What's the most Antimustachian thing you've ever done?

[the fixer]

But the worst was buying a closed circuit rebreather for SCUBA diving. I sank about $10k into it and now it's becoming extremely difficult to sell. The training cost me another $2k including taking unpaid leave from work. If I get $3500 back from the thing I'll consider myself extremely lucky.

I figured I should post an update on this, since it may inspire others sitting on their bad purchases:

I sold my rebreather! I made a lot less than I could have sold it for, but it sold and I have a good chunk of money in its place. I was originally intimidated by seeing some listings that took months to sell and only had interest from people overseas. But when I actually listed mine it wasn't that bad, I priced it extremely low and took a hefty deposit in less than 24 hours. Three or four other people were scrambling to get in on the deal, including a few locals.

If I hadn't been so freaked out about the process I would have been better off approaching it smarter: do MORE research on selling prices, and try to get a little more (prob could have charged an extra $500-1k). Treat it as something a friend gave you for free that you think you could make money on by selling. Ignore all emotional attachments and just maximize your profit off this expensive item you have sitting around.

I'm cool with having sold it low. It would only truly be a financial loss if I had to pay more to replace it, and I never plan on doing that. Plus the money I got is basically a windfall, not in my financial plans so every dollar I got is a bonus to add to the Stash.

So if anyone else out there is feeling nervous about giving up something they have an emotional attachment to, just force yourself to go through the motions and sell it. You probably know exactly how to do it.

And if you're REALLY nervous about it, just do what I did and sell at a "wholesale" price. Anything of significant value is a liquid asset if you price it low enough. At least then you'll get something out of it, and maybe it will help you realize you didn't have anything to be afraid of to begin with.

[acanthurus]

NOOOOO!!!!

Cheap rebreather? AND I MISSED OUT???

sigh.

(see user name)

Honestly though, I figure anything that hits the water depreciates so much it should be regarded as a total loss at time of purchase. The fact you got something out of it is good. Rebreathers and regs are about the only thing I can see holding any real value.

[the fixer]

It was actually pretty funny reading through all the offers I was getting. Most of these people already had one, but because mine was so cheap they were willing to pick up a second for spare parts/so their buddies could dive it/whatever. I even heard from a guy who had recently sold his, but then wanted to buy mine because it was priced lower than he sold his for!

Not at all the experience I expected. I know I used to be one of these people, but it's hard to put myself back in that mindset to figure out what to expect from them.

[acanthurus]

I've wanted one badly but the initial cost plus the training has put me off. Also the horror stories.... not that I'd let that stop me. I still have a lot of diving and learning to do before I really get to that level anyway.

[the fixer]

Keep in mind the ongoing cost of dive gear in terms of maintenance. If you don't do the servicing work yourself (and most manufacturers strongly discourage you doing so or make it impossible) a rebreather costs at least $1000 per year just to keep running. You have to replace three or four oxygen sensors at $70 a pop every year. The thing has two first stage regulators that need overhauling, at a labor cost of about $35 per stage. Servicing of the breathing loop and counterlungs will probably cost a hundred or so, new O-rings, an ADV servicing, solenoid cleaning, new sensor wiring harness, plus shipping the thing to wherever you can get the service performed (at a cost of ~$100 each way).

I'll leave the safety of rebreather diving to other forums, though I could go on for hours on the subject.

[MrsStubble]

1. Buying our first house at the top of the housing bubble. 950 sq ft.

2nded.  Although we still have ours and will maybe have positive equity in a year or so.

More likely though, and I couldn't even bring myself to verify the amount (if there even is some way to check) is that i've probably spend more then $100,000 on credit cards over the years buying useless crap.  It's traumatically dumb, I can't even think about it without cringing, but at least it's all in the past. 

[Dynasty]

Hookers and blow? check,

I think we all probably know some guy or more, who would have been tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars ahead had he had a taste for hookers and blow rather than a wife/wives and divorce.

[Dynasty]

I bought a $30k Mini Cooper 7.5 years ago on payments. I hate the car. It's a pain to drive and has no functionality. But I'm going to drive it until the wheels fall off because I'm just that pissed about my dumb decision.

