They say money can't buy you happiness but it can buy you new teeth. Or therapy. Or a few members of Congress. And if these things don't make you smile, I don't know what does.
A few weeks ago, Redditor u/TheDeathSummoner posted a question: "What would you like to buy for yourself, but can't afford it?" Other users immediately started replying, listing all the things they wish they could invest in.
The honest answers paint a vivid picture of what's important to people and honestly, it's sad to see that so many folks lack basic necessities. They do, however, remind us to stay humble and respect each other as everyone is fighting their own battle.

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I’m homeless and have been living in a shuttle bus for a year so my prospective might be not be as exciting as others. I’d like to buy shelter. A home or a condo would be great but even an acre of land where I could build a small home. Just some place to call home.
I wish I had money to help. I mean realy make a difference. I'll buy a ticket for the lottery tomorrow and hope!
This is the reason why I buy the lottery every week and hope to win the jackpot, I would love to help people in need. I donate to charity what I can now, but if I had millions I could really make a difference.
Load More Replies...We need to embrace tiny home villages, multiplexes, and other affordable housing options in our own neighborhoods. So much housing insecurity could be fixed if property owners actually embraced these options for their own communities instead of constantly trying to push it away. (The phenomenon is so common, it has its own acronym: NIMBY. Not. In. My. Back. Yard. NIMBY attitudes are a huge problem.)
One acre of land... I'm sure getting a place for rent would be cheaper.
I have a place to sleep at night but I have to share space with someone else (a relative) and never get privacy or even uninterrupted sleep. I'd love my own little house for me, a cat, dog, my books, and a small garden.
I'm not homeless but I want the same. Every house I've lived in is older than me. Always fixing things, always new things to fix. So much money goes to constant repairs. But a new house cost way more than an older house and new homes are built on plots of land that are so small.
I think you want to look for a house that's not brand new. Give it 5-10 years so it can settle and all the little flaws get discovered and fixed. 😊
Load More Replies..."even an acre of land "? Dude An acre is roughly "43,560 square feet" , I live in India and bought a land last month with (2013 sq ft) which costed me around 67,963 US dollars...I really prefer rented home is far better, but homeless is more cruel...
My babies.
Chemo made me infertile at 34 before I had the chance to have a baby.
I have 12 embryos in a testube. Can't afford to use them.
Me too, incredibly sad :( has OP tried something like Go Fund Me?
Load More Replies...My friend went through about 18 months of infertility treatments. Against all odds, she's now pregnant (woohoo!). She's only about 3 months along, and already the process has cost her over $34,000 USD. Insurance covered $0.
Oh my, I'm so sorry. Can't even imagine this not being covered by health care.. Having the chance to start a family is such a fundamental human right to me, how can a country choose to make this a luxury affordable only to the rich? Heartbreaking.
She does have a Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/mxu82y-help-me-have-a-baby?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet
Stop telling people to just adopt. It's incredibly expensive and difficult. There are more couples than children and the costs are astronomical. 40-100,000 typically and more for international where multiple trips are involved. Also, I find it interesting that most people here would argue "My body, my choice" when it comes to abortion, but judge and dictate how a woman trying to actually have a child should go about it.
Agreed, it's the most unhelpful thing to say. Any couple dealing with infertility has already thought about adoption and whether they go for it or not is up to them. But telling someone with reproductive issues to just adopt is basically dismissing their feelings and telling them to give up, it's not supportive at all.
Load More Replies...You can sell half of them and then you will be able to get the others back
The cost of living is notoriously high in the US but it varies by state. Last year, GoBankingRates determined the necessary living wage in each one using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the 50/30/20 budgeting rule. This popular general budgeting principle allocates 50% of annual income to necessities like housing, 30% to discretionary expenses like travel, and the remaining 20% to savings.
The median necessary living wage across the entire US was $67,690. The state with the lowest annual living wage turned out to be Mississippi, with $58,321. The state with the highest living wage was Hawaii, with $136,437. Other expensive states (surprise surprise) included New York and California, which have notoriously high costs of living and expensive housing markets.
A future where I can live comfortably. Not rich. Just not having to choose between paying all of rent and electricity or food
That's the majority of us. All I want is a roof over my head till I die. As do most people.
I would like this too but.... the problem is i have a horse... but i love her and she's the only thing left adter my daddy died, i don't wanna part wiuth her and her little foal
I'm just happy to be able to scrape by, pay rent, utilities, keep myself and my dogs fed. Savings? hah, what's that any more.
But hey rich people have problems too! Sometimes they have to choose between paying for a new yacht or buying their ninth vacation home!
wishing you better times ahead. take heart, life is full of surprises!
I mean that what's rich have . never having to choose any of that at any time
Therapy
If you wanna talk, I'll talk with you. I'm serious. Maybe we could help each other out with a little listening. Not enough people listen when people talk. I have no one to hear me when I have something to say. I am a listener and would like to have someone hear me when I do talk. It's hard. People wonder why I was always so quiet. This is why.
Bored Panda should make a special subsite for this. Being able to message someone in a discussion or even when you haven't heard of for a while and you're worried. And yes, I can actually shut up and listen if you want.
Load More Replies...Yes. After pandemic shutdown therapy is just an unafordable luxury. Even good food is an unafordable luxury. I cannot even remember last time I ate a single entire apple myself, because the few times I can get one, I'll give it to my baby. So not even a chance to dream about therapy, or dental care. If I have money I'll just buy GOOD FOOD. And dental care. Maybe some shoes. Education for my children. And if it is possible to spare something, THEN could be therapy
Really sorry and shocked to read this.. Hope your situation gets better soon.
