A can of soda should cost $2.90

**nuisance26** · 06-27-2011, 04:44 PM

~Is a house price on that list Imagine?~

**imagine** · 06-27-2011, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~Is a house price on that list Imagine?~

Sure

Price of a new house in 1938 $3,900 adjust to current min. wage would be $113,100. ( of course it doesn't say what size that was and if it included the land/lot or not)

Our first house 1,000 square ft three bedroom one bath house no garage was built new in 1944 and cost $4,000 and included the land so I'm guess in the average home would have been about that size then too.

Average rent was $27 a month adjust to current min wage would be $783 a month.

**imagine** · 06-27-2011, 05:03 PM

This was interesting too.

Average yearly wage in 1938 was $1,730

Average yearly wage in 2011 is $48,000 ( give or take based on state)

**nuisance26** · 06-27-2011, 05:21 PM

~Ah, I see here: What Happened in 1938 inc. Pop Culture, Prices and Events

"Average Cost of new house $3,900.00
Average wages per year $1,730.00($.83 an hour)
Average Cost for house rent $27.00 per month
Average Price for new car $763.00"

Average wages were 332% of minimum wage then. Average wage is now $22.27(How much does the Average American Make? Breaking Down the U.S. Household Income Numbers. | FedUpUSA) which is 307% of minimum wage.
Out of curiosity, why are you using minimum wage as your point or comparison instead of the national averages?
A 6 oz soda in 1938 was $.05. That's .06% of the average hourly wage in the US at that time.
.06% of our current average wage is $1.336 which we double to $2.67.
A $5 blanket in 1938 was 602.5% of the average hourly wage(it was probably wool or down). A similar blanket now would be $134.17.
Hamburger then was $.13lb, 15.66%. In today's averages, $3.49lb.
A car should now cost $20,472.
An average home should now be $104,642. If we were building them like we used to this wouldn't be too far off.
A car should now cost $20,472.
These numbers aren't far off at all. The cost of everything seems to have gone up fairly evenly with wage averages.~

**imagine** · 06-27-2011, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

Out of curiosity, why are you using minimum wage as your point or comparison instead of the national averages?

Because the min wage then and the min wage now was what I had at the time I started to figure this out.

It was a set federally rate.

"Averages" tend to be a bit more flexible on how they are figured out. Is the average a mode ( most common wage), the median ( the middle wage), or a true average. In a true average a very high wage and well as a very low wage would change the number.

It was interesting the percentage you put up. It looks like average wages have not kept up with the minimum wage or the min wage is higher in relation to average wages. Interesting

**nuisance26** · 06-27-2011, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by imagine

Because the min wage then and the min wage now was what I had at the time I started to figure this out.

It was a set federally rate.

"Averages" tend to be a bit more flexible on how they are figured out. Is the average a mode ( most common wage), the median ( the middle wage), or a true average. In a true average a very high wage and well as a very low wage would change the number.

~But everyone bought hamburger, cars and homes, not just those making minimum wage. That's why the average income makes more sense to me than using income levels from just 5% of the population.~

**imagine** · 06-27-2011, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~But everyone bought hamburger, cars and homes, not just those making minimum wage. That's why the average income makes more sense to me than using income levels from just 5% of the population.~

I can see your point of view on that.

It was just what I had a the time.

I also tend to see averages as more mushy. The link you posted was the median not the average. When I look around the net you come up with different averages for that year.

The min wage is a set constant rate while the "average" is not. Also average in non math mathematical terms is less defined.
Is it the common wage, what middle class makes, is it individual incomes or household incomes, what Joe Average makes, the math mathematical average of all incomes?

**Greebo** · 06-28-2011, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by imagine

A 6 oz soda in 1938 cost 5 cents that is 1/5 of the min. wage at that time of 25 cents a hour. A 12 oz can of soda should cost $2.90 cents or twice 1/5 of the current federal min.wage

I wonder what it would cost if we didn't subsidize HFCS with our involuntarily collected tax dollars...

**imagine** · 06-28-2011, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

I wonder what it would cost if we didn't subsidize HFCS with our involuntarily collected tax dollars...

Good question

It appears coke is sometimes made with real sugar not HFCS (kosher for passover soda)

Kosher (Real Sugar) Coke! | FOODWORTHY

Also pepsi now makes a few of it's sodas with no HFCS they call it Pepsi Throwback

I have seen those and know they do cost more than other cans of soda but I'm not sure what the cost is.

Also Jones makes a pure cane soda ( no HFCS) http://www.jonessoda.com/beverages/p...cane-soda.html