Life is all about the simple pleasures. But what happens when the things that used to bring you joy now cause stress? The current financial situation in America seems to have hijacked a lot of our simple pleasures and turned them against us. Here are six examples of pleasures that have somehow turned into burdens.
Daily Coffee
If you’re buying coffee from a coffee shop every day, you already know how pricey it is. But it didn’t always feel that way. The price of coffee has grown exponentially, especially if you’re someone who loves a specialty drink with cashew milk over a simple cup o’ joe. But one thing’s for sure: it’s always been cheaper to make coffee at home, and it’s never been a better time to start doing it. And yes—you can still buy the cashew milk and add it yourself.
Dining Out
Dining out used to be a fun treat. But now, going out feels like a luxury that many of us can’t afford more than once or twice a month, depending on where you go. And once you compare the prices next to your grocery bills, it becomes even more obvious that going out is rarely a wise financial decision. Eating out can still be an incredible experience. But if you’re doing so out of convenience, just remember your kitchen is always open—and it’s a place where pasta doesn’t cost fifteen dollars.
Exercise
This one’s interesting because there are many ways to work out that don’t involve money at all. But going all in on personal health has never been so expensive. Gym memberships, trendy workout classes, and fancy gear can add up to an amount that’s hard to justify when you remember you could just go for a long walk. Try not to worry about the latest high-tech fitness tracker or luxury running shoes; embrace the free ways to exercise and ignore the rest!
Travel
Vacation: all we’ve ever wanted. But with airfare prices soaring higher than your expectations for a relaxing weekend away, it’s hard not to feel like you’re financing a small country’s economy every time you book a trip. It’s hard to say what the fix for this is. However, when was the last time you spent an afternoon exploring your own city? You might find some hidden gems without ever having to get on a plane. Plus, there’s a lot more legroom on public transit than there is on some airlines.
Hobbies
The last and probably most unfortunate entry to the list is how expensive hobbies have gotten. Something as simple as gardening or painting has somehow gone from a pastoral joy to a financial black hole. Part of it is because we’ve been convinced we need the latest and greatest of everything to do anything. Your hobby doesn’t have to be a full-blown investment strategy. After all, you rarely enjoy the hobby because of how much you spend on it; you love it because it activates something special in you!
