"The Price Has Gone Up, And Quality Has Gone Down": People Are Sharing The Things That Rich People Have All But Ruined For The Rest Of Us

If you think back to childhood (or even just back to a few years ago), it’s clear that many things in life that were once intended for the masses have become wildly more expensive. A scattered pile of U.S. hundred-dollar bills, emphasizing wealth and finance

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When I shared a list of several things that have been all but ruined by the rich, the BuzzFeed Community had a lot of opinions and things they wanted to chime in with. So, here are even more aspects of life that the wealthy have pretty much destroyed for the rest of us.1. “Cereal! It used to be a cheap kids food. Now, it costs $6-$7 for a single box where I live.” Adam Sandler eating cereal on a couch.

Columbia Pictures

—mkcohen89

2. “Camping. Now, it’s all called ‘glamping,’ where you can get in touch with the outdoors with the help of a large screen TV and a full-sized fridge.” Luxurious glamping tent setup with chairs and a bed, nestled among greenery, suggesting a blend of comfort and nature for a travel article

Adrian Vidal / Getty Images

—u/TheSnoz

3. “Brands like Wranglers and Levi’s. Prices went up, but quality went way, way down across the board. In high school, I was able to buy Levi’s for maybe $10, and they’d last until they actually fell apart. But the last time I bought a pair, the denim just pilled up immediately. It’s actually hard to find any clothes that don’t do that nowadays.” Close-up of a Levi's jeans back pocket with visible stitching and brand label, relevant to fashion or apparel discussions

Bigjom / Getty Images

—torbielillies

4. “Buying a home. My grandparents bought a house in Maui in the 1950s for under $50,000. That same house, a 70+-year-old original house that has gone under hardly any renovations since, is now worth over a million dollars. And did I mention it’s sitting on a teeny tiny lot in a gully?!” Oceanfront villa with palm trees and mountains in the background, conveying a sense of luxury and tranquility

Rubey_kay / Getty Images

—HelloMiriah

5. “Politics. The amount of money spent on political campaigns is ridiculous. It could run some smaller countries for a year. There should be limits on how much each party can spend on their campaigns.” I don’t know who this is, but a person in a suit and red tie speaks at an event, standing in front of several U.S. flags

Alon Skuy / Getty Images

—byronnmavis

6. “Concerts. These days, you can’t even buy a beer at a concert for what a general admission ticket used to cost. And people still pay the absurd prices!” Singer performing on stage with a guitar, wearing a sparkling dress and boots

Jun Sato / Getty Images

—u/Theplaidiator

7. “Avocados. My grandpa still calls avocados a ‘poor man’s butter’ from his childhood in California. He can’t believe they’re such a pricy, luxury food now.” Plate with avocado toast, topped with seeds, beside a glass of water and a cup of coffee on a table

Molly Aaker / Getty Images

—Ellet1110

8. “Cheap cuts of meat. Long gone are the days when you could buy pork belly, lamb shanks, oxtail affordably. Thanks for that, TV chefs, and your ability to make the price of these formerly bargain ingredients quadruple in a single episode. Looking at you, Jamie Oliver! Person assembling a taco with seasoned meat, garnished with chopped onions and cilantro. Accompanied by green and red sauces, lime wedges, and tortillas

Carlosrojas20 / Getty Images

—sharon-a

9. “Bikes. Not only are they expensive, but they’re always out of stock now. My husband and I tried to buy a couple bikes a year or so ago, and I was shocked at how hard they were to find. We had to order them six months in advance, and they weren’t really anything special.” A couple riding bikes.

New Line Cinema

—kimharmon04kh

10. “New York City. It’s truly impossible to live here now. The city has gotten so expensive.” A fast-moving subway train in the foreground with a city skyline in the background, suggesting urban commuting

Alan Schein Photography / Getty Images

—bdogdiggity

11. “College education. It used to be affordable without aid. Now, tuition has sky-rocketed far beyond the rate of inflation, and only the very rich can actually afford it.” A woman during a college graduation ceremony.

The Weinstein Company

—emilkaneti67

12. “Going to the theater. It is SO expensive now. I used to be able to buy tickets with a friend and get dinner first. These days, a single ticket to the theater costs what really nice dinner out used to cost for four people. And don’t even get me started on the cost of extras while you are at the theater — drinks especially are extortionate.” Richard Rodgers Theatre with "Hamilton" marquee; taxis parked outside

Aziz Shamuratov / Getty Images

—sharon-a

13. “The internet. Once upon a time, you knew the only people online were people who genuinely wanted to be part of the community and subculture. Then, the rich found out about it, and now, the internet has become nothing but ads, subscriptions fees, and data gathering.” Jim Carrey typing quickly on a keyboard.

