Times change, and some of us are old enough to remember how much. Some things that were seen as affordable or reasonable a few decades ago are now luxury items kept as a rare treat, only exist in certain instances (or not at all), or are reserved for the wealthy. One internet user recently inquired, “What was normal 20–30 years ago but is considered a luxury now?” Here are the top 20 replies:
Real Wood Furniture
“Nothing angers me more than paying luxury prices for fiberboard-framed garbage.”
“I’m with you. My kids went through four beds in eight years (pressboard trash). I built a scabby one out of lumber for half the price, and they love it. Let them paint it; they couldn’t be happier.”
Speaking To a Human
“Remember calling a company and getting a person on the other end of the phone.”
“Now we literally have to fight the IVR, and they’ve enabled the robot lady to hang up on you.”
Affordable Living
“Paying no more than 30% of your income in rent is a luxury nowadays….”
“I lived in poverty housing, and this was how they determined our rent. It was 30% of mom’s income, regardless. That was 20 years ago, but I’m not sure what starving kids do today.”
Being Unreachable
“I need the mobile computer the phone is attached to; the phone is just one of thousands of functions that it has. Unfortunately, that makes me permanently available.”
“I hate being bothered about work when I’m off. I’m known as the one who never answers.”
Household Items That Last
“My grandma had the same fridge from 1993 for ages before deciding to switch to a newer, bigger one two years ago. It broke within those two years; my mom’s wedding cookware is still going strong 25 years later, but whenever she needs new pans, they start flaking Teflon.”
Free Driving Lessons
“Free driver’s education classes used to be taught in all high schools back in the 90s.”
“It’s no longer a thing in Florida. I wish I had that option because I probably would’ve been able to learn earlier. I’m struggling financially right now, and college starts in the fall.”
Retiring
“It’s amazing how Western European citizens get services and perks that we only get if we pay for them. Cheap or free education, health care, retirement benefits, and many more.”
“How much businesses pay into the 401(k)s that they offer has decreased considerably.”
Watching Planes Take-off For Free
“I remember as a kid, they allowed people to visit an airport area where they could see the runway and flights take off; they didn’t have to pay anything for it. Now, you must pay a certain amount to get in and watch from a glass cabin. Back then, there was just a gate.”
Farmer’s markets
“You used to be able to go down and get fruit and vegetables cheaper than the grocery store. Now it seems like they charge three times more than stores do.”
“You’d get corn for around ten for $1.00, and it would be the most amazing corn you’d ever tasted.”
Repairing Things
“Today’s tools can’t be dismantled. I have a hedge trimmer from the 50s. It broke a few weeks ago, so I pulled out some screws and fixed its simple mechanical motor. Works fine again.”
“By the time I fixed the washer, I’d have spent enough money to buy a new one.”
Privacy
“It used to be implicit—it was just there; you didn’t have to think about it. Now it’s explicit; you have to seek it out and take steps to ensure it remains in force. It’s hard work.”
“Anonymous quote: It’s not that I have something to hide. I have nothing I want you to see.”
Real Photographs
“Photographs on actual photographic paper are still possible, but oh so rare and expensive.”
“It’s not that it costs significantly more than before; there was just no alternative. Photography has gone from a bit of a luxury to something that literally everybody can afford.”
No Sign-ups
“I had to buy a new computer last year and was BEWILDERED that Microsoft needed my email address and an account for me to just LOG ON to my own computer!”
“Tire Barn wanted my email AND phone number after just getting my tires filled with air.”
Home Ownership
“The studio apartments I am working on will rent for 50% of my salary. How can I spend 50% of my income on rent but still save for a house? I feel like the system is rigged nowadays.”
“Buying a home, in general, is impossible for single-parent or double-parent families.”
Quality Clothing
“Good-quality fabric is rare now. I have clothes from the 90s (and the 80s from my mother) that still hold up today. These days, I’m lucky if my shirt isn’t saggy and misshapen within a year.”
“I inherited a lot of my grandpa’s clothes. They hold up better than most things I could buy.”
An Evening Out
“I miss going out every Friday after work and being able to afford it.”
“I went out with my cousin. I bought food and four drinks for myself and my fiance. Came up to $120. Going out got really expensive. It used to be a regular thing, but now it’s a one-off.”
Annual Vacations
“I’m still pushing to make this happen for my family. We may end up camping for part of it.”
“Seriously. I haven’t taken a vacation in almost ten years, aside from a two-day trip to Disney last year for my son’s birthday. And that’s only an hour and a half away from me.”
Flying Comforts
“Legroom on an airplane is a luxury nowadays, and so is a meal during the flight.”
“Air travel had a lot of perks early on because it was trying to entice passengers away from luxurious trains. As it got commodified and more accessible, it’s more like bus travel luxury-wise.”
Concert Tickets
“Yes! It sure does seem like ticket prices went from $50 to $200 really, really fast.”
“17 years ago, I spent $30 to see an internationally touring band play a concert, and I thought that was way too high. Now I’m spending a minimum of $20 on admission to see local bands.”
Software Ownership
“I just came back to the Apple ecosystem, and every app is ‘subscribe to use.’ If your app asks me to sign up for your trial without even being able to use it first, I delete the app.”
“I remember when Adobe was on a CD and a one-time buy. Now it’s $100 a month.”
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