21 Everyday Items That Became Total Rip-Offs in 2025
"Fast food. It's only marginally cheaper than going to a restaurant."
—UDPviper"Fast food used to be a cheap option when you didn't feel like cooking.Adult lives have gotten so much busier that cooking at home has become a luxury for many because of the time required.Fast food chains have caught on to this, and you now pay for a convenience meal, instead of a cheap meal."—TheColJohnRambo
"Netflix."
"A trip to Vegas used to be great value for money. Everything was cheap. Rooms were dirt cheap, and buffets were like $7.99 a person. And cocktails were free if you were gambling. And resort fees didn't exist. Now, Vegas is just a giant rip-off. Nothing there is cheap anymore. What a shame."
"Going to the movie theater. You can easily have a huge flat-screen TV and surround sound system at home for less than $500, and most movies are available on streaming within a month of release. I took my daughter to watch Lilo and Stitch in the theater last month, and two tickets plus refreshments were about $60! And three weeks later, that movie is already on Disney+."
—Kingsnake417
"TicketMaster. When it started, it was cool; for a small fee, you could buy concert tickets from outlets instead of at the box office. Then suddenly, you had to pay the fee even when you went to the box office! Now it's just a fee (not small) that you have to pay regardless, and for that fee you get… nothing."
"Pharmaceutical companies that advertise on TV, like you can just ask doctors for a prescription, when in fact, insurance companies have to approve it, especially when one dose can cost tens of thousands of dollars."
"Any home appliance: vacuums, fridges, blenders, etc. Everything is made to break now, so you have to repurchase and spend more money."
—Designer_Position_79
"The inflated cost of online courses without real content. It used to be a new way of learning, now it is often a marketing scam."
"Airbnb. It's now getting more expensive than booking a hotel room with breakfast."
"Diamonds. It used to be relatively hard to find them, but now we can just make them. Totally worthless."
—Hiro_Trevelyan
"Bitcoin."
"Food trucks. It used to be great food at (relatively) cheap prices, but it has completely flipped on its head. It is now mediocre food at exorbitant prices."
"Hot Cheetos and other chips. Used to be able to get a large bag for $2.29. Now they are around 6-7 bucks for a smaller bag and fewer chips."
—ToshDaBoss
"Health insurance. It was really beneficial for the insurer, but now it's nothing but a scam. Just giving you a false sense of security."
"VIP tickets at music festivals. You used to get an open bar, food, and the best view. I just went to a festival on an 'Ultra VIP' ticket, which was extra expensive. No free drinks, no food, and the viewing platform was overcrowded. It's like that with everything. As soon as a big corporation has a hand in it, everything turns to shit. Things not only get more expensive, but the service/products become shittier by the day."
"Dating sites. Man, do they suck."
—goishen
"Selling on eBay. The fees are nuts versus 10 years ago."
"Doing rideshare gigs."
"Airline tickets. You used to get meals, checked bags, decent legroom, and actual service. Now you pay double for half of that, and they'll still try to upsell you on a window seat. Feels like getting scammed at 35,000 feet."
—VanshikaWrites
"Store memberships. You get an insignificant discount for trading your information and habits to brokers. Your privacy is worth more than a few dollars."
And finally, "The school photo industry. Back before digital cameras, when it took effort to take amazing photos and then get them developed, it might make sense to splash out on a nice photo of your student once a year or at graduation. Now? Incredibly expensive prices for a printout or digital copy of a photo, often no better than can be taken on your phone. Sure, the school photo is nice, but $80 for a copy? Hard pass."
