Remember when hitting the million-dollar mark meant you were set for life? Those days are gone. A million in retirement savings today buys you way less than it did a decade ago.

Inflation's been eating away at purchasing power like crazy. What used to be "comfortable retirement" money now barely covers the basics in many places. Healthcare costs keep climbing, housing's still expensive, and everyday expenses? They add up faster than ever.

The math is brutal. That seven-figure nest egg might sound impressive, but after taxes and with current living costs, you're looking at maybe 30-40k annual income if you're playing it safe. Not exactly the luxury retirement people imagined.

This is exactly why smart money's looking at alternative stores of value. Traditional savings alone won't cut it anymore when fiat keeps losing ground.