Cost for the following things we didn't have in 1985

[ilovemk76]

I voted other because we had cable at our home in the 70s. We even paid for HBO in its early days.

 

[disneychrista]

Cell Phone - $116 for 3 lines, sharing 700min, unlimited texting
Internet - $40
DishTv - $80

 

[scrapquitler]

We pay way too much! LOL

Our cellphone bill is about $250 per month (4 line family plan, 1400 minutes, two phones with unlimited data plans, $30 each plus insurance $10 each, two phones with unlimited text plans)

Cable, $130 per month (digital, a couple movie channel bundles for my DH)

Landline/DSL: about $90 per month (2 landlines, the fastest DSL offered by the phone company)

No bundles...DH refuses cable internet for whatever geeky reason he has, we need two landlines for him for work/home. We COULD bundle our cells with landline/DSL except that we spend about half our time in a place where at&t has crappy cell service (i.e. NONE), and we won't bundle our stuff with UVERSE because hubbys parents have it and have had nothing but problems. So we pay $$$$$

 

[AndreaDM]

Cable/Internet/Cell = $250 (no home phone) We have 2 DVR's because well, I'll admit it, we're TV addicts, and HBO.

I got my first video membership in 1985 and it cost $25 to join, then $5 a day per movie (vhs)! We were not late returning those! Also, if you didn't rewind it cost you an extra buck. Be kind, Rewind!

 

[scrapquitler]

In 1984, my Dad wanted to buy one of those newfangled devices so that he could watch movies at home whenever he wanted. He did some research, and decided that the "BEST" option was to buy the Betamax player rather than the VHS one He bought ONE movie to go with it, my Mom's favorite, Yentl, starring Barbara Streisand. It cost $100. In 1984! I can't even imagine him doing that, because he was a cheap dude most of the time. So then he decided we could rent movies...but we had to drive to the next town over because none of the new video stores in my town had Betamax tapes. I think we paid almost $5 a night to rent them.

 

[Malaguti Ball Clan]

My monthly verizon bill = $570

7 cells, 3 with data (none of which I get use...)
6 cable boxes (really?)
Higher end cable package
Home phone


I tried to cut it back and was met with heavy resistance on all fronts

but "I" spend too much on disney

 

[DawnM]

Ok, you win! Holy cow!

My Dh would say that would about cover the payment on the car he wants to buy (I call it his mid life crisis car!)

Dawn

My monthly verizon bill = $570

7 cells, 3 with data (none of which I get use...)
6 cable boxes (really?)
Higher end cable package
Home phone


I tried to cut it back and was met with heavy resistance on all fronts

but "I" spend too much on disney

 

[mtblujeans]

My monthly verizon bill = $570

7 cells, 3 with data (none of which I get use...)
6 cable boxes (really?)
Higher end cable package
Home phone


I tried to cut it back and was met with heavy resistance on all fronts

but "I" spend too much on disney

I hear 'ya!

 

[Malaguti Ball Clan]

Ok, you win! Holy cow!

Dawn for this poll...........


"I LOSE"

 

[DawnM]

HA!

Well, we all have our vices I suppose....and if your budget can support it....

I too spend on Disney, but I have to cut the other things in order to support my habit.

Dawn

PS: BTW, one of my best friends lives in Fredricksburg and works in the library there.

Dawn for this poll...........


"I LOSE"

 

[Vijoge]

I emailed him explaining that I would need the old fashioned email update if something were to change, and to tell they kids at praactice if he knows at that time about a change.

HA! An *old fashioned* email!

Dawn

Not too long ago we went on a cruise and someone on the cruisecritic board wanted my Patters (the Princess activity schedule) so I put all 15 of them in an envelope and mailed them to her. For me, that was simpler than scanning them and sending them electronically but a lot of people acted like I chiseled them out of stone with a sharp stick.

 

[SookieStackhouse]

By the time you add up all 3 of those services, I am sure we are exceeding the 300 dollar mark.

 

[MrsPete]

I'm paying about the same as the others here, but I'll point out the opposite side of this coin: Things that we used to pay for and now don't:

We used to pay for long distance calls. Now that we have no house phone and cell phones only, our bill is our bill is our bill. And we're paying about the same for 4 cell phones that we used to pay in long distance.

