I remember when a coke was only 5¢

[Kurt]

What are some of the prices you can remember from your youth?

I remember:

5¢ bottles of 12 oz BOTTLE of coke. There's nothing that beats an ice cold soda in a BOTTLE on a hot day.

5¢ for a BIG hershey bar

I can remember the gas wars in the SW where gas stations would drop the cost of gas so low they'd lose money to put the guy across the street out of business. They'd even wash your windshield, check the oil and radiator and fill your tires...AND give you a free glass with every fill up. Gas was 23¢ a gallon.

Also when I was very young, there was a potato chip factory a few blocks away. They'd sell a paper bag (the size Ken uses for his pints of MD 20/20) full of the scrap potato chips that were broken and too small to package. They were only 5¢ and tasted soooooo good. Being so fresh really made a huge difference.

I think the cheapest I remember a hamburger at McD's was 19¢?

[Lawrh]

My first motorcycle was a 1965 Honda C200 90cc, which I bought for a hundred bucks in 1971. I would put 25 cents worth of gas in it once a week. I rode that thing everywhere and never ran out of gas.

1965 C200 Touring 90 by Honda - Bike Museum at Bob Logue Motorsports

Mine was red.

[GTCRESSY]

Heck, I remember when gasoline was 20 cents a gallon.

[Bill Farnham]

Originally Posted by Kurt

I think the cheapest I remember a hamburger at McD's was 19¢?

I worked at McDonalds in 1969 as a senior in HS and was putting in 60 hours a week. I was a closer if you know what that job was. We stayed after closing time until the place was spotless. Once I got a raise up to $1.69 an hour I was making almost as much as the assistant manager who only needed to work 40 hours for his pay.

They would let us eat anything but the apple pies unless the pies were somehow broken.

You could really burn your thumb pushing it into those things when the manager wasn't looking and we had a kid who made sure there were enough broken ones to go around.

As I recall the Big Macs were around 32 cents when they first came out.

In 1971 a new Ford Pinto sold for $1995 and there were a ton of parts to hot rod those things, and for awhile I really wanted one. But my '65 Olds had a 425 cu.in. motor and I could turn 14.2 seconds in the quarter mile @ 93 mph and that was good enough to keep that 4200 pound beast.

~Bill

[KimW]

5 cents for a 5 ball pinball game.
5 cent gum and 5 cent candy bars
5 cents for a 10 oz Dr Pepper
10 cent comic books
a meal of a burger,fries and a drink cost less than 50 cents at McDonalds
This was an unusual circumstance but my grandfather and my uncle ran compepting gas stations on the highway out of the city.On one side was my grandfather with a Gulf station and on the other side was my uncle with a Texaco station.
The only stations within miles and they would get into gas price wars with each other. One would sell it for 20 cents a gallon and the other would make it 19 cents. Then 18 and 17 cents.
The lowest I remember it going was 13 cents a gallon.
Nowadays it costs 13 cents to get gas up to the nozzle.
A piece of cheese put on your burger was 5 cents.I saw a place charging 65 cents to add a piece of cheese the other day.
For a dollar you could go to the saturday matinee movie and get in the movie, and get popcorn and a drink.

[KenThompson]

Originally Posted by Kurt

(the size Ken uses for his pints of MD 20/20)

Well... I remember going to the movies in the early 60s and it cost a quarter.
My dad was in the Air Force, and we were at Dover AFB. I loved walking to
the base theater, getting popcorn and a drink and watching a movie.

When I was in elementary school, we used to walk to this candy store after
school. We could blow 25 cents and get a small bag of candy.

And in high school... I would over-hear kids talking in the cafeteria about
being able to get '4 finger bags' for only 20 bucks. Whatever a 4 finger bag
was. I dunno...


Ken

[mattlaclear]

Man I thought I was old. Cheapest i can remember a Coke costing was a quarter. Big Macs costing 32 cents?? Cheapest I remember gas costing was 75 cents a gallon.

[ThomM]

I don't remember many prices but I remember this.
In 1970 I was married with a new baby.
My wife stayed home and I worked.
I took home $96 a week.
That paid all the bills, bought groceries, put a weeks worth of gas in my 69 bug, and gave us each $5 to go out and party on the weekends with.
Draft beer was 25 cents and a boilermaker was 75 cents.
My mortgage then was $25 a month on a 30 year mortgage for a two bedroom house I bought for $13,500.
I bought a 1953 Indian Chief which today would be considered a bobber for $650.

