Do You Buy Things and Never Use Them?

This post was one I originally wrote for I Will Teach You to Be Rich.

Every summer, my wife and I set a main task to clean the house from top to bottom. While cleaning two years ago, I stumbled upon a disturbing development — we had several items that we had purchased a year or more earlier and had not yet used. Many were still in their original packaging. Why did I purchase these things? And is there a way to identify things that you’ll never use so you don’t buy them in the first place?

Here’s a partial list of what I found:

• Fire extinguisher — Thank God it’s not been used, but it wasn’t even out of the original box either — and it was hidden on a closet shelf.
• Clothing — Several pieces including a golf shirt I found on the bargain rack that I just “had” to have.
• Books — Don’t get me started here. I’m a recovering buy-a-book-but-don’t-read-it-aholic.
• Cycling pants — One pair was used, but I didn’t like them, so the other two were unworn.
• Portable fan — I got it after a few hot waits on airplanes. Soon after, I stopped traveling as much and when I did I didn’t want to carry extra weight.
• Humidifier — Got this because the old one was “broken.” I must have been mistaken because the old one was used at least another year.
• Wire cutter — I meant to use it, but then found another one I already had that did a better job. Didn’t get around to returning the new one.
• Miscellaneous — File these under “great deals at Costco that I couldn’t pass up.”

And this was just my stuff. Who knows what my wife found? I was afraid to ask.

This treasure trove made me ask why I had so much stuff that I’d never used/opened. I’m not sure there’s one answer, but I think the following are the main reasons:

• I mistakenly thought I needed it.
• I wanted it but really didn’t need it.
• It was a good deal I couldn’t pass up.

After considering these causes of my over-spending, I pledged not to make the same mistakes the next year. I’d like to report that I was completely successful at this attempt, but I wasn’t. However, the next year I did find significantly fewer items that I had purchased but never used. And I’m hopeful that this year I won’t find any new non-used items.

So let me end with two tips and a question.

Tip #1: The easiest thing to do is ignore this. And that works for a few years. But if you’re wondering why you can’t seem to save enough, or invest enough, or even have enough to go on vacation…maybe this is one place to start. And by cutting down on the unwanted things you have now, you’ll set a precedent for not buying things later (because you know you’ll have to sort through them once a year).

Tip #2: To identify items you might own but have never used, I suggest you go to the main places in your home where “stuff” accumulates (in ours it’s the bookshelves, closets, and pantry) and do both a spring and fall cleaning of these areas. Not only will you probably identify some new/unused items that you never knew you had, but you’ll probably rediscover several items you’ve misplaced. Clear out items by either tossing them, storing them in an appropriate place, or donating them to charity. After the first few clean-ups, the task will be much easier and you’ll feel better knowing your life is less cluttered.

Tip #3: If you’re a chronic buyer of items you never use, ask yourself if you need an item before you purchase it. Be sure you do before every purchase. And even then, place the receipt in a folder that you review every month or so. If a couple months go by and you haven’t used an item, pull out the receipt and return the item for a full refund.

The question: Am I the only crazy person that does this or are there others out there who also mysteriously buy items that they don’t ever use?

Comments

[Ryan S.]

Condoms

just kidding.

[Emily]

Ugh, I am horrible with this. On several occasions in the last year I've found clothes in the back of my closet with tags still on. I have started putting some things in a bag to just take to Goodwill. I also do that with food -- I'll be hungry at the grocery store and buy some items (soup, frozen meal, crackers) and months later they'll still be sitting in my pantry or freezer, never appealing to me again, and I wonder what possessed me to buy them. Lately I've realized how bad I am about this, so I've made a big effort to cut back on frivolous purchases. Here's my new method: when I'm at a store and pick up something I want, I now take a second and really think about whether I really need it. I end up putting a lot of things back. It's shocking how much more money I've been saving since I started doing this. Nothing like spring cleaning to make you realize how much money you've been wasting!

[TheMightyQuinn]

My wife has clothing in the closet with the tags still on. It makes me sad and crazy at the same time! What a waste! Maybe it's because I'm a guy, but I just can't fathom buying something and never using it! What's the point?!

