this post was submitted on 10 Feb 2026
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Personally, I buy protein powder even though I know the ingredients are actually too cheap to justify the price. But I'm too lazy, and the reward of a cold chocolate shake after working out makes me forget about the outrageous cost. It's a little guilty pleasure I've come to terms with.

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[–] brucethemoose@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Camera equipment.

All the mirrorless makers price gouge the daylight out of their stuff.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago

We get collagen powder but its not very expensive. I mean we splurge on things but im not sure if they are overpriced really. Like pastuer raised eggs. They are like twice as expensive but they are meaningfully better. Hopefully health wise but definately in taste. Same with natural low ingredient ice cream. Id just rather eat them less often than eat the crappier stuff. There is likely something but I can't think of it. My wife buys a lot of keto type stuff and I feel thats overpriced but I don't value them higher than normal products whereas she does.

[–] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If you live in the US. Food, water, housing, education, and community.

You forgot the incredibly expensive scam that is American "healthcare".

[–] LeapSecond@lemmy.zip 26 points 3 days ago

Heating.

In all seriousness, imported snacks: hot sauces from Mexico, beers from central Europe and fruit from South America.

[–] ieGod@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 days ago

Many protein powders were found to contain high amounts of heavy metals. Some of the pricier ones (ON Gold Standard, for example) contain less contaminants. I think that makes it worth paying for.

https://www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein-powders-and-shakes-contain-high-levels-of-lead-a4206364640/

[–] Kennystillalive@feddit.org 16 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I don't know anyone that does their own protein powder and it ain't even that expensive if you make the calc for each serving. Going for the trouble to search up all the ingridients one by one and mixing them is way too tidious and a useless time sink.

As for your question: It's probably a flagship phone once in a while. Why do I think it's overpriced? Because I use like at most 10% of what the phone has to offer and pay for the 90%. Why do I do it anyways? Because I buy a phone once all 5-6 years or so. So having the newest tech of 5 years ago isn't that bad. Lower end phones don't hold that long.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 9 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

I don’t know anyone that does their own protein powder

I'm probably old and out of touch, but this used to be called "cooking"

[–] Kennystillalive@feddit.org 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It's not really cooking tho more like mixing stuff. To make your own protein powder, you need to mix almond flour, flaxseed flour and other high protein flours (pea or coconut etc). Sounds super easy, but than you are still lower in protein (but have higher fiber) than mosts protein powders. To come close to the stuff you can buy, you have to add some other type of protein concentrate (whey / soy protein etc) and if you add costs of all items you get around the same price as the protein powder (almond flour alone is super expensive)... so you have to ask yourself these question: is it really that much more healthy than the protein powder you can get? Is it worth the time I spend perfecting the ratio? Is it really cheaper than getting an average protein powder?

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Why does it have to be powdered? Why can't it be real food?

[–] Kennystillalive@feddit.org 5 points 2 days ago

Because the powder is in most cases a supplement to the food and not the food itself. Having a protein drink after workout does not exclude eating a well rounded (to your needs) meal. It is complementary to it. Yeah you could chug 10 egs or so after the workout, but that isn't that fun.

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[–] oopsgodisdeadmybad@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

My last phone I got immediately after the preceding years model. I wanted the experience of staying up to date just once in my life.

But before that? I've only had 9 phones total, and the first 3 weren't even smartphones. So in 23-24 years I've had 9.

So I average a little less than your 5 years, but I did hit 5 once between Pixel 2 and 7.

I immediately jumped to 8, and it's already 3 now, but other than some battery degradation it runs like new still. That's the main reason I left the 2 finally. Charges would last like 3 hours and newer versions of apps were struggling on the pokey hardware. The cracked screen didn't even matter too much to me, but when both cameras died it was finally time. I still have it, occasionally pop out out to be a lil cat TV.

[–] wabasso@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago

In your defense, even the 10% becomes obsolete pretty fast with most apps failing to support “old” mobile OSs after a few years.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

health insurance, is the most obvious i recently have to buy it with some subsidies. and alot of plans dont cover most things until you paid OOP and deductibles, pretty much a scam. unless you have a good job with employee insurance its really almost barebones.

[–] Libb@piefed.social 12 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I purchased 2 sticks of ram yesterday. Even used, like the ones I purchased, it's overpriced.

[–] finallymadeanaccount@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Hang onto them; RAM is the new Bitcoin!

[–] Libb@piefed.social 4 points 2 days ago

Would love to see RAM price drops like Bitcoin ;)

[–] anon6789@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

No shade at the other answers, but I feel this is the only answer to the actual question concerning "overpriced" items. Even OP's example, they are getting something for their extra expense: convenience. The others are things that people are buying even though there are less expensive alternatives available, but I don't think anyone would say they aren't at least getting a perceived value for the extra cost.

On the other hand, we have historic RAM prices to get an idea of true value, and it is only speculation that is driving up the cost. The RAM hasn't gotten any better, it's not even new, it cost you more than it should, but you need it, so you have to suck it up and pay a premium while getting nothing extra in return.

