[RipSawyer]

Back in the 50s and 60s, far more families could afford to raise a family with just the father working as well. While Americans can afford more usesless toys such as consumer electronics, it is more difficult to afford housing, fuel, medical and send children to college.
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Thank you, that is the type of thing I can't help but think of when people on FR want to tell me how,"real wages are higher than ever", I simply don't believe it and I don't see how anyone over fifty can believe it.

My younger brother said to me recently,"you know, luxuries are getting cheaper all the time but necessities are going sky high". "Thanks, I have been saying that same thing for twenty years", was my reply.

[Nowhere Man]

My younger brother said to me recently,"you know, luxuries are getting cheaper all the time but necessities are going sky high". "Thanks, I have been saying that same thing for twenty years", was my reply.

You hit the nail on the head. Take a look at TV's, the TV I have is from 1982, a Zenith 25" console bought for like $650 in 1983 and it still works, although there is a slight heat problem and I'm trying to score a part for it, it is 24 years old after all. A 25 inch color set today might set you back $200 but generally they don't last as long. My aunt had an old "roundie" (the old color TV's with the round picture tube) from 1962 and she used it up until 1993 or so. Even with the necessities going up on price, the decision to spend $200 for a new TV today might be about the same as somebody deciding to spend $600 for a color TV in 1970.

[Number57]

My younger brother said to me recently,"you know, luxuries are getting cheaper all the time but necessities are going sky high". "Thanks, I have been saying that same thing for twenty years", was my reply.

Man, if that doesn't sound like a line out of Tobacco Road or Grapes of Wrath...