[KimW]

Ken, you sound deprived.
Just for future reference, take a baggie and hold it with your thumb in front and the index and middle finger behind,
Now take a can of oregano and pour it into the baggie till it covers the two fingers in the back.
Now take the two fingers and hold them at the top of where the oregano is and take that other substance and pour it in until the fingers are covered again.Shake vigorously.
If you have done it properly you will have what a lot of people sold for a four finger baggy for 20 bucks back then.
HTH

[KenThompson]

Originally Posted by KimW

Ken, you sound deprived.
Just for future reference, take a baggie and hold it with your thumb in front and the index and middle finger behind,
Now take a can of oregano and pour it into the baggie till it covers the two fingers in the back.
Now take the two fingers and hold them at the top of where the oregano is and take that other substance and pour it in until the fingers are covered again.Shake vigorously.
If you have done it properly you will have what a lot of people sold for a four finger baggy for 20 bucks back then.
HTH

Well... Kim. Cough. (I was never deprived in the sense you're talking about.)

Never...

Ken

[ThomM]

Well... I remember going to the movies in the early 60s and it cost a quarter.

That reminded me of when I was a kid in the early 60's.
On Saturday I would get $2.00 to go to the movies.
We would stop at Hot Dog Charlies and have a dog eating contest.
Hot dogs where 5 cents and so was a soda.
From there we would hit the movies, get the candy, soda, and pop corn and at the end of the day have a little change left.

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by KimW

Ken, you sound deprived.
Just for future reference, take a baggie and hold it with your thumb in front and the index and middle finger behind,
Now take a can of oregano and pour it into the baggie till it covers the two fingers in the back.
Now take the two fingers and hold them at the top of where the oregano is and take that other substance and pour it in until the fingers are covered again.Shake vigorously.
If you have done it properly you will have what a lot of people sold for a four finger baggy for 20 bucks back then.
HTH

And in high school... I would over-hear kids talking in the cafeteria about
being able to get '4 finger bags' for only 20 bucks. Whatever a 4 finger bag
was. I dunno...

Which reminds me...I paid $10 for my first OZs of the "other substance", and complained when it went up to $12.50.

[MikeAmbrosio]

Hmmm...

Well, at my favorite pizzeria I could get 2 slices with pepperoni and a large fountain drink for $1.05. The same order today costs me about 8 bucks (which is more than I used to pay for an entire pepperoni pie back then).

When I started smoking in 1977, Marlboro Reds were about $0.42 pack. When I quit 11 years ago they were $3.35 (almost $3 increase in 22 years). Now, in the area of New York State I live in, they are an average of $9.50 (more than $6 increase in 11 years).

I don't remember the gas prices, but I do remember the gas lines.

You could get 5 pieces of Bazooka bubble gum for a penny.

And on the "other" ... I could get a dime (10 rolled and ready) for 10 bucks. Someone told me recently that now, a "dime" is like 20 bucks and you get one or two. Glad I stopped that stuff...

[KenThompson]

Originally Posted by Kurt

Which reminds me...I paid $10 for my first OZs of the "other substance", and complained when it went up to $12.50.

I was ripped off in my very first transaction. I bought it from
one of the toughest guys in school. After I realized what happened,
I kept bugging him about it. He must have liked me because he
sent word, through a mutual friend, that I should stop bugging
him about it or there would be consequences.

First marketing lesson learned the hard way. Oh, it was heavily
cut with oregano.


Ken

[mattlaclear]

Originally Posted by Kurt

Which reminds me...I paid $10 for my first OZs of the "other substance", and complained when it went up to $12.50.

I hear tell that same amount of Oregano would go $400 now. Inflation at it's finest.

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by mattlaclear

I hear tell that same amount of Oregano would go $400 now. Inflation at it's finest.

It's legal here with a Rx. There are more legal dispensaries in Denver than Starbucks.

About $300-$350 for top of the line. You can find schwag for $60 an oz. That's what a "friend" told me anyway.

Check out Craig's list for Denver for a search for MMJ (medical marijuana):
denver all for sale / wanted classifieds "mmj" - craigslist

Times are a changin'...

[scubasteve-cr]

This thread is making me feel incredibly young. Thanks guys!

[MissTerraK]

I don't know where you all grew up at, but back when I was a kid, every thing was pretty much free, I mean it only took a little pout and one tear to drop from one of my lil brown eyes and Daddy broke down!

Whatever I wanted, it was mine and free to me anyway!

Terra

[KimW]

I don't know MissTerra, I tried crying but your daddy still didn't buy me anything.

[KimW]

Originally Posted by Kurt

It's legal here with a Rx. There are more legal dispensaries in Denver than Starbucks.

About $300-$350 for top of the line. You can find schwag for $60 an oz. That's what a "friend" told me anyway.

Check out Craig's list for Denver for a search for MMJ (medical marijuana):
denver all for sale / wanted classifieds "mmj" - craigslist

Times are a changin'...

Boy,they sure are a-changing.
I could not believe those ads. I really am out of it.
Didn't people think if it became legal it would be cheaper?
I couldn't believe some of those prices.
Glad I gave it up years ago.
(Though I bet if I lived there I could get a medical script).

