How times have changed

It was a bit of a reflective day after two different items came to my attention, seemingly unrelated, but upon further thought, closely connected. The first was a mattress ad from 50 years ago that…yes, was emblazoned with the word “SALE” across the top. It touted a product that sold for the low price of $39.95 for the set, but it was comparable to the high-priced models that retailed for $59.95. To put this in perspective for those who have not been around for 50 years, we made less money, but items cost less as well. Gas was 23 cents a gallon; you could mail a letter for 3 cents and buy a six-pack of beer for a dollar. The average income was about $4,400 and you could buy a new car for $1,700.

While this took me back on a walk down memory lane, I was startled to see the next item – well, more than a bit startled. Being in the mattress industry, I know that people still to this day put their savings under their mattress. The cost of the bed, plus the cash underneath can make for some extremely expensive beds. However, imagine having to make a choice between buying a new Mercedes or a bed? A foreign bed manufacturer recently unveiled a bed – a queen set that costs a mere $75,000. The fibers in the bed are made from platinum and if you would like to add pillows to the set they are only $2,000 each.

I know there is immense wealth in the world, and some can afford a bed that is nearing the six-figure mark, but the question I have is, why? While a quality bed is now seen as an investment, for 99 percent of us, this is our entire investment portfolio. I guess that I just long for the times when a quality product was sold for an honest price.