I turned 53 this past Saturday. It's a rather non-descript number, if I do say so myself. 50 always seems significant, doesn't it? It's a decade-number, the BIG 5-0! 55 sounds like you're going "Double-Nickles," the speed limit. But 53––meh! (It is a prime number, by the way; and I've had no end of people telling me that must mean I'm in my "prime"––groan!)
My children got me a fun car/booklet that relates a great deal of information about what was going on in 1958. So, I'll regale you with some of that information:
1958 Cost of Living:
New House…………………$11,975.00 (probably a decent down-payment today)
Average Income……………$4,650.00/year (make that in a month and you're probably going to make it)
New Car……………………..$2,155.00 (can't even buy a good used car for this anymore)
Tuition to Harvard University……$1,000.00 (not that I'd be going there, but you've got to be kidding me; books at Harvard for a semester might cost you that much)
Movie Ticket…………………$1.00 each (nothing at movie theater cost $1 anymore)
Gasoline………………………$0.24/gallon (no comment needed)
U.S. postage stamp…………$0.04