Seventy-Five Dollars and a Tank of Gas
I stood beside my car at the gas station and watched the numbers climb.
Twenty dollars. Thirty. Fifty.
The pump kept going.
Eventually, the total reached $75. I stared at the screen and wondered when filling my Ford Edge had become a major financial event.
Then, a strange thought crossed my mind.
What could I have bought with that same $75 a hundred years ago?
Maybe a horse. Perhaps some furniture. Hell, I might have been able to buy enough groceries to survive an entire winter.
Naturally, curiosity got the better of me.
So, I decided to take an imaginary shopping trip through history. Starting in 1900, I gave myself $75 to spend every ten years. The goal was simple: see what that money could buy and assemble the most ridiculous collection of purchases possible.
Of course, nobody in their right mind would shop this way. That’s what makes it fun.
The prices come from historical advertisements and price guides. Meanwhile, the shopping combinations and illustrations are entirely my doing.
Let’s see how far $75 could take us.
1900: A Horse, a Bathtub, and a Tombstone
At the turn of the century, $75 could buy an impressive assortment of household necessities. However, my shopping cart took a slightly unusual turn.
The shopping list:
- Horse — $45.00
- Steel bathtub — $9.00
- Marble tombstone — $14.00
- Two rocking chairs — $6.50
Total spent: $74.50
Apparently, I planned to ride home, take a bath, relax on the porch, and prepare for my eventual death. All in one shopping trip.
1910: Everything but the Kitchen Sink
Ten years later, modern conveniences were becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, my shopping habits hadn’t improved.
The shopping list:
- Cast-iron cook stove — $37.50
- Fireless cooker — $14.00
- Two-burner oil stove — $8.00
- Two hammocks — $7.00
- Two lawn mowers — $7.50
Total spent: $74.00
Three ways to cook, two places to nap, and two lawn mowers. Evidently, I expected company.
1920: The Toy Store Disaster
The Roaring Twenties brought excitement, entertainment, and plenty of new toys. Consequently, I decided to spend nearly everything on things a child might enjoy.
The shopping list:
- Bicycle — $34.40
- Erector set — $25.00
- Rocking horse — $6.75
- Football — $6.00
- Baseball bat — $1.00
- Baseball — $1.50
Total spent: $74.65
I had enough toys to entertain the neighborhood. Unfortunately, I had no money left to feed any of the children.
1930: The World’s Most Confused Housekeeper
The Great Depression made every dollar count. Nevertheless, my imaginary housekeeper apparently believed that buying multiple appliances was the secret to happiness.
The shopping list:
- Daybed — $24.95
- Two vacuum cleaners — $19.96
- Lawn mower — $8.95
- Electric percolator — $1.95
- Tennis racket — $2.98
- Four electric irons — $4.76
Total spent: $63.55
Two vacuums and four irons should have made housework easier. Instead, they probably made it impossible to walk through the kitchen.
1940: The Well-Dressed Survivalist
By 1940, Americans faced an uncertain world. Therefore, I decided to prepare for the worst while maintaining a respectable appearance.
The shopping list:
- Coal-and-wood cook stove — $42.95
- Men’s suit — $18.95
- Wind-up phonograph — $5.95
- Hat — $2.95
- Women’s shoes — $1.98
- Western novel — $0.69
Total spent: $73.47
If civilization collapsed, at least I could cook dinner, listen to music, and look terrific doing it.
1950: The Father Who Forgot the Groceries
Postwar America embraced suburban living, family entertainment, and an endless supply of new consumer products. Naturally, I bought everything except something useful for dinner.
The shopping list:
- Children’s bicycle — $35.95
- Roadster pedal car — $12.95
- Fire-chief pedal car — $9.95
- Roller skates — $5.95
- Two lawn mowers — $9.90
Total spent: $74.70
The children were thrilled. Dad was delighted. Mom, however, wanted to know what everyone planned to eat.
1960: The Suburban Superhero
The 1960s promised a brighter, more convenient future. Apparently, that future included a superhero whose greatest weapon was a household vacuum cleaner.
The shopping list:
- Vornado vacuum cleaner — $29.99
- Women’s raincoat — $15.99
- Seven-piece golf club set — $14.99
- Artificial Christmas tree — $4.99
- Halloween costume — $2.69
- Cotton rug — $1.99
- Candy cigarettes — $0.49
Total spent: $71.13
Armed with golf clubs and a vacuum, our unlikely hero was ready to defend the neighborhood against dust, bad weather, and possibly Christmas.
