Click this line to download your free copy of the "Inflation and candy bars: A relationship" classrom handout.

Footnotes:
1. "History of Federal Minimum Wage Rates Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, 1938 - 2009"

2. A year’s worth of Fed. Minimum Wages was calculated by multiplying the "Fed. Minimum Hourly Wage" by 40 hours (established by FDR's "Fair Labor Standards Act" of 1938) times 52 (number of weeks in a year).

3. Fed. Poverty Level for a Family of four.
   a. "Money Income and Poverty Status of Families and Persons in the United States: 1981," pg.1 (Senes P-60 No 134), U.S. Department of Commerce
   b. "1998 HHS Poverty Guidelines"
   c. "2010 HHS Poverty Guidelines"
   d. 2025 "Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines"

4. "SSI Federal Payment Amounts" from 1975-2026

5. A year’s worth of Social Security was calculated by multiplying the monthly amount for an “Eligible couple” by 12 (number of months in a year).

6. Maximum food assistance for a household size of four. Please note as the income of the household increases the amount of food assistance decreases.
   a. "Value of Food Stamps To Increase on Oct. 1," NYT, Sept. 18, 1982, Section 1, Page 6
   b. "Characteristics of Food Stamp Households FY 1998," Final Report, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Jan. 2000, pg. 7
   c. "FY 2010 Allotments and Deduction Information"
   d. "SNAP FY 2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustments"

7. These amount are from the "Candy Wrapper Archive" and their webpage "Candy Prices Over The Years".

8. The price of a single candy bar was divided into one Federal Minimum wage hour.

9. Michigan "FAQ: Bottle Deposit Law"

10. The value of a returned pop can (i.e., 10 cents) was divided into that years' cost of a single candy bar.

11. "The State of the American Middle Class [-] Who is in it and key trends from 1970 to 2023" by Dr. Rakesh Kochhar.

© 2025 Dr. Walter Jensen