There is no point in arguing; baby boomers were luckier from many points of view!
What generation are you? If you’re a baby boomer reading these lines, your heart will be filled with both happiness and nostalgia. It’s going to be an amazing journey, so make yourself comfortable for a couple of minutes.
As we sail the waves of innovation in technology and low-cost supply chains, some everyday features that were once commonplace now appear to be parts of a past era. For example, houses are not as affordable as they used to be; most household items are now made poorly but sold at skyrocketing prices; even clothing was made to last back in the day compared to what is sold now.
Isn’t it interesting to think about how working hours used to be so much more balanced? Back then, people truly knew how to separate their work from personal time, and it feels like ages since that was the case!
From various perspectives, let’s examine these aspects of everyday life that have evolved into modern luxuries and learn that baby boomers were luckier than today’s generation.
“Free range” generation
In all this social media era, we tend to forget how awesome it was before it. Millennials and baby boomers know what I am talking about! The comment nostalgically evokes a time when kids relied on their imaginations rather than screens to roam freely and safely without digital leashes.
Close your eyes and picture this: it’s a summer day back when you were in school, and you just got a bike as a gift from your parents, who were proud of your grades. You get to meet your besties outside, and until late afternoon, you learn how to ride your bike and enjoy the freedom of just being a kid.
No phones, no social media, no gadgets; the world was simpler, and all the baby boomers were luckier to live in those times.
Affordable real estate
If you’re a millennial, you’re undoubtedly thinking a lot about the 1990s and remember all the stories about how your parents were able to live comfortably on one salary.
Now this is just a dream, because the prices for renting a small space are huge, and not even two salaries can cover the minimum for a decent living besides paying monthly for the rent and all the additional bills.
There is no surprise that many people feel nostalgic for the times when owning a home wasn’t that costly and you wouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a monthly rate for more than twenty years. See? Another example of how luckier the baby boomers were back in the day.
Top-notch furniture
Another thing that made us all say, “Baby boomers were luckier than us,” is how much better the furniture was manufactured back in the day.
The days of buying furniture without having to figure out complicated setup directions are long gone (we don’t want to offend Ikea by saying this!). However, high-quality furniture in the past meant solid pieces made of real wood rather than cheap particleboard.
If you paid a couple of bucks on a wardrobe back in the 60s or 70s and you thought it was expensive then, chances are that wardrobe is still up and good in 2025. Now the question is: How many products that we buy now are going to last for over 30 years?
Clothes were made to LAST!
And no, we’re not talking about the big brands here; we’re talking about the type of clothes that anyone could afford. In today’s world, fast fashion dominates every store, and everything from a pair of socks to a pair of jeans costs a lot, and it isn’t guaranteed they will last well more than a season.
The idea of clothing made to endure wear and trends rather than being thrown away reminds us of a time when fashion was more about timeless style and high-quality materials. And the clothes looked better too!
High-quality American manufacturing
We all grieve the loss of high-quality products produced in American factories as a result of the manufacturing shift. We still have a lot of things that are made in the U.S. of course but there has been a huge shift from finely crafted goods to mass-produced goods imported from abroad Now not even Coca-Cola has the same taste!
We are happy that manufacturing is evolving, but it affects the caliber of commonplace goods and baby boomers were luckier to live in a time when American products were the real deal.
Work boundaries were clear and stable
When you clocked out, it meant You wouldn’t be checking anything related to work until the next day. Baby boomers were luckier than us because they were living in a time in which everyone had work boundaries, and your job continued to be in place after you left.
There wasn’t a never-ending stream of emails requesting attention after hours. It serves as a reminder of a time when shutting down your computer meant more than just turning off the screen.
Annual family vacations
Baby boomers were luckier because back in the day, every family, big or small, could afford a vacation. And not a vacation in which you have to stay in a tent because every hotel is super expensive.
Every year, people could afford to take family vacations, and traveling with all of their loved ones was a lot of fun. Now, you have to save money for two years in advance or pay a fortune for a vacation if you want to travel overseas.
Everybody was punctual
Remember when stating that you would be somewhere at a specific time meant that you would be there, not stuck in traffic or distracted by technology? Back in the day punctuality was a virtue and now it has become a rarity.
The modern times took us all in this storm of chaos in which everybody is stuck. More than a decade ago, time management was better so who do we have to blame?
Ourselves because we’re distracted by all the gadgets and technology and we’re living virtually more than in reality, or because breaking promises has become such a common thing that isn’t considered a bad thing anymore? What do you think?
Are you a tad nostalgic about a past era, and this article made you a bit sad? Well, we can’t turn back time for you, but we can sure remind you that now vintage items are still available to purchase at good prices. What do you think about this Loud Alarm Clock for Heavy Sleepers Adults that resembles the look of those we used to have in our rooms as kids?
Perhaps you believe that a clock is no longer necessary to wake you up now that you are or will soon be a retiree. Although your internal clock is likely superior to all others, it’s still nice to have in your kitchen, in my opinion. Additionally, ordering it from Amazon won’t cost you a fortune!
Better quality appliances
My Samsung fridge died after five years, but Grandma’s 1965 refrigerator is still in good working order. This is another reason why baby boomers were luckier they lived in a time when the longevity of home appliances was huge.
You knew if you had invested in a fridge or an oven, they would last more than 10 years, and when one of them broke, the concept of throwing it away wasn’t present. The broken appliance was repaired, and guess what? It was cheaper to do that instead of buying a new one.
Even smartphones now have limited warranties of no more than two years, and most of the time they break shortly after the warranty expires, forcing you to purchase a new one.
What are you nostalgic about, and do you agree with the fact that baby boomers were luckier than nowadays generations? Let’s take the discussion in the comments section below.
Are you a senior who is looking to spend less money this year? Then you might be interested in reading 19 Best Discounts for Seniors in 2025.
