Yahoo Lifestyle "They've Jacked Up The Prices So High": People Are Sharing Things That Rich People Have "Destroyed" For The Rest Of Society
If you feel like everything in life is more expensive and unattainable these days, you're probably not alone. Even hobbies and products that were once widely affordable seem to be out of reach. Well, Redditor hpbojoe asked, "What was loved by poor people until rich people ruined it?" Here are some of the things wealthy people have made worse for the masses.
1."Theme parks. Gone are the days when everyone was equal, and you all had to queue together regardless of your income. Now, if you've got deep pockets, you can jump the queue, making your day a little better and everyone else's day a little worse."
2."Camping. I remember camping with my dad in British Columbia in the '90s. We'd stick with the provincial parks where you'd find trees, a picnic table, a fire ring, a communal water spigot, and an outhouse. You'd show up, pick an empty spot, then the caretaker would come around in the evening and collect $9 per night..."
"...For several years we'd bump into the same people, like the Dutch couple that would make a month-long trip across Canada every July. One of our favorite parks had only nine small sites backing up to Arrow Lake. If it was full they had a big grass field for overflow and you'd hope for a spot to open the following day.
Nowadays, there's a reservation system for provincial parks. Many parks are fully booked the day that reservations open in March. They charge $6 per night for the reservation on top of the $30/night camping fee. Those nine original sites at our favorite park were cleared to make way for showers and flush toilets, and they built 75 new sites that are large gravel pads suitable for big RVs, not so much for tenting..."
3."Old video game collecting. It used to be when a new generation came out, people would unload their old systems and games cheaply. Now, the Super Mario NES cartridge that went for 50 cents in a yard sale is now going for $50 or more."
4."Every little cool mountain town in the American west."
5."Living near the coast. My grandparents had a summer home in Door County, Wisconsin, that was right on the water. Without telling anyone else they sold it because 'who’s gonna want some crummy old cabin?' The land is worth millions today."
6."Thrift shopping! I used to go as a kid because everything was so cheap; now it’s seen as trendy, and thrift stores are inflating prices because they know people will still buy it."
7."Champion brand clothing. I remember Goodwill and Walmart selling their champion stuff for cheap; now it's 'designer', and it costs so much more."
8."The little guy has been priced out of the classic car market. I had a 1970 442 convertible for 23k in 2003. I had to sell it six years later. Try getting one now, and you're looking at above 100k because of auctions where the ultra-rich go and jack the prices up so high you can’t afford even a plain old Cutlass."
9."Podcasts. The number of amazing podcasts that have been ripped off by celebrities who are so out of touch with the average person's daily experiences is disgusting. They are so starved for attention, they have to take over any discussion that’s happening."
10."Pro sporting events. I stopped going to professional sporting games because I could only afford the terrible seats. It's not worth it anymore."
11."The San Francisco Bay Area. Rich tech people totally ruined it by driving up real estate, restaurant, and grocery prices. I remember the Santa Clara Valley as fruit orchards til the late 1970s. It's a shame."
12."Ski towns. I was a stoner lift operator from 1998-2001. I survived off $7.50/hour, paid $250-$350/month in rent, and lived less than an hour away from work. So many locals and families are priced out now by the ruling class."
13."Farmers markets. Used to be cheap when I was younger. Now it’s a hipster's paradise and expensive as heck."
14."Affordable housing. There are so many wealthy people from the city buying up cheap homes where I live simply to rent them to other wealthy people from the city on AirBnB. People can't afford to live here anymore, but most of the homes are empty six months out of the year."
15."All types of what was traditionally 'poor people food.' Pork belly, oxtails, etc. All the things used to be cheap because they were considered 'trash parts.' Now that people realize how delicious they can be, the price has driven up."
16."ComicCons used to be pretty affordable, and you could chat with celebrities for a while. Now they are a huge extravaganza with multiple levels of admission, VIP access, and VIP seating. Pictures and autographs with bigger celebrities can cost a shitload, and you wait in multiple lines and are rushed through it. When I went (pre-Covid,) I normally just see/buy art. Those folks are usually not super busy and will often sign stuff for free."
17."Toast. Hear me out. Years ago, when I was counting pennies to get by, I would make 'fancy toast' like avocado toast, cinnamon-and-sugar toast, or peanut butter banana toast as a meal or snack because it was super cheap. I went to brunch a few weeks ago and saw avocado toast on the menu for $11. WTF?!"
18."Joining the YMCA used to be affordable for the average family. Now it costs the same as joining a private gym."
19."Carnivals and amusement parks. It recently cost me $80 for two slices of pizza, two salads, and two drinks at Six Flags. Everything is not just expensive: It's obscenely beyond expensive. Everything. My son and I filled the backseat up with game prizes and a couple of huge stuffed animals last summer, but I easily spent over $200 on games. It turned out to be a $900+ day 💀."
Do you have something to add? What is something that wealthy people have made worse or unattainable for the majority of society? Tell us in the comments or in this anonymous form.
