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Camping -

Camping used to be one of the most affordable options for families and groups of friends, but the cost has gone up. The gear is more expensive, and the places where you can camp usually charge a nightly fee that, while less than a hotel, isn't exactly "cheap."

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Fast food -

Back in the day, fast food was a cheap and easy dining option. Nowadays, even with inflation, it's cheaper to buy the items at the grocery store and cook up your own meal.

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A home -

The cost of owning a home has skyrocketed, outpacing salary growth. Indeed, the gap between the cost of a home and average income has widened exponentially.

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Pedicures -

Getting your nails done professionally was a lot more affordable a few years ago. However, in some places the price has doubled in just a few short years.

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Coffee -

Who remembers the days when a store-bought latte was affordable? Today, it's difficult to find reasonably priced coffee, especially at bigger, chain coffee shops.

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Weddings -

Weddings fell within the pricey but affordable range in the past. Today, even a modest event is part of a wedding industry, before you count things like engagement parties and weekends away for bachelor and bachelorette parties.

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Repairs -

There was a time when buying a part and getting a repair was the logical thing to do, if something was broken. Now, repairs can be so expensive it's cheaper to buy something new altogether. Make it make sense!

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Pet food -

Dog food, both wet and dry combined, has risen an astonishing 45.5% on average when compared with 2020 prices. While there are still some cheaper alternatives available, inflation and the rising cost of ingredients has hit pet food hard.

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New cars -

The average cost of a car has risen US$10,000 since September 2020. Yes, you read that correctly. Supply chain issues and more EVs on the market are just some reasons why this is the case.

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Fuel -

Rising wholesale costs throughout the petroleum supply chain have increased fuel prices, alongside the influence of the broader world economy.

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Razors -

The price of razorblades has soared in the past decades. It's not unusual for a pack of replacement razor blade heads to cost US$40 today, while razors marketed to women have been found to cost up to 11% more than men's: despite being made of the same materials!

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Dentist visits -

Like many other businesses, dental clinics have been hit with increased operational costs. Aside from the fact that it's highly specialized work, the rates can vary widely between private practices.

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Privacy -

Something that perhaps previous generations have taken for granted is their privacy. Today, with our lives lived largely online, and the proliferation of cameras and camera phones, privacy comes at a cost, whether that be VPN, ways to block ads, or encrypted software.

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Childcare -

A 2013 paper found the price of childcare had risen 2,000% in 40 years. Childcare cost had risen faster than almost every other consumer good the government tracks by 2019, and today it doesn't seem to be trending downward either.

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A new phone -

When cell phones were first released, many contracts offered an upgrade every few years. Nowadays, you might at best get a small discount on a much more expensive new model.

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A college/university education -

When the older generation talk about working a summer job to pay for a year of college/university tuition, it really tells us something about how much the price has gone up in the meantime...

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Road trips -

The expensive cost of both fuel and owning a vehicle has directly increased the cost of the humble road trip, while costlier camping, groceries, and eating out indirectly make it more expensive now, too.

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Groceries -

There used to be a time when shopping around was enough to get good deals on the most essential items. Now, the cost of a simple grocery trip has risen significantly.

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Skiing -

It's hard to believe, but in the US at least, skiing had cheap, no frills options such as smaller hills in the '50s and '60s. In the meantime, that land was bought up by big resorts, which turn a much higher profit, leaving less options that are affordable.

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Hairdresser visits -

Many of us became pros at hairstyling during lockdown, when the salons were closed. Which is fortunate, because the prices in many places are exorbitant now!

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Film camera -

Digital images are easy to take, yet there's something so nostalgic about film cameras. But the colors and imperfect look are in demand, and that'll cost you.

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Cinema -

Cinema tickets are a lot more expensive than they used to be years ago, when it was something you could easily manage at the spur of the moment. Now, not so much. And that's before you even consider things like snacks!

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Concert tickets -

Similar to cinema tickets, concert tickets have have gotten a lot more expensive with time. It's not unusual to pay hundreds of dollars for a well-known visiting act, and even smaller gigs are costlier than they used to be.

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Impulse buying -

Picture the scene: something catches your eye, you haven't planned to purchase anything, it's something unexpected and spontaneous... and you can afford it. It must have been nice!

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Eating out -

Menu food prices have soared 24% since January 2020, according to one report. Rising rents are partly to blame, alongside other rising costs, so it's naturally less affordable than it used to be.

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Books -

Have you been to a bricks and mortar bookshop lately? Their prices are through the roof, especially for hardback copies!

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Workout classes -

Workout classes, particularly when bought in packs, used to be quite reasonable. Today, it's not unusual to pay US$30 for a single class, even with a pack discount.

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Sneakers -

These days, sneakers frequently cost more than US$100. And a lot of the time, the quality doesn't always seem the best either.

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Sunscreen -

Growing awareness around the dangers of sun exposure has increased demand for sunscreen. Today's formulations also protect from types of UV rays that they might not have in the past. Either way, the price of sunscreen is a lot less affordable than it used to be overall.

Sources: (Consumer Reports) (The Atlantic) (TheStreet) (BuzzFeed) (Upworthy) (Mental Floss) (Vox)

See also: The world's most expensive foods

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