Gas price 1970 vs 2011

[artspe]

At $3.25 per gallon now as compared to $.36 in 1970, how much more costly is it to travel 10,000 miles with a TT?

In 1970 median family income: Appx: $9870.
In 2011 median family income: Appx: $49800.

At 10 MPG, in 1970, you would pay appx $360 to travel 10,000 miles
At 10 MPG, in 2011, you would pay appx $3250 to travel 10,000 miles

In 1970 that was .04% of median family income
In 2011 it was .07% of median family income

All things being equal, it's a minute percentage of median family income even though it is almost double now.

Personally, in 1970, I was making far less than the median income. I drove a car that used high test (.38 per gallon) and without towing a TT I was lucky if getting 14 MPG on the highway.

In 2011, our family income is above the median. My car uses regular gas and gets appx. 23 MPG on the highway.

SO MY CONCLUSION IS: gas mileage today is much better than in 1970, most of us are older, wiser, and have higher incomes. So we can better afford to GO CAMPING AND TRAVELING AND ENJOY LIFE.

What do you think?????

[steve dunham]

In 1968 I made $1.87 / hr working full time as a dock worker Gas cost
18.9 C / gallon and I complained . 40 years later my wages have gone up considerably and gas is $3.50/ gal and I still complain . When I was 15 years old I worked in a grocery store and if a person bought a hundred dollars worth of groceries it was considered an event. (5 shopping carts full over the top)
Sometimes things seemed cheaper years ago but not when compared to the wages of years past.

[floyd]

Any given amount of money ain't much....Unless you ain't got it!

[rgrugg]

If gas prices had gone up a few cents a year every year since 1970 and got to where the prices are now, we wouldn't think anything about it. Prices were very stable then except for occasional gas wars. Prices are probably 10 times as much now but the question really is how long do you have to work now to earn a gallon compared to 40+ years ago. In our case, our income is more than 10 times as much (in retirement) and we don't have any encumbrances on it like house & car payments & supporting kids. That said, it still hurts me to put $85 worth of gas in our truck over a two day period.

[melissab]

I went to fill up my minivan today and was surprised gas had jumped 10 cents from yesterday after jumping 7 cents a couple of days ago. Went online to try and find out why but couldnt find anything. 3/4 of tank cost $60.00 using the cheapest stuff at 3.55 a gallon. Is this trend going to continue? Makes it difficult to budget for summer travels. Guess I need to allow $4 a gallon gas maybe.

[honda03842]

The average USA price of gas in January 2008 was a $1.60, today it's at least twice that.

[Raz]

It occurs to me that the percentage of family income that a 10000 mile trip would cost is less significant than the fact that while fuel costs have jumped by a factor of 10, family income has only increased by a factor of 5 according to your numbers. Since the cost of transportation effects everything we buy, goods and services cost proportionally more, resulting in less disposable income. Unlike 1970, most families today have two wage earners and yet many are living pay check to pay check. Be it because of poor judgment or the realities of life, people also carry a much greater debt load than in 1970. As such, I guess I would disagree with the word better in the phrase "so we can better afford to go camping and enjoy life" Raz

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by artspe

At $3.25 per gallon now as compared to $.36 in 1970, how much more costly is it to travel 10,000 miles with a TT?

In 1970 median family income: Appx: $9870.
In 2011 median family income: Appx: $49800.

Using the CPI Inflation Calculator $0.36 in 1970 had the same buying power as $2.09 in 2011 and $9,870.00 in 1970 had the same buying power as $57,220.31 in 2011.

[Karalyn]

I guess I speak for the ones of us who have not risen in income due to unforseen circumstances over the years. Yes, I too made only $1.10 an hr back in the early 60's and could barely afford a used car payment. I remember coming home with $38.00 per week and it sucked. I now am on social security, and I cringe when I have to buy gas for my Envoy. I have dreamed all my life of traveling when I retired and now here I am retired, thinking I can't afford to go far because of gas prices. Personally for me - gas prices have risen compared to wages, as I could afford to go further when filling up my gas tank for only $3.00.
My dream ain't dead until I am dead, so still looking for a "new to me" lightly used casita.

[Daniel A.]

The cost of driving involves so much more than fuel alone, insurance, maintenance costs have increased greatly. Here in Canada the fuel cost is around 33% higher than the USA. 3.78 liters to the American gallon that costs 1.28 per liter.

Payroll costs have gone up far more than 1970 in proportion to income.

[BCDave]

In 1975, I was making "X" dollars and I bought a new car (one of only 2 that I have ever bought brand new!). I took flying lessons, and I bought an airplane. I took a long vacation and I felt secure enough to quit my job and go back to school full time.

Last year (2011) when I retired I was making than 7X as much and did not feel that I was as well off as I had been in 1976!

Taxes are much higher in this tax bracket, but expectations are also a lot higher and perceptions are lot a different - often perceptions are not actually reflective of actual numbers either! . However "perception IS reality". Its all relative!

[honda03842]

For us on our 11 month trip fuel represents about 10% of our expenses per month. Not enough to slow us down....

[james kent]

I love toread about your cheap gas. Up here today it is $122.5 per LITRE.

[jen b]

In 1970 I was driving a Big Wheel.

Well, whatever the price per gallon of fuel today, we're still not paying the full, real costs of it.

[joefisher]

What Jen said. That is exactly right; we are not paying for the "full, real cost" of fuel consumption. I also was driving a Big Wheel in 1970.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by jen b

In 1970 I was driving a Big Wheel.

Well, whatever the price per gallon of fuel today, we're still not paying the full, real costs of it.

I'm not allowed to respond to that!

[Greg H]

I think I was driving a Big Wheel too. I remember my sister bought a new Mercury Cougar in '68 and Marathon gas was $.32 a gallon. Now it goes up $.30 - $.40 a gallon and then takes all week to go down $.10 - $.15 a gallon.

[CallDon]

Adjusted for inflation, my income today is 50% less than 1987, and I'm still working. If my income were the same in real dollars, I would already own a new Casita and tow vehicle. LOL!!

My tough luck. But I'm saving my meager income for that Casita. I'm glad I have always been easy to please.

D*

[Jim Hovind]

Forget the cost of gas, check out how much your foof bill has gone up.

[CallDon]

Originally Posted by Jim Hovind

Forget the cost of gas, check out how much your foof bill has gone up.

Yeah, my foof bill is sky high!!




D*