Chapter 02 · Beat inflation
What is old money worth today?
Pick an amount and any year since 1913 to see what it is worth in September 2026, based on the official US price index (CPI-U (BLS)).
| Year | Worth today | Cumulative inflation | Average per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $105 | 4.7% | 3.8% |
| 2020 | $130 | 30.2% | 4.3% |
| 2015 | $142 | 42.2% | 3.2% |
| 2010 | $155 | 54.5% | 2.7% |
| 2005 | $173 | 72.5% | 2.6% |
| 2000 | $196 | 95.7% | 2.6% |
| 1995 | $221 | 121.1% | 2.6% |
Inflation is the silent cost of holding cash
Money left in a savings account only grows in purchasing power when the rate beats inflation. The savings calculator shows what that means for your balance.
Over long periods, investing is the usual way to outpace inflation, with market risk. That starts with choosing a broker: compare brokers.
Source: BLS CPI-U, all items, not seasonally adjusted (via FRED series CPIAUCNS); annual averages of monthly index. Annual averages of the monthly index; today = September 2026. 2025: average of the 11 published months (BLS published no October 2025 index). Informational only, not personal financial advice. Data
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate what old money is worth today?
Multiply the amount by today's price index divided by the index for the past year. We use the annual average of the CPI-U (BLS) for the past year and the latest published month (September 2026) for today.
How much purchasing power has money lost in the last 10 years?
What cost $100 in 2016 costs about $140 in September 2026.
Why CPI-U?
CPI-U (all urban consumers) is the headline US inflation measure published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and covers about 90% of the population.
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