a. They didn’t spend money on cable/satellite TV, cell phones, internet access, monthly subscriptions for video games
or any of the other necessities people spend money on today.
b. Most meals were prepared at home. At work, you brought your lunch with you.
c. Taking the family out to a restaurant for dinner was a special treat, and usually planned in advance. It was rare. It was never because you “didn’t feel like cooking today”.
d. The idea of paying for bottled water would seem ridiculous.
e. They didn’t have to buy and drink overpriced coffee or Pizzas.
f. They didn’t buy junk they didn’t really need unless they were willing to part with their hard-earned CASH for it. Credit card use was unthinkable.
g. Anything they had to finance, such as a car or a house, was accompanied with a large down payment. Loans were rare and no mobile loans existed They didn’t buy a bigger house than they needed, or a more expensive car than they needed.
h. No impulse buying. No online shopping, Selection was limited to what was locally available, and you had to physically go look for it and pay cash. Spending money required effort.
i. Less spending on entertainment in general. Most homes didn’t have a TV.
j. Energy costs were lower because you didn’t have a million devices in your home using electricity. You turned lights off when you left the room.
k. Saying “I can’t afford it” was perfectly acceptable. You didn’t need to keep up with the Jones.
l. They shopped by price, not by payment. It’s just as easy to save money today as it was back then. You just have to have the will to do it
