Besides Bill Gates, I'm sure your concerns are felt by all of us trying to budget for health care, travel, retirement, etc. For myself, I just continue to work on my "Wants and "Needs" list on a monthly basis and continue to scratch things off my list that would not cause me to alter my lifestyle in some dramatic fashion (ie, computer gadgets, new vehicles, new clothes, etc.). I just wonder how far out it is until I reach the tipping point? The COLA for my retirement isn't going to keep my head above the murky waters forever. :-(