Zimbabwe’s Inflation Tops 100,000 Percent

As the U.S. battles a serious inflation problem, we can at least be thankful it’s not as bad as the inflation issues Zimbabwe faces. Yesterday, Zimbabwe’s statistical office reported inflation of over 100,000 percent. That’s right, 100,000 percent; no extra zeros have been added for emphasis.

To give you an idea of what that type of inflation looks like, in Zimbabwe a simple loaf of bread costs around Z$3.5 million, according to VOA News. Can you imagine having to carry around 3.5 million dollars in cash just to buy a loaf of bread? As you have probably realized, this is not good for Zimbabwe’s economy; things have become truly disastrous there. Zimbabwe’s per capita GDP has shrunk from $200 in 1996 to around $9 now, according to CNN.

Unfortunately, a country that was on the rise has essentially been ruined by one man: Mr. Robert Mugabe. Since he won’t allow anyone to run against him in the elections, it doesn’t seem like he will be voted out anytime soon. The good news is that he is 84 years old, so he can’t last all that much longer. Castro resigned this week, so maybe Mugabe is the next dictator on his way out. Here’s hoping, anyway.

With the U.S. inflation rate at a little over 4 percent we don’t need to worry about problems of this scale, and I’m very thankful for that. But inflation in the U.S. is still a major problem. If people continue to overlook inflation, it will eventually eat their savings. Plan for inflation now, and invest accordingly. Ignore it, and your retirement could be in peril.