It’s no secret that the cost of just about everything has gone up. Remember the good old days when you could buy your favorite dessert with your pocket money? Now it feels like you need to take out a small loan just to indulge in that sweet treat.
The simple pleasures in life are becoming pricier, and it’s something we all feel in our wallets. So, when Reddit user u/Soren-J asked the community, “What’s gotten so expensive that you no longer purchase it?” people didn’t hesitate to share their thoughts and frustrations. Scroll through to see some everyday items that have become more expensive, and let us know which ones hit home for you.
#1
Concert tickets.
Syikho:
I bought two sets of tickets this year for bands I’ve wanted to see for over 20 years. One concert cost me $600 for two tickets and the other was $300 for two. The ridiculous part of it all is that the fees alone cost more than one ticket. I can stomach $100-$150 for good seats to a band I like, I can’t stomach another $150 in fees.
Image source: Arthur_Boo_Radley, Vishnu R Nair/Pexels
#2
I never buy chips unless they’re some kind of BOGO.
trafficrush:
Dude, $7 for doritos is NUTS. Even store brand chips are getting pricey.
Image source: SensualEnema, DENİZ ÇAĞLUSU/Pexels
#3
I just paid $22 per ticket (Australian) for my daughter and I to watch Dune pt 2. Two drinks and a popcorn I think was around $25, so we’re looking around $70 for two of us to watch one movie.
I may not be at the point of never going to the theatre again, but it’ll be the rare occurance.
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#4
Food from food trucks.
I’m not spending $15 for a grilled cheese that I have to wait in the rain for.
Image source: just_hating, James Frid/Pexels
#5
Mobile apps.
I’m absolutely infuriatingly tired of subscription services.
The worst is that they let you download the app so they can claim it as a download, only to get stonewalled by a subscription page.
Let’s go back to a one time fee please.
Image source: SmallRocks, Lisa from Pexels/Pexels
#6
Dining out at restaurants.
Image source: pepethejefe, Elina Sazonova/Pexels
#7
Houses.
Random_Smellmen:
Literally bought a boat and Live in a marina because it’s cheaper than rent in my town now
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#8
Streaming services. They’re getting more expensive AND adding commercials? Let’s just go back to cable.
Image source: anon, cottonbro studio/Pexels
#9
Tipping. I quit doing that.
But don’t get me wrong, I tip well for service everywhere that it is customary to do so. I just quit doing those things. I order food on the internet and go pick it up myself. Instead of paying a fee to a delivery service, and then having to tip the driver on top of that, etc.
I have no problem walking in an hitting the “No tip” button on pickups. I tip for service, and takeout food is not a service item. The only service is taking my money and handing me my food. And THAT amount of service had better already be included in the price of the food.
Image source: revjim, Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels
#10
McDonald’s. Not that I can’t afford it, but I am not paying the current prices for cheap, processed food for on the go. They are trying to be fancier, they should accept who they are and stick to be being cheap and convenient, it has always worked for them.
Image source: TrixieLurker, Samuel Figueroa/Pexels
#11
Having a pet :( I’ve had pets my whole life, but lost my last cat a few years ago. I miss having a companion but I know I cannot afford beyond basic care right now or an emergency if it were to arise.
RoboTwigs:
Dogs. I adore my dog but really starting to question my life choice on dog ownership. She’s 7yrs old and the cost of her daily care/routine vet care has literally doubled. I don’t think I’ll ever own another dog after this, and I’m just hoping I can actually afford to keep her in my care at this point.
Also to clarify, thank god she’s been really healthy with no issues but just daily maintenance is so expensive, and vet bills for other animals has also doubled. My cat’s recent blood panel alone was $435, and her annual exam was $680. The cat is 17 though so I absolutely am not gonna rehome at this point, but my dog is a beautiful loving active companion with half her life still to give to someone who would be fantastic for anyone well off enough to care for her :(
If cost of living keeps going up I’m just afraid that person won’t be me :(.
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#12
Me and the wife would have Friday as a more relaxing evening. We have 3 kids. We would always vary and order takeaway.
Takeaway has gone from $30ish to $50,$60,$70 for the same stuff, plus increased delivery charges.
Not worth it anymore.
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#13
Takeout coffee. Espresso machine paid for itself in no time 😂.
Image source: UnlikelyExperience, MART PRODUCTION/Pexels
#14
Anymore I rarely buy things brand new. Most of my wardrobe is thrifted or bought from places like Marshalls.
