12 Things You Keep Buying Even Though You’ll Probably Never Use Them

We all buy things we never end up using — on repeat. Who among us has not committed the same sin again and again? Every hobby kit, unread book, and dust-covered gadget started with a glorious dream of a better, fitter, more motivated "you."

In these moments, that $800 espresso machine makes total sense. We need it to become an early riser who goes on a brisk 5 a.m. walk in $200 athleisure wear, before brewing the perfect cuppa. (Never mind you haven't willingly risen before sunrise in years, or those leggings cost half a car payment.)

In the quest for a more perfect life, here are some items you should think twice before buying because they'll likely prove to be an easy way to waste money.

If you like reading, congrats. But if you have a huge stack of books you'll read "someday," it's time to scale back. Visit the library. Borrow books from friends. Or make a rule: No buying a new book until you've finished one of your unreads.

If you can't discipline yourself now to read what you do have, how will spending more money change that?

You love those handmade cards your cousin sends. Why not give it a try? Before long, the intrigue morphs into a late-night Etsy bender, with $150 worth of artisanal card-crafting supplies now being shipped to your home from Latvia.

We've all gone overboard before for an untested passion — and we've got the dusty piles of good intentions to prove it — but if you've got a new interest, start small. Borrow supplies or purchase the minimum necessary.

You bought a treadmill to walk while bingeing Netflix, and now it's a drying rack for your delicates — and a home for wayward socks.

There are slimmer storage racks on the market. Try one of those, along with walking outdoors – or indoors at shopping malls and fitness centers.

Everyone has a drawer or two of these bad boys: that Arthurtown Aquarium T-shirt (with an objectively ugly design) in an awkward unisex fit, tiny sombrero keychains from the Cancun resort gift shop, and overpriced rock bracelets.

It's reasonable to want tangible souvenirs. But envision where that memorabilia will live. If you can't, odds are good; it'll end up in your junk drawer — or on a dusty piece of exercise equipment.

Like throw pillows and fishing lures, you probably have too many of them.

And if you have a stash of unused water bottles now, why are you suddenly going to diligently start using one? Just say no.

Nothing in life is so seductive as the novelty kitchen gadget: miniature waffle makers, avocado slicers, zucchini spiralizers, or Star Wars-shaped pancake molds.

It's nice to dream of being a domestic god(dess), but the fact is, those tools will see less action than the humble can opener.

Many of us eat frozen meals at work, and pizzas from the box at home, to avoid doing dishes. Yet somehow we forget this practical laziness when it comes time to host guests or register for wedding gifts.

People want fine china, table runners, and three-tier hors d'oeuvre trays because, well, that's what people do — and they look so pretty. If you haven't entertained Martha Stewart style by now, you'll probably not start. Just visit any Goodwill store — the shelves are loaded with expensive, barely-used, chef-level regrets.

Wicker baskets, seagrass bins, vintage-looking milk crates — it all looks so pretty on Instagram reels, but the brutal truth is you don't need more containers; you need less stuff. If you legitimately need more storage, use a cardboard box.

If you buy them and use them every year, good for you. We all envy your diligence. But if you, like many of us, have never consistently used a planner, here's a news flash: 2025 isn't our year.

And trust me, all the color-coded pens, stickers, and novelty-shaped Post-It notes in the world won't help. Just say no. Buy a blank notebook and a pen. Or better yet, scrounge for them in your junk drawer.

Buying in bulk is a slippery slope. Sure, $49 for a 20-pack of socks sounds smart because it gives you the cheapest "per unit" price. But buying more to save is how you wind up with mountains of socks and toilet paper rolls eating half your closet — and all of your sanity.

Buy what you need.

If you're not my Aunt Jan, who sends thoughtful, handwritten notes and keeps a neatly organized planner of everyone's life events, you can probably nix those card multi-packs. Just buy the odd, overpaid card when needed.

You can still donate to the Sisters of Carmel and other charitable arms selling cards. Send them a crisp bill of whatever you feel is right, skip the clutter, and help the organization avoid sending more paper waste into the world.

That sequined cocktail dress or bespoke suit? You wore it once. Maybe. Most of us have few occasions to sport formalwear. And who wants to wear the "fancy" garb twice?

You can save yourself some time and money by borrowing from a friend, shopping secondhand, or renting from apps like Rent the Runway or Nuuly.

Look, a little materialism isn't bad for the soul. But a lot of it gets spendy — and even wasteful. If you've never been an early riser, a daily yogi, or an actively inspiring gourmet, spending hundreds of dollars now won't change that.

However, not all is lost. If many of these items are in good condition because they weren't used, there's a good chance you can make a little extra cash by selling them online.