I've bought two cars in my life I've absolutely totally hated about six months in.  It hurts to take a loss, but trust me, driving a car you hate, that has no functionality, can make life miserable.

Might want to look into getting something else. Besides, British cars are not very reliable long term partners.

[Dynasty]

I was going to sell it back to the jeweler after we went our separate ways, but given how much it's gone up in value, I'll hold onto it for now to see if a future Mrs. MooreBonds might be willing to accept it, or if she would need a different stone (hopefully not as pricey!).

You really do not want to be with a woman who puts a price tag on how much you should spend on a ring... I'd sell that thing yesterday.

I've known some very beautiful, sweet women who wore very modest rings. And I've known some real bitches who wore huge rings. You do the math.

[Gerard]

To answer the original question: Married an antimustachian.

[BlueMR2]

Hookers and blow? check,

I think we all probably know some guy or more, who would have been tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars ahead had he had a taste for hookers and blow rather than a wife/wives and divorce.

Of course, I know a guy who had a taste for hookers AND a wife (which led to divorce).  That really didn't go well for him...

[Daley]

After three decades, I finally answered the siren song of the banjo thanks to the aide of a fellow pickin' friend today and I'm hooked. Nothing invested so far outside of picks, but I fear this is going to turn into an expensive hobby... and I struggle with caring that it will.

Anyone got a good deal on a beginner banjo or willing to trade for an entry level accordion? >.>

[yolfer]

I already answered here, but I forgot one that should make this list!

A few years ago, my wife and I ate at Alinea, one of the most expensive restaurants in the USA. She's a chef, and we were visiting Chicago (where the restaurant is) so we knew it would be now or never. We planned it ahead of time because we knew it would be expensive, so it wasn't an impulse decision.

Hope you're sitting down. A 24-course dinner for two, with wine pairings + tip: $1,000

It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, but it still hurts to think about all those zeros on the bill. It made my wife happy so it was worth it.

Speaking of once-in-a-lifetime, now we're thinking about dining at French Laundry (even more expensive) when we visit friends in San Francisco this summer... Someone face-punch me, quick!

[foobar]

Everyone I know that has been to the french laundry has said it was well worth the money. It should be pointed out that 3 out of 4 of them had net worth in the 20+ million range.  Turns out hard work pays off more than being frugal.

I would vote for the wedding ring but I was told by the salesman that diamonds appreciate in value so that is just an investment. No way the salesman mislead me right?:)

I already answered here, but I forgot one that should make this list!

A few years ago, my wife and I ate at Alinea, one of the most expensive restaurants in the USA. She's a chef, and we were visiting Chicago (where the restaurant is) so we knew it would be now or never. We planned it ahead of time because we knew it would be expensive, so it wasn't an impulse decision.

Hope you're sitting down. A 24-course dinner for two, with wine pairings + tip: $1,000

It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, but it still hurts to think about all those zeros on the bill. It made my wife happy so it was worth it.

Speaking of once-in-a-lifetime, now we're thinking about dining at French Laundry (even more expensive) when we visit friends in San Francisco this summer... Someone face-punch me, quick!

[garg33]

French Laundry is not more expensive, it's $270 prix fixe including service according to their web site. Not that that's exactly Mustachian... :)

[foobar]

You can't compare a meal with wine to one without. Wine is going to be from 0-1000+ per person. I am sure there is a foodie out there that doesn't drink, but I haven't met them.

French Laundry is not more expensive, it's $270 prix fixe including service according to their web site. Not that that's exactly Mustachian... :)

[Jamesqf]

Hope you're sitting down. A 24-course dinner for two, with wine pairings + tip: $1,000

So how do you manage to eat 24 courses?  Unless each course is about a teaspoon...

It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, but it still hurts to think about all those zeros on the bill. It made my wife happy so it was worth it.

But since she's a chef, it should have been a tax-deductible business expense, no?  Checking out the competition :-)

[Grigory]

The most Antimustachian thing I've ever done? I bought a brand new car. Now, before you all jump at me and tear me to shreds - it was a brand new Kia with a 10-year bumper-to-bumper warranty.