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by KimW

I don't know MissTerra, I tried crying but your daddy still didn't buy me anything.

Only because you weren't as cute as me!

Terra

[Bill Farnham]

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

Only because you weren't as cute as me!

Terra

Terra,

Nobody's as cute as you.





Except maybe those little froggie guys...

~Bill

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by Bill Farnham

Terra,

Nobody's as cute as you.





Except maybe those little froggie guys...

~Bill

Ok KJ,

Here's my response exactly:

Awwww, KJ, you're so....




Uggh! I can't believe he just said that! Followed by a big Smile and lots of giggles!

Terra

[JDArchitecture]

Every item on Taco Bell menu was 19¢.

Thrifty Drug single scoop ice cream cone was a nickle, double scoop was a dime.

But, my first calculator (complete with sqrt key... whoopee!) was $110 at Kmart!!!

[myob]

When I was growing up the best things in life were always free - candy, cigarettes, hot dogs, beer, girlie magazines, and even coke. You just had to be fast; get in and get out with as much as you can grab in one pass.

[KenThompson]

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

I don't know where you all grew up at, but back when I was a kid, every thing was pretty much free, I mean it only took a little pout and one tear to drop from one of my lil brown eyes ...

Terra

I tried that once. Just once.

They all laughed and one guy pulled a knife.

So I said, 'All right. All right. How much?'


Ken

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by KenThompson

I tried that once. Just once.

They all laughed and one guy pulled a knife.

So I said, 'All right. All right. How much?'


Ken

LOL!

I get you completely!

And rumor has it that you're not a "wiseguy"!

Terra

[Bill Farnham]

Originally Posted by myob

When I was growing up the best things in life were always free - candy, cigarettes, hot dogs, beer, girlie magazines, and even coke. You just had to be fast; get in and get out with as much as you can grab in one pass.

Sorta like the stock market, eh Paul?

[KenThompson]

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

LOL!

And rumor has it that you're not a "wiseguy"!

Terra

You know what they say about people who believe and spread
rumors...


Ken

[Steven Wagenheim]

I remember a 10 pack of baseball cards for 5 cents.

I remember Bazooka Joe bubble gum for a penny a piece.

I remember candy bars for 5 cents.

I remember a bag of Skittles for 10 cents.

I remember 10 cent comic books.

I remember most board games were about $5.

I remember GI Joes were about $5 and the accessory packs where about
$2.

I remember a game of bowling was 50 cents.

I remember a hot dog at the snack bar of the bowling alley was about $1.
It was a foot long hot dog with anything you wanted on it.

I remember Burger King small burgers were about 30 cents. A burger, fries
and a drink was about 75 or 80 cents.

I remember a dinner out for 2 (I'm talking a full course meal) was $15
with the tip.

I remember a movie was $2.50

I remember when you could fill up one of those gas guzzlers (22 gallon
tank) for about $7.

A brand new car was about $3,000.

I remember 45 RPM records were about 79 cents

I remember 33 LP records were about $3.99

I remember when Playboy was $1

I remember when apartment rent was $300 a month for 4 1/2 rooms

I remember when Hot Wheels were 50 cents.

I remember when White Castles were 10 cents a burger.

And...on the reverse end of the scale.

I remember when music synthesizers were $5,000 and now you can get
something that's 100 times more powerful for about a grand.

Yeah, some stuff is actually cheaper than the good old days.

[scubasteve-cr]

Yah, yah yah. You guys talk about how stuff was cheaper back then, but what were average wages back then?

[Bill Farnham]

Originally Posted by scubasteve-cr

Yah, yah yah. You guys talk about how stuff was cheaper back then, but what were average wages back then?

Read my post above...I got a raise to $1.69 an hour...


Howard Johnson's used to have "All the fish you could eat" Wednesdays for $1.19.

[Lawrh]

You don't have to go back all that far for lower prices. Gas was about half what it is now in 1995 before Katrina and the speculators. That's true here in Canada, anyways.

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by KenThompson

You know what they say about people who believe and spread
rumors...


Ken

Ummm, not really.

Does it have to do with the word assume? Maybe?

Terra

[KenThompson]

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

Ummm, not really.

Does it have to do with the word assume? Maybe?

Terra

Naw...

Whatever the rumors are, they're probably true. lol


Ken

[KimW]

I think he's talkin bout sleepin wit da fishes.....

[KimW]

Originally Posted by scubasteve-cr

Yah, yah yah. You guys talk about how stuff was cheaper back then, but what were average wages back then?

Originally Posted by Bill Farnham

Read my post above...I got a raise to $1.69 an hour...


Howard Johnson's used to have "All the fish you could eat" Wednesdays for $1.19.

