Phone Cases
Phone cases have to be one of the worst accessories you can buy from a luxury brand. Electronic devices, such as cell phones, are upgraded every year. Buying any accessory for a cell phone is not a practical use of money. Also, the wear and tear of accessories for electronic devices can be poor in comparison to less costly accessories. If you’re looking to invest in a phone case, look for one that’s designed to be durable, with substance over style.
T-Shirts
T-shirts may be a wardrobe staple, but the prices of those produced by luxury brands are high. Designer label T-shirts generally cost way more than anyone should be paying for so basic an item of clothing: £100 and up, with a plain Gucci T-shirt retailing for an eye-watering £400. Also, depending on the quality of the shirt and the brand, luxury T-shirts may not last as long as less expensive shirts.
Socks
You might think socks are just socks, but when you buy them from luxury brands at their high price points, you’re simply wasting money on something that’s not worth it. Many designer socks are made from cotton or synthetic fabrics, which tend to be less durable. The quality of socks varies by brand and what they are meant to be worn for, but it’s a safer bet to buy a pair from a non-luxury brand known for good quality than from a luxury brand.
Perfume
You may be wasting your time and money when you splurge on an expensive perfume—the most attractive scents are usually simple, cheap ones. In 2019, a team of scientists at Imperial College London conducted a study of more than 10,000 fragrances, where they discovered people do not prefer the pricier alternatives on the market. Instead, natural scents such as jasmine and mint are popular choices. However, if you are sensitive to certain ingredients, it might be worth spending more money for perfumes that are made with natural or organic oils.
Micro Bags
Micro bags have long been a part of fashion history, but it wasn’t until recent years that they really took off. Simon Porte Jacquemus released the Le Chiquito for his namesake label’s Fall/Winter 2017 ready-to-wear collection to great success, but it wasn’t until Fall/Winter 2019 that the now-iconic microscopic version of the style made its way down the runway and subsequently onto the Instagram feeds of fashion lovers everywhere. Named the Le Petit Chiquito, the style instantly had the fashion world enthralled. Purchasing a luxury micro bag may be seen as a fun investment for a unique piece, but do you really want to spend over £300 for something that can’t even hold your phone? If you’re looking to invest in a designer bag, maybe try looking for a more size-appropriate one.
Luggage
Luxury luggage – most notably Louis Vuitton rolling luggage sets – might be seen as a mark of success. But are embossed leather suitcases really worth the high price? Some people say that it’s safer to have luggage that stands out because it reduces the chances of your bag getting mixed up with those of others. Others argue that having designer luggage could increase the chance of your bag being a tempting target for thieves. Also, airline staff are often hurried, which means they may throw or roll your bags in order to save time and move more suitcases, which could lead to damage. Unless you’re planning to take all your luggage as a carry-on or take a private plane for the rest of your life, it’s probably best not to risk it.
Slides
From Gucci to Yeezy, designer slides have been everywhere over the last few years. They’re a popular purchase for younger shoppers looking to invest in their first luxury pieces, as they tend to skew a lot cheaper than other items. For example, the Gucci rubber slides retail for £275. Still pricey, but a huge step down from most of their collection. However, despite their designer branding, you’re still paying hundreds of pounds for rubber shoes. And unless you live in a hot country, there might not be much opportunity to wear them out. If you’re looking to buy designer shoes, try saving up for a pair made of more durable material, like suede or leather.
Bag Charms
Bag charms from luxury brands can retail for hundreds of pounds, depending on the material used. They may be beautiful, but the price can be more than half of what you would pay for the full bag. If you’re desperate for something to add a little flair to your purse, you could go for something cheaper, like those of Swarovski or Pandora.
Beach Towels
If you’re looking to save money on beach towels, wait until the end of the summer season and buy them at a discount. But don’t let these sales sucker you into buying the designer versions —they may look expensive, but they’re really not worth the price tag! Luxury brand towels can be twice as expensive as regular towels, despite the fact that they both fulfill the same needs.