I had tried the whole "buy used, save money" thing and it didn't work out. All 3 of my old cars that I'd owned before my new Kia ended up costing me a fortune because they kept falling apart due to old age and issues their previous owners didn't bother telling me about. I gave the thrifty approach a try and it just didn't work.

I'm sure I could have saved a considerable amount of money if I'd embarked on an epic quest to find the world's most reliable gently used car, but I figure the premium I paid for a brand new one is well worth the peace of mind. No matter what happens, I won't have to worry about my transportation and "Holy crap, what's going to break next?" for 10 more years....

[michaelrecycles]

Paying for first class with cash or miles seems very unmustachian to me. It's just so much more expensive than economy...crappy food and slightly more comfortable seats for a handful of hours for hundreds of dollars (or miles worth hundreds of dollars)?

I've been upgraded to first class for free half a dozen times, and sure it's nicer than economy, but I don't know that I'd ever have enough money that I would be willing to pay that much of a price difference for it. I'd rather pay for a second economy flight somewhere else with that money.

+1, thank you. I was starting to wonder if I was in the right place! To be fair, I have never experienced first class, so I don't know what I'm missing. But I'm very confident that I could never justify it.

Oh well - I guess this is the thread to admit such things, after all.

[earlyFI]

Bought my first desktop computer for full price (3k) at a retail store, a few yrs later...worthless.

[ace1224]

i failed last night, fridge full of food yet i chose to go to chick fil a for dinner....i had a coupon for a free sandwich but then saw arby's instead and NEEDED curly fries.  epic fail....on top of that i was super lazy and drove.  ugh.  thank goodness today is a new day

[garg33]

You can't compare a meal with wine to one without. Wine is going to be from 0-1000+ per person. I am sure there is a foodie out there that doesn't drink, but I haven't met them.

French Laundry is not more expensive, it's $270 prix fixe including service according to their web site. Not that that's exactly Mustachian... :)

Fair enough! I guess if you can't keep the wine budget under $460 for the two of you, then yes, French Laundry might be more expensive.

I too hope to dine there eventually some day! (A guy can dream, can't he?) Although personally I might take advantage of their $75 corkage "deal" and bring my own ~$50 bottle, given that a $50 bottle is statistically indistinguishable from a $500 bottle anyway, even by most sommeliers. ;)

[teacherman]

This is painful on multiple counts; anti-mustachian and plain stupid.

I was recently scammed out of $2400 through an online transaction. Ouch. I attempted to make a camera purchase and through a long story ended up using a bank transfer to the seller (I know, I know...) It seemed legit at the time. I'm not usually technologically illiterate and unaware... I guess it was a moment of weakness. Suffice it to say, there's no camera coming my way and I have no real way of getting my money back.

Expensive lesson learned.

Anyone know of a way to deal with this/if I have any way to get money back? If it matters I have the sellers address, phone numbers and bank account number.

Thanks everyone.

[Spork]

Anyone know of a way to deal with this/if I have any way to get money back? If it matters I have the sellers address, phone numbers and bank account number.

Thanks everyone.

You probably don't.  Most of these guys use middle-men and are physically out of the country.  The address you have is probably an equally as scammed person that thinks they're working a "work at home" scheme.  They're worse off than you.  You're out money and they'll likely face criminal charges.

[foobar]

Go in style. Bring a box wine.

And anyone can tell a 50 dollar bottle from a 500 one. The labels are clearly different.:) Now the wine on the inside is a different story. Anything over about 25 bucks tastes the same to me. And I hope my palate never gets more refined....

You can't compare a meal with wine to one without. Wine is going to be from 0-1000+ per person. I am sure there is a foodie out there that doesn't drink, but I haven't met them.

French Laundry is not more expensive, it's $270 prix fixe including service according to their web site. Not that that's exactly Mustachian... :)

Fair enough! I guess if you can't keep the wine budget under $460 for the two of you, then yes, French Laundry might be more expensive.

