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3Hotdogs

(14,411 posts)

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

Fri Jul 25, 2025, 09:02 AM

Friday

I worked there for 7 years and earned a B.A. at night school Then I became a teacher. Starting salary - $7,200 in 1971.

I retired in 2006. Pension and SS get me $72k per year. Things are not great but they are not bad. I'm content.

so where is this leading?

After I retired, I was bored, looking for something to do. So I walked the 1/8 mile to King's supermarket to see about a part time job. The offered $10 per hour with a max of 30 hours per week so's they wouldn't have to pay benefits.

I never went back there, even as a customer.

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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