Image source: pops992, cottonbro studio/Pexels
#15
Haircuts.
Pre-pandemic, you can easily find somewhere charging under $20 in my area. Now all the barber shops in my area start at $35.
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#16
Frozen Pizzas are reaching the point of being more expensive than real pizza.
Image source: SmileAndWalkAway, Fernando/Pexels
#17
Greeting cards. $7? No way.
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#18
The worst type of inflation is thrift store inflation. Buying clothes from the Goodwill or local shop used to be cheap. Now it’s barely a dollar shy of buying new.
Image source: bangbangracer, Julia M Cameron/Pexels
#19
Alcohol, it nearly cost me everything.
Image source: anon
#20
At 39 I’m finally learning to cook because the prices of eating out is unbelievable for the quality. It’s been coming down the pipeline for a while. I stopped going to Buffalo Wild Wings a couple years ago when *I had to make a special request that they make my wings fresh*. I went to multiple locations that served me stale wings and had the audacity to charge $40 for the entire time. McDonald’s hitting the teens and Wendy’s bragging about surge pricing…get the out of here.
Honestly, I’ve been having a ton of fun too. Today I made a mushroom sauce with white wine which was so crazy good and then I made some Oreo pie for dessert. I’m taking the pie into work tomorrow.
Image source: iremovebrains, Nataliya Vaitkevich/Pexels
#21
Eggs, i just bought a couple of hens for the price of eggs.
Image source: anon
#22
Necessary medical treatments because this is the USA.
Image source: Sonicmantis
#23
New cars.
Simply not worth it for me. The tags, the insurance, the tax, the interest (if financing).
I understand that it might make sense for others, but I don’t see myself ever buying a new car again.
Image source: asthorman
#24
I used to do mani/pedi twice a month before covid. But now it’s $50 before tip for REGULAR not gel not acrylic and that’s just insane to me. I’m from NYC when I was a kid (im 25) mani/pedi was $15.
Image source: Neat-Lawfulness9586, cottonbro studio/Pexels
#25
“Want to order pick-up? Ok, that’s $50 for two entrees, plus a 5% meals tax, a 7% sales tax, a $5.50 convenience fee, and a $3 service fee. We’ll also have a staff member stare at you while you’re confronted with the touch screen asking you to leave a 15%, 20%, or 25% tip.”
Image source: I_Enjoy_Beer
#26
I feel like I can’t walk out of my front door without automatically spending $20.
Image source: Shellskky
#27
Subway. Even the 6 inch subs are over $7 before chips and soda.
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#28
At this rate, shelter and food.
Image source: spjhon
#29
Soda. Used to enjoy a sprite occasionally. I’m just not paying 3 or 4 dollars at this point for sugar water.
Image source: anon, Mr-Den’ OoDp/Pexels
#30
I quit years ago but I saw cigarettes for 13 a pack and I can’t imagine that still. When I quit it was like 4 or 5 dollars.
Image source: anon, MART PRODUCTION/Pexels
#31
No snack food.
Pretty much just buying staples/meat/dairy/fruit/veg and making everything from scratch.
Ultra processed food is terrible for you anyway.
Image source: _manicpixie
#32
Berries.
Image source: mccoola
#33
Among other things, chocolate candy is priced out of my budget now…
Image source: SawwhetMA
#34
Yoga classes used to be $20 a class in my area. They’re now $40 a class. It’s just too much.
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#35
Amazon, they kept raising the price and haven’t followed through on their 2 day shipping deal in years.
Image source: Tater-Tot-Casserole
#36
Some of my prescription medication. 😒.
Image source: que_he_hecho
#37
Conventional shopping: I realized I can’t afford new clothes nor shoes. I was staring at a pair of unworn boots (too tight) I bought in 2020. Went on Amazon for boot stretchers. You only get one. The only good one was $69.99. No money: what to do? It was unplanned but I noticed a typo in their carefully crafted ads. I used the Amazon link to contact the seller. I wrote them a catchy offer “Disclosed location of unsightly typo from fellow Texan in exchange for one boot stretcher.” They replied they’d honestly never received such a message… But in the yuletide spirit from a fellow Texan (they mentioned they were proudly located in Texas), we accept your offer. HooWee! I disclosed the location, they sent me the boot-stretcher with no shipping fees for free. It arrived in two days. Is currently stretching boot.
