Chapter 1: What is inflation and why is it relevant today?
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Hey, million bazillionaires, long time no see. Or here. Do we mean here? Long time no see or here. But hey, we're putting the finishing touches on our upcoming season. Trailer's going to drop soon. You're going to love it.
Yes, but that's still a few weeks away, and there's some big news happening right now that we wanted to hop into your feed and talk to you about. So you may have noticed gas prices have gone up all of a sudden. That's after the United States started a war with Iran, a country located in the Middle East where a lot of the oil we use to make gasoline is drilled.
We're going to talk about gas prices in the new season, but we've touched on them before in an episode we did back in season three about inflation. Back then, the cost of a whole bunch of things had gone up at the same time.
That's right. And a lot has changed since then.
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Chapter 2: How do gas prices relate to inflation?
Inflation did eventually get under control for the most part. We'll see if that remains true moving forward. In the meantime, though, listen to this episode and maybe it'll make whatever happens next make a little more sense. Hey, Ryan, what you watching?
It's one of my favorite holiday movies, The Man Who Saved Arbor Day. It may be old and scratchy and in black and white, but it's a classic.
Oh, dear. How will we afford the Arbor Day turkey this year? It costs 75 cents. We don't have that kind of money. We can't even afford 10 cents for Arbor Day yams. Perhaps your boss, Mr. Spendthrift, could help us. He's the richest man in town. He has over $1,000 to his name. But Mr. Spinthrift is the meanest man in town.
Chapter 3: What historical context is important for understanding inflation?
He didn't even offer to pay for my heart surgery, which cost four dollars.
So what is this movie about?
It's mostly the characters worrying about money and saying prices out loud. But in a larger sense, it's about a man who's been cruel his whole life, suddenly deciding to be a good person. Here, let me fast forward to my favorite part. Mr. Spendthrift. Yes, it is I, Mr. Spendthrift. And I'm here to save your Arbor Day celebration with a 75-cent turkey, some 10-cent yams, your $4 heart surgery.
Wow, things used to be cheap back then, eh?
And last but not least, I'm buying you all a new car for $300.
Oh, thank you, Mr. Spendthrift.
I'm a good person now. Forget all those years I was mean. This cancels that out. And may the Arbor Day spirit live on with you all.
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Chapter 4: How does inflation affect purchasing power over time?
It's me every time.
Yeah, it's a pretty sweet ending.
Sometimes you just need a good cry.
Welcome back to Million Bazillion. I'm Bridget.
I'm Ryan. Pull it together, man. I'm Ryan, and we help dollars make more sense.
We're here to answer the questions you have about money. And here's a good one that just came in.
Hi, Ryan. Hi, Bridget. My name is Alder, and I live in Helena, Montana. My question is, why is a dollar today worth more than a dollar in the future?
How does Alder know what a dollar will be worth in the future?
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Chapter 5: What role does the Federal Reserve play in managing inflation?
Wait. Can Alder see the future?
I don't think so. I think Alder must have figured out that you used to be able to buy more stuff with a single dollar because stuff was cheaper. Like you could buy a hula hoop in the 1950s for like $1.99. But now a hula hoop costs $12. And she's probably guessing that a dollar in the future will be able to buy even less than it does today. Maybe a hula hoop will cost like $20.
OK, so we're sure she's not a psychic. What number am I thinking of, Alder?
Pretty sure she's not psychic. And you don't need to be one to guess that prices of things are going to continue to go up as time goes on. They've been going up for years. It's called inflation. And we're going to talk about it when we come back.
Chapter 6: What are the potential consequences of increasing prices?
And now it's time for asking random kids not so random questions. Today's question is, if you had a ton of money, what's the one thing you would do to help the world? I would spend the money to clean the ocean water. I would use my money to help Ukraine. to these four animals. Probably donate to local shelters. Of snakes. Um, sharing it.
I would buy lots of trees and I would plant them to help air pollution. Donating to charity to save the people who don't have homes and others that that's important. That was Emma, Audrey, Ellie, and Roman in Michigan, Eloise in Illinois, Ada in Georgia, and Mateo in California. This has been asking random kids not-so-random questions.
All right, let's do this. Let's explain filtration.
No, no, not filtration.
Chapter 7: How can individuals respond to rising inflation?
Inflation.
I'm pretty sure you said filtration back there.
pretty sure I said inflation. That's when the cost of a bunch of things go up at about the same time. It's a pretty normal thing that happens in our money system. Right now, inflation is higher than it's been in a while. So you might hear a lot of grownups talking about how the prices of the things they buy have gone up.
Oh, I sure have noticed it. Like gas and food got more expensive. And it's so frustrating to go to the store and realize that my hard-earned dollars don't buy as much. What does that have to do with Alder's question?
Well, Alder wants to know why dollars buy less over time. And that is a side effect of inflation.
Got it. How do we explain what's happening here?
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Chapter 8: What are the long-term effects of inflation on the economy?
Okay, well, first we really need to see how much prices have changed over time. So, you know, this is a perfect chance for us to jump in the time machine. Time machine?
Wow, we're in the 70s?
1972 to be exact, 50 years ago.
Everyone here looks like how cool people look now. It's like a whole land of cool people.
I knew I should have worn my high-waisted jeans. I'd have fit right in.
What should we do while we're here? Oh, wait, I know.
Let's watch a Scooby-Doo that's not a rerun. Wait, Ryan, look at the sign in that window over there. At that restaurant, hamburgers, 55 cents. French fries, 20 cents.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? That in the 70s, all the food looks smothered in mayonnaise?
No, everything costs less here. Now are you thinking what I'm thinking?
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