In this day and age, being careful about money is just downright good advice. Most people fall into the trap of overspending, splurging, and “retail therapy,” with disastrous results for their savings. But some costs are still worth paying, as some folk's experiences show.
We’ve gathered some of the best examples and fails of frugality gone wrong, from disastrous DIY to buying products so cheap and poorly made that they don’t serve any function. So get comfortable as you scroll through, take some notes, upvote your favorites, and be sure to share your own ideas and experiences in the comments below.
#1 There Was A “Cat Tree” On AliExpress For Super Cheap. I Figured “How Bad Could It Be, Really? I Can’t Stop Laughing
Image credits: worrier_sweeper0h
#2 My Frames Broke, So I Forced My Lenses Into Some Cheap Sunglasses Frames. I Look Ridiculous, But I Can See At Work
Image credits: macbubs
#3 Booked A Cheap Hotel In Lisbon With A Friend. The Pictures On The Booking Website Never Showed The Toilet And The Bed In The Same Picture
I hope my friend doesn't have any urgent needs tonight.
Image credits: Th3_Accountant
Given that money has been around for a pretty long time, it’s not exactly surprising that some folks get a bit obsessed with the idea of being frugal. From people way too into coupons, to a nearly pathological desire to utilize every sale, it’s easy to notice when someone overvalues money and absolutely undervalues their own time.
This is perhaps why the saying “penny-wise and pound-foolish” has been around since the 16th century. For non-UK readers, the pound being referenced here is money, not a unit of weight. The idea is not hard to grasp. Some people are so obsessed with saving a little, one way or another, that they end up making, as seen here, costly mistakes.
#4 To Be Fair My Wife Did Think This Paddling Pool Was Suspiciously Cheap
Image credits: Mea05cer
#5 Grow Your Own Vegetables, They Said. Save Money, They Said
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#6 That’s What I Get For Buying Cheap Knives
Image credits: reddit.com
It’s not that it’s bad to be frugal. Like in all things, balance is key. For example, some might be familiar with the “boots” theory of economic inequality. This comes from Terry Pratchett's 1993 novel Men at Arms, where a key character argues that “A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.”
#7 Buying Cheap Educational Toys Is A Bad Idea
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#8 I Was Too Cheap To Pay For A Sea View Room At My Hotel In Brighton... Ended Up Getting A Gull View Instead
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#9 My Wife Suggested Buying A $99 Dresser, But I Said I Could Build One Cheaper. 2 Years And Several Hundred Dollars Later
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Interestingly, this theory holds water even in the real world. For example, many companies offer payment plans, with interest on certain items, for example, children’s boots. Researchers looked at one instance, kid’s boots from Fingerhut that cost $25 on the spot or $37 with a payment plan. Poorer people tend to opt for the payment plan as they might not have the cash they need on hand.
#10 Bought A $20 Smartwatch From Wish. I Guess, I Deserve This For Being Cheap
Image credits: CommanderTazaur
#11 I Thought I Was Being Frugal By Buying A Steak From The Dollar Store
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#12 I Guess That's What I Get For Buying Pooreos
Image credits: DerangedBeaver
In other words, even if they technically have the money, poorer people are less free to use it, forcing them to take worse deals. From this perspective, frugality is good, because decent savings can allow you to save more in the long run. Plus, it is simply always good to have savings because life has a “fun” way of springing unfortunate surprises on you.
#13 Sister: "I'll Save So Much Money If I Cut The Dogs Hair Myself". She Is No Longer Allowed Near The Dog
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#14 My Dad Never Wanted To Spend The Money On A New Toy After My Woody Doll Broke As A Young Child. I Present This Cursed Creation That I Spent An Unholy Amount Of Time With
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#15 I Installed My Own Microwave Today And Saved $150 In Install Fees
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But, alongside the literal costs, there are negative side effects of being too frugal. Case in point, while some might call themselves frugal, others will use a word with a more pejorative connotation, the infamous “cheap.” This is largely a difference in opinion, but one has to admit that it’s possible to be so obsessed with saving every last penny that you end up destroying friendships.
#16 Purchased A New Bed With A Free Adjustable Frame. I Didn't Know It Came With Bed Bugs. Thanks, Mattress Firm
Image credits: ZonaBogie
#17 Ever Thought About Hiring A Cheap Barber From Craigslist? Think Again
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#18 I Guess These Are The Cheap Seats
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There is an important balance to strike. Sometimes you need an expert. After all, you wouldn’t ask your random friend to perform even “routine” surgery on you, unless they were literally a surgeon. So why would you assume you could perform repairs on a variety of household items? To be fair, there is a growing movement to allow people to repair things themselves, but this doesn’t actually mean it will be cheaper.
