Money

March 14, 2019 — February 28, 2024

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 maximize 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