IDIOCRACY
Diamond Member
- Nov 16, 2017
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Common knowledge, the run on inflation began with COVID. You'd think the impact would have run its course by now, but sure the war doesn't help. I'm surprised the inflation rate wasn't higher for April. A dollar says May comes in 3.85-4.1. Stock market values are through the roof, public debt so high, global money, and great BIG pockets. Rings like we're stuck with tall inflation long term.
Perspective......Some personal, other national average Nothing like the inflation/stagnation of the 70s through 1985-86, incidentally.
Homes: While my starter home was "just" 65K in 1984, my interest rate was 10.1, which was lucky, because the going rate was 14%. I remember when I told my dad my home cost 65K; he was shocked, and said he paid that 20 years earlier for a place built 30 years earlier intended to be the city of redacted's nicest house. It was designed by a famous architect. If you think I'm silver spoon guy, the parents lost that house (62Kish), and seven lots and a house North Shore Lake Tahoe to boot. Pops was a talented & steady act for many decades, not so good money or booze
. A pair of shoes would soon need to be earned. Kids worked in those days, paper routes, lawns, sitting. Show most a dollar we'd do about anything. Incidentally, that house and seven lots in north shore cost them high 20Ks, circa 1964. That's probably 17M today, and the old homes are "expendable" bringing way more $. Hindsight 20/20, I guess I should have bought one.
My elect. and natural gas have doubled since 1984. Double is much less than inflation, because $1 in 1984 money is $3.21 today. Plus the house is bigger today. Water another story, 3.5 the cost in 1984. That's how it goes as cities grow I guess.
Gas: Note the price of gas 1984 though 2020 finished well below inflation. 2025 finished below inflation, however, as of this moment it's $5.28, well above inflation. Biden's watch saw much of the same.
Food: Google says food prices have roughly tripled since 1984, meaning $100 worth of groceries in 1984 costs about $320 today. What a coincidence, same rate as inflation.
Healthcare: Americans now spend more than double on health care compared to the 1980s. Medical care prices have surged roughly 453% since 1984. More than inflation.
Might surprise you that In 1984, the median U.S. home price was about \(\$78,200\), requiring an annual income of \(\$22,420\). By comparison, modern median U.S. home prices sit near \(\$416,900\). While raw home prices have surged by nearly \(500\%\) over the past four decades, median household incomes have only increased by about \(233\%\) - Median price of homes are well short of inflation.
Car insurance: In 1984, the average annual car insurance premium was roughly \(\$375\) for full coverage (about \(\$1,120\) in today's money). I pay $1500 for FC on a 2013 and 2014, not Porche but not Nissan either, so less than inflation.
Clothing: Don't have to look, no way clothes have crept up near the inflation rate assuming it has moved at all. Then consider all the second hand stores today.
Wages: In 1984, the average hourly wage for non-supervisory and production workers was roughly \(\$8.50\). Today, the national average for all private employees is over \(\$37.00\) per hour. Well fk if that don't beat inflation, and wow, you spoiled little brats; stop buying STARBUCKS
. Granted we need our "smart phones"
.....aint "smart" rich? Imagine having to calculate and spell using our brains, read maps, and remember stuff. I think a lot tests are open book now too - what could go wrong
Seems $37 an hour in redacted money you're doing A-OK, but yeah, cost of homes here are awfully high - thanks a lot California....Not! What can you do when the the State of Ca. is pricing out and chasing away US citizens by the lips of dumbs and dumbers.
Worth mentioning the U.S. median weekly wage for full-time workers today is $30.88 an hour - A better gauge than "all", above, which is $37.
Perhaps the biggest problem today is folks are poor with money, there's so much pampering available, and discretionary spending. That and new generations are less likely to maintain/repair their own stuff. Must be the "smart" phones.
www.cnbc.com
Perspective......Some personal, other national average Nothing like the inflation/stagnation of the 70s through 1985-86, incidentally.
Homes: While my starter home was "just" 65K in 1984, my interest rate was 10.1, which was lucky, because the going rate was 14%. I remember when I told my dad my home cost 65K; he was shocked, and said he paid that 20 years earlier for a place built 30 years earlier intended to be the city of redacted's nicest house. It was designed by a famous architect. If you think I'm silver spoon guy, the parents lost that house (62Kish), and seven lots and a house North Shore Lake Tahoe to boot. Pops was a talented & steady act for many decades, not so good money or booze
. A pair of shoes would soon need to be earned. Kids worked in those days, paper routes, lawns, sitting. Show most a dollar we'd do about anything. Incidentally, that house and seven lots in north shore cost them high 20Ks, circa 1964. That's probably 17M today, and the old homes are "expendable" bringing way more $. Hindsight 20/20, I guess I should have bought one.My elect. and natural gas have doubled since 1984. Double is much less than inflation, because $1 in 1984 money is $3.21 today. Plus the house is bigger today. Water another story, 3.5 the cost in 1984. That's how it goes as cities grow I guess.
Gas: Note the price of gas 1984 though 2020 finished well below inflation. 2025 finished below inflation, however, as of this moment it's $5.28, well above inflation. Biden's watch saw much of the same.
Food: Google says food prices have roughly tripled since 1984, meaning $100 worth of groceries in 1984 costs about $320 today. What a coincidence, same rate as inflation.
Healthcare: Americans now spend more than double on health care compared to the 1980s. Medical care prices have surged roughly 453% since 1984. More than inflation.
Might surprise you that In 1984, the median U.S. home price was about \(\$78,200\), requiring an annual income of \(\$22,420\). By comparison, modern median U.S. home prices sit near \(\$416,900\). While raw home prices have surged by nearly \(500\%\) over the past four decades, median household incomes have only increased by about \(233\%\) - Median price of homes are well short of inflation.
Car insurance: In 1984, the average annual car insurance premium was roughly \(\$375\) for full coverage (about \(\$1,120\) in today's money). I pay $1500 for FC on a 2013 and 2014, not Porche but not Nissan either, so less than inflation.
Clothing: Don't have to look, no way clothes have crept up near the inflation rate assuming it has moved at all. Then consider all the second hand stores today.
Wages: In 1984, the average hourly wage for non-supervisory and production workers was roughly \(\$8.50\). Today, the national average for all private employees is over \(\$37.00\) per hour. Well fk if that don't beat inflation, and wow, you spoiled little brats; stop buying STARBUCKS
. Granted we need our "smart phones".....aint "smart" rich? Imagine having to calculate and spell using our brains, read maps, and remember stuff. I think a lot tests are open book now too - what could go wrong Seems $37 an hour in redacted money you're doing A-OK, but yeah, cost of homes here are awfully high - thanks a lot California....Not! What can you do when the the State of Ca. is pricing out and chasing away US citizens by the lips of dumbs and dumbers.Worth mentioning the U.S. median weekly wage for full-time workers today is $30.88 an hour - A better gauge than "all", above, which is $37.
Perhaps the biggest problem today is folks are poor with money, there's so much pampering available, and discretionary spending
. That and new generations are less likely to maintain/repair their own stuff. Must be the "smart" phones.
A gallon of gas was 65 cents in 1978—here's how much it cost every year since
A look at the average price of a gallon of gas for every year between 1978 and 2021 to show how much prices have grown over the years.
www.cnbc.com
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