Is It Because I'm Old?

[barry1010]

When I was young my parents and grandparents were forever complaining about the cost of everything.   'How much?  I remember when it was half a crown' sort of scenario.

Now things seem expensive to me.  I've just been looking to replace my eReader and was thinking how expensive they are.  To put the cost in to perspective I have to compare prices to the current price of a carton of cigarettes (I used to smoke 40 a day) - they are not so expensive after all.  Thank evans I stopped smoking. 

Do other ABers have this problem?  It's not as if I've been asleep since the 70s, I do most of the shopping and pay the bills so I'm aware of how much things cost.  I know my income is a lot higher than back in the day but £100 is still £100, even though it isn't.

 

 

[bookbinder]

Things seem expensive to you, barry1010, because you are old enough to remember how much items used to cost. Now, you see the same items on sale, but not at the same price. It's just that older people have long memories, whereas younger people don't.

[douglas9401]

The pound in your pocket...  😊

[barry1010]

It's so obvious when you spell it out like that, bookbinder.  

How much would a young single man spend on a night out these days?  Pub, nightclub sort of night.  

[Canary42]

I find that after many years of trying I've finally anaethetised myself against the impact of apparently rising prices, which of course is, in its way, equally dangerous as I may be becoming profligate ☹

[barry1010]

I don't think I could get a 99 for the pound in my pocket, douglas :(  

[wolf63]

I bought a bag of Tomato crisps a week ago and it cost me £1.  I felt obliged to tell the assistant they were two and a half pence when I was young. 

I have decided to purchase a six-pack in future - the bags are tiny.  

 

[barry1010]

I know those multi-pack crisps are tiny, 25g - less than 1oz.   

[barry1010]

If I were still smoking it would cost me around £48 a day.  The thought is enough to make me faint

[barry1010]

I meant 'we' - my wife was a heavy smoker too.

[MargoTester]

You could become a moany 'old git' and blame it on decimalisation or.......brexit🤣 

[barry1010]

Or the conversion to natural gas and the loss of the bus conductor. I've never really trusted natural gas

[Khandro]

I saw a bus driver yesterday wearing a smart check shirt and a tie.

He seemed to exude a kind of old-fashioned confidence, authority & pride in his job. Yes we're all getting old(er)

 

 

 

[Atheist]

barry; Town gas was much more reliable, as it had its own natural familiar stink, whereas 'natural' gas had to be given a synthetic pong to discourage yourself from topping yourself in the gas oven, like decent folks used to do.

[Atheist]

...if there wasn't a handy canal.

[ToraToraTora]

well it's all about the true value of money over time , £100 in 1970 is the euivalent of £1308 now. Here is the BOE inflation calculator.

https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator

 

[nicebloke1]

 Because when you get older I believe you value your money a lot more than when you are younger, hence you now realise how much went up in smoke. I now use a vape that costs me pennies but often think of the £100s i spent on cigs.NO, i dont want a debate on smoking either way. :0))

[ToraToraTora]

Then there is also the comparison with wages etc. One thing often mentioned is beer. Well that is very cheap today if you take into account inflation/earnings.

[dustypuss]

Fish and chips 🍟 5 Bob and free scraps. 

[hellywelly4]

In 1966 my husband built a garage at the side of our brand new house which cost  £2,425. He needed £100 and had to take out a bank loan for it! 
 

[douglas9401]

Still not as cheap as Joe Bloggs transporting empty seats about the place though. 😂