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So many things have been ruined for low and middle-income earners after they were touched by the rich. When wealthy people, especially celebrities and influencers, get involved with something, everyone wants a piece. Suddenly, you are priced out of something that was previously inexpensive. A prime example of this is avocado toast! I mean, seriously! What caused the high rollers to start eating and promoting avocado toast en masse? It makes no sense. This has resulted in a significant price increase wherever avocado toast is served. This is just one of many things the wealthy have ruined, turning once-affordable goods and experiences into luxuries out of reach for everyday people. Along with avocado toast, here are 14 things wealthy people have ruined for everyone else. To curate this list, I’ve chosen items that were once a lot more affordable. These are things I’ve seen myself.
1. Thrifting
Thrifting is not what it used to be—wearing gently worn and secondhand clothes was embarrassing. I remember being bullied for wearing used items. Those days are long gone. Now, thrifting is expensive. It’s become super popular because of wealthy influencers. I’ve seen cheap shirts, originally $5, sell for $12 in thrift shops.
2. Avocado Toast
This one infuriates me. A few years ago, avocado toast was everywhere. Celebrities ate it at every meal – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I grew up eating avocado toast when there wasn’t much left at home. Now, breakfast places sell this delicious snack for up to $20! Depending on where you live, avocados in grocery stores are also pricey.
3. Pho
If you haven’t caught on by now, wealthy people ruin a lot of things. They start food and fashion trends that make buying items unsustainable. Another example of this is with pho. Vietnamese food is delicious. I eat it at least once a month, but the cost has skyrocketed. A bowl of pho can easily cost $25. The cost is even higher in fusion restaurants.
4. Farmers Markets
Like thrift shops, farmer’s markets aren’t what they used to be. It’s not just baked goods and fresh produce. I’ve gone to way too many farmer’s markets only to find cheaply mass-produced items or grocery store produce. Farmer’s markets are extremely popular. They’ve grown in popularity over the last few years because of social media.
5. Food Trucks
Food trucks were once for poor people. They were easy, cheap, and quick to start. All you needed was a grand idea, some ingredients, a food truck, and a business license. Now, food trucks almost seem like a luxury. Food truck lines are long, the food is expensive, and the options are strange. Who can afford to pay $15 for just a sandwich?
6. Tacos
I’m such a sucker for tacos, but honestly, rich people keep ruining them. There is nothing better than a street taco you find on the side of the road. I’ve been fooled too many times by the opening of taco places near me. While I expect Mexican tacos full of flavor and simple ingredients, I find weird concoctions at ridiculous prices. There is no reason for tacos to cost $8 each.
7. Homes
I feel like I don’t have to explain this one too much. House prices are ridiculous. Wealthy people and corporations looking to make extra money have bought houses for way too much money and flipped them for even more. Now, buying a home is a dream. The average home price for the first quarter of 2024 in the U.S. is $420,800. That is nearly half a million!
8. Hamburgers
Hamburgers are supposed to be cheap, fast, and delicious. They are made of inexpensive beef, bread, cheese, and maybe some other ingredients. Luxury and fusion hamburgers, though, are expensive. They use super high-quality ingredients that not many people can afford. A local place near me sells a goat cheese and fig jelly burger for $30. Granted, it’s huge, but also unrealistic. Did you know some hamburgers can cost as much as $5,000?
9. Modern Tiny Homes
I dreamt of owning a tiny home, especially after I saw home prices skyrocket. Tiny homes were supposed to be affordable options. Now, however, modern tiny homes are basically just for the rich. Wealthy people and corporations have built cheap but luxurious-looking tiny homes. The country’s most expensive tiny house is $827,000 and is slightly under 400 square feet!
10. Beaches
To be fair, beach vacations have always cost a pretty penny. Hotels and rentals by the beach can cost as much as $1,000 a week, which gets higher the more luxurious a spot. Still, wealthy people have ruined beaches. They are now hard to find and enjoy. Posting and raving about pristine beaches has ruined them for locals as thousands of people flock to these unique places. This is especially true about Cancún, Mexico.
11. Social Media
This is a personal opinion. I think wealthy people have ruined social media. Technically, I put more blame on celebrities and influencers. It’s hard to enjoy social media when comparing your life to someone with a lot of money. Social media influencers and celebrities post about their lives, like traveling and paying for expensive things, which are easy. Gone are the days of just posting a selfie.
12. Hobbies
Rich people haven’t ruined all hobbies, but it can feel like that. A hobby is something you love to do in your spare time. It’s a passion, but it’s also relaxing. Wealthy people have turned hobbies into a way to make money. And honestly, hobbies should just stay hobbies. They get expensive and exhausting when all you think about is money. I blame wealthy people for pushing for multiple streams of revenue.
13. Concerts
I want to go back to when a concert ticket was as cheap as $10. It’s hard to find even a small local band that charges as little as $10. Big music festivals are even worse. Wealthy people love posting and attending music festivals, which flood their fans to do the same. I’ve seen this a lot with Coachella.
14. Etsy
Lastly is using of Etsy to buy handmade items. As much as I want to support local businesses, they’ve become expensive. Now, a lot of people turn to fast fashion. Although cheap, fast fashion has some ethical problems and is bad for the environment. Wealthy people also ruined Etsy by opening businesses and selling mass-produced items.
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