The Concept of Luxury Is Ever-Changing. What Was Considered Luxurious Yesterday Is Not a Luxury Today.
There are always some luxury products, that if someone owns, you know they’re rich as they’re the first to purchase them. When everyone starts to buy them, they’re not so luxurious anymore.
Today we feature 15 Products That Used to be a Luxury and now they’re not.
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1
Drones
The concept of drones is nothing new. Back in 1849, Austria sent unmanned balloons stuffed with explosives over to Venice. Fortunately, a change of wind resulted in only one balloon exploding.
2010 onwards is considered the “Golden Age” of drones, and when they were introduced as a hobbyist activity, rather than explosive carriers, their popularity took off… but mind you, only if you were rich.
These days, BBC.com has dubbed it “Game of Drones,” and highlighted the plummeting prices in drones as their popularity has increased.
2
Lobster
There’s a recipe book called “The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous Cookbook” which features the meals and dishes that only the wealthy could afford.
In the book there are pate’s, caviar, veal, white chocolate dipped strawberries and of course, lobster.
Lobster is ridiculously expensive, but one of the unexpected gains during Covid is that the price of lobster is at a record low. Realsimple.com reported, “Due to COVID-19 restrictions, more lobster is available for consumers to purchase directly, instead of from third parties, like restaurants and caterers.”
So, best you stock up, because this record low will not last forever.
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3
International Travel
Only the upper echelon could take international trips in the past. Fortunately, we didn’t have social media back then, so we didn’t have to see the uber wealthy gloat about their decadent holidays.
Today, booking an international flight is par for the course. While, of course still exciting, doesn’t hold the same weight and value as it did years ago.
Air travel is more affordable for many reasons, including having to share bodily space with complete strangers that are so close you can smell their BO and halitosis… you might be better off with our next experience.
4
Partying on a Yacht
In our video, 15 Luxury Experiences Worth Their Money, we suggest hiring a private yacht charter and soaking up the sun.
And the beauty about this option is that many still believe that it’s the ultimate in luxury products, but the bonus is that it’s quite affordable.
If you grab a group of friends and split the cost, you’ll be partaking in the high life sooner than you’d expect. And who knows, you might just idle past Beyonce and the fam on their luxurious yacht, so look out for Galactica Star!
5
Higher Education
Aluxershigher education
Bestvalueschools.com confirmed, “The cost of higher education has surged more than 538% since 1985. Meaning higher education is almost 4.5 times as expensive as it was 30 years ago.”
Heading to University was considered the luxurious option and if you chose not to attend, you were considered not smart or rich enough. Thankfully, this rhetoric has changed, and we have so many other options available.
There is no longer a stigma attached to not heading to Uni, and we highly recommend you watch our video Micro Credentials vs Traditional Degrees. Even browsing the comments will motivate you to follow your dream, even if it means not getting a traditional degree.
6
Golfing
The history of golf being a rich, old white man’s sport is well-documented. But this is not about race or gender, this is about cold, hard cash… No longer do you have to go into overdraft to enjoy a few golfing lessons. As the years have stretched on, golf has become more affordable.
The equipment are no longer luxury products as you can rent them out, so if you find you’re spending more time in the bunker, you can admit defeat and move onto the next sport. Or you could be like the late comedian, Ted Ray who said, “Golf is a fascinating game. It has taken me nearly 40 years to discover that I can’t play it.
7
Uggs
It’s thanks to celebrities and Covid that there has been a revival of Uggs.
Uggs have been around since the 1960s, fondly worn by Australian surfers. They’ve since been worn by everyone who’s anyone. Sienna Miller, Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, Beyonce, and even Oprah who helped put the comfy boot into mainstream limelight. Then, rip-offs and price drops meant the market was completely saturated and the comfy boot went into hibernation… until Covid.
At least now, the boot is more affordable, and several sites are sharing sales details, like thesun.co.uk claiming, “Ugg boots are back so here are bargains so you can get the look for less,” and USAtoday stating, “Tons of UGG boots are deeply discounted at Nordstrom right now.”
8
Having a Personal Driver
Sure, your personal driver may not arrive in a full suit and open the door for you, but he’s there within 5-minutes of you requesting him.
What more could you ask for?
