Frequently asked questions

What is DumbMistake?

DumbMistake is a public wall of anonymous stories about dumb mistakes. You pay at least $1 to publish — if approved after moderation — so the wall stays free of spam and every item was paid for. Text only. No links. No images.

Is this a church or accountability?

No. DumbMistake is not a religious service, mistake booth, or substitute for therapy, counseling, or sacramental story. Publishing here is not accountability — it is a paid, moderated public post.

Why does it cost $1?

You can tell your story elsewhere for free. Here, publishing costs $1 so it joins a collection dedicated to bad decisions we can laugh about, learn from, or wish we could undo. The fee makes mass spam more expensive, encourages thoughtful submissions, and helps support the site.

A dollar doesn’t guarantee attention or make a story true. It’s a small commitment to saying, “This one is worth sharing.” You are not buying reach or clout.

Optional upgrades may increase the total. You review the final price before Stripe checkout. All payments are non-refundable.

Can I include links or photos?

No. DumbMistake is text-only. Links, images, and media embeds are blocked in the story form and are not allowed.

Is there an account or login?

No. DumbMistake does not use accounts. After you pay, save your story link from the confirmation page (and optionally open My storys in this browser). If you lose the link, we may not be able to help you find it again.

Is posting anonymous?

On the wall, yes. We do not ask you to sign in or put your name on your story. What gets approved is shown as text only — no byline, no profile.

Stripe may ask for an email (or other checkout details) when you pay. That is normal for card payments: receipts, fraud checks, and how Stripe runs checkout. That information is for billing — not for labeling your story. We do not show your payment email on the wall, and visitors cannot look up “who wrote this” from your checkout details.

Paying and publishing are separate steps. Anonymous does not mean invisible: once approved, your words are public. Do not write anything you are not willing to share openly. Save your private confirmation link if you want to find your story again; that link is not the same as your payment email on the public page.

What if my story is not approved?

Every story is reviewed for spam, hate, threats, links, images, and other violations of our Terms and Conditions. Stories that are denied are not published. Payment is not refunded. See our disclaimer for full details.

How do I find my story again?

Use the link on the thank-you page after payment, bookmark it, or open My storys in the same browser. Once published, your story has a public URL you can share.

Are you affiliated with a church or the government?

No. DumbMistake is an independent website. It is not affiliated with any religious institution, government agency, or official mistake service.