Updated: February 5, 2026
I wasn’t planning on having regrets this year. When Jonathan pitched this idea for the podcast—sharing both our favorite and most regrettable purchases of 2025—I was tempted to say, “I don’t really have regrets.” And then… oh boy. I remembered the uniforms. I remembered the wig. I remembered the months-long TV debacle. And suddenly, I had more than enough to talk about.
But in fairness, we also had some wins—some real solid, life-giving purchases that made daily life better. So today, I want to take you behind the scenes of our year in spending. What we loved, what we flubbed, and what we learned from it all.
The Good Stuff: Purchases That Sparked Joy
Let’s start with the wins, shall we? These were the purchases that weren’t just functional—they felt like little bits of joy. Not just because they were useful, but because they fit our life well, they solved a real problem, or they just made us smile.
The Ember Mug Changed My Coffee Life
So here’s the thing—Jonathan has tried for years to get me to be a coffee person. And I always half-heartedly tried. But one of my hangups? Coffee that cools down before I even remember I poured it.
Enter: the Ember Mug. We got it for a third of the usual price at an Amazon returns store. It keeps my coffee the exact temperature I want it, the whole time I’m drinking it. No lukewarm swill. It’s consistently hot, never burns, and somehow makes me want coffee now. Every time I use it, I think, “Why didn’t we do this sooner?”
The Coffee Grinder That Made Jonathan Giddy
Right after the mug came this beast of a burr grinder. Flat burrs, not conical, for those who know (and apparently, that’s better). Jonathan was like a kid in a candy store. It’s precise, clean, and easy to use. We use it daily. Got it on deep discount, too. I won’t pretend I’m the coffee expert here, but I will say—he’s been brewing me coffee more often now, and that’s a win in my book.
The Stroller Bag Resale Win
Now this one was fun. I found three LL Bean insulated stroller bags at Sierra Trading Company for $9 each (normally over $100). Listed them on eBay in the fall. Sold all three to families in Maine for about $70-80 each. After fees and shipping, we turned $30 into around $175. And it took us maybe 30 minutes total. I love that kind of thing. It makes me feel like a secret e-commerce wizard.
Chaco Sandals for $7
I’ve loved Chacos since I was a teenager. They’re practically indestructible and perfect for long walks (even the Camino). So when I found a pair in my size for $7 at a consignment sale in October—when no one else was buying sandals—I grabbed them. Regularly over $100. Perfect condition. I still can’t believe I got that lucky.
The Einkorn Flour Mill That Changed My Diet
This one’s personal. I’ve been gluten-free for over a decade due to celiac symptoms, but this year we discovered einkorn—a super ancient, low-gluten grain. Turns out, I can eat it without a reaction. We started ordering the grains and milling our own flour at home with the MockMill 100. Jonathan found it just before tariffs hit, and it was the last one in stock from a little shop in Oregon. It’s made our meals richer, tastier, and more united—we’re no longer making “the gluten-free version” of everything. Just good food for the whole family.
The Upright Freezer That Quietly Saved Our Sanity
We had to buy this one at full price. And I don’t regret it one bit. We needed it—fast—because our half cow, chickens, and pork order were ready, and our chest freezer in the basement wasn’t going to cut it. The upright model fits everything. It’s easy to access. No digging required. It’s helped us keep our food budget in check and made dinner prep a thousand times easier.
Now the Regrets…
Let’s just rip the Band-Aid off. These are the purchases that, for one reason or another, didn’t work out. And they’ve been sticking in our side ever since.
The School Uniform Fiasco
This one hurts. We decided to send our kids to a new Catholic school starting in January. And I, trying to be frugal, ordered $500 worth of uniforms from a liquidation sale online. It was a half-off deal. I felt like a genius.
Except… nothing fit. The sizing was off. The colors were wrong (their “red” sweaters were actually maroon). The girls hated the way the blouses felt. Long story short? I had to go to the local uniform supplier and spend another $900. So instead of saving 50%, I ended up spending one-and-a-half times what I should’ve. And now I have a box of unusable uniforms I’ll have to resell or donate.
The Wig
I’ve always had thin hair, and it’s getting thinner. So when I saw a wig at the consignment sale for $15, I thought, “Maybe this’ll be a fun solution for events or filming.” Nope. It’s a center part (I have a widow’s peak), the fit’s off, the kids combed it into a mess, and it’s now just sitting in our costume bin. Someday I may invest in a proper hair topper, but this was not the way.
The TV That Shouldn’t Have Been
Our TV broke, and Jonathan went on a mission to find a replacement. The first one? Way too big. Returned it. The second one? Bought it used, and the backlight was uneven. He noticed it instantly. I didn’t even see it—but it bothered him every single time he turned it on. The whole saga took weeks, countless hours on Marketplace, and in the end, we still didn’t have a perfect solution. This is the danger of chasing the best deal for too long.
The Play Place Membership
There’s this local indoor play center we wanted to support. We paid for a family membership months before it opened. The kids loved it… for a while. But within weeks, they hiked the prices, changed the terms, and customer service became a mess. I tried reaching out to the owners. Nothing changed. The final straw? They raised rates again. It would now cost us $90 a month. That’s not family-friendly. It’s just not. We canceled, and I’m sad it didn’t work out.
What We Learned From a Year of Purchases
Looking back, I can see a pattern. The purchases we loved? They were well-timed, well-researched, and often bought on clearance—but not rushed. We waited. We thought about them. We had a real need.
The regrets? Almost every single one was made in haste. Trying to “save money fast” without really thinking about whether it was worth it. Or whether the stress of fixing it later would outweigh the savings.
I keep telling myself this: Saving money isn’t always worth it if it costs you peace, time, or joy.
FAQs
Do you regret buying secondhand?
Not at all! Some of our favorite purchases were secondhand. It’s about discernment—not everything secondhand is a win, but when it is, it’s gold.
How can I avoid making rushed purchases?
Ask yourself: “Do I need this now? Or am I afraid of missing out?” If it’s the second one, wait. You’ll thank yourself later.
Was the flour mill really worth it?
A hundred percent. It changed the way I eat, brought our family meals together, and gave us more freedom in the kitchen.
Should I still try to get deals?
Yes—but not at the expense of your time or peace. Good stewardship means knowing when to save and when to spend.
Do you think you’ll be more cautious next year?
Absolutely. We’re learning to value time as much as money. Sometimes, paying full price is the more peaceful option.
What’s one thing you’d do differently in 2026?
Slow down. Plan ahead. And maybe keep a little “purchase reflection list” going throughout the year so I don’t forget what actually works.
Final Thoughts
We’ll always be the kind of people who love a good deal. That’s just part of who we are. But this year taught me that our time is just as precious as our dollars. Maybe more. So going into 2026, I’m hoping for fewer regrets and more purchases that really serve our family.
And hey—if this post reminded you of a few wins (or flops) of your own, send it to a friend. Let’s help each other be wiser, more joyful stewards.
