Comments on: What Did Things Cost in 1860? http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/ About finding balance in your life, connecting with who you are, and creating a lifestyle where you wake up each morning eagerly anticipating the day ahead. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:29:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eddy http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-46019 Eddy http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-46019 David G, Think about what you're doing. Your inflation calculator isn't taking into account that this was before the days of the Fed. The cost of basic goods like beef and rice that haven't changed significantly in utility over time are excellent inflation calculation mechanisms. Rice is about $2 a pound right now, basic roasting beef is about $3 a pound. That gives us a multiplier of about 27 for both. That makes (rural undeveloped) land $80-$135 an acre. Obviously, land utility has changed a lot. Room & board wasn't anything like a modern apartment - it's somewhere between that and a homeless shelter. The cost of a man for room and board is $75 a month in modern dollars, which is about what a homeless shelter room & board costs. David G,
Think about what you’re doing. Your inflation calculator isn’t taking into account that this was before the days of the Fed. The cost of basic goods like beef and rice that haven’t changed significantly in utility over time are excellent inflation calculation mechanisms. Rice is about $2 a pound right now, basic roasting beef is about $3 a pound. That gives us a multiplier of about 27 for both. That makes (rural undeveloped) land $80-$135 an acre. Obviously, land utility has changed a lot. Room & board wasn’t anything like a modern apartment – it’s somewhere between that and a homeless shelter. The cost of a man for room and board is $75 a month in modern dollars, which is about what a homeless shelter room & board costs.

]]> By: trudi http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-20650 trudi http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-20650 this is a pretty good sight because i have been using it for my history project! :p this is a pretty good sight because i have been using it for my history project! :p

]]> By: David G. http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-46017 David G. http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-46017 I thought this article was interesting, so I ran the numbers through an inflation calculator to see the equivalent price in today's dollars. Here's what I found: Barrel of wheat flour: $7.14 in 1860 = $162.95 in 2007 Rice/pound: $0.07 in 1860 = $1.60 in 2007 Granulated sugar/pound: $0.08 in 1860 = $1.83 in 2007 Roasting beef/pound: $0.11 in 1860 = $2.51 in 2007 Soup beef/pound: $0.04 in 1860 = $0.91 in 2007 Cheese/pound: $0.13 in 1860 = $2.97 in 2007 Eggs/dozen: $0.20 in 1860 = $4.56 in 2007 Hard wood/cord: $6.49 in 1860 = $148.11 in 2007 Rent/4 rooms/month: $4.45 in 1860 = $101.56 in 2007 Room & board for men/month: $2.79 in 1860 = $63.67 in 2007 Room & board for women/month: $1.79 in 1860 = $40.85 in 2007 So, the only thing I can see that actually costs less nowadays is eggs, with housing being the biggest difference. I thought this article was interesting, so I ran the numbers through an inflation calculator to see the equivalent price in today’s dollars. Here’s what I found:

Barrel of wheat flour: $7.14 in 1860 = $162.95 in 2007
Rice/pound: $0.07 in 1860 = $1.60 in 2007
Granulated sugar/pound: $0.08 in 1860 = $1.83 in 2007
Roasting beef/pound: $0.11 in 1860 = $2.51 in 2007
Soup beef/pound: $0.04 in 1860 = $0.91 in 2007
Cheese/pound: $0.13 in 1860 = $2.97 in 2007
Eggs/dozen: $0.20 in 1860 = $4.56 in 2007
Hard wood/cord: $6.49 in 1860 = $148.11 in 2007
Rent/4 rooms/month: $4.45 in 1860 = $101.56 in 2007
Room & board for men/month: $2.79 in 1860 = $63.67 in 2007
Room & board for women/month: $1.79 in 1860 = $40.85 in 2007

So, the only thing I can see that actually costs less nowadays is eggs, with housing being the biggest difference.

]]> By: Sybil http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-5133 Sybil http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-5133 Have you ever thought of publishing your great great etc. Grandfather's journal? I'd read it! Sounds fascinating. Have you ever thought of publishing your great great etc. Grandfather’s journal? I’d read it! Sounds fascinating.

]]> By: Angelena http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-4912 Angelena http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-4912 Loved looking at the prices from that era. That is so neat that he kept record of all that and you inherited it. What a treasure! Loved looking at the prices from that era. That is so neat that he kept record of all that and you inherited it. What a treasure!

]]> By: Kristi G http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-4911 Kristi G http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-4911 I hope to find journals like that one day! I should start checking family information...what an excellent resource to have. (Sorry, I'm a budding historian/historical fiction writer...) It does give you a good look back, just to get an idea of where we came from...thank you for posting this! I hope to find journals like that one day! I should start checking family information…what an excellent resource to have. (Sorry, I’m a budding historian/historical fiction writer…)

It does give you a good look back, just to get an idea of where we came from…thank you for posting this!

]]> By: Julia aka ghostfire http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-4905 Julia aka ghostfire http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-did-things-cost-in-1860/#comment-4905 Fascinating look at costs back then. I really believe that one of the reasons we're struggling so much in the US right now is that land prices have gotten totally out of sync with the average person's income. It seems that a person could easily save up for a small farm in a few months. Now, your average person couldn't afford a single acre without saving a year or more, and that's worthless without endless permits and a house. If no one's moving out of their parents' houses before they're 30, it's because they can't afford to. Fascinating look at costs back then. I really believe that one of the reasons we’re struggling so much in the US right now is that land prices have gotten totally out of sync with the average person’s income. It seems that a person could easily save up for a small farm in a few months. Now, your average person couldn’t afford a single acre without saving a year or more, and that’s worthless without endless permits and a house. If no one’s moving out of their parents’ houses before they’re 30, it’s because they can’t afford to.

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