Load More Replies...I'm really glad to live in the Netherlands. I've spent every Friday in therapy for 2 years. It changed my life for the good. All paid for by insurance only had too pay a deductible close to 400 euro per year. After a few years I got diagnosed with an auto immune disease which heavily changed the way I need to live. No clue when I'll go in remission. Again. I can go to a therapist. Isn't there an online therapist available? Usually this is alot cheaper.. Wish you the best
If you live near a university in the US they often have a training clinic where their Ph.D. Students offer therapy under supervision at free or low cost. It’s often a sliding scale based on your income. They are supervised by licensed professionals so you get competent care in a team approach.
There are several free websites and people you can reach out to. If you need help, reach out. The alternative is devastating and hurts so many that love you.
This was posted on Reddit. If you want to speak to the posters then click the link under the pictures. Bored Panda copy and paste content for clickbait to sell advertising. There's no point offering help to someone here no matter how well meaning because they simply won't see it. Sometimes the posts are from years ago.
u/TheDeathSummoner said they came up with the idea for this post out of curiosity. "I took a second job earlier this year to be able to buy extra things besides necessities for my family, so I just wanted to see what other people want but can't afford," the Redditor told Bored Panda.
All the replies made u/TheDeathSummoner really grateful for what they do already have. "They made me realize that I currently own the majority of things that are on people's minds, like a house, health insurance, a car, a PC, etc. I'm blessed."
The Redditor said they don't know if money can make you content. "It does, however, relieve a great amount of stress that casts a shadow over your life," they added.
New teeth.
It's like....thousands and thousands of dollars to get dental implants. Or anything not dentures. It sucks.
India thrives on medical tourism. We get quite a few patients from countries like USA because they cannot afford the treatment in their country.
I’m at the moment suffering from tooth pain, like literally can only chew from the front teeth, trying to save up for the out of pocket expenses to fix it, but can’t seem to make my financial goal
Same here friend. Two badly broken teeth on one side and I can't eat on that side. Other side is missing two back teeth and one in the middle all for the same reason (broken and rot out). I would LOVE to be pain free, and all my teeth
Load More Replies...They are outrageously expensive. I'd get some new teeth too, if I could afford them.
This. This so much. My teeth are in horrible shape. 6 pulled up top with a plate to fake the front teeth, 3 pulled on the bottom with a crown on another and two broken off at the gumline. The rest are on their way. Full replacement would cost over $30k. I can barely afford to pay rent and insurance and stuff, there's no way I can come up with that much money at once. Payment plans don't exist for full replacements. I stopped being social and stopped dating because I'm so embarrassed by my teeth. The abscesses are extremely painful and the broken teeth make anything remotely crunchy a gamble when chewing. I haven't chewed on the right side of my mouth in over 15 years because of the missing lower molars.
Less expensive out of the country. See where you might be able to go
American healthcare is so sad…If you are poor enough or have children, you get free or low copay health and dental care. If you are childless and are making decent wages to live(enough to pay for your home, car, groceries)you get no help. Most insurance makes you wait 2 years of paying for their plan, hundreds of dollars a month, before they even cover the cost of a crown. Most recently was quoted $1400 out of pocket for a root canal and crown.
Options for affordable dental care in case it can help anyone https://www.hhs.gov/answers/health-insurance-reform/where-can-i-find-low-cost-dental-care/index.html
A mountain cottage deep in the wilderness. With endless views, forests on its doorstep and a stream nearby. No neighbours for miles, plenty of wildlife and a massive fireplace that is on permanently when the snows arrive.
I live in a similar place. Love it but after 3 years I feel very lonely 😢
Add drinking water and I'll join you two with my cat
Load More Replies...With enough trees around you to keep said fire stocked. I love trudging through the snow to go get firewood!
Healthcare
I live in the UK, free health care, no its not perfect, but for example I broke my arm a few years ago, fixed for free Inc overnight hospital stay, oh and full sick pay for 3 months
It may not be perfect but It's light years better than anything we have here in the U.S. I have family in the U.K. and while the taxes are a bit on the high side, it's good to know if you're hurt or sick, you don't go bankrupt
Load More Replies...It is sad that good health is something that is now a dream in a country like USA which can make things easy for it citizens.
For me that makes USA a second world country at best. A first world one wouldnt let thier citizens die for being poor
Load More Replies...I find it absolutely repulsive that healthcare costs so much in America. The NHS is paid for naturally but it's paid in taxes, which is automatically deducted from your monthly wage, you don't even notice it. Even government benefits have the tax removed automatically. I have a myriad of health problems, if I lived in the states, I'd be dead by now. Prescriptions for children up until the age of 16 and over the age of 60, plus pregnant women, are free.
Paid for by NI, not taxes, they are separate here in the UK
Load More Replies...Perhaps stop voting for the republicans who have been and are sabotaging all efforts to instate some kind of universal healthcare in the USA?
Ummmm, Hate to inform you but the Democrats control EVERYTHING!!!!! Republicans cant stop them from doing the correct things
Load More Replies...I’m from the US and work in healthcare ironically and I have come to the conclusion “so-so”healthcare is better than Zero healthcare. Why have state of the art treatments if over half the population cannot access it due to its outrageously high costs and out of pocket money. We absolutely need to fix it and call Lobbying what it is…bribe. I digress sorry.
unfortunately, we live in a country where it's best not to get sick. this includes dental and vision care, as well.
