Bent Measuring Stick

(On New Year’s Day, this one feels especially fitting.)

Bottle of Champagne for a New Year’s Toast (1995 → 2025)

1995 Price — A decent bottle of champagne or sparkling wine for New Year’s typically cost $10–$12.

2025 Price — A comparable bottle now commonly costs $30–$40, roughly a 3× increase for the same pop of the cork at midnight.

New Year’s is when we measure our lives in years rather than minutes, pausing to notice what has changed and what has endured. And when the measuring stick bends, even our rituals for marking time quietly demand more of the hours and effort we carried with us into the new year.

#soundmoney #bitcoin #inflation #purchasingpower #fiat