Ask Lemmy

Got convinced by someone I very much trusted to join an MLM as a 19 or 20 year old. After my parents learned about it, they were able to talk some sense into me, and I realized I was part of a pyramid scheme. I got out and basically broke even, which was honestly the best possible outcome of that whole scenario. It unfortunately degraded my relationship with the person who convinced me to join, and I never really could fully trust them after that.

University

I spent 50 grand and 4 years of my life to be told by prospective employers that I either lacked real world experience, or that I was overqualified. It took me another 3 years to find a job after university - one that doesn't require training and is barely relevant to my field.

I get to hang a pretty piece of paper up on my wall, I guess.

I was young and dumb and didn't know how to say no.

Timeshare.

It's so hard to get rid of. Fuck that thing.

formatted my drive 2010 thinking the bitcoin scam would not last so long.

An old job where transportation literally cost me half my salary.

Listened to the internet and held onto Gamestop for longer than I should have.

I still did ok, but fuck I could have paid off my mortgage.

Not a big one, but surely the worst one. There was a "make your own perfume" stall in our college fest. I didn't like the fragrance of most of what they had to offer. It took me time to pick one, but I picked one that I thought was the most unique one.

Then when I came home, I realised it smelt exactly like my dad's car freshner.

Changed over the ownership of the house I bought with my own money to my now ex because he was the one with the job. Am now house-less and renting an apartment at triple the mortgage payments.

Underestimating the lengths that Trump admin would go to prop up equity markets during COVID

Bought a house with my ex and we were instantly house poor. We didn’t account for buying things for the house at all. Ended up selling and moving two years later at a loss even though we sold for a bit more than we bought it for.

$400 tipping camgirls. it was the fastest lost just for a few minutes of flirting with naked women

Probably the time I used a cash machine in a weird place in my home town to draw out the maximum I could for Christmas spending and all I got from it was the receipt saying the money had gone from my account.

The place was weird because, although it was in a very public square, it was kind of high off the ground, like it had been installed for people over 6ft tall. I am not that tall. The novelty appealed to me anyway. Mistake.

I was so ashamed, I never reported it. I didn't think I'd be believed.

If you want actual things, I own a pre-smartphone electronic personal organiser that I used about five times and about a dozen calculators from when I got really into them for some reason. And at least one of those was "parts only" that I completely missed in the description.

But if I could undo anything, I'd rather have that cash machine money back.

Waiting for the bubble to burst before buying a house.

Anytime now....

My kid’s mom.

Girl is a hole in spacetime that I’ve been throwing money into for eight years now.

I was conned into going into ITT Tech out of high school. I learned a lot but didn't find out until later it was unaccredited so nothing would transfer to colleges and that they had lied heavily about their placement numbers. There were a few issues keeping from going after them: it was my parent's money, the point in time I went wasn't part of the lawsuit, and my parents were dead when the lawsuit came about. I cannot put ITT Tech on my resume because of everything related to it, it's a literal black mark. So I have to stretch the truth of those two years because of it.

Buying an RV.

Almost every single movie I've seen in theaters. At home is just better. Hell, sometimes the bike ride with my partner to and from the place is better than the movie-- could have just hung out at a park, lol.

I bought a new, $100 android tablet a few years ago because I'd never had a tablet before and thought I'd try it. Assumed that since laptops around that price perform ok that it would be decent for basic stuff, but it really isn't. Just not enough ram (4gb), lags when doing literally anything, can't load most websites, can't even play most videos without it turning into a slideshow. Can't install a less shit more efficient OS. I would feel bad about reselling it because no one should be subjected to having to use this ewaste.

My entire existence is a financial mistake. To make a financial mistake, you have to have finances in the first place.

alcohol

Leasing a car.

I'd always bought a car and driven it into the ground. Leased an EV once. Hated the experience. Felt ripped off at the end.

Bought a used car after that. Back to normal.

I used to sell plasma, and I used the funds on Robinhood to try investing without affecting my regular cash flow. Through sheer luck, in one day, my account went from around $200 to over $2500. I was overjoyed. I’d clearly made a genius-level decision that would only continue to pay out.

Anyway, I woke up the next day with less than I’d had to start. Should’ve taken the money and run. Or not tried to time the market. Either way, it felt like I’d lost $2300 instead of $50.

Letting my partner quit their job so they could focus on working on a comic full-time.... I completely supported them. Buying them supplies and whatever else they needed. This lasted 2 years... with absolutely nothing to show for it. NOTHING. I have no idea what the fuck they did 10 hours a day while I was at work.

continuing to attend college without a plan to graduate

Community College machine shop. Too many graduates, not enough available positions.

Maybe a few $100 in total so not too bad.

The most recent was waiting for the 32GB RAM sticks I needed to max out my hypervisor to go on sale below $120.

A new car

Continuing to breathe has repeatedly proven, over several decades, to be the most devastatingly stupid decision I've made. Financially and otherwise.

My “ex-wife”, I mean, I wasn’t even married. It was almost like if I could help someone else more, then it would all work out.

Turns out no one cares about you, and the more you help others the less you have to help yourself.

I was incredibly altruistic and I would burn to help someone lest I burn alone.

The world don’t care. Get efficient and don’t rely on others.