Apex Money Posts

As someone who has worked from home for over a decade now, there are some things that I’ve grown very accustomed to that I hope will become more mainstream.

Here are just a handful:

1. Companies focusing more on output and productivity instead of hours
2. Companies realizing that comfortable employees perform better
3. The end of meetings that have to fit the scheduled time
4. Employees realizing they owe their jobs as much as their jobs owe them – very little
5. Flexibility and autonomy are key

The “Great Pause,” as some have started calling it, is a big wake up call.

The Great Pause Was an Economic Revolution [Foreign Policy] – “Someone once said that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than to imagine the end of capitalism. It is a plausible formulation, even in its comical effect. And yet, the current crisis proved the opposite. Capitalism was remarkably easy to stop—or at least to interrupt. All that was needed was a genuine environmental crisis, a crisis where the external conditions for a capitalist economy were suddenly removed.”

But not everything has to do with work – because while Covid-19 may have paused the economy, but it didn’t pause a lot of other things.

New Habits Learned in 2020 (So Far) [Emily Guy Birken] – “It has been heartening to see a sweeping change in sentiment across the United States (and the world) in regards to Black Lives Matter. I have seen such a change in myself, as well. While I have always supported the movement, it was on the back burner in my head. I felt that voting and occasional donations were enough to show my support. Not only do I want to keep hold of the level of passion I feel now, I want to make sure that this passion remains strong throughout our society. We are seeing major changes that can be good first steps toward reckoning with our country’s history of systemic and overt racism.”

FIRE in this time [Vicki Robin] – “Against the backdrop of the fire and rage in Minneapolis following the police murder of George Floyd, reminiscent of police beating of Rodney King in LA in 1991, nearly 30 years ago, with many black deaths in between, what could possibly be the relationship of financial independence and the FIRE community to the unraveling in our society?

Are we quiescent on the edges, tending to our own business of careful managing of our money to reach financial independence? Are we concerned but powerless given our debts and gratitude for secure jobs we want to keep? Do we wonder what the connection might be between our brilliant strategy of buying our freedom through building capital and the unfair system that affords us the opportunity? Is the unrest close at hand for you or far away – and does that make a difference in how we respond?” (thanks to Michelle at Frugality and Freedom for sharing this with me!)

5 reasons why we shouldn’t rush to ‘get back to normal’ [The Twenty Percent] – “Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to get my hair done again and have drinks with friends. But, there are other aspects of ‘normality’ I think would be best left behind. This is particularly true for financial matters, as the current system does not work for enough people.”

A video to round out your day from Tim Harford at TEDGlobal 2011 about the God Complex – feels like a few of our leaders have this complex in spades (this was not a pointed political statement, watch the video to see what I mean):

See you tomorrow!

Sometime in the last ten years, entrepreneurs began to be celebrated as much as athletes and rock stars.

I think Shark Tank had a lot to do with it.

It was the first time, at least that I could remember, you saw people share their businesses on TV and sign big deals to sell a stake of it. It didn’t matter that there was some TV magic involved (many of the “agreements” fizzled out after the taping ended and real negotiations began), it was just fun to see people talk about their businesses.

It showed everyone was that entrepreneurship is messy (and hard). Very messy (and very hard).

One area of business you don’t often see is behind the scenes, such when co-founders fall out or partnerships dissolve…

How I Lost $100 Million in 60 Days [Medium] – “My true story of moving to Silicon Valley for a role on an eccentric billionaire’s reality TV show where I lost big, but also won a new life.” A bit of a harrowing rollercoaster of a tale but an enjoyable read.

Five lessons from the first 6 months of entrepreneurship [rich & Regular] – “It’s been six months since we officially shifted our thinking to turn this blog into a business and the journey has been crazy, in a good way. As expected, we’ve had ups and downs and we’ve learned a $hit-ton in the process. So to make sure we don’t forget this precious period, here are five lessons we’ve learned from our first 6 months of entrepreneurship.”

