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What past generations from the 20s to the 70s spent their money on

How your parents and grandparents spent their hard-earned cash
1920s: Radio
1920s: Telephone
1920s: Ready-to-wear-clothing
1920s: Movies
1930s: Alcohol
1930s: Comic strips
1930s: Board games
1930s: Tinned food
1940s: Homes
1940s: DIY and crafts
1940s: Washing machines
1940s: Toys
1950s: TVs
1950s: Credit cards
1950s: Plastic products
1950s: Cars
1960s: Microwaves
1960s: Lava lamps
1960s: Cameras
1960s: Portable radios
1970s: Entertainment
1970s: Walkman
1970s: Computer games
1970s: Pocket calculators
1970s: Holidays abroad
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How your parents and grandparents spent their hard-earned cash

Every generation, from the Silent Generation to the Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers, had its own lifestyle aspirations, and its own must-have products and popular sources of entertainment. From the everyday to the bizarre, click or scroll through to find out what your parents – and maybe even your grandparents – chose to spend their hard-earned cash on from the 1920s to the 1970s.
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Frances Carruthers

14 September 2020

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