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Boy, does that bring back memories for me. I was a young wife and mom in 1962 and I remember some of those prices. I also remember when I saw ground sirloin for .58 pound and I didn't buy it because I felt I couldn't afford it. I think our rent was $80 mo. at the time and I remember being able to buy two weeks worth of food for about $25. A LOT of canned foods were like .10 to .20 a can...five or ten for $1. I don't remember there being so much convenience food either so most everything was made from scratch. I also remember talking about buying a new car and couldn't afford that either!
I'm not sure I'm better off now or if I was back then!
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I don't know where that average is from, but being 10 years old then I remember that new houses where I lived were closer to $25,000, but most new cars were only $2,000-2,500. Full sized Chryslers were about $2,900. The rest were pretty close though there was gas for under 20 cents and at 25 cents even up to 1970.
Yeah, it's interesting how some things (houses, oil) are overall pretty similar. Maybe a bit more expensive for houses, but then the average new construction was half of what it is now so houses are in reality less expensive relative to cost, that's also further confounded by family size being much smaller today. Food and clothes are much less expensive, college tuition and medical care much more expensive.
Most people were satisfied with a lot less back then and had smaller expectations.
How much did European vacations (London, Paris, etc.) or Caribbean cruises cost? A trip to Australia?
There is something to be said about that. When watching "Mad Men" Don Draper's kitchen is very modest for someone earning $50,000 a year in the mid-1960s. My house would be considered a mansion by 1962 standards.
Boy, does that bring back memories for me. I was a young wife and mom in 1962 and I remember some of those prices. I also remember when I saw ground sirloin for .58 pound and I didn't buy it because I felt I couldn't afford it. I think our rent was $80 mo. at the time and I remember being able to buy two weeks worth of food for about $25. A LOT of canned foods were like .10 to .20 a can...five or ten for $1. I don't remember there being so much convenience food either so most everything was made from scratch. I also remember talking about buying a new car and couldn't afford that either!
I'm not sure I'm better off now or if I was back then!
Of course then many people were working for $1.50/$2 an hour
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