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Reminds me of my high school years in the sixties. A good cheeseburger or sandwich was 30 cents. A deluxe cheeseburger on a french roll was 36 cents. Fries were 17 cents, milkshakes were 19 cents. Never really had to use paper money, just change to buy lunch.

In the 50s when I started smoking, there was a cigarette machine in the local pool hall that you had to put two dimes in, pull the knob and out comes a pack of butts with three pennies change inside the outer wrapper.

Also, nobody cared how old you were as long as you could reach the coin slot.

Ramstein AFB ca.1965: Movie+Popcorn+Coke=$0.25

Charlotte, NC last week: Movie+Popcorn+Coke=$15.50

Anywhere, USA ca. 2014: Movie+Popcorn+Coke=$199.99

In the 50s when I started smoking, there was a cigarette machine in the local pool hall that you had to put two dimes in, pull the knob and out comes a pack of butts with three pennies change inside the outer wrapper.

Also, nobody cared how old you were as long as you could reach the coin slot.

Right, as an 8-year-old I regularly went to the grocery store and bought cigarette packs for my dad. Store didn't care. Dad smoked 2 packs a day. I used to be shocked at price stories my dad told me about his youth, about how far a nickel stretched. What's shocking is prices climbed far faster and much higher in my generation over the last 50 years than in his previous 50. And it will get worse now for my children and grandchildren.