Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Europeans Explain Which Everyday American Things Seem Like Luxuries

A table setting with a napkin of the American flag and the Statue of Liberty
silver fork and bread knife on white ceramic plate
Photo by Dyana Wing So on Unsplash

Reddit user AdventurousAd1943 asked: 'Europeans of Reddit, what do Americans have on a daily basis that you consider a luxury?'

It's easy for anyone to take for granted how lucky they are.

Many of us wish we were living in a larger home, had a more fulfilling or lucrative job, or wished our family would call us a little less frequently.


When, in fact, there are many others who would be thrilled to have our home, our job, and our family.

In fact, many Americans in general don't realize quite how lucky they are compared to the rest of the world.

Even from the point of view of some of the world's most prolific cities.

Redditor AdventurousAd1943 was curious to learn what things that Americans view as "common place" are, in fact, highly coveted in the eyes of Europeans, leading them to ask:

"Europeans of Reddit, what do Americans have on a daily basis that you consider a luxury?"

Lest You Scoff Before Filling Up...

"Cheap fuel."- MM556

"For most of you, fuel is a luxury."

"In America, because it was built for cars, it's a necessity."

"For many people there is no way to leave their house and do the most basic functions of living, like get food to eat, go to work to maintain income, etc. without a car."

"With that in mind, the average household cost per month on gasoline is $200."

"And that is not spread evenly."

"If you live in a city, you might only spend $30-50/month."

"If you live in a rural area or live relatively far away from work, you're spending $400-500/month in gas."- medicated_in_PHL

Or A Yard, For That Matter...

"Having big yards around the whole house."- IndependentToe297

Ice Ice Baby!

"American size fridges with the double doors and the ice maker."- Th3_Accountant


Kitchen Fridge GIF by bekoGiphy

Front Or Back!

"Houses with porches."- Select-Funny347

"… and 3-season or 4-season sunrooms."- Viperlite

"Oh Give Me Land, Lots Of Land..."

"Big national parks."- Basekid

"When I was in the Alps, I was blown away that there was no single location where you could look out and see only nature."

"Every single valley and every mountain had something human on it."- yeluapyeroc

...As Long As You're Not In Alaska...

"Great big f*cking oceans between themselves and Russia."- ClarkyCat97

Russian GIFGiphy

Doesn't Even Need To Be Central!

"AC."

"Everywhere."

"You get so used to it and forget how summers and winters can feel hot and cold and outright miserable sometimes without perfect indoor climate control."

"A European living in US."- Traditional_Ad_1012

And Yet The Tiny Home Market Is Booming...

"The houses seem so enormous."

"At least compared to the homes in England (London)."

"Even relatively modest American homes seem like palaces to Europeans."

"I also love that the homes are just huge and square."

"Big rooms with symmetry."

"A dream."

"In England our houses are such strange shapes for no reason, I just want a massive square room to put things in that does require a math degree when planning furniture arrangements."- Duck_on_Qwack

Just Watch Your Fingers!

"This grinder thing in the sink (if that's really a thing)."

"Would love to have that."- chelonioidea_style

episode 1 disposal GIFGiphy

The American Dream...

"Seemingly, all of you have huge fully ACed houses with huge fridges that fit a gaming room, playroom, home gym, 3 cars, and empty rooms of all your grown-up kids just in case they come back."

"And the time to somehow maintain it all while also driving significant distances daily to work."

"I have a new mid size house with a small plot of grass, and this sh*t is a nightmare to maintain compared to an apartment."- ShadowBannedAugustus

Blame The Public Transit...

"When I first moved to Europe, my wife’s family (a family of 5, the youngest of whom was 16) were shocked to learn that between me and my parents, we had 3 cars."- mejok

"It's A Privilege..."

"Free public bathrooms and free ice water at restaurants."- titsmuhgeee

Water Day GIF by ZinZenGiphy

It Is Always Assumed...

"Their language, how nice would it be too speak your own language and almost the whole world understands you."

"That's a privilege."- Pungsvett123

Those "All In Ones" Aren't Everything They're Cracked Up To Be...

"As an American that has traveled to Europe several times, the only thing I really ever missed was a decent clothes dryer."

"Every time I've used a dryer in Europe (if the flat even has one), the clothes dryer just seemingly whispered to my clothes to 'try to dry off a bit'."- WisestCracker

You Think YOUR Apartment Is Tiny...

"S O."

"M u c h."

"S P A C E."

"I'm in some architecture shaming groups in Facebook, and most of the posts are just normal spaces in Europe."

"Somehow each room not having its own bathroom is the most terrifying idea for USA people."- Silent-Victory-3861

Home Luxury GIF by The Pozek GroupGiphy

Many Americans have been doing serious research about expatriating to Europe since early November 2024.

Understandable as that may be, they might want to take some of the above-mentioned things into consideration...

More from Trending

Screenshots from @buttholecontrol's TikTok video
@buttholecontrol/TikTok

Lesbian Sparks Heated Debate After Calling Out Friend Who Is 'Waiting To Date' Her

Imagine becoming friends with someone, liking them a lot, and going on a few dates, only for them to not be interested in you "in that way" but wanting to remain friends.

Then imagine that they meet someone else and start dating them, leaving you to still process your feelings, and then you discover a TikTok video on their profile of them calling you a bad friend because you had the audacity to still have feelings for them.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kim Kardashian
Kevin Mazur/SKIMS/Getty Images

Kim Kardashian's SKIMS Just Released A Line Of Underwear With Faux Pubic Hair—And Fans Have Thoughts

Listen, women have been encouraged for decades to remove natural body hair, just to replace it with something more aesthetically appealing.

Shaving off eyebrows just to draw or tattoo them back on in a more pleasing shape or shade immediately comes to mind, but there's also been pressure to transform hair into the latest trending look, to shave or trim body hair, to use dyes or bleach to lessen hair's appearance, and much more.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ruby Rose; Taylor Swift
Phillip Faraone/WireImage; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Actor Ruby Rose Defends Taylor Swift From Claims She's Pushing Conservative 'Tradwife' Agenda On Fans

Batwoman actor Ruby Rose took to social media to shut down allegations that her longtime friend, pop star Taylor Swift, is pushing a conservative narrative on fans with her new album The Life of a Showgirl.

Last week, Jezebel essayist Lauren Tousignant was one of many critics disappointed with the album.

Keep ReadingShow less
Erika Kirk and Donald Trump; Charlie Kirk
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Benjamin Hanson/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Ripped After Making Surreal Boast During Medal Of Freedom Ceremony For Charlie Kirk

President Donald Trump was widely criticized after he openly boasted about surviving an assassination attempt while honoring late far-right activist Charlie Kirk—who was assassinated last month at an event at Utah Valley University—with the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this week.

Trump was injured in an assassination attempt at a July 2024 campaign event by a gunman who was shot and killed by the Secret Service. The shooting ultimately claimed the life of one man and injured two others. The phrase “Fight! Fight! Fight!”—shouted by Trump in the immediate aftermath—has since become a rallying cry among his supporters.

Keep ReadingShow less
Actor Jaden Smith, singer Willow Smith, actors Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith arrive at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never."
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Willow Smith's Extreme Touring Exit

In 2010, Willow Smith exploded onto the scene with her debut single “Whip My Hair,” a viral hit that reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, charted in over 10 countries, and drew comparisons to Rihanna and Lil Mama. At just 10 years old, she was signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and performing in front of arenas filled with fans twice her age.

And before we go any further down memory lane, here’s the video that started it all:

Keep ReadingShow less