Money

March 14, 2019 — January 8, 2025

diy
economics
money
utility

Assumed audience:

Me. These are my own notes on finance, for me. Nothing here is financial advice. I am not a financial advisor.

Various notes on the concept of being financially secure in general.

1 Sensible investing

Figure 1: Self portrait with financial plan

No-nonsense tips:

  • Mr Money Moustache
  • The Barefoot Investor
  • other FIRE (Financially independent, retire early) practitioners.

I am sympathetic to their idea that one should maximise happiness rather than total income, and that while money is a very important part of this, these goals can diverge. See hedonism.

2 Australia-specific

See money in Australia.

3 Sharehouse accounting

Australian banks make it hard to have collective bank accounts for collective expenses, except for two people in some kind of long-term partnership. After a long search, I just gave up; it is another facet of our national collective delusion that we all live in picket-fenced nuclear families in the burbs, even though I cannot throw a stick without hitting a sharehouse full of childless adults, or a multi-generational home where no-one can afford to leave.

I auditioned several systems for “virtual” banking which ameliorate this problem by allowing you to keep a running tab. All of these systems still leave you completely fucked if someone pays you late and you simply cannot put rent into the estate agent’s account in time, but at least you know you’re fucked in an adult manner.

  • splitwise,
  • most importantly Beem seems to have attained critical mass in my peer group because it integrates with (some) Australian banks.

Not quite money, actually, but chores can be distributed via ourhome. Time and care are both more intrinsically valuable than money though, so I’ll leave it there.

4 Money in personal relationships

5 Monetising your internet persona

I think the age of AI will radically transform this business model, but for now, here are some resources.

6 Incoming

  • Thoughts on Personal Finance for Effective Altruists

  • Features - Ledger

    Ledger is a powerful, double-entry accounting system that is accessed from the UNIX command-line. This may put off some users, as there is no flashy UI, but for those who want unparalleled reporting access to their data, there really is no alternative.

  • George, In Defense Of Making Money

  • finder.com.au — financial comparison shop

  • A different approach to asset allocation - Bogleheads.org

    Summary: Econ grad student applies Mortgage Your Retirement theory at the top of the last bull market, starting around 2x leverage, loses $210K of borrowed money, and is forced to sell what’s left of his portfolio at S&P 821 in November 2008. The complete wipeout results in a reflective period where he recollects the circumstances that led him to adopt this strategy, some of which will be included in a book. He spends five weeks in Asia and begins writing about how risk and progress can be framed. Returning to the US, he slashes his expenses, finds several ways to increase income, earns 914% on the IRBLTG Fund, and pays off all his high interest credit card debt. Net worth tracker continues to be updated.