In the 80s, everything was simple and the music was good. Songs like Every Breath You Take from the Police and Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper set the stage for everyone to know this was the year to remember.
Newspapers were filled with specials on groceries, cars, furniture and takeout food. The prices of these items might be shocking to the average person in today’s economy. Work leaped off of every vacancy page in all the newspapers.
Property was affordable and an asset to have, with prices in the paper ranging from R67 500 for a four bedroom home to R185 000 for a four bedroom double story house, depending on the location of your property of course.
Products we use every day have become overbearingly expensive due to the economy.
Here are a couple of items and their prices from the 80s, compared to today on average:
| Item | Price in the 80s | Price today |
| Buns per dozen | R2,40 | R15,99 |
| Milk (2l) | R1,72 | R24,99 |
| Bacon (250g) | R1,59 | R35,99 |
| Lamb chops | R6,69 p/kg | R191,67 p/kg |
| Toothpaste | R1,09 | R12,99 |
| Pasta | R0,99 | R10,99 |
| Pepsi | R1,99 for six | R17,49 per 2l |
| Rice (2kg) | R1,19 | R29,99 |
| Dog food | R8,69 per 8kg | R123,00 |
| Wine | R3,99 | R120,99 |
| Whiskey | R19,99 | R288,99 |
| Simba chips | R0,99 | R14,99 |
| Eggs per dozen | R1,32 | R59,99 |
| Sta-soft | R1,99 | R44,99 |
| Kellogs | R1,49 | R36,49 |
| Mushrooms 250g | R1,19 | R21,99 |
| Cheese | R5,99 p/kg | R117,95 |
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