Audio clip
Frank Hughes
As the price of gas rises to new heights, consumers often find themselves thinking about the good old days when gas was less than $1 a gallon and 50 cents bought a loaf of bread. Some baby boomers in Chattanooga give their thoughts on how prices have risen over the years.
* Name: Carolyn Miller
* Age: 55
* Occupation: Director of housing and convention services for the Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
“The one thing I can recall back during that time, I still recall the jitneys that used to be in Chattanooga. But to me, the gas prices and everything are a little bit out of the norm for me personally and I have basically cut back on miles that I drive. But back in the ’70s it seemed like you could buy like $10 worth of gas and drive all week... I had a Volkswagen and a Toyota and I could fill them up for $10 and ride all week in it and go everywhere, but now I pull up to the tank and pay $40, and I have a Mini Cooper. So go figure.”
* Name: Terry Todd
* Age: 49
* Occupation: City president for FSGBank
“Gas would be the main one for me. I can remember when I started driving (in) 1974, I could get three gallons for $1, and I long for those days.”
* Name: Frank Hughes
* Age: 49
* Occupation: President and chief operating officer of Cornerstone Bank.
“I remember the embargo and not being able to get gas. We took a trip for a funeral, and remember being scared that we weren’t going to be able to get enough fuel to get there and back, it was that real. Milk has gotten more expensive, eggs are not that expensive and meat is not that expensive... Another thing is housing. I remember my parents bought their house for $70,000 and two or three years ago, they sold it for $600,000.”
* Name: Mike Haskew
* Age: 46
* Occupation: Executive vice president and city president of Cohutta Bank in Chattanooga.
“One that really comes to mind in the ’70s, was a telephone call at a pay phone for 10 cents. Another good example of that would be the price of a bottled Coca-Cola. In most vending machines around town, a six-ounce bottle or a 12-ounce can of Coke, the price was 25 to 35 cents back in the ’70s ... (and) you could mail a letter for 21 cents or under.”
back then
What gas cost then and now:
A gallon of unleaded regular gas
February 1978 — 65 cents
February 2008 — $3.03
Average grocery prices in the 1980s and today:
A 1/2 gallon of milk
February 1980 — $1.02
February 2008 — $1.73
A loaf of white bread
February 1980 — 50 cents
February 2008 — $1.32
Source: The U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics
