What Pandemic Purchase Do You Now Hate the Most?

There was one point during the depths of quarantining in 2020 when I convinced myself I was going to get really into painting. Two years later, I can’t bring myself to throw out the barely used paintbrushes and canvases shoved at the back of my closet. We all experimented with different coping mechanisms during the pandemic, which led to all sorts of uncharacteristic purchases that we now regret.

Lifehacker senior health editor Beth Skwarecki shared her source of pandemic purchase remorse with me: Roller skates. She says, “there was a hot minute where I thought I was going to get into roller dancing, so of course I needed all new skates in a different colour and style.” And going off the dust that keeps collecting on my roommate’s stationary bike, I feel safe citing her experience with a touch of buyer’s remorse, too.

So now I’m asking you, Lifehacker readers: What was something you bought during the pandemic that you now deeply regret? Maybe there’s an at-home kombucha starter kit that haunts you in your pantry. Maybe you’re reading this from a home that felt right to buy during peak pandemic, but was wrong for you in retrospect. And who amongst us didn’t try to grow their own herb garden? All I’m saying is that I own too many mason jars, and I don’t know what to do with them now.

Go ahead and take a peek under your bed or in the back of your closet, and then share with us your greatest source of pandemic-related buyer’s remorse in the comments below. Then, I’ll read through your responses and round them up in a separate post next week. Hopefully we can all commiserate together and feel a little bit better about our own short-sighted purchases. I know I’m not alone in blaming quarantine for a few blows to my wallet.