15 Things That Have Gotten So Expensive You Need to Stop Buying Them Now!
Over the last few years, the prices of almost everything have increased. Once affordable things are now consideredluxury items because they cost so much. It makes you wonder if prices will ever go back to normal.
Until (or if) certain items and services return to reasonable prices, you may have to cut back on or stop buying them altogether. Are you prepared to give up any of these things temporarily or for good?
1. Fast Food
The best part about fast food used to be the prices. You could get an entire meal for $5 or less, including a drink. Those days seem quaint compared to the prices now, which may very well give you heartburn.
A fast food meal for two people that cost under $10 a few years ago now costs close to $20. It doesn’t help that many fast-food restaurants have quietly discontinued their dollar menus.
2. Concert Tickets
In 1976, a ticket to see a Bruce Springsteen concert was under $8. Tickets for his 2022 shows were available for up to $5,000 a pop. The Boss has his share of superfans, but those prices border on highway robbery.
Springsteen isn’t the only singer with outrageously priced tickets being sold for their shows. For Adele’s performance at her Las Vegas residency, tickets sell for anywhere between $800 and more than $3,000.
3. Manicures and Pedicures
There’s something about having a technician working on your hands and feet that makes you feel your best. You don’t quite get that same feeling when you do them for yourself at home.
Those trips to the nail salon feel good, but they’re also a drain on your wallet. Depending on the type of nail care you receive, like acrylic or gel nails, those combined with a pedicure can cost up to $100 or more each visit.
4. Movie Theater Trips
The movie theater experience is something a lot of us look forward to. The anticipation of seeing a new movie with a bunch of other people and getting those movie theater snacks and popcorn is part of the excitement.
What’s not so exciting are the exorbitant costs of movie tickets and food. The average ticket price in 1984 was $3.36, but the average ticket price in 2024 is just under $11. The cost of 1 ticket today nearly equals the cost of 4 tickets purchased 40 years ago, which doesn’t even include food.
5. Streaming Services
When video and music streaming started, they were a novelty, so they weren’t expensive. Television viewers tired of high cable bills could cut the cord to save money, while music listeners could personalize their music playlists.
When the streaming services became wildly popular, their prices started to skyrocket. You don’t have to give up on streaming, but you may want to pare down your accounts to the most vital and economical ones.
6. Sporting Events
This is extremely painful for fans of live sports, but the prices of tickets, food, and beverages at major league sporting events can easily equal a monthly car note or mortgage payment. That’s a considerable amount of money for a few hours of entertainment.
There are cheaper alternatives besides watching the games on TV. Support your alma mater or favorite local college team by attending their games. If college sports aren’t your thing, support your area’s farm teams or amateur leagues.
7. New Cars
Who doesn’t like the experience of driving a new car? The smoothness of the drive and the new car smell are beyond appealing. Having a vehicle that no one else has owned except you feels nice.
If you go car shopping today, that new car sheen wears off quickly when you see its sticker price. New cars have never been cheap, but their prices have reached new highs in the last few years. If you need new wheels, buy a reliable used car.
8. Designer Clothing and Shoes
Designer clothing has always been nice to have and not a necessity. They may have a better fit and look to them, but you don’t need them to survive. The clothes you buy from an online retailer or big box store serve the same basicpurpose.
There are cheaper alternatives for fashionistas who absolutely need their designer labels to feel like themselves. Getting designer clothes from discount retailers, thrift stores, or consignment shops allows you to look chic on a budget.
9. Bar Beverages
Getting together with work colleagues for happy hour after a long day at the office or hanging out with your friends to relax and catch up on what’s been going on with your lives is a pleasurable way to unwind.
That feeling of camaraderie won’t last very long once you see how much you’re paying for those beverages. Running a tab makes it even worse because it’s easy to lose track of how much you’re spending. Save your money and have your gatherings at home instead.
10. Name Brand Cereals
I know this one is going to elicit groans but hear me out. Many cereals have their name brands, which they sell under generic or store brands. Other off-brand cereal companies make similar products.
Why pay $6 for a cereal box when you could pay $2 or $3 for an almost identical item? If you can’t bear the thought of giving up your familiar brand of cereal, check out a grocery outlet to see if they have what you’re looking for. The boxes may be slightly damaged but sold for much less than retail.
11. Hair Salons and Barber Shops
Going to the salon or barber shop for hair care seems necessary, and in some ways, it is. However, when a haircut costs $50 or more, and a perm is $250, it’s time to rethink how you manage your hair care.
Going to a barber or beauty school and allowing students to work on your hair at a deep discount is one option. If you need to see your favorite barber or hairdresser, reduce the frequency of the visits to make them more affordable.
12. New Gadgets
Does having the newest mobile phone or video game system feel cool before anyone else? Sure, but that thrill comes at a cost. Video game systems run into hundreds of dollars, and mobile phones sell for over $1,000.
Unless you’re a professional gamer or have an occupation that requires you to have the newest smartphone technology, hold off on making those purchases until the prices drop. If your current devices perform well, is there a reason to replace them?
13. Takeout and Delivery Food
The convenience of takeout and delivery food is hard to resist. You just make a call or order online, pick it up in person, or deliver it right to your door. No cooking and no kitchen messes sounds like a win-win.
Unfortunately, those wonderful conveniences can add up to serious money, particularly if you’re ordering takeout or delivery a few times a week. If you add up your receipts for a week or month’s worth of takeout and delivery, you’d be shocked at how much you spent. That money is better used at the grocery store.
14. Mobile In-App Purchases
Playing games on smartphones and tablets is an enjoyable way to pass the time. The trouble starts when you reach that level of play that you just can’t pass unless you have more virtual coins or credits and give in and buy them.
It seems harmless at first; it’s only $1.99 here or $2.99 there. Before you know it, you’ve added $75 to your next phone bill because of the in-app purchases. Resist the urge to buy those credits and coins and move on to a different game.
15. Takeout Coffee
Starting your busy morning with a stop at your favorite coffee shop for your jolt of java is a ritual many people perform several days a week. It not only occurs during the workweek; it happens on weekends, too.
Those morning coffee shop trips 5, 6, 7 days a week can quickly add to some serious money, especially if you treat yourself to an on-the-go breakfast. What you spend in a month on takeout coffee, you could buy a nice coffee maker and make your brew.
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Living frugally isn’t something that comes naturally to everyone. For impulse spenders, cutting out unnecessary spending is a daily struggle. However, if you want to live a more frugal lifestyle or trim the fat from your budget, we can help.
