MetaChat - What's the one thing you hate to spend money on?

chips and salsa at a mexican restaurant.

refills of any kind.

dry cleaniing.

posted by stynxno 09 October | 10:50

Replacement razor blades.

posted by grabbingsand 09 October | 10:52

Breakfast.

posted by Hugh Janus 09 October | 10:55

Any foodstuffs - especially meat - that I know was raised in an extremely unethical/ sheerly-for-maximum-profit fashion.

Anything with way too much plastic packaging.

Printer Ink.

Operating systems.

posted by chuckdarwin 09 October | 10:57

oh my god, toner / inkjet refills! what a freaking racket!

certain other office supplies, like pens that DON'T suck.

water, specifically bottled water, but that's a big can of worms around the office at the moment.

posted by lonefrontranger 09 October | 10:57

The 6.00 admission fee to go watch my son play hockey when I've already paid 1600.00 for him to play for the season, 90% of that 1600.00 being rink fees so the team can rent the rink for practice and games. If the rink is already rented with the parents' money, why do we have to pay to go see the games? Assholes.

posted by iconomy 09 October | 10:58

The cable bill part of my condo assessments. I don't like the cable package and I can't bundle my internet with it.

posted by crush-onastick 09 October | 10:59

specifically bottled water

Yup. Again with all the plastics. We can't go on producing tonnes of plastic rubbish every second. It's, erm, what's that word? Oh, yeah. Completelyunfuckingsustainable.

posted by chuckdarwin 09 October | 10:59

Car repairs.

Bullshit fees on airline tickets, etc.

Shoes. (Which is why I'll wear them till they look like hobo shoes.)

posted by BoringPostcards 09 October | 11:06

Title "insurance".

posted by WolfDaddy 09 October | 11:10

Ticketmaster.

(As for ink, look into Canon printers. They produce the best-quality prints of any printer I've used, and the brand name replacement ink is only like $7 for black and $15 for color. Yay Canon. With other brands, you might as well buy a new $79 printer rather than buying the $40 ink.)

posted by mike9322 09 October | 11:11

yeah, seconding Ticketmaster.

Also, alcohol on international flights. wtf with the charging?

posted by gaspode 09 October | 11:13

Ummm, feminine products.

Sorry.

posted by mightshould 09 October | 11:14

Products for aging skin. Alcohol (unless it's for a gift). Plumbing and basic house repairs.

posted by Orange Swan 09 October | 11:17

Clothes.
Medicine.
Toilet paper.

posted by small_ruminant 09 October | 11:20

I think people should only have to pay for fun things.

posted by small_ruminant 09 October | 11:20

I also hate paying the pet fee to fly with my dog on an airplane. Her bag is no bigger than any of the other suitcases on the plane!! Such a racket.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 09 October | 11:21

With other brands, you might as well buy a new $79 printer rather than buying the $40 ink.

A paradigm which has the unintended consequence of producing much more toxic e-rubbish :-(

posted by chuckdarwin 09 October | 11:27

Oh, my, I am so cheap in so many dumb ways.

School lunches, when whatever packed lunch I forgot to grab from the fridge would be tastier and healthier anyway.

Clothing. I can afford much nicer things if I'm patient enough to scour the consignment shops and don't pay retail.

I will pay full price for kitchenware, but I usually check Goodwill first. Often,
I can find [desired item] there for a dollar or two. Sometimes, someone has donated [desired item] still in its box.

posted by Elsa 09 October | 11:27

Oh, oh, I take it all back and instead say:

bread.

I can make such delicious bread at home for pennies (okay, for quarters), and it's fresh and healthy and requires maybe 20 minutes of easy hands-on work and some patience, but my stupid, stubborn dislike of buying bakery bread is much more virulent and potent than it should be. It's not just that I rationally know I could do better with homemade: I irrationally feel like bought bread is a scam.

Here's the nutty part: I don't feel that way about bakery bread bought by other people. Only by me or The Fella.

posted by Elsa 09 October | 11:36

Oh, oh, I take it all back and instead say:

If I could have another go, I'd say:

Petrol

My little Golf costs £50 to fill up, and although I try not to drive much, I still feel like a big loser because I haven't found a way to get around that doesn't involve making our collective climate problem worse.

posted by chuckdarwin 09 October | 11:41

Haircuts.

ditto on tampons, ticketmaster and insurance.