[Kelly]

HA! Ryan S. you make me laugh...maybe you should try returning the remainder of the package for a refund. I'd like to be a fly on the wall for that.

[db]

FMF, you're definately not alone on that. I struggle greatly with this.

I especially have a difficult time with books, and with items for crafty projects. I have an annoying knack for getting creative inspiration to do something that requires lots of crafty supplies (like little baggies of cut mosaic tiles and unfinished pieces of wood). So I go on a little spending spree, bring my bag of goodies home -- and promptly forget all about the project.

Then 3 years later I find a bag full of crafty stuff you really can't do anything with except craft. But I'm not interested in the project anymore.

So I vow never to undertake another crafty project again, which seems to automatically kick my perverse imagination into gear thinking up another crafty project.

(Guess what bunch of stuff I just unearthed -- yep, crafty stuff.)

[Mike B.]

I'm not too bad with this, but the wife is. She is a Clearance rack at Target fanatic. And then a pack-rat on top of it. We have so many 'great deals' lying around unopened I can't stand it. Arggghhhh!

[stngy1]

Yep, me too. Worse, we have yearly yard sales and it took years for me to connect spending habits with the abundance of items we always had to sell.
Like Emily, grocery stores are a major weakness, and I am most successful either when I rush through with a list, or I take so long that I have time to rethink what I've put in the cart, and I end up returning most things to a shelf, ANY shelf.

[T]

March and April so far have been Spring Cleaning months for me. I hate being attached to processions. For decluttering to work, I find one has to simplify their processions and reduce how much junk they own. "Every thing you own owns a piece of you."

[Jessica]

My husband is kind of bad about this. Really it comes down to discipline. You need to have enough discipline to keep your home/garage/storage areas clean and organized (ie you actually find a home for everything and put things back where they go - every time!). This way you won't need to part with money to get a tool or item that you already have but have misplaced (er lost in a pile of junk that you just don't want to sort through).

Be ruthless in giving away (or selling) absolutely everything that you have that you don't use or need. This will help you maintain your organizational structure. The time drain and pain of having to give stuff away all the time will cause you to think twice about that next purchase.

It's not as sexy as the stock market but being disciplined about keeping your home and possessions in order absolutely will save you money and time.

[Tina]

I recently took two weeks of vacation time to "get my stuff together". This was not a relaxing vacation, but it was something I really needed to do for myself. One project was to paint the living room, kitchen and dining room. Having to clear out those areas REALLY highlighted what a problem I have with clutter! I am a pack rat... something I am NOT proud of. I realized that I have a lot of items that I keep due to guilt (gifts I never liked, items I bought but rarely used, items that were inherited, etc.). I've discovered several items that I "needed" at the time of purchase that have never been opened or that have rarely been used. My freezer is in need of being totally cleared out... so much wasted food! Sadly, even after having two weeks off, I STILL have more clutter clearing to do! I am vowing to be more conscious in my purchases and much more disciplined in getting rid of accumulated "stuff". I like the idea of scheduling Fall and Spring cleaning to keep me on track with clearing clutter and keeping me honest about my frivolous spending. My parents suggested donating items so I can take the deductions on my taxes next year. I've got some bigger items like a couch, book shelf and china cabinet that I'm getting rid of, so the deduction could be sizable next year!

[rwh]

Books. I buy too many. But I love books, even the ones I haven't read yet.

Clothes. I don't buy that often (my wife will certainly attest to that!), but when I do I frequently buy something because of the low price, then I rarely wear it because it's poor quality. It ends up at GoodWill.

CDs. I don't buy too many these days and now purchase online at eMusic for 0.33 per song, then burn them onto CDs.

[Ciji]

I used to be a "it was too good a deal to pass up" person, until I realized that the best way to save money is to not spend it at all.

[Janet]

I buy lots of things from Walgreens that I never use when they are free after rebate + an additional 10% bonus + I use coupons which makes them even more discounted. So I actually make a profit for taking these items off the store shelves.

[Rob Lewis]

I'm not generally too bad at buying things I never use, but I did purchase an iPod Shuffle a couple of months ago, and I'm yet to use it. Seemed like a bargain at the time, but it's currently just taking up shelf space.