Don’t be afraid to offer your services for barter or for cost even if there its no advertisement for such a thing. We all have unique talents, one of mine is “brain comes with built-in spellchecker.”.
Image source: milemarkertesla
#38
Name brand grocery items. It’s all “Great Value” for me. I don’t even know why Wally stocks the name brands. They just sit on the shelf. Except for mayonnaise. Always Hellmann’s, because generic mayo sucks.
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#39
Vacations.
Image source: Adiantum
#40
Bras are freaking insane. And they’re not something you can cheap out on. I lost weight recently and had to replace my bras. I wanted to cry.
RelevantClock8883:
The quality is getting worse too. A brand I wore lasted years, thank goodness I didn’t throw old the old ones because the new ones lasted maybe 4 washes before hooks fell out or lace ripped. I shouldn’t have to baby my everyday bras, but the next batch I wear will probably be hand washed/dried from now on.
Image source: Pretend_Star_8193
#41
I canceled Netflix after the last hike and honestly have not missed it. If I hear about something I’d like to watch, I think of all the other [stuff] I want to watch on services I already pay for, and watch that instead.
Image source: halfslices
#42
Amazon Prime membership keeps going up, and now there are ads when using Prime Video. Unless you want to pay even more, of course.
Image source: AuntBeeje
#43
Red meat. Can’t afford steaks or roasts or even stir fry strips.
Image source: silverwarbler
#44
Good lord, reading this thread just drives home how rapidly our purchasing power is declining. There’s so many goods and services that were once commonplace and accessible to everyone that are now completely unaffordable for most. Never in my childhood did I ever anticipate that my adult self would be unable to afford chips and cereal, but here we are.
Image source: suitupyo
#45
Most candy and junkfood. $8 for a bag of chips? $2.50 for a chocolate bar?
That’s the inflation.
That’s before we talk about the fact that there’s nothing in the bag.
That’s the shrinkflation.
That’s before we talk about the lack of seasoning and the increase in filler (as opposed to potatoes).
When I buy junkfood now I feel disappointed with the product and upset with myself for falling for the trap yet again.
Image source: shaidyn
#46
Chipotle. It’s double the price of when I started eating it, feels like the quality has gone down and the serving size is smaller on average. Great deal for $7.50. meh deal for $15.
Image source: KingoreP99
#47
Using my air conditioner. It doubles my electric bill, so I haven’t had it in 5 years.
Also chips. I’m a cracker guy now. Stauffer’s cheese whales are where it’s at. Only $1 for 7oz, an entire ounce more than you’d get in a bag of goldfish crackers.
Image source: anon
#48
All fast food. Frankly, eating out in general.
Image source: GeraltOfRivia2023
#49
**Disneyland tickets**.
Especially with the fact that the money is not going to the Cast Members.
Image source: britishmetric144
#50
Video games when they come out. I’ll gladly wait a year to not pay $80. I get that it’s going to bring me pleasure to play a video game especially if I get to pick it but I still don’t want to pay full price for it.
Image source: ChrisMossTime
#51
Sephora.
Image source: milemarkertesla
#52
I have cut back on so many things because the price just makes me angry. I don’t buy chemical cleaners except bleach and ammonia. I mostly use baking soda and vinegar or dish soap. It’s not a crunchy thing, it’s a price thing. And I like it more. I also make my own dishwasher powder and laundry detergent. It saves a ton and doesn’t take much time. I can’t stomach paying for Tide now. It’s just so pricey.
Food. I suck at maintaining a garden, but I’m a SAHM now. I’m going to grow whatever I can and see how it goes. I cook at home most of the time too, mostly because restaurants are a massive sensory overwhelm but also because my food is cheaper and better.
Clothes. Y’all, I rarely buy new clothes anymore. And never full price. It’s insane.
Image source: terminator_chic, Ron Lach/Pexels
#53
Water bottles. They went from being very basic recipients to “fashion” or “trendy” items to have and ever since the yeti flasks where made popular by social media, they became obnoxiously expensive regardless of their quality.
Image source: anon
#54
Concerts at Arena’s are becoming outlandishly overpriced. Like, take out a freaking loan to attend, overpriced. Wild times.
Image source: TwoThirteen
#55
Ink cartridges for printers. Cheaper to buy a new printer….
Image source: Falling_Whistle
#56
Pistachios. I absolutely love em, but I’m not paying 12 dollars for 6 ounces of snack.
