The greenback.

The dollar has always been something I have enjoyed having in my pocket. I am not sure if I have ever had one larger than a $100.00 bill, but I do know that a dollar certainly does not have the same purchasing power as it once did.

For instance, I used to collect baseball cards when I was growing up. Seems like all my friends did. If you know anything about these cards you probably have heard or seen them on bicycles wheels as they would flap against the rim of the wheel. What's harder to believe is what some of these cards were worth before they ended up wrapped up with rubber bands or better yet, tossed in the trash. What a dollar bought you back then is what really is hard to believe. When I did have an extra dollar or two growing up, I would go up to Dierberg's grocery and buy an entire box of Topp's cards. An entire box....$1.00. I was in heaven. (I have not priced out cards in a long time, but I think a single pack of cards goes for between $1.99 and $4.00.)

So we move up 40+ years and what does it mean when you give your kids a dollar? They say, "I need a $20.00!" That's still a lot of money but when I was growing up it was out of the question---I started working when I was 16 and minimum wage was $1.65 per hour. This salary, best way of explaining it, helped me buy my first pair of ice skates and put gas in the car. Back then it was well under .40 cents a gallon and skates, the best pair made, were $150.00 a pair. My parents probably never knew what I paid until now. Funny thing is, I sucked in hockey.

The photo above is of my 2 youngest girls; they have no idea what a dollar will buy you these days and can only tell the difference because there are different pictures and numbers on them.

My other kids understand what the numbers mean, however they probably don't know much about the Presidents and other notables on the bills, except my son. One thing they do know is if they get enough of the bills they can shop till they drop. It's probably why they enjoy going shopping but don't like to carry dollars with them. Why? Because plastic ways a lot less.

Thanks stopping by.