[–] Libb@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

Thx. Looks like We're on the same lane :)

Insulin. Or rather the insurance plan so I don't have to pay a car down payment on insulin

[–] DrYes@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (3 children)

What protein source is cheaper than protein powder? i pay 16€/kg for whey protein

[–] UndergroundGoblin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I pay 42€ for 1kg. I don't know what makes it so expencive or why your's so cheap. Maybe because mine is vegan. I don't know.

But Soy is quite cheap. 100g of Soy granular costs about 1,90€ and has 52g of proteins.

[–] DrYes@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

yes vegan will do it. i'll look into soy granular as i'm not too happy with dairy myself.

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[–] Bluegrass_Addict@lemmy.ca 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Internet. I prefer the underdog, not giant corpo owned ISP... and by paying more, it's only be ause those bs 'sales' the major ISPs put on to their plans that make you fight every 2 years or change provider to the other big corpo.

anytime I ask what the REAL price is, it's shocking higher then what I'm paying...those promos can be cancelled at anytime, without prior notice becAuse terms and conditions those major ISPs use.

I refuse to play that game and would rather have constantly priced invoices from my ISP so I 'pay more'.. plus, the rare time that I call from issues, I talk to someone who actually understands networking and doesn't have a script. my calls last maybe 20, vs the big corpo where it takes me 20-40 minutes to even get a human

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[–] andrewta@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

iPhone. I haven’t found another smart phone that I actually like.

[–] U7826391786239@lemmy.zip 7 points 3 days ago (3 children)

coffee--gotta be gourmet, none of that $5 (or however much folgers etc. costs now) powdered shit in a can

[–] MintyFresh@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Ya. It turns out I'm a coffe snob. Only local and freshly roasted beans for this guy.

[–] Cherry@piefed.social 2 points 3 days ago

Yup. Coffee beans have to be decent and from a roaster

[–] ParadoxSeahorse@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

Can’t resist an fun processed single origin, just pops the old tongue buds

[–] KombatWombat@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I'm vegan but really missed ice cream so I started getting Ben and Jerry's almond milk version when it's on sale. It irks me that they charge for a pint what I could get a gallon of the dairy ice cream for, but there isn't much selection for dairy-free. For whatever reason vegan versions of foods are pretty much always priced like premium brands. I'd be happy to buy generic brands of stuff in bulk, but instead I look at the price of something and often decide I don't need it after all.

[–] chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Cheap ice cream is pumped up with air. That gallon of store brand crap probably weighs less than half a gallon of Ben & Jerry’s.

So convenient that ice cream is sold by volume and not weight.

[–] glimse@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

If it's any consolation, the same is true for non-vegan Ben and Jerry's, too. But quality is wayyy more important than quantity with ice cream.

If you (ok, not *you personally" as a vegan) want high quality ice cream that doesn't require a mortgage, your best bet is a local creamery. Wisconsin, unsurprisingly, has a ton of great ice cream shops

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Crunchwater

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Buying protein in bulk saves a lot over the supplement store.

I buy iPhones. I’m not sure they’re overpriced but they sure are pricey.

[–] Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

iPhones are overpriced when compared to manufacturing cost point of view - Apple has crazy high margins.

Also you are the product from data collection, the device's planned obsolescence/inability to be repaired, surcharges for in-iOS transactions, and so on, but I guess that's not the exact framework of this question.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Also you are the product from data collection, the device's planned obsolescence/inability to be repaired, surcharges for in-iOS transactions, and so on, but I guess that's not the exact framework of this question.

Better. Than. Android.

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Mostly convenient sources of protein such as Brust drinks, Leanfit powder, Simple Protein Bars, and Okios Pro Yogurt. Food is often cheaper, but also higher in calories, sugar, and salt.

[–] ButteryMonkey@piefed.social 3 points 3 days ago

Turbinado sugar. It’s considerably more expensive than processed white sugar, but it’s nice in coffee and when used in certain cheesecake crusts (it doesn’t dissolve and leaves a sweet crunch).

I’m going to grow my own sugar beets this year and try making my own. I know it won’t be the same but as long as I end up with something “close enough”, I’ll be happy.

[–] IWW4@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 days ago

I dont have a product that I buy that I know is over priced per se but I do shop at a particular liquor store and grocery story that I know are more expensive than others.

Both are just so convenient to my drive home, so if I need to grab a few thins I will hit those.

I dont buy groceries or booze from them for scheduled shopping.

[–] FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Snacks at the movie theatre. Costs a lot more than it's worth but I like to have popcorn and soda at the theatre

[–] disregardable@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

I tried a hatch salsa this week. It was $7 but it’s so flavorful. Would recommend. I also got some Whole Foods guacamole with it, so dinner is good this week.

[–] chocrates@piefed.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] FatVegan@leminal.space 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

5 bucks for a ton of water seems pretty cheap to me

[–] chocrates@piefed.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I pay $150 a month for water as a single person in a 2 bedroom apartment.

But water should be a human right. Our taxes should pay for us to get water.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

my area has had so many times when leaks are in the system and someone gets walloped with a bill they have to fight. Sometimes the leak is close enough to the house that its their responsibility to fix but still how are they supposed to know there is a leak until informed. There are a lot of things that should be free of residences but paid by companies like that.

[–] chocrates@piefed.world 1 points 1 day ago

My local water is at least a public institution but it is so corrupt and badly managed. If you set up auto pay you might get a multiple thousand dollar bill "on accident"

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