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.

I don't know why people chose to spend so much though when they can't afford it. We did ours for £2k. We cut costs by asking a couple of guests with half decent cameras to do the photos, bought bigass Colin the Caterpillar wedding cakes (yes they exist) and hired an ice cream van to come to the reception venue and serve some ice cream for dessert after the buffet. No frills but still one of the best days of our lives without going into major debt.

Anything with 'disabled' attached too. Waterproof wheelchair pants £45 - motorcycle pants £15

I bought my wedding flowers from the grocery store floral department and my daughter will do the same for her wedding next year. Lots of ways to save money by taking "wedding" out of the talks with various vendors.

The reason for this is solely the fault of the customer. I worked as an assistant to a wedding DJ during college. He was a phenomenal DJ, but because it was not his primary source of income, he charged less than the prevailing rate at the time. He eventually raised his rate because so many people told him they hired a more expensive DJ, simply because they assumed the more expensive DJ was better because they charged more. No one wants to look cheap on their wedding day.

I think if most brides goes back to family "backyard" weddings then there shouldn't be costly overpriced weddings. If you look at the unnecessary c**p that most brides want, then I have no sympathy. Basically, the bride, or even family members, wil make or help with dress. The one member with the bigger garden will host, and family, friends and neighbors all help with decorations and food. Honeymoon is a weekend away, to some local place. The couple start out debt free , and once home family will send food over for up to a month.

And will a wedding be less fun without a fancy cake and an expensive dress? No.

The other side of the big wedding rip off: for 20 odd years I’ve fronted various bands and always refused to jack up our price just because it was a wedding, so our asking price was the same as we’d charge the local bar or music venue (we’re doing the same job and the newlyweds are being ripped off left, right and centre already). Subsequently we got… FEWER bookings because people assumed we must be cheaper because we were rubbish. People are stupid.

(Im gonna downvoted for this but...) divorce papers?

NOBODY has to have a 'wedding'. All you need to do is book up at the local registry office. "Weddings" are no more than Caucasian Potlatch Ceremony

Should just start calling weddings "Festival of Fools" because you've got to be an idiot to spend thousands on something that has been statistically proven questionable.

It typically costs less than $100 to obtain a license AND get married at the courthouse. I highly recommend it. Save the money for things that really matter like a home and marriage counseling.

This is why I would want a small wedding, I would make the food, set up decorations, pick the music, choose a public space, and tell everyone that if they wanna dress fancy, that's fine, but it's only my fiance and I that would be formal otherwise. The only thing I would want to splurge on a bit is the cake.

I disagree. It’s a high risk for a vendor to be involved in a wedding. That risk is reflected in the price tag. Dealing with Bridezillas for a living has got to be one of the hardest jobs there is, and should be compensated accordingly. Until we as a society get over the idea that your wedding is something you get to mistreat other people over, wedding vendors should be paid very well.

This is why a lot of young people are not getting married in Japan & S. Korea. Due to social expectations, the average wedding in Japan costs US$31,000

We got a 20th anniversary cake as our wedding cake for $300 less

Exactly

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!

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."