Stupid things people do in the hope of saving money

My parents are brilliant at personal finance. When they see or hear an advertisement trumpeting how much money they'll save if they just buy this, that or the other thing, they're smart enough to say, "I know how to save even more money!" How? By not buying that money-saving "miracle" product being advertised in the first place! While this may sound obvious, it's nonetheless a hurdle that many of us keep stumbling over.

How can you avoid the "spend money to save money" trap? Read on, as we outline nine "deals" that really aren't.