Is there anything you would add? Tell me all about it in the comments or via the anonymous form below:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
This Crypto Investor's 'Never Wrong To Take Profit' Rule Sparked A Heated Debate—Here's Why Bitcoin Holders Are Pushing Back
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. The age-old debate about when to take profits in cryptocurrency has reached a fever pitch, with investors split between two radically different philosophies that could determine whether you build wealth or watch it vanish overnight. Reddit user Feisty-Rhubarb-6718 recently sparked intense discussion when he shared his hard-learned lesson: 'It's never wrong to take profit.' After watching significant gains evaporate due to greed, he now advocates for securing partial wins along the way. 'The market owes me nothing,' he explained, emphasizing that leaving the table with something beats walking away empty-handed. His approach represents the 'trader mindset'—selling portions of holdings during rallies and redeploying capital elsewhere. But this strategy has drawn fierce criticism from Bitcoin maximalists who view any profit-taking as fundamentally flawed. Don't Miss: The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market — Accredited Investors: Grab Pre-IPO Shares of the AI Company Powering Hasbro, Sephora & MGM— The Bitcoin Maximalist Counter-Attack Bitcoin purists argue that viewing BTC through a traditional trading lens misses the bigger picture entirely. They compare Bitcoin to a 401(k), where the goal isn't to 'cash out' but to spend from accumulated wealth during retirement. From this perspective, Bitcoin represents financial freedom from traditional banking systems, with its market trajectory consistently outpacing inflation over time. 'Any withdrawal unless for a necessary expense is a foolish decision,' argued one Bitcoin advocate, highlighting the philosophical divide between treating crypto as a trading vehicle versus a long-term wealth preservation tool. This mindset has historical backing. Early Bitcoin investors who held through multiple boom-bust cycles often saw exponentially better returns than those who took profits during intermediate rallies. The difference between a 2x gain and a 100x gain can be life-changing wealth versus modest profits. Trending: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. The Hidden Costs of Both Strategies The debate extends beyond philosophy into practical considerations that many investors overlook. Taking profits triggers immediate tax implications and exchange fees, while also resetting capital gains tax clocks. Meanwhile, the emotional toll of 'panic selling' during market downturns can lead to poor timing even when technically taking a profit. Conversely, the 'diamond hands' approach carries its own risks. Even major cryptocurrencies can lose significant value or disappear entirely. The volatility that creates massive upside potential also generates substantial downside risk. Finding Middle Ground: The DCA-Out Strategy Many experienced investors advocate for a hybrid approach called 'dollar-cost averaging out'—selling small portions during price increases while maintaining core positions. This strategy captures some profits while preserving upside exposure, potentially offering the best of both worlds. Automated trading systems can help remove human emotion from these decisions, systematically taking profits as prices rise while accumulating during dips. The key is establishing clear rules before emotions take over during market Personal Finance Reality Check Perhaps the most important factor gets lost in these philosophical debates: individual financial circumstances should drive investment decisions, not tribal loyalty to particular strategies. A financial advisor might correctly recommend liquidating crypto holdings for one investor while suggesting increased allocation for another, depending on their age, income, debt levels, and risk tolerance. The Reddit discussion revealed a crucial truth that both camps often ignore—there's no universally 'correct' approach to crypto investing. Success depends on matching strategy to personal goals, timeline, and psychological makeup. Whether you're team 'secure the bag' or 'diamond hands forever,' the most dangerous mistake is investing without a clear plan and the discipline to stick with it when emotions run high. Read Next: — no wallets, just price speculation and free paper trading to practice different strategies. Image: Shutterstock This article This Crypto Investor's 'Never Wrong To Take Profit' Rule Sparked A Heated Debate—Here's Why Bitcoin Holders Are Pushing Back originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Reddit Stock Pops After a Blowout Quarter, But Is It a Buy?
Key Points Reddit is growing quickly and it posted revenue of $500 million in the second quarter. Although the stock is up 260% in the last year, there are valuation concerns. 10 stocks we like better than Reddit › Two weeks ago, I wrote that Reddit (NYSE: RDDT) was one of my picks as a stock to buy on the dip and hold for the next decade. I was confident in the company's upcoming earnings report and its growing profits. Fast-forward to today, and Reddit is smoking hot, up 43% in the last week on the strength of its glowing second-quarter filing. The dip is over, but do you still have an opportunity to take a position in Reddit stock? Or should you wait for a better buying opportunity? Reddit shows huge numbers The biggest figure in the second-quarter earnings report is rapid revenue growth. Reddit reported $500 million in revenue, up 78% from a year ago, marking its fastest quarterly growth since 2022. It was the company's most profitable quarter. There was also a 21% increase in daily active users, a number that reached 110 million in the quarter. The company posted a profit of $89 million and $0.48 per share, versus losses of $10 million and $0.06 per share in the second quarter of 2024. Reddit stands out from social media platforms like Meta Platforms' Facebook and Instagram because, by design, its users are anonymous. The platform is organized into structured "subreddit" communities where people can talk about anything -- including their favorite games, cars, and movies, as well as current events. Because subreddits can be devoted to very specific topics, conversations are usually on point and user moderators