Do you remember the 70s? I do. I remember that I could ride my bike to the pharmacy and get a candy bar for $0.25. My mom would tell me she could get five for a quarter when she was a kid. I’d think, “How can that be possible?”
Nowadays, it’s not even close. But I haven’t bought a candy bar in a while.
Scooping ice cream in the 80s, I would serve two scoops for $0.50. Later when we’d take our own kids out for ice cream, I’d spend about twenty bucks. Inflation is a thing. But it means different things at different times in your life.
Imagine if you could have locked in interest rates in the teens back in the eighties and had them for the rest of your life. Well, think about that for a second. If ten years is a good chunk of your retirement, why not consider some of the more attractive rates today? The road to riches is one of baby steps over a lifetime and making good decisions.
Yes, inflation means different things to different people—even in your own family, for that matter. If you’re a saver, and chances are if you’re reading Your Survival Guy you’re a saver, then you know you need to take action to protect what you make.
We’re not looking for the perfect here. We’re looking for what’s decent right now.
Action Line: Stick with me. We’ll get through this. When you’re ready to talk, let me know.
