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Started By
Message
Items and services that most people pay for today, but not in the 70s and early 80s
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:33 pm
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:33 pm
Mostly things that were not around back then and are today and that most people pay for.
Cell phones (often for every family member) and their associated plans
Cable TV or streaming
Satellite radio or music subscriptions
Computers / laptops
A printer
Internet service at home
Garbage pick up (the city used to pick this up with no monthly or quarterly bill. Sure we were taxed, but certainly not anything comparable to what we pay today, even adjusted with cost of living.)
The 30+ various fees that colleges add to tuition
Sure, all of these make our lives easier. But the share number of monthly bills today are incomparable to 50 years ago.
What are we missing?
Cell phones (often for every family member) and their associated plans
Cable TV or streaming
Satellite radio or music subscriptions
Computers / laptops
A printer
Internet service at home
Garbage pick up (the city used to pick this up with no monthly or quarterly bill. Sure we were taxed, but certainly not anything comparable to what we pay today, even adjusted with cost of living.)
The 30+ various fees that colleges add to tuition
Sure, all of these make our lives easier. But the share number of monthly bills today are incomparable to 50 years ago.
What are we missing?
This post was edited on 11/6/25 at 6:35 pm
38
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:38 pm to LSUTANGERINE
quote:
What are we missing?
The fact that so many things require a subscription service and it's not something you just outright purchase.
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:39 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Grass cutting/lawncare
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:40 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Brazzers
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:41 pm to Merica
My employer used to GIVE me free health insurance
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:41 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Bottled water.
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:43 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Bottled water
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:44 pm to LSUTANGERINE
A batting coach
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:44 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Water
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:45 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Air, at a service station.
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:46 pm to Bayou
My parent company used to pay for mine and all 60 of my employees—— in 2007
Posted on 11/6/25 at 6:59 pm to LSUTANGERINE
quote:
Sure, all of these make our lives easier. But the share number of monthly bills today are incomparable to 50 years ago.
True, but in some cases today's services save money. Like if you subscribe to Spotify, you are saving money over buying albums or CDs in the 1980s. An album in the 80s was around $8 which is like $20 today. So Spotify costs less than one album per month.
We all shared one landline phone but we paid 10 cents a minute for long distance. It was long distance for us to call friends in a town 9 miles away. I bet if you add that up, it would be about the same as a wireless family plan today.
Posted on 11/6/25 at 7:00 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Grass cut
Oil change
I’m sure there’s more.
Oil change
I’m sure there’s more.
Posted on 11/6/25 at 7:04 pm to BigBinBR
quote:
Grass cutting/lawncare
I mowed yards all 4 years of high school. That was 80s.
This post was edited on 11/6/25 at 7:06 pm
Posted on 11/6/25 at 7:05 pm to LSUTANGERINE
We pay for nearly everything now that wasn't around in the 70s and 80s.
Better question would be things that used to cost but are free now.
Daily news, credit reports, maps, movies, music, long-distance calls, etc.
Better question would be things that used to cost but are free now.
Daily news, credit reports, maps, movies, music, long-distance calls, etc.
Posted on 11/6/25 at 7:13 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Nose rings
Debit cards/ ATM
Luggage on flights
HEPA filters
Disposing of a battery
Gas cans more complicated than a C-130
Going into a state park
Recycling refuse
USB cig adapters
Debit cards/ ATM
Luggage on flights
HEPA filters
Disposing of a battery
Gas cans more complicated than a C-130
Going into a state park
Recycling refuse
USB cig adapters
Posted on 11/6/25 at 7:16 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Nobody I knew tipped mailmen lat Christmas ike people do now.
In the 60's, I remember gas was 20-25 cents per gallon, and gas stations gave away beach towels or drinking glasses.
Grocery stores gave out S&H Green stamps. You put them in little books and could buy things with them at the Green stamp store.
Grocery stores also sold everyday plates and bowls really cheap. It was almost like they gave them away.
In the 60's, I remember gas was 20-25 cents per gallon, and gas stations gave away beach towels or drinking glasses.
Grocery stores gave out S&H Green stamps. You put them in little books and could buy things with them at the Green stamp store.
Grocery stores also sold everyday plates and bowls really cheap. It was almost like they gave them away.
This post was edited on 11/6/25 at 7:18 pm
Posted on 11/6/25 at 7:29 pm to LSUTANGERINE
quote:
What are we missing?
You can live without most of those things you listed and probably be happier.
Posted on 11/6/25 at 7:32 pm to LSUTANGERINE
quote:
Cell phones (often for every family member) and their associated plans
Back in the 70s, cell phones were unheard of. And most people didn’t even own their own home phone. It wasn’t even an option. Instead, the phone was owned by Ma Bell and part of your monthly bill was phone rental.
We had this exact one.
quote:
Cable TV or streaming
Cable was around in the 70s, but mostly in larger towns and cities. I still remember going to my cousin’s house in Huntsville, AL to watch “KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park” in the late 70s on HBO. We were amazed to watch TV that had no commercials.
I lived in a rural area where cabal wasn’t an option. We had one of these
Turn it one way a you’d get ABC and NBC. Turn it another way and get CBS (sorta) an PBS. But you had to go outside to run it and have someone inside yelling to tell you when to stop.
quote:
Satellite radio or music subscriptions
We had Columbia House…
quote:
Computers / laptops
We got an Atari 2600 around 1980-81.
A few years later I got a Commodore 64.
quote:
Internet service at home
Didn’t exist then.
quote:
Garbage pick up (the city used to pick this up with no monthly or quarterly bill. Sure we were taxed, but certainly not anything comparable to what we pay today, even adjusted with cost of living.)
Living in the country meant having one of these…
… because no one was coming to pick up your garbage.
Posted on 11/6/25 at 7:34 pm to LSUTANGERINE
Air and water at a gas station
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