How times have changed.
- Thread starter Floorist
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My dad had a trucking company in the late 30s. He said driver's made $8.00 an hour.
In 1964, I dispatched all summer for a cab company. 6 pm to 6am, 7 days a week. 50 cents an hour. $42.00 for 84 hours.
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When I had a paper route local newspaper subscriptions were $1.75 a month including Saturday deliveries. That would have been 1972ish
Today a paper is $2 per paper and I think that weekend editions are over $3.
Today a paper is $2 per paper and I think that weekend editions are over $3.
And many have gone out of business.
I gave $15.00 for my first car, a 1949 Ford. Cost me another $10. for a transmission. It had no 1st gear when I bought it.
In spring of1962 I worked in a tree nursery hoeing weeds out of the trees for .50, 12 hour shifts. Then I went to work for Green Giant canning company for the month of June for 1.19, again 12 hr shift. Then julyto the middle of September for a road construction company putting flare ends on culvers for $5 an hour. All it took was 2 crescent wrenches to do the job.. Then it wa time for the Navy, for $78 a month. First job out I got $65 a week which was 64 hours laying rug and delivering furniture. Got a $10 raise after 2 years. Came to Michigan and the money was about 3 times what I was making in Minnesota. Never did get rich.
I started installing at .50 a yard and my last job was $3.50 yd.
When I was working for the housing authority, I got $4. They had some 40 yd apts I could in 90 minutes by myself.
When I was working for the housing authority, I got $4. They had some 40 yd apts I could in 90 minutes by myself.
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I'm charging $6 a yard. For over 15 years I'd been charging 5.50. the local carpet one retailer started paying $6 per yard, so I moved my rates up a little bit.
I never was fast and getting older I'm only putting in 5 hour days and not working very fast. Last week I worked six days for $750. I had about $60 to $80 in tack strip and fuel and my brother helped me. I wish I was making $6 a yard 30 years ago when I could actually make some progress on a job.
I never was fast and getting older I'm only putting in 5 hour days and not working very fast. Last week I worked six days for $750. I had about $60 to $80 in tack strip and fuel and my brother helped me. I wish I was making $6 a yard 30 years ago when I could actually make some progress on a job.
I remember back in highschool, i had a job taking care of 3 horses
water feed 2 times a day and exercise on the weekends
I would also muck out stalls and sand them for $20.00 per stall
Re-sanding was a pickup truck of sand put in the stall
$20.00 would put gas in my truck, Buy a pizza and a pitcher of beer and 2 tickets to the movies.
YEP. How times have changed, They still only want to pay you $20.00 to re sand. and that will not pay for anything
water feed 2 times a day and exercise on the weekends
I would also muck out stalls and sand them for $20.00 per stall
Re-sanding was a pickup truck of sand put in the stall
$20.00 would put gas in my truck, Buy a pizza and a pitcher of beer and 2 tickets to the movies.
YEP. How times have changed, They still only want to pay you $20.00 to re sand. and that will not pay for anything
When I was a teen, gas was 25 cents a gallon. Beer was $1.25 a 6 pack. I did not smoke but cigs were 25 cents a pack. When I was in grade school, a movie ticket was 15 cents, a pop was 5 cents and a popcorn was 5 cents. Sat. afternoon there was a western and two serials. Usually Lash Larue and The Lone Ranger.
I worked at a zoo in Singapore back in the 90s. I got paid something like $10 (singapore dollars) per day. Later when I was in Guam doing tutoring I got paid $10/hr and generally worked 3hrs a week (had an awesome 75yr old student from Taiwan). I was supposed to get paid for my intern job at the naval exchange but they never did pay me.
LOL When I first was married. I was bring home after taxes $300.00 a week
My wife was bring home $150.00 a week we did not have any credit or bills except rent an utilities. rent was $375.00 utilities were less than $200.. no cell phones invented yet, no 'puter.
Life was good, I miss those days.
My wife was bring home $150.00 a week we did not have any credit or bills except rent an utilities. rent was $375.00 utilities were less than $200.. no cell phones invented yet, no 'puter.
Life was good, I miss those days.
When I married the first time, 1968, a week's groceries for 2 was $10.00
We spend close to $400 a week on grocery’s 
Nice to see you pop in Don. I'm guessing you like steak and lobster. 
The really shite part about it all is that wages have been stagnant since the mid 70's when you get down to brass tacks, but I know the cost of living keeps on trucking. The buying power of a dollar is so greatly diminished that I suppose it really might be time to start working for peanuts. Least I can eat those.
Hell, I drive a van worth more than my family home that i spent 20 years in..... someone wanna make some sense of that to me?
Hell, I drive a van worth more than my family home that i spent 20 years in..... someone wanna make some sense of that to me?
I have lost track of how many vans I wore out.
Mark Brown, nice to see you!
