What you actually get for your money in 2026

02/13/26 - Friday

February 13, 2026

Hey Friend,

It's Jen! Before we dive in, can I ask for a quick favor?

If you haven't already, would you please subscribe to our YouTube channel!?

It's completely free, and it genuinely helps us reach more people with our message of conscious consumption and values-based spending.

Plus, you get to see our faces and catch the social media posts and videos we reference in episodes.

We're working toward 10,000 subscribers, and every single one of you matters!

I'll be honest—I went into this episode thinking everything would be doom and gloom compared to 2006.

And yeah, some things made me want to cry a little (looking at you, mortgage payments).

Here's what surprised me: the "good old days" weren't all that good, and today's "bad" days aren't quite as bad as we think.

Let me give you some perspective:

  • 🏡 Mortgages: Even with similar interest rates to 2006, the typical mortgage payment is now hundreds to over $1,000 more per month simply because loan amounts are so much bigger. Ouch.

  • 🚗 Cars: Remember when you could walk into a showroom and find tons of affordable new cars under $20K? By the mid-2020s, those budget-friendly options mostly vanished. Now SUVs and trucks dominate, and those small sedans and hatchbacks we used to count on? Rare or completely discontinued at many brands.

But here's the flip side:

  • 📺 Streaming: Sure, we're juggling multiple streaming subscriptions now, but we're actually paying less overall for TV entertainment than we did for cable in 2006.

This episode really shifted my perspective. When you zoom out and compare what we're getting for our money, it's a mixed bag—not the disaster we sometimes think it is.

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Thanks for being part of this community and helping us spread the word about smarter, more intentional spending.

Your support truly means everything!

Talk soon,
Jen

P.S. What surprised you most about how prices have changed over the years? I'd love to hear your perspective—hit reply and let me know!

**Means this is a sponsored or affiliate section. We may earn a small fee or commission when you choose to try one of our sponsor or affiliate partners. But opinions are still 1000% our own.