Ever heard of the “surprise bag” or “mystery bag” trend? If not, it’s exactly what you probably think. You buy a bag or box that contains a mystery toy. The appeal (and the downfall, if you ask your wallet) is that you don’t know which product is inside until you open it.
Like most toddlers, my daughter is in a “KPop Demon Hunters” phase. So when we found a surprise collectible with one of seven different characters from the movie, we naturally had to buy one. And another. And another. You get the point.
We eventually snagged all seven of the characters (at around $12 apiece). The problem? We collected some duplicates along the way. Let’s just say if you need a Zoey figurine, I’m your girl!
Honestly, it would have been a whole lot cheaper to purchase individual figurines and skip the surprise element altogether.
So why is this trend even a thing? And why couldn’t I stop shopping? Human nature, I suppose. There’s a sort of excitement that comes with opening a package and not knowing what’s going to be inside. And then there’s the adventure that follows when you challenge yourself to collect them all. It’s less of a purchase and more of a game.
My parents joined the trend, too, buying my daughter some of the characters for her collection. We turned it into a fun family activity where we’d gather together and open up the latest one.
So while my summer of surprise bags probably wasn’t my wisest money move, I guess sometimes we pay a little more for a product because of the experience that comes with it. The smile on my daughter’s face and her scream of delight when we finally got Mira? Totally worth it.
🤓 Meet MoneyNerd,
your budget's new bestie
You want to learn about saving money, budgeting, financial news and more. We have a free newsletter for that. 