Candles
You can buy candles for as little as a few pounds in discount stores, which is why it seems crazy that brands like Dior sell plain scented candles for over £80. Most people purchase luxury candles to use as décor pieces rather than burning them, due to the packaging being much nicer. If you do really want to purchase a luxury candle, check its burn time and avoid spending over £25 on one that will burn for less than 80 hours.
Vinyl
It’s understandable to stumble upon a large collection of vinyl records and think, “These are probably worth around at least $1,000 each.” But sadly, 99.9 percent of them, even the type of albums that make Top 10 lists, are depressingly worthless. Unless you own a particular rare press that is in mint condition and also happens to be signed by the artist, expect a few dollars for your efforts.
Barbies
Something as ubiquitous as the Barbie doll was never gonna have an astonishing resale value, but you’d probably expect certain incarnations of the long-standing toy to fetch for a couple hundred. Sadly, even mint condition Barbie dolls will only sell on the likes of eBay for around $20.
Pez Dispensers
Unless you own the Pez Dispenser Jerry uses to make Elaine laugh at the piano recital in Seinfeld (or maybe just a good condition one from the 1970s) expect very little for this novelty candy. We’d recommend holding on to your beloved Pez and popping a few while you’re at it.
Hoverboards
Google Glass
Music T-Shirts
Anyone who has ever bought a T-Shirt at a concert knows that you have to take out a bank loan to do so. These things do not come cheap. Therefore, they must sell for insane amounts. We hate to break it to you, but this is yet another product that will only have you a few dollars better off.
Brown Furniture
Brown furniture is the name given to all of those mahogany-coloured, antique-y looking cabinets and dining tables. Furniture dating back to the 19th century may scream “money,” but it’s fallen out of fashion since its heyday. If you own a lot of it, it may be worth waiting for brown furniture to make a return but we can’t estimate how long or short that will be…
Model Train Sets
Model trains sets have always had an air of class around them. Quieter and less gaudy than your standard luxury product, these are nice to assemble and fun to look at but in terms of being a collector’s item, they’re a damp squib. Outside of really rare and old sets, in flawless condition, you’re probably looking at anywhere between $50 to $100, which is nothing to be sniffed at but not quite what you were expecting.
Comic Books
Comic books are one of those products that are virtually synonymous with the words “mint condition,” with the legend that sought-after issues in this state can fetch a small fortune. As superhero films continue to fizzle and pop at the box office, many comic book collectors are digging out their old issues only to learn they aren’t worth that much after all.
Baseball Cards
Baseball cards, more importantly the accumulation of them, was a favourite past time of countless childhoods. Yet while they have seemed like the most precious thing in the world at that time, the resale value just isn’t all that. And we’re talking about bundles of baseball cards, too. This doesn’t apply if you have the kind of rare card that can sell for staggering amounts at auction, like the Babe Ruth one that was bought for $500,000.
Royal Family Memorabilia
If there’s a bigger catfish when it comes to value than Royal family kitsch and memorabilia, then colour us pink. Owning a tea cup with Princess Diana and Prince Charles on it might trigger the sound of an opening cash register in your head, but the truth is that kind of crockery and cutlery are/were all mass-produced and not half as rare as you might think.
Playboy Magazines
Plenty of Playboy covers became world famous but their value simply isn’t that high. Most copies of Playboy magazine from the 1970s onwards (even originals in mint condition) you can buy with pocket money. Go a little further back and you may earn a bit more but don’t hold your breath.
Children’s Books
A treasured children’s book is a special thing, especially when it reminds you of being a wide-eyed youngster. It’s also a tattered thing, as children and books aren’t always the greatest playmates. If you manage to find one that isn’t torn up or coloured in, you could be looking at decent money: two first-edition copies of Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham sold for $4,750 and $3,500 on Biblio.com, but these were remarkable exceptions.
