On the value of life
Last week I wrote about the way in which foreign exchange speculation sets the relative values of currencies. The value of ‘things’ can also be a mystery. Every day items like a bottle of milk or a loaf of bread are pretty easy to value. It’s how much you need…
A forced experiment in minimalism
After close to thirteen hours on the road (well, in the air, actually) and four hours at airports, after getting up at 4 am after three hours sleep, I arrived at the hotel in Cape Town. Got out of the car and a polite voice said ‘Can I help with…
Financial transaction and foreign exchange
I have long been interested – no fascinated – by currencies. When I was young, I would wonder what decides the price of a loaf of bread in France and Britain? Or cake, come to that. Who sets the exchange rate between currencies? And how do we compare the economies…
Work from home? Bring it on!
Many people want to retire so they don’t have to work; there are even more people who want to retire early so that they can be at home and do whatever they want. Some are even living the dream and blogging about it. Me? I don’t want to retire,…
Enough is enough: decluttering our house
“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” Albert Einstein I fell for this one for a long time. I laughed about the clutter filling our house, I analysed it, theorised it and it has been annoying me…
Shopping for Satisfaction
Editor’s Note: This week Alex tackles the issue of shopping. When you are unemployed you have to shop smart not hard. But can young people today crack it? This week I’d like to guide your attentions towards good old food shopping. Having worked in retail for a number of…
Bankruptcy in Britain?
There is much written about total debt and bankruptcy. Today I got yet another email titled “The alarming truth about Britain” with a link to a video and piece. I suspect that much the same can be – and is – written about a number of other countries. The…
5 Ways to Make Money before you Start University
Your years at university can be among the most fun, educational, exciting and liberating of your life. However, before starting, you need to make sure you are prepared for it mentally, emotionally and financially. For many people, going to university can be a big change in their lives, particularly if…
Tax, prices and pensions: should Amazon pay taxes in the UK?
Having returned from our Easter-free break in Bulgaria (we missed the Western Easter and the Orthodox Easter is not until May this year so we miss that too), it was time to catch up with reading, some of which had deposited itself on the doormat. Among these were back-issues…
Principled Money Posts #40: from ‘vamp’ to ‘frump’ and back
The other day while clearing my desk draws, blasting this ‘clear your environment’ stuff, I came across a CD. Curiosity won (as it usually does with me) and a minute later I was looking at pictures taken on the day of my 45th birthday. I was looking at these…
To live or to exist: this is the question! One Year Lived by Adam Shepard
Since January I have been mostly on the road; I have been travelling in Europe (this one is easy), I have been to South Africa and to Oman. Heck, looking back at my schedule, I have been to four continents since October! And at the end of each leg of…
A Penniless Wealth of Time
Editor’s note: This is another one of the series of posts by Alex charting his way out of the rut of unemployment. Well it is back to the grindstone of filling time. After two weeks wilfully participating in a great work-based training course it is now down to myself alone…