Glad I live in Canada and don’t have to choose. Yes it’s not perfect but it’s still pretty good and Canadians have a longer lifespan than Americans.
Having grown up in the US where care is based on how rich you are, and moved to Australia as an adult where health care is free, I appreciate this 110%!! Yes, there may be delays and you may have to wait for non-critical operations but still, IT'S FREE!
Yeah, $900/month is getting really tough for just me right now. And, my employer pays 40% of my premiums! The $900 is my cost. Ridiculous.
I would love to be out of debt. It would only take 35k
Seriously I would love that more than any single item
Agreed. It drives me nuts knowing how little it would take to get me out of debt while there are people that have more money than some small countries.
This is what I would want. Once our debt is cleared we would have enough money to save.
I owe less than £2k but it's still hard to get out off(it doesn't help that I'm disabled and needing to use benefits to pay, thankfully I'm not as hard up as other people).
I would LOVE to be debt free and just have to worry about rent, utilities, car payment (well, that is a debt but seems to be unavoidable right now), food, vet bills, etc. It just never ends and keeps getting harder.
A divorce.
Sadly it might not be just the cost of the actual divorce that looms large. So many people are trapped in relationship because they can’t afford living on their own. One person being the breadwinner and one staying home might be awesome for some when you have small children but you should always have documentation on what the stay at home partner gets in a potential separation.
Yeah, I am disabled and thus very limited financially. I cannot afford to leave. Being trapped with your abuser with no foreseeable escape is not a pleasant situation, especially mentally.
Load More Replies...Depending on your jurisdiction, you can get help from your court law library or court service center. And, you could file to waive court fees if you cannot afford them. Ask questions and get the information you need. Many jurisdictions try to streamline the process to help self-represented litigants navigate without having to hire an attorney. If you're suffering domestic violence, please reach out for support from your state or local organizations who can help.
Same here. I've been separated from "tall dark and a**l" since before I even knew I was pregnant with my daughter and still can't afford a divorce.
They should be free if both parties are not arguing over assets or custody
Every state has a different standard for divorce. Some make you wait. Some are no fault, some are at fault. Most wind up screwing the guy as they divorce courts are stuck in the past and default to the woman. Giving primary custodian to her with a large % of the fiances. even when its not deserved. The best way if you have to go this way is try to use a mediator to help you divide what once was your life. Also, any decision you make should be weighed against any children you have, be it underage or adult. Because no matter what, who exist beyond the divorcees , they are going to suffer because of the divorce. Other words, no wone really wins.
A really good, actually water-resistant raincoat and/or a pair of rain trousers.
For context, I live in the Netherlands where it rains for maybe 3/4 of the year (this is how it feels,anyway) and as I’m on a bike for much of that, a good raincoat or other rain gear is necessary. But the good ones are pretty expensive so I just end up buying the cheap ones, which wear and tear pretty quick, so I guess in the long run I’m spending more money but I can’t avoid it. It’s like the Vime’s Boots theory but with rain gear.
I had to think about Vimes while reading this, and at the end you mention it yourself!
right? Yet, Vime's cheap boots were useful for him, and a lousy rain gear will only get you wet and probably sick in a bad, cold day
Load More Replies...Get a cheaper one, spray it with waterresistant spray from Kruidvat, and save for a better one
Yeah, exactly! Just don't spray anything else or breathe in the gas 🤮
Load More Replies...I am so sorry. The netherlands is a wonderful country but it has deteriorated a lot due to capitalism. Now if you are poor its really difficult to get by.
I know the feeling, I cycle in Flanders. Manage to get by with work trousers (like construction) and spray them with water resistant aerosol. I don't like aerosol but it's better than shelling out lots of money to not be soaking wet. Waterproof jackets are easier to come by. I have more issue getting hit by cars than the weather!
Too bad you couldn't put your name and address on here so we could all do this for you. It would be a fun story to read about. I'd totally send you the best that I've ever used. You'd end up with the best of the best from around the world. It'd be fun.
Operation for my eyes…
I can’t drive and I’m 28…, no one knows but I hate it so much…
The hardest part is to look for a job if you have really bad eyes…
And glasses don’t work well.
I have 60% with my glasses
Life sucks sometimes but we have people that have bigger problems so…
Suffering is not a competition :) your problems are valid. It is good to remember that others are worse to stay humble but your problems are valid too :) too many people tries to inbalidate others feelings with that excuse
Is an operation possible? If so, could you use Go Fund Me? I'd contribute. If not possible, is there a support group (online?) for young people with vision issues? Because when you said "no one knows", that felt really sad, that makes it so much harder. Wishing you good things.
the mayo clinic in Maryland has special programs to help with eye sight, maybe your doctor could look into for you
OH I SO RELATE! I have been housebound for the last 18 months because I can't see. I have glasses that correct me to about 20/50, and I am not supposed to drive but I do for short distances. I was able to get contacts that were VERY expensive, that got me to about 20/35 but now I can't wear contacts. For me, I just turned 65 and finally Medicare will cover the cost, but I have been wearing thick glasses since I was four. I drew maps for a living, so it was a real struggle.
I wanted to say that you might be able to get help if you live near an opthamology school. Some practices even work on reduced rates, especially for "medically necessary" folks like us.
Load More Replies...I was raised as a middle child of seven and taught my siblings had bigger problems, so I was terribly neglected. NO, other people have THEIR problems and in your own life you have yours. Get the courage and ask who can help! There is a million charities out there for people like you with obvious life quality fixes... fins them!
