The post-Christmas sales frenzy often leads to questionable decisions, with logic frequently abandoned amid the chaos of Boxing Day bargains. In a bid to highlight the perils of impulsive spending, Metro has gathered tales from readers about their most absurd and regrettable acquisitions.
Questionable Fashion and Faux Fame
Carolyn Pearson, 58, from Yorkshire, spent £30 on a clip-on fringe despite already having a real one. Hoping for a "magic bullet" to perfect hair, she was too terrified of it falling off in public to ever wear it. Seven years later, she finally donated it to a charity shop.
Duncan Killick, 28, took his satirical Instagram account @whoshotduncan to a new level by hiring a paparazzo for around £500. Mimicking celebrities who tip off photographers, he staged shots at London hotspots like The Ivy. He later had "absolutely huge regrets," partly due to only bringing one outfit, and felt the results were underwhelming.
Costly Ornaments and Impractical Toys
While on honeymoon in Venice, Deborah Hastie, 53, from York, was swept up in the moment on the island of Murano. The couple spent approximately £550 on a heavy piece of glass containing fish, only to later see similar items in souvenir shops for a tenth of the price. The piece, which arrived without the promised engraved date, now resides in their downstairs toilet 21 years later.
Ben Thornbury, 18, from Wiltshire, thought he'd found a steal: a Zorb ball for £200 on eBay. The reality proved far more expensive and cumbersome. He had to spend an additional £250 on a portable battery to inflate it, a process that takes 10-15 minutes while trapped inside the ball. Deeming it a "hassle," he has used it only a couple of times, and it now sits unused in his garden shed.
Fitness Fails and Transport Troubles
Julia Slack, 55, an author based in Barcelona, invested £150 in a mini trampoline, convinced it was the perfect solution for her exercise procrastination. Inspired by YouTube workouts, she imagined daily ten-minute bouncing sessions. In reality, she has used it only three times, and it now sits dust-covered behind her lounge table, destined for Vinted.
In 2021, Evie Richards, 24, made her most expensive purchase ever: a £500 Tiffany green Raleigh Dutch bike. Dreaming of idyllic rides with a wicker basket, her vision lasted just two days before she was hit by a car, chipping a tooth and bruising her chin. The bike now takes up too much space in her corridor, rarely ridden.
The High-Stakes Regrets
Novelist Natalie Meg Evans, 62, fulfilled a childhood dream by buying a racehorse named Benita for £1,800 as a 40th birthday gift. Instead of the gentle cob she planned for, she fell for a scared, gun-metal grey thoroughbred. Benita proved uncontrollable, rearing and bolting, leaving Natalie paying £400 a month in livery for a horse she couldn't ride. The experience, however, catalysed a life change, leading her to move to the countryside and care for rescue horses.
Metro's own assistant lifestyle editor, Jess Lindsay, 31, learned a harsh financial lesson from a £40 dog lamp from Next at age 18. She inadvertently opened a credit account, and the unpaid bills, sent to her parents' house, went unnoticed. The debt was passed to collectors, more than tripling with fees, and tanked her credit rating for six years, affecting her ability to get accounts and contracts. She keeps the lamp as a stark reminder.
These stories serve as a cautionary reminder to think twice before grabbing that Boxing Day "bargain," no matter how tempting it may seem.
