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Comment by jefftk | Hacker News Reader

> peg this deposit to inflation. 20 years ago the 5c deposit on a beer can meant a lot more than it does today

Adjusted for inflation, 5¢ in 2002 would just be 8¢.

You might have to forgive them, if they’re talking about their folks with the ear marked “20 years” they’re likely old like me and think that means 1970. Us old folks tend to think “20 years ago” means 20 years before 1990’s. It’s a common mental flub.

That would make the inflation value closer to $0.38 in today’s money. It’s not a lot, but when you’re getting almost 8x the amount for each can, it adds up.

Bottle deposits aren't that old: MA is 1982, CA is 1987, etc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation_...

5¢ in 1982 would be 15¢ now, so it's more, but not that much more?

It is 3X, and when it's per can that does add up to a significant amount. That would add $1.20 to a 12-pack case, which usually cost just $6 here (admittedly a state that doesn't do deposits).

Glass bottles have 8 Cent deposit in Germany and plastic bottles/tin cans have 25 Cent. I rarely ever not bring a plastic bottle or can back, but I do let glass bottles stand around near garbage cans for the bottle collectors.

I see the same behavior among many others. It's just anecdotal, but that 3x seems to make a huge difference.

Bottle deposits were a thing in the 1970s when I was a kid. Those bottles were heavy glass, made to be returned, washed, and re-used many times. I'm not sure it was legislated however, I think it was just what the local bottlers did to get their bottles back.

It was a great way to earn money as a kid in the 70s too. Wander around and find old beer/coke/milk bottles and return them for the deposit.

1976 for Michigan(and 10c at that). My mom and I used to save every can when we lived in MI, I remember doing the deposits, and thought it was crazy that we were getting money for that.

I was definitely remembering events that happened in the mid-90s as 20 years ago. So, according to the CPI, 1995->2002 (27 years ago, good god) $0.05 -> $0.09

That $0.04 doesn't sound like much, but say you were collecting enough cans to make $50/day in 1995 money (560 cans) - now you're making only $28 a day. That's the difference between having a home and being homeless.

It's also the difference between "worth saving up and taking a trip to the return center" and "meh, chuck em". Though at least the latter helps people trying to collect more than 500 cans a day.

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