The Rachel Cruze Show - Surprising Cost of Everyday Expenses in 1995

Starting point is 00:00:05 Recently, I had a social media clip, kind of go viral, whatever that means in the world today, but it had way more views than I was ever expecting on the topic of how much you should pay a babysitter. And the comments, they're always a treats. So it really got me thinking, okay, how much has the cost of babysitting changed, you know, over the years? And life in general. So today, I'm going to reveal the cost difference of that, plus other areas of our life from 1995 to 2025 to 2025. So I was like about eight years old, I think, doing that time. Now, make sure to stick around to the end so that you can learn what you can do to avoid spiraling out of control as the cost of life keeps going up. Now make sure to like, subscribe, and share

Starting point is 00:00:50 this episode with a friend. All right, so first area we're going to look at the movies. Oh, 1995 average price of a ticket was $4.35. Yes. I remember going to the movies, not in a late elementary school. Actually, I went to the movies in the fourth grade by myself for the first time and saw Titanic. So, yeah, y'all can just take that in for a hot second. That was the first movie I ever saw by myself. But I do remember taking like a $10 bill and a $10 bill would cover the movies. It would cover getting popcorn and like a Coke and call it a day.

Starting point is 00:01:22 But that was back in the day because today in 2025, the average cost is $11.31. And in some areas, even more expensive. All right. Number two, concerts. So in 1996, the average concert ticket was around $25.81 and $81. And as of 2024, the average price of a ticket was $123.25. And here's what's fascinating. 123? Well, in 2025, today, this year that we are in, it was $98.40. So it actually went down. And it was so elevated, a lot of people are saying, because of Taylor Swift's Erez Tour and Beyoncé's tour, world tour. Like, two amazing women, just prices keep going up. That's what we find.

Starting point is 00:02:07 All right. Number three, milk, gallon of milk. Ninety-five, cost around $2.48. As of July of 2025, it's $4.16. A new car, ready for this, in 1995, when you're factoring on all the options, discounts, taxes, was $19,757. Now, according to Kelly Blue Book, The average new car as of June of 2025 was $48,9707. So like almost $50,000, y'all. On average. On average. Is that not crazy?

Starting point is 00:02:42 All right, before I share the cost difference of a babysitter, which got this whole thing going, I do want to tell you about one of our amazing sponsors, delete me. If you don't remove your personal data from the internet, you're basically asking for your name, address, email, even your kids' names to be out there on sketchy data broker websites. Now, this puts you at risk for scams and fraud, but Delete Me removes your data to protect you from fishing, harassment, and other online threats. Your family's safety and financial security are way too important to leave exposed, which is why DeleteMe does the work for you. So sign up for Delete Me and take control of your family's online privacy.

Starting point is 00:03:20 Go to join DelatMe.com slash Rachel for 20% off, their annual plans, bringing your monthly cost to under $9, or just click the link in. in the description. All right, number five, babysitting. So the data for the 90s wasn't like great trying to find this, but when we were asking people around the office, and I know what I charged when I was in high school, so, you know, middle school a few years later, it ranged. I was around $7 an hour. So people that were babysitting in 1995, they were saying anywhere from $2 to $7 an hour. Now, on average, the national average today for two kids is $28.10 an hour. hour. So 30 bucks an hour now is the average, which is just crazy. It really is. You know, you feel it when you have kids and you know, okay, I got to pay a babysitter and pay for what we're doing

Starting point is 00:04:12 out and about. I mean, it costs a lot of money to go and hang out with your spouse sometimes. But we do it. It's good. We have an every dollar, in our every dollar budget, we have a babysitting line item, literally every single month. So when stuff does come up, it's already planned for, it's accounted for, but you pay it. You definitely pay it. All right, number six, college tuition. This is going to make all of us sick. Are you ready for this? In 1995, the average tuition and fees for a public four-year in-state institution was $5,786. Now, today, in 2024 to 2025, that school year, a public four-year in-state school costs now $11,610.10. Now, obviously, you know, when you look at nonprofits, four-year school, like privates, like all the private schools, it's like $43,000.

Starting point is 00:05:05 Like, it's wild. So, yeah, we have felt the jump of tuition for sure. And when you look at income, this is interesting. So the U.S. since the average household income in 1995 was $44,940. The average, not the median, but the average in 2023 was $114,000. than $500. So median and average, obviously, can kind of swing two different numbers. But there we are.

Starting point is 00:05:34 That's where we land today, ladies and gentlemen. So obviously, life is going to continue to get more expensive. You know, we may see some dips here and there, but for the most part, it can be stressful because it can feel like, oh, my gosh, it just gets more and more expensive. So remember these three things if you start to get stressed about it. Number one, there are things that you just can't control. There's something to be said about, don't stress about it. Like, we can't control what the government is going to do with X, Y, and Z.

Starting point is 00:06:01 We can't control inflation. We can't control, you know, fill in the blank. There are a lot of things, you guys, that we are ringing our hands over and we're freaked out and we're stressed and we're annoyed, all of it. But putting those emotions to things that you can't do anything about, not always the best way to spend your energy. So, number two is to focus on what you can control. So in this, look at your lifestyle and look to say, okay, here's the income that I

Starting point is 00:06:27 have and I get to choose where I spend my money. Is it getting a babysitter and going to the movies, right? Or what is it? Like, what can I control? Can I earn extra income? Can I ask for a raise? Could I make a career shift to make more money? Like, I don't know what it looks like for you, but what are the decisions in your life that you can control? But then also making a budget and controlling your income is huge. If you don't have every dollar, you guys, make sure to get it. I'll put a link down below. But knowing exactly where you're spending your money is going to to help so much. It's going to help you prioritize, and it's going to help you have a sense of controlling what you can control, which is where you spend your money. And number three,

Starting point is 00:07:07 always remember the simple principle, regardless of how expensive life gets, is you have to live below your means. If you continue a standard of living that is above that, you will be in a spiral of stress and debt for the rest of your life. And so it takes some action. It takes some sacrifice to maybe get there if you have to pull back some. But that, rule of thumb, regardless if you're in 1995 or 2025, is going to help you succeed. Now, if you need more guidance on creating a stress-free mentality around your money and your life, make sure to check out my episode at Nine Tiny Habits that actually improved my life and money. You can do that by clicking right here, or if you're listening on a podcast,

Starting point is 00:07:47 I'll leave a link below. All right, you guys, remember to take control of your money and create a life you love.

The Rachel Cruze Show - Surprising Cost of Everyday Expenses in 1995

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