I remember going on co-op in the mid-80s and making minimum wage ($3.35 an hour) and being able to save money over six months. Rented room was $100 a month and I was able to feed myself for around $30 a week and my landlords let me borrow their car (a VW bug with no starter and no reverse gear so you had to be real careful where you parked it) from time to time. It helped immensely that I was still on my parents’ health insurance and I never got sick. Not having a life also helped.
I remember going on co-op in the mid-80s and making minimum wage ($3.35 an hour) and being able to save money over six months. Rented room was $100 a month and I was able to feed myself for around $30 a week and my landlords let me borrow their car (a VW bug with no starter and no reverse gear so you had to be real careful where you parked it) from time to time. It helped immensely that I was still on my parents’ health insurance and I never got sick. Not having a life also helped.
I’m 54 and told my 13-yo daughter yesterday, “Sorry you’re living the end of the American Empire. But the 80s and 90s were really cool!”