Every day, you try your best to save your hard-earned money so you can pay for important things, like rent or your car. But when you stroll through the mall, your eyes often start to wander. Suddenly, you find yourself wanting those rare sneakers or that brand new video game console. The next thing you know, you're walking out of the store with an impulse buy in hand. You might feel a little guilty inside, but at least you finally have that thing you've been obsessively eyeing in your possession.
Impulse buys happen when you least expect them. It doesn't matter if you're barely getting by or completely flushed with cash. As long as you have some money in your account, you can be enticed to burn through it all at once. People of the internet shared some of the wildest things they've purchased without even thinking twice. While many of these buys led to some regret, others have led to complete satisfaction.
Don't forget to check the comment section below the article for more interesting stories!
#35 Seeing The World
When I went to Mount Rushmore for the first time, I was underwhelmed. However, my partner had never been there, so we made the impulse decision to go see it since we were staying in Rapid City for the night. He ended up being underwhelmed as well. It was definitely not worth impulse-spending on a car rental for.
I used to live in Oregon and made frequent trips to the coast, even once by train. In my opinion, the Pacific Northwest is the most beautiful landscape in North America and is definitely worth making that trip. Crater Lake is also a must see! See those instead of Mount Rushmore.
#34 Color Me Happy
When I was younger, my older brother’s clothes were passed down to me, simply because my single mother couldn’t afford to buy me new clothes. In her defense, we were going through an extremely rough patch in our lives and she could only afford the essentials, such as bras and underwear.
When I finally got a job in the tenth grade, I saved up a few paychecks, went to the mall and dropped $500 in one store alone. I also bought my mom a few gifts. It was my Pretty Woman moment.
#33 A Night To Remember
I had just graduated college and was having trouble keeping a full-time job. I had a job in daycare but I ended up leaving without giving notice because it was a really terrible job.
I was broke and my boyfriend spotted me for a month while I looked for a new job. I basically cleaned and cooked, but paid nothing for groceries or rent. When I got a good full-time job, he told me not to worry about paying him back for what he covered. He said that all the cooking and cleaning I did was payment enough.
To show my appreciation, I took him to an arcade where we played games for hours. Then, we went to a really nice restaurant where we ordered a bunch of appetizers, split a bottle of wine and got really good steaks. I dropped over $350 for that one date, but it was so fun!
#32 Mapping Things Out
I saw an awesome woodcut map of the British Isles in a store window. The shop was closed, so I went in the next day at the store's opening and purchased it. I didn’t even look at the price until it was time to pay. It ended up being $300, but I would have paid twice that price for it. It’s really nice and it’s now hanging in my office.
#31 Where Dreams Come True
For our ten-year anniversary, my husband and I wanted to go to Disney World. We had never been there before and wanted to go all out for our first time. We purchased plane tickets and upgraded to first class. When we told the flight attendants that it was our anniversary, they were super sweet and comped all of our food and drink purchases.
We had an absolute blast. It was a dream come true, and our only regret was that we didn't stay longer to visit the rest of the parks.
A few years later, we ended up buying annual passes for Disney and went two more times! We just had so much fun the first time that we couldn't resist. One of the trips included bringing our boys there for their birthdays, so it ended up working out in the end. It was expensive but totally worth it.
#30 Follow Me Downtown
When I was in high school, I had to rely on my mom to pick me up from time to time. She was super flaky and unreliable about it. If I called her in the middle of her soap operas, she'd make me wait until they were over.
One day, I said, "Screw it, I need some independence," and dropped $2,000 that I'd saved up to buy a moped. I was the coolest kid at the bike rack.
#29 Embracing The Sea
I bought an $850 kayak. I've only used it twice since I got it, and I'm going to have to pack it away for the winter soon, but it still feels perfect for me. I don't regret buying it one bit.
#28 Motel 6 Would've Been Appropriate
My friends and I planned a trip to New York and I was tasked with getting the cheapest hotel room possible. Everyone was being super cheap. We ended up staying at a Best Western in Queens for $170 a night, which was the absolute cheapest I could find. We woke up the second night covered in bed bug bites.
When we asked to change rooms, we were placed in another one that was also infested with a nest of bed bugs. We demanded a refund and booked a nice hotel in Manhattan instead. I don't even remember the price; I just know it was much more expensive than Best Western.
At least we didn't have to take the subway every darn day just to get back to our hotel room. We had a rooftop bar, no bedbugs, and no 30-minute walks through shady areas.
Life lesson: If you are splitting a hotel room between six or more people, just splurge.
#27 Get The Party Started
I’m a big fan of Pink. When her album came out three years ago, I wanted to attend her concert so bad; but for some reason, I ended up not going.
I told myself, "I don’t care how much the tickets are. Next time she has a concert, I’m going." So this year, I went and the ticket cost me $300. It was ridiculous, but I didn't care at the time.
It was a great concert and she put on an amazing show, however, I won’t ever pay that much again unless I’m right by the stage. I did have a floor seat so it wasn’t too bad, but it still wasn't worth $300.
