“I Near Fainted”: 30 Things That Have Gotten So Expensive, People Just Can’t Ignore It Anymore
I recently took a trip to McDonald’s for the first time in years, and I was extremely disappointed. After waiting 45 minutes for a cold meal, my partner and I realized that for the same price, we could have had a much better dinner somewhere else! Isn’t the appeal of fast food supposed to be that it’s quick and affordable?
Well, as we all know, some things just aren’t what they used to be. Redditors have been discussing items that have become surprisingly expensive in recent years, so we’ve gathered some of their thoughts below. Enjoy scrolling through this list that will remind you how out of control inflation has gotten, and keep reading to find a conversation with Laura Turner, aka Thrifty Londoner!
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Fast food in general. Five guys and McDonalds specifically. How is the price of a burger, fries and a coke the same as a full service sit-down restaurant?
It's not though, sit-down restaurant prices also have gone up significantly.
Canned Tuna. (The cheaper stuff tastes like c**p and why do they put a picture of a cat on it?)
To gain some more insight on this topic from a personal finance expert, we reached out to Laura Turner, founder of Thrifty Londoner, who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda.
"The most obvious items that I’ve noticed have become increasingly more expensive are food items," Laura shared. "I think this is because when we buy things frequently, we get to know the prices over time (plus, the cumulative cost becomes very obvious!)"
Rent.
SaltySpitoonReg:
It's insane how quickly it's gone up. When I started renting 5 years ago, my apartment was just over $1,000 a month.
Now it's just under 2k.
5 years and nearly doubled. Insane.
Im Florida, they can raise it to any amount with only a 60 days. Government sponsored price gouging at its finest.
Concert tickets.
I mean I don’t buy them anymore, but when I go to buy them… I don’t.
"The most expensive things in our baskets will also have the most obvious percentage increases," the Thrifty Londoner noted. "For me, I’ve seen salmon fillets costing £10 a pack in some stores, to other items like olive oil increasing by at least £1 per bottle."
"As someone with dietary intolerances, I also buy a fair amount of dairy free and gluten free products, and these are also more expensive than ever before," Laura added. "Whether it’s £3 for a chocolate bar, or £4 for a pack of wraps!"
I usually don’t brag about owning expensive things, but I just left the grocery store.
Petrus_Rock:
Just groceries. We used to be able to fill a cart to the brim with 200-250 euros. Now it’s *cheap* if we can fill half a cart for that price.
I sometimes have to go to the grocery store because my parents and siblings are busy. The cost regularly adds up to more than $200. I'm sorry for... just trying to survive...?
Fruit. How the f**k is a cantaloupe $8.00???
gayforequalrights:
I accidentally bought a $15 bag of grapes and a $15 bag of cotton candy grapes. Panicked when I got home but even worse the next day they were moldy! I actually returned them to the store. I’m not cheap but $30 is $30.
Best thing to do for your fruits and vegetables, especially grapes, is to take out all the grapes from a container. Line the container with a [paper] towel. soak the grapes in a solution of about 1/4 vinegar and water solution. Let them soak for at least ten minutes, then rinse and put them back in the container. The vinegar kills the mold spores and they last much longer in the refer.....You will be very surprised at how dirty the left over water will be.
Laura says she started to notice a shift in these prices around a year ago, but they have significantly accelerated in the last 6 months. "I have changed the way I shop a little to accommodate the increased prices," she told Bored Panda. "For example, instead of salmon being my choice of an omega 3-rich oily fish, I now opt for the cheaper, but still omega 3-rich, mackerel."
Potato chips. I’ve lost ten pounds. My doctor says that inflation is the best thing that could have happened to me. No joke.
I don't drink pop, I don't eat meat, I don't eat chips, but I used to years ago and the prices are shocking now. I just bought some protein bars and when I was putting them away I came across a long forgotten one from the same company that somehow got lost in the pantry. I swear it was 1/3 bigger than the new ones for the same price.
Laura also provided some tips for those of us who need help budgeting. "The starting point of any good budget is to know exactly what your essentials cost each month (your rent or mortgage payments, bills, travel, fuel, groceries etc)," the expert noted. "Look at your bank balance to get a true picture."
"See if you can reduce any of these fixed costs- for example, negotiating your bills, as a head start on your budget," she continued. "Then, you can work from there to see what’s leftover for non-essentials and saving."
A house. I recognize this is different than "every time you buy it", but whenever I casually browse houses for sale in my area, I think to myself, "How does anyone these days ever save up enough to even pay a 10% down payment? Let alone pay the mortgage with interest rates these days."
Sanitary pads.
uffdathatisnice:
It costs me $16 and my sanity to get my period every month.
Use a menstrual cup! 30 bucks every 10 years as long as you take care of them.
"My best advice is to try and increase your income to help combat increased costs resulting from inflation," Laura added. "Things like asking for a pay rise, side hustling, or making sure that your savings are in a high interest savings account."
If you'd like to hear more wise words and financial advice from Laura, be sure to visit Thrifty Londoner!
Socks/Underwear.
Pretend_Star_8193:
Bras are freaking insane. And they’re not something you can cheap out on. I lost weight recently and had to replace my bras. I wanted to cry.
Anything for women should be listed here. We pay more for the "pink tax" then if the product was made for men. I hate how the less fabric there is in clothing, the more expensive it is!
