Purchasing Power · Real Returns · Future Prices
| Item (today's price) | In 10 years | In 20 years | In 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5 coffee | $7.05 | $9.95 | $14.04 |
| $30K car | $42.3K | $59.7K | $84.2K |
| $300K house | $423K | $597K | $842K |
| $60K salary | Needs $84.6K | Needs $119K | Needs $168K |
Assumes 3.5% annual inflation (recent US average).
| Strategy | Typical Return | Beats Inflation? |
|---|---|---|
| Cash under mattress | 0% | No |
| Regular savings account | 0.01-0.5% | No |
| High-yield savings | 4-5% | Barely |
| Bonds / Treasury | 4-6% | Yes (slightly) |
| Stock market index | 8-12% | Yes (significantly) |
| Real estate | 8-12% | Yes |