What does the spare key delay cost from age 30 to 65?
The Spare Key Delay
$160, every other year, age 30 to 65 — the long-term cost is $12,000.
How the number's built.
The lockout stays small enough to feel logistical. At $160 every other year, the annual spend is $80. Over 35 years, it becomes $12,000 through annuity-due compounding.
Half the pattern stays.
$5,900 stays compounding.
No rush. It keeps until you want it.
cutting the pattern in half
$40 annual spend avoided
compounding (annuity due, 7% annual return)
total recovered = $5,900
$160 every other year
$80 annual spend
$2,800 cash contributed over 35 years
+ $9,200 compound growth (annuity due, 7% return)
total cost = $12,000
Assumptions
- The behavior costs $160 every other year.
- The amount stays constant in real terms.
- Annual savings are invested at the start of each year at 7%.
- Timeline spans 35 years from age 30 to 65.
The lifetime cost of spare key delay
Last reviewed: May 2026.
An estimate built for reflection — not financial, medical, or legal advice. The figures follow the assumptions above.