This would drive me crazy, I read as my main activity due to other health issues so if I lost my sight in a similar manner as you I would be totally lost
I agree with what Ozacoter said, suffering is not a competition. Someone always will have something worse, but that’s not the point. This sounds like a pretty significant issue and I wish you the best of luck. Maybe ask a loved in or friend to set up a online fundraiser on your behalf.
Looking on zillow and seeing housing that's considered safe, clean, and in a good area starts at 500k and that's just depressing.
Since covid, I now work remotely. So I decided to move to a VERY small town (we only have one stop light) and housing is affordable and safe.
You can thank banks and corporate buyers for that. They are buying up homes, which is driving up prices, so they can rent them out. Banks figured out they can make more money by renting homes rather than giving our mortgages.
Just depends on the area. I have a friend in San Deigo, she's being pushed out if her two bedroom apartment because the owner is selling it for $550K. My house that's twice the size cost 210K in Houston. It was built in the 80s but still.
It’ll eventually crash. Just a matter of when. Our society can’t sustain this kind of demand because we don’t have the money for it.
If you think that’s expensive, in my city in Canada the average is 1.2 million. I am only making 20 bucks an hour and hopefully I can get a couple dollars more over the next couple years i’ll probably have to buy with my brothers. At least my share of rent is only 625 a month
Depends on where you live. Real estate varies all over the country and all over the world. Where I live in western NY you can get a decent home in a decent neighborhood for about $250k.
but the pay is also smaller and jobs less available or in overall poorer conditions - from salary to how far it is and what exactly is the job
Load More Replies...You must be looking in high cost areas, I think. I have been looking for a retirement home, and I am finding plenty of them, for between 80-150k. I found one last week, in NC that looks very nearly like the photo above, and it was 86k
I wouldn't mind owning some members of Congress. Get some laws passed that I want.
It would be expensive, but big companies have shown that it's possible.
I just wish that no one could own a member of congress. Then maybe laws would be passed on their merit and not because of lobbying. Sad, but this is probably the least attainable wish on this list.
True. Corruption (and excessive lobbying) undermines democracy
Load More Replies...Now that's a good idea! Except maybe the trolls and those weird bots.
Load More Replies...If I could afford a few dozen, all abandoned homes would be rehab'd into decent housing. We don't have a shortage of shelter. We have greed over common sense. Secondly, they wouldn't serve lifetime. It's Congress not a gd retirement home.
I would like to have a vehicle that runs, doesn't break down every year & is safe to drive.
A new lung.
I'd like a new pair o' lungs too my friend. I feel bad even thinking such a thing, knowing how lungs 'become available'
Load More Replies...It would be interesting to know that cause of needing a new lung. That's tough. I'm asthmatic so I get it.
Living in a country with healthcare does not mean you will get one.
Load More Replies...My heart is breaking. This should not be an issue for people needing medical attention.
A month-long all expenses paid trip to Scandinavia to chase the Northern Lights
I used to live north of 60. Many nights if I wanted to see them I just had to walk outside :)
Load More Replies...This is also my dream, and my sister is living it. She moved to the Lofoten Islands 2 years ago and has been taking some stunning photos of them since.... 141811961_...3a4caa.jpg
Wow!! Any reason she moved there? Did she just decide one day to make a crazy decision? What's the story there? Incredible pic. Btw!
Load More Replies...I went on weekend trip in october to nothern Norway. I saw them (pretty lucky though) and it costed me like 600$. So it isn't impossible nor unaffordalbe.
If you're in the US, you could just come to northern Minnesota. We have them too.
An island to live out the remainder of days on. Strolling up and down the beach, sleeping under coconut trees in a hammock, fishing, swimming and generally living a quiet and peaceful life to the end!
I think I'd only last a few days without social interaction before I left. I'm an introvert but I don't find it particularly appealing to always be alone.
Sounds like you just need to sell whatever you have, pick an island (might i suggest Oe Cussi, East Timor) and buy a one way ticket
A breast reduction.
I saw a meme or something the other day that said "Wouldn't it be great if the the women that wanted a reduction could send boob to women that wanted an enlargement. Kinda like Venmo or Paypal for titties. And going along with the theme of this article, I'd buy a cure for cancer so all the newly reduced or enlarged ta ta's would be safe and secure on their chests.
I feel you. I've been saving money for this intervention, hopefully I'll be able to have it next year. I never understood why big breasts are so valued. They are horrible and cause a lot of trouble. Cervical pain, postural issues and all types of skin rash caused by sweat especially during the summer. Bonus - you rarely find your size in clothes, and when you do, it fits on the chest but it's large in rest.
I get it. Society valuates big boobs but they are really uncomfortable. Even smaller ones can be. I had an A and I was really happy. No bra, could lie down and very comfortable. Not with the birth control I have a B and not only looks really weird but its also very uncomfortable
The most ridiculous thing is how it's so easy (relatively) to get an enlargement, in the UK you can even get it for free if it's making you feel sad, but a reduction isn't anywhere near as easy to sort!
I feel her pain. I got a breast reduction and it truly saved my neck and shoulders. I had pain and headaches almost daily from the pressure and pull.
This makes me feel very fortunate that I got mine done under Medicare. I paid approx $165 for my breast reductions and that was for the initial consult fee. Wish more people had that kind of benefits. Breast reductions are usually done for medical purposes, not cosmetic purposes.
FYI, this is covered by insurance in many cases. Any breast tissue removed for medical reasons and the breast must be reconstructed. Medical reasons include risk for nerve damage and back pain. Mine was done for free under my Kaiser insurance.