I too hope to dine there eventually some day! (A guy can dream, can't he?) Although personally I might take advantage of their $75 corkage "deal" and bring my own ~$50 bottle, given that a $50 bottle is statistically indistinguishable from a $500 bottle anyway, even by most sommeliers. ;)

[Jamesqf]

And anyone can tell a 50 dollar bottle from a 500 one. The labels are clearly different.:)

But that assumes you know which of the labels is supposed to be more expensive.

Now the wine on the inside is a different story. Anything over about 25 bucks tastes the same to me. And I hope my palate never gets more refined...

Forget the $25 line.  I usually can't tell the difference between box wine of a particular variety, and the more expensive bottles.  And when I can tell, I'm as likely to prefer the cheaper one.

[Undecided]

Paying for first class with cash or miles seems very unmustachian to me. It's just so much more expensive than economy...crappy food and slightly more comfortable seats for a handful of hours for hundreds of dollars (or miles worth hundreds of dollars)?

I've been upgraded to first class for free half a dozen times, and sure it's nicer than economy, but I don't know that I'd ever have enough money that I would be willing to pay that much of a price difference for it. I'd rather pay for a second economy flight somewhere else with that money.

+1, thank you. I was starting to wonder if I was in the right place! To be fair, I have never experienced first class, so I don't know what I'm missing. But I'm very confident that I could never justify it.

Oh well - I guess this is the thread to admit such things, after all.

Domestic 1st class is not at all worth it, even for miles, in normal circumstances. Long int'l trips on carriers with good service make miles for business class or 1st class seem good. I have never regretted unloading miles to fly business class from the west coast of the US to Asia or Europe.

[BlueMR2]

Domestic 1st class is not at all worth it, even for miles, in normal circumstances. Long int'l trips on carriers with good service make miles for business class or 1st class seem good. I have never regretted unloading miles to fly business class from the west coast of the US to Asia or Europe.

A random side note, but I actually *saved* money flying a private plane on one specific trip before...  6 of us going from Toledo to Pittsburgh with 2 days notice.  Airline wanted $650 per person round trip...  No 6 passenger cars, so we would have had to taken 2 cars, at somewhere between $250-300 a piece roundtrip worth of mileage (so around $90-100 a person).  We were able to all to fit in a Cherokee 6 (older one with the better weight and balance, ending up with about 2lbs of gross weight left to spare) and do a pro-rata share that turned out to be $62.50 a person, for the round trip (airplane time AND fuel)!  :-)

[mbk]

Spending $600 in one night in Vegas (went for friend's wedding) while earning roughly $1300/month. I regretted it the minute I walked out of that place.

[yolfer]

Hope you're sitting down. A 24-course dinner for two, with wine pairings + tip: $1,000

So how do you manage to eat 24 courses?  Unless each course is about a teaspoon...

It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, but it still hurts to think about all those zeros on the bill. It made my wife happy so it was worth it.

But since she's a chef, it should have been a tax-deductible business expense, no?  Checking out the competition :-)

It's gastronomical food so each course was just a few bites, e.g. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sauerkraut/2973959828/

Some courses were literally served in a spoon: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sauerkraut/2973109413/in/photostream/

Even with the small course sizes and 4-hour dinner, I was very full at the end.

[yolfer]

Go in style. Bring a box wine.

Would I still need to pay a "corking" fee? I could argue that no cork = no fee.

[kisserofsinners]

Go in style. Bring a box wine.

Would I still need to pay a "corking" fee? I could argue that no cork = no fee.

Yes, and I'd bet it to be in the $35-50 range.

I must mention that I'm impressed when you went for it you went all out. I've spent nearly $400 on dinner for two at Michael Mina, with only two glasses of wine shared between us. You're making me want to save up and go back. :) It *was* an exceptional dining experience and something worthy of doing on a "bucket list".

[KulshanGirl]

After three decades, I finally answered the siren song of the banjo thanks to the aide of a fellow pickin' friend today and I'm hooked. Nothing invested so far outside of picks, but I fear this is going to turn into an expensive hobby... and I struggle with caring that it will.