If you’ve ever felt like you could play Monday Morning CEO:

If Everyone Else is Such an Idiot, How Come You’re Not Rich? [The Atlantic] – “If you see a person–or a company–doing something that seems completely and inexplicably boneheaded, then it’s unwise to assume that the reason must be that everyone but you is a complete idiot who is blind to fairly trivial insights such as “people desire inexpensive and conveniently available movie services, and will resist having those services made more expensive, or less convenient”. While it’s certainly true that people do idiotic things, it’s also true that a lot of those “idiotic” things turn out to have perfectly reasonable explanations.”

Sometimes starting a real business is too hard… and it’s much easier to be a con artist:

Instagram Influencer and Prolific Car Collector Arrested for $430M ‘Cyberscam’ [The Drive] – “Out of all the colorful characters in internet folklore, few are as well-known as the scam-tastic influencers. You know, the kind who recommend you buy their multi-step programs to build wealth, hack financial markets, or magically amass fortunes by being a positive ray of light in today’s dark world. As it turns out, many of these folks’ social accounts are nothing but facades to lucrative (and oftentimes corrupt) businesses. Case in point, 38-year-old Instagram influencer Raymond “Hushpuppi” Abbas, who was just arrested for his alleged involvement in a multi-million dollar “cyberscam,” per various reports. Also, he’s apparently a big car guy. Surprise, surprise!”

Happy Tuesday and I’ll see you tomorrow!

It’s Monday, y’all! And, as always, I’m here to start the week with some of the best recent money stories from around the web. Here’s what I have for you today. Jim takes over tomorrow.

“I lost my job and it might be the best worst thing that’s ever happened to me.” [Bitches Get Riches] — “Two years ago I was celebrating leaving my job of nearly nine years at a nonprofit publishing house and finally going corporate. I was riding high and making more money at a large, for-profit publishing house, working remotely full-time and generally kicking ass. It was the shit. Aaaaand then I lost my job.”

Which leads us naturally to this next piece…

Nine steps to take if you lose your job. [Dough Roller] — “If you’re one of the millions of those unemployed across the U.S., you may wonder what to do next…While losing a job is distressing, the best thing you can do is take action. Get yourself moving in the right direction so you can get back on your feet quickly. Here’s what you need to know if you find yourself without a job.”

Behavioral Scientist‘s summer book list. [Behavioral Scientist] — “For your intellectual pleasure (and to help you achieve some normalcy), we compiled a list of our favorite reads from 2020 so far, including a few books to have on your radar in the coming months. Hope you enjoy.”

The most dangerous phrase. [Tawcan] — “Years ago, it would have been easy to simply convince myself to stop spending the money, use the most dangerous phrase, also known as ‘we’ll do it next time’, as an excuse and call it the day. But we are more knowledgeable now and we know how to take a more balanced approach as we work our way toward financial independence.”

Let’s start the week with something non-financial. From Mental Floss, here are 24 things you might not have known about the musical Hamilton. And in case you haven’t been playing the show on repeat like I have, here’s Lin-Manuel Miranda debuting the show’s opening number all the way back in 2009. At the White House. For the President. Hey man, no pressure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8_ARd4oKiI

And thus a legend was born.

Seriously: As any of my close friends will tell you, I’m a life-long fan of musical theater. I don’t know if Hamilton is my favorite show (that honor probably goes to Once), but it’s certainly in the top three. So amazing. (The other show in my top three? Probably Into the Woods. Or The Music Man. Or West Side Story.)

Anyhow, that’s it for me! Jim takes over tomorrow for two weeks while I galivant.

Good morning, Apexians! It’s Friday, and I have some interesting stories about personal finance for you. (this was originally scheduled for yesterday but WordPress does what WordPress wants!)

The impending retail apocalypse. [Axios] — “Because of the coronavirus and people’s buying habits moving online, retail stores are closing everywhere — often for good. Malls are going belly up. Familiar names like J.C. Penney, Neiman Marcus and J. Crew have filed for bankruptcy. Increasingly, Americans’ shopping choices will boil down to a handful of internet Everything Stores and survival-of-the-fittest national chains.” [Related: The pandemic is re-writing the rules of retail.]

Target-date funds are performing well, but choosing one can be difficult. [Barron’s] — “For all of their apparent simplicity, target-date funds aren’t all that simple. Funds with the same retirement year can have very different allocations to stocks and bonds, and how managers execute on that top-down view also varies dramatically.”

