Question of the Day - Tuesday, April 23

[cassiopea]

Hello hello! Greetings on this fine Tuesday






What’s something only the rich could afford in the past that is now affordable by most?






Books and spices! Originally very expensive and exclusive, now very accessible and plentiful

 

[neely]

Computer/Laptop/Tablet and Cell phone- there are many different brands and you can even buy refurbished ones.

 

[denice]

Most electronics. All of the electronic things we take for granted and are affordable for most people were at one time pricey items that only those with a good income could comfortably afford.

 

[maggiedemi]

Jeans are cheaper now. And you can find cheaper coffee drinks now if you look. I could never afford the $5 ones every time I go out.

 

[NY cat man]

Jeans are cheaper now. And you can find cheaper coffee drinks now if you look. I could never afford the $5 ones every time I go out.

Back in the day, I wore jeans because they were cheap. I paid $4 a pair for Blue Bell Wranglers in 1971 at a local clothing store; this at a time when I was making $3.31 1/2 cents an hour.

 

[NY cat man]

Automobiles. Until Henry Ford came along with mass produced cars, they were the exclusive play toys of the rich.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

A change of clothing for every day of the week (or more).

 

[MonaLyssa33]

Cars, mobile phones, laptops, and home security systems and cameras

 

[iPappy]

Back in the day, I wore jeans because they were cheap. I paid $4 a pair for Blue Bell Wranglers in 1971 at a local clothing store; this at a time when I was making $3.31 1/2 cents an hour.

I just paid over $50 for a pair of jeans that will become muddy, dirty, and ripped up within a year. I only swore a little under my breath.

 

[Mia6]

going out for dinner

 

[di and bob]

Meat, it was so expensive back in the day, that is why gout was condidered the 'rich man's ailment'.

 

[maggiedemi]

iPappy --Old Navy has great jeans sales!

I can't believe you guys think cars are affordable. You must have some good incomes!!!

 

[di and bob]

Cars are more affordable than they were for people in the past. A 2210.00 brand new car back then (average price) was way out of reach for someone only making .75 cents an hour (minimum wage, or median family income of 3319) in 1950. I remember back in the 60's my folks so worried they couldn't handle a mortgage of 8000 dollars on a huge two story house on a corner lot. Dad only made a couple of hundred dollars a month on a cop's wages. We just bought a 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid for under 25,000. Our uncome isn't near that! Even retired!

 

[NY cat man]

iPappy --Old Navy has great jeans sales!

I can't believe you guys think cars are affordable. You must have some good incomes!!!

I bought my first car, a 1968 Mustang, in 1971, and paid $1350 for it. Since then, I have owned exactly two new vehicles- a1977 Ford pickup and a 1998 Dodge pickup. Everything else we bought used, and drove them until the wheels figuratively fell off- eight to ten years was not unusual. Our current vehicle, a 2015 Ford Explorer we bought in 2020. We just put money aside and buy what we can afford when we can afford it.

 

[danteshuman]

Computers, they went from being the size of a room to being in our hands in tablets or phones.

 

[aliceneko]

iPhones - I remember when they first came out and were only available for the wealthy or professionals.