1970: The Hippie Surveillance Squad
The counterculture was in full swing, and technology offered exciting new ways to communicate. Unfortunately, one suspicious hippie took those possibilities a little too seriously.
The shopping list:
- Panasonic tape recorder — $29.95
- Walkie-talkie set — $8.99
- Kodak Instamatic camera — $9.99
- Chrissy doll — $7.77
- 8-track tape — $2.99
- Record album — $1.99
- Four Matchbox cars — $1.00
- Movie ticket — $1.00
Total spent: $63.68
Peace, love, and paranoia. The neighbors never stood a chance.
1980: The King of the Shopping Mall
The eighties brought bold fashions, outrageous hairstyles, and shopping malls that practically became second homes. Naturally, I needed a throne.
The shopping list:
- Wicker peacock chair — $49.99
- Rubik’s Cube — $9.99
- Curling iron — $7.99
- Etch A Sketch — $4.97
- Movie ticket — $1.25
Total spent: $74.19
With his magnificent hair and enormous wicker chair, our mall monarch ruled over the food court. Unfortunately, he still couldn’t solve the Rubik’s Cube.
1990: The World’s Saddest Bachelor Pad
By 1990, entertainment technology had taken over American living rooms. Meanwhile, my shopping spree produced one spectacularly depressing apartment.
The shopping list:
- Handheld vacuum — $36.99
- The Little Mermaid VHS — $18.99
- Alarm clock — $6.99
- Movie ticket — $3.50
- Oreo Double Stuf cookies — $2.49
- Six-pack of Coca-Cola — $1.99
- Newspaper — $0.25
Total spent: $71.20
A movie, some cookies, and a vacuum for cleaning crumbs off the couch. Honestly, this might have been the most practical shopping trip yet.
2000: The World’s First Internet Chef
The new millennium arrived with futuristic gadgets and dreams of a digital revolution. Unfortunately, my version of the future involved a telephone and a toaster oven.
The shopping list:
- Verizon digital telephone — $39.99
- Black & Decker toaster oven — $27.99
- Three boxes of Ronzoni macaroni — $1.00
- Jar of Ragu sauce — $0.99
- Newspaper — $0.35
Total spent: $70.32
Somewhere, an aspiring celebrity chef was attempting to revolutionize cooking with a telephone, a toaster oven, and absolutely no common sense.
2010: The Hamster Apocalypse
By 2010, electronic toys had become an obsession. As a result, one unfortunate shopper accidentally assembled a tiny mechanical army.
The shopping list:
- Halloween costume — $13.99
- Ten Zhu Zhu Pets — $40.00
- Halloween II Blu-ray — $12.99
- Four bottles of Coca-Cola — $7.20
Total spent: $74.18
Ten robotic hamsters, a horror movie, and enough soda to fuel the chaos. Frankly, the Halloween costume was probably the least frightening purchase.
2020: The TikTok Superstar Nobody Asked For
Then came 2020. Suddenly, everyone was staying home, attending video meetings, and discovering new ways to embarrass themselves online.
The shopping list:
- Selfie ring light — $20.00
- Wireless charging lamp — $14.00
- Hoodie-and-leggings set — $12.00
- Smart LED bulb — $5.00
- Memory-foam slippers — $7.00
- Coffee — $4.99
- Cookies — $2.99
Total spent: $65.98
Armed with a ring light, comfortable slippers, and questionable dance moves, our aspiring internet celebrity was ready to become famous. His family had other plans.
Back to the Gas Pump
After traveling through 120 years of questionable shopping decisions, I returned to the present.
The horse was gone. So were the rocking chairs, toy cars, peacock throne, and robotic hamsters.
Instead, I had a gas nozzle in my hand and a $75 charge on my card.
Of course, comparing prices across generations isn’t quite that simple. Wages, inflation, and the cost of living have changed dramatically. Seventy-five dollars in 1900 represented a much larger share of someone’s income than it does today.
Still, it’s entertaining to imagine what a little money could buy in another era.
And the next time I spend $75 filling my gas tank, I’ll remember one thing.
At least the horse was its own transportation.
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