Inflation, made tangible
Inflation numbers are abstract; the price of everyday things is not. By running the CPI backward, this tool shows what a dollar from decades ago is worth now — and why "things used to be cheaper" isn't just nostalgia, it's measurable.
It's also a reality check on savings: money sitting in cash slowly loses purchasing power, which is why long-term savers look to investments that outpace inflation.
What you're probably wondering
It uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, comparing the year you pick against today.
It's how much your money can actually buy. $100 in 1990 bought far more than $100 today — the calculator shows the equivalent in today's dollars.
Yes. It's a great way to check whether a salary or budget has kept up with inflation between two points in time.