Oh for the good ole days when some things were free. I remember running home from school to turn on the TV which still had the test pattern showing because “Howdy Doody” and “Buffalo Bob” hadn’t started yet. I wondered why we had rabbit ears on the top of the TV in those days. Today those rabbit ears would be worth about $75 a month in satellite or cable fees. It is truly amazing when we consider what we pay in fees today for stuff that used to be free.
Sue and I spent our younger years living on the east coast in upstate New York. When we would travel to New York City, we would take the Taconic Parkway – a freeway. That is not a term we have used since we came to Illinois. Here we have tollways. While driving on the freeway, we would enjoy listening to different radio stations, which would change from town to town. Now on the tollways we listen to Sirius-XM satellite radio, which charges a monthly fee. When pulling into a service station to refuel along the way, we were greeted by a friendly service station attendant who would wash your windshield, check your oil, fill your gas tank, and check the air in the tires. All that service was free, and the price of the fuel was about one-fourth of the price today. They would even throw in a free map so we wouldn’t get lost. And if you were thirsty, you might even get a free cup of coffee, or at least a cup of water. Today, you pay for the bottle of water and the coffee and the map.
One of our favorite fun trips was going to free public parks and museums. When we moved to the Midwest, we really enjoyed visiting the Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum, the Art Institute, the Adler Planetarium, and Shedd Aquarium. If my memory serves me correctly, they were all free. Today they all charge admission fees, and some have additional attraction fees after entry.
There are very few services or products today that remain free. One that comes to mind is the dentist. I look forward to my six-month check-ups because I get a new tooth brush, toothpaste, and dental floss all free on the way out.
Keep those letters coming, folks. Send your questions and ideas to: The Frugal Forum, P.O. Box 693, Huntley, IL 60142, or, by email to: thefrugalforum@gmail.com.
