• TheFogan@programming.dev
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    2 days ago

    I think a further thing to point out in this math… is we’d also need to take into account average transportation and food expenses. Because while I’m not smart enough to do the math to calculate it out. On top of say housing relative to income doubling. Prices of necessities also need to be calculated out. If housing costs scaled with wages, but food cost doubled wages, that would still be a large factor on buying power.

    • EldritchFeminity@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      24 hours ago

      Most items have at least doubled in price since then, so it’s a good thing to point out. Hell, the price of Taco Bell has doubled since the 90s alone. College prices have risen more than 1,000%.

      Add on that we also have more expenses considered “essential” today as well. Things like the internet and cell phones didn’t exist in the 70s, and are incredibly important to simply keeping a job today.

      • TheFogan@programming.dev
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        19 hours ago

        Agreed, though also does need to be scaled with the time you are comparing to’s essentials as well. IE land line phones were essential before we reached a point where cellphones are allowed to be used for similar services. But yeah fully agreed in modern times… Essential living cost should be

        “Food”

        “Rent/Housing”

        “Utilities” (IE power/water/Sewage etc…)

        “transportation”

        “Internet + Celphone”.