Thanks to inflation, everything is now expensive. Not only are prices increasing, but the quality of everything seems to be getting worse. As a result, many people are starting to give up items they’d once considered staples. Here are 17 things that have become so expensive that you should save your money and stop buying them.
Takeout Food
Takeout food was a convenient alternative to cooking at home or eating out at a restaurant, but that’s no longer the case. It costs more to order restaurant food, and delivery apps are taking advantage of this by adding taxes and fees. Unless it’s a treat, takeout food is too expensive to buy regularly.
Branded Skincare Products
Taking care of your skin is essential, but many big-brand skincare products are scams. Some claim to be ‘miracle’ products, but they do exactly the same things as cheaper alternatives. You can save money by investigating these alternative products instead, saving your dollars to spend on other important items.
Pricey Alcohol
According to The Drinks Business, knowing the price of alcohol impacts what we think of it, so there’s no need to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a pricey bottle. You should find a few reasonably-priced brands and enjoy them. The money you save on alcohol can be put to good use elsewhere.
Soda
Soda has become a staple of many people’s diets, but many are now being priced out of buying it. Drinking too much soda is bad for your health, and now it’s also bad for your bank balance. Coca-Cola, in particular, has hiked its prices in recent years. To preserve those extra weekly dollars, stop buying soda to drink at home.
Bouquets
Bouquets are beautiful gifts to give to others and ourselves, but they’re often not worth the money. Fresh flowers look gorgeous, but they don’t last long before you have to throw them away. Brightening your home with fake flowers is much more practical and cost-effective, so there’s no need to buy real bouquets anymore.
Greeting Cards
Giving greeting cards for every occasion has become a cultural norm, but they often cost an average of $4-$5 each, and people don’t display them for long before they end up in the trash. You could make your own greeting cards or visit dollar stores for cheaper alternatives to luxury brand cards.
Books
Bookworms often mourn for the age of cheaper books. The Passive Voice blames high book costs on printing, returns, and transit prices. Luckily, you don’t need to spend money on new books when there are other ways to read. You can visit used bookstores, get a library card, or even access free books online.
Scented Candles
People love scented candles, and businesses are catching onto this. They’ve gone from a niche product to a premium good, with many brands being criticized for selling candles with either no scent or an overpowering scent that bothers people. Expensive scented candles are often overhyped and not worth the cost.
Branded Headphones
Why spend $50 on branded headphones when you can get the same listening experience with a cheaper, non-branded pair? Many people fall for the aesthetic of pricey headphones, but as long as you can comfortably listen to music, how the headphones look doesn’t matter.
Bottled Water
Some people don’t like the flavor of tap water, but that doesn’t mean you need to waste money on expensive bottled water every week. By using a water filter, you’ll soon make up the money you’d have spent on bottled water instead. It’s also more environmentally friendly to stop buying bottled water.
Magazines
Flicking through glossy magazines is satisfying, but they’ve become too expensive to be worth the money anymore. You can access magazine articles online, so you can seek out the content you want to read for free rather than paying for a magazine delivery subscription.
New Cars
It’s natural to want a car that looks good, but buying a new car is a waste of money when cheaper used cars are available. According to Bankrate, new vehicles are often several thousand dollars more than used cars, and their value depreciates. New cars have become so expensive that they’re no longer worth buying, no matter how they look.
Uber Rides
Uber was revolutionary when it first launched, but it is more expensive now than it used to be. If you have other options, like catching the bus, you should take them and save money. Uber sometimes raises prices to attract more drivers, and taking too many expensive lifts quickly eats into your budget.
Gym Clothing
So many brands and celebrities now have gym clothing lines, but many of these items are a huge rip-off. You can work out in any leggings or shorts and whatever shirt you’re comfortable wearing. Gym clothing has become a fashion fad, with high price tags for the same materials you can buy for a lot less.
Printer Ink
While Inkjet printers are cheaper than laser printers, they cost more to run due to the cost of printer ink cartridges. You can print more with toner cartridges than ink, so you’ll have to buy them less. Printer ink has become a rip-off, so it’s best to stop buying it altogether and consider a laser printer instead.
Formalwear
We all need stylish formal clothes for important events, like weddings, but long gowns and suit sets are too expensive to justify buying any more. You’ll wear your formalwear a few times a year maximum, then leave it to gather dust in your closet until the next event. Stop buying formal clothes altogether; rent them instead.
Luxury Home Decor
You can get some beautiful home decor pieces, but they aren’t worth paying luxury prices. Apartment Therapy identifies plenty of cheap decor stores to shop at instead, including IKEA, T.J.Maxx, and Target. You can get items that look great but don’t cost much money. It’s time to give up luxury brands for more mainstream, affordable alternatives.
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