28 Things You Should Stop Buying in 2018

DESIGNER JEANS

Brand-name clothes are among the most brazenly overpriced of all retail products. While designer jeans like a $300 pair of True Religions may be marked up as much as 300 percent, even seemingly cheap jeans like a $22 pair from Kohl’s can still have a 112 percent markup over wholesale prices.

EYEGLASSES

The retail markups for eyeglasses can be as high as 1,000 percent for designer frames from some opticians, chain stores and mall kiosks. The best ways to find reasonably-priced frames with your prescription are through warehouse stores like Costco or online retailers like Zenni Optical.

TEXTBOOKS

Like most costs associated with higher education, college textbook prices have been climbing in recent years, yet undergrads are spending $100 less on their required course materials than students a decade ago. The decline is thanks to a proliferation of online shops that resell or rent books, so there’s less reason than ever to pay full price.

ROSES

A dozen roses (most of which are imported to the US) sell for $9.50 wholesale, but certain florists and grocery stores can resell them for as much as $20 to $60 or more when demand is high around Valentine’s Day. Save money by buying locally-grown flowers and comparing prices between grocers, farmers markets, and online retailers.

AUTO RENTAL INSURANCE

Car rental companies often push temporary insurance policies that can cost even more than the vehicle rental itself, so you’ll be paying $30 per day for a service that costs the company $3 to $4. These overpriced collision damage waivers (CDW) are good for peace of mind, but it’s usually more cost-effective to rely on your own insurance — though in the event of a crash, this will require paying for damages up-front, then recovering funds by filing a claim.