How much $1 could buy the year you were born revealed
There aren't many things you could buy for a dollar in 2026, but here's everything you could buy for $1 the year you were born.
A dollar in today's economic climate won't get you very far...at all.
But there was once a time when $1 two McDonald’s meals, six Hershey’s bars, or a pack of cigarettes.
Of course over time, inflation reduces the purchasing power of a dollar, and ten or 20 years from now, you may look back amazed at how 'cheap' things were in 2026 (though it certainly doesn't feel that way).
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There's no doubt that inflation will continue to drive prices higher and higher - the problem is, wages don't seem to be matching the increasing rate.
The below list looks at the value of a dollar between 1970 and 2024, with data compiled by GOBankingRates, as per Yahoo Finance.
1970-1979
The 1970s were a transitional decade famous for bold fashion choices, the boom of disco, and technological advancements, including the first IVF baby to ever be born.
But what could you get for a dollar back then?
1970: 2 pillowcases, $0.88
1971: Rake, $1.09
1972: Wrench, $0.98
1973: 6 Hershey’s bars, $0.90
1974: Barbie outfit, $0.77
1975: 50 vitamins, $1.00
1976: Knee socks, $0.99
1977: Skein of yarn, $0.97
1978: 6 first-class postage stamps, $0.90
1979: 8 guitar picks, $0.98
1980-1989
The 80s launched the careers of some of the most iconic global musicians of our time - Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Whitney Houston, to name just a few.
Iconic toys such as the Rubik's Cube were born, and movies such as Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, E.T., and Top Gun, all hit the big screen.
But for a dollar, you could treat yourself to at least a couple of things...
1980: 1/2 gallon milk, $1.02
1981: 1 dozen eggs, $0.97
1982: Pack of cigarettes, $0.82
1983: 2 D batteries, $0.99
1984: 1 pound of grapes, $0.99
1985: California Lottery ticket, $1.00
1986: 3 shots of bourbon, $0.97
1987: 2 bags of gift wrapping bows, $1.00
1988: 4 packs of gum, $1.00
1989: 1 gallon of gas, $1.00
1990-1999
On the brink of the millennium and the dawn of the digital age - the 90s.
It's a decade defined by the birth of the World Wide Web, the explosion of grunge and hip-hop, and of course some iconic TV shows.
And while the value of the dollar starts to increasingly deplete by this decade, you could still buy a share in Microsoft - which I'm sure many of us wish we had done!
1990: 1 share of Microsoft, $0.94
1991: 1 share of Disney, $1.00
1992: 1/2 pound bacon, $0.93
1993: 4 vending machine toys/gumballs, $1.00
1994: 1/2 bag of potato chips, $1.00
1995: Ballpoint pen ink refill, $1.00
1996: 1/2 pound chicken breast, $0.96
1997: Die-cast Nascar model, $1.33
1998: 2 liters cola, $0.98
1999: 11 green Lego bricks, $0.98
2000-2009
The noughties saw the birth of reality TV, early social media, and questionable fashion choices.
But unfortunately, you could no longer get two Big Macs for a dollar.
2000: Loaf of bread, $0.99
2001: Postage for three letters, $1.02
2002: Taco Bell bean burrito, $0.69
2003: Ticket to Blink-182’s DollaBill Tour, $1.00
2004: 1 share of Apple, $0.94
2005: 10 KWHs electricity, $1.00
2006: 2 pounds bananas, $0.96
2007: iTunes track, $0.99
2008: Slice of New York pizza, $1.00
2009: 1/2 a weekday New York Times, $1.00
2010-2019
While these feel like slightly more familiar times, the price of milk, for example, has still increased by roughly 50% since 2010, as per the Office for National Statistics.
But let's remind ourselves could we buy for a dollar in the 2010s...
2010: 1/3 gallon of gas, $0.93
2011: 1/3 pound ground beef, $1.00
2012: Fitness app, $0.99
2013: 1 pound of navel oranges, $1.00
2014: 1 car air freshener, $1.00
2015: 50GB of storage (iCloud), $0.99
2016: Shot of whiskey, $0.99
2017: Makeup brush set, $0.89
2018: A dozen Krispy Kreme donuts, $1.00
2019: 4 dry-erase markers, $1.00
2020-2024
And now, the present (ish), and we're all fully aware of what a dollar can, or can't, get us in this age.
2020: Wendy’s Frosty (small), $0.99
2021: Amazon Kindle e-book, $0.99
2022: A can of soda, $0.75
2023: 10-count pack of ballpoint pens, $0.58
2024: Lipstick, $1.00
Mia Williams