![dek](https://content.time.com/time/photoessays/2009/top10_money/life_span.jpg)
All bills eventually wear out. The smaller the value, the more often you use it and the shorter its lifespan. A $1 bill lasts a measly 21 months, while a Ben Franklin can last more than seven years. Over that time, of course, owing to inflation, its value will decline which is the perfect excuse to spend it quickly.