What's no longer good value for money?

[barkley]

going to the movies. unless it's a bargain showing we are looking at close to $15 per ticket plus parking at some some locations (about $7). one movie per month for 2 adults runs more than i pay for for a month's worth of multiple streaming services.

 

[BrianL]

Yeah - I've just started cooking at home, it can take a lot of time, but its as good as what you get in most places.

The poor service that expects at least a 20% is what really sealed the deal for me.


Yup. Subarus is actually not all that bad, much lower than the average cost of a new car, especially when its 10k for a 10 year old truck.

Housing is crazy too, not even going to comment as it would really need to go to the Controversial Topics board.

Yup. I just bought a Subaru and they were the only car brand that was not trying to jack up the price excessively. I paid MSRP, which granted isn't a great deal, but it is a fair deal. Toyota was trying to charge nearly $8K above the sticker for a Prius - AND they didn't have one to sell me anyway.

 

[DeeBee3]

I'd say almost anything I need to buy is not worth the price. I just buy because I need the item - food, gas, new clothes or shoes when required. Everything is too high and does not account properly for wages etc.

 

[tony67]

Yup. I just bought a Subaru and they were the only car brand that was not trying to jack up the price excessively. I paid MSRP, which granted isn't a great deal, but it is a fair deal. Toyota was trying to charge nearly $8K above the sticker for a Prius - AND they didn't have one to sell me anyway.

Yeah - you will rarely get any discount on Subaru beyond what is advertised etc.. - I was able to get a 2k discount but they gave me next to nothing for the trade in and I bought a vehicle they would have a tough time selling since many of the features cant be used in my state thanks to the Right to Repair law.

The right to repair law is a very good idea, but the implementation is the issue IMO.

 

[BrianL]

Yeah - you will rarely get any discount on Subaru beyond what is advertised etc.. - I was able to get a 2k discount but they gave me next to nothing for the trade in and I bought a vehicle they would have a tough time selling since many of the features cant be used in my state thanks to the Right to Repair law.

The right to repair law is a very good idea, but the implementation is the issue IMO.

I like that they were very straightforward with me. This is how much it costs - no games. They did throw in a free roof rack since the car they sourced for me int he color I wanted didn't have them, so I got a little something anyway.

 

[kanerf]

LOL. When I was in College (1975 to 1979) , 2 buddies and I used to go to Disneyland for 3 days for $100 each.

I was working in CA for a while in 2005 or so and as I recall an annual pass to Disneyland was only about $200.

 

[tony67]

I was working in CA for a while in 2005 or so and as I recall an annual pass to Disneyland was only about $200.

Yeah, my first WDW AP was under 300, it cost only a little more than the 10 day ticket so we used to do at least two trips a year. You also got 40-50% room at different times. That is $564.56 in todays dollars.

My Universal AP was $99 at the same time, so 190.17 in todays dollars.

 

[eandt]

Agree with this.

One of my ‘resolutions’ is no more tipping when I pick up take out food … it became a thing during covid for us as a way to try to help out the servers during the insanity but as of Jan 1 we are dun

 

[tvguy]

I was working in CA for a while in 2005 or so and as I recall an annual pass to Disneyland was only about $200.

Back in the 1970's they still sold the A thru E ticket books so you could actually buy just an admission ticket with no ride tickets. I recall that was about $10, although the online references list admission price as $7.30 in 1974. And my mom's employer offered a benefit, a membership in Disney's Magic Kingdom Club which offered discounts on books of tickets.

 

[tony67]

One of my ‘resolutions’ is no more tipping when I pick up take out food … it became a thing during covid for us as a way to try to help out the servers during the insanity but as of Jan 1 we are dun

Agreed, of course when you order on line they automatically try to add a tip, and if you zero it out they know before they make your food.....so I just don't order from those places anymore.. unless they say you can pay at pickup.

We have a takeout seafood place and what I really like about it is they don't even give the option to tip when you pay, even when you order in the place. If you want to leave dollar or two there is a jar, but none of this 15% automatically added and expected.

We ordered a couple of sandwiches from a place and we really liked them, it was Lebanese and Greek food. They had such an attitude when we did not tip that we wont go back. Thing is we would have left a couple of dollars had she not had an attitude. They are already getting 17-20 an hour minimum.

 

[eandt]

Almost every restaurant has been adding 3 - 5% to your bill for the ‘privilege’ of using a credit card … that is nothing more than a hidden price increase on top of what they show on the menu … I believe those auto or recommended tips are also calculated based on after tax total …

 

[Darcy03231]

Disney World. We've found we can travel to other destinations, for a longer period of time, spend far less money and get better experiences and food.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Disney

