What's no longer good value for money?

[Spinneret]

Energy prices

 

[Magical2017]

A trip to Walt...kidding, not going there! Keeping travel in mind, I would say cruising. We cruised pre-pandemic for less than half of what the same ship/cabin type would be today.

 

[3rd_time_the_charm]

Is there anything left that is?

 

[tvguy]

Fast food.

 

[tvguy]

A trip to Walt...kidding, not going there! Keeping travel in mind, I would say cruising. We cruised pre-pandemic for less than half of what the same ship/cabin type would be today.

Depends where you look. The cruise we took on Celebrity in October 2019 for $625 a person is still $625 a person for October 2024.

 

[John VN]

Energy prices

Year	National Average Gas Price (Dollars/Gallon) Then	National Average Gas Price (Dollars/Gallon) In 2022 Dollars
1980	$1.19	$4.25
1981	$1.31	$4.25
1982	$1.22	$3.72
1983	$1.16	$3.40

Sam's is $3.02 today -- such a deal

 

[disneychrista]

Disneyland. When I priced a trip out and came up with nearly $2,000 just for me it has made me rethink a trip. I used to pay about $1,500 for myself and my two daughters. So I’d effectively be paying four times as much. ($1500/3=$500, $2,000/1=$500x4)

 

[tvguy]

Disneyland. When I priced a trip out and came up with nearly $2,000 just for me it has made me rethink a trip. I used to pay about $1,500 for myself and my two daughters. So I’d effectively be paying four times as much. ($1500/3=$500, $2,000/1=$500x4)

LOL. When I was in College (1975 to 1979) , 2 buddies and I used to go to Disneyland for 3 days for $100 each.

 

[tvguy]

Year	National Average Gas Price (Dollars/Gallon) Then	National Average Gas Price (Dollars/Gallon) In 2022 Dollars
1980	$1.19	$4.25
1981	$1.31	$4.25
1982	$1.22	$3.72
1983	$1.16	$3.40

Sam's is $3.02 today -- such a deal

Sams is $3.95 here.

 

[Magical2017]

Depends where you look. The cruise we took on Celebrity in October 2019 for $625 a person is still $625 a person for October 2024.

Summer rates are always higher. I priced out Royal last year for 2024 on the same or similar ship that we sailed on pre-pandemic and it was super high for an outside cabin with a balcony. It just was not worth the value to me. I am also a bit wary of going back to cruising but that did not really factor into pricing out a trip.

 

[tony67]

Disney.

Food and Drinks at Universal, I still feel the parks and hotels are reasonable - but food and drink seems to have really gone up.

Drinks at a bar pretty much anywhere, they have never been a good value - but now they are just outrageous.

Tipping - its out of hand and getting worse every day.

 

[leebee]

Disney. While it's normal for prices to increase, the value is so greatly reduced from what it used to be. It gets harder and harder to justify a Disney trip, and our trips are nothing like they used to be in the past.

 

[TippyThomas]

What many private campgrounds charge for a site. I can't bring myself to pay that much to camp.

 

[starvenger]

Airbnb if you typically book just one hotel room. But if you're in a group of 5 or more and require multiple rooms, then it's still better value in spite of the "cleaning" and "service" charges that get put down.

 

[starvenger]

A trip to Walt...kidding, not going there! Keeping travel in mind, I would say cruising. We cruised pre-pandemic for less than half of what the same ship/cabin type would be today.

I see where you're coming from with regards to a straight cost perspective. And certainly, new ships like Wish, Treasure and Icon are really working to separate your money from your bank account. And since opening back up cruising is somehow hotter than ever. We're at a point where you can get value if you can be flexible on dates and locations. But if you have more rigid vacation guidelines, then finding that value is a lot more difficult.

 

[tony67]

Disney. While it's normal for prices to increase, the value is so greatly reduced from what it used to be. It gets harder and harder to justify a Disney trip, and our trips are nothing like they used to be in the past.

yup, I have an upcoming trip and honestly I don't even want to go, but for reasons beyond my control I have to do it.

It's nothing like it was - its been on a downward slide for about the last 10 years IMO.

 

[focusondisney]

Tipping - its out of hand and getting worse every day.

Agree with this.

 

[lovin'fl]

Cars. And apartments. Ridiculously expensive.

Cars lose value as soon as you buy them and they are stupidly expensive right now.

Apartments...we paid under $600 for a 2 bedroom in 1997 and today it's $3K. Best bet is buying something and your mortgage payment might even be lower than $3K

 

[shh]

dining out in general - smaller portions, higher cost, degrading service. I'm noticing a big difference. We mostly do takeout these days.

(I think the easier thread question would be: "what STILL is a great value for the money these days?")

 

[tony67]

dining out in general - smaller portions, higher cost, degrading service. I'm noticing a big difference. We mostly do takeout these days.

(I think the easier thread question would be: "what STILL is a great value for the money these days?")

Yeah - I've just started cooking at home, it can take a lot of time, but its as good as what you get in most places.

The poor service that expects at least a 20% is what really sealed the deal for me.

Cars. And apartments. Ridiculously expensive.

Cars lose value as soon as you buy them and they are stupidly expensive right now.

Yup. Subarus is actually not all that bad, much lower than the average cost of a new car, especially when its 10k for a 10 year old truck.

Housing is crazy too, not even going to comment as it would really need to go to the Controversial Topics board.