The roaring twenties

THE ROARING TWENTIES

If you were an actor…

You would make $7,800 annually. You would typically live within larger

cities . You would purchase items in full, not

by installment buying.

An Actor’s Weekly Finances

Gets paid $150 a week Pays $27 a week in rent (large

apartment) Pays $17 a week in utilities Must purchase groceries

If you were an industry worker… You would make $1,236 annually. You would live within large cities to

be close to the factory in which you worked.

You typically would make large purchases using installment buying.

Industry Worker’s Weekly Finances

Gets paid $24 a week Pays $10 a week in rent

(small apartment) Pays $4 a week in utilities Must purchase groceries

If you were a farmer…

You would make $742 annually. You would live in the country,

utilizing the resources produced on your farm, as well as trading to obtain necessities.

Large purchases would have been made on installment buying.

A Farmer’s Weekly Finances

Gets Paid $14 a week Pays no rent, they generally would

have purchased/built their own home No utilities to pay.

Water pumped from well Electricity generated by wind

Must purchase groceries that cannot be grown/obtained from the farm.

Cost of Groceries

1 Pound Apples: $0.11 2 Pounds Roast: $0.82 3 Pounds Steak: $1.41 1 Pound Bread: $0.12 1 Pound Butter: $0.71 3 Pounds Chicken:

$1.32 1 Pound Coffee: $0.43 1 Dozen Eggs: $0.78 1 Gallon Milk: $0.66

1 Bushel Potatoes: $0.66

1 Pound Rice: $0.17 1 Pound Sugar: $0.18

Weekly Total For Groceries: $7.37

Ford Model – T: $650 Installment Buying: $5 week for 3 years

All Electric Radio: $150Installment Buying: $2 a week for 2 years

Pocket Watch: $60Installment Buying: $2 a week for 1 year

New Shoes: $5Installment Buying: Not applicable

Winchester Rifle: $100Installment Buying: $3 a week for 1 year

Hats: $3Installment Buying: Not applicable

Nylons: $4Installment Buying: Not applicable

New Tractor: $400Installment Buying: $4 a week for 3 years

No Power Vacuum: $50Installment Buying: $2.50 a week for 6 months

Work Boots: $15Installment Buying: $1 a week for 6 months

Stove: $120Installment Buying: $3 a week for 1 year

Refrigerator: $180Installment Buying: $4 a week for 1 year

Washer: $98Installment Buying: $3 a week for 1 year

Dryer: $150Installment Buying: $2 a week for 2 years

Baby Grand Piano: $650Installment Buying: $4.50 a week for 3 years

Phonograph: $120Installment Buying: $1.50 a week for 2 years

During the Roaring Twenties… Forty percent of annual income was

spent on personal belongings. Therefore, you must spend AT LEAST: Actors: $3,120 Industry Workers: $495 Farmers: $297

Find out how much money you have after expenses/bills each week.

Decide which items you can afford to purchase Can you still buy items in full? What will you now be purchasing

with installment buying?