General Discussion

Omnipresent

(7,050 posts)

5. From reading the first two posts here.

Fri Jul 25, 2025, 08:19 AM

Friday

I can only say that you had an exceptionally great job in 1980.
My father was a self employed carpenter that made between 8 and $10 an hour working for himself in the early 80’s and had no benefits beyond that.
He did however say before he died that his trade slowed down during the Reagan era and that when the cumulative impact of his policies changed America for the worst.

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The Difference between a 23YO American in 1980, and a 23YO American in 2025 [View all] maxrandb Friday OP

I was 22 in 1980 and made $4 per hour MichMan Friday #1

I was 19 in 1980 and I made somewhere in the $3.50-$4.00 range SickOfTheOnePct Friday #6

Worked in NY in 1980 nowforever Friday #27

I made $4 an hour in 1970, union job. Ocelot II Friday #51

I started my teaching career in 1965. pazzyanne Friday #57

My first year teaching OrangeJoe Friday #103

I was 15 in 1976 and made $3 an hour working 12 hours a week. haele Friday #62

I was a Union Carpnter in 1980 and made about $9.00... Woodycall Friday #74

I was Union Labor in 1980 Seinan Sensei Friday #104

At the age of 18 in 1977, I was making $1.50 an hour Kaleva Friday #2

You made $12.60 an hour in 1980? Hard to believe. Katinfl Friday #3

I have the receipts! maxrandb Friday #4

I don't doubt it but also think you were exceptionally lucky newdeal2 Friday #42

So you made $9.00 more an hour in 7 years. Remarkable. Katinfl Friday #66

I started while still in High School as a part-time cashier maxrandb Friday #72

I can corroborate that grocery store cashiers in Ohio back then made good money. Diamond_Dog Friday #102

You are to be believed. North Shore Chicago Saturday #113

It's not that we don't believe you... radical noodle Friday #92

I was getting $8.50 an hour. hunter Friday #45

From reading the first two posts here. Omnipresent Friday #5

*replied to wrong post* SickOfTheOnePct Friday #7

It was an exceptionally good job maxrandb Friday #14

Military pay wasn't very good back then. COL Mustard Friday #40

Yeah, I think my E1 pay was like $350 a month maxrandb Friday #75

It's funny but I pay more in taxes today COL Mustard Friday #77

That's odd TnDem Friday #95

Saturday Night Live TheDemsshouldhireme Friday #87

I don't know how you did that TnDem Friday #8

He didn't. That was after seven years, starting at $3.50. nt eppur_se_muova Friday #23

$3.50 in 1973 was GREAT money TnDem Friday #26

What happened to this country was the Reagan and Republican embrace of Milton Friedman's economic theories. Lonestarblue Friday #9

As bad as it was under Reagan, it was even worse under Ford and Carter TnDem Friday #13

Don't forget 18% interest rates on mortgages. COL Mustard Friday #53

It has nothing to do with either party TnDem Friday #41

Yep... but... OldBaldy1701E Friday #50

It was in the mid to late 80's roughly Hey Joe Friday #56

Indeed. moondust Friday #79

Other countries got nice things in the last 45 years. We got Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and Donald Trump. Initech Friday #94

In 2010 I applied to a glass manufacturer in western PA Orrex Friday #10

Your experience in 1980... SickOfTheOnePct Friday #11

No, not typical, but it was a solidly middle class job maxrandb Friday #17

bipartisan policy rampartd Friday #12

Austerity for the Middle and Poor! Wealth for the already wealthy maxrandb Friday #15

I moved out of my parents' house in 1980 at age 22 LSparkle Friday #16

I bought my first car in 1976 maxrandb Friday #18

I first started working in the 80s Johnny2X2X Friday #19

I worked at the USPS in a student part time cachukis Friday #20

As a person who grew up in Cleveland I'd like to know... llmart Friday #21

Big Bear maxrandb Friday #29

Somehow I don't remember Big Bear but I lived in the suburbs of NE Ohio. llmart Friday #31

My birthday is also a Holiday maxrandb Friday #34

I was born and raised in Cleveland BeerBarrelPolka Friday #39

Yes, those are the ones I remember. llmart Friday #65

Well TnDem Friday #46

My first "real" job. I was 19 (1961) and it was a job with the N.J. Workmen's Comp bureau. $45 per week. 3Hotdogs Friday #22

Really enjoying the comments via the wayback machine. Young people today NoMoreRepugs Friday #24

I'm the same age and also an Ohioan mama Friday #25

Walmart isn't hiring BigMin28 Friday #28

I can't remember where I saw it maxrandb Friday #30

That came up the other day on a thread here SickOfTheOnePct Friday #37

That has been a standard feature of WalMart's business model for many years now from what I have read in the KPN Friday #44

People don't realize how bad looking for a job is now. Oneironaut Friday #32

I think TPTB don't realize this. But I totally agree with you. raccoon Friday #69

$2.35/hr in 1977 pfitz59 Friday #33

I earned about $10 an hour as an engineer with two degrees. rickford66 Friday #35

Have a friend who had a job like that Freddie Friday #36

I appreciate your posts about this. yardwork Friday #38

In 1980 the inflation rate was 13.50 % Historic NY Friday #43

Inflation TnDem Friday #48

Inflation was 12.5% in 1980. Economic contraction was already underway -- decline in gross national income and jobs. KPN Friday #52

In that era, ForgedCrank Friday #47

The messaging all along has been that the billionaires and the one-percenters FakeNoose Friday #49

Shows like "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" are partly to blame.... lastlib Friday #54

Did you stock Fort Knox? ThreeNoSeep Friday #55

Thank you and well sad maxrandb, I never tire of this story. c-rational Friday #58

Younger than you but can relate as a Gen X born in 1970...I can relate JT45242 Friday #59

I was a teacher in 1980, Ms. Toad Friday #60

My Dad was also a Mustang sdfernando Friday #61

If your dad served TnDem Saturday #109

Dad was an artillary officer in Korea. sdfernando Saturday #114

Thanks to Ronald Reagan. Martin68 Friday #63

One impoverishing fad after another PATRICK Friday #64

I'm right there with 'ya Patrick bagimin Friday #80

I was working for Fisher Foods in Ohio in 1968, just out of high school..... FadedMullet Friday #67

Thanks! I guess that's my point maxrandb Friday #70

The right wing in Ohio went nuts when the legislature considered a $15.00 an hour minimum wage a while ago, while.... FadedMullet Saturday #115

It's not what "we" did, it's what "they" did Wicked Blue Friday #68

Unrealized cap gains LiberalBear Friday #71

In 1970 Mblaze Friday #73

I started working in 1984 iirc and made 3.45 thatdemguy Friday #76

It seems like people don't want to believe you. 1WorldHope Friday #78

Gas was actually more expensive back then Kaleva Friday #83

My Friend's Dad owned a 76 Station in Stockton in 1989ish.. StocktonNative Friday #97

Some interesting facts Kaleva Saturday #110

Same dcmfox Friday #81

This helps to understand the rise of conspiracy theories and widespread corruption. SleeplessinSoCal Friday #82

I thought I was doing good when I managed to pick up slightlv Friday #84

Ronald Reagan wryter2000 Friday #85

1980 TheDemsshouldhireme Friday #86

ah yup! well put. bluboid Friday #88

Lived it. joanbarnes Friday #89

US societal decline during my life span, divided into fractional Thirds Dock_Yard Friday #90

I was 23 in 1980 and grossed $10,000 a year ... Auggie Friday #91

they keep rebranding tinkle down + still is claptrap. even in my teens when reagan ran on it it sounded stoopid. pansypoo53219 Friday #93

My Mom was a Stockton Unified School District Secretary... StocktonNative Friday #96

"No longer valued labor, we valued wealth." I think you nailed it! Rec. Evolve Dammit Friday #98

$12.60 in 1980 is $49.32 today..... madville Friday #99

I've seen this before TimeToGo Friday #100

Did you work for a relative? I grew up in Ohio, and no one I knew made that much money. phxjurist Friday #101

It's not just America over the decades, it is a global thing. Aussie105 Friday #105

I find it really hard to believe that you made $12.60 an hour working as a grocery stock clerk in 1980 Jack Valentino Friday #106

That's a union job. I was making $3.50 an hour in Arkansas working construction non-union Weyerheauser contractor. rickyhall Friday #107

I am 63 and agree 100%! BigmanPigman Friday #108

Absolutely 💯 benfranklin1776 Saturday #111

$2.35 as a library assistant in 1978, and $13 on my first co-op term in 1982. lostnfound Saturday #112

Just a final follow up post maxrandb Yesterday #116