A Malaysian man has gone viral after revealing that he deeply regrets spending nearly RM200,000 on collectible toys such as Bearbrick and Labubu, saying the money could have gone towards far more practical purchases instead.
The anonymous confession was shared by 李大叔 on its Facebook page.
From casual collection into obsession
According to the man, he initially entered the hobby simply because he found the toys aesthetically pleasing and enjoyed their design.
He said buying one or two pieces to display at home made him feel like he had “taste”.
However, things escalated after he joined several collector groups online.
There, he was constantly exposed to people unboxing new releases, flaunting limited edition items, and discussing how certain collectibles could supposedly increase in value over time.
He admitted that this slowly created a fear of missing out.
“It stopped being about liking them”
What began as spending hundreds of Ringgit and then thousands eventually snowballed into tens of thousands.
The man said the hobby eventually stopped being about genuine interest and became a matter of comparison and competition.
Whenever others had a rare item, he felt compelled to get it too. Whenever a limited edition release dropped, he felt pressured to secure one before prices rose.
By the time he realised how deep he had fallen into the hobby, he had already spent close to RM200,000.
Although the collectibles now fill display cabinets in his home and look impressive to visitors, the man admitted they serve no practical purpose.
He also shared that he had attempted to sell parts of his collection, only to realise that demand had dropped significantly.
According to him, many of the pieces he once bought at inflated prices can no longer even be sold at retail value.
‘I could have bought a BMW instead’
Reflecting on his purchases, the man said he was recently sitting in his living room when he looked at his entire collection and realised what else the money could have been used for.
He said RM200,000 could have bought him a BMW or Mercedes in cash, or even gone towards the down payment for a condominium.
Instead, he now feels stuck with what he described as a pile of toys he cannot use, easily sell, or throw away.
The man ended his confession by warning others against assuming all collectibles will appreciate in value.
He said many people believe they are making investments when buying limited edition items, when in reality they may simply be “helping others clear inventory”.
He urged those who are just entering the hobby, or already becoming addicted, to pause and think carefully before spending further.
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