25 Things So Expensive People Are Now Forced To Do Without

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Most people cannot afford many things anymore. The obvious include spacious houses, large cars, and good insurance plans. Even with a single income, families could buy these things a few decades ago without many problems.

However, many intangible things in our lives have become very expensive, too. For example, most people can’t find time for themselves, which can be very expensive.

Hence, we strayed away from the regular lists of things you can no longer afford and came up with a more philosophical list. These 25 things may seem hard to find or difficult to access, but with some planning, you can afford them even without spending money.

1. Family Doctors

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You may only be familiar with family doctors if you were born in the early 1980s or before. Every family had access to a general physician who would give personal attention to each member of the family and ensure that ailments were detected early on.

Nowadays, most people cannot afford to see a doctor, and if they do, they must wait months to get an appointment.

2. Organic Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh produce
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In the olden days, fruits and vegetables were naturally organic. They did not come with the organic tag because most farmers did not use harmful chemicals and pesticides. People ate seasonally available fruits and veggies, and most purchased fresh produce directly from farmers’ markets.

With the advent of big box grocery stores, organic fruits and vegetables are premium products and cost a lot. Anything with the organic tag is now priced as a luxury product, making it out of reach for most people.

3. Bone Broth

Chilled jellied beef bone broth on a spoon, with a glass jar full of stock in the background.
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Broth, or bone broth as it is now known, was a kitchen staple everybody prepared in their houses. It was used to cook rice, make soups, or added to various recipes to enhance the umami flavour.

Thanks to an increasing awareness of its potential health benefits, bone broth has become increasingly expensive and out of reach for most people. Most importantly, it is being sold in attractive packages at premium prices worldwide. What was once a kitchen staple is now gourmet food.

4. Offal

Bright and black pudding, sausage on plate, lard and greaves, bread, pork offals, blood, spice and groats, traditonal Czech Republic cuisine, food, eat
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Offal refers to the organ meat of animals that people often do not consume. In the past, organ meat was treasured for its nutritious value, but people began associating it with nastiness over time. Hence, organ meat became associated with poverty, even though it was also the most affordable meat that one could purchase.

In recent years, thanks to paleo diet and other fads, organ meat has become expensive and hard to find. Offals, such as liver, kidney, bone marrow, and heart, are sold at eye-watering prices worldwide.

5. Nutritious Food

Asian woman buying vegetable in the grocery/supermarket
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Many people have noticed that food is not as tasty as it used to be. Genetic modifications, the overuse of pesticides and chemicals, and the mass production of crops have led to a perceived deterioration in nutrition quality.

Moreover, most people cannot afford to buy groceries rich in macronutrients and end up eating processed food because it’s cheaper. Not only is nutritious and healthy food expensive, but processed food-associated health burdens can also result in a significant drain on financial resources.

6. Tailored Clothes

A young brunette woman working in her studio, sewing clothing.
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You may notice that most people used to dress well in the past. Men wore excellently tailored suits, and women were always dressed elegantly.

This is because people did not spend on fast fashion and instead went to regular tailors for bespoke clothing. With the advent of Zara and other fast fashion brands, bespoke tailoring has become a luxury and out of reach for most people.

7. Wooden Furniture

A living room with wooden paneling, wood floors, and wood furniture
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You may have noticed that most older people have wooden furniture dating back to the early part of the 20th century. These pieces still look elegant and are sturdy enough to last many more decades.

However, getting them made new can cost a lot, as sourcing sustainable wood is extremely difficult. Carpenters are hard to find, and it’s now more of an artisanal decision to make. It’s no wonder that most people choose to buy plastic or MDF-made furniture.

8. High-Quality Steel

A silver stainless steel microwave in a modern white wood kitchen.
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While stainless steel is still available, the quality has certainly gone down in recent years. Older stainless steel cutlery and utensils were heavier and more durable.

You may have noticed that newer stainless steel products are flimsy and tend to develop dents quickly. This is because manufacturers cannot make a profit if they use high-quality stainless steel in their products. As a result, premium-quality steel is now a luxury material.

9. Vacations

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Only in the 1980s could most people take frequent vacations without spending much money. Traveling was cheap, and so was staying at mid-priced hotels.

Unfortunately, consumerism has led to high-quality vacations becoming a luxury affair. You cannot take vacations spontaneously unless you decide to go somewhere where you’re being given discounts. That ruins the idea of spontaneous vacations taken on a whim.

10. Owning a Home

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A few decades ago, it was easy for couples, even single men and women, to purchase homes. Banks offered mortgages at low interest rates, and many people could even make upfront payments to buy their dream homes.

As a result of mass migration, the high cost of construction materials, and the unavailability of living spaces, property prices have skyrocketed all over the world. Be it the US, Australia, or even India, most people can only dream about buying a decent home in a desirable neighborhood. On the contrary, homelessness is on the rise.

11. Air Conditioning

Calm millennial Latino woman lying relaxing on couch in living room breathe fresh ventilated condition air. Happy young Hispanic female renter rest on sofa at home relieve negative emotions.
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You may have noticed that extreme climate events have become a regular occurrence throughout the world. Although skeptics claim it has always been this way, most people understand that climate change is real and that the world has warmed considerably.

Although most people strive to buy air conditioners, they’re more expensive than ever, and the energy costs are also exceptionally high. This is one of the reasons why people in the UK complain so much about heat, even when temperatures are in the high 20s.

12. Medicines

A medicine cabinet full of prescription drug bottles. Medicines include prescription opioid pain killers.
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It must be noted that many drugs are available today that weren’t available in the past. There are treatments for incurable conditions such as HIV infections and cancer. However, unless you have a good insurance plan, you may not be able to afford the medicines if you get sick.

