So, on TikTok, there’s this super interesting analysis of the economics in one of the most iconic Christmas movies ever, Home Alone. It’s all about the mind-blowing price of Kevin McCallister’s groceries in today’s money, and let me tell you, the results are absolutely shocking!
Alright, let’s be real here. Home Alone is anything but realistic for so many reasons. I mean, seriously, what are the chances of a parent accidentally leaving their child home alone while going on holiday? In reality, they’d probably do it on purpose! And let’s not even get started on the idea of an eight-year-old being left unsupervised without anyone checking up on them. It’s just mind-boggling.
And as if that’s not crazy enough, let’s talk about the grocery bill. Kevin managed to get away with spending only $20, even though his shopping cart was overflowing with stuff. Can you even imagine?
Nowadays, if we tried to estimate the cost of a shopping trip like that, we’d be looking at around $50 at our local Woolies or Coles.
So, big shoutout to TikToker Geoffrey Lyons (@sellitlikelyons) for doing the math and figuring out the actual cost of those items in today’s world. And trust me, the results are mind-blowing!
Geoffrey went through the list of items that Kevin bought, including TV dinners, Wonder Bread, frozen mac and cheese, Saran wrap, a half gallon of milk, Tide detergent, a half gallon of orange juice, toy army soldiers, and Snuggle dryer sheets. In 1990, the total cost of all those items was $19.83 (with a $1 discount coupon).
@sellitlikelyons Groceries in 1990 vs Today Breakdown ☠️ #fyp #homealone #rockwalltx #geoffreylyons #lyonsden #northtexas #dallastx #dallasrealestate #dfw #dfwrealtor ♬ original sound – Geoffrey Lyons
Geoffrey did his best to find most of the same products online, with a few substitutions for the ones he couldn’t locate. Shockingly, the total cost of those groceries in 2023 added up to a whopping $63.73. And when tax was added, the grand total soared to $68.99 – that’s 3.5 times more than what Kevin paid in 1990. In Australian dollars, that’s a jaw-dropping $104.29. Can you believe it? YIKES!
Curiosity got the best of us, so we decided to use an inflation calculator to find out the equivalent of $19.83 in 1990 in today’s money. Guess what? It’s a measly $46.68. That means prices have gone through the roof, even after accounting for inflation.
Now, let’s take a moment to think about the cost of a family with five kids living in that fancy Chicago mansion where Home Alone is set. How on earth did the McAllisters afford such a lavish lifestyle and extravagant holidays? It’s a mystery that’s always left us wondering.
