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People Share Expensive Things Whose High Price Tags Don’t Make Any Sense
Many people, many minds. Especially when it comes to something as important as money and pricing. At different moments in our lives, we might believe some things are way too expensive, and then a situation may come when we feel like Shakespeare's King Richard claiming: "My Kingdom for a horse!"
In fact, every person has their own ideas about what is cheap, what is expensive and what should actually be cheap but at the same time, for some reason, costs as much as a private jet. You definitely don't need to be a PhD in economics to form your own mind on this.
There's a thread on Reddit where people try to figure out which things are actually too expensive for no particular reason. It is really popular with more than 22.3k upvotes and over 18.3k comments.
BoredPanda made a curated list with the most popular and witty opinions for you. So feel free to scroll down and have a good time reading, watching and of course commenting. After all, as we have told before: many people, many minds...
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#1
Insulin
Insulin Since this is getting unexpected visibility, editing to add: Don't forget to check for manufacturers' Patient Assistance Programs, pharmacy discount cards, and goodrx.com for ways to bring the price down (in the U.S.)
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#2
Dental Care
Jane_Flowers69 told: Dental care. magikot9 agreed: Me: breaks bone Insurance: we cover that. Me: breaks tooth Insurance: sorry, but you didn't buy our Premium Bitey Bones p******.
#3
College Textbooks
-eDgAR- said: College textbooks. I had a professor that was really against the college textbook industry and said it was a huge scam, so for the class I took with him he used a textbook that he wrote and provided a PDF version of it for free to all of us. lilephant replied: I had one require a book that he wrote himself….. but it wasn’t free and actually was similar in price to others. Ironically he was my ethics professor.
#4
Education
I honestly can't believe that nowhere in this post as of right now can EDUCATION be found. Now, college doesn't have to be free, but recently the prices have gone through the roof and based on this post, it seems to have been normalized.
#5
Funerals And Everything Connected With Death
knockfart told: Funerals ur_canadian_brudda replied: Hi, I install and maintain headstones for a living. Preplan and PREPAY FOR THAT s***. Or at least make a will. It saves so much arguing later. Almost nobody wants a gazillion dollars spent, but for some reason grieving peeps always feel like the $5500 casket that gets buried seems like a better deal than the pine box.
#6
Everything Because Of Inflation
Because of inflation at the moment it feels like everything. Why do I have to pay so much for food? Why is the gas so expensive? How will I keep sustaining my car? Will my wife and I ever own a home? It’s debilitating man
#7
Feminine Hygiene Products
Feminine hygiene products. There is no reason to spend 30 bucks a month for something that isn’t even my choice. I don’t want to bleed for 7-10 days . If I could I would just rip out my ute**s. Edit: for all the people out there suggesting me stuff thank you but I don’t need it anymore. I got the IUD 3 years ago and I hardly bleed. I just use a [underwear] liner now and it’s super cheap. This was just how much I use to spend back when I bought pads and tampons (I had to use both …. Very heavy flow )
#8
Glasses, Especially Famous Brand Glasses
Glasses! I saw an interview on 20:20 or some news show and the brand name frames rep they were talking to, when asked why they charge so much for things that cost so little to produce, roughly responded “the glasses are worth what people are willing to pay for them 🤷🏻♂️”
#9
Diamonds, Due To The Monopolized Industry
emik7133 said: Diamonds. Complete scam. ThePlooker answered: Yeah, I came to say this. Ya beat me to it. If it wasn't for DeBeers, diamonds would be about $20 per carat.
#10
Housing
splitting_bullets said: Housing. Everyone needs one, birth rates are predictable, people are better utilized when housed and not struggling too much Unsteady_Tempo answered: The lack of affordable housing is the consequence and failure of cities/counties not being more proactive in creating zoning laws that would require more density in new construction, fewer short term rental permits of non owner occupied homes, and limits on for-profit ownership of more than a few single family structures.
#11
Grocery Bills
shadysamonthelamb wrote: The grocery bill is killing us. I feel like I get 5 things and somehow it's $50. Dear_Program6355 replied: You get to buy things? I step in a supermarket, buy nothing, and somehow I've spent $50.