“How self-isolation taught me about happiness.” [Millennial Revolution] — “With no gold stars to strive for, no accolades, nothing scheduled in the horizon, for the first time, I’m happy just being instead of doing. I’m happy being me. I don’t need to prove anything anymore. Not to myself. Not to anyone.”

Lastly, here’s a twenty-minute video from Beat the Bush in which he discusses “the too frugal mental disorder”. “I feel like I really do have some sort of mental illness with spending money,” he says. He feels like he was too cheap in the past.

This is an interesting video to me, mostly because I have the opposite problem. Yes, I go through cheap phases, but mostly I’m inclined to spend too much. So, it’s interesting to hear the other side.

Anyhow, that’s enough from me! I’ll have one post on Monday and then Jim will be on to share more of the best of the financial web for two weeks. Me? I’m on my way to Colorado for a couple of weeks of money nerdery with other money nerds like you. I’ll see you folks at the end of July!

Welcome to Wednesday, Apexians.

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve finished work on a “financial independence and early retirement” course for Audible and The Teaching Company. Right now, it’s tentatively scheduled to release in October.

As part of that course, I went on a five- or ten-minute digression about the history of homeownership in the United States. In fact, I’ve spent much of this year diving deep into the history of personal finance and home economics. It’s fascinating. (I’ve begun toying with the idea of writing a book or a course on this topic, even though I know the audience for it would be small.)

Anyhow, our first story today here at Apex is all about homeownership through the ages.

Homeownership through the ages: A look at homeownership then and now. [Ancestry] — “The Homestead Act of 1862, the introduction of the 30-year mortgage, and the GI Bill are all among the milestones that brought home ownership within the reach of millions of Americans. Today, more than 63.5 percent of all Americans own their homes, up from 44 percent in 1940. Here are some of the important landmarks in this history.”

Fifteen things to consider before moving to the country. [Frugalwoods] — “There is no perfect location and no perfect lifestyle, but for me, where we live now comes pretty darn close. I’m not out to convert you (well, maybe a little…) but I do want to reassure any rural-curious folks that it is possible to take the plunge without much experience, without having lived rurally before, without owning so much as a shovel, and without knowing how to drive a tractor.”

The life-changing magic of doing just enough. [MSN News] — “In Norway, I discovered a new emotion I can best describe as ‘enoughness’—a neologism whose source I have yet to determine—alien to most New Yorkers. My tolerance for nonproductive activities increased. So did my appetite for solitude in nature, a transformation I have put to good use in pandemic social isolation.”

To round out the day, here’s a fun video of a kid outside Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. He’s hawking souvenirs in twelve different languages. Not sure why I like this so much, but I do.

And that’s all we have for Wednesday. I’ll see you tomorrow with more great stuff from the world of money. Bye bye!

Hello hello hello, money nerds. It’s J.D. again, and I’m here with more of the best money stories from around the web. Let’s waste no time!

Three ways to attract more luck into your life. [The Profile on Substack] — “By definition luck is a random event that we can’t control, so we don’t bother discussing it that much. I think there’s a secret hidden in plain sight, though. Luck is partially a game of skill — and you can increase your odds by following the rules of the game.”

Seven reasons to love apartment living. [Becoming Minimalist] — “We realize that apartment living isn’t for everyone. But for us, a minimalist lifestyle in a 1,000-square-foot apartment leads to more joy, more fulfillment, and more family togetherness. Our home has never been tidier and our family is thriving in this simple, manageable environment.”

The complete guide to withdrawing money early from your retirement accounts. [Minafi] — “Whatever you approach to retirement is, one part is clear: taxes and early withdrawal penalties can make or break your plan. Take the time to craft a plan that minimizing taxes and maximizes your chance of success!”

I feel like it’s been a good, long while since I shared some truly fun videos with you all. Well, the wait is over. Today, I’ve got a couple of gems. Here’s Mike from the Ants Canada channel on YouTube documenting what happened when his frickin’ fire ants escaped from their habitat. Sheesh!

