Cost of Living Update: One bottle of something that resembles Windex—$3.20

My husband loves to talk about block parties he had as a kid growing up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. The men would race with balloons between their knees, and kids would bob for apples. None of it was very complicated or expensive. The main goal was to get everyone together to encourage a strong community.

Living in row houses may have been congested, but if you were running low on salt or sugar, you could easily get a cup by knocking on the wall and calling out to your neighbor. Everyone helped each other out, and the evenings were full of people sitting in their yards together enjoying glasses of lemonade. (more…)