Used to be that when we wanted to buy something, we could compare at our local stores . . . but beyond that really wasn't practical. Now with the internet, we can compare prices at a dozen places -- including ebay.

We used to use snail mail all the time to pay bills or order things from catalogs. Now that's all internet.

We used to pay for all our non-library books, but now I get tons of free books from Amazon.com (and other sources) for my Kindle.

So . . . yes, we're definitely paying more for some things, but we're also paying less for other things. Does it work out evenly? I doubt it. I'm sure we pay more overall today, even for those of us who are frugal and don't have HBO or iPhones.

 

[cglaura]

We didn't have cable until my Senior year of HS...1987.

My current totals:

Cell - $6/month Virgin Mobile

TV - $10.60/month Comcast

Internet - $46.40 Comcast

Netflix - $10.60/month

Hulu - $7.40/month

Total: $81

I remember when we bought our first VCR. It was a huge deal family event. As, we had to go to the MALL to buy it at MACY'S. Those two things alone were considered an event.

I think the VCR was over $400. And that was a good deal my dad saved and searched and waited for.

Even came with a remote control. Corded of course

We were livin' the high life.

Before that, we would rent a machine from the video store on holiday weekends.

Funny thing is, I still have the old VCR in my bedroom. Runs great. We've gone through 3 in other parts of the house. Things were made better back then I think too...so you at least got a good value for your dollar.

 

[DawnM]

I remember being very excited when the phone company offered unlimited long distance! I thought that was a greatest thing ever!

We still do have home phone, but we have Ooma.....$200 up front only only $11 per year in taxes.

Dawn

I'm paying about the same as the others here, but I'll point out the opposite side of this coin: Things that we used to pay for and now don't:

We used to pay for long distance calls. Now that we have no house phone and cell phones only, our bill is our bill is our bill. And we're paying about the same for 4 cell phones that we used to pay in long distance.

Used to be that when we wanted to buy something, we could compare at our local stores . . . but beyond that really wasn't practical. Now with the internet, we can compare prices at a dozen places -- including ebay.

We used to use snail mail all the time to pay bills or order things from catalogs. Now that's all internet.

We used to pay for all our non-library books, but now I get tons of free books from Amazon.com (and other sources) for my Kindle.

So . . . yes, we're definitely paying more for some things, but we're also paying less for other things. Does it work out evenly? I doubt it. I'm sure we pay more overall today, even for those of us who are frugal and don't have HBO or iPhones.

 

[FINFAN]

I'm paying about the same as the others here, but I'll point out the opposite side of this coin: Things that we used to pay for and now don't:

We used to pay for long distance calls. Now that we have no house phone and cell phones only, our bill is our bill is our bill. And we're paying about the same for 4 cell phones that we used to pay in long distance.

Used to be that when we wanted to buy something, we could compare at our local stores . . . but beyond that really wasn't practical. Now with the internet, we can compare prices at a dozen places -- including ebay.

We used to use snail mail all the time to pay bills or order things from catalogs. Now that's all internet.

We used to pay for all our non-library books, but now I get tons of free books from Amazon.com (and other sources) for my Kindle.

So . . . yes, we're definitely paying more for some things, but we're also paying less for other things. Does it work out evenly? I doubt it. I'm sure we pay more overall today, even for those of us who are frugal and don't have HBO or iPhones.

I agree. What gets me more these technolgical days is the assumption of always being available more than the increased costs. Yea, I turn my cell phone off at times...and it is aparently a no-no these days.

 

[homedad]

I fought cable TV till 2002, now I pay to listen to the radio my how things have changed

 

[KAYLI'S DAD]

Not sure what cable was in 85 because I was 5.

 

[marie1203]

I was born in the late 80's, so I have no idea how much my parents paid for cable. Right now we pay $85 for 2 cellphones with unlimited text & data, $ 100 for internet & cable. We have hd and dvr.

 

[Manda513]

Our bill compared to some of the others is cheap!

Cable/Internet- $62
Netflix- $11
Cell- $73 for 2 phones, 850 shared minutes, unlimited texting

No clue what my parents paid in the 80's. I was born in 83. I do remember AOL and getting only a certain (small) amount of minutes. I was maybe 9/10ish and ran up a $400 bill going over my minutes for the month. Man was that heck of a bill to pay off! I think I did chores for the following year to pay it down LOL