Good morning, money nerds! It is I, J.D., and I’m back after 24 days of travel. It was fun to watch Jim dig up top money articles while I was away. Now I’m back and ready for action. (At least for a few weeks until my next trip haha.)
Before we dive in, I want to remind folks of a couple of ground rules that Jim and I have developed during our first ten weeks of curation. First, we’re going to swear around here from time to time. Second, we’ll feature political articles now and then (although we don’t intend to push a particular agenda). Swearing and politics are okay at Apex. But we promise not to go overboard with either.
Okay, let’s look at some of top money stories from around the web!
What is SlowFI? How does it differ from other types of FIRE? [The Fioneers] — “People pursuing Slow FI could retire early or could retire at the traditional retirement age. The ultimate goal is full financial independence, but the focus is on making the journey as remarkable as the destination. Like slow food and slow travel, Slow FI focuses on the process, connection to the world and people around us, and our experiences along the journey. Slow FI enables us to live our best lives along the way.”
“My boyfriend won’t stop paying for large group dinners. And he wastes food regularly.” [/r/relationships/ on Reddit] — “My boyfriend’s spending is out of hand, and it’s a nearly weekly occurrence that he picks up substantial dinner checks for large groups of people, which he ultimately cannot afford. I called him out in public and I feel so guilty over it, but not sure how to rectify my behavior in a way he will understand as he comes from a significantly wealthier background. What to do to get through to him, and also make things right?” [Semi-related: “Am I a the asshole for demanding that my sister pay rent?”]
Craving freedom, Japan’s women opt out of marriage. [New York Times, so possible paywall] — “The percentage of women who work in Japan is higher than ever, yet cultural norms have not caught up: Japanese wives and mothers are still typically expected to bear the brunt of the housework, child care and help for their aging relatives, a factor that stymies many of their careers. Fed up with the double standard, Japanese women are increasingly opting out of marriage altogether.”
Finally, here’s a terrific video that explains something I’ve been trying to tell people for a couple of decades: Tools don’t make great work; action makes great work. In this seven-minute video on the toolbox fallacy, Ian explains that dreams remain dreams without doing. To live a life without regret, you have to put your dream into action. (And yes, that is a gratuitous reference to one of my favorite albums of 1985.)
Found something you think your fellow nerds might like? You should send it in! Help spread the top money stories on the web here at Apex Money.