Anyone got a good deal on a beginner banjo or willing to trade for an entry level accordion? >.>

This made me smile, I have both an accordion and a banjo.  :)  I am a beginner at both, but I can play "Bile Dem Cabbage Down" on page 10 of my banjo book.  And accordions are loud as shit and fun to play even if you don't know what you're doing. 

Honestly, I am building the case for being the biggest nerd on here, in bits and pieces in various threads.  I should just stahp.

[Daley]

This made me smile, I have both an accordion and a banjo.  :)  I am a beginner at both, but I can play "Bile Dem Cabbage Down" on page 10 of my banjo book.  And accordions are loud as shit and fun to play even if you don't know what you're doing. 

Honestly, I am building the case for being the biggest nerd on here, in bits and pieces in various threads.  I should just stahp.

Well, I now know what one of the unofficial side events to any sort of mustachian convention's gonna involve if KulshanGirl and I wind up at the same event... FOLK MUSIC JAMBOREE!

[CanuckStache]

Keep in mind the ongoing cost of dive gear in terms of maintenance. If you don't do the servicing work yourself (and most manufacturers strongly discourage you doing so or make it impossible) a rebreather costs at least $1000 per year just to keep running. You have to replace three or four oxygen sensors at $70 a pop every year. The thing has two first stage regulators that need overhauling, at a labor cost of about $35 per stage. Servicing of the breathing loop and counterlungs will probably cost a hundred or so, new O-rings, an ADV servicing, solenoid cleaning, new sensor wiring harness, plus shipping the thing to wherever you can get the service performed (at a cost of ~$100 each way).

I'll leave the safety of rebreather diving to other forums, though I could go on for hours on the subject.

I ended up spending the money to get my padi instructors ticket - because it's a professional rating,  makes all dive related expenses tax deductible and because of the close ties formed with my dive shop, maintenance is free minus parts. Plus, I get paid to play :)

One of My anti-mustachian moment: bottle service at a club in Vegas. $600..ugh

[Jamesqf]

This made me smile, I have both an accordion and a banjo.  :)  I am a beginner at both, but I can play "Bile Dem Cabbage Down" on page 10 of my banjo book.  And accordions are loud as shit and fun to play even if you don't know what you're doing. 

Honestly, I am building the case for being the biggest nerd on here, in bits and pieces in various threads.  I should just stahp.

Nah, nowhere close.  I used to try to play both harp & hammered dulcimer, and built both instruments myself.  Unfortunately, I have approximately zero musical talent, and could never play to my own satisfaction.

[stevedoug]

Yes selling my magic cards is definitely the plan. I just need to find the time to break them down separately and list them on eBay. They also have some 'sentimental' value and are more of a collection right now than a kid's game for me. And it's true that I delay selling them thinking their values will still hold in the medium term. But it's definitely not cash and goes against all my financial principles. I know that, I just need to let go...

So I guess I won't find any buyers on this forum? :)

As someone with 10+ years of earning a nice side income buying/selling/trading/playing MtG, I wanted to throw in my $0.02

1. Unless you only have a handful of really valuable cards or you think you time is worth 0 to negative money, I think you are better off dumping your collection to one of the major dealers in the industry. Everyone I have known with major collections that wanted to sell would talk about how they were gonna break it out and put them on Ebay, but they don't. It is a massive time commitment to sort, track, post, package, and ship tons and tons of listings. You basically turn yourself into a temp dealer and get eaten alive in ebay and paypal fees. If you have one of the major dealers in your area who is reputable, I would take it to them and get a quote.

2. For the sentimental piece, I would focus on the idea that putting these cards back in the magic ecosystem will be better for the people who still enjoy and love the game. There are some cards that are in incredibly high demand with very limited supply, and by giving them back to a community instead of letting them rot in your parent's house, you will make some other player or collector happy the same way you once were by obtaining a coveted piece of the power 9.

