Average U.S. household income for 1958 was only around $5k. Adjusted for inflation that's $53,067.07 in today's money.
https://www2.census.gov/prod2/popscan/p60-033.pdf
That $50 for a second hand wringer washer would have consumed quite a bit of family income. It couldn't come out of housekeeping but was often an investment saved up for, funds came from some sort of windfall and or worked towards. Other option was credit such as easy payment plans offered by all sorts of dealers of major appliances large and small.
Key to Sears having more appliances in homes across America than anyone else was their easy payment/credit plan.
Alice Kramden did it on Honeymooners but plenty of real life wives also had a go at their husbands over mod cons. If he wouldn't (or couldn't) provide funds many wives took in some sort of work or got jobs to provide "pin money" for household. These funds went towards providing many of the mod cons associated with middle class living. Including going towards making payments for things bought on credit.
Many old enough to remember will recall there was a time when many local appliance stores offered "easy credit" terms. One could get washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, fridges, televisions, radios... all sorts of electronics or major appliances on credit terms. Each week or month you went down to said store to make payments. If one missed payments for too long stores could (and often did) send someone to take all that stuff back.
[this post was last edited: 11/2/2023-08:07]
https://www2.census.gov/prod2/popscan/p60-033.pdf
That $50 for a second hand wringer washer would have consumed quite a bit of family income. It couldn't come out of housekeeping but was often an investment saved up for, funds came from some sort of windfall and or worked towards. Other option was credit such as easy payment plans offered by all sorts of dealers of major appliances large and small.
Key to Sears having more appliances in homes across America than anyone else was their easy payment/credit plan.
Alice Kramden did it on Honeymooners but plenty of real life wives also had a go at their husbands over mod cons. If he wouldn't (or couldn't) provide funds many wives took in some sort of work or got jobs to provide "pin money" for household. These funds went towards providing many of the mod cons associated with middle class living. Including going towards making payments for things bought on credit.
Many old enough to remember will recall there was a time when many local appliance stores offered "easy credit" terms. One could get washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, fridges, televisions, radios... all sorts of electronics or major appliances on credit terms. Each week or month you went down to said store to make payments. If one missed payments for too long stores could (and often did) send someone to take all that stuff back.
[this post was last edited: 11/2/2023-08:07]