bulky sling bag for a holiday.

Henry is an ok hoover but because you have to drag it about by the hose, and the hose is quite long, Henry gets stuck on everything. It won't, no matter how you pull the hose, go round a table leg or chair but goes straight into them. If you have any raised bits like the little divider things between rooms then Henry will more often than not, tip over. If you pull the hose too hard it will tip over. Annnnnd, if you get annoyed that it's stuck and yank the hose .....it comes off and it's taken me ages to learn how to get the hose screwed back on (ours is an old one though so the hose attachment might just be buggered).

And it's very hard to do stairs with it as you have to either balance the 'body' bit on a stair which is narrower than the wheels while trying to use the long hose and stick or physically hold the body by the handle.

And the face on it pisses me off, I'm cleaning! I don't need to feel cutsey while doing it.

It’s not vintage though.

If you were 6 sure, but you are a grown woman. The model is about 17 and looks like she stole her wee sisters Christmas jammies.

To the PP who wants a Lidl roomba: several years ago I bought an expensive Electrolux. It’s triangular so I thought it would do a better job getting into corners. Worst decision ever! If I want it to do a decent job I need to lift chairs, move things, basically clean up the whole area before it starts going round. It much faster to just grab a normal vacuum cleaner instead!
I think my Electrolux was in use fewer than 20 times in approximately 3 years. I’m thinking of putting it on vinted but unfortunately it’s really not well made and looks used and scratched despite just sitting in a corner for days.

yes but it’s only mumsnet calling him that!

three cats seems not unreasonable…
and he’s very good…

@CortieTat thats where I got to tbh. Once I’ve tidied enough i may as well just hoover… and it’s one more ugly appliance to find space for and maintain

I have been thinking about having grown up cutlery (my current ‘set’ is an amalgam of Freecycle cutlery from a closing down b&b and stuff from flats over the years) and this really expensive but beautiful set won’t leave my mind. Maybe as a wedding gift from multiple guests? Convince me it’s a waste of money. (Sabre bristot colour undecided)

Henry hoovers hate cleaning and will do their best to avoid it. Getting stuck on everything, tipping themselves over, inexplicably difficult to make stay in cleaning cupboard, falls out dramatically like a fucking dead body every time the cupboard is opened.

Oh, and it will keep going forever, so you can't even moan it's shit at hoovering and get rid of it.

My first two thoughts are you’re easily influenced and they must’ve been paid a lot to wear/ promote them!
They look like they belong on a 70+ year old man, the ones he’d usually wear to the allotment, or to get a pint at some slimy/ gross pub. Ewww. I’m not keen - pun intended. 😆

I just waited over 2 months for a size 18 denim dress. It cost me 65 quid. These appeared A line and very cute on the influencer and models.

I am definitely an 18, sometimes a 16/18, size 20 absolutely swamps me.

The dress I waited over 2 months for is incredibly tight around my belly and hips and l look like an overstuffed duvet. There is no return slip, I had to get a special return dispensation after they urged me to swap it for a credit note or sell it online, and I have to return it within 14 days of buying it (even though it took over 70 days to get the bloody thing) and pay the postage. I also have to put in a bit of paper with a load of specific strings of numbers they have sent me as they don't include a return slip.

Never a-bloody-gain.

Now some people like their very vivid magnesium dreams. But fucking hell they are exhausting. And never sodding ending.

I bought the trial of magnesium sachets. I have been having very frenetic unrestful dreams. I didn't connect the two.

I will not be rebuying!

Absolutely this. The conditioner in particular was v difficult to get out. Underwhelming. And so expensive!

I brought 2 brora jumpers. Like wearing sandpaper. Bobble central I have to travel with the bobble shaver. The fit is also weird. Not long enough by about 5 cm. Just totally disappointing. Warm though. But shit.

Unfolded were formerly Lost Stock which scammed many people by selling mystery boxes of “high end” fashion which had been cancelled by stores during Covid. What they actually sent out was Primark/peacock/matalan etc. there was a long running and quite funny thread on here.

so I wouldn’t trust them. Very good at marketing, very bad at cloths

we have the Lidl romba and the Vielda cheapo. I run them in the same room at the same time to some effect. The noise though is epic. Equivalent to road works.

I have a Henry and it has pissed me off too many times, I’ve just replaced it. Gets caught on every doorway, and when you try to pull it free it just tips over. Vacuuming the stairs is a nightmare, it has sit at the top or the bottom and you have to stretch the hose to it’s maximum to get halfway, and then move the unit.

I tend to get mine from Etsy from individual makers - like this one. I mean, it could be a bot in China, but I don't think it is.

(And I've just sent the link to DH rather than just buying straight away, as it's my birthday coming up).

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CarolynPhilp

We have the stick Henry after a Dyson and a Shark both died on us. It's the longest lasting so far. Not bagless but maybe that helps?