People Are Finally Pointing Out How Everything In Life Is So Pointlessly Expensive, And It's Honestly Infuriating

Can we all collectively agree that simply being able to live shouldn't cost quite so much?

It's no secret that life's expensive — just ask those pesky rent, insurance, student loan, and credit card bills.

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Recently on r/AskReddit, u/Cochrane01 asked, "What do you wish wasn't so expensive?"

Most of the responses are straight-up jaw-dropping when you consider exactly how much we pay for life's necessities.

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"What depresses me is that most of these responses are for things people actually need," wrote u/DoctorTaco123. "It’s almost like without major policy reform, life itself is a luxury."

"My pay is spent before it's even in the bank," wrote u/Alanna83. "I can't begin to save. I don't spend on frivolous stuff either."

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Here are 21 of some of the most infuriating (and honestly, kind of heartbreaking) expenses people frequently deal with that have no business being so costly:

1. By far the most popular response was housing, and TBH, I get it. In the past year alone, housing prices in the United States have increased by an average of 18%.

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"My house is supposed to be a starter home for younger couples. I don't understand how a young couple is supposed to afford $5K a month on mortgage payments, $600 a month in property taxes, and another $100 for insurance, then car payments and cellphone and groceries. It is fucked. You have to make $150K a year to live in a starter home." —u/Sintex

2. Other redditors pointed out that rent prices are just as dismal, sometimes even costing more than a mortgage.

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"Where I live, since I moved here four years ago, rent has pretty much doubled. Sucks because I moved states, and got this job because of the good pay and low cost of living in the area. That completely changed in such a short amount of time." —u/rura_penthe924

3. Talk of medical care and expenses also dominated the thread.

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"I just don't think I should have to fork over $80+ for the doctor to see me for 10 minutes and tell me to get some sleep and drink fluids." —u/Soon2barmn

4. Getting sick or injured will often leave you with thousands of dollars in medical bills.

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"Broke my wrist in a bike accident. Doctor pulled on my arm a little bit before putting on a cast. They marked it down as surgery. Bill was $3,000+." — u/JDPhoenix-8632

5. Essential medical supplies like inhalers, insulin, and EpiPens can cost hundreds a month, which is especially messed up considering how relatively cheap they are to produce.

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"My wife has severe asthma. We had no insurance in 2006–07 and could hardly afford the rescue inhaler, so she had to use it sparingly and space it out. Once it was gone, we had to scrimp and save to get another one. 

She literally almost died twice from asthma attacks. I mean, legit turning blue, unable to breathe, losing consciousness, and having to be resuscitated by paramedics twice. Eyes blood red from lack of oxygen. Shit is so scary." —u/Dreamscape82

6. And even though health insurance technically is supposed to help you avoid paying so much in medical bills, it costs a pretty penny.

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"Dental care and vision care are separate from healthcare, which is already too expensive. Now I have to buy three insurances to just maintain my body." —u/PlayTheJay

7. Not to mention that some medical expenses just can't be helped. A new pair of glasses can set you back hundreds...

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"Why doesn't my health insurance pay for it? I'm not even allowed to drive without glasses, but they see it as a luxury." —u/Goukaruma

8. ... and dental work can cost thousands.

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"My best friend's teeth are awful and cause him a tremendous amount of pain. Rotting, exposed nerves, the whole works. [He] went through weeks where he couldn't eat solid foods. They keep getting worse and worse despite the fact that he takes care of them really well. His parents' insurance wouldn't cover anything to help him, and the cost of out-of-network implants was going to be upward of $40,000. 

About six months ago, he got this really sudden and powerful urge to join the Navy, out of nowhere. I realized it's because the Navy will fix his teeth. Might not be great care, but they'll at least do something. He was adamant that was not the only reason for his enlistment, but I'm sure it was easily the biggest reason. He entered a six-year contract for his fucking teeth. Welcome to 'the greatest country on Earth,' where you have to enlist six years of your life away just to not be in terrible pain 24/7." —u/BenderCLO

9. Therapy and caring for your mental health can also take a toll on your bank account.

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"I'm seriously trying to help myself so I can be a good mother and wife, and it's going to cost me like $900 to get the diagnosis I probably need to move forward?" —u/Tammytalkstoomuch

10. Saving up to afford a car is one thing, but you also have to consider gas, insurance, and maintenance.

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"Just owning a car is likely to cost you between $6,000 USD and $12,000 USD per year, depending on the car. Take a close look at 'total cost to own' ratings, which attempt to take into account depreciation (a hidden cost) as well as maintenance and repair estimates." —u/Unlucky_Emu_8560

11. And while public transit is in theory a great alternative, a lot of places don't have a system that's reliable enough to be truly effective, which can end up costing you in the end.

