How money actually works · Lesson 4 of 10
How do I measure what my money has lost?
Two dates and one official calculator will tell you exactly.
About 9 minutes · Foundation
What to take away
- Use the BLS CPI calculator.
- It measures an average basket, not your household.
- Real return is nominal return minus inflation.
Why this lesson is written this way
Each point above is checkable. Where the subject is genuinely disputed — the causes of inflation, the future of the dollar's reserve role, whether current debt levels are sustainable — the lesson states both readings rather than choosing quietly for you. Nothing here predicts a price, because nobody can.
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