Apparently, this has been some time in coming. Here’s a video from three years ago in which Mikey documented that his fire ants were planning an escape…

Me? I hate ants. You don’t even want to know what I call them in private. There’s no way in hell that I’d keep them as pets. But it pleases me that somebody does…and that he’s chill when his fire ants escape their enclosure.

Okay, enough for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with more of the best in personal finance!

Good morning, money nerds, and welcome to Monday. That’s right. It’s time to start another week. To help you get up to speed, here are a few of our favorite recent stories about personal finance.

More and more, money does buy happiness. [The Washington Post] — “A new report finds that in recent decades, having more money has become increasingly associated with greater happiness. The Expanding Class Divide in Happiness in the United States, 1972—2016, published last week in the journal Emotion, found that among people age 30 and older, the correlation between income and happiness has steadily risen over the years.”

Debt freedom doesn’t equal wealth. [The Budgetnista] — “Debt freedom should be the byproduct of wealth. Think of it like this… there’s a hole in your backyard. You can either fill it with more dirt, or you can plant seeds. If you fill the hole with dirt, you have a smooth backyard surface — nice! If you fill the hole with (investment) seeds as well, you watch it grow and bear fruit — even better!”

The paradox of thrift while pursuing financial independence. [Medimentary] — “But this is precisely the beauty of pursuing financial independence. Those seeking it have consciously thought about their consumption and then adjusted their lives and budgets to meet their demand. It’s clear to me that happiness is derived internally, not from external consumption.”

To wrap things up, here’s billionaire Mark Cuban’s guide to getting rich.

That’s it to start the week. I’ll be back tomorrow with more great money stories. See you then.

Wow, what a long week, my money nerds. I’m not sure why it was so taxing on me — nothing especially difficult is happening in my life — but I spent the entire week d-r-a-i-n-e-d. It was a challenge to do anything…and that includes publishing Apex Money on time haha.

Have no fear, though. I still managed to find great stories to share every single day, even if they weren’t ready bright and early in the morning. Here, for instance, are the four best money articles I read today.

Is there a benefit to moving to a state without income tax? [Be Three] — “There are some states without income tax, and amongst many of the high income earners I know, they’d love to live in one. So much so, in fact, that I often get question marks and eye rolls when I tell them that living in California is great…Is it really all that beneficial to live in states without income tax? That’s what I’m going to look into here, and we’ll see what the outcome is.”

How to install a bidet seat. [Consumer Reports] — “Judging by our recent bidet user review, adding a bidet to your bathroom is well worth the effort. ‘I’m thrilled that we’ve probably cut down [toilet paper] consumption by 80 percent,’ said one panelist. ‘I think the bidet does a better job cleaning,’ said another.” [It’s no secret that I’m a fan of bidets. I got hooked on them while traveling, and installed one in our home about three years ago. I love that they’re gaining popularity in the United States. More clean butts!]

Why is gold valuable? [Of Dollars and Data] — “For millennia gold has played a significant role in human society. From ancient civilizations to modern times, it has been used to showcase status among neighbors, to display power among rulers, and to facilitate trade among nations. Yet, despite its shiny exterior, it is intrinsically worthless…Why gold? Why not aluminum? Or iron? Or something else entirely? And, more importantly, should you be investing in gold?”

Sometimes comparison is good. [Accidental Fire] — “Comparison is not always good. If you’re a person who is extremely self-critical and hard on yourself as I have sometimes been in the past you might want to steer clear of comparison. But I’ve found comparison to my old self the best way to improve, and comparison to others very helpful if I pick the right measures and go in with a positive mindset.”

That’s it for this week. I’ll be back on Monday with more of the best in personal finance. See you then!

Welcome to Thursday, my friends. There’s a very real chance that today I will (at long last) buy a new car. Well, a new used car, but still. My 2004 Mini Cooper (which I bought in 2009) has been great, but it’s time to upgrade. After 100,000 miles in eleven years, I’m looking to move to a 2018 or 2019 Mini Countryman.

There are two great low-mile models available locally for $30,000. That seems like a fortune, but it’s cheaper than the $45,000 these vehicles sell for when new. Later this morning, I’m headed out to look at both Minis. And there’s a solid chance that I might purchase one.

Before I go car shopping, however, here are some of my favorite recent stories about personal finance. Enjoy!

The enduring enigma of Costco’s $1.50 hot dog and soda combo. [Mental Floss] — “When Costco president W. Craig Jelinek once complained to Costco co-founder and former CEO Jim Sinegal that their monolithic warehouse business was losing money on their famously cheap $1.50 hot dog and soda package, Sinegal listened, nodded, and then did his best to make his take on the situation perfectly clear. ‘If you raise [the price of] the effing hot dog, I will kill you,’ Sinegal said. ‘Figure it out.'” True story: I am a die-hard fan of the Costco hot dog. I’m sad, however, that they did away with the Polish dog a few years ago. So delicious.

Nobody knows what their bond fund is worth. [Institutional Investor] — “The prices for stocks, which trade on an exchange, are available in real-time. But bonds still trade over-the-counter, meaning a dealer and an investor negotiate a price, whether on a screen of over the phone. As a result, there is no central place to go for bond prices.”

A complete capsule wardrobe for men. [Permanent Style] — “This is a wardrobe for someone that wears a jacket most of the time for work, sometimes just knitwear. And isn’t reduced to a T-shirt and sweatpants at the weekend. Also, its aim is to create as many different outfits as possible, for a relatively small number of situations. In any capsule there is a tension between those two things, and I’ve aimed for the former.” [Note: I would love to link to something similar for women. If you know of a good resource, drop me a line!]

A bird feeder will bring you joy. [Wired] — “Owning a bird feeder as an adult has been incredible. While there are tons of options to choose from, a clear window feeder opens you up to another world of bird voyeurism.”

Nearly twenty years ago, my ex-wife and I bought a home that was perfect for attracting birds — and observing them. We made friends with some of them (for real). Kris still lives there, and her Facebook feed is filled with bird photos.

I used to love watching the birds too. Here, from December 2008, is a nine-minute video of the blue jays fighting over peanuts in our yard.

Kris still gets to watch this nearly every day. I only see it now and then when I stop by to visit her.

Okay, my friends, that’s plenty for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with more fun and games related to personal finance. See you then!

Hello, money nerds. It’s time to celebrate. Today is — can you believe it? — the one-year anniversary of Apex Money. On 01 July 2019, Jim messaged me to ask if I wanted to start a link curation site with him. “Sure,” I said. Within an hour, we had the site set up and the first post was live.

Now, a year later, here we are. We’ve had a lot of fun and hope that you have have too.

I suppose I ought to commemorate the occasion by making a list of our top ten stories from the past year, but that sounds like too much work. Let’s just stick to business as usual. Here are a few of our favorite money stories from the past few days.

How the pandemic has changed the way we buy. [Protocol] — “In just a few months, the pandemic has upended the way that many people are paying for things. People who rarely bought things online are now ordering all their groceries via Instacart, and the few times they’ve gone outside they’ve likely also turned to digital and contactless payment methods.”

Confessions of a former early-retirement skeptic. [Morningstar] — “I’ve concluded that the ‘retire early’ part of FIRE is a bit of a distraction from the really important part of the movement: the value of mindfully allocating our precious time and money in a way that aligns with our values, life goals, and joys. From that standpoint, even those of us who don’t plan to retire early can learn something from FIRE…”

Three keys to building an emergency fund. [Vanguard] — “I’ve seen tough financial situations that were eased by using cash savings and others that were aggravated by a lack of funds. The current uncertainty in the economy points to the importance of having this type of savings buffer. When I work with clients, I encourage them to create an emergency fund. Here are three key strategies I share to get them on their way.”

How to find your financial comfort zone. [The Simple Dollar] — “Rather than seeking higher levels of comfort with higher levels of expense, instead, just seek to avoid discomfort and only seek additional comfort if it’s free or very small in cost.”

To close things out for today, here’s a video that explores the truth about redlining and how it has widened the wealth gap from His and Her Money.

That’s it for Day One of Year Two of Apex Money. We’re glad you’re here with us, and hope you’ll stick around to see what else is in store. Thanks!