10 Things No Longer Worth Your Money, According to Humphrey Yang
Some stuff just isn't an expenditure worth making these days.
Personal finance content creator Humphrey Yang released a new YouTube video outlining how rising inflation has him re-thinking many of the purchases he used to make. And for good reason. According to the Center for American Progress, the cost of goods and services are roughly 25 - 30% more expensive today than they were five years ago. Yikes.
Save Cash: The $100K Trap: Shrink the 6 Bills Eating Up Six-Figure Paychecks in 2026
Start Earning: 8 Low-Effort Ways to Make Passive Income (You Can Start This Week)
So what are the items getting a hard pass from Yang? Here are the top 10 he insists are no longer worth your money:
1. Food Delivery Apps
Back in 2016, apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats subsidized the cost of deliveries because they were still in growth phases. But not anymore. Nowadays, these platforms are more focused on profitability, with food delivery apps now costing 30%-40% more than eating in a restaurant.
2. New Cars/Car Payments
Per Yang, a new car in the U.S. currently sells for $50,000 on average — a historic high. This means the average new car payment at 7% interest is roughly $767 per month (as opposed to $490 a month at 4% interest back in 2016). Not only do you wind up paying more than the original sticker price once interest is factored in, but you wind up paying for a depreciating asset. And that’s a lousy investment.
3. Upgrading Your iPhone Every Year
Yang said there is little difference between an iPhone 14, 15, 16, etc. so it’s unnecessary to upgrade every year. The only time you may notice a big difference is if you are going from an older iPhone 11 to a much newer iPhone 17. iPhones last a good five years. Apple just wants your money.
4. Investing in Actively Managed Mutual Funds
In actively managed mutual funds, clients pay a professional and their team an annual fee to pick stocks in order to try and beat the market. But, these days, Yang explained, actively managed mutual funds rarely beat the S&P 500.
CEO and president of Best Interest Financial, Cody Schuitteboer, shared the story of a client who had been investing in actively managed mutual funds for 12 years. But, when the client did the math on what he could have made in a low-cost index fund over that time, he discovered that, in addition to wasting money on fees, he actually missed out on significant financial gains.
5. Extended Warranties
“Extended warranties are usually overpriced and one of the highest-margin products in all of retail,” stated Yang. This is because they prey on consumers’ emotions right when they are making a large purchase. But not only do certain credit cards automatically extend your warranty anyway, extended warranties have exclusions and often don’t cover many of the issues that arise.
6. Wellness Products
There’s really no secret to becoming happy and “well.” Yang explained the wellness industry just uses your anxieties against you in order to sell overpriced items like vitamins, skincare and Erewhon smoothies.
And, according to the most recent data by The Global Wellness Institute, the industry has been successful in exploiting your insecurities. In 2024, the global wellness economy reached $6.8 trillion annually. That record is projected to reach $9.8 trillion by 2029.
Yang insisted sleeping well and walking regularly is a better, less expensive bet.
7. Starter Homes
Yang explained the cost of owning a starter home was close to the cost of renting in 2016. These days, however, because of higher home prices and mortgage rates, it’s much cheaper to rent in almost every major metropolitan area. His golden rule? Don’t buy a house unless you plan to stay in it for 10-20 years.
8. Spending Related to Status
Designer goods and Coachella tickets may invoke envy on Instagram, but they don’t contribute to your net worth … especially at today’s price point. Just say no.
9. Fast Food
In 2026, the price gap between fast food and casual dining has completely closed. According to a study by Finance Buzz, the price of fast food increased 60% on average from 2014 — 2024.
Additionally, the quality of fast food is much worse. Why pay $14 at McDonald’s for a double quarter-pounder when you can pay a local restaurant for better, healthier food?
10. Concerts
Yang said that, 10 years ago, you could buy a concert ticket for $50 — $100 dollars; nowadays, that outing could be closer to $400. He blames 3 factors: Covid (contributing to pent-up demand), Ticketmaster (for their exorbitant fees) and Taylor Swift (for raising the bar on how much concertgoers are willing to spend). Sorry, Tay.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion: