Does anyone really do this stuff by hand?

From FinancialPlanning

No way! If you have Microsoft Excel, you can do typical financial calculations easily using built-in spreadsheet functions. If you don't have Excel, for 30 bucks or less you can get a snazzy financial calculator at Walgreens or any office-supply store. It's a great investment, and you'll be able to solve any time value of money problem in a matter of seconds.

Such as this one...a decent financial calculator might have set you back $95 in 1984. In 2006 you can get a workable one for $30 at a drugstore. What is the rate of deflation for calculator prices over that time period?