#12
Nfts
Gr8_Ape_7 said: NFT.....its a monkey imvital replied: You misspelled “money laundering”
#13
Everything Regarding Being Healthy
Being healthy. Eating right cost more, gym and exercise time money time and commitment. This should be encouraged and supported not dragged down with extra cost.
#14
E-Books
DanTheTerrible wrote: E-books. OneGoodRib answered: Oh that's a good one. I get that just because it's a digital item that doesn't mean the author and publisher shouldn't make money off it, but it makes no f*****g sense for the ebook to be $2 less than the hardcover. There's significantly less costs to the publishers with ebooks, why do they cost so much?? It's so f*****g annoying to go on Amazon and it's like "$36 new hardback, $30 new paperback, $28 ebook, $10 used hardback". Why would I want the ebook when it's that expensive?! And I saw this as someone who is incredibly low on space for books and who doesn't even mind reading ebooks.
#15
Hearing Aids
pghreddit wrote: Hearing aids. Zelda_cat22 agreed: As an audiologist, I 100% agree! Unfortunately the prices are the way they are due to two problems. One is most clinics “bundle” services. This is mostly because insurance doesn’t like to pay for our testing or rehabilitation/counseling we provide. Also-if you’re a small clinic the manufactures that make the hearing aids sell them at a higher price to you. For example, a small office might pay $1,500 for a pair of hearing aids. Whereas Costco, who can buy a lot more, only pays $100 for the same hearing aids. Its [is bad] because to become an audiologist you have to get a doctorate. You go through all that schooling just to end up “selling” hearing aids. One of the biggest reasons why I’m not practicing right now.
#16
Running For Office In America
Running for office in America. The cost to run a successful campaign in America for virtually any state level or higher political office is simply unattainable for the common person and prices out anyone but the ruling class of oligarchs and those with connections to it. Sure there examples of candidates outside the typical wealthy and ingrained political establishment, but they are the rare exception, not the rule. With US House races costing over $2 million and Senate races costing over $16 million the average person, no matter how well educated and how well qualified, is automatically eliminated without a vast amount of personal wealth or connections to the individuals, corporations, and parties that do hold that power. So the halls of congress and the seat of power is never filled with our best and brightest, but instead those with the wealth to attain that power and the conviction to maintain that status quo at virtually any cost to the people.
#17
Medication
Drugs. They say it's to pay for R&D but there were meeting minutes leaked from a big pharmaceutical company where they were like how much should we charge for this drug? $20? How about $50? Why not $100? Why not $300??? So they went with $300/pill.
#19
Buying And/Or Selling A House
Buying and/or selling a house. There are so many people with their hands out that literally push paper and make a few phone calls. Total scam
#20
Adobe Products As They Switched To A Monthly Fee
PH0T0Nman said: Adobe Products. It’s a massive scam that they switched to a monthly fee as it’s killed any incentive for them to make meaningful improvements and they [end] or buy up any competitors _Dague_ replied: Someone tweeted about pirating Photoshop and Adobe liked the tweet. They are well aware they have the most pirated product, but they know if they become an industry standard they can make their profits off companies buying 20 licenses at a time at $10 a month. They aren't concerned with amateur photographers stealing Lightroom. It wouldn't surprise me if Adobe was releasing the cracked versions online to get more people using their products. Several other companies have adopted that business model of giving out a freeware version and then charging businesses for the premium.
#21
Everything Associated With Weddings
zzzz_bbbb said: Everything associated with weddings. meaganannmorrison commented: This was my first thought too, trying to plan a wedding within an actual budget is HARD
#22
LEGO
mildewmoisturizer told: Legos nikon78698 commented: What do you mean? $630 for the titanic is a steal….. frozenuniverse added: I dunno, it's a bit rusty by now, I don't think I'd pay $630 for it after all that time underwater
#23
Theatre Tickets, Especially Live Broadway Shows
slyblueisblu told: Theatre tickets. Stop being snobs and let us poor folk experience live Broadway shows too please It seems a big part of the “value” of items like this is the expense keeps the r**f-r**f away. There’s a comedian in the UK who jokes about how he now has a posh wife now so they go to expensive restaurants “for the ambience”. He eventually figured out what ambience was…. A lack of poor people being around. Aloonatron answered: Another fun bit from that routine is him asking for ketchup in a posh restaurant, so the waiter brings out a small discreet dish, which he samples, and then says “that’s great, I’ll have a bottle please.”
