Author Topic: Grocery Costs in the 1880's  (Read 12134 times)

Offline Delmonico

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Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« on: May 08, 2011, 09:12:37 AM »
Found this in:

MRS. LINCOLN'S

BOSTON COOK BOOK.

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO
IN COOKING.
BY
MRS. D. A. LINCOLN,
OF THE BOSTON COOKING SCHOOL.
BOSTON:
ROBERTS BROTHERS.
1884.





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Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

Offline Silver Creek Slim

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2011, 09:26:57 AM »
Lucky ta get cheese fer $2.99/lb.  ::)

Slim
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Offline Delmonico

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2011, 09:34:15 AM »
Lucky ta get cheese fer $2.99/lb.  ::)

Slim

Yeah but you make more than $1 to $2 a day also, or at least I hope you do. ;D
Mongrel Historian


Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #3 on: Today at 05:47:28 AM »

Offline River City John

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2011, 07:36:17 PM »
I'm going to guess that the spice Mace was imported, so $.60 a pound. A pound of chocolate, $.40 (imported), a pound of Parmesan cheese (also imported), $.50.

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Offline Silver Creek Slim

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2011, 09:05:42 PM »
Yeah but you make more than $1 to $2 a day also, or at least I hope you do. ;D
Sometimes I wonder.  ::)

Slim
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Offline Delmonico

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2011, 12:04:24 AM »
I'm going to guess that the spice Mace was imported, so $.60 a pound. A pound of chocolate, $.40 (imported), a pound of Parmesan cheese (also imported), $.50.

RCJ

Yep, imported, from one of several places by then, but native to Indonesia.  Look again though the price for mace is for a 1/4 pound.
Mongrel Historian


Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

Offline JimBob

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2011, 04:33:51 AM »
Interesting.Wonder why turnips cost more than oranges or lemons?

Offline kurt250

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2011, 12:55:56 PM »
these prices are city prices . if you live in the country or were there was no rail service the cost of imported and canned goods could be very high. rail service was what made general stores and dry goods something that every town could have. before the rail roads supple was very expensive and could take a long time. i have seen old price lists here in idaho at the museum were the costs of item was twice the cost of rail service areas . that was cost for transport, then there was the jacking up price because of the lack of availability. i fact sears and roebuck got started by two station agents who saw a real potential in mail order goods. kurt250

Offline Shotgun Franklin

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2011, 02:51:58 PM »
Straight from "The Inflation Calculator':

What cost $1.00 in 1880 would cost $22.30 in 2010.

Also, if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2010 and 1880,
they would cost you $1.00 and $0.04 respectively.
Yes, I do have more facial hair now.

Offline Delmonico

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2011, 04:04:20 PM »
Straight from "The Inflation Calculator':

What cost $1.00 in 1880 would cost $22.30 in 2010.

Also, if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2010 and 1880,
they would cost you $1.00 and $0.04 respectively.

I don't know who came up with that one, but average working man's wages were $1-$2 a day most folks I know of get paid a lot more than that.  You can't eveh hire a kid to pick up hay bales for that.  Same thing on SAA Colts, should cost around $450 for one also.
Mongrel Historian


Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

Offline JimBob

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2011, 08:21:28 PM »
Inflation calculator or back then versus now-

Gold price per ounce:

1880-$20.67

2011-$1509.71 (today)

Price of a Colt SAA:

1880s Hibbard,Spencer,& Bartlett Catalog-$14.69

2011 Colt Retail Price List-$1290

 ;)

Offline Shotgun Franklin

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Re: Grocery Costs in the 1880's
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2011, 09:25:33 PM »
As a percentage of income lots of prices have fallen because of modern manufacturing, increases in production and the mass transportation of goods. Now, if I had the amount of money I have now and was living at those old prices I’d eat a little better and own more Colt’s.
Yes, I do have more facial hair now.

 

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