Sailors in the 1800s were paid a dollar a day once the voyage was done and profit made, and since the days didn’t change much, the promise of another dollar was all they had to show for their time each day.
According to lore, in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s, ranch hands were paid $30 a month and found. The 1894 Sears-Roebuck catalogue listed a full outfit of jeans, shirt, longies, socks, and hat for about $5. Boots were another $5. Nowadays, another day, another dollar might just refer to what’s left after the cost of living for that day.
If I recall, before Honus Wagner became the greatest baseball player of his time, he hauled coal for less than a dollar a day. Late 1800s, definitely post-dates US currency.
“The historian John Bach McMaster suggested that in the 1790s, ‘The average rate of wages the land over was… $65 a year, with food and perhaps lodging.’ Source: A History of the People of the United States, vol. 2, p. 617.”
Average salary for female teachers in Michigan in 1900-01 was $36.68 a month. That would be about $1.67 a day if they didn’t work Saturdays and Sundays.
No, people didn’t make anything close to that on average in North America before the establishment of the U.S….
“Comparing the thirteen-colony average income per capita with the average for Great Britain (Broadberry et al. 2011) finds virtual equality in 1774: the colonial $69.1 (or £15.6) was about the same as Great Britain’s $69.5 (£15.7).”
Cactus-Pete about 3 years ago
Old sayings are never to be taken literally since most don’t make sense if you do.
Concretionist about 3 years ago
I can remember when that made sense because it COST me about a dollar a day (not counting rent) to live. Rent was another buck fifty.
fuzzbucket Premium Member about 3 years ago
During the Depression, people were working for $6-10 a week. That might be when that phrase was coined.
jpsomebody about 3 years ago
Another day, another trillion dollars in debt.
nosirrom about 3 years ago
I got paid better. I used to get a buck three eighty.
Brian G Premium Member about 3 years ago
Sailors in the 1800s were paid a dollar a day once the voyage was done and profit made, and since the days didn’t change much, the promise of another dollar was all they had to show for their time each day.
sandpiper about 3 years ago
According to lore, in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s, ranch hands were paid $30 a month and found. The 1894 Sears-Roebuck catalogue listed a full outfit of jeans, shirt, longies, socks, and hat for about $5. Boots were another $5. Nowadays, another day, another dollar might just refer to what’s left after the cost of living for that day.
Darwinskeeper about 3 years ago
Back when the Model T was a production vehicle, Henry Ford offered $5 a day. It was considered a really great salary at the time.
Ignatz Premium Member about 3 years ago
If I recall, before Honus Wagner became the greatest baseball player of his time, he hauled coal for less than a dollar a day. Late 1800s, definitely post-dates US currency.
e.groves about 3 years ago
“Another day, another dollar.” “Oh, you got a raise?”
rugeirn about 3 years ago
“The historian John Bach McMaster suggested that in the 1790s, ‘The average rate of wages the land over was… $65 a year, with food and perhaps lodging.’ Source: A History of the People of the United States, vol. 2, p. 617.”
The Brooklyn Accent Premium Member about 3 years ago
Average salary for female teachers in Michigan in 1900-01 was $36.68 a month. That would be about $1.67 a day if they didn’t work Saturdays and Sundays.
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000060034496&view=1up&seq=93
Thinkingblade about 3 years ago
Hmmm. I would guess that it was true in the early 1800’s …
Cozmik Cowboy about 3 years ago
Average annual pay for a US public school teacher in 1900 was $328.
Nick Danger about 3 years ago
No, people didn’t make anything close to that on average in North America before the establishment of the U.S….
“Comparing the thirteen-colony average income per capita with the average for Great Britain (Broadberry et al. 2011) finds virtual equality in 1774: the colonial $69.1 (or £15.6) was about the same as Great Britain’s $69.5 (£15.7).”
https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w19861/w19861.pdf
ChukLitl Premium Member about 3 years ago
By old school silver weight that dollar is about $17.50, about what may have been “reasonable” for scutwork.
brucemcguffin about 3 years ago
In 1825 a common laborer in the US made $1/day, on average.https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89071501472&view=1up&seq=64
Riskfinder Premium Member almost 3 years ago
For some of us, it’s “Another day, another 70 cents.”