There are many App driving services available, but the most well-known is Uber. Before Uber, we’d have to rely on public transport or taxis – and taxies were h*llishly expensive. Our daily ride is so affordable now, it’s little wonder that people still own cars if they don’t have to lug around heavy equipment, but that Aluxers, is an article for another day.
9
Content Creation Is Available to Everyone
Aluxersprofessionals
- Hiring a professional photographer used to cost a fortune, but with our advanced phone cameras, we can genuinely take some beautiful, professional photographs.
- If you needed video footage, you’d need to hire someone to record and edit the film. You don’t need to do that anymore, because you have your highly advanced mobile phone.
- You no longer need to hire an artist or animator, because your phone provides all those tools right at your fingertips.
And when you do need to get someone external to assist you with something, the rate is more affordable due to these services being available on your mobile.
And we’re not saying this is good, it’s just the reality we find ourselves in. In a nutshell, the tools to produce content aren’t considered as luxury products anymore. All of us have them packed in our pockets.
10
You Can Improve Your Skills With Zero Cost
If you wanted to improve your baking skills, you would need to pay for a baking class. Same with improving your painting skills, gardening, or vocal range… for any skill you wanted to improve in, you’d need to pay a lot of money for extra lessons.
That is no longer the case, because all those skills are available online.
In our video, Top 10 Skills to learn for your future, we recommend several areas that are worthwhile pursuing that will cost you nothing.
11
Nutribullets
One of the most coveted items over the past decade is the Nutribullet. Released in 2012, it was the be all and end all when it came to blenders and healthy living.
I mean, you’d expect to be thinner just by purchasing the kitchen device, but the only thing thinner would be your wallet.
And over time, as is expected, it became more common to own one… except they’ve just introduced a beautiful variety of colours, and Aluxers, you’d want to buy every shade, they’re that pretty!
12
Any Technological Advancement
Economicshelp.org explains perfectly why tech luxury products see a sharp decline in price over time.
They gave the following example on high tech TVs:
1954 Westinghouse – first colour tv $11,875 (15?)
1997 Philips/Fujitsu Flat Plasma TV: $22,924
2007 Pioneer Elit Kuro $7,046 (50?)
2012 Panasonic Plasma $2,680 (55?)
2019 Hisense 65H9F – LED – 65 inch 4K TV – $599
So, how did they explain this massive decline in price? It’s simple.
- Improvements in technology help reduce production costs.
- Economies of scale from the increase in production.
- More competition, so prices must be relative.
- Price-skimming. The product comes out with a high price because wealthy customers will buy the product regardless.
And the same formula will apply to any tech product, from the colour TV right through to VR.
13
Investing
These days it doesn’t take much to become an investor. You need an internet connection, a small bit of cash and a little knowledge… and what you don’t have, you can always outsource.
Anybody can be an investor. As fool.com said, “Of the many ways in which the internet has changed the world, one of the best developments is how it has levelled the playing field for everyday people who want to invest. There are endless resources for novice investors to learn from, as well as oceans of information on publicly traded companies and other potential investments.
Meanwhile, brokers and investment advisors have adapted by lowering fees, giving clients more options, and generally making investing easier and cheaper.”
And that Aluxers, is why it’s easier and cheaper and more available now than ever before to start investing.
If you are thinking about investing your money smartly, and need some guidance. Check out 15 BEST INVESTMENTS of 2020-2021.
14
Self-Care
Do you remember when Botox was something reserved for the wealthy housewife? Well, that’s no longer the case. An article featured on womanaroundtown.com confirmed that, “Botox has been in use for only fifteen years actually but is now becoming more affordable and the costs have gone down.”
And that’s just one example of self-care that was once considered a luxury. Permanent eyeliner and lip liners are becoming part of the usual self-care expenses, laser hair removal, hair extensions, nails and more.
It’s a shame one can’t express their joy at these price reductions because all the Botox has frozen their faces!
15
Sleeping in Luxury Penthouses
Did you ever imagine that you’d be able to stay in a castle in the middle of Namibia, or spend a few nights in a 16th-century palazzo on the shore of Lake Como?
These are no longer flights of fancy but a reality for many because luxury accommodation is available through Air BnB at a fraction of the cost you would usually pay.
It’s made travel a lot more glam without a massive increase in pricing.
So Aluxers, we’re off to book our tickets and accommodation. #travelgoals!
Question:
Aluxers, what can you add to our list of 15 Products That Used to be a Luxury and now they aren’t?