Image source: Scott_on_the_rox
#57
Chinese restaurant here now charges for RICE. $2 – small, $4 – large. Appetizers as much as entrees. Entrees over $20. Outrageous.
Image source: talkingtohope
#58
Birdseed. Specifically black oil sunflower seeds. I used to buy huge bags of it, fill the back of the truck, kept my birdfeeders stocked year round. Then the price quadrupled after COVID and I’ve not gone back. We moved to an area with a lot of natural, beautiful species of birds. Loved seeing what I could attract to our front window. I miss ‘em but it’s not worth it.
Image source: CoxAnonymous
#59
Organic vegetables. Maybe the non organic will give me cancer, but dang is the organic expensive… I made soup the other day with fresh mushrooms. Organic would have been 12, the non organic was 4. 🤷♀️.
Image source: FalconBurcham, Roman Biernacki/Pexels
#60
Razors. I (46f) just stopped shaving mostly, occasionally I’ll use a depilatory which is way cheaper per use.
Image source: JoBear2484
#61
Anything from a sporting goods store. The prices are ridiculous.
Image source: wish1977
#62
Date nights with my husband. We used to go out regularly, but with the cost of a babysitter, dinner, movie tickets… We prefer to stay home and watch Crunchyroll.
Babysitters charge more than what I make an hour as a preschool teacher assistant.
Image source: Original_Pizza9569, cottonbro studio/Pexels
#63
Starbucks. Used to be able to get away with $5 there. Now everything is like $8 or more.
Absolute insanity for a drink.
Image source: ramaloki
#64
Olive oil. Horrendously expensive lately.
Image source: tjjwaddo
#65
Gold. It used to be that you didn’t have to mortgage the house to buy a nice 14K gold chain. Now I see these chains for necklaces when I’m shopping for my wife, and they’re so thin. It’s amazing they don’t break within a week.
Image source: riffraffbri
#66
Seafood.
Image source: Disenchanted2
#67
Lift tickets. The quality of seasons gets worse and worse as the prices on everything involved with skiing/riding go up.
Image source: HolisticGuido
#68
Fabric softener. Expensive, bad for your clothes and machine, and just in general.
Image source: Aware-Stuff-6950
#69
Dental work.
Image source: Kevin15cute
#70
Contact lenses. I figured it was cheaper to get lasik than it was to maintain glasses and contacts. For the cost of 2 years of contacts and 1 set of replacement glasses, I got my eyes permanently fixed.
Image source: Stegles
#71
Cereal! The boxes have gotten so small and they’re like $7!
Image source: thenisaidb**ch
#72
I recently ate at IHOP. I had a ham and cheese omelette, four sausage links, tea and a glass of milk.
I was shocked when I got the check and was charged over $28.
I can get the same meal at my local diner for about $12.
So, no more IHOP for me.
Image source: Adddicus
#73
Health insurance…it does nothing when you use it.
Image source: Narf234, Pixabay/Pexels
#74
Lays chips. They’re gouging. $7.00 a bag for mostly air and salt, FU.
Image source: Jedzoil
#75
Converse All Stars. When they were cheap it was worth going through two pairs a year. The price of a pair of high-tops, compared to how long they last, is just not worth it, nowadays.
Image source: kingsizeslim420
#76
Taco Bell – I can get real Mexican food at an actual sit-down restaurant for about the same price or less now.
Image source: Zeppekki
#77
Bread. You can make it for so much cheaper, and I found a bread machine at Goodwill for $5. Fresh bread when I want it.
Image source: anon
#78
It’s not so much what I buy but where I buy it. $8 for a corona in the club? No thanks. I’ll have my friends over and drink at home.
Image source: accordionchickenwing
#79
2lb Tillamook medium cheddar cheese blocks. Now more than $11, sometimes at $13.99.
Don’t care how happy the cows are, I am not.
Image source: Uncle_Bill
#80
Coffee creamer. I’ve learned to appreciate coffee black.
Image source: 123fakerusty
#81
Grapes. I still buy them from time to time, but they are so expensive per pound that I consider it a “treat” now when I buy them.
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#82
Bacon and butter.
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#83
Dry cleaning. $4.20 per shirt is an extravagance.
Image source: MichJohn67
#84
Paper towels are so expensive now. $30 could get you a Game Boy game in the 90s, now it gets you 12 paper towels rolls.
Image source: prguitarman
#85
Period products, I’m done paying. I steal my pads from the store.
Image source: anon, Kaboompics.com/Pexels
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