Looking through this list, one thing sticks out: pharmaceuticals and everything medical is over the top expensive in the USA. I can't understand why anyone still wants to live there.

This. Preying on people at their worst.

If you live in America, you should identify as a dog! You get 98% discount on meds. Totally worth it!

It's not a luxury. Women use them because we have to. Pricing them so high is indeed cruel.

I used to work in the industry. At one time, HP ink was $5,300 a litre. There was another printer (I think an Epson) that used 2% of its ink EVERY TIME IT WAS SWITCHED ON to clean the heads. We told people to never switch them off.

I always bring a fold up empty water bottle and fill up with drinking water after security, every airport I've been to either has a designated free water station or shops will happily fill it up for me. Plus always handy to have with you when travelling out of the airport too!

Good one but unfortunately so true.

In my university in Ruse, Bulgaria, a professor directly told us that we need to buy or rent her textbook otherwise don't expect to pass her class. She took notes on the spot, and commented that she will not accept students with photocopied textbooks.

This has a lot to do with nimbyism (Not In My Back Yard). This is why housing costs are so high. We all want affordable housing to exist, but nobody who owns a home wants it anywhere near them. So you end up in decades long legal battles

The poor tax. Who feels it knows it.

Free in EU. Just gotta wait as there aren't that many psychiatrists or government funded psychologists

Apparently in North America being healthy isn't a human right, but you do have the right to bear arms, priorities!

According to Hitched.co.uk, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is £17,300. This is excluding the honeymoon, which can add a few thousand to the bill. So, basically, marriages begin with unnecessary debt.

Americans need to start giving a lot more s**t to their politicians, that is just f*****g ridiculous my inhaler costs 2.80€ ( +/- 3 USD ) Over the counter price, I would be frikking dead by now in that country, i honestly don't know how in all the f***s do you ppl take that s**t like you do.

Not sure if this comment will get deleted or not, but look up internet eyeglass sites like zennioptical[dot]com. They have quality glasses at decent prices. Strike a blow against the Luxottica mafia!

Sounds like you have to be a millionaire to afford to be an asthmatic diabetic with a peanut allergy in the USA.

Better off doing an apprenticeship. It's free (sometimes even paid), and you're almost guaranteed a job at the end.

Ticketmaster... biggest rip going.

If you get 20 years out of a good one, it’s worth it.

It used to be overpriced when it was still a "buy it and own it" type of deal, but with the current subscription model? It's robbery.

I'm on a similar biologic infusion every 8 weeks in the UK, free. Universal healthcare ftw. Fair pay to nurses!

OP - I hope you contacted Genentech to see if there is patient assistance. The company that makes my RA meds does this and I pay $100 per month instead of $4700.

How are people supposed to afford it then? $16000 is an insane amount!

I have sarcoidosis and I have been treated with this medicine and the cost has been zero, in Spain, obviously

As an MD, can I just say that the drug mentioned is most often used for NHLs (Non Hodgkin Lymphomas) and I know this b/c it's the drug for my husbands very rare form of an NHL. I've otherwise only seen/heard of its use in autoimmune disease. They know they have us by the wallet, b/c it's Rituxan (brand name) or death. It's also used sometimes in CKD (chronic kidney disease), but given it's possible effects on kidneys for cancer patients, I have no idea why, as an MD. Peace.

What's the point of health insurance if all it covers is a little boo boo on your arm, not the rare, life threatening stuff? It's a barbaric system.

I had a similar scenario with my husband when he was going through chemo. If his blood levels dropped too low he had to get 5 shots to boost them. These were $500 each and although life saving, they were not covered by Canada's health care or our insurance. His cancer was very aggressive so it was either get the shots, or don't get treatment and slip lower down the survival rate which was already at 55%. I know this doesn't seem like much but all this happened just 5 months after we got married. We were living on my single income while he was finishing school. I had finished mine one month before the diagnosis. In other words, two young people who were broke and had a near impossible start to their life together. No surprise, by the end of the 12 rounds of treatment, we were nearly homeless and I was lucky to eat every day.

Immoral, unethical, not what health care is supposed to be about

How does a normal family afford such things? There’s no way they can ever pay that debt.

OMG!

This seems misleading

You must have a fu****ng bad insurance!!

I'm on similar here in NZ,thankfully free,really feel anyone living somewhere they have to pay for it.

My husband is also on something similar and it's completely free here.

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I don’t get it. How can zero ce expensive. Prescribed pharmaceuticals are free.

Look up zennioptical[dot]com

Not everyone lives in a country with potable tap water

Unpopular opinion from me I'm sure, but disposables are a convenience. Could always go cloth, but then you spend TONS of time doing laundry.

Well it is a well known fact that diamonds are really not all that rare, and the only reson their price is so high is because the monopoly company releases only a small amount of the market and invests millions into advertising. Please do not buy diamonds.

In Spain, the cost of insulin is between €8 and €18, depending on your income

I use a quick simple 1-1-1-1 recipe. One can chickpeas, one clove garlic, juice of one lemon and one big spoonful (Tbsp) of tahini. Blend with a drizzle of oil (or a little water if you want non fat) till it is the consistency you like

Not the cheapest, but Sleep Number or other inflated mattresses don’t have springs to wear down and sag. Springs are the parts that wear, so eliminate them. Used to be able to flip a mattress head to toe and also bottom to top. Now like a lot of couch cushions only one side is finished. Cutting your wear in half. I have a couple Sleep Numbers pushing 20 years with no issues. (Or leaks) Even the 3 foot tall cheap Amazon inflatables give you your money's worth.

Don't go

I remember as a young parent in the 80s thinking $5 a can was so expensive. I see it now and think how glad I am I do not have to purchase it.

Problem is, the child minder needs to be paid a decent wage. I agree that some places charge way too much, however this is your child. Surely you want to pay the minder a living wage at least so you don't need to worry about the standard..

Except when Covid was rampant and we were all told to stay home and not even drive anywhere cause we might stop to use a public restroom or have to go in a gas station to buy gas...then it was over half the price it is now....odd........*edit* my point is that gas (like lots of stuff we rely on) doesn't NEED to be that high in price. It's not priced that way because it costs that much to refine it, or bring it to consumers, it is priced high because someone is willing (must) pay that much. That was my point...not a conspiracy theory or whatever Bacon Bit thinks I am talking about.

Buy used. Toys are generally forgotten by kids pretty quickly anyway.

My wife jumps in and adds: "a good fitting bra can cost the ladies a half of a fortune."