#24
Having A Roof Over Your Head Or Even Replacing A Roof
[deleted] said: Having a roof over your head. frederick_ungman answered: Heck..just replacing a roof is crazy expensive. $21,000 for mine.
#25
Xyrem
thotkeys told: Xyrem. It can be absolutely life-changing for people with narcolepsy. However, most insurance doesn't cover it, and the out-of-pocket cost is about $6k for a 1 month supply. Inevitable-Effort186 agreed: My poor baby sister took Xyrem for a couple years. Completely stoped her seizures but the taste made her almost vomit every time ): also I don't remember it being expensive? I think we were on assisted state insurance then.
#26
Taxes
Taxes. Most of the money we “give” to our government either disappears or gets [angry] down the drain. If the government cannot responsibly spend OUR money, then they really have no business handling it at all.
#27
Bottled Water
Vanatru told: Bottled water trevg_123 answered: Get a water bottle and refill it, price takes a deep dive toward zero. You’re paying for the convenience, plus the inconvenience of adding trash to the planet
#28
Shaving Razors
Down_Low_Too_Slow told: Shaving razors unoriginal5 answered: I noticed even Dollar Shave Club, who was supposed to revolutionize the market, is on the shelf next to Gillette with the same high capacity cartridge at the same price. I switched to a safety razor, and buy 50 blades that last a week for $15. m19honsy was curious: You use 50 razors a week!! How many times you shave exactly.
#29
Starbucks
MiaLedger wrote: Starbucks 7 dollar drinks are crazy Senpai59210 answered: I feel like the type of people who buy Starbucks regularly are the type of people who aren't concerned about the price of their drink
#30
Popcorn And Literally Everything In Movie Theatres
NishantWubaluba told: Popcorn in movie theatre. [deleted] answered: Anything in the theatre is expensive honestly lol
#32
Internet And Mobile Plans In Canada
ReeG said: Canadian internet and mobile plans trentonl commented: Rogers that
#33
Curtains And Blinds
m100896 wrote: Curtains and blinds. popjunkie42 admitted: Yes. Why? One of the bad secrets of owning a home. Rugs are expensive as h**l as well.
#34
Housing Prices In Major Cities
Housing prices in major cities. Shops are closed, alot of things are moving online, people are leaving and houses are vacant. Why are prices going up.
#35
Nintendo Games
Xendarq's opinion: Nintendo Switch games nousername808's answer: Any proprietary Nintendo games never go down in price. Like Mario for wiiU is still $69 in 2022.
#36
Panera
the-alchemist11 wrote: Panera I426Hemi answered: A girl I dated about a decade or so ago worked at a Panera and asked me to come have lunch with her once. I though Panera was just a cutesy little coffee and sandwich place and had an actual moment of "what the f*** is going on" when I saw the prices vs what you get.
#37
Lobster As It Needs So Much Work For So Little Meat
kungfookate said: Lobster. So much work for so little meat. You have to wear a bib to eat it in case the carcass squirts at you. You have to use tools and your own strength to even get at the edible part. Then when you finally pull your sore, red, wet fingers out with that precious tiny morsel, it doesn't even taste good enough on its own that you then have to dunk it in butter. beetlehunterz answered: Back in the day lobster used to be considered poor people food. DerpNinjaWarrior commented too: This us why I stick with lobster rolls. Which are still overpriced.
#38
Modern Art When A Usual Boulder Could Cost $2m
ExtensionAnybody467 commented: Modern Art, like, [why?] how does a boulder cost $2M!? MagentaLea answered: Easy just title it Tax Evasion. jbergcreations commented: Also actual boulders that aren’t art, if you want some rocks in your yard those things are expensive but someone found it for free in the wild and didn’t have to feed it or anything until it got to your house
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#39
People Share Expensive Things Whose High Price Tags Don't Make Any Sense
Any cut of meat that is considered offal went from being used as food for the dogs and slaves (don't gasp -- I am Black) to being the most sought-after, expensive cuts in the market today. . . . ?! . . .
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