Cheap Cheap ... CHEAP?!

Wouldn’t it be nice to have those prices again?!?!

Over the years the cost of living went up due to the women getting jobs over the years. Now you’re asking why? Well, to answer that question is simple. There were two incomes coming from one household so the price industry decided, “Hey.. Lets raise prices since more people are working and we could get more money.” As of today, it was a bad idea since most of us are completely broke, even though in the 1950’s prices were cheaper. People did not have the average $7.25 an hour for their minimum wage was $0.75 per hour! See where this is going? It might seem cheap to us but, to them it was not.

Average estimate of price change between the 1950s thru 2000s

Items              1950’s   2000’s

Price of milk           $0.44         $2.79-$3.41

Gallon of gas           $0.18         $2.51-$5.00 (varies)

Loaf of bread          $0.12          $2.79

Dozen of eggs         $0.67          $1.25

Miracle Whip            $0.55         $3.00-$4.00

Tooth paste              $0.29         $3.00

Newspaper             $0.05         $1.00-$3.00

Malted Shake          $0.25         $3.99

Magazine Advertising

"By the 1950s, advertising was consider a profession in its on right! It arracted both men and women who wanted the thrill of using their creaticity to make some cash!"

(source: http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/Advertising/advertising.php?pageID=history)

Here are some examples of magazine ads from the 50's

They had personality and me personally I would love to see most of these vintage ads back in to magazines.

There are so many coca-cola ads which took a huge part in the 1950s and there will be a separate blog about them !

How to be a Good Housewife tip 1: To your husband

Housewives of the 1950s it was not as easy as you would think. The women were required to please their husband and take care of the house. They did not have a job, the husband supported the family. Although their job the wives did have was to clean the house, make dinner, laundry and yes please their husband everyday of the week. This blog will consist of all the duties the housewives were required to do everyday of their life for their husband. As a women, it slightly annoys me how much these men expected from these women they “loved”.

Cooking was one of the most important jobs as a housewife in the 1950s.  Lets start from the beginning; Everyday you are required to cook a nourishing breakfast for your family. You also made sure they all finished their meal if not you would not let him out of their seat until they finished it all! Skipping lunch, dinner was the most important so planning ahead for a yummy dinner meal was always a great idea. This is because when your husband comes home from a hard day at work a full plate of his favorite meal is waiting for him. Keyword: favorite.

So now that you have dinner all prepared for your hard working husband you must take a 15 minute break to be refreshed so when your husband arrives you are prepared. For example put a ribbon in your hair one look pretty since he was with work-weary people all day! It is very important that at the time he comes home the washer, dryer, vacuum and children are quiet. Greet him with smiles and show love, be happy! Listen to all his problems and don’t forget .. your problems at that time were not important. It is required that you do not complain if he is late or did not come to go out with fellow co-workers. As a housewife it is your job to understand his problems and be the person he vents to. Also just make sure when he goes to his bed and lays down that you get a cold water for him for him to truly relax and chill out. If need be make your self a cocktail if you need to be happier!

An article from "Housekeeping Monthly"

Now follow all these rules . If not you will
 have a moment like this from the movie 
“Pleasantville” 1998 .. One confused husband!

The cars that were around!

o0o0o0oh the cars they would drive around!
In the 50s the American manufactures achieved fame for having the best vehicles of all time!  They began to have features like power steering, automatic dimming headlights, automatic transmissions, fuel injection and retractable hardtop convertibles. This was the era when the rise of chrome was used and when the American society wanted big and flashy! The cars around this time had character and unique features. Including: Crome trims, three-tone paint jobs, tail fins.Most of their ideas came from the obsession with rocket ships and space.

Some “Random” types of cars 1950-1959

Oldsmobile 88 1950

(home-built hot rod power at an attractive price)

Ford County Squire 1951

Ford Ranch Wagon 1951-1952

Oldmobile Fiesta 1953

(was designed as a dream car)

Ford Crown Victoria 1955

Cadillac Series 62 1955

 

  Chevrolet Bel air 1955

(Coupe left and Sedan right)

(Longer and lower silhouette which have it a low slung appearance)

(They were very popular back then and this car is one of my personal favorites!)

Ford Thunderbird 1956

Buick Roadmaster 1956

(Coupe left  Sedan right)

Ford Ranchero 1957

Dodge Swept Side Pickup 1957

Pontiac Bonneville 1957

Ford Country Squire 1957

(2nd Generation)

  

Chrysler New Yorker 1957

(sedan left & coupe right) (Was defined as elegance and style)

Continental Mark III 1958

(was pretty pretty and large in an era of small cars)

Buick Limited Riviera 1958

Chevy Apache Cameo Pickup 1958 

Dodge Custom Royal 1959
(Buick fins were called “Delta Wings”)
.

Ford Thunderbird 1959

(known as the square bird)  

                                                                                                   

A video from the 50’s with a spare tire! It made me laugh:) 
Go ahead and watch it!


As you can tell cars have changed so much over the years.....