People Are Sharing Things They Stopped Buying Because They've Gotten Too Expensive And Are No Longer Worth It

Over the last couple of years, we've written many posts here on BuzzFeed about how expensive everyday things have gotten and the various ways people are dealing with it.

Recently, I touched upon the subject once again when I asked BuzzFeed Community members to tell us what things are no longer worth paying for because of how expensive they have become.

I got hundreds of responses. Below are just some of the things our readers say they had to stop spending money on because how much it has gone up:

1."Pizza used to be my favorite cheap meal, but now, one medium pizza from a chain can cost as much as $15, and that's with just one topping, not including delivery costs. Now, if I am in the mood, I would rather spend a little bit more on a better quality one from a local mom-and-pop shop."

2."I love seeing movies in theaters, but my local ones have gotten so expensive for a normal ticket. Plus, movies come out on streaming services soon anyway, and as a college student, I just can’t justify paying for both."

3."Deli meat and out-of-season fresh fruit. I used to buy deli meat for sandwiches, but now a pound costs almost $10. You can pick up a whole chicken or turkey fairly cheaply and just make your own. You can still get some veggies fairly cheaply, but unless fruits are in season, I don't buy them. My only exception to this is are bananas and oranges, but berries are outrageously expensive."

4."Greeting cards. Spending that much on a piece of paper that’ll likely get thrown away isn’t worth it."

5."I’m over 60 and always have used higher-end skin care. Not anymore; I’ve been trying more mainstream brands and find they work as well, if not better, than brands that are 2-4 times their price. Take that wrinkles!"

6."Red meat. My family and I were never big red meat eaters, but we would do steaks or ribs about once a week. Now, even the cheapest cuts of beef are expensive. To save money, we have dramatically cut back on eating red meat and stick to chicken for the most part."

7."Delivery services — all of them. Delivery fees (some multiple) + tip = double your meal price. It's a big NOPE now. I'll go pick it up or just not order. I sure as heck won't tip on a carryout that I placed an order for online. Everyone has their hand out."

8."Live concerts. As a Gen X'er, I was lucky to see great concerts for $25 or less. I won’t pay hundreds of dollars to sit in the back of an arena to watch a live concert on a video screen."

9."Dog grooming. For the price of one grooming visit ($70–90) for a small Schnoodle, I bought clippers and a set of round-tipped scissors and learned to do it myself. I also do my daughter's dog and save her $90/month."

10."Good candles. I can just buy Bath and Body Works that are $26–27."

11."Haircuts. Pre-pandemic, I was paying $120 every eight weeks, which I already thought was wild. Then I got into the habit of just taking an electric razor to it every few months. I scheduled an appointment recently and was told it’s now $180. Electric razor it is. (I know there are cheaper professional options, but if I’m not getting what I want anyway, then the electric razor is fine.)"

12."Manicures and pedicures. Used to be something I’d treat myself to every couple of months or so. Now they are $50-plus for just the manicure or pedicure and $100 for getting them both. That money is better spent on groceries or gas."

13."Soda. OMG! Have you SEEN the prices?! I'm not a huge soda drinker to begin with, but I used to always keep a small amount in the house for our weekly family movie night. The manufacturers keep raising the prices like it's some sort of necessity. You know the very first thing to go when my grocery bill skyrockets? Carbonated sugar water, that's what!"

14."Buying books. But thank goodness for the public library and Kindle Unlimited; I haven’t bought a book in some time. As Thomas Jefferson once said, 'I cannot live without books!'"

15."Fast fashion. I realize I should not have been buying so much clothes to begin with because of environmental and ethical reasons. Lately, fast fashion has become more and more expensive, while the quality has gotten worse and worse. I noticed sometimes, when I went into stores, an entire selection of items were either so poorly made they were falling apart on the hanger or that it came in damaged and just put out on the floor like that. I actively buy less now, and if I do buy something because I need to, I'll spend more on something well-made so that it will last me for years and years because it will save me money in the long run."

16."Sounds like a silly one, but cereal. Why is it almost $6 for a box of colorful sugary stuff that kids will finish in four bowls or less?"

17."Lawn mowing. When we were young, we would make extra money mowing grass. I don’t think I ever charged $40, no matter how big it was. I called around for a lawn maintenance company for a vacant lot I bought in a different state and got about 10 quotes. Every quote was more than $200, for a 1/2 acre and no trimming required. It's literally a 10-minute job on a riding mower."

18."Sounds wild, but McDonald’s! A McDonald’s meal used to be cheap and easy for a lazy night. Now it’s $11 for the cheapest meal on the menu."

19."Rideshares and taxis. I wait until after rush hour to avoid surge pricing (I have gotten $35-plus quotes to go three to four miles), but it's still at least $20 a ride. The only times I will use it is when it is icy out or over 90-plus degrees, and even with that, I limit it to three times a month MAX. On the weekends, NOPE, I just walk or use public transportation."

20."Retail clothing prices! Instead, I look through eBay or other sites and buy what I want for a fraction of the retail price. They have more variety and better quality clothing."

21."Extra legroom on an airplane. The damn 'extra room' fee costs more than the ticket!"

22."Getting my hair colored every four weeks! It went from being $150 to $250, not including tip. The longer the hair, the more the price increases, including the cut and blow dry. I decided it wasn’t worth paying that much money. I feel lucky that I will only need to get a haircut quarterly without a blow dry. After a few months, I realized I didn’t miss it."

23."Video games. In the beginning, when one purchased the relevant game, you got it all right out of the gate: the game, the characters, the trophy set, everything. Now, the games all seem to have day one extra purchases, DLCs, loot boxes, etc., and everything relies on long-term subscription services forced on us to connect with other people to play against one another. I felt this most keenly when realizing that the PS3 version of Metal Gear Solid V had all the options available, but to play the PS5 version, I had to subscribe because all the online features were locked behind the paywall. I returned the game and haven’t bothered purchasing anything else that requires the net. I’m bled enough as it is financially without being raked over the coals by entertainment companies demanding I cough up more scratch for the privilege of having their game."

24."I used to grab takeout dinner from somewhere on my way home every Friday, or I’d do a once-a-week coffee from a coffee shop. I don’t do that anymore. I just make what I have at home. I save any recreational spending on food and drink for when it’s shared with friends."

25."Concerts, sports games, or other types of outings. The tickets are insane, and then parking costs as much as a ticket. I’ll stay home in my pajamas and watch it on TV."

26."Candy bars. Not only have they gone up in price but they have also gotten smaller. Now, it’s only worth getting candy the day after a holiday that involves candy."

27.And lastly, "Netflix! It just makes no sense to be paying that much for boring Netflix originals."

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.