That high-tech gadget still in the box. The designer handbag that's never left the closet. The exercise equipment that was going to change your life. (But didn't.)
We've all got something we wish we hadn't bought or put on a credit card.
There's now a place to come clean about your spending bloopers. And possibly win back some of your money.
It's at Spendster.org, an educational website sponsored by the National Endowment for Financial Education, or NEFE. It's something of an online confessional where you can share your most egregious spending stories.
And through Wednesday, it's sponsoring "Reality Check Challenge," an online contest where you submit a three-minute video of your worst spending excesses. Among the entries already posted: jeweled sweaters, rubber "silly bands," pet accessories, music CDs,etc.
The contest deadline is Wednesday. You can submit video entries online at: www. realitycheckchallenge. org.
The top winners, based on online votes, receive $1,000, $750 and $500. Another 50 winners get $100 Visa gift cards. (Presumably the prize money won't inspire more needless spending.)
Although the contest is humorous, its message is serious: Spending mistakes can be costly.
The site has a calculator where you can tally how much a year you're "wasting" on weekly Jamba Juices or other stuff. It also has tips and worksheets for getting a handle on your spending.
All of us have made "a regretful spending decision, whether it's indulging a habit or buying on impulse," says NEFE spokesman Paul Golden.
Spendster.org, he said, is "a safe haven to confess your spending mistakes and learn something while doing so. Hopefully people will think twice the next time they pull out their wallets on impulse."
– Claudia Buck
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