I had one done a couple of years ago. Best decision ever. The doctor said he took off almost 10 pounds of tissue.
A place to live. A vehicle. Real privacy. The capacity to make enough money to take a week off ever. Insurance. I know it seems like I am young based off the lack of things. I live on my own, and have for a number of years. I will be married soon. Trying to make a living wage is very difficult.
Best wishes for your marriage and you will get all of these things. Just work hard and keep your priorities in line.
If you live in a capitalist country, the system is set up for you NOT to get those things, no matter how hard you work. That's just a platitude.
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A college degree in the United States. Still paying back student loans from 1996.
This is why am so scared about how I'll fund my further education.I wish getting well paid jobs ,education was easy.It's taking a toll on everyone's mental health.Sometimes I wonder whether anything is worth all this stress,my hair,my lost weight,slowing declining desire to continue .
Load More Replies...Never understood, if the students borrow from the government, why do they pay interest. We certainly give money for grants for stupid things and money to other countries. We need to take care of our own people.
I've actually paid off my student loans, but only by having no life when I was a student and incurring as little initial debt as possible (e.g. living at home, etc.). Boy, the loan company does NOT make it easy to obtain that piece of paper saying you're no longer their b!tch. (For the record, I haven't used my degrees at all and probably never will.)
A house
Who wouldn't? It's just outrageous that young people can't buy a house because they are either too expensive or just aren't there. In the Netherlands people are paying exorbitant prices for terraced houses that do not stand out in anything, except for the fact that they are for sale. In Amsterdam people pay €1 million for a house that would have costed them less than €250 000 10 years ago.
Where I live in the US, the housing is way too overpriced but there is a lot of resistance to building multi-unit housing. People recognize the need but the way our real estate market works, there's a massive preference for detached housing. However, we don't have room to expand and sprawl our cities out further and further. That may have worked in our parents' and grandparents' time, but not now. Because multi-unit/attached housing is more down-market, it can lower the housing value of properties around it. So most of us agree we need it, but there's still tremendous resistance to having a neighborhood re-zoned to allow it. People want it, just not next door to them. I get it. Their house is likely their largest investment and is a substantial part of their future financial security. They don't want to see it's value go down, or not grow in value at its full potential.
Load More Replies......with a big garden where I can savely stay and live till I die. Biggest dream ever. As a single woman in Germany without any inheritance from relatives (wonderful parents but no money) it will stay a dream. I am over 50 and an academic with a good job. But still not possible... Real estate is insane here!
i would move sons grave to the cemetery my mom is in so they’d be together here and in heaven
Not enough houses are being built . . . . . and most certainly not enough social housing (financed by local authorities) is being built. There's too little urgency. There's not enough imagination and motivation. Not enough use is made of the copious amount of brown field sites and industrial buildings that are crying out for re-development.
An early retirement.
I don't even need early retirement; I just want to know I don't have work until the day I die
Redbull induced heart attack is my retirement plan...
Load More Replies...This. My father is 63 and his knees are really bad so he should preretire. But he cant until 67. F*****g capitalists.
There is no way my hubby will last til 67. The government don't take into consideration people who work physically demanding jobs. I don't know many people in the building industry that would last til that age. My hubby is in his 30s with 2-3 bulging discs, a severed disc, bursa of the clavicle joint in both shoulders and has started having knee issues.
Load More Replies...I'll top that. I can't see myself performing medical procedures swiftly and with a steady hand when I'm 64
i'm trying so hard to save enough to retire around 60, my mum is 62 and still working, and it's so hard on her. she also has health problems that limit what she can do. i want to retire while i'm still healthy enough to do things.
I hope it doesn't go this way for your mom. My mom had some undiagnosed autoimmune stuff going on, so she died unusually young. She worked until 65 and died at 67. I already have some autoimmune stuff going on, so my biggest goal is to retire as early as I can. I do my best to manage my health condition, but if I do end up on that same path, I don't want to only have a couple of years of freedom before I die.
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Always wanted to buy my nans house and my house and make them into 1 (we live next door) but if i won the lottery id buy the street"
It would be a life saver for mine. She might get kicked off her property with my grandfather. My great uncle owned the land where their house was built and sold it to some clusterfuck who wanted more hunting land. Long story short, my great uncle just died and we have no idea what might happen to my grandparents.
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Braces
I constantly see ads for stuff like invisalign - some 30 € a month. Are braces (in US I guess) really so expensive?
$2000-$10000 depending on what kind and a few other factors. Definitely not cheap
Load More Replies...The are a pain with pretty low benefits at least cosmetically, I'll suggest to avoid it if not medically necessary. I had braces on my upper teeth and skipped to lower as the pain is quite bearable especially when you are studying
They're expensive on their own if your teeth are already decently straight. My brother has wolf teeth which makes them more expensive and I had a tooth that was sideways in my jaw which required a surgery and almost 6 years in braces. I think the insurance for mine covered 1800 for all of it, can't remember exactly
In Hungary under the age of 18 braces are free in the public healthcare.
And then they are constantly on at the British for not spending thousands on their teeth.
I got braces by being a guinea pig for my local dental college. I paid in monthly installments that were reasonable and ended up being done with payments and braces in 2 years.
My son doesn’t want braces. He loves his crooked smile but the dentist said it isn’t necessary so I would never push it on him. BUT, I let him know he needs to decide before he’s 18 because that’s the only way he can benefit from health insurance. It’s sad we have to make that decision before 18.
