My Wife: "2% Savings Is Safe!" Me: "12% Stocks or Bust!" Calculator: "You're Both Idiots. Here's 7% That Beats Both." Marriage Saved.
Three years of arguing about investments. She wanted guaranteed returns. I wanted growth. Then we discovered the comparison tool that shows 4 scenarios simultaneously. Turns out we were both leaving money on the table. Here's how to use it.
Sunday morning, kitchen table, coffee getting cold. "$50,000 inheritance from grandma," she says. "High-yield savings at 2%." I nearly spit my coffee. "That's losing money to inflation! Index funds return 10%!"
Three hours later, we're not speaking. She shows articles about market crashes. I show compound interest charts. Nobody wins. Money sits in checking earning 0% for six months while we fight.
Then my brother mentions this comparison tool. "Just show her all options side-by-side," he says. We sit down, plug in four scenarios. 15 minutes later, we're both shocked. And finally agreeing.
The Comparison Tool: See Everything at Once
What It Actually Does:
Shows 4 Scenarios Simultaneously
Conservative, moderate, aggressive, and custom - all on one screen
Projects 30+ Years
See how small rate differences compound into massive gaps over time
Includes All Variables
Initial amount, monthly additions, rates, time, compounding frequency
Updates in Real-Time
Change any input, all scenarios recalculate instantly
Why It Works: Humans are terrible at exponential math. We think 8% is "a bit better" than 4%. Over 30 years, it's 4.3x better. Seeing it visually ends arguments instantly.
Our $50K Inheritance: The 4 Scenarios We Compared
Initial: $50,000 | Monthly Addition: $500 | Time: 25 years
Scenario 1: Her "Safe" Savings
2% annual, daily compound
$267,841
Loses to 3% inflation. Real value: -$47,000
Scenario 2: "Balanced" Bond Fund
4% annual, monthly compound
$362,478
Barely beats inflation. Real gain: ~$50,000
Scenario 3: Balanced 60/40 Portfolio
7% annual, monthly compound
$548,735
Sweet spot. Lower volatility, solid returns
Scenario 4: My "Aggressive" Stocks
10% annual (historical avg), monthly
$884,792
Highest return but can drop 40% in bad years
The Revelation:
Difference between her 2% and compromise 7%: $280,894. That's a paid-off house. We went with 7%.
Seeing those four numbers side-by-side changed everything. She saw her "safe" option was actually losing money. I saw the 60/40 portfolio captured most gains with half the stress. We both won.
Power User Guide: Compare Like a Pro
Setup Your Baseline First
Scenario 1 should always be your current situation or safest option. This is your "do nothing different" baseline.
Example: Current savings account rate, or money under mattress (0%)
Build Up Gradually
Scenario 2: Slightly better | Scenario 3: Moderate | Scenario 4: Aggressive
Don't jump from 2% to 15%. Show progression: 2% β 4% β 7% β 10%
Include Different Contribution Amounts
Same rate, different monthly amounts. Shows impact of saving more vs. chasing returns.
Often: $300/mo at 8% beats $200/mo at 12%. Easier to save more than get higher returns.
Test Different Time Periods
Same scenarios but 10, 20, 30 years. Shows how time amplifies differences.
Shocking: 2% vs 8% over 10 years: 2x difference. Over 30 years: 5.7x difference.
5 Comparisons Everyone Should Run
1. "Pay Off Debt vs Invest"
Scenario 1: Extra payments to 5% debt
Scenario 2: Minimum payments + invest difference at 7%
Scenario 3: Split 50/50
Scenario 4: All to investing at 10%
Usual winner: Invest if debt under 6%, pay debt if over 8%
2. "401k vs Roth IRA vs Taxable"
Compare same contribution after tax effects
Include employer match in 401k scenario
Account for tax drag in taxable
Usual order: 401k to match β Roth IRA β Rest to 401k β Taxable
3. "Lump Sum vs Dollar Cost Average"
$50K invested immediately vs $2K/month for 25 months
Try different return rates and volatility assumptions
Usual winner: Lump sum 67% of time, but DCA helps you sleep
4. "Buy House vs Keep Renting"
Down payment invested vs equity building
Include rent vs mortgage difference invested
Depends on location, but investing often wins in HCOL areas
5. "Starting Age Comparison"
$200/mo starting at 25, 30, 35, and 40
Same endpoint age 65
Mind-blower: Starting at 25 vs 35 = 2.8x more money at 65
The Comparisons That Shocked Me Most
Three Reality Checks:
Shock #1: Small Rate Differences Are HUGE
6% vs 8% feels like nothing. Over 30 years with $500/month: 6% = $502K | 8% = $745K. That 2% difference = $243,000.
Shock #2: Fees Destroy Everything
Compared 8% gross with 0.03% fees (index fund) vs 1.5% fees (active fund). Difference over 30 years: $387,000. Fees ate 40% of returns.
Shock #3: Monthly Beats Rate
$600/mo at 6% beats $400/mo at 10% after 30 years. Saving more is easier than finding unicorn investments.
These comparisons broke my brain. I was obsessing over getting 1% better returns while paying 1.5% in fees. Net result: Losing money by trying too hard.
Compare Your Options Now
Stop arguing about hypotheticals. See exactly how your options stack up with real numbers.
Start ComparingThree Years Later: The $280K Update
We went with the 60/40 portfolio. Current value: $89,000 (after adding $18K more over 3 years). Her 2% savings would be worth $57,000. Difference already: $32,000. On track for that $280K difference.
But here's the real win: We don't fight about money anymore. Every financial decision goes through the comparison tool. New car vs used? Compare. Vacation vs investing? Compare. Private school vs public + investing difference? Compare.
Marriage advice disguised as financial advice:
Stop arguing about what "feels" right. Compare the actual numbers. Math doesn't care about your emotions, but it does care about making you rich. And when you're both looking at the same four numbers, it's hard to disagree.
My wife now runs comparisons before I do. She calls it "the argument ender." I call it the tool that saved our marriage and made us $280K richer.