Household Items You Should Never Splurge On 

When to walk away from a potential purchase 

If splurging is an art, then knowing when not to splurge is a survival skill.  

While some household items deserve every cent of investment, others are best left on the bargain shelf. Spending too much on certain things doesn’t add real value to your daily life—it just drains your wallet and fills your home with overpriced clutter.  

Let’s dive into the home essentials (and not-so-essentials) that you should happily buy cheap, guilt-free. 

Fancy Cleaning Products and Gadgets 

Here’s a little secret: your grandmother’s cupboard of vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice can clean almost anything. While it’s tempting to buy every new “miracle cleaning spray” or a gadget that promises to scrub your tiles with ultrasonic power, most of them don’t outperform old-fashioned elbow grease and a “skroppie”. 

Robot vacuums? Unless you have money to burn, don’t splurge. The affordable models won’t do more than struggle to suck up a few crumbs, and even the luxury versions often get stuck under the couch anyway. And those colour-coordinated cleaning cloth sets that promise to be anti-bacterial and hypo allergenic? A simple multipack from the supermarket will work just as well. You should be swopping them out for new cloths monthly anyway, and uhm…just don’t lick, suck or sniff them?  

Trendy Decor Accessories 

Decor can absolutely make a house a home, but splurging on trending items is a fast track to regret. That quirky ceramic cactus lamp or neon flamingo sign might look fabulous on Instagram, but in six months it will probably feel dated—or worse, like expensive, unnecessary clutter. 

Fast fashion-driven decor cycles move fast, and splurging on statement pieces that scream “2025 trend of the month” means you’ll be stuck with items that age poorly. Instead, save your budget for timeless decor like a great sofa or curtains, and buy the smaller trendy accents cheaply—you’ll feel less guilty swapping them out later. 

Carpets That Cost More Than Your Car 

Rugs are cozy, stylish, and practical—but they also take the brunt of foot traffic, muddy paws, and the occasional red wine spill. Unless you live in a show home where nobody dares to step off the coasters, don’t splurge on ultra-expensive rugs. 

Even the most “stain-resistant” luxury rug can be ruined by one enthusiastic toddler with a juice box. Stick to moderately priced rugs that you won’t cry over if disaster strikes. The truth is, even cheap rugs can look expensive if you choose well, and when they inevitably wear out, replacing them won’t feel like financial heartbreak. 

Over-the-Top Kitchen Knick-Knacks 

Splurging on reliable kettles and cookware makes sense, but those “specialty” kitchen gadgets? Total money pits. Think: avocado slicers, banana holders, strawberry hulling devices, or electric pancake flippers. These gizmos usually take up valuable cupboard space and rarely work better than a simple knife. Buy the cheap version as a gag-gift (think super spinny battery powered spaghetti spoon), but don’t waste your money on it for yourself.) 

Even more costly indulgences, like a designer bread maker or ice-cream machine, are often destined to gather dust after the initial excitement. Unless you bake bread daily or churn out frozen desserts for a living, stick to basics and save your splurge budget for appliances you’ll use often, or a great set of carbon steel knives or cast-iron skillets 

Towels for Guests (a.k.a. The “Show Towels”) 

Yes, good towels for yourself are worth splurging on. But those perfectly folded, untouched “guest towels” that live in the bathroom purely for display? Not so much. Splurging on them makes little sense—they’re rarely used, and when they are, no one can tell if they’re premium Egyptian cotton or a discount store special. Especially if they have scratchy beadwork or embroidery…trust us any guest worth having in your home will be perfectly happy to use a basic, CLEAN family towel as long as there are no weird stains on it, and its big enough to wrap around them like a blanket.  

If you want to have different towels for guests, keep it simple.  

Your money is far better spent on the plush towels you actually wrap yourself in after a shower. Let the guest towels be perfectly serviceable but not luxury—your visitors are just happy to be dry. By buying white towels for guests you can keep them crisp by bleaching the living daylights out of them after each visit…That’s why we love white for guest rooms. Nothing that good old Jik, Sunlight bar soap and a sunny day cant get rid of.  

The Latest Tech Fads 

From smart toasters to fridges that tell you when your milk is low, “smart home” gadgets can be wildly overpriced. While some technology is useful (a good TV or a reliable laptop), splurging on every connected device often leads to frustration. 

Tech trends move fast, and expensive gadgets can become obsolete within a few years—or months. That R2000 “smart mirror” may feel space-age now, but when the app stops updating, it’s just a regular mirror with a giant price tag. Stick to mid-range, dependable tech, and avoid chasing the hype. 

Seasonal or Holiday Decor 

Yes, a house covered in twinkling lights and inflatable snowmen can be cheerfully charming. But should you splurge on seasonal decorations that only see daylight for two weeks a year? Absolutely not. 

Holiday cheer doesn’t need to be expensive—budget-friendly fairy lights, a few tasteful ornaments, and maybe some DIY crafts can create just as much festive magic and foster happy holiday traditions.   

Save the splurge money for year-round items that you’ll actually enjoy every day…or that extra special cut of meat for the holiday table! 

Plastic Storage Bins 

It’s easy to get sucked into the home organization hype, especially with all the glossy Instagram “pantry makeover” videos. Those uniform, labelled plastic bins might look satisfying, but splurging on them is unnecessary. 

Budget-friendly bins or even repurposed containers work just as well. Your flour won’t magically taste better because it’s in a R200 acrylic jar. Function should come first—buy cheap, sturdy storage and spend your splurge money elsewhere.  

Top Tip: We love locally made glass storage jars. A Consol jar is always a sustainable, recyclable, re-giftable classic.  

Everyday Glassware and Plates 

It’s nice to have a set of beautiful dishes for special occasions, but splurging on fragile, expensive dinnerware for daily use is a recipe for heartbreak. Plates and glasses inevitably get chipped, dropped, or stained in the chaos of daily life. 

Mid-range, durable sets are the way to go. Save the splurges for the “showstopper” serving dishes or cutlery you use when hosting. That way, you still impress guests without wincing every time someone sets down a glass too hard.  

Top tip: Because accidents happen, think about replacement cost as well. Buying basic colours from a classic range means you can top up one plate or cup as needed. Buying imported or hand painted dinner plates will only lead to Wednesday night meltdowns when someone trips over the cat on their way from the dinner table.  

Save Smart, Splurge Smarter 

Splurging wisely means recognizing where money buys genuine comfort, safety, or durability—and where it doesn’t. Expensive cleaning gadgets, trendy decor, or luxury rugs won’t necessarily improve your life; they’ll just drain your budget. 

Instead, splurge on things that directly enhance your wellbeing: a good mattress, blackout curtains, reliable appliances, and plush towels for yourself. Save on the items that are short-lived, purely decorative, or trend-driven. 

Think of it this way: when you walk into your home at the end of the day, are you going to admire your R3000 bread maker, or sink into a sofa that hugs you back? Choose wisely, and your splurges (and savings) will both work in your favour.