Did you know........
By rebelann1949
@rebelann (113145)
El Paso, Texas
December 10, 2023 1:04pm CST
The value of money as the years went by? I didn't really know the exact difference between how much money was back in the day compared to today but this handy little tool will give you an idea
I finally feel so sorry for what my mom went through while raising her kids, she was thousands of miles from her family and hundreds of miles from dads family so mostly she mailed letters to them and visa versa.
$10 in 1963 would be $101.21 in todays money so when mom wanted to call someone at a rate of $.10 a minute to her family it would turn out to be very expensive if she was on the phone for very long plus those long distance rates were calculated by which state you were in and which state you were calling. I remember her reaction when one phone bill came in at $20 back in 1963, dad was in CA getting ready to ship out to Korea.
Have you ever had to pay for long distance calls? I'm not talking about international calls.
https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm/
16 people like this
15 responses
@snowy22315 (183786)
• United States
10 Dec 23
Sometimes, yes. I don't think I ever wracked up any huge charges though.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (183786)
• United States
10 Dec 23
@rebelann Maybe..I wasn't paying the bills at that time..but I don't recall long distance calls ever being an issue
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (90738)
• Arvada, Colorado
10 Dec 23
Yes I had big bills back in the day for calling state to state.
Yes, I know what you are saying too about our Moms..they sure did not have it easy back then.
Comparatively, I live like a queen ...sad really.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (90738)
• Arvada, Colorado
10 Dec 23
@rebelann Right I understand that too. Even when Dad was there he was gone all the time and Mama's family was overseas..always alone. That has to be tough.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (48076)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
10 Dec 23
The trick in those days, to let someone know you got home safe and sound without incurring long distance charges, was to call collect and ask for yourself.
2 people like this
Yeah, I did that a couple times. Boy was it expensive to call from state to state back then.
@Juliaacv (51896)
• Canada
10 Dec 23
That is an interesting calculator.
My view has always been looking at the cost of necessities such as a loaf of bread.
Many years ago .75 was the cost, but the wages were considerably lower also.
When we were first married we had to pay for long distance if we called out of our region.
We never did.
2 people like this
@vandana7 (100904)
• India
11 Dec 23
@rebelann Compared to India, you all have fared well. Our inflation is almost 8 percent per annum. To give you an idea, I used to buy sugar at the rate of Rs.4 per kg in 1979. Today, I pay 40 for it. I used to buy rice at the rate of 5 back then, today I pay 60 for it. Essentials have shot through the roof, inflation in essentials is about 12 to 15 percent per annum. Non essentials..not as much. So that is where our savings come from averaging to about 8 percent per annum. In contrast, you all have inflation of just 3.85 percent per annum.
1 person likes this
@much2say (56728)
• Los Angeles, California
12 Dec 23
I remember my parents kept the long distance calls to a minimum - or at least that was an excuse for everyone to not get caught up on the phone for so long 
. And this wasn't even out of state . . . it was still in L.A., but far away enough from us - a different area code anyway. I seem to recall having to pay for long distance with the landlines . . . but I never really needed to call anyone that far.
. And this wasn't even out of state . . . it was still in L.A., but far away enough from us - a different area code anyway. I seem to recall having to pay for long distance with the landlines . . . but I never really needed to call anyone that far.1 person likes this
@aninditasen (16541)
• Raurkela, India
11 Dec 23
I just got an exorbitant telephone bill twice I think. It's good that now we can recharge our phone beforehand and then make calls cautiously.
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (16541)
• Raurkela, India
12 Dec 23
@rebelann Yes, but the charges have reduced a lot now.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (183932)
• United States
11 Dec 23
In the old days we had to pay for long distance charges. Now we get free long distance in the US. I remember calling home to let my parents know that I had arrived somewhere safely and asking for someone that wasn't there to avoid long distance charges. Have a good week.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (73606)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
11 Dec 23
Yes, I have. I grew up when you paid for long distance calling, and our bills would come in in the three digit range if not careful. Now it's about who's got the best unlimited plan.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (113145)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Dec 23
Exactly.
To make matters worse every cell phone company has gimmics people fall for like the one I got, they pay for my phone but I have to maintain a particular plan and the way Verizon does it is they add 27.77 dollars to a high end unlimited plan which costs quite a bit to maintain. I'll be in 'bondage' for another year or so.