#19 My (Frugal) Friend's Old Glasses At The Eye Doctor. Yes, That's A Twig
Image credits: MagicalUnibeefs
#20 My Boyfriend's Mom Decided To Save Some Money And Trim The Dog's Hair Herself... He Is A Pomeranian
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#21 Me And My Business Partner Decided To Share A Hotel Room In Order To Save Some Money. We Weren't Expecting This
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Of course, for some, “not paying for it” isn’t just a practical consideration, it’s a way of life. But there is a fine line between actually being handy and thinking “How hard can it be?” That line tends to be crooked and surrounded with poorly hammered holes. Unfortunately, that incredible feeling of a good deal can be so intoxicating that, in the search for more, you end up overlooking massive flaws.
#22 Why Spend Money On A Hands-Free Set When You Can Do This
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#23 Frugal Engineering
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#24 My Company Found Cheaper Gloves. These Came Out Of The Same Box
Image credits: Mr_Blonde15
At the same time, people are possessive over money. After all, it can sometimes take our literal blood, sweat, and tears to get it, so spending it without a “good” reason can seem unthinkable. This ends up leading to a person undervaluing the risks. The results of this sort of thinking are littered across this article for all to see.
#25 Why Spend Good Money On A New Bike When You Can Recycle?
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#26 Bought 10 Mg Gummies Since I Was Taking Two 5 Mg Each Night And Thought I’d Save Some Money. Turns Out The 10 Mg Container Is Still Just 5 Mg Gummies And They Tell You To Take Two
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#27 My Cheap Tape Measure Is Missing The 40-Inch Marker
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#28 I Gave My Roommate Money To Get A Very Specific Brand Of Toilet Paper When He Went To The Store (It’s Triple Ply And Durable), And He Brought Back This
When I asked him about it he said that they had the type I asked for in stock, but he got this one because it’s cheaper. He kept the change.
Image credits: AutisticFloridaMan
#29 I Have Officially Learned My Lesson About Buying Cheap Furniture From Amazon. Have Had All Those Plants/Pots For Years
Image credits: reddit.com
#30 Never Broke A Phone In My Life. First Day I Get My New One With No Insurance, I Drop It From A Height Of 4 Feet And This Happens
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#31 When The Boss At Your Dive Bar Is Too Cheap To Get The Ceiling Leak Fixed
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#32 This $4 Swan Pool Float From The Dollar Store
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#33 Rhode Island Is Removing Trash Cans From Public Parks And Beaches To Save Money. No Way This Could Go Wrong
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#34 Fierce Storms In Sydney Today. Countless Brave, But Cheap Little Umbrellas Fought The Wind, And Rain. And Lost
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#35 Struggling To Make Ends Meet But Decided A Camping Trip Would Be Cheap Fun. The Oak Tree Had Different Plans
Wife and I decided to take a camping trip in a national forest about three hours south of where we live because it’d be relaxing, cheap, and fun. The first day was great, hiked a couple of miles, set up camp, and explored. The second day it was storming pretty hard but we weathered it. The third day we packed up, hiked out and it started pouring on us as we hiked. After we made it to the service road and were making our way to the truck, someone passed by and said something along the lines of “Haha, hope that wasn’t your truck folks” and kept going. We didn’t know what they were talking about and kept on our way. When we got back, we found that an old oak tree had fallen and crushed the truck, leaving us stranded. We managed to have the truck freed and towed but it’s now two days later and we’re still trying to come to terms with it all. Painfully waiting to see what we get from insurance but as we all know this market is rough and I just know it won’t be enough to cover another car. At least we weren’t in it.
Image credits: Kharilan
#36 I Bought A Cheap Newton's Cradle, And This Is What I Got
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#37 Good Reminder Not To Buy Things Too Cheap
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#38 I'm Broke, But On A First Date... I Think It Went Okay. She Hasn't Texted Me Back In A Week, She's Probably Busy
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#39 Lesson Of The Day: Don’t Buy Cheap Stuff On eBay From China
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#40 Happy Neh Year! From The Discount Store
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#41 Stayed At A Cheap Hotel This Weekend. Wasn't Quite Prepared For This Level Of Sketch
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#42 At Least He Saved Money, Right?
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#43 Bought Some Coasters From Amazon. Before You Make Fun Of Me, I Am Admittedly Young And Naive. This Was Me Trying To Save Money On My First Apartment
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#44 Spent The Last Of My Money On Some Cheap Eats, And My Hot Pockets Were Empty
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#45 This Is What I Get For Buying Cheap Bacon
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#46 My Landlord Cheaped Out And Hired A Friend To Rebuild Our Back Fence. I Don’t Think This Is His Area Of The Expertise
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#47 Quality Pallet - 1, Cheap Hammer - 0
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#48 I Used Some Cheap Clippers That Gave Out 1/3 Of The Way Through Shaving My Head
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#49 Got A Puzzle At A Thrift Store
Got this puzzle at a thrift store because I’ve always wanted a puzzle of the earth. Took me six months to finish it because of work and life getting in the way. When I finally finished it I found out that I was missing a piece. Went to the manufacturer's website and it says they can’t give you replacement pieces.
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#50 He Bought The Wrong Size Because It Was Cheaper
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