Price/Cost Indexes from 1875 to 1989; Estimated to 2010

This audio guide walks listeners through more than a century of American price and cost indexes, starting in 1875 and stretching to the turn of the millennium. Using clear tables and concise commentary, it shows how the value of a dollar has shifted over time and why everyday expenses can feel unpredictable. The narrative then narrows to a vivid case study of personal computers, illustrating how once‑expensive hardware has become everyday bargains.

Along the way, the author compares early hard‑drive kits and floppy drives with modern PCs, revealing a hidden multiplier that makes today’s machines appear twice as cheap as headline prices suggest. Listeners gain a practical sense of how inflation, currency valuation, and tech innovation intersect, empowering them to read price tables with confidence. The first act sets the stage for deeper exploration of cost trends without spilling the later statistical surprises that follow.