As we get older, health care costs increase. This much, most of us can agree on, right?

That being said, when many of us plan for retirement we think about health care costs as just one part of our future needs.  There are other basic needs - housing, food, etc – that we think about. But it’s often tempting to think about things that are wants, rather than needs. For example, traveling, a dream home, and other aspirational things of the like.

However, perhaps it’s time to revisit the personal finance hierarchy of needs, and look at the foundational needs. Did you notice “medical care” noted there? Well, it’s something that we all need, and this need increases as we get older. A recent article on WSJ brought to light some eye-popping monetary figures on the cost of health care in retirement.  It’s really quite an expensive proposition!

The article noted a figure of $240,000 as the estimated cost of health care for a couple retiring in 2012. Even crazier, these costs apparently don’t include nursing home care expenses, according to the article.

This is, quite simply, a ton of money. Now, I’m nowhere near 65 or near retirement, but this still jumps out at me as a big deal that many people don’t seem to pay enough attention to.  Like I alluded to before, I think that people tend to think about retirement as some kind of promised land of traveling, relaxing, maybe grandchildren, etc. But what about the elephant in the room: health care costs?

When you think about it, there are probably a ton of people here in the U.S. that are 65 or older that have nowhere near $240,000 in net worth.  I mean, when you think about how many people can’t cover unexpected expenses, it makes you wonder how many are prepared to handle their health care needs in retirement.  That is, if they can ever retire!

I really hope to not be in a position to face such struggles..  This type of situation serves as a financial motivator, in terms of being responsible with health and money, and planning for the future.  That planning clearly must take into account the importance of good health, and the financial costs of not having it when older.

Bottom line: Save diligently for old age, no matter how far away, and be aware of the critical need to cover health care expenses.

My Questions for You:

Have you given thought to the high costs of health care in old age?

Does this figure of $240,000 surprise you, or is it in line with what you thought?

Do you ever wonder how people will handle such expenses when they don’t have much in savings to begin with?

As consumers, most of us like to get really good customer service. While it might not matter as much in some purchases decisions that are driven by price, there are many other situations where getting good customer service can strongly influence us or simply make a lasting impression.

A while back, I shared what I consider to be my best customer service experience ever, when I had traveled to the Great Wall of China, and a person went to extraordinary lengths to deliver a purchase to me.   It was truly impressive how much effort that person put forth in the name of customer service.

While reminded of that experience recently, I thought it might be good to also share my worst customer service experience ever.  Now, I can recall several horrible examples of customer service that made my blood boil at the time, and rightfully so I might add.  I’ve gotten over them of course, and learned lessons along the way. This particular episode wasn’t as upsetting at the time, but I thought it was so blatantly tacky and lacking in customer service that it’s just the first one that immediately comes to mind now.

The Scene

Over a decade ago, I was on a work assignment away from home, stationed for a few months (during the work week) in Detroit of all places.  The place at which I was staying was in the suburbs, in a fairly decent area with some good shopping nearby.

One evening I decided that I would go get a haircut.  Now, I’ve posted before how I’ve learned that the cost of a haircut doesn’t need to be excessive, at least for the typical guy anyway.   Well, that particular evening I went to a place that charged $30 for a haircut. That’s more than I would pay today, and was certainly expensive back then.  However, I didn’t know the area and the place seemed nice (and was the first I saw).  My thought process as I recall was that it was worth it at that time, especially as I was in an unfamiliar city.  A better place equaled less risk as I saw it, and I spent more back then anyway – unlike my low cost haircuts these days

The Transgressions

So I walked in and ended up getting my haircut from an attractive woman with a seemingly friendly and outgoing personality.  She asked me questions about myself, and was friendly about giving me suggestions on things to do during the evenings while I was on my assignment there.  So far, not a bad experience.

However, things then went downhill.

First, she started telling me about the local bookstore which she enjoyed going to and checking out new books.  She proceeded to tell me how she would go in there every week, and walk out spending at least $60 on books because she just couldn’t help herself.  Huh?  Well, okay – that’s not indicative of bad customer service, I agree. But as a personal finance maven, it made me think “I feel sorry for her husband”.

Anyway, back to the transgressions. As she was blabbering away, I felt sharp pain in my ear. I remember audibly expressing “Ouch!” or something to that effect, apparently loud enough that others around could hear.  I instinctively felt my ear, and there was a bit of blood.  The woman cut my ear!

