Good morning, money nerds, and welcome to Apex Money. Today, as every weekday, we’re going to look at some of our favorite personal-finance stories from around the web. Let’s dive in!
The highest forms of wealth. [Collaborative Fund] — “Money buys happiness in the same way drugs bring pleasure: Incredible if done right, dangerous if used to mask a weakness, and disastrous when no amount is enough. The highest forms of wealth are measured differently.”
Negotiating tips for people who hate negotiating. [Bravely Go] — “A lot of us head into any meeting where money will be discussed with guns blazing, ready for war. But the first mistake is thinking that negotiation is a battle. It’s not. You should think of negotiation as a tango; you and your client or boss are in this thing together.”
Homeownership can bring out the worst in you. [Vox] — “None of this is meant to be an indictment of people who want to become homeowners. But it’s a warning about how it could affect your thinking and politics. Because while there is some rationality to the fears that drive homeowners to oppose growth and progress in their communities, there is also a massive cost.”
The state of American friendships. [Survey Center on American Life] — “Americans appear more attuned than ever to the importance of friendship. However, despite renewed interest in the topic of friendship in popular culture and the news media, signs suggest that the role of friends in American social life is experiencing a pronounced decline…Americans report having fewer close friendships than they once did, talking to their friends less often, and relying less on their friends for personal support.”
Lastly, here’s today’s video. And for once, it’s actually sort of about personal finance! From the Half as Intersting channel on YouTube, here’s a five-minute look at how to decode credit card numbers.
This isn’t really useful info, I’ll admit, but it’s sort of fun to know. Well, fun for money geeks, anyhow. 😉