I second the vote for cigarettes. Not only do they take your money, but they turn other people against you, sap your health, increase your doctor visits /missed time from work, and shorten your life. And they give you . . . nothing. I don't see how anything could possibly be more stupid.
Other suggestions:
- Leather jackets for toddlers
- Air conditioned dog houses
- Bottled water
By the way, I suspect those laundry pods may be the only thing offered in the future. Not too long ago -- perhaps two years ago -- they took up only a small section of the laundry detergent aisle. Now what we think of as "traditional" laundry soap fills only a small portion of the shelves, and these over-priced pods hog most of the shelves. While we're talking about them as a money-waster, don't neglect their first cousins: Dishwasher pods, Clorox wipes (which contain no Clorox), disposable dusting cloths, and disposable Swiffer Sweeper pads. And who in the world BUYS cleaning rags? Do people have no old, ratty tee-shirts? In the last two decades we've developed a whole industry of overpriced, non-environmentally friendly cleaning products. I can't believe they sell.
Finally, in a disclaimer, I'll add that my college daughter does use these pods. She received a big box of them (along with a hamper and a bag full of quarters) as a graduation gift. Because she has to carry her dirty clothes downstairs to a public laundry room, she likes the simplicity of carrying just 1-2 pods. However, the majority of us do laundry in our own homes and have no need for this kind of convenience.