20 Expensive Things Rich People Waste Money On (That Aren’t Worth It)
You’d think with all that money, rich people would know better what to buy. But give someone unlimited funds, and they’ll always find new ways to waste it.
Money doesn’t fix bad decisions, it just makes them more expensive.
Here are the things rich people buy that sound impressive but rarely deliver any real value. These are the overpriced luxuries, unnecessary upgrades, and “rich people stuff” that look good in photos but don’t add much in real life.
If we missed one, let us know. Someone out there needs to hear it.
Table of Contents
Sparkling Water: Fizzy Hype, Flat ROI
It’s water with bubbles. That’s it. Some rich people stock entire mini-fridges with imported brands in glass bottles, thinking it makes them seem cultured or health-conscious. But the markup is insane for something that comes out of your tap.
The only difference is packaging and a little carbonation, which you can make at home with a $100 SodaStream. It’s not about taste or hydration, it’s about looking like one of those “rich people items” buyers who think bubbles mean status.
You’re not a better person because your water hisses when opened.
Golf Course Homes: Green Views, Red Bank Accounts
Living next to a golf course sounds peaceful, until you see the bills. These homes often come with inflated HOA fees, high property taxes, and the added cost of “keeping up” with the neighbors.
Most buyers don’t even golf regularly, they just like the view and the fantasy. But that pretty lawn isn’t free, and the price of admission to that lifestyle never ends.
It’s one of those things rich people buy because it looks elite, not because it makes sense. When you add up the maintenance, it’s a high-cost vanity project that never pays off.
Related: Entertainment Inflation: 20 Fun Activities That Are Now Way Too Expensive
Designer Tees: $300 Shirts That Shrink
There’s rich, and then there’s spending $300 on a plain white t-shirt like it’s an investment. These shirts brag about Egyptian cotton or Italian design, but one trip through the dryer and they look like they belong to your kid.
They’re often thinner, stretch out fast, and don’t even last as long as a $12 three-pack. But they’ve got a logo, so they “mean” something, until they don’t.
It’s one of those rich people items that looks good for five minutes and then reminds you how branding doesn’t equal value.
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First Class Flights: Extra Champagne, Same Arrival Time
There’s nothing wrong with wanting comfort on a long flight, but first class is one of those things rich people buy that rarely justifies the price tag.
You land at the same time as everyone in coach, just with a slightly larger seat and maybe some warmed nuts. For some, it’s not about the flight; it’s about being seen boarding first.
That kind of rich stuff looks impressive but doesn’t deliver much value. The $4,000 premium doesn’t make the food better or the jet lag disappear. Unless someone else is footing the bill, it’s not a smart flex.
Caviar: Fish Eggs for Flexing
Caviar is one of those rich people items people pretend to enjoy because it costs a fortune. It’s salty, slimy, and usually dumped on a cracker with a side of forced enthusiasm.
It’s the kind of rich people stuff that screams wealth but whispers regret. Rich people serve it at parties to look sophisticated, not because it actually tastes good.
The truth? You’re paying hundreds to look refined while eating fish eggs. It’s not class, it’s marketing with a spoon.
Related: 22 Things Rich People Think Are Totally Normal But Are Not for Most People
Courtside Seats: $5,000 for a Neck Cramp
Courtside at an NBA game sounds glamorous until you realize you’re spending a small fortune to stare at the back of someone’s head.
Most people in those seats spend more time scrolling through Instagram than watching the game. It’s less about the sport and more about being photographed near celebrities.
That’s what rich people buy when they care more about attention than experience. For the price of one night courtside, you could buy season tickets with a better view, but that wouldn’t look as cool on social media.
Concert Hype: Coachella and $3K Swift Tickets
Rich people throw thousands at concerts they barely enjoy just to say they were there. Between VIP passes, exclusive lounges, and overpriced outfits, the whole experience becomes more about optics than music.
Coachella isn’t a concert, it’s a runway with bass. Same with $3,000 Taylor Swift tickets where the seats are so far back you’re basically watching a livestream with a breeze.
It’s one of those things rich people buy to feel connected, but it’s just rich stuff that fades fast. The sound may be loud, but the value is pretty quiet.
Supercars: Fast Cars, Slower Bank Accounts
Some rich people love to talk about their $250K car that barely leaves the garage. It’s not for driving, it’s a trophy on wheels. Insurance is sky-high, repairs are brutal, and depreciation hits harder than a brick.
Most of the time, these cars sit under a dust cover because the owners are too paranoid to take them out. It’s not about performance; it’s about proving you can afford the maintenance bill.
A fast car loses its thrill real quick when it turns into a six-figure paperweight, that’s what rich people buy when they value status over sense.
Related: I Retired at 42 Because I Never Spend Money on These Things
Private Chefs: Gourmet Meals, Takeout Lifestyle
Hiring a private chef sounds like peak luxury, until you realize most of them barely use the service. The novelty fades fast, especially for people who still default to takeout or skip meals. It becomes more of a brag than a benefit.
These chefs end up prepping organic meals for families who’d rather eat sushi in bed or microwave something “quick.” Paying thousands a month to ignore five-star food isn’t convenience, it’s waste in a white coat.
You’re not eating better, just spending more.
Luxury Watches: Timepieces Without a Purpose
It’s wild how many rich people collect watches that aren’t even set. They don’t wear them, don’t use them, and half the time they don’t even know where they’re stored.
It’s not about keeping time, it’s about showcasing wealth. These watches live in safes, not on wrists, and they serve more as props than tools.
When your $40K Rolex becomes background clutter, that’s not appreciation, it’s excess. Real time doesn’t stop ticking, even if your luxury watch does.