Norman Rockwell Plates
Norman Rockwell isn’t really an art critic’s cup of tea. His work is regularly derided as sickly sweet and kitsch; nothing more than quaint American propaganda. But with everyday people, Rockwell is a raving success. The Norman Rockwell plates then have to be worth a lot? Nope. Mint condition plates in their original packaging with certificates of authenticity have sold less than $50.
Happy Meal Toys
Happy Meals have been providing children with joy ever since the late 1970s and it isn’t just to do with the burger and fries. The Happy Meal Toy is an unrivalled buzz. Fast food AND a toy? Can life get any better? Apparently not, as these things ain’t worth Jack. You can get a bit of dosh if your toy is in its original packaging and Happy Meal box, but what kind of misanthrope is in possession of that?
Sports Autographs
There may be some of you out there that are lucky enough to have a boxing glove signed by Muhammed Ali, a football signed by Maradona, or a Chess Queen signed by Bobby Fischer. You don’t count here. Your stuff will probably sell for a lot. But your everyday sportsperson, anyone who isn’t treated like an actual God, won’t bump up the value.
Stamps
Stamps are still collected like little pieces of gold but it’s a bit of a false economy. Sorry, stamp fans! It is a bit heartbreaking, especially for those of you who have saved up notebooks’ worth of supposedly rare and valuable stamps. Don’t give someone the privilege of slapping a small price on your pride and joy and keep them to yourself. That’s all that matters!
Old Playbills
Playbills, the glossy magazine you’re usually handed at the entrance of a fancy theatre, are worth keeping as a memento and nothing more. The value of playbills, even opening night issues, have dropped drastically over the years. A 1964 Playbill for Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl used to go for around $350. Nowadays? You’re lucky to get $10.
Cookie Jar
When Andy Warhol, a serial buyer of cookie jars, sold his collection at Sotheby’s in the late 1980s, they went for close to quarter of a million. Now that have had something to do with Warhol’s name being attached to them. Whatever the case, the value of cookie jars have crumbled away. You can buy a nice vintage one on eBay for around $40.
Ikea POÄNG Chair
Despite inflation, some items have almost halved in price since their initial release. Namely the Ikea POÄNG chair, which would have set you back $150 back in the 1990s. Today, that exact same chair can go for for as cheap as $70.
JooJoo
The JooJoo had a nice name and that was about it. Designed by Singapore studio Fusion Garage, it was hoped to compete with the iPad and even retailed at the same gargantuan price of $499. Good luck getting that for an old abandoned tablet in 2023, my friends.
DVD Players
When DVD players were released in the 1990s, it was common to see a four-figure price tag right below it. With the extreme demand, those four figures decreased to three figures at the turn of the century. And now, with DVDs pretty much obsolete, you can pick one up online for $15.
Apple Newton PDA
It’s hard to imagine a giant like Apple getting it so wrong but when you give the Apple Newton a second’s thought it begins to make sense. First of all. the thing was 8 by 4 inches in size, with a handwriting recognition so bad it was parodied on an episode of The Simpsons. But the clincher had to be the $700 asking price, which now stands at a big fat zero.
Lobster
Lobsters were once so abundant that in the first few decades of the United States’ existence, it was considered a poverty food. Something cheap and accessible. Then around the mid-1800s it became fashionable to eat in Europe and therefore suddenly expensive, and it stayed that way for years. Today, thanks to changing trends, lobster is no longer a byword for luxury.
Pens
Of course pens have become a shadow of their former selves anymore. Discounting birthday cards, nobody ever uses them. That doesn’t do a whole lot of favours to their value, which has dropped significantly since the days when a good pen went a long way. A vintage pen in good condition could get you around $40.
Microsoft Zune
When Apple dropped their groundbreaking portable media player the iPod, Microsoft had no choice but to launch their own version, the Zune. Problem was, the Zune was pants and was widely panned for being the shameless trend-chasing product it was. On their 2006 arrival, a Zune would cost you $250, money which any owners of the Zune will never see again.
