It is amazing how inflation can get you, and I am not talking about just the last few years. It has been going on all the time since I have been around and obviously before. My first shock was when I was about six and went to the ice cream store and was informed that I would no longer receive two scoops for a nickel. It was mind-blogging to me at the time. In the ice cream area, the Blonde in the House and I went to a local restaurant and shared a jr. banana split for a modest $5.00. Now when I was dating in high school, I could buy my date a sundae for 15 cents. If she were high maintenance, I could spend 25 cents for a full banana split with three scoops of ice cream and a lot of great toppings. Luckily most of my dates were not the expensive type.
Many folks have a tendency to note that the cost of living has gone up – say 2.9%, and make the comment “that is not so bad.” However, that percentage is on a new base which means that 2.9% costs more than a 2.9% increase just five years ago. Cars are a good example. When I was a kid, I went with my Dad when he bought a new Chevrolet in 1940 for $800. I recall thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of money.” Then years later The Blonde and I bought a new 1959 Nash Rambler for $3,000. It was a nice car that took us forever to pay off. Today, you can’t buy a new golf cart for $3,000. It is true that cars are better today with additions undreamed about not too many years ago, but you still have to have your income increase in a like manner. That wasn’t the case in the early 70’s with an increased family, and we went to look at Chevrolet Caprice Station Wagons. There were two models of the Caprice. I was looking at the less expensive one, and the Blonde was reviewing the other one. It was a good-looking car so for one reason or another we got the big upgraded one. It was a great riding car, and very comfortable. The bad part was that it got eight miles to the gallon in town and twelve miles on the road. Gas was a “little” cheaper then, so excluding hybrids and electric cars, it was still cheaper from a fuel standpoint.
We just had a reminder of inflation this past week. We purchased a king-sized mattress and a base. That was it. However, there are many things that add to today’s cost that weren’t around back when I was young. One is the nice sales tax. The sales tax on our purchase was $447.86. Not too long after we were married, we purchased a bedroom set. It included the bed, mattress, base, dresser with a large mirror and a chest of drawers. The furniture is made of mahogany wood – not the type they use today, but real mahogany. After negotiating with the furniture salesman, I got the price down $25, which we thought was pretty good. Thus, we ultimately paid $425 in total. We still have the set – except for the mattress and the base. It made me think when I noticed we paid more in sales tax for a mattress and base than we did for the whole thing, lo those many years ago.
Still, I am not worried, just musing. I watch the news like everyone, and I have noted that all the candidates running for office are going to reduce costs. How can we lose? Unless, of course, they have to raise hidden taxes to pay for the reduced costs. Nah, they wouldn’t do that!
Barry Evans is a columnist for Villages-News.com
