Top 10 luxury items that only rich people could afford during the USSR
'09.12.2021'
Source: Passion.ru
Today you will not surprise anyone with all kinds of gadgets designed to make life easier for modern housewives, newfangled interior items and other "signs of luxury". However, there was a time when everything was completely different, and only a few could afford unprecedented wealth in the form of imported equipment, scarce goods and various adaptations for all occasions.
Passion.ru decided to feel nostalgic and remember things that are quite familiar now, which could only be seen in the house of wealthy Soviet people.
Color TV
What can we say about color, if black and white televisions were not in every home. But the owners of such a treasure were really proud of their purchase and organized whole movie shows at home, inviting friends and neighbors. Indeed, this miracle technique seemed to have opened for Soviet citizens a new world full of bright colors, which was inaccessible to the bulk of the population.
Washing machine
With the advent of semi-automatic (and then automatic) washing machines, a good half of Soviet housewives breathed a sigh of relief. Still, after all, up to this point, the ladies had to wash their hands, including bed linen, which had been soaked or even boiled beforehand. Therefore, it took not just 40-50 minutes to wash, but several hours or even a whole day. For the nomenklatura workers, then they began to buy washing machines abroad, but such happiness was not available to ordinary citizens. It was only in the 1980s that an automatic washing machine "Vyatka" appeared (and even then not for everyone), which significantly saved the time and effort of women of that time.
On the subject: Soviet-era lifehacks: how our mothers and grandmothers simplified life
Microwave
Even before the war, employees of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of the Meat Industry presented a device in which it was possible to heat food in a matter of seconds. However, then came the "terrible forties", and the development had to be forgotten for several years. And only in 1978, the Moscow plant "Pluton" produced the first microwave ovens, which wealthy citizens proudly demonstrated to their guests. By the way, they practically did not use this miracle device, preferring to use an ordinary stove for cooking and heating food in the old fashioned way.
Expensively rich
At that time, people believed that a sign of wealth was the possession of a lot of things. And those whose apartments were not furnished in the latest fashion of those times were looked down upon. If, say, there was only one bed, a bedside table, a stool and a table in a room, then such an owner could not be considered a successful and reliable person. By the way, many elderly people, whose childhood and youth fell on those times, do not understand the love of modern youth for minimalism and wonder how it is possible to leave an empty corner in an apartment, and not make it something "beautiful".
Video recorder
The introduction of Soviet citizens to the era of video can be seen in the film "Station for Two", when the main characters were in the house of a wealthy woman. Indeed, this miracle technique, like videotapes, was quite expensive, so it was not available to every Soviet citizen. Then there was a boom in video rental, when video salons were opened in almost every courtyard, where you could watch a movie (the price varied from 50 kopecks to 1,5 rubles) or exchange your videotapes for something else. It was then that video recorders became available, and then completely disappeared into the past, giving way to disks, computers and laptops.
Air conditioning
"Why was he needed at all then?" - some of you may ask and will, in principle, be right. Most Soviet people got along quite well with fans (or without them at all) and did not even dream of air conditioners, which were quite an expensive pleasure. The first household air conditioners, distinguished by their large dimensions and incredible noise, appeared in the 1970s, and cost about 350 rubles (with an average salary of 100-150 rubles). Therefore, many considered it irrational to spend such an amount on HVAC equipment and set aside this money for something else.
car
To purchase personal transport, which was really considered an incredibly expensive and inaccessible luxury, it was necessary, firstly, to defend a huge queue, and secondly, to immediately give a substantial amount. For example, if you wanted a VAZ-2102 to appear in your family, you had to accumulate a gigantic amount at that time - 7000 rubles. With an average salary of 150-200 rubles, it took a very, very long time to save money for the purchase. Those who dreamed of the GAZ-24 "Volga" had to collect a little more - 9200-9600 rubles. And even in our time, a car, if not considered a luxury, also eats up a large part of the family budget. After all, it's not enough just to buy it, you still need to take care of where to leave it, what to refuel, and so on.
Cassette recorder
Remember the experiences of the robbed hero in the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession", when he contritely listed everything that the thieves had taken from his apartment, including an imported tape recorder, even two? Indeed, back in the early 1980s, the cassette recorder was considered an indicator of high income and modern style. Later, it became fashionable to take this technique with you to the beach, on hiking trips or just for a walk, which, in fact, did some guys of that time to show off in front of the girls in the yard. By the way, the courtyard parties could not do without a cassette player, which was accompanied by speakers, which at that time also cost a lot of money.
Radio tape recorder
The multimedia device for cars, which could be seen in the films "The Most Charming and Attractive" or "Office Romance", was not available to every Soviet citizen. Only wealthy people who had money to buy an expensive car could listen to music while driving.
French decorative cosmetics
Modern women are spoiled by the variety of beauty products available in offline and online stores. Depending on personal preferences and the availability of free funds, you can buy almost any product, including foreign brands. But it was a little more difficult for Soviet women in this regard. They dreamed of foreign cosmetics, but the very same French goods (powder or lipstick) were almost impossible to get, except through the diplomatic line or through speculators, who, of course, did not guarantee its authenticity. Therefore, for many ladies, Polish products became an alternative, for which they also had to stand in a long queue.