She tried to laugh it off, by saying something like “oh sorry”, followed by words to the effect of “it’s not so bad. You look like you’re tough enough to handle it.”

Well, obviously I lived:) But let’s be real here, it’s not normal to cut the ear of a customer and cause bleeding!

After the haircut was done, she was quick to direct me to the front register to pay. Nothing about a discount, nothing about it’s on us, let me see if the manager can do something about taking care of you, etc.  She was eager to get me to pay, and move on so the next customer could step up.

The best part: She eagerly told me (paraphrased) “you can either leave the tip with the cashier, include it when you charge, or you can just give it to me in cash”

Seriously?

My Reaction

I did not leave a tip. That being said, I didn’t complain or throw a fit either. I just quietly walked out in disbelief, without complaint, too stunned to say anything.

I’m sure there have been other cases where I’ve had much worse service by other people’s standards, but this one just jumps out at me because of how cheesy that lady was!  I now think that I should have at least said something about it, but if nothing else I can joke and laugh about it now

My Questions for You:

How would you have handled that situation?

Does that seem a bit crazy to you that they would charge full price after injuring a customer?

What is your worst customer experience ever? I’m curious to hear about a crazy situation that you’ve dealt with.

Anyone who regularly visits here can tell that I’m a fan of thinking ahead in terms of future financial needs.  My own driving financial motivation keeps me thinking about the future even as I simultaneously enjoy and live in the present.

Clearly, retirement planning is important.  Along those lines, I like to keep me eyes and mind open for different ideas on how to make good decisions in terms of saving for the future. Sometimes means taking in new or less frequently discussed ideas, but it also might mean reinforcing existing views with some repetition.

A recent article from US News provided a mix of both, as it shared ways to be more individually reliant in terms of retirement planning.  Good, solid tips that I think we should keep in mind as we think toward our future.  Below I’ll state the tips (paraphrased), along with my viewpoint on each.

1. Downsize before immediately necessary.  I agree totally. It’s not like it’s any mystery that we’ll need money in the future, so why spend without regard for future savings? We’ll need to save and invest now to make retirement feasible and decent in the future.  Why live with a big hat no cattle lifestyle? Differentiate wants and needs, and be true to those current and future needs.
2. Say No.  This could apply to many people who want your resources, but it’s often hard for many of us to say no to kids.  As a parent of younger kids, it’s a concept that I intellectually get but have a hard time with sometimes.  However, when you’re old and they’re young adults, you’ll have far less available years to work. They won’t.  At some point we need to avoid martyrdom, and take care of our basic needs for retirement first.
3. Delay Social Security.  Admittedly, I don’t think of this much since I’m far off from that time period. Additionally, I am conditioning myself not to count on social security in the future.  However, it’s worth thinking about anyway. For those closer to that age, it’s definitely worth considering, as it can be quite costly to retire too soon.
4. Invest in Wellness.  This is one I totally agree with.  Also, it’s one that I need to really force myself to continually focus on and would like to do a better job with.  Really, I do think that when one looks at the role of money in life, there is a connection with health (and relationships).  Without health, life can break down.  It’s imperative to think about the connection of health and money, and not be afraid to invest some time and money into staying healthy and fit.
5. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.  By working hard and making smart, disciplined decisions, we can achieve great things. That being said, not everything always follows our plans, despite our best intentions and actions. Things can and do happen.  If a big unexpected expense happens, we want to be ready to handle it. 

One more I’d like to add is the idea that we should avoid procrastination. Tomorrow comes quicker than we often realize, so rather than start taking steps “someday”, we might as well do it now.

What do You Think?

How many of these 5 do you actively focus on?

Can you think of any other tips for self-reliance in retirement planning?

Family is so important to many of us.  For some, family mementos can be really special things to appreciate, cherish, and even respect.

I came across one of these mementos in recent weeks, as I’ve been helping my parents pack to move out of their home of 34 years (challenging task all around, by the way).  You may remember that I recently shared a story about what was basically a money time capsule, finding some memorabilia while helping with this same move. Well, this other item I found was very cool, as it involved a letter from my grandfather.

You see, I never met my grandfather.  He passed away when I was just a toddler, back in the 1970’s.  He lived thousands of miles away, and actually never got a chance to meet me in person.  My other grandfather passed away before I was born, so the reality is that I never met either of my grandfathers.

