Money basics
Where does my money go?
Saver, spender, avoider or planner?
What’s your
money type?
7 quick questions about how you save, spend and plan. See your type and what to work on first.
7 questions · About 3 minutes · No sign-upYour money stepsQuestion 1 of 9
- 1Surplus
- 2Starter cushion
- 3Free money
- 4No costly debt
- 5Buffer & cover
- 6Investing 15%
- 71× income invested
Step 1 · Surplus
Do you spend less than you earn?
Even a little left over counts.
A common planning order, not a rule. Your situation may call for a different sequence. Not financial advice.
Start with your question
What do you want to know about your money?
Saving & banking
How much could I save each month?
Investing & ETFs
How much do I know about investing?
Debt & borrowing
When could I pay off this debt?
Retirement
What if I start saving today?
Credit & big purchases
What does my car really cost me?
Bitcoin & crypto
What if I had bought Bitcoin back then?
Inflation & economy
What will my money buy in 10 years?
Why this site exists
What is your money really worth?
Price rises don’t just add up. Each one builds on the last.
And the forces behind them are getting stronger.
The US dollar since 200053¢
What $1 kept as cash since 2000 buys in 2025. Everyday prices in the US rose 87% in those 25 years.
US price index (CPI-U), yearly averages: 172.2 (2000) and 321.9 (2025). Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis2% a year is not 2%
What 100 in cash still buys
Inflation10 years20 years30 years
2%826755
3%745541
5%613823
Each year’s price rise lands on top of the last one. At 3%, prices double in about 23 years. At 5%, they double in about 14. Even at the “normal” 2% target, cash buys a third less after 20 years.
Our view
4 forces pushing the same way
Nobody can predict inflation exactly. Central banks can push back. But we think the pressure on the value of cash is growing. That is why we built these tools.
- Government debt≈94% of world GDP
In 2025, governments worldwide owed 93.9% of world GDP. GDP is the value of everything made in a year. Their debt is expected to hit 100% by 2029. That last happened after World War II. With so much debt, higher inflation becomes a tempting way out.
IMF Fiscal Monitor, April 2026 - Energy demandData centres ×2 by 2030
Data centres are expected to use about twice as much power by 2030. That is about 945 TWh (terawatt-hours) of electricity. AI is the main reason. On top of that, more things now run on electricity. Energy is part of the price of almost everything.
IEA, Energy and AI - Military spending$2.9 trillion in 2025
Countries spent more on their militaries for the 11th year in a row. It is the highest level the research group SIPRI has ever recorded. This money competes for the same budgets, factories and raw materials.
SIPRI Yearbook 2026 - Wars & blocked suppliesOil, shipping, trade
Wars, trade bans (sanctions) and blocked trade routes raise costs. Fuel, shipping and food get more expensive. Those costs get passed along until they show up in everyday prices.
How oil conflicts reach your prices
Your numbers
See what inflation does to your money
Your everyday money
What will your cash buy later?
10 years
Try it
Example numbers. Changing the currency does not convert the amount. Prices change at the same rate each year. You pick the rate. Your cash earns no interest. This is an example, not a prediction.
In 10 years, your USD 10,000 will buy only whatUSD 7,441Open the full calculator
buys today · -25.6% buying power
Picture 10 bags of shopping today. In year 10, the same money buys 7.4.
Cost of the same shopping What your cash can buy
Buying power lostUSD 2,559
Same shopping would costUSD 13,439
What you can do
How to protect your money
You can’t stop inflation. But you can protect more of your money from it.
- Keep only the cash you need
Keep 3–6 months of basic costs in cash as a safety buffer. Cash beyond that slowly loses value.
Work out your emergency fund → - Get interest on your cash
If your savings interest is lower than inflation, your cash buys less each year. Compare accounts by APY. APY is the interest for a full year, including interest on interest.
Nominal vs. real returns → - Own things that can grow
Over long periods, low-cost funds with many stocks have grown faster than inflation. But they went up and down a lot along the way. Some investors also buy things with a limited supply, like gold or bitcoin. These can lose a lot of value fast.
How index funds work → - Make sure your pay keeps up
A raise smaller than inflation is really a pay cut. Know your number before you ask for more.
Check your real pay rise →
A little curiosity can change a lot.
What could change for you?
Bitcoin · MSCI World · S&P 500
What would an investment be worth today?
Pick an amount and a start date. See what happened to Bitcoin and to 2 funds that follow those stock markets.
See my what-if from the past Example chart · Past prices in US dollars, not in your local currencyA place to start your choice
Which options fit your needs?
Compare accounts and ways to budget. Focus on what matters to you.
What should I look for in a savings account? Which investment accounts can I compare? Which way to budget could work for me? See how the markets compareBills, savings, debt and goals
Get my Money Health Score →How healthy is your money plan?
8 quick questions about bills, savings, debt and goals. See what to fix first. Get your free report by email if you want.