Bread rolls, washing machines and inflation
Discussion
I was watching some Open all Hours the other day, Ronnie Barker was a truly brilliant comedian 
Anyway, when I stopped laughing, I started to realise how some things haven't really increased in price since the 80's or have even got cheaper!
In one episode, Arkwright expresses shock at a washing machine costing £220, and 40 years later basic ones start at £180!
In the Two Ronnies Crossed lines sketch, Ronnie Corbett taalks about going to buy some bread rolls "the 20p ones". I pay 30p for a cheese topped one from Sainsburys...
Yet house prices have gone up massively and cars are probably about three times as expensive!
I suppose that this is the result of quantitative easing pushing asset prices up, but it still feels very weird.
Anyway, when I stopped laughing, I started to realise how some things haven't really increased in price since the 80's or have even got cheaper!
In one episode, Arkwright expresses shock at a washing machine costing £220, and 40 years later basic ones start at £180!
In the Two Ronnies Crossed lines sketch, Ronnie Corbett taalks about going to buy some bread rolls "the 20p ones". I pay 30p for a cheese topped one from Sainsburys...
Yet house prices have gone up massively and cars are probably about three times as expensive!
I suppose that this is the result of quantitative easing pushing asset prices up, but it still feels very weird.
Essel said:
In about 1990 post divorce and back in a job, I lashed out about £550. on a new 26" nicam stereo TV, on the drip over 12 months. Last tv we bought - 40" Samsung smart tv, about £550.
I see now that 55" tvs are about the same. (Bit more for a Samsung TBF)
Thats not inflation, that's technology improving.I see now that 55" tvs are about the same. (Bit more for a Samsung TBF)
trickywoo said:
I’d be interested to know if a long bow cost more or less proportionally than a Glock.
I did read somewhere (can't find the reference) that a long bow at the time of Agincourt cost about a weeks wages for a labourer, so about the same ballpark. A sword was more like 6 months wages. Bear in mind wages were very low in terms of what else you could buy. gazza285 said:
When I first started playing the electric guitar, a half decent, entry level guitar would cost between a hundred and fifty to two hundred quid.
Today a half decent, entry level guitar costs between a hundred and fifty to two hundred quid.
Quite an important part of your post missing there Today a half decent, entry level guitar costs between a hundred and fifty to two hundred quid.
The relative cost of food has dropped since the 1970s, especially in respect of the cost of food production. We are used to very low food prices, mainly because big supermarkets can exploit the economies of scale and sell at a tiny profit or even a loss on certain items and still remain profitable.
As a direct result of most modern farmers need to farm a large acreage to make a decent living, whereas forty years ago it was possible for small mixed enterprises to flourish.
As a direct result of most modern farmers need to farm a large acreage to make a decent living, whereas forty years ago it was possible for small mixed enterprises to flourish.
Essel said:
In about 1990 post divorce and back in a job, I lashed out about £550. on a new 26" nicam stereo TV, on the drip over 12 months. Last tv we bought - 40" Samsung smart tv, about £550.
I see now that 55" tvs are about the same. (Bit more for a Samsung TBF)
TV's are an interesting one. They've always around £500 for at least the last 20 years. You can spend more, and less...but you're average family 'Ford Mondeo tick all the boxes' of a TV has always been around £500.I see now that 55" tvs are about the same. (Bit more for a Samsung TBF)
SCEtoAUX said:
House prices are kept artificially high by various economic planning policies.
No reason why a three bed semi should cost more than £80k anywhere other than certain very exclusive locations.
EFANo reason why a three bed semi should cost more than £80k anywhere other than certain very exclusive locations.
Much of the cost of a house is effectively the cost of the planning permission.
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