3. If you don't have a major chain in your area, you could wait for a Grand Prix to come around and get a quote on your collection from the dealers there. Here's an article with the GP schedule for the rest of 2013:

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/225b

4. Know and understand that whether you sell out to a dealer or parse it out on ebay, you will not get the full value of your collection. If your collection is worth 50K, you will get some percent of that, but you are not a major dealer with a solid reputation and cannot sell everything for retail price.

5. I would move sooner rather than later. Cards get banned in key formats, reprinted, or generally go down in value more often than not. Plus, you have the added risk of having something happen to them at your parents house. I have known many a person who had exhausting battles with insurance agents trying to explain that the fire/burglary/flood destroyed 6 figures of cardboard. You do not want to go through that.

Whichever route you take, I wish you luck. If you have any questions or want better advice about selling them, feel free to PM me.

Seconded.
I had a collection to get rid of a few years back. I pulled out some rares, and sold the common/uncommons and rares to a local comic book / gaming store. Took me about 20 minutes. The payout was not great, of course.

[KulshanGirl]

Did I decide to stop adding to my nerd cred?  I thought so, but I better send up this Hail Mary as long as we're talking about CCGs. 

I used to collect Lord of the Rings TCG AND Harry Potter TCG long ago.  I have boxes and binders full of them.  I even used to enter deck building competitions online and win sealed boxes, so you know I ain't kidding.  LOL!  Sad that they aren't worth bupkus.  Maybe someday.  (ha ha.)  I actually wish I had people to play these games with, they're fun.

[iris lily]

1975 TR6

Seductive they are. Mine was a 1974 TR6, a white one. Barely ran. DH's was a British Racing green one from 1973, defiantly did not run. They were both sitting in our back yard when we drove two hours to look at a red one that we considered buying. It did not--wait for it!--run.

I just loved looking at them.

[Spork]

1975 TR6

Seductive they are. Mine was a 1974 TR6, a white one. Barely ran. DH's was a British Racing green one from 1973, defiantly did not run. They were both sitting in our back yard when we drove two hours to look at a red one that we considered buying. It did not--wait for it!--run.

I just loved looking at them.

Mine runs.   Usually.  I try to drive it a couple of times a month.  If I only had a working odometer, my cost per mile would be really high.  ;)

[plantingourpennies]

1975 TR6

Seductive they are. Mine was a 1974 TR6, a white one. Barely ran. DH's was a British Racing green one from 1973, defiantly did not run. They were both sitting in our back yard when we drove two hours to look at a red one that we considered buying. It did not--wait for it!--run.

I just loved looking at them.

Mine runs.   Usually.  I try to drive it a couple of times a month.  If I only had a working odometer, my cost per mile would be really high.  ;)

Ever consider trading it in on a gen 1 or 2 miata ;)

Best,
Mr. PoP

[Spork]

1975 TR6

Seductive they are. Mine was a 1974 TR6, a white one. Barely ran. DH's was a British Racing green one from 1973, defiantly did not run. They were both sitting in our back yard when we drove two hours to look at a red one that we considered buying. It did not--wait for it!--run.

I just loved looking at them.

Mine runs.   Usually.  I try to drive it a couple of times a month.  If I only had a working odometer, my cost per mile would be really high.  ;)

Ever consider trading it in on a gen 1 or 2 miata ;)

Best,
Mr. PoP

I test drove the gen 1 back when they first came out.  My first impression was: "wow, this seems like a LBC."

But trade in?  No.  If I could force myself to part with it, I'd be down to only 3 cars for a 2 person household... and I'd free up my workshop.

[Hamster]

I very antimustachianly drove to work today... on Bike to Work Day... I have my excuses, but we all know what excuses are worth.
[hangs head in shame]

[Rural]

Don't feel bad. I'll bike to work on every Bike to Work Day until I retire... Well, unless it's a day like today when I don't go to work.

[eil]

While I wouldn't go so far as to say I've lived a Mustachian life, I've always had trouble parting with my money unless I could see a direct and tangible benefit out of it. I've never purchased a new car (in fact, at the age of 34, I'm still only on my second car), and have avoided buying things on credit. I never subscribed to cable TV and never even owned a real cell phone until about a year ago. (And that costs me under $15/month.) There are three things I've done (or am doing), which come to mind as anti-mustachian.

