It’s real, it’s global, it can’t be stopped and it can be good or bad.
It is inflation. 
I had someone tell me recently that U.S. annual inflation has been 10% for the last several years.  That is not true of course although it may feel like it to some people. 
My guaranteed income is a pension and Social Security. There is no COLA on my pension. Since I retired in 2010, the buying power on the great majority of my income has eroded by 43%. 

HERE’S A FINANCIAL topic on which I claim scant expertise: spending. Still, I’ve belatedly been getting a lot of practice.
Over the past four years, I’ve spent more freely than at any time in my life. While part of it might be explained by post-pandemic splurging, mostly it’s because I finally convinced myself that I had more than enough saved for retirement. Added to that has been my recent cancer diagnosis, which has prompted Elaine and me to take our spending to a whole new level,

Financial articles warn about sequence of return risk early in retirement. A retiree who experiences a poor stock market early in retirement has a lower portfolio to withdraw from going forward potentially putting their retirement finances in jeopardy. Someone who experiences a down market later in retirement is at less risk of poor returns affecting their financial security as they have less years that they have to fund expenses.
My question is does anyone really know when they are past this danger zone?

If the neighbors told you they were saving for retirement, would you go ahead and recommend specific investments, without asking any further questions?
That’s been my life since the world learned about my cancer diagnosis. Strangers, who know nothing about the details of my relatively rare variation of lung cancer, have sent me messages telling me the doctors I should see, the cancer centers I should visit, the books I should read, the diets I should follow,

Although I feel I have at least an average level of intelligence, I truly cannot understand many financial issues, that I read and hear, from everyday people, politicians and more.
For example, gasoline prices seem to be a favorite topic, and I wonder why consumers are so concerned as they rise, while the prices of the vehicles have risen so much and why many those same people keep leasing and buying very expensive SUVs, Huge pick up trucks ,etc.

WE’VE ALL HEARD of the obscure relative—often a long-forgotten uncle or aunt—who leaves behind a surprise inheritance. This usually only happens in fairy tales, trashy novels and screwball comedy movies. I certainly never expected it to happen to me, especially at this late stage. But happen it did—from my lifelong friend Katie, who bequeathed me a generous sum.
I learned I was a beneficiary from the will’s executor and from a subsequent letter from the attorney handling the estate.

This afternoon I was listening to the economic plan of a presidential candidate. It included $6,000 for a new baby, more money for child care, money toward buying a home and more. Absent was any reference to deficits or debt.
In any case, I thought back to our life raising four children on one income and in the early years on a glorified clerks salary.  I do recall sky high inflation in the 80s and no gas in the 70s
I don’t recall any subsidies or tax credits or rebates.

I thought it might be fun to see if everyone can remember how and/or when they found out about HumbleDollar?
I, myself, am not 100% sure.  Maybe through the boglehead.org forums (which I’ve since abandoned)?  I can’t recall, but I’m pretty sure that since 2018 or ’19 I’ve been a daily follower.

I’m 61 and I’ve got a year left to live, but I still plan to work every day (msn.com)
I think others might like to read this article & see some great pictures of Jonathan in his earlier years.

Now, with the growing tension in the Mideast , the breakup of JLo and Ben Affleck, the new kickoff rules in the NFL and other horrific events, I feel I must continue my quest to try and scope out the economic future. If this is blocked for any reason, I understand, cruel and unusual punishment is banned by our Constitution.
1) I asked the circus people how things are going, it was a mixed bag. The acrobat was “ walking a tightrope”,

I am certainly nearer the end of my life than the beginning. and I thought it wise to ask around, talking with everyday people, trying to get a good, accurate analysis of the overall economic outlook. Some may find this silly, after all, why  not just heed the advice and wisdom of all of the experts, offering their views on market conditions, the direction of interest rates, both short and long term, etc.  But, nothing ventured,

BASIC ECONOMICS teaches us that scarce commodities are more precious. This holds true for metals, rocks, food—and time. Which brings me to today’s topic: Time spent with my daughter and only child has reached the rare and precious stage.
In summer 2023, scarcity was far from my mind. My daughter and I traveled to visit Grandmama—my mother—five hours’ drive south of our home. The visit itself was short and mundane, with just the usual catching up with my mother and tending to her business.

Five non community property states – Alaska, Florida, Kentucky, South Dakota and Tennessee, currently allow married couples to create community property trusts (CPT).
The benefit of a CPT is the potential income tax savings to a surviving spouse via the full ‘step-up’ in basis of a home or other trust assets that occurs when the first spouse dies when assets held in the CPT are later sold.
There are likely a lot of negatives to establishing a CPT including complexity,

Bob’s a little out of place in the 21st century. He does not own a computer. He does possess a recent iPhone, but not the depth of understanding to take full advantage of its capabilities. I have to admit that my iPhone skills aren’t all that deep either.
Bob just found out that his SS number is on the dark web. The notices suggested freezing his credit along with some other ideas to protect himself. He tried doing the work on his smart phone,

801 US billionaires control a record $6.2 trillion in wealth.The bottom 50% of Americans control $3.7 trillion in wealth.
When 801 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem. So says a long ago Secretary of Labor on social media post. 
I assume, but can’t verify, these numbers are correct, but in any case I have to ask, what exactly is the problem? Sour grapes?
I attempted to learn the answer using AI,