Aussie sparks debate after exposing the Christmas spending pitfalls most of us fall into: ‘Don’t buy this!’

A shopper has revealed what he believes is the biggest waste of money this Christmas as Aussies trade comments about the worst gift choices.

He said his “biggest pet peeve” was when people bought Johnnie Walker Blue Label – a whiskey made using the rarest casks at House of Walker.

The variety, which costs $341 at Dan Murphys, is described as an ‘exquisite blend of vanilla, honey and rose petals’ and is said to be aged between 28 and 60 years.

However, the man disagreed and said it had an ‘unremarkable’ taste.

‘It’s a scam to recycle all the old whiskey that has become so old that it has lost its flavour. Don’t fall for it. Even black label is better,” he said on Reddit.

He took the same approach to luxury vodka.

A man took to Reddit to express his frustration over the five gifts he thinks Aussies shouldn’t buy during the holidays (photo, Gray Goose vodka)

‘Aside from exotic flavors or African moonshine, all vodka is basically ethanol and water, triple distilled to remove any adulteration. No one can reliably pick out the gray goose from the Russian standard. I guarantee it,” he said.

A bottle of Gray Goose vodka can cost up to $100, while Russian varieties are cheaper at $30 to $40 per bottle.

He also warned shoppers to avoid expensive underwear.

‘My experience is that the dimensions are strange and that they are not much better in quality than bonds. “I understand some people want to wear $200 logo T-shirts, but no one will see your underwear except the woman, and she won’t care,” he said.

A set of three briefs from Calvin Klein or Polo Ralph Lauren can cost more than $100, while Bonds underwear is more affordable at around $45 for a pack.

The fourth item the man said was a ‘waste of money’ was health supplements containing ‘superfoods’ including ginseng, probiotics and acai berries.

He said there is no evidence that most products work.

‘In the latter case, there are many common foods that are rich in antioxidants. You pay more for the same result,” he said.

Finally, the man urged shoppers to avoid brand name fragrances and instead take the time to find dupes for luxury bottles.

“The markup on these things is about 10,000% on the cost of production. Do yourself a favor and research dupes. Save hundreds of dollars,” he said.

‘Certainly, they may last a little shorter and have worse sillage. Very few people notice.’

The popular women’s fragrance Chanel ‘Chance’ costs $190, while Dior’s Sauvage, which features Johnny Depp in the ad campaign, costs $145 per bottle.

The man urged shoppers to avoid brand name fragrances and instead take the time to find dupes for luxury bottles that can cost hundreds of dollars

The man also warned shoppers to avoid expensive underwear and supplements

Aussies were quick to share their thoughts on the five gifts, with many agreeing that expensive underwear wasn’t worth the money.

“As for the expensive underwear, I bought walking shoes because I was literally sanding every day. I haven’t had any problems since, so it’s worth the price,” one person said.

‘For my underwear I went from Tom Ford to StepOne. I couldn’t be happier with the economy and comfort,” wrote a second.

“Lol wrapping paper is the biggest waste,” a third commented, to which another replied: “Don’t even get me started on the cost of cards.”

But others disagreed with his advice about booze.

‘Depending on grains and brands, vodkas can have a certain distinct taste, I can definitely tell the difference.’

Another said: ‘I agree that you can find better deals, and that off-brand/less-known brands will give you the same experience cheaper, but remember that sometimes a brand has power and means something to someone – even if it’s just the gesture itself saying, “I spent money to get the brand to show me your worth.”

A third adds: ‘Alcohol, underwear and fragrances are often things you give as gifts. It’s not a waste of money to buy good things for your friends and family! You get what you pay for.’

Another said: ‘The taste between Smirnoff and gray goose is incredibly noticeable, especially the next morning. The hangover from cheap vodka is noticeably worse.

‘Expensive/specially made underwear is the difference between chafing and not chafing. And for anyone who has suffered significant irritation, it is not a pleasant experience.’