C_Spray

iTrader: (2)

Did some research on inflation:

$2.50 in 2005 =
$1.99 in 1995
$1.70 in 1990
$1.40 in 1985
$0.70 in 1975

I'd say gas has gone up more than just inflation, but not as much as one might think...

jaybird

Ok, how much did gas go for on those dates ?

C_Spray

iTrader: (2)

Man, I'm doin' ALL the work here...

$2.50 in 2005 =
$1.99 in 1995 (Gas was $1.23)
$1.70 in 1990 (Gas was $1.09)
$1.40 in 1985 (Gas was $1.11)
$0.70 in 1975 (Gas was $0.59)

Average total taxes per gallon have also increased from 12.4 cents/gallon (41.4 inflation-adjusted) to 47.6 cents/gallon now.

Looks to me like we got a real good deal in the 80's and 90's. Based on the 1975 price, gas should be about $2.11 right now. If you look around you can find it for close to that on the street.

Rippem

gas may be $2.50+ but a DVD player is $30. It goes both ways. Gas has got a big tag on it but so many other consumer goods (particularly electronics/technology) are CHEAP today, especially when compared with inflation.

can you remember what you paid in 1980 dollars for a VCR?

C_Spray

iTrader: (2)

About $750 for a "High-Fidelity" one that looks like crap compared to my $200 DVD player....

cuda

Yeah, but I have to replace my gas a lot more often than I do my DVD players.

CObarry

I do that with our ski boat, but it only has a 28 gallon tank. To fill up the Formula would take 30 five gallon cans I'm considering pulling it out of the water, driving to town, filling it up, and then re-launching. It would be a pain the rear, but it would also save $100....

Rippem

I'm sure you realize that was just an example.

there are alot of consumer goods that cost a fraction in "real dollars" of what they did when gas was $1 a gallon.