1) I joined the Air Force after high school and while the pay was low (somewhere around today's minimum wage, if I recall), I had access to free food, housing, and education. So instead of saving or investing all of my money, I spent it on computers, video games, and airline tickets. After four years of active duty, I hadn't saved or invested a thing.

2) I recently bought a house in a suburb which is about a 15-minute or 25-minute drive from where I work, depending on whether I take the expressway or not. The nearest grocery store is about 7 miles away, and it's down a two-lane country road with no shoulder to bike on. (Read: a long and extremely dangerous haul.) So we're enslaved to our two cars until we decide to move. Which we be awhile because other than the location, we really do like the house.

3) I recently bought a motorcycle. Not a brand-new financed crotch rocket, I bought a fixer-upper for $250. I thought this would be a cheap way to get into motorcycling and learn how to wrench on a bike, but it turns out that bringing a 33 year-old motorcycle back to road-worthiness is not cheap. I estimate that I have about $1500 total into it so far and I anticipate at least another $300 to get it running right. When I decide to sell it, I probably won't get more than $1000 because it's in fairly rough cosmetic condition. I do love riding it, though, and plan to switch to something newer like a used GS500 or mid-sized Ninja next year. I feel guilty about the money spent on this without any real return, but it turns out that this hobby makes me really happy. Since I'm a computer wonk, I needed something that didn't involve me sitting in front of a computer.

[PantsOnFire]

Probably instant lottery tickets.

I did pay $160 for a bottle of wine once.  It was pretty good wine, though. 

[Zelda01]

The most Antimustachian thing I've ever done? I bought a brand new car. Now, before you all jump at me and tear me to shreds - it was a brand new Kia with a 10-year bumper-to-bumper warranty.

I had tried the whole "buy used, save money" thing and it didn't work out. All 3 of my old cars that I'd owned before my new Kia ended up costing me a fortune because they kept falling apart due to old age and issues their previous owners didn't bother telling me about. I gave the thrifty approach a try and it just didn't work.

I'm sure I could have saved a considerable amount of money if I'd embarked on an epic quest to find the world's most reliable gently used car, but I figure the premium I paid for a brand new one is well worth the peace of mind. No matter what happens, I won't have to worry about my transportation and "Holy crap, what's going to break next?" for 10 more years....

How many miles did your used cars have on them when you bought them?

Don't tell anyone, but I tend to buy new cars myself.  I will buyer lower end models that dealerships are trying to get rid of because the next years are coming out, or because the features are not exactly what a regular person wants.  So they aren't that expensive.  But I like having the full warranty, and I like having no worries about what a previous owner did.  Then I will just drive them until they wear out.

[Grigory]

How many miles did your used cars have on them when you bought them?

I had my first one (2001 Altima, I think) for less than 3 months before it broke down, so I don't really remember... 100,000-ish? My 1998 Skylark had about 120,000 and its successor, the '88 CRX, had 220,000.

[thegreenworkbench]

This made me smile, I have both an accordion and a banjo.  :)  I am a beginner at both, but I can play "Bile Dem Cabbage Down" on page 10 of my banjo book.  And accordions are loud as shit and fun to play even if you don't know what you're doing. 

Honestly, I am building the case for being the biggest nerd on here, in bits and pieces in various threads.  I should just stahp.

Well, I now know what one of the unofficial side events to any sort of mustachian convention's gonna involve if KulshanGirl and I wind up at the same event... FOLK MUSIC JAMBOREE!

I'll be there too with my mandolin and fiddle!!

[thefrugaltwo]

$2,000 of credit card debt. It was all spent on little stuff, I have nothing to show for it. On the up side, it was a total wake up call- I paid it off in just a couple of months, and it led me to learn more about credit and finance stuff in general. The real stupidity is that before I thought I could never learn about this kind of thing because I'm not good at math *palm face* I'm glad it happened because I wouldn't be where I am now without this idiotic past behaviour.