Don’t forget fake profits made from inflation. All just funny money. There is no “real” gain here, no increase in productivity, no increase in efficiency. You have to play the funny money game though to just stay even. There are no other good choices.
Gains above the rate of inflation are real gains and they are always available, though some of them take years to come to fruition.
Warren Buffet/Berkshire Hathaway has $200 Billion in short term TBILLS making 5.3%.
I have slightly less than that in exactly the same.