What adult purchase really shocked you once you saw the price tag?

[AmbsPhillps]

like when you became an adult , what things surprised you with by the cost

I'm in agreement with mattresses.

And cheese.

Also - apples.

Holidays. How fucking much?!?

Sofas.

Fitted kitchens.

Dentistry. They make the prices up, surely.

Food, these days too. I paid a quid for a cauliflower last week. A fucking quid!

@Poppyismyfavourite funny, we are in the middle of redecorating and have found B&Q own brand good but Wickes own brand thin as milk. I guess mix gets changed over time.

Still doesn't answer the question of what the hell goes into F&B paint to justify the price!

Decent camping equipment and clothing. We've always camped in our sturdy, reliable family tent but now the dc are older, we want to hike. Blimey it's expensive to kit yourself out. Even a decent coat. Hundreds of flipping pounds to stay dry. I am trying to find a light sleeping mat right now and it's more than my monthly food shop.

Sinks
Kids shoes
Built in microwaves (landlord has offered £75 to replace a £300+ one )
Train fare, especially season tickets
"Eco" nappies

eating a take away lunch and coffee rather than taking sandwiches
£5-7 per day = £25 week which equals £1200 pa based on 48 weeks !

Just out of interest, what is the next step up from Ikea furniture? 🙈😂

I wish someone had told me that I would need to pick a career that attracted a certain income level in order to fund the lifestyle I'd grown up with, which was my expectation.

I think this should be taught in schools. Flashcards with a "lifestyle", then the ballpark annual cost in various regions, and some jobs that typically would support it as a single earner or two working parents with childcare costs. (Yes I know there's huge variation depending on how well people manage their money but it's possible to give ballpark numbers and then discuss some of the reasons someone could have a lifestyle that seems at odds with their likely income, eg accruing debt, having inheritance, living frugally and saving)

I think tv and adverts create a very distorted idea of what everyone else's lifestyle is like.

Children's shoes
Car repairs
Ink cartridges
Pub drinks in London

@olderthanyouthink off topic I realise, but if you rented the property with a functioning microwave then the landlord is liable to replace it not 'offer' some money towards it. Especially if it's built in!

Hosting Christmas dinner for the whole family. I felt it was a bit of a right of passage once I had kids and a house big enough to accommodate grandparents, siblings and other close family. But my god the price soon adds up 😳
I love having it at mine though so wouldn't have it any other way 😁

This
Although I always offer a contribution to the turkey, make a few dishes eg puddings, bring a cheese board, supply some wine, spirits and nibbles when we get invited to others homes. Haven't had the same courtesy back mind you

We have a relative who spends every Christmas with us, staying a few days. They have never once contributed to anything, and I had to really bite my tongue the year I asked them to bring along one small element of the meal that was unavailable locally, and they sent me their bank details so I could pay them back... But I can’t raise it because it’s the Christmas we choose, they are not foodie at all and are joining us for company so why should they pay for our food and drink selection (although they happily consume it all), and they have some social communication issues, which is why I suspect they’re not offering in the first place. It does grate though, and others in the family are aware and have started to make comments to them about the expense of hosting Christmas!

@Shouldbedoing

Your mushrooms story reminded me of the first time I bought them in my local greengrocer. They asked what weight I wanted, didn't have a clue

Thankfully I was in school with the lovely girl working there so she helped me out.

Head boards. Cost was ridiculous for what is essentially some wood and padding. It was for a single bed too..

Cushions! Just looking for ds's first home and the cheapest decent one is £30! 🤯

Apples that don't tasty of mushy fluff. How can a few apples, even those imported from France cost more than a watermelon!

Car parts - I don't resent paying a good mechanic a decent labour rate but when I see how ridiculously expensive a tiny piece of plastic is that didn't exist in cars 30 years ago is, I die a little bit inside.

Gluten free bread that doesn't taste of chipboard, and fall apart when you so much as look at it. Even when you pay £3 and upwards its still a bit meh tasting.

Wall paint - however, you get what you pay for. We bought own brand paint for the front room years ago, applied one coat and it was shit, didn't go on well, was patchy etc. Went back out the same day and got Crown I think.

Dentistry - still have to pay for a checkup if you're NHS, and I think hygienist was about £50 the last time I went, all to be poked in the gums and told to floss.

TV license - most of its utter drivel!

Bank charges for going overdrawn - punishing. Though I thought they've had to curb this now?!

Cherries! Insanely expensive for most of the summer.

@Malin52 you'd think but I think he'd only replace it with a freestanding one which won't fit where the old one is so would further limit the worktop space. We ended up negotiating no rise in rend and the £75 but we can't be bothered to figure it out so have left it for now, just annoying every now and then.

car insurance for a first timer. so i'm not driving yet because of that

Insurances are huge. Council tax is going up and up. Printer ink is amazingly expensive.

Mattresses used to be cheaper than they are today. They really have increased in the last five years or more.

Buying a car.

I see so many people in big fancy new cars then pass the garage and see how much they cost!! I can't imagine having enough money to buy one. Even on finance, some of them would beat least half my mortgage.

@The80sweregreat

Mattresses used to be cheaper than they are today. They really have increased in the last five years or more.

Dunno. Depends on the quality. I remember a colleague paying £1500 for one 20 years ago. His wife insisted and he complained about it for weeks so the amount is burnt in my memory.

Fencing.

What is it with fencing? I had 3 quotes to get 2 fence posts replaced and they were all £400-£500. It was a 0.5 days work at most with perhaps £60 of materials.

Vacuums !!