I get this. I hate my crooked teeth and I had wanted braces my whole life. Once my ex-husband and I were financially secure enough for me to get them, he refused to spend the money because he thought it was a waste for someone my age (now 51). After our divorce, I used part of my settlement money to get Invisalign. It was expensive and it required me to really consider my priorities, but it was worth it. I'm two months in and my teeth are straighter already. I wish OP the best.
A Sprinter van that’s been converted into an RV. I would take that thing camping everywhere.
$120,000. Just buy a travel trailer or camper or regular RV. I myself just bought a used ambulance to camp in!
Ticket to Space it’s gettin weird down here
For all his faults at least he’s advancing space flight and exploration what’s Bezos doing? Putting his c**k in space!
Load More Replies..."Ah, you may leave here for four days in space But when you return, it's the same old place." Barry McGuire
doesn't matter, wherever humans go, they will take their plague with them.
A good office chair. The one I have at my home desk now kills my back, but the good ones are all too much for a student like me.
I imagine that you arent in Belgium. But if you are (or nederlands) we have a spare chair. Its old but very comfy
You're such a sweetheart. They should look into second hand shops.
Load More Replies...Me too, and you can get an 85 cm stability ball, a good one, for under 30 bucks. I have used one as a office chair for about 20 years
Load More Replies...Forget about being too much for student... i have some money and even i cannot afford good office chair for my workdesk at home... using a cushion in the chair so that my back does not suffer much.
Same. All the good chairs are insanely expensive. I can't justify the cost. I stand up and walk between clients, and run when my phone beeps. :/
Load More Replies...Stalk the loading dock at a large company. They replace office furniture more regularly than others. I would happily invest a bit of my time in repairing some mechanical component of a chair which is otherwise still marvelously supportive.
A hot tub. I’ve got a number of health issues and sitting in the hot water is extremely helpful. I know there are super cheap ones that are inflatable and for like one person, but my dad had one of those and got an electric shock touching the water after having it only a few months, so now I’m afraid of the real cheap ones.
Trouble is, it’s not just the purchase of the hot tub, it costs an arm and a leg to run one!
This would be a great help to me as well, what helps so much but a safe hot tub for me to use starts at £5000 and goes up and then with the cost of electricity at the moment it would be so far out of my reach that I feel Pluto is closer
I don't know where you live, but If you live where it's warm enough, you can make a Sumerian bath. If you live where you can dig, scrape out a shallow pit just big enough for you to lie down in, line it with a black tarp and fill with water. The sun and your body heat will warm it to a comfortable soaking temperature. If you can't dig, use a large pool float or inflatable mattress and you can get a warm soak. If you leave it shallow, you can warm the top half in the sun, then roll over for a nice splash.
Although this is a very helpful comment, I think they might need the water to be a lot warmer than 'comfortable' to help. My back requires almost scalding hot for the pain to subside.
Load More Replies...
An air conditioner.
I have aircon for the first time in my life - I felt like a brand new person last summer! Where I live in Australia, it regularly gets over 40c in summer.
Where I live in the US, we have a few days a year that will get up to 40c but a lot of days in the 35c range, which is still pretty miserable. Many of the older homes here do not have AC. In years past, people would shut the house up during the day, cover all the windows, then open it up to cool off at night. It was bearable. Our summers are now so plagued by wildfires (familiar to many in Australia as well) that opening up the house now means letting all that particulate-laden air in, so folks are turning more to AC. I'm not criticizing as I have AC myself, but basically climate change has made it so life without AC is miserable and our use of AC is harming our efforts to slow climate change.
Load More Replies...And runs at about $400 for a two month period, needed for summer but OH the expense.
Depending on where they live a fan just might not cut it.
Load More Replies...
IVF so I can have a child
Adoption is also very expensive and out of reach for many
Load More Replies...Yes! You have an amazing chance to be a force of good in the life of a child. Most of these children have been transient their whole lives and are psychologically effected. There are people out there who abuse the foster system for money and children are even worse. Flood the system with good foster parents!
Load More Replies...Omo,the baby is cho cute .Being around tiny babies make me so happy but I don't one myself.I'll just be a cool aunt.
I am in the same position.always wanted a child of my own,adoption and foster just aren’t the same,you don’t get to experience the whole thing from feeling that child grow inside you to the holding your own child for the first time,so upsetting to know I will never get that
Sometimes I wish that those of us who are child free could give people like yourself our fertility as we will never use it but you would.
Look into other options. Depending on how open minded you are or where you live adoption can be much less than IVF. Before anyone jumps on me, we went through several years of infertility treatments and IVF (didn't work). After miscarrying 3 times something to consider, IVF is not a guarantee. We looked into adoption, we traveled to China to adopt our daughter and it took a second mortgage. Then we adopted our son, AA here in Ohio. His adoption was almost free and at that time we were given money by the state for taking in a "hard to place" infant. In the end his adoption was free. My kids are 27 and 24 now and I can't a life without them. We moved to a diverse community when they were small and it was a great match. We wanted a family not just to reproduce. When it became obvious we had tossed our savings (we'd saved $10,000) and more at something that wasn't going to work we looked for other options. Couldn't be happier.
I will never understand a. why folx think their DNA is so special that it needs replication; b. why the grotesque expensive for IVF when so many need adopting.
A car. A farm. Some animals to keep me company. And a fancy water colouring set. Oh and my dream wardrobe
Oh,a canvas to paint and paint ,brushes! I 've always wanted one as a child.
A fancy watercolour set, now you're talking! They're so expensive, sometimes I just look and dream with my eyes opened...
