Extraordinary Examples of Waste: Dumb Money Moves People Really Make

Financial literacy is key to a successful life. As a resource dedicated to helping people fund their dream lives, it’s essential to consider the financial mistakes some make while working towards their goals.

However, some people make such dumb money moves that no amount of financial education can save them. While scrolling Reddit, we discovered a thread in the popular subreddit R/AskReddit asking about the dumbest things people spend money on.

You’ll be fine financially if you avoid spending all your money on these things!

Choosing Tattoos Over the Kids

One of the top answers scoring over four thousand upvotes, decried those who spend all their money on tattoos and then beg people on Facebook for money to support their children.

Typically, these folks are showing off their new tattoos one day, and telling everyone who will listen that they can’t afford Christmas gifts for their kids the next.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with getting a new tattoo if you can afford it. But blowing all your cash on non-essentials and then expecting people on Facebook to take care of your children for you crosses the line.

As one Redditor puts it, “I can’t imagine being a healthy adult and begging for money on Facebook.”

Not Canceling Subscriptions

A Reddit user got over two thousand upvotes for reminding people to cancel unwanted subscriptions. Many people sign up for free trials but forget to cancel before the trial period ends. Failing to cancel a subscription can cost hundreds of dollars over time.

The comment sparked a myriad of users offering advice to avoid fees altogether. Some put a reminder to cancel the subscription in their calendars, while others only sign up for trials with pre-paid cards.

Many Redditors will skip the trial altogether if they need to use a real credit card.

Read Next: 10 Money Saving Hacks Frugal Experts Don’t Want You To Know!

An Alarm Clock Coffee Machine

Users took the thread as an opportunity to disclose the dumbest things they’ve spent their own money on as well. One user received 1500 upvotes by lamenting about a terrible purchase: an alarm clock coffee machine.

The comment turned into a thread about the merits of an alarm clock coffee machine vs. a standard programable coffee machine and whether the displeasure was due to a subpar brand rather than the concept itself.

Supporting Streamers and Vtubers

One Reddit user received nearly two thousand upvotes for what they thought was a controversial opinion.

“Seeing people burn thousands and thousands of dollars on Vtubers/Streamers is astounding to me,” they said.

The opinion wasn’t as controversial as they thought. Some users assumed only rich people paid for subs, while others thought those who gifted a bunch of subs were just trying to show off.

Twitch streamers make a good portion of their money from subs and appreciate the support from their fans. There’s nothing wrong with paying your favorite content creators, but spending all your cash on Twitch probably isn’t the best idea.

Reddit Awards

A user scored gold by decrying the very thing that gave it to him: Reddit Awards.

Reddit allows users to purchase Reddit Coins, which they can then use to award other commenters. It’s one of Reddit’s revenue streams, but some see them as a waste of money.

As one Redditor says, “I get legitimately irked at Reddit awards. They’re so stupid.

Imagine I invite people around to my place and when you like something someone else says, you give me real money and I give them a worthless sticker. Also they can go sit in a room with other people that also have those stickers if they want I guess. That’s what they’re selling.”

The person who started the thread implied that a single award costs upwards of $200, but the most prestigious award, the Platinum award, only costs 1800 coins or about six dollars.

Many commenters saw the remark as an attempt to win an award rather than a genuine comment. They were vindicated when someone awarded the statement with Reddit Gold.

Only Fans

Only Fans is a streaming site renowned for carrying adult content. Many Redditors don’t see the appeal.

A comment addressing the baffling notion of spending $200-$300 a week on Only Fans received 1200 upvotes.

Other comments chimed in to discuss the platform’s confusing pay structure and remind us it hosts more than adult content. This user subscribed to a woodworker on Only Fans to access plans, only to find those behind another paywall.

A Private Fireworks Show

Quite possibly the most niche response on the thread, one user was shocked to discover that their neighbor had spent a fortune on a private firework show.

Although many of us would consider it a ridiculous expenditure if we were millionaires, the neighbors in question were not. They chose fireworks over transportation, hiding their vehicle from the repo man for months.

As one Redditor quipped, “Their money literally went up in smoke.”

Be Smarter With Your Money

The common thread in these dumb money moves is that people were spending money they didn’t have on items they didn’t need.

Most of these purchases would be fine if you could afford them, but if you can’t, they can negatively impact your finances.

Source: Reddit

Author: Melanie Allen

Title: Journalist

Expertise: Pursuing Your Passions, Travel, Wellness, Hobbies, Finance, Gaming, Happiness

Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation and is a certified happiness life coach. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.