We all have things we cannot live without and others we wish we could afford but remain only a dream. What’s considered luxurious has changed over the years, and some completely mainstream things are now something we must save up to buy. We look at 18 things that were affordable 20 years ago but are now considered a luxury, as debated in a recent online forum.
Owning Your Own Home
The annoyance of not being able to own your own home is top of the list by far. With mortgage rates and the costs of deposits rising way above people’s wages and affordability, more and more people are renting properties.
Moving Out of Your Parent’s Home Early
Even if people do not want to own their own home, they do want to move out of their childhood home when they come of age. These days, it is challenging without support from wealthy parents. One person recalls, “I remember being 20 and thinking it was crazy anyone would live with their parents.”
Living Alone
One person said, “I’ve seen that even married couples will live with roommates to ease the cost of living.”
Freedom
One person recalled, “I feel like I had more freedom at 15 than I do at 33. I feel like my mum always has to know my location.” This develops into a discussion about living in a Big Brother state with people being able to track us at all times.
The Luxury of People Not Wanting Your Immediate Response
This brings up the use of mobile phones in which people ask a question and demand an immediate response, which is very different from the days of pages and payphones.
Groceries
While we all need to eat, with rising costs and more demands on home finances, groceries are a luxury to many, and households are keeping an eye on every dollar they are spending.
Fair Wages
One young person sounded frustrated when they said, “My mom made more in 1990 in a factory than people get paid in factories today. $13.75. She could buy a house and a car and save money.”
Privacy
Life seems so much busier; whether we are working more, meeting the demands of parenthood, or attending classes to enhance our well-being, it seems that people are just not getting time for themselves.
Making Mistakes
If we did something dumb or fell over our classmates years ago, people would laugh at us for a few minutes and then forget about it. With the rise of smartphones and recording devices, your mistake is now plastered all over social media for the world to see.
Having a Baby
When couples decided whether to have a baby in the past, it was all down to how much they wanted a child in their life, but these days, people need to consider if having a baby is financially viable for them, which is a sad fact of life.
Vacations
With money being tight and the cost of flights and hotels rising, vacations are now few and far between for many people right now.
Being a Stay at Home Mom
Single-income households are not as popular as they once were, as couples now need to meet the financial demands of running a home with two people going out to work.
Quality Clothing
Cheaper clothing is mainly made with synthetic fibers, and sourcing clothes made with natural fibers that will last longer is very expensive.
Big Weddings
With the average cost of a wedding in the US being $30,000, it is apparent that it is out of many people’s budgets. Compare this to an average cost of $23,300 twenty years ago and $19,000; you can see why many people are opting for smaller weddings.
Disposable Income
Disposable income, what is that you speak of? Every little penny is accounted for by many households, which means less money to spend on luxuries such as meals out or weekend trips.
Regular Haircuts
One person said that the cost of a haircut is extortionate at the moment, which means they have longer hair than usual. Another person chimed in by saying, “Yup. I have curly hair, and I’m lucky to get three haircuts a year because the haircut is $80.”
Easy Dating
Online dating has opened up many opportunities for people searching for love, so it has many benefits. However, some people now question if their partner is being faithful or if they are secretly swiping for more online mates.
Cable TV
Lastly, even the cost of staying at home and making your snacks is expensive, with the cost of cable TV rising significantly. There seems to be no end to paying out for the things we love.
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