I started working for this garbage disposal company in the early to mid 70s. They paid me $2.75 an hour to scrape and paint dumpsters.
Dirtiest and nastiest job I ever had, but when I left the company 5 years later to start my own business I was the office manager and making more than I ever thought I would make.
(Course I was still very young then.)

[KimW]

Originally Posted by Lawrh

You don't have to go back all that far for lower prices. Gas was about half what it is now in 1995 before Katrina and the speculators. That's true here in Canada, anyways.

Thats true here too Lawrh.
I posted earlier about the gas wars my relatives had, but for the most part gas was about 35 cents to 50 cents a gallon in my formative years.
It was during the Arabian Gas Embargo that gas rose to the outrageous price of a bit over a dollar a gallon and we had to wait hours in line to purchase gas, and even then we could usually only buy $10 worth at a time. I lived in Virginia then (and still do) and we could only buy gas on even or or days,depending on what number your liscense plate ended in.

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by scubasteve-cr

Yah, yah yah. You guys talk about how stuff was cheaper back then, but what were average wages back then?

My first allowance was a nickle a week. But I could make more by mowing the lawn for a quarter or shovel the walks in winter for 50 cents, etc.

Electronics are something that's really come down...In about 1967 a color TV was something like $600? And there were only a couple of color TV shows. A new VW was only $1900 (?).

Long distance too...Back then it was like 75 cents a minute. When you did get/make a long distance, it was a huge event and you talked 100 miles an hour. If someone walked in and tried to talk to you, you shouted "LONG DISTANCE"! An hour phone call could cost a week's pay check.

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by KenThompson

Naw...

Whatever the rumors are, they're probably true. lol


Ken

Ken,

You are too funny! I haven't heard any rumors! And psst, I don't sleep wit da fishes!

At least I don't think I do. LOL!

Terra

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by KimW

I started working for this garbage disposal company in the early to mid 70s. They paid me $2.75 an hour to scrape and paint dumpsters.
Dirtiest and nastiest job I ever had, but when I left the company 5 years later to start my own business I was the office manager and making more than I ever thought I would make.
(Course I was still very young then.)

One of the lessons I've learned in life is that the harder you work at a job, the less you get paid.

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by Kurt

Long distance too...Back then it was like 75 cents a minute. When you did get/make a long distance, it was a huge event and you talked 100 miles an hour. If someone walked in and tried to talk to you, you shouted "LONG DISTANCE"! An hour phone call could cost a week's pay check.

Yes! I remember that!

Long Distance took precedence over everything!

Wow, how times have changed in that arena!

Terra

[Bill Farnham]

My first domain names cost me $75 each. I still have one of theose domains up and running.

The first apartment I ever looked at when I got married was asking $105 a month rent and I turned to my bride and wispered under my breath "How are we going to afford $105 a month?" I was 18 and scared...

~Bill

[Steven Carl Kelly]

Coke was 5 cents from 1886 until 1959. Five cents in 1886 is equivalent to $1 today.

[Steven Carl Kelly]

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

Yes! I remember that! Long Distance took precedence over everything!

When I was a kid, we had a "party line". Only the "well to do" had a private line, they were much more expensive.

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by Steven Carl Kelly

Coke was 5 cents from 1886 until 1959. Five cents in 1886 is equivalent to $1 today.

Dang! I am getting ripped off then having to pay a buck thirty to a buck fifty for a Pepsi-plus deposit!

Terra

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by Steven Carl Kelly

When I was a kid, we had a "party line". Only the "well to do" had a private line, they were much more expensive.

Oh my! I think we must have grown up in different decades!

Terra

[Steven Carl Kelly]

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

Dang! I am getting ripped off then having to pay a buck thirty to a buck fifty for a Pepsi-plus deposit!

Wow. 20-ounces Cokes and Pepsis are just a flat buck in the vending machines near my office.

[MissTerraK]

Originally Posted by Steven Carl Kelly

Wow. 20-ounces Cokes and Pepsis are just a flat buck in the vending machines near my office.

Gas stations, sheesh, highway robbery I tell ya!

Seriously though, it could be good old Michigan! They're up to $2 for a 20 ouncer around here in vending machines!

Terra

[HeySal]

When I was a kid pork chops were 10c a pound and bread about the same for a loaf but we didn't buy it often - Mom baked most of our bread.

Candy was a penny.

McDonalds were 10c a hamburger.

The soda fountain had drinks for a nickel - but we got to really splurge and got syrup added for an additional nickel.

Then came high school. Saturday nights - cigarettes 35c a pack, a buck for a bottle of Boonesfarm and gas between 17c and 23c a gallon, depending on who was having price wars. Whoppers were less than a buck.

We would all get together in one car and for 3 bucks we had gas, a drive in movie, food, and party materials. Sometimes if we had a few extra bucks between us we'd buy a "nickle bag" and instead of the movie we'd drive to a local "haunted house" and party hardy.