Hello, my friends, and welcome to another week of Apex Money. I’m J.D. Roth, and I’ll be your host for the next five days. I’ll share some recent favorite stories about money (and more).
Let’s dive in!
The most common travel scams in Europe (and how to avoid them). [The Points Guy] — “Travel is about creating memories, not regretting losses. This summer, arm yourself with knowledge and a healthy dose of skepticism. Whether it’s ignoring a too-good-to-be-true tour offer or sidestepping a street scam in Paris, your best defense is staying informed and attentive. Remember these tips, and you’ll enjoy a safer, more enjoyable European adventure.” [My cousin feel victim tot he Instanbul shoeshining scam. I’ve personally been targeted by the clipboard scam (in Venice, not Paris) and the flower scam.]
You can be “good” with money and still be miserable. [Money with Katie] — “If you, like me, find yourself flinching with every purchase or undermining your own joy in even the smallest of indulgences lest they shave $32 off your net worth, is your metaphoric ‘cheat meal’ really having the desired effect? Even if your results are rapid wealth accumulation, is relating to money in that way healthy? After all, you can have a really high net worth and a bad relationship with money at the same time.
WHat do we do with the stuff our kids don’t want? [Next Avenue] — “Not too long ago, heirs would fight over who gets Mom and Dad’s valuable collections — sterling silver flatware, Lladro figurines or Lenox china. We’re not talking about a couch or a crockpot, but carefully-curated, much-loved possessions that were once considered an emblem of success and gracious living. But now, these once-coveted objects can be seen as more burden than blessing. Their demise has been attributed to everything from changing tastes to smaller spaces.”
Today, we don’t have a bonus video; no, we have a bonus webpage instead. As a budding artist, I think this is hilarious: Famous paintings recreated using only emojis.
For instance, here’s Andrew Wyeth’s famous Christina’s World, both the original and the new emoji version.
So hilarious. To me, anyhow.