Maybe I Am Not As Smart As I Think I Am…

So I am currently reading The Boomerang Clue (aka Why Didn’t They Ask Evens?) by Agatha Christie. It was written in 1933.

In the book, the main character gets offered a job in South America. For £1,000 a year. And he is stoked about it.

£1,000 a year was a good salary in 1930s Britain, obviously. So the part I don’t get is how, in 72 years, basically one generation, we can go from £1,000 a year being a good salary to £1,000 a month being not quite enough.

Simon says part of it is decmilization. And, of course, inflation. But I still don’t get it.

Its like I also don’t get exchange rates.  Theoretically, if something costs about £20 in Belfast, shouldn’t that same something, based on the approximate current exchange rate, cost $40 in the US?  But it doesn’t.  For example, a book I just found on both Amzon.com and Amazon.co.uk. .com is $7.99.  .co.uk? £6.99.

So maybe I am not as smart as I think I am…cuz I just.don’t.get.it.

Posted in Belfast, daily, Ex-Pat, Thoughts.

One Comment

  1. gas just hit $3.50/gal here and rising. not sure what is considered a good salary anymore.

    you are way smarter than you think if you even know what “decimilization” is! i sure don’t. maybe i’m not as dumb as i think i am.

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