Money and Inflation 1980's
To provide an estimate of inflation we have given a guide to the value of $100 US Dollars for the first year in the decade to the equivalent in todays moneyIf you have $100 Converted from 1980 to 2005 it would be equivalent to $243.45 today
In 1980 a new house cost $68,714.00 and by 1989 was $120,00.00 Check Examples of Some of the Houses and Prices For Sale In The 80s in Our 80s Homes Section
In 1980 the average income per year was $19,170.00 and by 1989 was $27,210.00
In 1980 a gallon of gas was $1.19 and by 1989 was 97 cents
In 1980 the average cost of new car was $7,210.00 and by 1989 was $15,400.00
A few more prices from the 80's and how much things cost
Camero Coupe $7,571 From Car Prices in the 80's
Pontiac Grand AM $9,965
Nike Air Force Basketball Shoes $54.90
Tailored Style Silk Blouse $15.99 From Prices for clothes and fashions in the 80's
Amiga 500 with Color Monitor $849 From Our 80s Electrical and Electronic Prices in the 80's
Hands Free Operating Car Phone History of Mobile Phones $788
Leg O Lamb $2.19 per pound
Milk 85 cents 1/2 gallon From Our 80s Price of Food Section
Bunk Beds with Mattress $148
Chrome Sling Chair $76.00 From Our Furniture Prices Section in the 80's
Cheer Laundry Detergent $1.59
Events 1980's
Technology 1980's
- The 80's signaled the start of the computer age, following on from the creation of Microsoft and Apple towards the end of the 70's , the technology and the speed of innovation both in Hardware and Software together with the cheapness provided a speed of growth and take up . The birth of the IBM PC signaled the start of Personal Computers first in the Offices and then into peoples homes becoming an integral part of our lives. following on from Micrsofts MSDOS on PC's to the first versions of Windows a GUI Graphical User Interface
- As well as the Hardware and Software changes a new technology was evolving starting as Bulletin boards later to become what we now know as the Internet invented by English physicist Tim Berners and the beginnings of the World Wide Web
- This was also the Decade that the Post-It was introduced which came from a glue invented in 1968 accidentally while trying to discover a stronger glue at 3M by Spencer Silver
- The 80's also signaled the age of the video game in arcades, Games Machines and PC's the most popular games being Space Invaders and Pac Man
- Another technology that was also just starting was that of cellular mobile phones , in the beginning the phones were big and heavy and hit and miss for signal strength , but as with the Internet would change our lives .
- After many years of ignoring the impact on our environment ,the world also took more notice of the impact that we were having on our planet and more research was done on the effects on global warming through population growth, land clearing of rain forests for agriculture and logging, increased use of fossil fuels for power generation together with our love affair with the car for transport .
Popular Culture 1980's
- John Lennon is shot outside his New York apartment
- MTV (Music Television) is launched
- Floppy shirts, Backcombed hair, Padded shoulders, big hairdoes and white stilettoes
- The Simpsons Is First Seen On Tracey Ullman Show April 5th 1987
- Michael Jackson releases his second adult solo album, Thriller.
Clint Eastwood
Burt Reynolds
Harrison Ford
Michael J Fox
Eddie Murphy
Tom Cruise
Dudley Moore
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Popular Musicians
- Bucks Fizz
- The Jam
- Olivia Newton-John
- Chicago
- Lionel Richie
- ABBA
- Black Sabbath
- Queen
- The Police
- Tina Turner
- David Bowie
- Whitney Houston
- Culture Club
- Bruce Springsteen
- U2
Television During the 1980s
The 1980s was an important decade in the television industry. Not only were great strides made in the way of “pushing the envelope” with shows like Married…With Children, but other programs displayed a stark contrast with family-friendly issues and themes. The Cosby Show began in the mid-1980s and it enjoyed several years as the #1 television program because it was a witty and realistic rendering of family life during the era. It also destroyed the stereotype of poor African-American families that shows in the past only helped to reinforce. Heathcliff Huxtable – the father on The Cosby Show – was an obstetrician while his wife – Claire – was a successful lawyer.
The 1980s also saw the creation of a number of cable networks that viewers still enjoy today. The Weather Channel – based in Atlanta, GA – premiered in 1982 as a cable network that covered the weather 24 hours a day. The Cable News Network, better known as CNN, was also created as television’s first 24-hour news network. It created a trend and today you have the option of several 24-hour cable news networks to choose from. Rupert Murdoch also created the Fox Network in the 1980s as a challenge to the only three major networks at the time – NBC, CBS, and ABC. Even though many people scoffed at the idea of Fox being a major competitor, it has since created several popular and award-winning shows in its more than 20 year existence. Music Television (MTV) was also a major breakthrough network in the 1980s and today viewers can choose from a large number of music-based television channels.
Other shows that began in the 1980s that are still memorable and popular today include Cheers, The Golden Girls, Miami Vice, and Family Ties. Along with The Simpsons, many of these programs are available as DVD box sets for those who lived through the era and want to experience a feeling of nostalgia by experiencing these shows again.
The 1980s was an important decade in the television industry. Not only were great strides made in the way of “pushing the envelope” with shows like Married…With Children, but other programs displayed a stark contrast with family-friendly issues and themes. The Cosby Show began in the mid-1980s and it enjoyed several years as the #1 television program because it was a witty and realistic rendering of family life during the era. It also destroyed the stereotype of poor African-American families that shows in the past only helped to reinforce. Heathcliff Huxtable – the father on The Cosby Show – was an obstetrician while his wife – Claire – was a successful lawyer.
The 1980s also saw the creation of a number of cable networks that viewers still enjoy today. The Weather Channel – based in Atlanta, GA – premiered in 1982 as a cable network that covered the weather 24 hours a day. The Cable News Network, better known as CNN, was also created as television’s first 24-hour news network. It created a trend and today you have the option of several 24-hour cable news networks to choose from. Rupert Murdoch also created the Fox Network in the 1980s as a challenge to the only three major networks at the time – NBC, CBS, and ABC. Even though many people scoffed at the idea of Fox being a major competitor, it has since created several popular and award-winning shows in its more than 20 year existence. Music Television (MTV) was also a major breakthrough network in the 1980s and today viewers can choose from a large number of music-based television channels.
Other shows that began in the 1980s that are still memorable and popular today include Cheers, The Golden Girls, Miami Vice, and Family Ties. Along with The Simpsons, many of these programs are available as DVD box sets for those who lived through the era and want to experience a feeling of nostalgia by experiencing these shows again.
