While browsing the MSN message boards, one discussion really caught my attention. A post on Really Stupid ways you’ve lost money got me thinking about all stupid ways I’ve either wasted or lost money this year.
If we share our worst money blunders, maybe we can all learn from everyone’s mistakes.
I’ll go first. Here’s my top 5 worst money mistakes:
1. I purchased my Dell Latitude D610 computer through my school for $1,700. About two days later, I found the same exact computer on eBay for $700. That $1,000 setback hurts the most.
Lesson Learned: Always shop around for lower prices before you make a purchase.
2. Instead of taking the subway to work, I thought it would be a great idea to drive my car downtown. There were open parking spaces by my summer job, so I parked and spent an hour at the office. When I returned to my car, I got slapped with a $50 parking ticket.
My friends suggested that I fight the ticket, so I wrote an appeal to the courts. Nothing happened for a while, and I went back to school that fall. Then I got a letter mid-October notifying me that my parking ticket had doubled. $100 completely wasted.
Lesson Learned: Use public transportation when working in the city.
3. I was flying home from school last winter, and by accident forgot to take my cell phone charger with me. I had to charge my debit card in order to use the pay phone, and incurred $80 in billing charges.
Lesson Learned: Always charge your cellular phone before you travel.
4. One Friday night last spring, I wore a North Face jacket, and headed out to the fraternities. The night went on, and everything seemed normal at the time, as I can remember. The next morning, I wake up, and my jacket is covered in green paint. I haven’t worn the jacket since.Another $75 gone down the drain.
Lesson Learned: Never wear nice clothing to fraternity basements and/or other dirty establishments.
5. I always forget to redeem store rebates. I let $30 on a computer rebate, $10 on a cartridge rebate, and $15 for a paper shredder all slip away.
Lesson Learned: Redeem your rebate on the same day of your purchase.
6. Paying overdraft fees is a terrible way to lose money.
Lesson Learned: Always have emergency funds in your checking account to cover any overdrafts.
Update: More stupid ways to lose money that I hope to never do again.
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You’re funny dude. Green paint. At least your as s wasn’t painted green.
I’ve lost money keeping my wallet at my towel at the beach while swimming, with gypsy kids stealing (euro beach). Lesson learned: take your wallet with you next time.
Actually the most money I’ve wasted was in American bars where there were nothing but fat ugly sorority sisters (years and years and thousands of $$$ of losses). Lesson learned: go overseas to party, you score more for the money. Cuba is a good bet, if you know Spanish.
The bar scene will eat your money quick.
I burned $150 in Montreal bars earlier this year, but was worth it cause the girls are so fine.
That was a really funny post and very true. Nice entry to the group writing project. I am going to have to keep up with your blog in the future.
All the best,
George
That advice on not wearing something precious on events and places mentioned is a good one. I remember bringing to school an autographed F1 cap by M. Schumacher, I played ball with my friends and the cap was knocked off my head by a friend who tried to block me, it fell on a puddle. Thought a good wash would do no harm, it nearly washed off all of schumi’s signature!! Bummer!
Lol funny but things to learn.Sometimes i even dont think and that happened with my laptop too.Thx for reminding
I also got entry in darrens project.
And i am feeding your blog.There wont be another chance to meet so many bloggers
So true, but if you learn from it and grow, you’ll have those experiences to build upon. At least you learned something from it all, eh?? Too funny.
We also participated in this project, stop on by if you get a chance!
Man, I totally feel your pain. I hate when this crap happens. The worst is when I called a friend’s cell phone overseas - not realizing we didn’t have long distance on our plan any longer. I almost fainted when the phone bill came in. Talk about stupidly wasting money ;/
“I always forget to redeem store rebates.” So that’s why stores use rebates to get people to buy things
Pre-paid phone cards are always cheaper then using your credit card
Great suggestion. I made a huge error in reasoning, but was extremely desperate to go home at the time.
Perhaps purchasing a phone card and stashing it in my wallet would be a smart money move on my part. I think I’m going to take your advice. Thanks for the tips.
I agree. I can’t wait until Darren’s next blogging project. Or maybe we should start our own
This article is of very little use to anyone with common sense.
@ Nathan
This article documents my personal experiences only. It’s not about the meaning of life.
Here’ s how it works: Average Joe buys shares in an initial public offering for an investment company with no assets to speak of other than the pot of money from the I. P. O. The company’ s sole mandate is to make one big acquisition. Average Joe has no idea what it will buy. And frankly, neither do the folks running the investment company. It’ s a blind bet that the Masters of the Universe will live up to their name.