Universal Pictures

—u/bennitori

14. “Live sporting events. A fun day out with a friend at an NFL game will run you around $500. Alternatively, you could watch it on your big screen TV at home which has better play-by-play and angles than being at the game where you end up watching half of it on a monitor anyway. Unless I get tickets for free, I don’t even bother going to sporting events anymore.” Football player in uniform walks on a field during a game, with a team and spectators in the background

Danp68 / Getty Images

—u/xXSpaceturdXx

15. “Airbnb as a whole. It used to be a super accessible way to rent just a single, no-frills room for, like, $30 or a whole residence for not that much more. Then, this company saw dollar signs. Now, it’s not only unaffordable, but it’s also often such a hassle that you’re better off staying in a hotel.” Person in relaxed pose on a balcony, overlooking the ocean. They wear a light, casual robe, suggesting leisure or a break from work

Farknot_architect / Getty Images

—annet18

16. “Cars. Now that rich people can afford to pay $65,000 for a BMW, Mercedes, or Audi, it’s impossible to get even a half-decent new car for under $30K.” A couple getting out of a car.

NBC

—mkatz415

17. “Thrifting. The popularity of thrifting due to the rich discovering it has really upset me over the years. Prices at thrift stores have gone up, making it difficult for people who solely buy their clothes there. Also, I hate those YouTube channels where people brag about the things they buy at thrift stores and flea markets and then sell their finds at a 300% markup.” A thrift store interior filled with racks of diverse clothing and hats, with a person shopping, suggesting budget-friendly fashion choices

Jonas Gratzer / Getty Images

—KavaBuggy

18. “Skiing as a hobby. I’m a Denver native, and I grew up skiing at least once a month every winter. It was SO affordable, but now, my kids will likely never get to learn. It would cost upwards of a thousand dollars for my family of four to go skiing for the day. It’s absolutely nuts.” People skiing down a snowy mountain slope, with ski poles and skis visible in the foreground, capturing a busy and vibrant ski resort scene

Paul Viant / Getty Images

—micahdr

19. “Coffee. It used to be cheap, and you only had two choices when you ordered it — regular or decaf. It was a blue collar, working person’s drink… an office worker’s drink that was easily affordable. Now, coffee is wildly expensive.” A man drinking a mug of coffee.

The CW

—paule442224e92

20. “Nerd paraphernalia like Star Wars or Marvel stuff (action figures, comic books, etc.). These collectables used to be a fun hobby for kids and kids-at-heart. Now, it’s all almost totally purchased by rich, dedicated speculators solely for profit.” Store display featuring collectibles, including keychains and figurines, with a prominent "Star Wars" sign and a 20% off discount tag

Sopa Images / Getty Images

—u/eddy_talon

21. “Housing. In the old days, people only bought houses if they intended to live in them. Now, you have rich people looking to invest in real estate, so the rich buy up all the affordable housing, driving up the prices and creating scarcity.” House with a "For Sale" sign in front, suggesting a real estate opportunity

Newsday Llc / Getty Images

—u/jrhawk42

22. “Video games. You used to be able to find used games and consoles practically for free. Nowadays, they’re all collectors’ items.” Pete Davidson playing video games

SNL

—u/Negafox

23. “Sailboats. It used to be that on a working man’s salary, you could get a decent day sailboat with enough cabin space and amenities to live on board for a long weekend, maybe a week (I’m talking something like the MacGregor 26). Now, nobody makes mere sailboats anymore; they make what are basically yachts. Expensive, over-designed yachts.” Aerial view of a sailboat gliding across the ocean, showcasing leisure or potential luxury context in the Work & Money category

Valio84sl / Getty Images

—u/JoeMorgue

24. “Public beaches. The wet sand part of every beach is public access… but dry sand can be owned. And some rich people with property on beaches will hire private security to patrol ‘their’ beach.” Beachfront properties with balconies overlook a sandy beach with scattered chairs and people enjoying the shoreline

Lisa-blue / Getty Images

—u/IntlPartyKing

25. “Land that once housed family-fun spots like kitschy amusement parks, camp sites, picnic areas, fishing holes, camp grounds, and miniature golf. Now, most land is too valuable for such simple pleasures; so many of these places have become business parks, high-rise condos, or restaurant rows.” Golf ball on a miniature golf course, near a putter ready to strike, in a sunny outdoor setting

Afonco5 / Getty Images

—u/Bebe_Bleau

26. “Farmers markets. The one in my town is essentially an outdoor grocery store now, no longer a way to save money on local produce. It has the same prices as Whole Foods, and only a few items even look like they’re better quality.” Fresh produce, including apples and leafy greens, is displayed at an outdoor market in an urban setting

John Peabody / Getty Images

—justchillman

27. “Lobster. This shellfish was once considered the ‘cockroach of the sea,’ and it was fed mostly to prisoners. Now, look at the price of lobster once the wealthy discovered it’s delicious.” A lobster roll is held up against a scenic harbor backdrop with boats and calm water