I like looking at charts. Don’t you? They can convey a lot of information in a visually appealing way. While they can also mislead (just like words), they allow the brain to process data in a way that often communicates more powerfully than written or spoken words. (At least, from a guy who likes looking at charts.)
Recently, while looking at a chart of the dollar’s value over time, I knew inflation was reducing the buying power of my dollar because of the Que-Burger Indicator. The Que-Burger indicator is the Franks family’s ongoing 52-year research project of purchasing the world-famous Que-burger from Popplo’s Pizza in Malvern, Arkansas. Every year gives us a tangible measure of the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a real-world example of the erosion of the dollar’s purchasing power.
In 1971 when Popplo’s opened, you could order five Que-Burgers for a dollar (or so I am told; I can only recall four Que-Burgers for a dollar). The current price for one Que-Burger as of April 2023 is $3.45. Thus, the change from $0.25 to $3.45 or an increase of 1280%! An annualized price change of 24.61% per year. If that doesn’t strike fear in your stomach, you simply don’t know the true value of a Que-Burger!
But it is not just Que-Burgers; this affects every other item you purchase. Think movie ticket prices, gallons of gasoline, cars, vacations, etc., and it does not appear to be stopping. In fact, over the last couple of years, we have seen the dollar value loss increase almost exponentially. The chart I referenced earlier shows a significant decline in the dollar’s value with a continuous and steep drop from the upper left to the bottom right corner of the page. Although we know that the dollar will eventually lose its purchasing power, it is alarming to see how rapidly this is occurring.
Far too many people are still unaware of the impact of inflation on their daily lives. This sharp value decrease will impact an individual’s future well-being, retirement, and ability to give generously to the ministries and missions they love. Churches, Universities, ministries, and associations will also be forced to raise more money to do the same ministry. This should motivate us to save, invest, and give more!
Spending less than you receive is the key, but saving and where and what you save is part of the solution. Instead of just storing money, we must invest. It is the only solution to keeping up with inflation by investing in a well-balanced portfolio to offset increasing future expenses.
For churches, associations, entities, and ministries, MBF can come alongside and provide various options to help meet the financial needs of today, tomorrow, and ten thousand tomorrows. In addition, MBF offers a Cash Fund for Missouri Baptist individuals. The May rate is 4.50% annualized.
It seems like buying a Que-Burger will only get more expensive in the future, so invest now to positively impact the future work of the ministries you believe in and, most importantly, to help Advance the Gospel.