Fax Machines
Once upon a time, fax machines must-have luxury of offices and homes across the world. Of course, with the advent of email and other advances in communications technology, this one-time marvel has become a cumbersome nuisance. Around 1982, a fax machine would cost an eye-watering $20,000! It almost doesn’t bear thinking about how little they’re worth today.
Typewriters
This one varies. A properly looked after, specifically-made, period typewriter (hopefully from around the Second World War) can sell for a decent amount ; somewhere around $800. But most will likely average close to $200, which is still good enough but not the big bucks typewriter collectors may believe.
Walkman
When Sony released the Walkman TPS-L2 in the late 1970s, it was sold for $600. They planned to sell 5,000 per month but it turned out people really liked listening to portable music. They ended up selling 30,000 units in the first two months alone. That success lasted years and years until the Mp3 rendered personal audio cassette players obsolete and worthless.
Maps
Back in the days before sat-nav and GPS, maps were completely vital for any traveller, whether you were a swashbuckler or a budding tourist anytime before the 2000s. These days, most of us trust our phones or in-car computers for guidance, but we might expect really old maps to fetch a pretty penny. Shockingly enough, though, some maps from as far back as the 1500s have sold for as little as $200.
Lunch Boxes
Old school metal lunch boxes have sold for high amounts in the past. The Universal Knights in Armour box sold for a respectable $1250, while the 1968 Yellow Submarine lunch box sold for $1300. 99.9% of the time, though, these pretty looking relics carry only a sentimental value.
Beanie Babies
Any child worth their salt in the 1990s owned at least one Beanie Baby. Despite being pretty useless as a toy and not much to look at that, these things took off all the same and at one time boasted a high price tag. The Princess Diana bear sold for $500,000 for example. Your average Beanie Babie, however, will likely sell for $499,950 less that that.
Aibo
Aibo was a robotic dog designed to be an “intelligent and trainable robot companion” and around 1999, when they were first released by Sony, every single child wanted one. Aibo eventually sold over 150,000 units until they were discontinued in 2006. The original isn’t exactly worthless but it’s price tag has dropped from $2100 to around $80. That’s ruff.
Morgan Dollars
Minted at the end of the 1800s, the Morgan dollar was the first standard silver dollar produced in the US, and at one time was highly valuable. Unfortunately, the Morgan dollar suffered from its own popularity and distribution, and today is worth as much as any other basic silver.
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels cars are undeniably cool. Always have been, always will be. Valuable? Not so much. Toymaker Mattel releases around 250 new cars per year making these far too mass-produced to ever be a must-have for collectors. Some of these cars have been sold on Amazon for as little as $0.01.
Pokemon Cards
For those who lived in the wilderness in the late 1990s, it’d be hard to describe just how coveted and adored Pokemon cards were, especially the rarer shiny cards. Many children of that generation have hung onto their cards hoping for a big nostalgic payout, only to learn that even the most sacred Pokemon card is worth around $35.
Marbles
Marbles were the Pokemon cards of the 60 and 70s. Highly sought out, you were judged by your marble collection and nothing else. Naturally, this has led people to believe collections of the little balls have skyrocketed in value. Sadly, marbles just don’t mean as much as they once did.
Pogs
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but Pogs are arguably the most worthless collectable in the whole world. Once a prized possession in the 1990s, these little cardboard circles decorated with a manner of different characters and logos, can be sold in the hundreds for a little as a dollar today.
Cabbage Patch Kids
We have Xavier Roberts to thank for introducing these chubby dolls into the world, but it was Coleco who bought the rights and turned them into highly coveted products in the 1980s, responsible for the most infamous Christmas time toy store hysteria of the 80s. Even so, some of those same OG dolls struggle to sell beyond anything near $10 today.
Hummel Figurines
Following the end of World War II, Hummel figurines became a top collectors’ item after American soldiers began sending them home from West Germany. In the 1970s they doubled in value. In the 2020s, however, they have been described as “unsalable”. Mike Rivkin, an antique shop owner, redirects customers with Hummel figurines to local thrift shops.
