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The algebra of happiness.

Today is Tuesday. Here at Apex, we’re ready to dive into some money links!

How financial apps get you to spend more and question less. [Kristin Wong at Wired] — “Robinhood, the investing app, uses a gamified interface to make investing seem easier than it is, encouraging its users to trade frequently, which most personal finance experts do not recommend for long-term investing. Without properly understanding the risk, many consumers have been steered into costly investing decisions.”

Why creatives thrive in early retirement. [Minafi] — “An identity bridge is a project, hobby, interest, skill, or something else that enables you to continue having a similar sense of self during retirement. It’s about not feeling a sense of loss for a job – or at least the parts of your job that were beneficial. People who don’t have hobbies need this the most.”

“My favorite lessons from The Algebra of Happiness.” [Four Pillar Freedom] — “This isn’t a book that cites controlled studies and experiments dealing with happiness. It’s simply Galloway sharing advice based on what he has personally experienced. This could be a turn-off for some people, but I viewed the experience of reading this book as similar to sitting down with someone who has been through a lot in life, faced hardships, endured failure, and is simply dishing out some advice based on what they’ve seen works.”

Why it might be a bad idea to buy a home during the pandemic. [MSN] — “Mortgage applications are up 22% compared to last year, showing that demand is immense. But if you’re keen on submitting your own application, you might want to reconsider. The US is facing a housing shortage that only ratchets home prices up, according to a new Redfin analysis. Meanwhile, a new LendEDU survey found that those who decided to become pandemic homeowners are already expressing buyer’s remorse.”

Finally, I was moved by this short video clip in which a troop of monkeys mourns the “death” of a camera “spy monkey”. That sentence doesn’t really make sense out of context. Here. Watch the video.

I’m telling you: Animals have greater intelligence and richer emotional lives than most people credit.

Okay, that’s plenty for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with more of the best from the world of personal finance. See you then.