The most expensive cut of beef in 1923 was 40 cents a pound, so a two hundred dollar butcher bill is a *lot* of meat -over 15 pounds a day! (Interestingly, both ham and chicken per pound was more expensive than the cheapest cuts of beef, and not that much less than the premium beef cuts)
Also, this is a good little pamphlet published in 1945 of how nominal average wages did really shoot up in the period during each world war, (practically doubling) so there would indeed be some sticker shock to the post war petite bourgeoisie.
The most expensive cut of beef in 1923 was 40 cents a pound, so a two hundred dollar butcher bill is a *lot* of meat -over 15 pounds a day! (Interestingly, both ham and chicken per pound was more expensive than the cheapest cuts of beef, and not that much less than the premium beef cuts)
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/retail-prices-161/retail-prices-1890-1928-5369?start_page=36Report
Also, this is a good little pamphlet published in 1945 of how nominal average wages did really shoot up in the period during each world war, (practically doubling) so there would indeed be some sticker shock to the post war petite bourgeoisie.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/war-postwar-wages-prices-hours-1914-23-1939-44-4318Report