<p>BusDriver11 – you are correct; my post at #77 is my general thinking about the value of transparency, and of projecting a dollar amount. It’s not an illustration of the situation that prompted me to post.</p>
<p>In terms of exact amounts and how costs vary from year to year, the kids have to become acquainted with what business owners understand – when you’re planning several years out into the future, you make projections, and then you hone in on more exact numbers as you get real data, closer to the target date. You use round numbers at first. You might also compare apples to apples by comparing things on the basis of what they cost today, although the second one to come through the pipeline will always pay more. There’s also that much more time for appreciation on any early money. The family might plan to absorb the upward trend in pricing, over time, and tell both kids to think in terms of a budget that would be “$x today”.</p>