Remember when you could grab a ribeye for dinner, book a babysitter for a Friday night, and still have money left over for a movie? Yeah. Those were the days.

These days, a lot of stuff that used to feel completely normal now feels like you need to take out a small loan. You’re not imagining it — and you’re definitely not alone.

<a href=”https://www.buzzfeed.com/scarymouse/21-things-that-were-normal-and-affordable-in-america-10″>A viral BuzzFeed list of everyday things that have become unaffordable</a> is making the rounds, and honestly? It reads like a group therapy session for anyone with a grocery budget.

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The List That Will Make You Go “Ugh, Same”

1. 🥩 Red Meat

You used to throw steaks on the grill without a second thought. Now you’re standing in the meat aisle doing mental math. Ground beef has become a luxury item. Nobody warned us about this chapter of adulthood.

2. 🐾 Vet Care

Pet insurance sounds like a great idea — until you actually try to use it. Vet bills have gotten so out of hand that some people joke their dog gets better healthcare than they do. (It’s funny because it’s true.)

3. 🏠 Home Maintenance

Need a plumber? An electrician? Anyone with a tool belt? Good luck getting anything fixed for under several hundred dollars. Homeownership used to be the American Dream. Now it’s the American “Please Just Don’t Break” situation.

4. 🎬 Movie Tickets

A family trip to the movies used to be a casual Tuesday-night thing. Now you’re doing the math: four tickets, popcorn, drinks… you’re somehow $80 deep before the previews even start.

5. 📺 Cable TV

You cut the cord to save money. Then you got streaming. Then another streaming service. Then one more. Congratulations — you now pay more than your old cable bill. The circle of life.

6. 👟 Sneakers

Remember when a new pair of kicks was just… a back-to-school thing? Now a decent pair of sneakers can run $150 easy — and that’s before your kid decides they’ve outgrown them two months later.

7. 👶 Babysitters

Date night used to be spontaneous. Now it requires budgeting for a babysitter who earns more per hour than you did at your first job. No shade — they absolutely deserve it — but wow.

8. 🎸 Concert Tickets

One commenter on the thread said, “I saw Bob Dylan for $6.50.” Today, that same show would run you $150 minimum — plus fees, plus parking, plus the emotional damage of Ticketmaster.

9. 🦷 The Dentist

Dental work was never fun, but it used to at least be manageable. One crown can now set you back over $1,000 — sometimes more. Suddenly flossing every single day feels like a financial strategy.

10. 🏡 Buying a House

This one stings the most. Someone in the thread shared: “In 1955 my parents bought their home for $16,000. My father made $5,000 a year. Today that same house sold for $1,700,000.”

There are no words. Just screaming internally while scrolling Zillow.

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So What Do We Do With All This?

Honestly? We laugh (a little), we vent (a lot), and we remind ourselves that everyone around us is navigating the same impossible math.

And maybe we skip the steak this week and make tacos instead. (Beef tacos, if it’s on sale.)

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What’s the one thing on this list that hits you hardest — or what would YOU add to it?