From Ramen Noodles to Reality Checks: 19 Surprising Expenses That Will Turn You Into a Frugal Adult

Kids often overlook their parents' financial struggles, only understanding the cost of living when they start their own journeys. A user asked, “What item seemed pricey once you grew up?”. See top answers.

QUALITY CLOTHING

“Quality clothing. I was raised on hand-me-downs and thrift store clothes. Nothing wrong with that, mind you, but going out into the world as an adult to buy clothes shocked me.”

DAYCARE

“Daycare….that is ridiculous.”

LEGO SET

"Lego. As a kid, I found my parents' reluctance to buy new sets confusing. But now, as an adult, I understand the cost and mentally apologize to my mom."

QUIET TIME

“The peace and quiet provided by alone time.”

GASOLINE

“Gasoline. It was just over a buck a gallon in the 90’s and then shot up to over $2 just a few years after I started buying it.”

A HOUSE

“I knew that houses were expensive, but not that you had to work your entire life to pay for them, and in some cases, you can work your whole life and not even own one.”

BABY FORMULA

“Baby formula. We basically spend $80-90 a week on either a powder or premixed bottle. Usually, it’s more than all the rest of the food in our cart combined. Makes no sense.”

EGGS

"Eggs for breakfast daily. Unaware they hit $3. Assumed they spawned in the fridge after the chicken."

LAUNDRY DETERGENTS

“Laundry detergents and fabric softeners. It was a complete shock for me.”

AC UNITS

“I mean, I didn’t expect them to be cheap, but did you know that a new A/C unit costs more than $10k?”

REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE COST

“Repairs and maintenance on a home. If I average it out, it’s easily $500-1000 a month.”

FURNITURE

" Always puzzled why my retired grandma complained about her bad couch and desired a new one. I thought as an adult, spending hundreds/thousands on a new one is no big deal."

CAR TIRES

“Car tires. Insurance of every variety.”

LABOR CHARGES

“Labor. Especially anything to do with fixing the house.”

HAVING TREES IN THE BACKYARD

“Having trees in your yard. We’ve dropped like $20k on tree work in the last five years.”

GOOD QUALITY COTTON KITCHEN TOWELS

“Good quality cotton kitchen towels. But fortunately, my favorite brand makes certain motifs for years on end, so I managed to collect two complete sets (38 total) in 6 months.”

CHEESE

“Cheese, I used to put that on everything, then I moved out and had to severely curtail my cheese habit.”

SHOES

“A decent pair of dress shoes are $300 minimum.”

LEMONS

"We had a lemon tree, so I never bought lemons. After moving out, I found lemons are pricey and of lower quality."

13 Scientifically Proven Facts People Still Doubt. Do You?

There are so many things that are scientifically proven but some people try to ignore the scientific experiments and prove the theories wrong. Read more about it.

15 Red Flags That Someone Is Stupid. Are You?

Intelligence isn't binary, everyone has unique strengths & weaknesses. What's "smart" depends on context. Here are 115 signs you're stupid.

15 Dead Giveaways That You’re Nonsense Person

Sometimes, a single act can show true character. If someone's actions disgust you, their reliability may be questionable. Find out 15 giveaways of a nonsense person.

12 Scams That Will Fool Even the Smartest People. Have You Fallen For It?

Scams come in all shapes and sizes, but what makes them particularly dangerous is when disguised as something legitimate. Read here about scams that food the smartest people.

13 Reasons Why Most Older Women Cut Their Hair Short

Why do older women prefer short hair? Read here. Originally on Mrs. Daaku Studio.