can halt any spam or threads going off-topic. "For people, conversation and connection are becoming more valuable and rare," CEO Steve Huffman wrote in a letter to investors. "In a world increasingly dominated by algorithms and automation, the need for human voices has never been greater. We see this every day as nearly 50 million scrollers come to Reddit for their favorite communities, and 60 million seekers land on Reddit in search of better answers to their questions." The company posted Q3 guidance for revenue of between $535 million and $545 million, which would be a 55% gain from a year ago. What's next for Reddit? While Reddit gets more than 80% of its revenue from the U.S., it's taking steps to grow its international presence. The company is embracing machine translation in order to allow Reddit to expand in Asia, Europe, and Latin America, and is currently targeting around two dozen languages. By expanding internationally, Reddit has the opportunity to increase marketing, add local content and contributors, and create specialized subreddits to serve international markets. While international revenue increased by 71% to $91 million in the second quarter, this is a massive opportunity to grow the company. Reddit is also embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to make its platform more relevant. The Reddit Answers tool is an AI search engine specifically geared toward Reddit content and can help people find answers on the platform. The company says its core search product has 70 million weekly users, and that Reddit Answers grew from 1 million users in Q1 to 6 million in Q2. By rolling Reddit Answers out globally, it can sell advertising in its search engine much as Alphabet's Google does. Should you invest in Reddit stock? By any measure, Reddit is an expensive stock, particularly compared to Meta, which operates the highly successful platforms Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. It's also more expensive than Snap, which operates the Snapchat platform: While I still think that holding Reddit stock is a good idea, I do think it's pretty pricey right now. Up 260% in the last year, Reddit appears to be overvalued; if I were buying a social media stock at these prices, I would lean toward Meta right now. I have full confidence that Reddit will hit its third-quarter revenue numbers, and I'm eager to see if it can increase its international audience and open the door for long-term revenue growth. Reddit is a solid stock, but I think investors should wait for a better buying opportunity before taking a position. Do the experts think Reddit is a buy right now? The Motley Fool's expert analyst team, drawing on years of investing experience and deep analysis of thousands of stocks, leverages our proprietary Moneyball AI investing database to uncover top opportunities. They've just revealed their to buy now — did Reddit make the list? When our Stock Advisor analyst team has a stock recommendation, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is up 1,060% vs. just 182% for the S&P — that is beating the market by 877.64%!* Imagine if you were a Stock Advisor member when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $653,427!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,119,863!* The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 4, 2025 Patrick Sanders has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Reddit Stock Pops After a Blowout Quarter, But Is It a Buy? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
ChatGPT-4o is coming back after massive GPT-5 backlash — here's what happened
After months of anticipation and a delayed rollout, GPT-5 finally landed for ChatGPT users; but less than 24 hours later, OpenAI is already reversing course. The company had fully swapped out GPT-4o for its new flagship model, leaving users with no way to switch back once they logged in. But backlash from loyal fans was swift and loud, with many lamenting the loss of GPT-4o's personality and conversational style. Now, in a rare and rapid U-turn, CEO Sam Altman has confirmed that GPT-4o will return as a selectable option for Plus subscribers. Wanted to provide more updates on the GPT-5 rollout and changes we are making heading into the weekend.1. We for sure underestimated how much some of the things that people like in GPT-4o matter to them, even if GPT-5 performs better in most ways.2. Users have very different…August 8, 2025 GPT-5's debut came with promises of better reasoning, faster coding assistance and improved long-form writing. But almost immediately, loyal GPT-4o users began voicing their disappointment. For many, GPT-5's personality felt 'colder' and more mechanical, even if it outperformed in certain technical tasks. On Reddit, threads with hundreds of comments compared GPT-4o's removal to 'losing a trusted friend,' while others described GPT-5 as 'efficient but soulless.' X (formerly Twitter) lit up with pleas for GPT-4o's return. A few even said they'd cancel their subscriptions if it wasn't confirmed that GPT-4o would be reinstated for Plus subscribers, though its long-term availability will depend on how many people actually use it going forward. The backlash highlights a growing truth in AI adoption: performance isn't everything. Many users build a sense of trust and familiarity with a specific model's tone, pacing and way of 'thinking.' Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. GPT-4o had developed a reputation for being warmer, more conversational and more relatable than its successors. This shift also underscores how AI is a daily companion for many. Changing that overnight can feel jarring, even alienating. Model choice is back. You can once again choose GPT-4o if you prefer its tone and personality over GPT-5. Trust matters. The decision shows OpenAI is willing to prioritize user satisfaction, not just technical benchmarks. Personalization is the future of AI. The move may pave the way for even more customization in model selection, letting users match the AI's personality to their needs. OpenAI's quick course correction shows the company is listening, and that emotional connection to AI matters just as much as raw performance. For now, GPT-4o's return offers the best of both worlds for Plus subscribers: cutting-edge GPT-5 for when you want peak capability, and GPT-4o for when you want a familiar Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