Earlier, medicines were more accessible, although treatments for all ailments weren’t available. If you think generic drugs are affordable, think again. Many are contaminated and not effective.

13. Peace and Tranquility

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Peace and tranquility may seem strange on a list of things we can’t afford anymore. Unfortunately, most of our cities are crowded, and most people cannot afford a house in a peaceful and quiet neighborhood.

Silent neighborhoods have premium tags attached to them. As a result, most people cannot afford to live in peaceful, unpopulated neighborhoods.

14. Privacy

Boardwalk of Ocean City, Maryland
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Like peace and tranquility, privacy is a luxury. However, most cities and towns are unsafe, and CCTV cameras are everywhere. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that we all live in a panopticon.

In addition, as our apartments and houses get smaller, we can all hear our neighbors. Privacy is undoubtedly a luxury unless you have the money to live in a sparsely populated suburb.

15. Access to Knowledge

Memorial Library in San Juan, Texas.
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With the advent of Internet and Kindle, most people have given up reading books or visiting libraries. Instead, they depend on TikTok and other questionable sources for their information. As a result, access to knowledge is becoming extremely expensive, and most people can’t access it as libraries have all shut down.

If you want to visit the nearest library, you may have to drive many miles, spending a lot on fuel, only to find out that they no longer have the kind of collection they used to have.

16. A Sound Retirement Strategy

retirement planning
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There was a time when everyone had a linear lifestyle and could look forward to their golden years spent traveling and socializing. Unfortunately, many people do not have a retirement strategy and continue to work well into their old age.

Dismally, many people consider retirement a luxury that they cannot afford. Questionable retirement plans, confusing advisers, and currency devaluation can all contribute to further disappointments.

17. Comfortable Plane Journeys

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There was a time when you were served full-course meals on planes with enough legroom to stretch. Air travel was considered a luxury, but it was still affordable.

Nowadays, even first-class tickets do not give you access to the kind of luxury that economy class provided a couple of decades ago. Of course, tickets are way too expensive today. You must pay a premium for extra leg space just to stretch your legs.

18. Being Able To Go Out Often

Yelp restaurants
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Going out was a simple affair in the past. You could simply call up a friend and decide to go downtown and take a walk, or you could do it alone, as Petula Clark once sang.

However, the suburbanization of cities and the decline of downtown areas have resulted in fewer opportunities to hang out like people used to. Obsession with using the screen has also resulted in social events, concerts, and shows being overpriced, making going out expensive.

19. Natural Beauty

Muir Woods California
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If you like to walk in the park or spend some time in nature, you may spend a lot of money trying to get there. Green and public places have dwindled in recent years, and being able to drive away to a beautiful and scenic spot costs a lot more than it used to previously.

In other words, most people lack access to natural beauty. This is a pity, as being connected to nature reduces stress and improves our overall health and well-being.

20. Beautiful Architecture

Ancient castle with towers and architecture details. Gilded age of american history. French Renaissance chateau.
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You might wonder why beautiful architecture figures on a list of things you can’t afford anymore. The answer is very simple. In the past, most buildings were grand and evoked a distant past, having built during the colonial era. They mesmerised us, inspired us, and encouraged us to be better human beings that valued art, culture, and philosophy.

Rampant commercialization and real estate sharks have converted all our cities into concrete jungles filled with glass façades. If you want to experience beautiful architecture, you can no longer just go to the old town center. Instead, you may have to travel to a tourist place or fly to a different country altogether.

21. Physical Activity

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Gym memberships were not very expensive in the past, either. Moreover, many people had their own home gyms or worked out in their yards.

However, as most people cannot afford to live in such houses or do not have access to a gym nearby, they often miss out on crucial physical activity. As a result, lifestyle diseases are creeping up around the world.

22. Self Reflection

Woman relaxing reading a book drinking coffee
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We live in a culture where seeking therapy is considered self-care, but self-reflection is unfortunately undervalued. There is also a tendency among therapists and psychologists to validate even dysfunctional behaviors just because they erroneously believe it is the right thing to do lately. Self-reflection has taken a backseat with rather expensive results.

Studies show that having insight into our own thoughts and behaviors is more important than seeking validation from therapists. When you’re constantly being told to seek reassurance and validation by paid coaches and therapists, self-reflection tends to become expensive paradoxically.

23. Companionship

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In the olden days, companionship was linear too. People found their life partners in high school and remained best friends with their childhood friends. In recent years, technology has disrupted the way we build relationships and sustain them.

As a result, we spend a lot of money on dating applications, singles meetings, and dating. These expensive measures may result in something other than genuine connections and meaningful relationships necessary for companionships and friendships.

24. Time

A woman looking tired and stressed at her desk.
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Technologies should have given humans more time to spend on things they love and enjoy. However, most people work 12 to 14 hours a day, even though it is illegal in many countries.

Many people reveal they cannot sleep for more than a few hours despite trying to get eight hours. Time is more luxurious than you think, and it is slipping away with each passing day.

25. Births and Deaths

Smiling mother and father holding their newborn baby daughter at home.
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Although maternal mortality has reduced worldwide, people are spending more on births and birth-related expenses. Similarly, funerals are costly, too, and getting all the paperwork done after a loved one passes away is expensive and time-consuming.

While this shouldn’t be the case, being born and dying are expensive and out of reach for most people. Planning for births and deaths well in advance can help you and your loved ones to an extent.

Jaiyant Cavale
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