It's tough because the nostalgia factor is so strong. We want to go back because we have so many fond memories, but each time we do, we feel like we're being fleeced and that things aren't as good as they were in the past. It's always been an expensive trip, but Disney's rate of inflation far outpaces standard inflation and it feels like quality and quantity has been noticeably reduced in the process. I really don't know why room prices from our 2010 and 2011 trips are burned in my brain, but a room that cost us $280/night in 2010 is $801/night in 2024 (same dates, resort and room category). A room that cost us $415/night in 2011 is $739-903 a night in 2024 (same dates, resort and room category). Food prices have skyrocketed, favorite items have been cut, portions have been reduced, some of our favorite places have gone prix fixe, and we've had a number of service issues in more recent visits. The parks are an entirely different beast. I could devote pages to perks that have been cut or monetized, CM issues, ride issues, etc. before ever even touching anything with Genie+/Lightning Lanes vs. the old fast pass systems. Yeah, the writing was on the wall for this to be monetized for a while, but they could have come up with a better system IMO.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I have a firm, "don't tip for take-out" policy, and I absolutely detest the food delivery services. Don't feel bad for fast-food workers in CA - they are scheduled to be getting $20/hr minimum wage starting in April. They should be tipping me.

 

[grapefruitjellybean]

Chanel bags.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Thrift stores! We sourced many antiques and vintage furniture, lamps, artwork etc from these stores for reasonable prices last summer while our home was being built. Since fall we've found prices have almost doubled on nearly everything or maybe we just got lucky and found what we wanted then. We are happy our purchases go to charity, however prices doubling is way more than our crazy 10-20% inflation...

 

[eandt]

Thrift stores! We sourced many antiques and vintage furniture, lamps, artwork etc from these stores for reasonable prices last summer while our home was being built. Since fall we've found prices have almost doubled on nearly everything or maybe we just got lucky and found what we wanted then. We are happy our purchases go to charity, however prices doubling is way more than our crazy 10-20% inflation...

Thank American Picker’s type shows …. Folks are now researching the ‘junk’ they yard sale etc and pricing accordingly … learned my lesson on this a long time ago when I sold my kids obsolete video game system and a bunch of cartridges for $20 at a yard sale … it was ‘worth’ hundreds

 

[Kestryl]

Thrift stores! We sourced many antiques and vintage furniture, lamps, artwork etc from these stores for reasonable prices last summer while our home was being built. Since fall we've found prices have almost doubled on nearly everything or maybe we just got lucky and found what we wanted then. We are happy our purchases go to charity, however prices doubling is way more than our crazy 10-20% inflation...

THIS. But also there's a used book store I used to love going to... until they decided to do this same practice and now a used book is only 50 cents cheaper than new- or, frustratingly, MORE than new. "We have to mark it up to prevent re-sellers." OK, well, it's marked up to the point that I, a regular shopper, will no longer buy.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Thank American Picker’s type shows …. Folks are now researching the ‘junk’ they yard sale etc and pricing accordingly … learned my lesson on this a long time ago when I sold my kids obsolete video game system and a bunch of cartridges for $20 at a yard sale … it was ‘worth’ hundreds

We are really good at picking out the good stuff - from experience. I suspect we've picked up things while people are researching on their phones much to their dismay...ha, ha! Last summer I spotted a gorgeous cupboard I knew was early and sure enough paid $295 and appraised $2500! I can be quicker than the internet sometimes.

We've moved those old video games twice now...hmmm.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Value, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I could mention a lot of things that aren't good value for the money, but they never really were in the first place. So in my mind that doesn't quite count. But I'll mention some things anyway.

Buying a home to live in (once one is able to) will always be good value. Buying a home (before one is able to) or (if one moves all the time) will always not be good value.

New Cars have never been good value. They always depreciate in value their first few years faster than they actually wear out. It is much better to be wealthy than to look rich. Having 2 over $500 car payments is how you look rich. It isn't how you get wealthy.

OOOO I have a good not a good value any more. A phone. But people say yeah but the phone does so much more. Yeah, most of which I don't need it to.

I have a firm, "don't tip for take-out" policy, and I absolutely detest the food delivery services. Don't feel bad for fast-food workers in CA - they are scheduled to be getting $20/hr minimum wage starting in April. They should be tipping me.

Well we finally agree on something. I can't stand food delivery services either. All they're doing is making restaurant food more expensive whether you use them or not. As for tipping, I don't tip for take out either. But does anyone tip for fast food take out or even eat in?

Tipping is out of hand. Restaurants over the years and their lobbying group have pushed through measures to pass the burden of paying their employees on to me and the burden of the customer not doing it onto the staff. First it was the sub minimum wage. And recently, it's now restaurants are allowed to give a portion of tips to back of the house staff. And whereas my grandmother tipped 10% IF AND ONLY IF the service was good, now we're going to be tipping 25%. Now I really feel for the staff at these places. But know your worth. Organize and demand change. When I worked at a restaurant, I in fact did that. We were making minimum. I walked up to the boss and said I'm worth a lot more than this. Raise my pay or receive my two weeks notice. I won't lie to anyone. It didn't work. Much to my chagrin he took my notice. HAHA. But It was the best thing that happened to me. I got a better job with actual benefits that at the end of the day, was a lot easier and put more money in my pocket. I'm a generous tipper and believe that if you can't afford the tip or don't want to, don't go. But I just don't want to be guilt tripped into the burden of making up for a crappy employer. As such, I don't eat out that much.