The definition of affordable keeps changing. Items that felt like reasonable splurges a few years ago now seem wildly overpriced. People are cutting back on things they used to enjoy without much guilt. These aren’t necessities being eliminated. They’re treats and luxuries that no longer feel worth the money. Here are eleven things people used to splurge on but can’t justify anymore.
Premium Streaming Bundles
Having every streaming service felt normal when they were $8 to $12 each. Now Netflix costs $23, Hulu raised prices again, and Disney+ keeps adding fees. A full streaming bundle runs $100 per month or more.
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People are dropping down to one or two services and rotating them. Watch everything on Netflix for two months, cancel it, and switch to HBO Max. The content is still there when you come back. Nobody needs constant access to everything anymore.
Designer Coffee
A $7 specialty latte used to be a daily treat. That same latte now costs $9 or $10 with tip. Five days a week adds up to $200 per month. That’s $2,400 per year on coffee.
Home coffee tastes fine and costs pennies per cup. The fancy coffee shop experience isn’t worth that premium anymore. People are making small budget changes like this one because the math finally got too ridiculous to ignore.
Brand Name Groceries
Store brands used to feel like a downgrade. Now they’re the default choice. Name brand cereal costs $6. The store version costs $2.50 and tastes identical. Multiply that across your entire grocery cart and you’re looking at serious savings.
The quality gap has disappeared for most products. Generic ibuprofen has the same active ingredient as Advil. Store brand pasta sauce uses the same tomatoes. Paying extra for a label makes no sense when budgets are tight.
New Release Movies in Theaters
Movie tickets cost $15 to $20 per person. Add popcorn and drinks and you’re spending $80 for a family of four. That same movie shows up on streaming services two months later for no additional cost.
The theater experience isn’t worth $80 anymore. The screen at home is plenty big. The snacks are cheaper. You can pause if someone needs the bathroom. People are waiting for streaming releases instead of rushing to opening weekend.
Salon Blowouts
A professional blowout costs $45 to $60. Getting one weekly was a small luxury for some people. That’s $200 to $240 per month. Nearly $3,000 per year for hair styling.
YouTube has tutorials for every hair type. You can buy a good blowout brush for the price of one blowout in a salon, and it lasts for years. Learning to style your own hair at home eliminates a massive recurring expense. The results aren’t quite salon perfect, but they’re good enough.
Premium Gym Memberships
Boutique fitness studios charge $150 to $200 per month. That’s $1,800 to $2,400 per year. The fancy equipment and classes are nice. But free YouTube workouts and running outside deliver similar results.
A $20 per month basic gym membership works fine if you actually need equipment. Many people who used to pay for expensive studios have realized they can stay fit without the premium price tag. The motivation has to come from you either way.
Organic Everything
Buying exclusively organic groceries adds 50% or more to grocery bills. A cart that costs $150 at regular prices jumps to $225 or higher when everything is organic. That’s an extra $300 per month.
People are getting selective about what needs to be organic. The “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables that really matter get bought organic. Everything else goes conventional. It’s a compromise that saves money without completely abandoning health priorities.
Restaurant Appetizers and Drinks
Ordering appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks at restaurants easily doubles the bill. A $15 entree becomes a $40 meal per person when you add everything else. Those extras used to feel like part of the experience.
Now people skip the appetizers and order water. They share one dessert if they get dessert at all. The core meal still happens, but the extras that inflate the bill get cut. Some folks dealing with rising costs have stopped eating out as often entirely.
Premium Car Washes
Automated car washes with all the extras cost $25 to $35. Getting your car washed weekly or biweekly adds up to $100 per month. That’s $1,200 per year to keep your car shiny.
Basic car washes at home cost nothing but time and effort. A bucket, soap, and hose handle the job. Your car doesn’t need to be spotless every week anyway. Rain will make it dirty again in two days.
Name Brand Cleaning Products
Method, Mrs. Meyer’s, and other premium cleaning brands cost double what generic cleaners cost. A bottle of name brand all-purpose cleaner runs $6. The store brand costs $2 and cleans just as well.
Some people make their own cleaners with vinegar, baking soda, and water for even less. Either way, paying a premium for prettier bottles and fancier scents doesn’t make financial sense anymore when you’re trying to cut everyday costs.
Fresh Flowers Weekly
Fresh flower arrangements cost $20 to $40 each. Buying them weekly was a small luxury that brightened up homes. That habit costs $1,000 to $2,000 per year.
The flowers die in a week anyway. That money can go toward things that last longer or don’t need constant replacement. Some people switched to nice fake flowers that look real. Others just stopped buying flowers entirely.
Adjusting Expectations
These cutbacks don’t feel like deprivation to most people. They feel like corrections. The splurges were nice when money felt looser. Now they feel wasteful.
The interesting shift is that many people won’t go back to these habits even if their finances improve. They’ve realized the premium versions weren’t actually better enough to justify the cost. Once you break the habit and see how much money you’re saving, going back feels foolish.
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