People Share The Things That They Thought Were Either Really Cheap Or Really Expensive When They Were Kids
Remember when money meant nothing? Such simple days.
Some childhood money memories stick around for years, especially the ones that turned out to be completely wrong. A snack, a household item, or even a car accessory can seem wildly expensive or surprisingly cheap when you are young.
That is exactly the kind of nostalgia driving this Reddit thread, where people shared the things they misjudged as kids and then laughed at the reality later on. From fancy treats to everyday basics, the answers are full of little money lessons that only make sense in hindsight.
Read on for the funniest and most relatable examples.
"We always had sparkling grape juice as kids, but only for New Year's. It seemed like such a lavish bottle. They’re cheap as hell... but only having it that often made it feel so special."
That kind of childhood logic makes perfect sense at the time.
"It never occurred to me that some food was more expensive than other food. I 100% thought my mom made spaghetti all the time because it was her favorite.I was much older when I realized it was because it could feed a lot of people very cheaply."
"Rugs!! Why are rugs so f***ing expensive?"
"I always thought Viennetta ice cream was so posh and expensive."
"Food coloring and fondant icing for baking. I thought they were so expensive, and that's why only fancy cakes used them. Turns out they cost like £1 each."
Some of these childhood assumptions were way off, but very believable.
"I remember wanting to have the cheapest beverage at a theme park with my aunt and uncle when I was 11. I insisted on having water, while they were subtly nudging me toward milk. Milk was cheaper; who knew?"
It also matches the AITA where someone demanded friends pay them back for an overpriced dinner.
"Video games were crazy expensive, but that's the only thing I cared about. So when I looked at X item, I would compare it to video game prices (40-60 USD). In other words, I would look at something and think, 'That costs like half a video game.' 'With that amount, I could get 3 video games.' 'That's like a quarter of a video game.'I kept doing this until I reached 17."
"I have kind of a funny story that is related. I got an allowance even when I was really young, but it was only a few dollars a week. When I was probably 6 or 7, we were at the mall, and I saw a sign for golden retriever puppies for $299. Naturally, I assumed this was $2.99. I went into the store and proudly put $3 on the counter, only to be told I would need a lot more than that.As an adult, I also look back and can't imagine what my parents would have done if I had somehow had enough to purchase a dog, despite the fact that we already had 2 at the time."
"When I was really young, I thought the price of gas was just whatever price was posted, not per gallon. So if the sign said $2.79, I thought filling up the car only cost $2.79 and couldn't understand why adults complained so much about how expensive gas was."
"Not me, but my son when he was about 4 or 5...On seeing a man getting out of a Porsche convertible, he asked in a big loud voice, 'Dad, does that man's car have no roof because he is poor and can't afford one?'The guy's face was a picture, made even better when I just replied, 'That's right, son.'"
Kids really do say the quiet part out loud.
"Legos. Those things are expensive."
"Curtains. I never thought of them as valuable. Guess what? If you have someone make them fit your place, they cost a fortune."
"My middle-school-age son organized his first trip with three of his friends to the movies without parents. I bought the tickets beforehand and gave him $40 for snacks and drinks. After dropping him off, I took my youngest to the arcade across from the theater, and while we were there, I caught a glimpse of my son walking into the theater with his friends, all of them holding large slushies. My son had a definite holy shit look on his face.When I picked him up a few hours later, he said to me, 'I offered to buy my friend slushies and told the guy medium, but then he handed us these big-ass drinks and said it was thirty-eight dollars.'Now, ever since, he's been asking me things like, 'Do I have any bonds?', 'How much does
That movie trip probably changed his perspective for good.
"I figured credit cards meant infinite money. Turns out they do for a little bit if you're really stupid. Which I was."
What did you seriously misjudge the price of as a kid?
New Year's sparkling grape juice vibes, but check out the AITA where friends fought over paying for an expensive dish.