I agree with Elsa on the bought bread - I commented to the mrs the other day about the half-normal size loaf for $6 in the grocery when hers is much better and much cheaper. Plus it makes the house smell good.

posted by chewatadistance 09 October | 11:43

House repairs, shipping/processing charges, tax, battery farmed anything.

posted by TheDonF 09 October | 11:56

half-normal size loaf for $6

How much is that? It sounds awfully expensive from my country's point of view (1KG/US$1.5-$2).

posted by Memo 09 October | 11:57

Shipping insurance for ebay purchases!

posted by thirteenkiller 09 October | 11:59

Auto insurance. Though it's cheaper now and doesn't make me so angry.

posted by mullacc 09 October | 12:03

taxes. seriously, I'm a closet Republican

posted by matteo 09 October | 12:04

Oh, and lunch. I hate buying lunch, unless I'm going out to lunch socially.

posted by crush-onastick 09 October | 12:09

I jumping on the car repairs bandwagon. Anything unexpected.

posted by rainbaby 09 October | 12:13

Love.

posted by Hugh Janus 09 October | 12:20

Internet access
Shipping
Ticketmaster

posted by smich 09 October | 12:20

Anything that wears out. If it's consumable, like food or booze or something, that's great. If it's something that'll last my whole life, that's even better. But anything in between kinda bugs me, just a teeny bit.

posted by box 09 October | 12:23

All car related things: repairs, insurance, gas and parking. It's good that it all annoys me. I resent needing to own my own car, and maybe when my piece of shit breaks down I'll have the guts to not replace it.

posted by typewriter 09 October | 12:23

razor refils, totally. Why does it now cost me a dollar just to freaking shave?

And tampons. Tampons should be FREE.

Natural gas. I don't know why we have to pay almost $300 a month YEAR ROUND on gas, just to keep the place above sub-zero in the winter. Not when we're one town over from Niagara Falls. Can't we harness that shit to make my heat go or something?

posted by kellydamnit 09 October | 12:24

chips and salsa at a mexican restaurant.

There are places that do that?
How lame!

(I once went to an Indian place that charged extra for basmati rice. Never went back.)

posted by kellydamnit 09 October | 12:25

Clothes for work and Fancy Feast by the case. Diabetic cat, yoh.
>8(

posted by herrdoktor 09 October | 12:25

Cable TV. I make MuddDude pay that bill, even though it comes out of our joint account. Grr.

posted by muddgirl 09 October | 12:35

Any kind of "convenience fee" (including but not limited to Ticketmaster)
Shipping/handling fees
Gas

posted by sisterhavana 09 October | 12:40

Anything that wears out. If it's consumable, like food or booze or something, that's great. If it's something that'll last my whole life, that's even better. But anything in between kinda bugs me, just a teeny bit.
posted by box

Yes! What box said. By "wearing out" I include technology that goes obsolete, which is one reason I'm not an early adopter.

posted by BoringPostcards 09 October | 12:40

Nylons. I seriously get 2, maybe 3 wears out of them.

Council tax. Ugh.

Shipping costs.

Dry cleaning because it's JUST SO EXPENSIVE.

posted by triggerfinger 09 October | 12:48

half-normal size loaf for $6

How much is that? It sounds awfully expensive from my country's point of view (1KG/US$1.5-$2).

Way too much!!! LOL I didn't look at the weight on the bag, but I don't think it was anywhere near 1lb. (that's 1/2 kg is that right?)

It was baked by some "specialty" bakery down the road, so I guess they're covering their gas.

posted by chewatadistance 09 October | 12:51

I forgot the biggest one of all - ATM fees. HATE. I am so glad my credit union is on a couple surcharge-free ATM networks.

Also, all the extra taxes and fees on phone bills, airline tickets, hotel rooms, etc.

posted by sisterhavana 09 October | 12:52

triggerfinger - You get 2-3 wears out of nylons? I'm lucky if I get ONE full day's wear out of them. And it's not uncommon for them to run as I am putting them on!

posted by sisterhavana 09 October | 12:56

Ha, nylons here too. One wearing, often. Crazy thing is that the cheaper they are, the longer they last (and the cheesier they look.)

posted by mightshould 09 October | 13:00

I hate to pay for shipping and handling. I rarely buy at sites that charge. Nordstrom has a 5 dollar flat fee. I love it. Other places have laughable charges. Ebay sellers are the worst. I bought 2 yards of light weight cotton fabric a few days ago and the shipping was 7.95!

There isn't anything else I really dislike spending money on on, except maybe taxes. I hate paying too much for paper towels and other paper products. Paper is expensive.

There are loads of things I refuse to buy because they are too frivolous and expensive, such as the latest Swiffer product or those plug-in air fresheners that are advertised on television constantly.

posted by LoriFLA 09 October | 13:00

Cars period. I fucking hate that I have to have one, and I'll be damned if I'm going to drop obscene amounts of money just to get from A to Z when it's destined to fall apart in a few years.

posted by malaprohibita 09 October | 13:10

Ooh, interest on loans. I hate hate hate that almost 50% of each student loan payment I make right now is only going to paying off the interest. No wonder these things take 20 years to pay off.

posted by muddgirl 09 October | 13:23

Sex toys!

posted by Wilder 09 October | 13:24

Ooops! (did I just post that out loud!)

posted by Wilder 09 October | 13:24

It sounds awfully expensive from my country's point of view (1KG/US$1.5-$2)

That sounds like a price for industrial mass-produced bread. I'm used to paying about $3.50 - $4 per loaf, for bread made with whole wheat and no preservatives and is made at a regional bakery. The only bread I can find that comes in cheaper than that is stuff I wouldn't want to eat, from bread-mills somewhere in the Midwest. Or homemade, of course, but I haven't got that kind of time. I also don't have good bread mojo. My bread is always bricklike.

