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Home » Off-Topic

Those were the days... December 22, 2012 2:10 pm SteveS

when things were expensive. Maybe that’s why they called them Wish Books.

As a child I was asked to search through the catalogues (Sears & Wards) and make a list of what I wanted for Christmas. Hopefully I would get one of the items.

Old Wish Books
http://www.wishbookweb.com/1933_Spiegel_Christmas_Catalog/thumbnails/Spiegel%20Catalog_01.jpg

The items are priced lower compared to today’s prices but the difference is the average wage back then compared to today.
1958 Sears toaster $12.95
Average hourly wage $1.98
2012 Sears toaster $25.99
Average hourly wage $19.19
You would have had to work 5 more hours to buy the toaster back in 1958 compared to today.

Now we shop on a moniter and with accounts like Amazon you don’t even have to pull out your credit card.

  • Yeah, I remember how cool the Sears Christmas catalog was when I was a kid. by TB 2012-12-22 15:56:04
    • What kids used to play with. by TB 2012-12-22 16:04:44
      • I would look over those chemistry set ads for hours by FrankC 2012-12-22 17:34:57
        • My first chemistry set by Robert 2012-12-22 21:37:47
          • You were on “Engineer Bill"??? by alcaray 2012-12-22 21:45:23
            • Champion of a kid's drinking game, that's me by Robert 2012-12-23 12:34:37
              • Naw it's the participation in a childhood icon of mine that I envy. by alcaray 2012-12-23 14:41:05
                • To tell ya the truth, no by Robert 2012-12-24 21:22:51
                  • That makes more sense than the way I remembered it. by alcaray 2012-12-25 10:17:54
                    • In case anyone is wondering..."Highball?" by podrock 2012-12-24 21:39:36
                      • They say the other highball was served in dining cars... by MaryAnne 2012-12-24 22:35:26
                        • some highball etymology by FrankC 2012-12-25 07:47:30
                          • Ever hear of Frederic Tudor, the Ice King? by podrock 2012-12-24 23:03:54
                      • I always wondered where Seaman Jacobs & Ed James got the idea... by MaryAnne 2012-12-23 17:30:51
                • Me too. by MaryAnne 2012-12-22 19:33:38

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