Retrospective Lily

So far, I have stuck with my low buy/no buy 2026 project.

Granted, we’re only about two weeks into January, but still!

Let me know: Have you ever won a stuffed animal from a claw machine?! Are they just an obvious scam? (Skip to the bottom for my answer…)

Poké & a Park (& People wasting $1)

I recently went on a nice afternoon date with a friend.

I love nature walks, but it’s generally too cold for me to enjoy the outdoors during wintertime. However, that day, the sun shined bright and the temperature reached the mid-50’s (Fahrenheit). I wanted to capitalize on it. But first, our aching bellies demanded satiation.

We decided to grab some grub at a local spot that serves bubble tea and poké bowls.

Unpopular opinion: bubble tea is overrated! Maybe I haven’t tasted the right one that would convert me. I think they are just too pricy for a mediocre drink.

Also, because I have ataxia, I’m understandably paranoid that a squishy ball will go down the wrong tube and choke me.

Poké bowls taste delicious. Essentially, you get a mixture of rice, fish, fruits/veggies, and sauce. The bowl I ordered included some yummy, nutritious foods I only eat once in a while – mango, pineapple, cucumber, salmon, and ahi tuna. All exquisitely fresh, too.

After we both got full (and boxed up our leftovers), the bill came to the table. I cringed at the $33 price tag for just two people.

Bear in mind, I’m the type of girl who can eat a $2 drive-thru value menu sandwich and feel full.

There was a claw machine filled with cute stuffed animals near our table. It cost $1 to play. The bright lights and colors caught my eye, and for half a second, I felt tempted to try it. I quickly remembered those things are impossible to win and decided against it.

Not to mention, a 32-year-old woman doesn’t need any(more) toys…

I got excited when a young couple approached the machine. I didn’t have to spend my own money; I could live vicariously through them.

The girl inserted one dollar. Her boyfriend gave a valiant effort, sweat dripping from his brow as he moved the claw with precision. Still, he failed to nab a fuzzy friend from the pile. They wound up leaving empty-handed.

Just kidding about the sweat. But he WAS concentrating hard, hoping to impress his date.

After the restaurant, my friend and I went to a nearby park to enjoy the beautiful weather and each other’s company. He pushed me in my manual wheelchair two laps around the entire area. (Sadly, I forgot to bring the electric. Zooming around in it on a nice day is one of my life’s great-yet-small joys.) Finally, we drove home.

Lessons Learned

The great claw machine scam is just one of a million things tempting us to waste our money. Thank God I held onto my dollar!

Now, I only need one more to order that $2 sandwich at the drive-thru…

I’m also glad we only went to the park afterwards. I resisted the urge to drop by Target or Goodwill, where I would’ve undoubtedly bought something just because it was cheap or on sale.

That outcome would’ve been just as inevitable as the couple NOT getting a stuffed animal in the claw machine.

With a lot of impulse purchases, we say it’s just $1. It’s just $5. It’s just $10. But it adds up! Especially over the span of one year.

By avoiding this accumulation of waste in 2026, I plan to save money. Perhaps in doing so, I can justify splurging occasionally on something worthwhile, like a nice lunch with a friend.

Answer to the question – I’ve never won myself. Once, I saw a boy win a toy from a claw machine as a young girl at the skate rink. ONCE.