DAILY DIRT: Was the decade of the ’90s THAT long ago?
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What I’ll always remember most from the ’90s is getting acquainted with Quincy and eventually moving to the Gem City … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,001 of The Daily Dirt.
1. At this point in time, the 1990s seem like such a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, especially when it comes to anything related to bills and/or your wallet.
See if you agree. Here’s a sampling of what we paid not that long ago:
- Minimum wage was $4.25 an hour early in the 1990s, increasing to $5.15 closer to 2000.
- Average cost of a new car was $15,000.
- Average annual income was $23,750.
- A six-pack of Coca Cola was $1.
- Gas was $1.15 a gallon.
- A loaf of bread was $1.
- A 27-inch color TV was $750.
- A postage stamp was 30 cents.
- Coffee was $2.50 a pound.
- Groceries for a family four were about $300 — for a month.
- Average monthly rent was $400 for a one-bedroom apartment.
- A movie ticket was $4.25.
- Utility bills, including electric and water, averaged about $100 a month. The average phone bill was around $20 a month.
- Average cost of a home was $130,000
- Cable TV averaged between $20 to $40 a month.
- Milk was $2.50 a gallon.
- Annual tuition averaged about $4,000 a year at a public college.
- A wedding cost an average of $15,000.
2. Did you know (Part 61)
- That in the 1950s $100 could buy you a new black and white TV or 370 gallons of gas.
- That in the 1960s $100 could buy you a new stereo system and 322 gallons of gas.
- That in the 1970s $100 could buy you 15 vinyl albums or 185 gallons of gas.
- That in the 1980s $100 could buy you a Sony Walkman and 84 gallons of gas.
- That in the 1990s $100 could buy you a Super Nintendo system or a pair of Air Jordans.
3. Speaking of the 1990s, here are some other memories from the 1990s not tied to your purse strings:
- Picking out movies at Blockbuster
- Slap bracelets
- Starter jackets
- Discman
- Gameboy (hand-held system)
- “Rugrats”
- Crystal Pepsi
- Surge
- Beanie Babies
- Watching “Friends” on Thursday nights
- Dunkaroos
Steve Thought O’ The Day — For the record, I had a Charlotte Hornets Starter jacket.
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Steve Eighiner writes daily for Muddy River News. He also wore Garanimals.
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