Auto insurance.
Honeypott615:
I literally pay almost 300 for just liability on a car that is paid off and I’ve been in no accidents and my car is 11 years old !! That’s how much I was paying for full coverage when I was leasing my car. Their reason is just the cost of living. Okayy glad yall can jack that price up while I haven’t gotten a raise and I ask for a raise and I get laughed at (literally by the boss) DISGUSTING.
This one really gets me as I have just done the car insurance for me and my wife. Last year for both it was about £550, this year it was £750. That was the cheapest I could get it to. For the same thing I had last year. The reasons are that they can, it's extortion, and f**k you
Prescription medicine.
Inked_Chick:
My migraine medication, without insurance, is 2400$ a month for SIXTEEN pills (two 8pks). And there isn't a cheaper generic version. You also can't split up the amount to pay less in an emergency. It comes in an 8pk for 1200$. All of it or none of it.
It's criminal. I'm in debilitating pain. It's not like I want it for funsies.
Edit to add: my insurance does cover it so I only pay 11$ but every month insurance screws around for 10 days wanting to deny it so it's an agonizing waiting game where I can't get emergency doses :(
Old subway commercial was 5$ footlong, 15$ dollar foot long doesn’t quite have the same jingle to it.
Baby Formula.
insolentjuice:
Horribly expensive. Apparently, it’s the most commonly shoplifted item. So sad.
Netwytch:
A small can of hypoallergenic formula is $37.00. My 7-month-old goes through multiple cans per week. I pay more for my baby’s formula per week than I do groceries for me and my husband.
Looked at a magazine while standing in the grocery store check out. Magazine was $15!
i tried to buy a crossword puzzle book, but when i scanned the price, it was $17.98 and i had to put it back.
Diapers being $48 a box is wild.
cocofruitbowl:
My child is finally clicking with using the toilet and I’m so relieved (no pun intended).
Tuition
Used cars
Daycare
Insurance
Medicine
Groceries
Toys
Hygiene products
Games on Steam
Tips - when did 10 to 15% become not good enough?
Razor blades. What the hell? You would think these are individually forged by hand by master craftsmen.
Edit: the only cartridge blades I now buy are for my wife. I’ve grown a beard and use Wahl clippers for both my noggin’ and face. For the most part I use a Braun electric to trim and tidy (Mr. Neck Beard is not attractive to Mrs. Maverick).
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.
Good bras are so expensive! I replaced my bras in 2020. They were $60 a piece on sale. They’re wearing out but I can’t afford to replace. And as I’m well endowed, cheap Walmart ones don’t work.
As a truck driver, I no longer eat any meal out of a truck stop restaurant anymore. A T-bone steak dinner at the Petro cost almost $40 out the door after taxes and a tip. I was able to justify investing in a vacuum sealer, a dometic 12 volt fridge/freezer and a gas one camping stove. All in all my total initial cost to start saving more money has been almost $1k to prep my own food and I'm going to make all of it back after 3 or 4 months if I just cut the restaurants out of my budget entirely. I've also found that brewing your own tea or coffee,and using drink mixes cuts back on costs significantly seeing as a bottle of Gatorade cost like $3.45.
Was at a convenience store and an older guy bought a carton of sort of bottom shelf 305s for around $38. Expensive habit.
Toilet paper.
spiciestbeans:
Every time I see it’s like 25-30$ for a big pack of tp I question why I’m paying to wipe my own a**.
How many rolls are there in a "big pack"? If you buy the bestest softest TP in germany you'll spend no more than €5 for like 10 or 12 rolls.
Freaking oil changes! Wasn’t it like a few years ago they were $20? Now I get coupons for $75 and I’m supposed to act like I’m robbing them.
Cat food.
greenjilly:
Seriously! Within a year, the cat food I get went from $12 to $19. I literally could not believe it. I had to go back and check my receipts because I thought I was going crazy.
My poor cat had stones in his bladder. He had surgery and is better now. Both cats are now on a special diet. $96/case of 24 cans. They are worth it. (See picture of his stones) Resized_10...b-jpeg.jpg 
Cereal. Literally $9.50 a box with tax. Absolutely ridiculous.
Panera bread. It used to be like $10 for you pick two a few years ago. Now, it's $18. The quality has deteriorated as well.
I wasn't impressed with it before the prices went up...
McDonald’s! I mean it’s cheap compared to other things but now it’s just as expensive as Wendy’s or any other fast food joint. I’m Canadian it’s about $14 after tax for a Big Mac combo at my local McDonalds.
Note: this post originally had 62 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
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Yep. Two years from now I wasn't worried about making it to end of the month, now I have to read twice my grocery list before going to the store.
Load More Replies...
This list is mostly US oriented bcz even though i agree about price inflation of houses, electricty and some other things. Most things are cheap in Europe and Asia. Medicines and education are price controlled by government here. Sure, its expensive even then but not as much as US for sure.
Yep. Two years from now I wasn't worried about making it to end of the month, now I have to read twice my grocery list before going to the store.
Load More Replies... This list is mostly US oriented bcz even though i agree about price inflation of houses, electricty and some other things. Most things are cheap in Europe and Asia. Medicines and education are price controlled by government here. Sure, its expensive even then but not as much as US for sure.
