Canadians got real about the things they've stopped buying because they're too expensive

Meat

Meat was the runaway winner in our poll — by a lot. It got mentioned over a hundred times across comments that racked up hundreds more likes, suggesting Canadians everywhere are nodding along in solidarity.

While some people just called out meat in general, beef was the real pain point. Steak, roasts, ground beef — it all came up. In fact, at least 15 people left one-word comments that literally just said "steak." That's how much it hurts.

One reader shared that they don't buy meat "unless 50% off," while another said they're "down to hamburger and maybe every two or three months, a small roast." Someone else spotted a prime rib roast for $195 — and that was the marked-down price. "It was half price," they added. "What?"

The sticker shock is real. "Steaks I bought in 2014 for $21 now cost $138," one commenter wrote. "Exactly the same product." Another lamented that they "haven't purchased a nice roast beef in ages... it was a Sunday standard my entire life… very sad."

Bacon, chicken, hot dogs and salmon all got shoutouts too. Although some people are still leaning on these options to fill the void left by red meat, with one reader writing, "Beef. Chicken and fish are starting to get my attention."

One person went even further with a darker theory: "Starve the nation of protein so they fall weak and ill. Then do away with them. Did Canadians skip history class?"

RetryStill, not everyone's given up hope. When someone commented "Steak," another reader jumped in with a lifeline: "There are always deals/sales. Last we bought were $8/lb Angus AAA strip loin. 2 weeks ago." Hey, at least someone's still winning out there.

Junk food...

Snacks and junk food came up a lot in the replies — and honestly, it makes sense. When you're trying to stretch your budget, non-essentials are usually the first thing to go.

But it's not just about cutting back on treats. People pointed out that certain snack foods have gotten absurdly expensive. Chocolate was a big one, along with chips, pop and even maple syrup (which, let's be real, should basically be free in Canada).

One reader said they've cut out "junk food, I bake instead. Once in a while I will buy a bag of no name potato chips. Other than that I have always been a conscious shopper and stock up when something is on sale."

Another commenter had a slightly different take: "Meat and processed food. I'm living a healthy diet now." So hey, maybe there's a silver lining here? Rising costs forcing us all to accidentally eat better feels oddly on-brand for 2025.

... AND healthy food

If you thought cutting junk food would save you money, think again. Healthy food is apparently just as unaffordable.

People called out fresh foods in general as getting ridiculously expensive, especially produce and staples like meat, cheese, eggs and bread. Fruits and veggies, berries, lettuce, avocados — even bottled water — all got mentioned as too pricey to justify buying regularly anymore.

One reader put it bluntly: "Healthy food, I eat more junk than ever." Another shared a similar struggle: "My diabetes has been crazy because all I can afford is crap."

Some even expressed concerns about the long-term health impacts of rising food prices. One commenter warned that people will be "forced to eat cheap processed canned food and/or miss meals entirely," which will lead to "massive" demands on the health care system down the line.

The frustration was palpable. "Fresh fruits & veggies, even in season! I picked up four small nectarines in season, not really thinking about it. They were $13.00!!!" someone wrote.

And if you think switching to basics will help, think again. "Cheese, beef, eggs, chicken, milk… oh wait! Everything is expensive! Even buying water bottles in Quebec has gotten expensive coz they charge an extra 10 cents per bottle!"

So yeah, you really can't win.

Housing expenses

Housing expenses came up surprisingly often — even though they're not usually something you can just stop paying for.

Many people mentioned new houses, suggesting they've abandoned plans to upgrade or switch from renting to buying because prices have become completely out of reach.

Others straight-up said "rent," and while some might've been joking, at least one person was dead serious: "Rent, I live in a school bus 😎." Another reader replied, "It's the sign of the times. I'll be doing the same soon," to which the original commenter said they "highly recommend it."

Beyond brick-and-mortar houses, people are finding creative ways to cut home costs on utilities and bills. One person said the thing they'd stopped buying was "turning up my heat" — a pretty grim reflection of how tight budgets have gotten. Another admitted, "Utilities... but have no choice to pay."

Cable and satellite TV also got multiple shoutouts as services people have ditched (though interestingly, no one mentioned streaming services — yet).

Dining out

Eating out — whether it's dining at restaurants, ordering takeout, getting coffee from a café or even grabbing fast food — was one of the most popular answers in our poll.

One reader summed it up pretty bluntly: "Going out to restaurants! Totally a ripoff these days!"

It's not just that menu prices have skyrocketed. Tipping expectations seem to be climbing too, and since tips are usually calculated as a percentage of your bill, you're paying more on top of an already inflated price.

