Money loses its teeth. That’s the grim reality of inflation. Today, a hundred dollars gets you lunch. Maybe dinner. Back then? It got you a life.
Or at least a significant chunk of it.
The value of the dollar isn’t a constant. It’s a moving target that runs faster than we can run toward it.
Compare your current disposable income to 1950. Shocking isn’t the right word. Shocking implies surprise. This is more like a slow-motion car crash of purchasing power.
We looked at old newspaper clippings. Ads from decades ago. What could a crisp Benjamin buy in the year you were born?
Here is the breakdown.
1950s: The Decade of Volume
1950 was wild. You could walk into Ted Mills Corner in Bakersfield and spend $1.41 on a carton of cigarettes. Do the math. $100 bought 70 cartons. Seventy.
1951? You wanted to cut the lawn. The Excello Power Mower from Rose Auto Supply was $99.50. One lawnmower. For almost free change.
By 1952, toys were cheaper. A spring horse cost $16.45. Your hundred dollars got you six. Imagine a nursery full of mechanical rocking horses.
1953 brought hardware. Sears sold a 12-inch band saw for $69.25. You had $30 left. Enough for a power handsaw too? Maybe. Or just bragging rights.
1954 was good for wheels. The J.C. Higgins bike was $59.95. If you had a friend? Get the balloon tire version for $39.95 each. Two bikes. Under $100.
Shoes in 1955 were cheap. Jane Miller pumps at Young’s in Indiana: $14.95. Six pairs of new heels or flats. Why do we pay $150 today?
1956 was cozy. An all-wool rug, 9 by 8 feet, sat at $39.50. You got two rugs for your hundred dollars. A nice living room spread.
Fur wasn’t a thing of the past yet. In 1957, a Townley winter coat was $99.95 from Annis Furs. Warm. Controversial. Cheap, though.
Housework in 1958 cost less than rent now. A Frigidaire washing machine was $99.95. Just shy of your C-note.
Then Barbie happened in 1959. She was $3. Your money bought 33 dolls. A literal dollhouse population. That collection would be worth millions now.
1960-1969: Hardware, Hair, and History
1960 was about sleep. The Simmons “Long Fellow” mattress for tall men cost $99.50. A full night’s comfort.
Grills changed little, but prices did. Two Weber grills for $49.95 each in 1961. You had two pits. Your neighbors were jealous.
Fishing in 1962 required waders. Tyler insulated waders were $34.95. Three pairs? Yes. You could drown in dry feet.
1963 was a toast. GE Reflector Toasters were $17.95. Five of them. Your breakfast table would resemble an assembly line.
Television arrived in your pocket in 1964. A portable GE TV cost $99.95. They even gave you a Beatles ticket. Beatlemania plus TV? Perfect Saturday.
Clothes stayed cheap. 100% cashmere in 1965 for $79.95 at Penney’s. Cashmere. On your budget.
1966 was splashy. Above-ground pools were $39.95 two of them. You basically had a resort in the backyard.
Wardrobes in 1967 were wool-heavy. Junior dresses for $16 each. Six dresses. A rotation that would make a runway model blush.
Music needed hardware. A phonograph in 1968 cost $49. You got the real one and a backup. Backup your backup? Yes.
Woodstock 1969 required sightlines. Empire binoculars were $21.88. Four pairs. You and your friends could see Jimi Hendar’s sweat drop from stage right.
1970-1979: Irons, Cabs, and Cassettes
The 70s started with crisp pants. GE steam irons in 1970 cost $7.88. You could buy 12 of them. Did anyone actually need twelve irons? Apparently.
1971 was for babies. Triplets needed cribs. At $29.97 each, $100 covered all three beds.
Music got loud in 1972. Radio Shack speakers with walnut cabinets were affordable. Your $100 built a home audio system that rivaled today’s budget setups.
Television got bigger. A B&W 15-inch set in 1973 was $89.99. Color wasn’t cheap. Mono was the norm.
Knives were cheap. Electric slicing knives in 1974? Four of them for $100. Your charcuterie game would be insane.
Heat was expensive to beat. In 1975, a Whirlpool air conditioner was $94.88. Beat the July heat for the price of a tank of gas now.
Bicentennial 1976? Buy an eight-track player for $99.95. The format died. The money spent did not.
Tires were affordable in 1977. Goodyear gave you a full set of four for $80. Change left over.
1978 brought gaming. The Fairchild Channel F was $99.99. Only 10 games supported. It was revolutionary then. A relic now.
Cameras used to be separate. Three pocket cameras in 1979 for $28 each. Before every phone stole this function.
1980s: Boom Boxes, Bikes, and Blockbusters
Radios in 1980 cost $40. Two Sonys for $100. Stereo separation was key.
BMX ruled in 1981. A boy’s BMX with a handbrake was $99.95 as Reagan took office.
Battery checkers were a niche market. Radio Shack sold them for $3.99. 25 units. You were the power auditor of your town.
Pajamas varied. 1983 sale prices at Switzer’s meant $100 got you four to ten sets of Vanity Fair sleepwear. Soft lives.
Barbecue seating in 1984 meant picnic tables. Two six-footers for $49 each. Twelve feet of surface area.
Record players survived the CD threat. 1985 saw the Technics SLJ1 for $99. Hi-fi at its peak.
Rubik’s cube magic in 1986 cost $8.99 per unit. You got eleven puzzles. Your fingers cramping just thinking about it.
Personal TVs arrived. The Sony Watchman in 1987 cost $98. Small screen, big ambition.
Voicemail was a physical box in 1988. An answering machine with remote for $89.99. Cloud storage hadn’t been dreamed of yet.
Jeans were durable and cheap. Four pairs of Levi’s 501s in 1989 for $21 each. Shrink-to-fit meant they fit perfectly after the first wash.
1990-1996: The Analog Sunset
Phones were becoming wireless in 1990. Sony cordless phones were $97. Remember that freedom? Before we glued ourselves to screens.
Hygiene tech emerged in 1991. Electric toothbrushes were $63.99. A luxury, not a standard.
Gaming peaked for 16-bit fans. The Super NES in 1992 was $98. More games than the Channel F, more power.
Golf shoes cost $29 each in 1993. Three pairs. Why? Backup days exist.
Exercise gear varied. The Synchrostep stepper in 1994 was $69.99. Skip the walk outside if you owned one.
Women’s jeans in 1995 (Bill Blass) cost $29. Three pairs from Mervyn’s. Designer names for budget prices.
Music changed formats in 1996. Two portable CD players for $49 each. The iPod was coming. It would wipe the floor with this tech. But for now? Plastic discs spinning. $100 stretched further than your wallet does today.
What could you buy for $100 last week?
Not much.
But the past? It was rich.