New lenses so I can see without glasses.
It does change your quality of life if you dont have to wear glasses (especially heavy ones).
I am weird and i really prefer glasses. I have wore them for 20 years and my face looks soo weird without. I tried lens and i felt so strange
Load More Replies...For people wearing lenses? Do you ever feel nervous or scared will using those. I can never look past the fact that someone intentionally puts those things in one's eyes. PS: I don't use any kind of specs or lenses
No, it's not a problem. My eye doctor adviced them after he noticed that my eyesight was deteriorating each your when I was wearing glasses. So I switched to soft lenses. The next time I had to have my eyes tested it turned out that instead of deteriorating, my eyes got a little better. I'm sure that if I hadn't made the switch I would now have to wear glasses like the bottoms of jam pots. It does take some time to getting used to put your lenses in and take them out again, but once you got the hang of it, it's just as normal as shaving or combing your hair.
Load More Replies...As someone with 20/400 vision and a history of detached retinas, I completely understand. Even with modern polycarbonate lenses, my glasses are a struggle at times. I would love to wake up and see clearly, go scuba diving and swimming. Not having the constant struggle and worry about it getting worse.
A week in the Maldives in one of those dreamy bungalows over the turquoise waters.
Been once. Never again. If you turn around from the beaches it’s horrible (massive ship breaking yards, rubbish dumps and poverty everywhere).
Good to hear (not really, but it makes me feel like I'm not missing out as much.)
Load More Replies...I know someone who went there for her honeymoon. She said she was bored to death because there was nothing to do. I did not understand that.
Bored? On her honeymoon? I would ignore her opinion frankly.
Load More Replies...You can't sleep at night because the water under the bungalows hits everywhere and non stop and it's so disturbing and loud. If you don't sleep like a bear
Trip to Japan
Yes! I want to do my PhD research in Japan but that won't happen for a while (first need to get into a PhD program) so a trip prior would be wonderful <3
A boat.
I grew up sailing and love it, but it's a total waste of a lot of money.
It's not just buying a boat. Insurance, harbour fees, maintanence, and taking it out of the water in the winter to clean and store (if freezing conditions) in warehouse.
I wish I could have a small boat. My grandparents owned a Butterfly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_(dinghy) and I really wish I could have kept it when grandma went into assisted living and her house was sold :( I only had the opportunity to sail it a few times, but it was very enjoyable.
Load More Replies...Wasn't it Rick from P.a.w.n Stars who said that a boat is a floating moneypit? LOL BP is offended by the word p.a.w.n.
Load More Replies...The person knows that owning a boat would be too expensive, so they were wasting good money on a hobby. I love cars and if I wanted I could use all my savings to buy a muscle car. But that would be a waste of my savings. Not everything you love is worth the money you have to put into it.
Load More Replies...The two best days of being a boat owner: the day you buy it, And the day you sell it.
I wish I had a lot of money so I could start a animal shelter. Working with animals was my dream and it was the happiest time of my life. I wouldnt be able to do it anymore but i could manage it, give an opportunity to abandoned animals and give jobs to kind animal lovers
You can still do it,let's plan and make it happen?
Load More Replies...I wish i had enough money to do some splurging if not all... buy that good chocolate once in a while.. get some amazing books without getting anxiety attacks over cost. Buying a good tablet for work purpose. Replacing my washing machine with a fabulous one and once in a while, going a trip without the need to break my bank account.
I get all my books second hand from Abe books for £2-3.50- bargain!
Load More Replies...What I am going to say may seem judgmental. I don't know. Maybe it is. But I guess I don't understand why people feel the need to pass on their genes so much. What am I getting at? Folks who talk about wanting to have children. Well, there are thousands and thousands of orphans out there who are waiting for parents. No special technology required. No elaborate details or huge amounts of money needed. Just the desire to have children and to love them. Even being a foster parent for a few years can help someone. Just do it.
While you‘re basically correct, have you actually looked into the whole matter more closely? My husband and I wanted to adopt, but there are way more people who want to adopt than adoptable children in my country. International adoption was our next plan, but it’s also difficult because a) many of the rich countries also have more potential parents than parentless children, so they won‘t even consider international adoption b) many of the poor countries didn‘t sign the Haager convention which means you‘re completely on your own if you want to adopt from there c) even if you find a country willing to consider you as an adoptive parent, you and your SO have to spend about 3-6 months with the child in the foreign country. My husband and I legally can’t take that much time off work. Now we‘re applying to be foster parents, but foster kids are usually meant to go back to their biological parents. A couple we know had a little boy for nearly two years and now he‘s sent back to his mother.
Load More Replies...A leg amputation!!! I suffer chronic pain in my legs , the left one I can live with but the right one has me suicidal. I would hate to see the state of my stomach due to medicating with pain relief. I wear straps on both legs and walk like I've pooped myself. No dignity at all. I hate it.
Lyn, this is hearbreaking. I'm so sorry. If I win the lottery I'll contact you, promise. Is the amputation not possible where you live? If you want to talk I'm here.
Load More Replies...I can afford what I need to buy (Food and stuff, tight budget, but I do my best). However, I cannot afford thing's I'd want to buy. But, if I had Michelangelo’s David in my front garden, well, my house would definitely be tagged or something on google view. Visitors would be a problem, but I’ll cross that bridge when it comes. [Edit] I would make them a sandwich though and certainly give them a refreshing drink.
