Shop Time w/T.W. Friends

My newest shop vac was free at the rehome store, but I had to buy a hose and filter.

 

it should be noted that much of your working life was with $1k-6k cars, and $40k-80k houses. now the cars are $15k-90k, and those same houses start at $250k...

us newer gen's don't have the benefits the older generations had with inflation.

the official inflation calculator says $156,000 in 2025 has the same buying power as $19,151.89 in 1970, $40,611.83 in 1980, or $64,036.06 in 1990...

and because i got curious, $70k/yr is equal to $28,734.13 in 1990...

 

Yes, the late 80s/90s set the course for elimination of a “middle class”. I have been helping my kids all of their lives and if I didn’t consider doing the same with housing, they’d probably never have an opportunity to be home owners. Raises aren’t keeping up with inflation at all. Wife and I laughed that this last year our combined “raises” yielded a $100/month. That’s not going to offset costs so far.

 

In 1990 I was making $6.50/hour = $13,520/year base pay.
I worked every hour of overtime I could get.

 

I paid $48.5 for my house in 1991, Its worth around $240ish now.
Those $475/month house payments scared the crap out of me!!

 

Twenty percent down back then too...

After all that overtime & saving I remember the smoke coming off the pen at closing.

I took was terrified of the mortgage and the feeling of having to buy a tire or battery completely destroying the budget. I ate lots of Ramen noodles and peanut butter back then. (not together )

 

I dont think I paid a downpayment.

Not sure tho.