Further, there are very few pictures we have of him.  Those few pictures that I’ve seen were all I really knew of him, other than what I heard from some stories. One of which is that when I was born, he was mailed a picture which he carried with him in his wallet and he proudly showed off his only grandson (he had other granddaughters).  So, when my father recently told me that he stumbled upon a letter from my grandfather to him, I was quite curious to check it out.

It was very cool to read this letter. It’s the only communication I’ve ever seen of his, as I’ve seen no other letters and never heard his voice.  Anyway, I read through it fascinated with how he wrote, and what his thoughts were as he composed the letter to my father. It was apparently from the late 1960’s, before I was born.

Keep in mind that back then, there was no email, texting, facebook, etc.  To keep in touch, people either saw each other face to face, wrote letters, or made expensive long distance phone calls.

Anyway,  I read through the letter, taking in this window to my grandfather’s personality. I saw a man who seemed like a very nice person, very interested in family and how they were doing, and in sharing what was going on with him.  The letter seemed to be written with genuine warmth. It was cool reading it.

There was one part in particular that made me smile, and feel an instant bond with him.  He made a comment in the letter, toward my Dad, that there was no urgent need for my Dad to call.  His comment was that calls were expensive there “is no need to spend money”.

At that moment, I felt like I understood my grandfather I never met

It seems like family teachings can pass down several generations!

Anyway, the whole letter was a priceless memento that was a true pleasure to read.  Money can’t buy something like that, and I value it immensely.

Now, there may be one slight problem. As I brought up the letter with my father a week after it was found, he remarked that he wasn’t exactly sure where he put it, and hopes it’s in one of the boxes.  Ugh!

Well, maybe now, this means it will be unpacked and found again in the future at some undetermined time, where one of my own kids will smile at how Great-Grandpa was just like Grandpa and Dad

Not all ATMs are the same!

Wouldn’t it be great to be just about perfect? Well, not that I ever had any wacky illusions of that, but if anyone ever thought I was totally sound when it came to all money moves, a recent mistake would clearly disprove that.

We’ve all been there. You know, the times when we feel like a fool for making a dumb financial move.

Here’s what I did.  Two weeks ago, I was in a major hurry to get someplace in the evening. I was leaving the city, and was headed out of town. Thus, while I often like public transpiration instead of driving, I did have to drive that day and parked my car in an out of the way lot. This place cost $15 for an “earlybird” rate, as long as you got out by 6pm. It was a deal, compared to the garages in this area of Downtown Chicago which typically charge between $30 to $40 to park during the working day. Yes, it’s not cheap here in the Windy City!

Anyway, I rushed to the lot and asked to pay. The guy immediately told me “Cash only”, which was corroborated by a sign at the booth. Okay, I suppose I missed that sign in the morning when I got there.  So I had to tell him that I needed cash, and that I’d be right back after I found an ATM. He said fine, but I realized that I needed to rush back so that I wasn’t charged the full price.

I went a few blocks to a location I knew would have ATMs, and went to the first one I saw. It wasn’t for my bank, but at this point I didn’t care. I just needed to get the cash, get to the car, and leave.  So I withdrew money, and agreed when I saw the prompt on the screen that notified me that the bank would charge me a $3 fee in addition to whatever fee my bank charged.  I can’t stand ATM fees, but figured that this was a rare exception and that I didn’t have a choice in this situation anyway.

So, I withdrew the money, and turned to my left and started to walk away. As I did, I froze.

Right in front of me – literally, right there before me – was an ATM from my bank.

It instantly hit me that in my rush to just find the first ATM and get money right away, I never bothered to even glance around to notice the other ATM that was there.  After paying the 2 fees, I just wasted $6 right there. For no reason whatsoever, other than carelessness.  I mean, the no-fee machine from my own bank was basically right next to the other machine.

Now can you see how I felt like I made a dumb financial move? There is no rationalizing this away.

Well, when we make mistakes we should try to learn from them. Two quick takeaways for me were:

• Pay attention.  If I would have seen the sign in the morning that noted “cash only” , I might have been able to get the money ahead of time. By not having my head in the game at that time, I cost myself a few bucks.
• Manage time well.  If I would have planned my time better, even by a few minutes, I wouldn’t have been rushed and prone to making a careless move.

Of course we all know that we should pay attention and manage time well, but sometimes we need a reminder to do the basic things.  This was a $6 reminder!

My Questions for You

Have you ever made any really silly, dumb financial moves like this one?

What were the circumstances, and why did it happen?

Did you learn any applicable lessons from the experience?

When we think of ways to build wealth, we often think of ways to make more money and spend less money. The more you make, and the less you spend, the more you keep.