I hate paying money for car repairs, because the expense is (a) unpredictable, (b) necessary, and (c) usually huge.

N'thing tampons, too. Between the haircut price difference, the dry cleaning price difference, the different clothing expectations, and the fertility-related expenses, over the course of a life, it's cheaper to be male. Except when it comes to car insurance, I suppose.

posted by Miko 09 October | 13:32

Miko, I used to have the bread-brick thing too. Found out I was getting the water overly hot=killing yeast. If you ever have time to make bread again, use a thermometer for the temp...

posted by mightshould 09 October | 13:40

You get 2-3 wears out of nylons?

Those are the heavy duty ones (£4 each)! I stopped buying the thin ones when they would rip as I pulled them up my leg.

mightshould is right. I found a place where I can get a pack of 4 for £2 and I can totally abuse them and they won't rip. They do look cheap but I almost don't care anymore as I get so mad about literally throwing money away on nylons.

posted by triggerfinger 09 October | 13:47

Thirding razor refills.
Clothes.
These days, full price for a CD.

posted by me3dia 09 October | 13:59

- internet access when I'm away from home, which is often
- swimsuits, which wear out with startling speed
- spices, when I'm away from the bulk food bins at the co-op

The high price of everything tends to keep me away from buying most other things with the exception of gasoline, plane tickets, various taxes (income, property, licensing, sales), food, utilities, car maintenance (love my mechanic), gifts, stamps and tech upkeep. Stamps in particular seem like a sweet deal and so does gas once you've been to any other country imo.

posted by jessamyn 09 October | 14:27

Totally Ticketmaster. I get so mad every time I see their fee-for-nothin' -- but then I always buy the damn ticket anyway. Sigh.

posted by AwkwardPause 09 October | 14:50

I also don't have good bread mojo. My bread is always bricklike.

Miko, here are a few tips (of mine, but there's other useful info in that thread) for getting better rise out of whole wheat bread. I also like to start with a sponge period, to get the autolyze effect that enhances gluten development.

Blahblah I'll stop now.

posted by Elsa 09 October | 15:28

I think I've come to terms with the fact that some people are bakers and some are cooks, and I'm more of a cook. Thank goodness I live near a bunch of great bakeries.

I also haven't tried the breadmachine route - I hear it's foolproof and easy, so we'll see. I'm gonna hang around and wait for a free one to come my way. People are always giving the darn things away because they don't use them.

posted by Miko 09 October | 16:54

My vote would be razors, tampons and condoms. Although thinking about it rationally, purchasing some of these effects the rate at which I use others. :)

posted by SassHat 09 October | 17:37

Coffee. A $1.90 for a large coffee. WTF?? Granted, it's from Junior's at Grand Central, and it has a fabulous no-spill sippy top (I love my sippy top), but a $1.90? It's only coffee. No kahlua or nothin'.

I bought a coffee maker and I plan to get a thermos for Jon and one for me, and I will make my own coffee, dammit, for about 15 cents a cup. So there.

(I plan to put the savings towards cheese cake.)

posted by Pips 09 October | 17:47

Internet access while away from home. Especially if I'm in a hotel room with the network jack right there. I'll use my own network cable, just don't charge me $15/night!

Water! I've been to bars that **only** serve bottled water for $4-8 a bottle. No tap water available, no matter how much you need it. This sucks worse when there's something like a $20 minimum for a debit card, you're out of cash and dying for something to drink.

posted by youngergirl44 09 October | 17:51

Ooh, cheesecake savings fund. I need to start me one of those!

posted by youngergirl44 09 October | 17:52

Oh, and sides of sour cream or dressing when dining out. That little cup didn't cost them a dollar.

posted by youngergirl44 09 October | 17:53

Myself, unless it's a consumable.

posted by eamondaly 09 October | 18:24

Lately I'd have to agree with coffee. I needs it so bad, but I can't just make it at home and take it with me because it's cold by the time lecture's over.

posted by casarkos 09 October | 19:19

Dental work.

It literally makes me cry.

Especially this year, with over $5k of work being done to me between June and November.

I always want to ask my dentist how his kids are enjoying the education I'm funding for them, while I can't afford to go to school. Or how his new BMW is running. Or whatever. I hate it.

posted by po 09 October | 19:35

Also with the taxes. (It would be ok if I could say Dear Uncle Sam/John Bull, Please spend my money on education and health, and not on war-mongering, corporate welfare or spying on people.)

posted by By the Grace of God 10 October | 03:43

I also haven't tried the breadmachine route - I hear it's foolproof and easy, so we'll see.
Yup - even I can make perfect bread every time.

I hate paying delivery fees for already over-priced landscaping materials - the nearest supply place to us charges us $20 for a truckload and they are only 500m down the road. They know that the option is to drive backwards and forwards with a trailer getting 1m² at a time, which I don't have time to do. They suck.

posted by dg 10 October | 17:20

09 October 2007