It's "a tradition unlike any other."

The $1.50 pimento cheese sandwich.

Every year at the Masters, you'll hear TV commentators wax nostalgic about what makes the world's most famous golf tournament unique: the course, the history, the cell phone ban.

And those sandwiches, which, at the very first Masters in 1934, cost just $0.30. If the pimento and cheese had kept pace with the rate of inflation since then, today it would cost $7.50. But the $1.50 price tag has stuck since 2003.

Other than Costco hot dogs ($1.50) and Arizona Iced Tea ($0.99), there aren't many other examples of products whose prices have stayed flat over time. In the past couple of years, we've all had to cope with costs that have risen a little faster than we're used to, not just at the grocery store but at the pump and on our utility bills.

As we discuss on today's show, protecting your nest egg against inflation and other variable costs is an important part of a comprehensive financial plan, especially once you retire.

When I think about the start of spring, I think about spending the Easter holiday with my family, the colors returning to our green spaces, a little more sunshine, and maybe a shower or two.

Hail the size of baseballs? Not a part of my vision!

But that's what a massive storm brought to Kansas City a few weeks ago. Like so many folks, I'm still fixing broken windshields and dents on my family's cars and having my roof checked out.

Of course, none of us can control the weather. But we can prepare for the unexpected by buying insurance, keeping some emergency cash in our savings, and making home upgrades that protect our most valuable assets.

And, as we discuss on today's show while answering three timely listener questions, the same principle applies to financial planning. We can't control what's happening in the world or how the markets react to the news of the day. But we can be proactive about how we weather the storms of inflation and volatility.

The 2026 news cycle is spinning at a dizzying pace. Technology is rapidly upending how we work and live. With midterm elections on the horizon, our leaders in Washington are sharpening their visions for the future and policy proposals. And geopolitical tensions across the globe are giving investors something new to react to -- and worry about -- on a daily basis.

On today's show, we unpack some of the major stories we're monitoring and give you a clear-eyed perspective on the current economic outlook.