I'm lucky enough to have gotten to the point in my life where most of my material wants are taken care of. Yes, a better laid out house in a quieter area would be nice, as would the ability to retire early and swap our car for an EV. But above these things, the things I want, really *want*, don't have a price tag i can find - a decent night's sleep; the time, energy and motivation to do the things i should want to do; the desire to exercise. I cannot afford the cost of fixing inside my own head because it doesn't have a monetary value.
For me, the big goal is to retire early because my work takes almost all the energy I have. I want to be able to sleep as much as my body desires. I want to have that energy and motivation for more exercise, rather than forcing myself to do it when I'm already exhausted, and not really doing enough. I want to spend time on hobbies and volunteering, not being compelled to work 40+ hours a week whether or not I feel like it. I don't do as much fun stuff as I would like not because I lack the money to do it. I lack the time and energy to do it because that's taken up making the money. So there is, in effect, a price tag on what I really want.
Load More Replies...To hold my mother’s hand again and tell her again how much I love her. She died last week and I don’t know how I will cope without her.
Enough electricity and gas to not have to go without or choose between the 2. Enough food to not have to hungry again. And maybe some jeans that aren't about a decade old
And good shoes too. Maybe some fresh fruit and that is. Complete happiness for me
Load More Replies...Just not having to worry about having money for things. Most of us are one emergency away from bankruptcy and that’s a sad way to live.
Dental care. Fresh fruit. Good shoes. Healthcare. Education for my children. These for starters. And if I can spare some money a good sewing machine to make it possible for my family to have new clothes at least once.
I wish I had a lot of money so I could start a animal shelter. Working with animals was my dream and it was the happiest time of my life. I wouldnt be able to do it anymore but i could manage it, give an opportunity to abandoned animals and give jobs to kind animal lovers
You can still do it,let's plan and make it happen?
Load More Replies...I wish i had enough money to do some splurging if not all... buy that good chocolate once in a while.. get some amazing books without getting anxiety attacks over cost. Buying a good tablet for work purpose. Replacing my washing machine with a fabulous one and once in a while, going a trip without the need to break my bank account.
I get all my books second hand from Abe books for £2-3.50- bargain!
Load More Replies...What I am going to say may seem judgmental. I don't know. Maybe it is. But I guess I don't understand why people feel the need to pass on their genes so much. What am I getting at? Folks who talk about wanting to have children. Well, there are thousands and thousands of orphans out there who are waiting for parents. No special technology required. No elaborate details or huge amounts of money needed. Just the desire to have children and to love them. Even being a foster parent for a few years can help someone. Just do it.
While you‘re basically correct, have you actually looked into the whole matter more closely? My husband and I wanted to adopt, but there are way more people who want to adopt than adoptable children in my country. International adoption was our next plan, but it’s also difficult because a) many of the rich countries also have more potential parents than parentless children, so they won‘t even consider international adoption b) many of the poor countries didn‘t sign the Haager convention which means you‘re completely on your own if you want to adopt from there c) even if you find a country willing to consider you as an adoptive parent, you and your SO have to spend about 3-6 months with the child in the foreign country. My husband and I legally can’t take that much time off work. Now we‘re applying to be foster parents, but foster kids are usually meant to go back to their biological parents. A couple we know had a little boy for nearly two years and now he‘s sent back to his mother.
Load More Replies...A leg amputation!!! I suffer chronic pain in my legs , the left one I can live with but the right one has me suicidal. I would hate to see the state of my stomach due to medicating with pain relief. I wear straps on both legs and walk like I've pooped myself. No dignity at all. I hate it.
Lyn, this is hearbreaking. I'm so sorry. If I win the lottery I'll contact you, promise. Is the amputation not possible where you live? If you want to talk I'm here.
Load More Replies...I can afford what I need to buy (Food and stuff, tight budget, but I do my best). However, I cannot afford thing's I'd want to buy. But, if I had Michelangelo’s David in my front garden, well, my house would definitely be tagged or something on google view. Visitors would be a problem, but I’ll cross that bridge when it comes. [Edit] I would make them a sandwich though and certainly give them a refreshing drink.
I'm lucky enough to have gotten to the point in my life where most of my material wants are taken care of. Yes, a better laid out house in a quieter area would be nice, as would the ability to retire early and swap our car for an EV. But above these things, the things I want, really *want*, don't have a price tag i can find - a decent night's sleep; the time, energy and motivation to do the things i should want to do; the desire to exercise. I cannot afford the cost of fixing inside my own head because it doesn't have a monetary value.
For me, the big goal is to retire early because my work takes almost all the energy I have. I want to be able to sleep as much as my body desires. I want to have that energy and motivation for more exercise, rather than forcing myself to do it when I'm already exhausted, and not really doing enough. I want to spend time on hobbies and volunteering, not being compelled to work 40+ hours a week whether or not I feel like it. I don't do as much fun stuff as I would like not because I lack the money to do it. I lack the time and energy to do it because that's taken up making the money. So there is, in effect, a price tag on what I really want.
Load More Replies...To hold my mother’s hand again and tell her again how much I love her. She died last week and I don’t know how I will cope without her.
Enough electricity and gas to not have to go without or choose between the 2. Enough food to not have to hungry again. And maybe some jeans that aren't about a decade old
And good shoes too. Maybe some fresh fruit and that is. Complete happiness for me
Load More Replies...Just not having to worry about having money for things. Most of us are one emergency away from bankruptcy and that’s a sad way to live.
Dental care. Fresh fruit. Good shoes. Healthcare. Education for my children. These for starters. And if I can spare some money a good sewing machine to make it possible for my family to have new clothes at least once.
