Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Here Are The Luxury Items That Were Commonplace 20-30 Years Ago

Make us preferred on Google

It's amazing to think how, as times change, so do the quality of products.

But this also includes items that were once considered commonplace that are now seen as vintage or even luxury.

For those who were around at the time when an item was first introduced, it can be surprising to see how the availability of that item changes over time, and even frustrating when it becomes increasingly expensive.


Redditor zombiem00se asked:

"What was normal 20 or 30 years ago, but is considered a luxury now?"

Quality Furniture

"New furniture made out of real wood."

- Juls7243

"It's legit why I started woodworking. Even my s**tty projects that I'm unhappy with are infinitely better than the junk in stores."

- leap3

Software Ownership

"I hate that everything is a subscription now. I miss being able to just straight up buy Microsoft Office. Now you need a subscription."

"There's a hidden way to buy a license, but it has very basic functionality and limited apps, so it's kinda useless."

"Even my printer needs a d**n subscription to use the ink that came with it (which I hadn't realized or I wouldn't have bought it)."

- SolusLega

Income-Rent Ratio

"The days of paying no more than 30% of your income in rent."

- newsaggregateftw

"I lived in poverty housing and this was how they determined our rent. It was 30% of mom's income, regardless of how much she was making."

"That was 20 years ago, not sure what starving kids do today."

- DaughterEarth

Constant Availability

"Not being expected to be reachable 24/7."

- Siukslinis_acc

"Yes, f**k this. I hate being bothered about work when I'm off work. I used to have a boss that expected me to answer when I wasn't at work so he would b***h and moan about it. Then I became known as the one who never answers."

- Capt_Skyhawk

Affordable Concerts

"Concert Ticket prices."

- Quality_Street_1

"Sure does seem like ticket prices went from $50 to $200 really f**king fast."

- 7eregrine

Faithful Cookware

"Household products that didn't break within the first few years of use. My grandma had the same fridge from 1993 for a good while before deciding to switch to a newer, bigger option two years ago. Yes, it broke within those two years. My mom's wedding cookware is still going strong 25 years later, but whenever she needs new pans, they start flaking Teflon into the food within a few months."

- parangolecomuna

Retirement Funds

"Retirement plan built-in to your job."

- SuvenPan

"Or just retiring in general, lol (laughing out loud)."

- Joaham1

Farmer's Markets

"Farmer's markets. You used to be able to go down and get fruit and vegetables cheaper than the grocery store. Now it seems like they charge three times more than stores do."

- jrhawk42

Available Repairs

"Being able to get things repaired instead of buying new."

- einRoboter

Right to Privacy

"Privacy used to be implicit. It was just there. You didn't have to think about it."

"Now it's explicit. You have to seek it out and take steps to ensure it remains in force."

- dsac

The Good Ole Days

"Being left the f**k alone."

"Buying something and just like, owning it."

"Playing a video game without an internet connection."

"Not having to provide your email address for every single f**king thing you do."

- El_Mariachi_Vive

Just Gaming

"I still miss the days of just putting a game in, turning it on and you go right into playing it. The game alone was the sole focus and purpose of the console. The GameCube is the last system I remember playing that had this."

- __M_E_O_W__

Bins of Photo Albums Under the Bed

"Photographs on actual photographic paper. I know it's still possible but oh so rare."

- audiofankk

High-Quality Clothing

"Good quality fabric in clothing. I have clothes from the 90s (and 80s from my mother) that still hold up today. These days, I'm lucky if my shirt isn't saggy and misshapen within a year."

- TheMadLaboratorian

FriYay and TGIF

"Being able to go out every Friday after work and being able to afford it."

- M-the-music-guy

We're always moving forward and looking forward to future advancements, but sometimes, it's nice to look back on where we've been and what we miss about the old days. Sometimes, it may even be a little sad to think of what's not available anymore, but at least we got to experience it.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Kylian Mbappe; Celeste Amarilla
Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Nath Aguilar/picture alliance via Getty Images

French Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Perfectly Rips Paraguayan Senator After Her Vile Racist Post Attacking Him

French soccer star Kylian Mbappé has struck out forcefully at Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla following her racist rant.

Amarilla's screed came following Paraguay's World Cup loss to France.

Keep ReadingShow less
Troy Nehls; Statue of Liberty
Chip Somodevilla/Staff/Getty Images; Achim Thomae/Getty Images

MAGA Rep. Slammed After Saying We Should Cover Up Statue Of Liberty To Deter Immigrants

During a xenophobic, racist rant about immigration on the Capitol Building steps, controversial Texas MAGA Republican Representative Troy Nehls called for a "bed sheet" to be placed over the Statue of Liberty for ten years.

The comment came just after Nehls disparaged the working class for not working as hard as he does after bragging about his plans for a lobster and ribeye feast for the 4th of July.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Mike Pence
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images; John Lamparski/Getty Images

Trump Gets Brutally Trolled With Old Mike Pence Posts After U.S. World Cup Defeat

President Donald Trump was widely mocked after Belgium knocked Team USA out of the World Cup after a 4–1 victory, with critics resurrecting jokes about former Vice President Mike Pence refusing to certify the 2020 election results.

The jokes are a response to Trump's role in the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun's eligibility. Balogun had received a red card—the most severe penalty a player can receive on the field—against Bosnia and Herzegovina and was initially set to serve an automatic one-match suspension before FIFA overturned the ban.

Keep ReadingShow less
Laura Ingraham
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Laura Ingraham Dragged After Claiming Masked White Nationalists Were Actually 'Antifa In Costume'

Fox News personality Laura Ingraham was criticized after suggesting the masked white nationalist members of Patriot Front who marched on Washington, D.C. on Saturday "were actually antifa in costume."

According to the group, roughly 400 members traveled to the nation's capital. Reuters photographers observed large numbers of participants riding Metro trains dressed in Patriot Front's signature uniform of khaki pants, blue shirts, white face coverings, baseball caps, and sunglasses.

Keep ReadingShow less
Patti LuPone at the "Another Simple Favor" Premiere held at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images

Patti LuPone Sounds Off After Turkey Denies Gay Cruise She's Performing On From Docking Due To 'Moral Values'

Patti LuPone is speaking out after Turkish authorities blocked a gay cruise from docking in the country, with officials reportedly citing a clash with local “moral values” as the reason.

The cruise, operated by LGBTQ+ tourism company Atlantis Events, departed Greece on July 5 and was scheduled to stop in the Turkish cities of Kuşadası and Istanbul before local authorities denied the ship entry. According to CNN and The Guardian, officials in Turkey's Aydin province informed organizers that the vessel would not be permitted to dock.

Keep ReadingShow less