What do people routinely now buy, but people would have never bought years ago.


Stuff like ...
water
plastic containers to store leftovers in

Sour cream and buttermilk. They used to just use the stuff that went old on the counter...in the days before refrigeration.

Jean

they also didnt have 3 or more pairs of shoes or closes either. One outfit for everyday and 1 for church if you were poor. Only the wealthy seemed to have more then 3 outfits. 1 pair of shoes was refixed over and over not thrown out, they were durable.

How about Kitchenaid mixers, food processors - used to just mix/chop by hand,

Sewing machines...again handstitching,

Precooked anything,

Disposable toiletbowl brushes - sheesh who thinks of these things? The ppl who buy these have more money then sense!

Those swiffer brooms with the sticky paper that you use once and then toss - again what is so hard about a vacuum or broom? Doesn't anyone think about landfill anymore?

Ok getting off my high-horse now.

Kim

I think this is a very interesting post Ironmaiden. Here are a few that I can think of: lots of things with batteries, candles, soaps, lotions, laundry soap (which ppl used to make at home). Ppl purchase gifts for tons of ppl for the holidays. Exersize equipment you didn't need all these fancy things you just did your chores and got lots of exersize that way. Oh my, the list just goes on and on!!!!

sliced peanutbutter ( i still am in awe of that one)
sliced bread for that matter

When you think about it..isn't it amazing how complicated we've made housekeeping? When back then, although they worked harder, things were alot less simple? They didn't need 15 different cleaners and 5 different swiffer contraptions to clean a house. We've just gone crazy here in modern times.

How about clothes for dogs. They even have summer clothes for your pooch on sale now.

Paying to watch tv.
Paying to listen to the radio.

Gifts for every little occasion that cropped up. And extravagant gifts at that!

Convenience foods. People cooked from scratch.

Craft supplies. My understanding is that once upon a time, most crafts were made from leftovers bits and scraps. Ultimate creativity. (Of course, I'd hate to give up all the pretty papers I buy for card making and scrapbooking!)

Bottled water, convenience foods, TV dinners, dog food, cat food plus lots more!

Pretty much everything we use! It's all for convenience. Although, I'm sure they would have enjoyed a few of our products, like washing machines!

Bottled water was the first thing that sprang to my mind.

I agree with you i.m. cheap. I used to visit my great aunt and all she had to drink in the fridge was a bottle of water, tap water that is. I have to admit that it was the best water because it was so cold.
Although I think there are so many items of convenience that our foremothers would have enjoyed, I think they also would have seen the senselessness of it all. I believe my grandma would have asked "why fix it if isn't broke?" She used an old wringer/washer until the day she died in 1981.

How about Kitchenaid mixers, food processors - used to just mix/chop by hand,

Sewing machines...again handstitching,

Precooked anything,

Disposable toiletbowl brushes - sheesh who thinks of these things? The ppl who buy these have more money then sense!

Those swiffer brooms with the sticky paper that you use once and then toss - again what is so hard about a vacuum or broom? Doesn't anyone think about landfill anymore?

Ok getting off my high-horse now.

Kim

yeah, precooked food....bacon.:scratch:
the toilet bowl brushes you flush....please....that's worse than buying a garbage bag to throw out. like who cares if the brush has germs, i'm not brushing my teeth with it afterwards!:toothy:
microwave popcorn, although i like this one.
stickers for your vehical that make it look shot at (bullet holes).
computers:crackup:
ice caps
solar lights
laminate flooring
i'm sure i have lots more, but will leave some for y'all.

I go along with just about everything

Disposable everything:

Diapers
Toiletbowl brushes
Dustrags
Wipes for your kitchen counter
Dishcloths
Napkins

I'm sure the list of disposables could go on and on!

TV, Cable, Cellphones, Cars for that matter, game systems, records, radios, computers, printers, universal remotes (remember when the kids were the remote?) Granted, some of these things go WAY back, but some just back 20-30 years.

Pre-made peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. :rolleyes:

The first things that came to my mind were paper products:

diapers
kleenex
toliet paper
sanitary napkins/tampons

canned baked beans and bottled vanilla.

Nobody bought gas back then. I wish I didn't have to buy it now, jeesh.:dollar:

All right, I have to admit to being guilty of buying precooked bacon. I'm a good cook. Really. But bacon has always been a problem for me. Don't get me started on my DH's experiences with bacon, either. Let's just say that after he burned it badly one time, the cats walked around for 3 days afterwards with the smell of burned bacon soaked into their fur!

So, I buy the precooked stuff. The price is the same whether it's cooked or not. It helps to save my sanity.

the very 1st thing that comes to my mind is "cell phones"!!!!!!

An electric toothbrush. No-stick skillet. Vegetables, when they had a little garden every year and canned the leftovers. Freezers. Big refrigerators.

WATER??!! People actually buy water??? ( I don't ) I DID buy an under the counter water filter and one for the ice maker but way back when they would never have imagined that there is so much poison in our tap water.

Frozen foods, period. The only thing in most people's freezer (I am guessing)was a block of ice and ice cream or popsicles if you were very lucky.

Chicken wings. Fabric softner. Air freshener.

I could go on for days.

Pre-made peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. :rolleyes:

you're joking right? really? that's so wierd i have nothing left to add. :ponder:

Air Conditioners that cost a fortune to use. they opened
windows and doors.
Cake mixes
Ziploc bags
many more

The little Crystal Light packets to go in the bottled water
Ice!
Tissues, papertowels, Swiffers, Swiffer Wet, etc.
All the hair, body, and house cleaner
Every book or DVD that caught one's fancy - libraries?
All the gidgets and gadgets for babies with those Einstein videos at the top of the list