Related: These 20 Items Are Popular at Pawn Shops (Most People Already Own Some)
Designer Bags: Expensive Storage, No Purpose
Designer bags are often bought for the flex but end up as shelf decor. Some cost more than used cars and are treated like delicate museum pieces. They rarely leave the closet because they’re “too nice” to use, how’s that for logic?
It’s a status symbol with zero utility when it’s just collecting dust. These are the rich people items that look classy on Instagram but serve no purpose in real life.
And with trends shifting constantly, last season’s $6,000 tote loses its shine fast. That’s not style, it’s storage guilt.
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Oversized Homes: Rooms That Nobody Lives In
Big homes with ten bedrooms sound impressive until you walk through and realize most of it sits empty. Rich buyers love to overbuild, stuffing homes with libraries, sitting rooms, and “formal” spaces that never get touched.
It’s not about comfort, it’s about looking important. Oversized houses are classic examples of what rich people buy to look successful.
Meanwhile, maintenance costs climb, and cleaning those extra rooms becomes someone else’s full-time job. All that space doesn’t make life better; it just spreads the same life thinner.
Related Video: 16 Common Sacrifices Rich People Make That No One Talks About
Home Gyms: Equipment That Just Collects Dust
Rich people love building home gyms they never actually use. They’ll spend five figures on Pelotons, Tonals, free weights, and fancy flooring, then skip workouts for weeks.
It starts with good intentions, then turns into a guilt-filled storage room. These gyms become monuments to unused potential, with dust settling faster than reps.
The irony? They still pay for personal trainers or private memberships somewhere else. If the equipment never gets touched, it’s not self-care, it’s wasted square footage.
Exotic Pets: Status with a Leash
A rare parrot or a designer dog might look cool in a social media post, but the upkeep is another story. Exotic pets come with special diets, health risks, and complicated care that quickly gets old.
Many rich owners realize too late that they’re not equipped to handle the work, or the responsibility. Some even offload the animal once the novelty fades.
What started as a flex turns into a burden with feathers, fur, or fangs. It’s not companionship. It’s chaos in a cage.
Private Schools: Tuition Without Transformation
Elite private schools sound like a golden ticket, but the reality often doesn’t match the hype. Rich parents shell out insane amounts for prestige, thinking it guarantees better futures.
Yet many students end up burned out, underwhelmed, or heading to the same public colleges as everyone else. This is classic of what rich people buy, paying for status instead of results.
Big checks don’t buy character or competence; they just make disappointment more expensive.
Related: Raising Kids Isn’t Expensive. But These 20 Mistakes Make It That Way
VIP Everything: Extra Cash, No Extra Value
VIP lounges, backstage passes, and early access upgrades are pitched as premium experiences, but most are just overpriced shortcuts. Rich people pay more to wait less, sit closer, or avoid lines.
Sometimes it works. Most times, it’s just more of the same with fancier napkins. It’s convenience theater, dressed up as exclusivity.
And once the glamor wears off, they’re left wondering what they really paid for. The answer? Not much.
Designer Furniture: Pretty, Pricey, and Pointless
Some furniture looks so good, you’re scared to sit on it. That’s the vibe in many wealthy homes, where sofas cost more than cars and chairs are chosen for their shape, not comfort.
These pieces are meant to impress architects and guests, not support actual human life. It’s design for design’s sake, not living.
It’s one of those rich people items that photographs well but feels cold in real life. If a couch isn’t made for lounging, what’s the point? It might look like a showroom, but it feels like a museum with a mortgage.
Related: 25 Common Regrets Of Many Homeowners: Avoid Buying These for Your Home
Private Jets: First Class, Just Lonelier
Flying private might sound like the ultimate upgrade, but using a jet for a 45-minute hop across state lines is peak waste. These short-haul flights cost tens of thousands for what amounts to a slightly quieter trip with more legroom.
The plane burns cash and fuel faster than it climbs. And once you land, there’s no real difference in outcome, just a much bigger bill. Convenience is nice. But there’s a fine line between luxury and lunacy, and this crosses it.
Actually, out of every one on the list, this is probably the one I would do!
Wellness Gurus: $50K to Drink Juice
Rich people love paying life coaches and “wellness experts” absurd amounts to tell them to breathe deeply and sip green liquid. Half the time, the advice is recycled self-help with a sprinkle of pseudoscience.
But slap on a vague title like “mind-body strategist,” and suddenly it’s worth $1,000 a session. It’s one of those things rich people buy to feel enlightened, another piece of rich people stuff wrapped in buzzwords.
These gurus rarely offer anything life-changing; they just sell expensive hope in a smoothie glass.
Related: 13 Pieces of Really Bad Financial Advice (That Most People Still Believe)
Yachts: Floating Mansions That Don’t Move
Buying a yacht might be the ultimate rich flex, and one of the laziest money sinks in existence. Many of these boats never even leave the dock. They’re cleaned, staffed, stocked, and insured for the five times a year they host brunch or a photo shoot.
The maintenance is astronomical, the fuel costs are offensive, and the novelty fades faster than a sunset cruise. It’s not about boating. It’s about having something too big to justify.
And no one’s impressed when your prized possession never even goes anywhere.
Wasteful Spending Isn’t a Wealthy Behavior
Being rich doesn’t mean you’re spending smart, it just means your bad habits wear fancier price tags. Most of the things on this list aren’t about value at all. They’re about image, impulse, or trying to fill a gap that money can’t fix.
Real financial strength comes down to behavior, not income. If you chase status instead of substance, you’ll always find a new way to burn cash.
Spend smarter, and you won’t need wealth to feel wealthy.
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