Over time, that can accumulate into a solid foundation for retirement, and help us to grow net worth.  However, we must also watch out for some financial pitfalls along the way, though proper risk management.  One very basic way to do this is to simply avoid losing money.   It’s basic, yet interesting how the math works: you get excessively punished over the long run when you lose money on an investment or other financial decision.

Here’s what I mean:

Let’s say you start with an investment of $10,000 in a company’s stock. Let’s say that company has some negative developments, and its future looks less rosy by the end of that year. Further, let’s assume that the stock drops 20%.  This means that your $10,000 investment just fell to a value of $8,000.

Okay fine, not the end of the world, right? As we know, the stock market can be volatile, so if it goes down one year it might go up the next, right?  Let’s say it goes back up 20% the following year.  Does that cancel out the 20% loss from the prior year, to make us even?

No.  A 20% increase from $8,000 puts us at $9,600.  To get back to where we started, $10,000, the stock has to go up 25% in that second year.

If you lose money, it takes a larger percentage increase to catch up.  Lose 20%, and you have to gain 25% to break even.

I think this basic concept speaks to the importance of managing financial risks, and making sure to avoid big financial losses.

Keep in mind that I’m not saying that one shouldn’t invest in the stock market. I’m simply using the stock example to illustrate how any investment or decision resulting in a loss can make our money have to work harder to get back to break even.

How can we avoid big losses while managing risks? Here are a few examples:

1. Buy index funds.  You’re still buying stocks, but you’re diversifying risk compared to focusing on just one or a few stocks.
2. Get the right insurance.  Home, car, and other insurance policies can help protect us in the event of disasters.  Problems can and do happen, even if some are less likely than others.
3. Conduct good estate planning.  In the event of an unfortunate passing, nobody wants their money to be given to somebody not deserving! Also, nobody wants to see fighting over an inheritance divided between siblings.  While this is a different type of loss, its one most would want to avoid.
4. Do your homework.  By this, I mean actually think about big purchases analytically and not just emotionally.  For example, buying a home that is a good value versus buying a dream home based on emotion and not much else.
5. Watch out for scams.  There are scams that happen all over the place, and it’s particularly tragic when it happens to unknowing seniors. Even those of us that aren’t of that age often face jokers who try to swindle us.  Have you ever received one of those emails promising a financial windfall?

Bottom line is that once we lose money, it’s harder to get it back based on the math.  Risks are a normal part of life and investing, but we should be sure to remember the downside and protect against it.  We just might end up very thankful we did!

My Questions for You:

Do you ever think about how a certain percentage loss requires an even greater percentage gain just to get back to where you started?

Do you manage risks based on the 5 ways listed?

Are there any other suggestions you have for managing financial risks?

Most of us fondly remember summer vacation from our days in school.  For those still in school, or even for some working in education, summer might still be a time that’s marked by many weeks off.  Actually, it’s a popular season for most of us to consider taking some time off.

This might also apply to your stock investments.  That’s right, based on historical data, it seems as if they like to take summer break too.  This is why there’s a saying called “Sell in May and stay away”, referring to the concept of a summer swoon in stock prices.

The idea of sell in May and go away is based on the reality that over time, for whatever reason, stock prices have simply not performed well in the warm weather months here in the Northern Hemisphere.  A look at historical stock returns indicates that when looking at monthly performance for 40 years – from 1971 to 2010 – there are clear trends as follows:

As can be seen, beginning in May, market returns tend to slide into a period of poor performance historically.  Rates of return have been low in June, and trend lower each month until reaching a nadir in September. Ever heard of the September Effect?

Does this mean that every year stocks perform this way? No. Does this mean that I’m specifically recommending that anyone makes specific buy/sell decisions based on this data? No.

That being said, I think it’s good to be informed, and its food for thought when data reveals some interesting historical stock patterns.  Those returns in the colder weather months, from November through April, look pretty good when you remind yourself that these are simply monthly returns.  Who knows, maybe people have less recreational options and more time to spend focusing on business and investing during those cold months:)

What Do You Think?

Have you heard of the concept of sell in May and go away?

Why do you suspect that stocks have fared better in other months versus the summer months?

Do you think we can learn from historical trends and patterns in stock prices?

Planning for retirement is an important part of personal finance.  Money isn’t going to magically come crashing down from the sky, showering us with financial security in our old age. Rather, it’s up to us to make this happen.