#26 A Monster Among Us
I took a submarine ride along the bottom of Loch Ness. It cost £75 for an hour-long ride, which was pretty expensive. But I didn't care—despite the cost (and the fact that I am severely cleithrophobic), I still bought tickets. It was so worth it.
The sub had enough room to take a handful of paying passengers at a time. The Loch Ness is deep, very silty, and very dark down below. There is no plant life. The only marine life we saw was a sand eel...
I still loved every second of it.
#25 Precious Family Gatherings
Earlier this summer, my parents visited me for a few days. I paid for their round trip flights and covered their food expenses while they were visiting. I also paid for all the entertainment and the excursions we went on. I spent $3,000 in total, but I don't regret it because it's so rare for all of us to get together.
They're getting old man. Like, old-old. They're in their 60s now and I don't know how much longer they'll be around, so I gotta make time for them while they're here.
#24 Dr. Dre Isn't Happy
I bought new headphones. I always had those standard Apple Earpods, then university started and I had to take a two-hour train commute to my school every day. The Apple Earpods couldn't even suppress the train noises, so I bought a pair of Sennheisers for around 180€. It was worth every penny.
#23 Whatever Happens In Vegas
When I turned 21 years old, I went to Vegas for the first time. I went all out—I paid for a huge suite on the strip at MGM, front row tickets to a live show, drinks and bottles at multiple clubs, and fancy dinners at five-star restaurants. I also spent tons of money on gambling and shopping.
The regret eventually caught up with me once I realized I had spent over $5,000 in just a couple of days. I'm glad I'm not as stupid and reckless as I once was, but I'm also really jealous of that kid who got to spend and have fun without a care in the world.
#22 A Whole New World
My sister bought us tickets to see Aladdin at the Pantages for my birthday. It was amazing and I just could not stop raving about it. I knew my boyfriend was a bit jealous since Aladdin is one of his favorite movies. I dropped like, $450 on our tickets just so he could go see it. To this day, I haven’t told him how much I spent.
#21 Animals Are Family, Too
We brought our large dog and two cats with us from the West Coast of the US to Berlin. To make it happen, we had to pay for a bunch of vet visits, animal permits, handling fees, and special kennels. We also had to rent a cargo van and drive six hours to a different airport because our initial one didn't do international animal cargo... Oh, and our pets had to overnight in a different city and arrive a day later than scheduled.
We love our pets, but man... It was quite the financial burden.
#20 We're Going To Ibiza
Ocean Beach Club Ibiza, mid-season, 35 degrees Celsius and not a cloud in the sky. I'm sitting with my girlfriend and another couple by the pool, just soaking up the sun. Money is already being thrown around on overpriced drinks and the party is just getting started.
Then, two things happen. The DJ starts playing the funkiest, deepest house beats I've ever heard, and at the same time, the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen walks in. She's wearing a bikini emblazoned with words which spontaneously came out of my mouth as soon as I saw them—"God save the Queen" (although I might have added a curse before "Queen"). My girlfriend turns slowly to me and says, "I would devour that... Shall we show her a good time?"
And that's when the cost of the VIP area and associated drinks ceased to matter.
#19 A Good Night's Sleep
We spent $2,500 on a new mattress and another $2,000 on an adjustable base. The furniture store offered 0% APR financing for 72 months so we went with it and it was honestly the best decision we've ever made.
After sleeping on a cheap, $300 box spring mattress for three years, our backs were destroyed and our sleep quality was horrendous. We now have a king size, half spring, half Tempurpedic bed and I can adjust it if he starts snoring. Our quality of life has improved ten-fold.
#18 Rock-A-Bye Baby
Hiring a sleep consultant was the best decision I ever made. My family is very frugal (by necessity) and the $500 for a consultant was a lot to pony up. Even after looking at our funds and setting aside enough money, I still couldn't bring myself to actually pull the trigger. It wasn't until the toddler stayed up for more than three hours past "bedtime" for the third night in a row that I finally gave in. I was exhausted and desperate. I smashed that "confirm payment" button so hard.
I wish I had done it three years earlier—it was worth every single darn penny.
#17 A New Lease On Life
When I was given the bill for a potentially life-saving medication for my degenerative autoimmune disease, I didn't think twice. The pharmacist told me over the phone that it was $1,473 for one month's supply with my insurance. I paid the first month, then got on an assistance program and haven’t looked back!
#16 Greatness Awaits
I bought a PlayStation 4 on my day off last year. Up until that point, my most current video game console was the Wii. I loved video games and realized that, except for those dinky carnival-style Wii games at Gamestop, I would have to search online or at a thrift store to find new games. I still lived at home with my parents at the time and I wasn't paying any big bills, so I got myself an upgrade.
Dang, I love my PS4.
#15 Ones And Twos
When my father-in-law passed away, my wife and I found an incredibly expensive turntable in his garage. Unfortunately, at the time, I had nothing to hook it up to.
A couple of years and way too many dollars later, I bought some compatible equipment and arranged an audio set-up that's now the envy of the apartment complex.
I mean, it would have felt wrong to hook his equipment up to shoddy shelf speakers.