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"There are low-income neighborhoods in my city that don't have reliable transit options, and people there can't afford reliable cars. I've heard of some city blocks where one or two neighbors have a car, and so the neighbors all take turns using the car on weekends to go pick up groceries for the block." —u/McbealtheNavySeal

12. Getting a college or graduate degree (which, BTW, is a must for a lot of jobs), often means you're stuck paying off student loans for years after you graduate (thanks, interest rates!).

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"Here in the US, the government student loan is 5%–7% appreciation with an average of $30,000. Most people I talk to on the political spectrum become hysterical when college student loan forgiveness becomes the topic, but then I point out the interest and how your typical person pays 3x the amount borrowed, and then everyone starts to agree that anything over 2% is robbery (even then I think paying the amount you borrowed should just be enough)." —u/Helms81

13. Buying groceries is often a huge hit to your bank account, especially when it comes to buying fresh produce for an entire family.

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"It's scary to see how little $50 or even $100 of groceries lasts a family, especially if you want to buy actually healthy and fresh foods." —u/EnycmaPie

14. And if you ever have to deal with the legal system, prepare to pay up.

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"If you enter the court system without a lot of money, do not expect a good outcome. It can happen, sure, but more often than not you pay huge amounts in lawyer fees, court fees, penalties, etc. It moves far slower than you’d like, and you miss significant amounts of time you could be working." —u/Frnklfrwsr

15. Don't even get me started on the Pink Tax, which essentially means that products for women are waaaay more expensive than those designed for men, even though they're basically the same exact thing.

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"To save money, I am literally wearing men's deodorant right now. It is infinitely better quality and cheaper than most feminine deodorant I've worn." —u/Alice_Cogswell

16. Tampons, pads, and other period products are another monthly cost that people with periods have to deal with.

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"In my country, there's a tax on sanitary napkins, while condoms are tax free." —u/ham_sandwich23

17. If you want to give your precious pet the best care possible, just be prepared when the bills are approximately the same as a human's medical bills.

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"My dog has a lot of issues that are expensive every time I take her to the vet. I asked about insurance, and they said she can't have it because she has a lot of preexisting conditions. I'm a broke bitch who loves her dog and will find a way to pay for it anyway, but damn, that hurts." —u/i_love_puppies12

18. Raising a child is beyond expensive, between supplies, childcare, and the medical costs associated with actually giving birth.

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"My husband and I want another child, but the cost of daycare is literally the reason we can’t have a second for the time being." —u/shebabbleslikeaidiot

19. Adoption can be a long and emotional process, and the financial toll only adds to the stress.

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"The most annoying for us was that when we finally got the go ahead that we could actually adopt [our aunt's kids in Africa], they required us to IMMEDIATELY fly to their home country over the Christmas season. 

If we did not get them within two weeks, we had to do the whole process over again. Those tickets were a nightmare for our financials (four last-minute flights to Africa are not cheap)." —u/ugonna100

20. Even picking up a new hobby to enjoy in your free time can set you back at the bank.

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"I never had hobbies growing up because we were kind of poor. I also never really learned or knew what things I enjoy and/or am good at. But since corona hit the fan, I've been dabbling in arts and crafts. I've started with cross stitch and now I'm into drawing, but all in all, all of that shit you need for it is really incredibly expensive." —u/witchdoctorhazel

21. And finally, even dying is expensive.

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"Mom died in October, no life insurance. Had to cremate and put her in a cardboard box. Still cost close to $1,500, and my siblings couldn't afford to help." —u/Mrtorbear

Any other life essentials that are outrageously expensive come to mind? Come vent about them in the comments!

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.