This is why it’s important to make good decisions, while avoiding retirement planning mistakes.  When I think of my own big financial motivaton, it’s easy to take seriously the need to plan for retirement.  Nobody wants to end up old and stressed about money!

Along those lines, a recent article on Moneyland caught my eye. It discusses major mistakes people make in planning for retirement, and shares seven.  Below are the ones they’ve mentioned, along with my own commentary and thoughts on each.

1. Assuming you will have control over when you quit.  I agree with this one wholeheartedly.  Most people don’t factor in unforeseen circumstances, or other negatives that just happen whether or not we want them to happen.  I was once told second hand, years ago, about a guy who worked a company for a long time, like almost 30 years. A year before he was to quit and get full retirement benefits, they got rid of him. He never saw it coming and was crushed.  But hey, they saved themselves some money, right? Or, a person could get sick and be unable to work – I think many of us have seen this happen to people. Bottom line is that things happen.
2. Ignoring the tax impact of distributions.  The article mentions that almost half of workplace retirement participants cash out and deal with penalties. Are you kidding me? This speaks to the value of financial education, and the need to understand how to grow net worth.
3. Not saving enough for medical costs.  Totally agree.  I wonder if you agree with me that the average person, when younger, just doesn’t give enough thought to the reality that while they might be healthy now, they will likely have problems when older no matter what their best intentions are. Things break down when we get older, don’t think that eating very healthy, regular exercise, etc will be enough to prevent all problems.  Thinking about this reality, along with how high out of pocket costs can be, makes it paramount to save for medical costs that are far greater than anything you’re spending today.
4. Failing to lock up lifetime income.  I do agree that regular cash flow is very helpful, but am simply not sure that an immediate fixed annuity is a panacea, and certainly don’t expect that most of us should be counting on social security. The latter is especially true the longer you have until you actually retire.  Best to save, save, and save some more.
5. Retiring too soon.  This goes hand in hand with the next point on underestimating longevity.  Aside from social security income or pension (if you’re lucky enough to have one) concerns, when one drops out of the workforce when older, it can be tougher to get back in if needed.
6. Underestimating longevity.   If one outlives his or her money, there’s a positive involved: you’re living longer! Wouldn’t that be a good thing? Maybe it’s best to reframe thinking here, and think positively that we’ll each live a long time, but negatively about our ability to work in our older years.  In other words, there could be many years where we’ll be alive but unable to work.
7. Drawing down retirement savings too quickly.  This is where financial planning, relatively basic math, and some common sense can help a lot.  You don’t want to risk running out of money, which means we must continue to discern wants and needs in retirement.

Personally, I’m a long way from retirement. But I try to keep in mind that I’m working for myself today, and the needs of the “future me” of 30 years from now.  When that so-called future version of ourselves is older, creaky, has less energy, is less employable, and  might not be able to work – we’ll be thankful for the savings that took place when much younger.

My Questions for You 

Have you given thought to any of these 7 mistakes? How do your views align with mine on this topic?

Have you seen others make these types of mistakes?

Do you have any additional ones to add?

Searching for a job can be either an easy task or a daunting one, depending on one’s circumstances. If you’re in a high demand field, have had tremendous success, and carry a vast network – it might be fairy easy. If you’re unemployed, in an area with few jobs, and have other obstacles – it can be much tougher.  Either way, you would likely have some communication being done via email.

It’s hard to get around email and business communication.  Thus, it makes sense to try to do it in a way that allows you to avoid making mistakes, while providing you an opportunity to succeed.

I recently saw an article on US News Money that discussed way that making email mistakes can impact one’s job search.  Here are the 10 ways (paraphrased) they listed, along with my comments for each:

