I often have a problem explaining to otherwise intelligent folks why there's no trust fund, so I use an analogy involving myself (who suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder). It goes as follows:
One day (for no reason), Pardek decides that he'll spend $100 a day on expenses like food and beer.
Not wanting to have to take the money out of the bank that's being accumulated for his retirement, he concocts a brilliant plan, which defies all presently verified Laws of Mathematics.
To both access his $100 per diem and preserve the integrity of his savings, he decides to write IOUs to himself for the money he must withdraw for for food and beer. This way, at the end of the year, he can cash in his markers, and his savings will not have been diminished.
At the end of the year, Pardek is hit with an unexpected expense equal to $3,652.50.
We now join Pardek on that momentous day -
Pardek: I'm cashing in my IOUs - I need the money.
Pardek: Of course, dude, a deal's a deal! Just give me thirty minutes to saunter on down to the bank and get it for you.
Pardek: Wha wha wha wait a minute. Am I telling me that I'm gonna have to pay to have those IOUs redeemed? Please tell me the money's coming from elsewhere.
Pardek: Duh, silly - the money will be withdrawn from my bank account.
Pardek: How can this be? Oh no, I just realized something - the paper and ink for those IOUs were not free, it appears I would have been better off not trying to fool myself in the first place. BTW - if I decided not to be dishonest and not waste money on the IOUs, where would the money come from?
Pardek: Duh, silly - the money would be withdrawn from your bank account!