The Nest Egg #11: What did it cost when they were your age?
A then-and-now interview for kids and their families, plus what the latest inflation report means.
By the UNest team · 6 min read
Hi there,
Prices are always changing. Snacks, toys, and movie tickets don’t cost what they did when you were growing up, and they won’t cost the same when your kid is grown. This week, we're turning that into a money lesson.
In this issue we have a quick read on the latest inflation report, what parents and grandparents think about kids and money today, and a then-and-now interview your kid can do with you or another family member.
Let's get into it!
– Mitch, from The Nest Egg team
📈 MARKET, IN BRIEF
Your family's inflation rate is probably different
On October 14, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that prices rose 3.7% over the past year. That number is an average. The BLS tracks a big basket of everyday things, from groceries and gas to rent and haircuts, and weights each one by how much the typical household spends on it. Prices inside the basket moved very differently:
PRICE CHANGE OVER THE PAST YEAR
12 months ending September 2026
All items (overall inflation)
3.7%
Food (groceries and restaurants)
2.5%
Energy (gas, electricity, heating)
20.4%
Everything else (rent, cars, clothes, services)
2.6%
Gas alone rose 34.2%, the biggest reason energy is up so much.
So a family that drives a lot felt this year's price changes more than the average. A family whose biggest costs are groceries and rent felt them less.
What this means: Different items change at different speeds, over one year or over many. When your family fills in the interview card below, look at which items changed the most since you were a kid, and which barely changed at all.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, September 2026, released October 14, 2026. Figures are changes over the 12 months ending September 2026, not seasonally adjusted. This is not investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
💡 FOR PARENTS
Most grandparents think kids today are less ready to handle money
With cards, digital wallets, and online shopping, kids rarely use cash anymore. They have more ways to spend than any generation before them, and older generations aren't sure that's helping.
In a survey of 1,000 parents and grandparents commissioned by Wealth Enhancement, 61% of grandparents said today's kids are less prepared to manage money than they were at the same age, compared with 46% of parents. Across everyone surveyed, the lesson named most often as hardest to teach was avoiding impulse purchases and overspending (56%).
The good news is that adults who grew up with different prices have stories worth sharing. Whether it's you, a grandparent, or another relative, a story about what things used to cost can help children understand the value of a dollar. Below, we've put together a simple way to start that conversation.
Source: Wealth Enhancement, "The First Dollar" survey, announced August 11, 2026. Conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. parents and grandparents (500 of each), April 28 to May 4, 2026, using an email invitation and an online survey. UNest is not affiliated with Wealth Enhancement.
⏳ THEN & NOW
When you were a kid, what did it cost?
Have your kid interview you about what everyday things cost when you were their age. If a grandparent or another relative is around, they can join in too. Look up today's prices together, then write down what each one cost back then. Comparing the two shows how prices change over time, which is what inflation measures.
THE INTERVIEW CARD THEN NOW
MITCH'S EXAMPLEA Big Mac meal (2001) $3.84 $9.34
A candy bar $_____ $_____
A movie ticket $_____ $_____
A gallon of gas $_____ $_____
A new bike $_____ $_____
Hourly pay at your first job $_____ $_____
Example prices: 2001 from a photographed McDonald's menu, July 2001; today from the MenuPriceTracker national average, Oct. 2026. Prices vary by location.
"I remember saving up a few dollars and riding my bike to McDonald's as a treat. Now when I go, I can't believe how high the prices are."
– Mitch
1. Look up today's prices together and fill in the "Now" column.
2. Your kid asks what each one cost when you, or another family member, were their age.
3. Compare the columns. Which price changed the most, and which barely changed?
Enter a "Then" price and the year, and see what it equals today.
🧮 Try the BLS inflation calculator →
What was your most surprising "then" price? Reply to Mitch.Voellinger@unest.co and tell me.
It's also a good moment to explain why many families invest part of their savings instead of keeping it all in cash: invested money has the potential to grow over time.
Deposits are invested according to the account's selected portfolio and are subject to market risk; investments may lose value. UNest custodial accounts are UTMA accounts. Funds belong to the child and must be used for the child's benefit. Control transfers to the child at the age set by state law, typically 18 or 21, and up to 25 in some states. Withdrawals may have tax consequences. Nothing here is investment, tax, or legal advice.
🎁 GIFTING
Pair the story with a gift
If family members joined the interview, or would enjoy hearing how it went, send them your Gifting link. A gift to your kid's account goes right alongside the stories, and it's something your kid can hold on to for years.
Find your link: open the UNest app and tap Gifting on your home page. Family can give without downloading the app or creating an account.
Gifts are invested according to the account's selected portfolio and are subject to market risk. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value.
Know a parent who would like UNest? Earn $20 when they complete 3 consecutive monthly deposits.
How was this issue? Reply to Mitch and let me know what you think.
Referral: when your friend signs up using your link and sets up monthly recurring deposits for their child, you receive $20 once they complete 3 consecutive monthly deposits. The $20 is added directly to your UNest account.
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