1. Sharing an Email Account with One’s Spouse.  I actually know one person who still shares an email account with his wife. Actually, make that two, as I think about it. One guy sent out an email to a group and needed to clarify that it was coming from him.  Not work related, but he was a former coworker anyway. Bottom line is that it’s confusing and looks a bit odd these days to share email in any situation. For a job search, it’s senseless. I would recommend getting a completely dedicated email for job searching, separate from your primary personal email account.
2. Having an Unprofessional Email Signature. Totally agree, and I find it strange how some people feel the need to have signatures. I’ve seen one guy with a saying related to his college being in his email signature.  One can hope that he wasn’t corresponding with potential employers, or doing any networking, with such a signature. No need to provide anything that somebody could have a bias against.
3. Using Unusual Fonts in Your Email.  Might as well keep your email font totally standard. Again, why rock the boat by trying to stand out in this way?
4. Using Email Stationary.  I can’t imagine why anybody would want to do this. Keep it simple for a job search, and leave the flowery stuff for totally personal email.
5. Making People Deal With Anti-Spam Filters. Again, do people really do this when job searching?
6. Not Checking Spam Folders.  Whether personal or professional, I have actually seen legitimate emails show up in spam folders from time to time. Best to do a quick check rather than instantly delete all.
7. Sending a Mass Email with Resume and Cover Letter.  Don’t do this. I think it makes sense to tailor each letter to the specific company, recipient, and position. Now, having a few general templates and structures to be applied to different communication does make sense in terms of saving time. However, I think it’s imperative to tailor communication in some way for each situation, which needs to be done with individual emails.
8. Having an Unprofessional Email Address.  It’s mind-boggling that people do this, but they do. I know someone that keeps his old sports jersey number in his email address. The glory days are great, but make sure that they aren’t a part of a job search (I would think he isn’t making this mistake). Also, think about which type of email provider you are using. As we have discussed before, there are some uncool email addresses out there.  In other words, consider Gmail instead of Hotmail
9. Formatting Your Email Address Like a Business Letter.  With date, mailing addresses, etc – I presume. Come on, now. Nobody really does this, right?
10. Using Your Work Account to Apply for Jobs.  Unless it’s within your own company, it seems unreal that anybody would use their work email to network or apply for other work. Remember, it’s not your personal address no matter how long you’ve worked there, and they can probably see everything you’re writing and sending if they want to. Just use a dedicated personal email address!

My Questions For You

What do you think about these ways that people sabotage their chances? Do you agree with all of these?

Which of these is the most egregious ways people handle email with job searching?

What are some of the ways you’ve seen others (or you) make mistakes in job search communication?

Have you ever come across a time capsule?

I recently found what amounted to one when I was going through a box at my parents’ house, which was also my childhood home. They’re selling it after 34 years, which brings about a range of emotions in them and me as well. It’s for the best at this point in time, but it doesn’t make it fun.  Wow, I wish they could keep it forever, but as we know, nothing lasts forever, including us.  Sometimes we need to embrace new beginnings.

If there’s a good side benefit of this, it’s uncovering things that were sitting around for years that you forgot about, but are nice to see again. I found so many of those things, it’s really surprising. Almost all things that really me or someone in my family could personally value, but those are often the best kind, right?

Well, I might share a few of these in future posts, as there were many. But one type of item I found was a group of ticket stubs to baseball games in the late 1980’s.  Yes, I’m not super young.  I was a teen back then who just got my license, and would occasionally drive from the suburbs into Chicago to see major league ball games with friends.  I even have some opening day memories, when we missed school to see a game once (Mom and Dad if you’re reading this – Surprise!).

Anyway, finding those ticket stubs in mint condition, while I never knew were still there, brought a smile to my face. I don’t know why they weren’t thrown away originally, it was probably an accident that they were kept way back when. But once I saw them, I recalled how a few times we took off on a few school nights to go into the city. I can still remember, back before cell phones, we would tell each other at school that we would meet up at someone’s house at 6:00pm, after we all ate dinner, and then drive into the city to catch a 7:30 game. If we hustled, we got there early to catch batting practice and maybe a ball.

It brought back memories of how carefree we were back then, and even how the worries that we had were really miniscule in the big picture. And also, conversely, how little we worried about what we should have.  The area around grand old Comiskey Park (1910-1990) was commonly perceived as high-crime and dangerous at night during that era, but we threw caution to the wind and just drove up from the vastly different suburbs without caring. What a great time of life!

It also brought a smile to my face when I saw the cost of the ticket. You know I would do that, right? Well, the one of the tickets I saw was for $2. Can you imagine going to a game today for $2?

I’m sure it was for some kind of discounted day, like a half price night or something like that. But still, if you take $2 and apply an inflation rate of 3.5% to it and let it compound for 24 years, it still comes out to just $4.57 in today’s purchasing power.  How easy is it to get admission to a major league game today for $4.57? Go check on the prices of tickets anywhere these days, and you might be surprised by how expensive it can be.

I think you tell I thought it was a fun find J

My Questions For You

Have you ever come across something from your youth that was fun to find? It doesn’t have to be money related, just something that was cool or surprising to find, and reminds you of good times.

Do you recall times in the past where you went out with friends and had lots of fun for little money?