"Dining out. Meal prices are up a good 30% over the last five years and 20%+ tips are still 'expected,'" one commenter wrote. "With the savings, I can eat what I want (within reason) at home."

Fast food, specifically, came up a lot — and not because it's a steal anymore. Multiple people pointed out that it's gotten so expensive that it barely costs less than sitting down at an actual restaurant.

"They priced me out of fast food," one reader said. "I can sit at a bar and get real food for the same price."

Someone else was on the same page: "The most expensive thing we have cut out is fast food. It's not much different to eat at Boston Pizza than eating at McDonald's."

Concerts & sporting events

Tickets to concerts and sporting events have become a luxury most Canadians simply can't justify anymore.

NHL hockey tickets and Blue Jays tickets got lots of shoutouts — and we can't help but think Canadians are still stung from the World Series, when the cheapest tickets to games 6 and 7 in Toronto were selling for upwards of $2,000.

Even smaller-scale outings like local theatre productions, movies and museums were called out as getting too pricey.

The struggle is especially real for families. Saving up for a single ticket to go see your favourite band is one thing, but trying to take a family of four to a hockey game? That's out of reach for most middle-class households.

One reader summed up the pain perfectly: "Event tickets! Used to be you could go see a concert or a game or go to an attraction as a family and even if it was pricey it was doable. Now it's $1,000 to do a concert or game, or $200 to see a movie or a museum as a family of four, not including a meal or parking… Ridiculous."

Little luxuries

It's no surprise that luxuries are among the first things to get the axe when budgets get tight — but the sheer variety of "extras" people are giving up is pretty telling.

Canadians mentioned cutting out everything from bigger splurges like vacations, new cars and gold jewellery to smaller treats like cosmetics and alcohol. One person even said they'd stopped buying magazines.

Others called out things that honestly feel more like necessities in many cases — haircuts, new clothes (someone even said underwear) and shoes.

"There is no splurging on anything anymore. Buy the basics. Needs versus wants is how we live these days," one reader lamented. "Not saying that we should live with buying the things we want all the time, but there's no extra money for those kind of unnecessary items. Who can even afford to buy brand new clothes? Who can afford to even buy themselves a winter coat at mittens and boots for this winter, let alone absorb all the other costs of daily living?"

Even basic personal care isn't safe: "Haircuts… 😛 But seriously with tax & tip, they're reaching $100+," one person pointed out.

At least one reader found a silver lining, though: "Weed. I grow my own. Thanks Trudeau."

Popular brands

Lots of people said they're ditching brand-name products altogether in favour of generic alternatives to save a few bucks. "Brand name anything," someone commented. "Get generics instead."

But specific big-name brands got called out too. Fast-food chains like Tim Hortons, McDonald's and Starbucks each came up multiple times, as did iconic Canadian staples like Kraft Dinner.

One reader summed it up perfectly: "If I'm gonna spend 20 bucks on a fast food burger joint why would I go to McDonald's when I could go to a gourmet place?"

Even Dollarama wasn't spared — the discount store that used to sell everything for a dollar but has slowly crept up to a $5 threshold got several callouts. "Everything. Even Dollarama, it's not the same anymore," one commenter wrote.

Grocery stores — particularly Loblaw-banner chains like Superstore and Loblaws — got dragged hard. People mentioned cutting out "anything at Shoppers, Zehrs or Loblaws," citing high prices and frustration with major retailers.

That said, a few people took the opposite approach, investing in higher-quality brands now because better products last longer and save money over time. "I actually started to pay for quality instead of wasting the money in bad stuff," explained one reader. "The quality:price ratio is way better in good quality things than the bad ones."

So yeah, guess it depends on what you're buying.

American products (... and Canadian ones too)

Ever since U.S. President Donald Trump launched his trade war with Canada and started floating the idea of making Canada the 51st state, there's been a massive push to buy Canadian and boycott American products.

Even though most tariffs on everyday goods like groceries have been lifted (as of the time of publishing… knock on wood), plenty of commenters still called out U.S. products as things they're no longer buying — though it's not entirely clear whether it's because they're too expensive or just part of the boycott.

"Anything from the USA!" one person wrote. Another even said they're "willing to pay a little more to not buy anything American."

But while lots of people said they're avoiding American products, a surprising number also mentioned cutting out Canadian ones. Readers noted that local options can often be more expensive than imported ones, making it harder to actually support homegrown businesses even when you want to.

So while some readers proudly declared they're ditching "American cheese," others pointed out they can no longer afford "Canadian bacon..." and other "Made-in-Canada products."

Oh, the irony.