I remember the first time I had to replace the timing belt and the water pump in my car…let’s just say I was on the verge of tears…because that ain’t a cheap fix…
My point in telling that story is that you don’t have any idea how expensive some things are until you really start “adulting…”.
And here’s what AskReddit users had to say about this.
1. Ugh.
“Interest.
I didn’t realize how much paying interest on debt can actually cost you when you add it up.
It’s like a f*cking punch in the gut.”
2. For the ladies.
“Bras.
I’ve given up and buy the $100 ones that properly fit me, because I’m a larger size. I buy 3-4 at a time, probably once a year or once every two years. I only stop wearing bras if they break or are really the wrong size (due to weight fluctuations).
I keep the bras that don’t fit if they are still in good condition, hoping they’ll fit again one day.
Throwing down $300 CAD for bras isn’t something I’ll ever get used to but I’ve resigned myself to it.”
3. Very expensive.
“Taking your family to Disney.
When you’re a kid you’re like man what’s the big deal but when you’re an adult, it’s literally almost like the cost of a vacation in itself just to go to the park for a day.”
4. Never-ending taxes.
“Property taxes, especially in some states.
Our $200k house is paid off, but I still have to pay $7,500 a year in property tax to keep it.
Rural Upstate New York. Over 4 hours from NYC.”
5. An unfortunate one.
“Having an illness.
I thought sick people were just taken care of.
Now I know, depending on what country you live in, it can cost you somewhere between most of your disposable income, to your entire house and all your possessions.”
6. Kids are pricey.
“Baby formula.
That sh*t is like, $20 a can, and there was a period where our daughter was demolishing a can a day. There was a point in time where my kid’s formula was costing us $600 a month, which was 1/3rd of our combined income at the time.
I found myself in the position of having to skip 2 meals a day just to afford to feed the rest of my family.”
7. Home ownership blues.
“House ownership.
It’s one thing to see a mortgage bill and think, okay I got that covered and still have money to eat and maybe go skiing next weekend.
It’s a while other thing when you discover you have rats in the attic, the A/C leaks, the weeds in the yard are giving the neighbor an aneurism, electricity is 3X more expensive than you every imagined it could be, and then the dishwasher breaks and the stovetop fan collapses one night.
And that wallpaper in the master bath really needs to go, oh and that fan over the shower is squeaking, so we stopped using it and now we have mold everywhere.
And then we had kids…”
8. You gotta eat…
“Food, to be honest.
I had no idea it would cost ~25% of my salary just to not starve.
I could bring that down to around 20% but had no idea how time consuming cooking is.”
9. BS.
“Pillows. Any pillow.
Throw pillows are like $25 minimum. If you get a $25 sleeping pillow it’s sh*t and you’re replacing it several times per year so you have to “invest” in a good pillow for a task that you literally do nothing to perform but if you don’t perform it well, you’re gonna have a bad time.
It’s bullsh*t.”
10. It’s worth it.
“A good pair of shoes.
We had bought bargain shoes growing up, and I continued that practice for a good portion of my adult life. I never thought paying an extra $40-$100 would be worth it.
But I remember the first time I tried on a paid or $120 hiking boots. My feet were in heaven. It was shockingly so much better. I bought them on the spot and they lasted like 5 years. I wouldn’t spent the same, if not more, in sh*tty shoes over the same timeframe.
Since then, I find I spend more on shoes that are comfortable and they last longer.”
11. Isn’t that ironic?
“Ironically, having a job.
Between transportation (car, gas, insurance, parking, bus/subway fare) work clothing, haircuts and razors if you have to shave, and depending on the job other equipment, that can get expensive fast.
And a lot of it can’t be written off on taxes.”
12. Ouch.
“Health insurance.
It actually cost me less to fly to the Philippines, get amazing dental work done and have a two week vacation for half the price of the procedure here.
Healthcare is a f*cking joke here, yet people swear this is the greatest county on earth.”
13. Bills, bills, bills.
“Household utilities.
Growing up, I didn’t understand why Grandma yelled at us for “Running up her light bill”, or my mom telling us to stop wasting water (I once forgot the hose was on while filling the horse trough and it ran for hours. Thought my mom was going to sell me to pay the water bill.) or leave the thermostat alone.
Now that I’m an adult and paying the bills, I find myself policing the family on their utility usage. I go around turning off lights, telling them to get a blanket cuz I’m not turning up the heat, and demanding shorter showers.
Why does a 10 year need a 45 minute shower? What exactly is she doing in there that is so time-consuming? She says she’s enjoying the hot water. That’s great. You get Ramen for dinner this week.
No one told me that becoming a responsible adult turned you into a penny-pinching worrywart.”
Oh, boy…adulting…
And now we want to hear from you!
Tell us what you didn’t think was expensive until you became an adult.
Do it in the comments, por favor!
