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In reply to the discussion: Do Americans Know What a Massive Ripoff American Life Really Is? [View all]Marthe48
(16,950 posts)After thinking about it since I read it, I think that it is great for us to be insisting on fair wages for service, but the prices of goods and services need to come down.
I went to college for 3 quarters, 1970-71, and tuition, room and board was $1200.00. My husband and I paid a minister $10 to get married. For our first baby, it cost us $150.00 for 3 days at the hospital and $150.00 to the dr. For our 2nd baby, it was $600.00, but ins. paid all but the co-pays for dr. visits, and prenatal vitamins. . We paid $35.00 a month rent. Utilities, not counting a phone, were not more than $25.00/month. When we moved to town, rent was $70/month, and we added phone, water and cable to our utility bill, which was still under $100.00/month. Our first mortgage was $73.00/month and it was a 2 story house on 9 1/2 acres.
We had free medical insurance through my husband's job, and co-pays were $5.
We could feed the 4 of us at McDonalds for $5. A Big Mac was .79 cents. We thought shoes were expensive if we paid more than $10.
I look at prices now, and I don't even know how people can make it on their own, let alone trying to take care of a family.
If prices across the board come down, and wages go up, maybe it'll be easier to make it in the U.S. Right now, the author of the article brings to light some harsh realities.