#14 Oh, Bother
When I was in Japan, I visited the Shibuya Disney store. I found this adorable Winnie the Pooh set and I HAD to buy it. While I was waiting in line, I imagined giving my two nieces all their gifts and showing off my Winnie the Pooh set that I didn't get for them. I kept picturing their disappointed faces and I just couldn't shake it from my mind...
So I bought two. They were really happy with the set.
#13 Last Great Newspaper Comic
My hardback copy of the definitive Calvin and Hobbes collection.
It cost $100 brand new. But having them in a nice, bound collection with crisp pages, full color, and additional write-ups by Bill Watterson? Priceless.
I'd eyed it for years but finally got it for myself for my birthday a few years back. And it was worth every penny.
#12 Think Outside The Bun
One time, I was with my friends and we were all tipsy. We got into a cab and we got hungry. Out of myself and the three friends I was with, I was apparently the only one with any money. I wanted Taco Bell.
They declined, saying they couldn't afford it. I said screw it, I'll buy everyone's food if we can stop.
I think I spent around $70 on Taco Bell that night. For four teenage girls, that's a LOT of food.
#11 One More Light
After Chester Bennington passed away and Linkin Park announced a memorial concert, I knew I had to be there. Linkin Park Underground members and people who had bought tickets for the upcoming tour had early access before tickets officially went on sale.
The day tickets went live, I waited on the page to buy them. At the exact moment when they went up, I went for it, but they were already sold out. I said, "Screw this, I'm not living the rest of my life without having seen my favorite band."
I decided I would use a credit card and try for some of the seats up front (the only ones the website said were still available). They were $2,200 for a pair. I snagged those seats, went to my first and only concert I will ever care about and made it into the video for the live stream of the concert. No regrets.
#10 Racking Up The Mileage
I blew all my money to achieve my bucket list of traveling to every continent. Antarctica cost me an arm and a leg. I even convinced my travel companion to fly business class with me.
Worth every single penny. I rate it 11/10.
#9 Drunk Monday Sales
I was a little bit too tipsy on Cyber Monday. I didn't remember buying anything that day, but a week later I received a new $1,400 gaming laptop, an $80 G-Shock Watch, and about $200 worth of bulk candy weighing about 12 pounds. Tipsy me really knew how to surprise sober me.
#8 Ministry Of Magic
I really like Newt Scamander. I wanted to do a cosplay of him and I needed his iconic blue jacket. The one I found was about £160. Expensive for a coat, but God darn it, I wanted it.
#7 A Childhood Desire Fulfilled
I bought a Mercedes. I've always wanted this car since I was first introduced to them by my grandfather as a child. I had the Mercedes electric toy car, a c0llection of Mercedes car models, as well as Mercedes images plastered all over my room and on my computer backgrounds.
At 25, I was making enough money to finally buy one. I ended up with a 2014 Mercedes e350 Coupe. I traded my old car in and put down $10,000. I have never been happier.
#6 Think About Ink
I walked into a tattoo parlor after a rough breakup and got a tattoo. I figured I deserved it after dealing with all of my ex's emotional abuse over the years. It was fully black and white with no real crazy details, but I was quoted $450 for it. I knew I was being majorly ripped off price-wise, but at that point, I said screw it because I just needed to treat myself. It took the guy an hour to do, and of my five tattoos, it's the worst looking one in terms of the fading.
Later on, I got another tattoo done by someone who came highly recommended. I did a big black and white piece on my shoulder that had a lot of intricate line work. It's probably my most complicated tattoo to date and it took him about two and a half hours to put on. It cost me $320, before tip. Going forward, I will never get anything done by anyone else.
#5 Another Shiny Accessory
My husband’s wedding ring. He’s an incredible man and not really picky about anything, but he had a particular idea about what he wanted and he deserved to have it. We paid $700 for his.
#4 Comfortable Feeling Down There
Athletic-type underwear. I used to buy cheap Walmart boxers and I would always get some nasty swamp butt and chafing down there when it was humid out. I finally did some research on what type of underwear prevented that kind of thing and picked some up. They're like $8 a pair, which is what I used to spend on a pack of five but screw it. I'm never going back. Not having to deal with that stuff is well worth it.
#3 Here Comes The Rain Again
We were on vacation in Mexico and decided to go into town for some shopping. It started raining heavily, and there was nothing to walk beneath to go from shop to shop. There were locals coming out of the shops selling these small, cheap $5 umbrellas for $40. Our driver wasn't going to be picking us up for another three hours, so I gladly paid $40 for a cheap quality umbrella.
#2 No Pillow Fights Here
I spent £87 on a pillow last week. Heck of a lot of money for a pillow, but it will be worth it in the long run. I’ve been having neck issues for years, which subsequently causes headaches. Hopefully, this will solve my problems.
#1 I Choose You
I saw these especially cute Pokemon figurines on vacation. I had bought a bunch of cheaper ones, but my favorites turned out to be pricier than I had anticipated... I ended up still buying them because I was on vacation and I figured I deserved to treat myself.
