A Twenty Doesn't Go Far . . .

I can't say for sure, and they've made it clear that it's none of my business, but my parents seem very concerned and offended about the bigotry against the One Percent!  I do know them well enough to know they don't work on Wall Street and they were very frugal in their younger years.  What that has amounted and amassed to by now, I have no idea, but I do remember as a kid, Daddy always making the statement about breaking a twenty . . . "Once you broke a twenty, it was gone in no time . . ."

I'm guessing a twenty won't even get most of us through any stop we'd make, much less last the day, if we're making purchases, at all.  Last week, I made some comparisons over the last 50+ years, and basically discovered that most things had increased by about the same percentage.  So, in that figuring, I would have to say, it would take about $140.00 to go as far as $20.00 used to.

With raising most of my own food, I don't spend a great deal at the grocery store, but by the time I buy dog and cat food, and that is food for 2 large dogs and 1 medium, coffee and some table wine, my hundred is definitely broke and will be gone quickly.  The one difference I've noticed and pointed out was the disproportionate increase in gasoline prices.  I think the price may have come down this week, but it still well surpasses the average increase of income and grocery prices, so even if I make it out of the store with a reasonable amount of change from my hundred, it won't fill the gas tank, like Daddy's change from his twenty.

Fifty years ago there was little difference between "$5.00 worth of regular" or "fill 'er up."  Fifty years ago, "$5.00 worth of gas" bought over 20 gallons of gasoline.  Twenty gallons of gasoline purchased now is a major purchase.  Gasoline was officially moved out of the list of incidentals and actually included in the figuring for the cost of living back in the 70s, I believe.  That probably should have served as a warning as to where the price would be going.

A great deal of the extreme wealth of this country is simply invested in making more wealth.