# Forums or Sites that are bad for your Wallet! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 17, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956 "2012-09-17T10:47:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![by-tor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/by-tor/32/266_2.png) [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/1 "2012-09-17T10:47:33Z")
I made the mistake recently of visiting a knife collector forum that I have not visited since the early 2000s. The reason I stopped going there in the first place was because it inspired “consumer lust” and was bad for my wallet. Well, sure enough, I am now the proud owner of two expensive knives that are awesome but that I don’t need in any way at all. I think I will put them on eBay and try to recoup some of my money. Another forum that I try not to visit is a headphone enthusiast forum. In no time at all, spending $200+ on headphones and headphone amps will seem very reasonable and a good idea. There is also a forum devoted to tongue drums and hang drums that have me considering buying a $400+ dollar instrument just because it sounds so beautiful. I realize the problem is me. I was just wondering if anyone else out there has sites or forums that are dangerous to their wallets and what are they? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/2 "2012-09-17T11:07:53Z")
American Science & Surplus. Most of the items are good deals, if I actually NEEDED them. Usually, I don’t need them. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/3 "2012-09-17T17:36:30Z")
Amazon… ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/4 "2012-09-17T18:11:18Z")
Model Horse Sales Pages. So many pretty plastic ponies… ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/5 "2012-09-17T18:13:16Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > Amazon… Yeah - Amazon actually sent me a hand-written thank you card for my business. I spend way too much there… ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/6 "2012-09-17T18:17:24Z")
[steepandcheap.com](http://www.steepandcheap.com/)kills me. I had to quit going, and had to tell my brother to not mention it to me. What’s really killer about it is that they have a delayed shipping option, where it leaves your order open for 2 weeks, and in the interim you can add anything to the order for only $1 extra shipping. So it’s really easy to justify adding a couple dollar gizmos here and there. Also became routing for my brother and I to notify each other if an order was open…and it never failed, we magically found something we needed. Now, it’s really nice stuff most of the time, and if you’re outdoors-y I highly reccommend it. Just be careful! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/7 "2012-09-17T19:08:33Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > [steepandcheap.com](http://www.steepandcheap.com/)kills me. I had to quit going, and had to tell my brother to not mention it to me. > > What’s really killer about it is that they have a delayed shipping option, where it leaves your order open for 2 weeks, and in the interim you can add anything to the order for only $1 extra shipping. > > So it’s really easy to justify adding a couple dollar gizmos here and there. Also became routing for my brother and I to notify each other if an order was open..and it never failed, we magically found something we needed. > > Now, it’s really nice stuff most of the time, and if you’re outdoors-y I highly reccommend it. Just be careful! 😃 Damn you, I’d successfully avoided SAC for over a year! ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/8 "2012-09-17T19:09:59Z")
Fatwallet. I peruse the Hot Deals section and buy random stuff on a whim. The last thing was Fart in a Bag. It was only $.97 with free shipping. How could I resist. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/9 "2012-09-17T19:13:34Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > Damn you, I’d successfully avoided SAC for over a year! Yeah, well…um…let me know if you have an order open 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/10 "2012-09-17T19:18:13Z")
I ended up buying a Russian sidecar rig! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/11 "2012-09-17T19:36:28Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > American Science & Surplus. Most of the items are good deals, if I actually NEEDED them. Usually, I don’t need them. Damn you! I knew I should have avoided opening this thread. After all, it is practically time to start my Christmas shopping… and I could just take a peek at their clearance section… and I do have a kid now, I could stock up on presents for him for the next decade or so… ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/12 "2012-09-17T19:43:16Z")
QPB (Quality Paperback Book Club). I was a member about 20 years ago, but got tired of having to send in the cards each month. A few years ago, I discovered that you can refuse the automatic selections online, and rejoined - and every now and then I order a boxful of books (they have a lot of sales) for which I don’t have any remaining room in my bookcases. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/13 "2012-09-17T20:00:03Z")
Any forum related to my hobbies - especially photography, recumbent bicycles, and amateur astronomy. Barbershop singing is the only exception so far. Those “deals” web sites (dealnews, slickdeals, etc) are also dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/14 "2012-09-17T20:10:22Z")
There’s a few forums I visit… that often give me free tickets to places where I will spend a lot. Think about it as a gambler being given a trip to vegas every month… it sure is a good deal, but you’ll end up spending more than you would staying home watching the TV. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/15 "2012-09-17T20:47:19Z")
Steam and Kickstarter are minefields for me. Steam is particularly dangerous when they’re running one of their seasonal sales. I have at least a couple of years worth of game backlog from “Hey, that looks cool, and it’s cheap right now.” I ruled myself as strictly as I could in the last sale and managed to buy very little, half of which I’ve now played through. I try not to actually browse Kickstarter, because I find myself wanting to back things almost at random. There’s a weird feeling of “I don’t actually want this particular thing for myself, but I want it to exist.” Sort of a creation-by-proxy impulse. I’ve mostly managed to resist it, contributing only small amount to a few projects that I will never personally have a use for, but I attribute that to limiting my exposure, not willpower. > [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > American Science & Surplus. Most of the items are good deals, if I actually NEEDED them. Usually, I don’t need them. So far, I’ve only bought things I actually have a use for. It’s a struggle every time I look at the site, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/16 "2012-09-18T03:43:00Z")
[Micromark](http://www.micromark.com/), as well as AS&S (heh) and Amazon. Despite their ugly website, I would like to own one of everything MicroMark offers. Oh, and the same goes for [Dick Blick Art Supply](http://www.dickblick.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/17 "2012-09-18T05:07:36Z")
Steam and GOG. “That game sure looks interesting…and it’s so cheap! And so’s that one! And that one…” ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/18 "2012-09-18T05:52:45Z")
Very, very bad for your wallet: [http://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/](http://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forums-or-sites-that-are-bad-for-your-wallet/634956/19 "2012-09-18T07:14:29Z")
Amazon, of course. Lush. I could spend a thousand dollars on their shit. [Brambleberry.com](http://Brambleberry.com). It’s a soap-maker’s dream–IF you’re rolling in the benjamins. So many colors! So many delicious limited-time fragrances! Soaps and candles and makeup, oh my! D: