12 Things People Had Access To In The 1980s That Are Now Considered Major Luxuries
Port Morien Digital Archive | UnsplashWhile financial inequalities and inflation were certainly among the list of concerns in the 1980s, the state of these issues for people dealing with them now is even more more unsettling. In fact, over the last few decades, economic inequality has gotten rapidly worse, with the top 0.1%'s total share of wealth at a record high of 12.6%. That means average, everyday people are falling victim to the dark extremes of this inequality.
Of course, the current inaccessibility can't solely be explained by financial declines. A mix of other sociopolitical and geographical factors, such as transportation and infrastructure, have further distanced people from being able to pay for a variety of activities and material goods, meaning there are certain things people had access to in the 1980s that are now considered major luxuries. Unfortunately, today is a world away from the 1980s, when people had a better chance of getting ahead financially.
Here are 12 things people had access to in the 1980s that are now considered major luxuries
1. Affordable housing
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Over the last few decades, housing has become increasingly more expensive. According to certified financial planner Joseph M. Favorito, "In 1980, new homes averaged $42 per square foot; today, it's $169, a nominal quadrupling, or about 3.21% annual growth compounded over 44 years."
So, while traditional financial advice urges consumers not to spend more than 30% of their paychecks on rent or mortgage payments every month, more than 40% of individuals are now spending more than 40% of their entire monthly income on their homes. And it seems to only be getting worse.
Coupled with the inaccessibility of home ownership for many people in younger generations, it's become a luxury just to find a place to live. This unfortunate and unsettling reality partially explains why many Gen Zers and millennials are choosing to live with their parents for much longer than people did back in the 1980s, hoping to secure a comfortable savings account and financial future before diving head first into rising rent payments.
2. Home furnishings with real wood
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While real wood furnishings are considered a luxury for many consumers today, the toxic cycle caused by using furniture made from materials that have to be replaced frequently makes it an impossible decision for consumers in today's market.
While they might not have the money on hand to invest in higher quality furnishings, they'll end up paying just as much, if not more, in the long run in order to fund replacements for the cheap alternatives.
While real wood was something people had access to in the 1980s, today it's considered a major luxury. Nowadays, authentic wood furniture tends to be custom-made to order, while average furniture pieces are made with materials that have been engineered to look like solid wood to save on costs.
3. Local butchers
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With tariffs, rising rent costs, and inflation to account for, not only are butcher shop prices rising, but the way the entire industry works saw a massive shift that began in the 1980s.
According to the butchers at Wayside Market, "the wholesale market went from retailing whole carcasses to the packing and shipping of meat in boxes already broken down." As a result, they explain, "Most of the mom and pop packing plants in the market were forced to expand or sell."
Local butcher shops have now almost completely disappeared from many parts of the country as larger commercial grocers entice consumers with pre-packaged meat available to them at a lower cost.
4. Fresh produce
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Despite being widely known to be beneficial to our mental and physical health, access to nutritious foods and fresh produce has become a luxury for many Americans today. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "prices for fresh vegetables are 384.61% higher in 2026 versus 1980 (a $2.92 difference in value)." Adjusted for cost inflation, "fresh vegetables costing $0.76 in the year 1980 would cost $3.68 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase."
Additionally, with fewer large chain grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods, it can be a struggle for people without a vehicle or public transportation to get to, let alone afford, healthy fresh foods, leaving many Americans little choice but to eat less expensive, more convenient fast food options.
5. Company-sponsored retirement packages
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According to a Bankrate survey, nearly 30% of Americans don't have any kind of emergency savings because they are living paycheck-to-paycheck, focused on paying for basic necessities like rent and groceries. Along those same lines, many aren't able to contribute to a retirement account, especially without the help of employer-matches.
According to Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Donald L. Barlett and James W. Steele, 84,350 pension plans have vanished since 1985. As companies shifted from defined-benefit pension plans to 401(k)s to reduce corporate costs, American workers quickly lost out.
6. Affordable healthcare
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The 2023 Commonwealth Fund Health Care Affordability Survey found that a large percentage of Americans, including many on health insurance, say that "they or a family member had delayed or skipped needed health care or prescription drugs because they couldn't afford it" in the previous 12 months.
With high deductibles and misguided plans, huge numbers of people struggle to afford preventative care, medication, and office visits. This is despite the fact that data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditures Survey estimates that Americans today spend twice as much on healthcare than they did in the 1980s, sadly making a basic right to health a luxury for the majority of households.
7. A proper work-life balance
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In an era of overreaching technological accessibility, many workers are struggling to find a balance between their professional and personal lives. Though Gen Z, in particular, is rejecting "traditional" work by putting job flexibility and mental health first, many people still make their work their entire identity, failing to separate home life from their job.
With direct access to work through their phones, not only can employers overstep boundaries to contact their employees, but workers can also feed into the anxiety of a lacking work-life balance by working constantly. Not only does this sabotage collective job satisfaction, it contributes to disconnect in personal relationships and the larger loneliness epidemic that many professionals are experiencing outside of the office.
8. Concert tickets
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According to senior Billboard editor Eric Renner Brown and senior music industry analyst Tatiana Cirisano, ongoing recovery from global shutdowns in 2019 and 2020, inflation, and the rising costs of stage production are largely to blame for the modern day inaccessibility of concert tickets.
Add to that the fact that entertainment company CEOs don't think tickets cost enough, and that ticket sellers like Ticketmaster have been under fire for using illegal pricing tactics, and it's no wonder concert tickets are another of the things people had access to in the 1980s that are now considered major luxuries.
Ranging from $100 to $500, concert ticket prices are no longer a passive expense for community and entertainment, but a luxurious investment only wealthier households can afford.
9. High-quality clothing
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With less of a focus on fast fashion trends and a higher commitment to quality materials, durability, and longevity, many people believe clothes were much better quality just a few decades ago than they are today. Generally, quality standards are decreasing across the board, from clothing to food purchases and housing, and many households are forced to bear the burden of having to continuously buy updated items due to lacking longevity.
According to sustainability expert McKenzie Wilson, "By prioritizing margin and shareholder returns, the apparel industry has learned that they can swap out the quality materials for cheaper options that will save them money on their bill of materials, but still allow them to hike the markup, leaving consumers to incur the cost of a cheap item that was never made to last."
10. Going out on the weekends
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Not only are many people bombarded with rigid long hours at work during the week, making weekends a catch up game on personal commitments, chores, and errands, but they're less financially motivated to go out to clubs, bars, and restaurants. While it's always fun to go out with friends and have a good time, the damage done to their wallets for just one night is enough to make them question whether it's a good idea.
According to the National Restaurant Association, not only are food prices rising exponentially, but the cost of going out for a cocktail or bar-hopping with friends is suddenly a luxury. With drink prices nearing an average of $20 per beverage depending on location, transportation costs rising, and cover charges becoming inaccessible, people in younger generations are struggling to fund their social endeavors.
Unfortunately, this is further isolating people from meeting new people and connecting with their loved ones in public. And while the 1980s were known for everyone having the money to be able to party, nowadays it's just another major luxury.
11. Vacations
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Especially as more people across different demographics struggle with purchasing basic necessities, making a large purchase like a vacation becomes even more of a luxury. Of course, it's not just transportation costs like airfare that contributes to the inaccessibility of vacations, but also the rising cost of hotels, passes for parks, food and other basic necessities.
According to MarketWatch research, three-quarters of Americans have even taken on debt to fund vacations, unwilling to give up their need for a break or bonding time with their families, despite the financial inaccessibility they're experiencing. A 2024 Bankrate survey also found that 53% of Americans planned a summer vacation that year, and 36% were even willing to go into debt just to afford it.
12. Getting a driver’s license
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Considering the maintenance costs of owning a car have drastically increased in recent years, many people aren't able to afford car ownership like those a few decades ago could. From purchasing gas, to affording repairs, and even having access to low cost driver's education programs, getting a license and owning a car are more things people had access to in the 1980s that are now considered major luxuries.
All of this financial obligation, coupled with the anxiety about pending adulthood and driving safety, is partially responsible for younger generations like Gen Z being uninterested with getting their driver's licenses. While some young adults living in big cities might have public transportation or ride shares to lean on, others are experiencing the isolation of these luxuries, bound to their homes out of financial necessity, rather than simply choice.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
