What will your money actually be worth?

Inflation eats money in plain sight. We show both halves: the bigger number you'll need to keep up — and the smaller real value of what you have today.

01The money
$
02Inflation & time
%
yr
03 · The erosion
You'll need in 20 years · nominal
$18,061
to buy the same things $10,000 buys today
Real purchasing power shrinks to
$5,537
Your $10,000 in 2046 buys what $5,537 buys today
Purchasing power lost
$4.5k
Percent lost
44.6%
50% loss in
24 yr
Min return to beat
>3.0%
The silent tax
At 3%, your savings halve in real value every 24 years. Cash under the mattress is a losing trade.
To preserve purchasing power you need at least 3.0% real return. A high-yield savings (~4.5%) keeps you ahead; cash and checking accounts don't.
See erosion curve · category breakdown · vehicles that beat it↓
02 · The curve

$10.0k today · 20 years of erosion

Purchasing power · $10.0k over 20 years
Nominal
Real value
Lost
−25% · YR 10$10,000 nominal$5,537real value$0$2,500$5,000$7,500$10,000todayyr 7yr 13yr 20
Not all inflation is equal
Different categories run at different rates · 20yr
CategoryRate$→ 20yr
General CPI
3.2%$5,326
Housing
4.5%$4,146
Healthcare
5.2%$3,628
Education
6.8%$2,683
Food
3.1%$5,430
Illustrative rates: long-run historical US CPI averages by category. They show that different baskets inflate at different speeds — real rates vary by country and period.
03 · How to beat it

Same $10.0k · 6 different vehicles · 20 years

AssetAnnual returnValue in 20yrVs inflationNote
Cash under mattress0.0%$10,000$8,061Pure loss · the worst option
Checking account0.5%$11,049$7,012Barely beats nothing
High-yield savings4.5%$24,117+$6,0564.5% APY
Bond fund5.0%$26,533+$8,472Low risk
Real estate (REIT)5.5%$29,178+$11,116Inflation-resistant
Index fund (S&P 500)7.0%$38,697+$20,636Assumed nominal return ~7%
Assumed, illustrative return rates (not guaranteed). "Vs inflation" compares each vehicle's value over 20 years against what you'd need just to keep pace with 3% inflation ($10.0k → $18.1k). Past performance does not predict future results; not investment advice.
The line in the sand
> 3.0% return
Anything below 3.0% CPI baseline is losing money in real terms. Cash and checking accounts fail the test. HYSA, bonds and stocks pass. Every year you sit on cash is erosion you can't recover.
Outpace it
Investment calculator
See how an index fund at 7% turns $10.0k into $38.7k — and what inflation leaves you with in real terms.
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Adjust the salary
Budget — how much more do I need?
If groceries rise 3% but your salary doesn't, your real budget shrinks. See what raise keeps you whole.
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