Dear Friend,
2021 is ending, thank god. Here’s a list of the most interesting/fun articles I’ve read (and maybe written) this year on money.
Are you paying more money for less chocolate?
As the year ends, everyone’s looking to spend a bit more - and of course, brands are going to take advantage of it. But the brands that are taking the most advantage are confectioners. The Guardian reports on ‘festive shrinkflation’ - where chocolate manufacturers employ packaging tricks to make more money for less chocolate. Quelle Horreur! You can read the article, here.
Would you rather invest in NFTs or in champagne?
The FT reports that Champagne prices have surged 33.7% this year, as compared to the 15% that the FTSE All World Stock Index gain. Demand for bubbly has been soaring, while supply has been poor because of poor weather in the primary regions that produce it. The end result? Champagne’s value soaring off the charts, leading to wine investors (what?) snapping up bottles. The article covers the broad movements of champagne as an investment but what left me upset at the end of it was that they deemed a bottle from 2008 to be vintage.
Don’t Step Into The FOMO Bus
2021 was many things, but it was chiefly the year of FOMO. Whether it was the stock market, crypto, NFTs or holidays in the Maldives, many of us constantly felt left out of something or the other. While FOMO is mentally draining on its own, FOMO investing can leave your portfolio - and your bank balance - in a far worse state. I wrote this post for my blog in July, but I’d like to think it’s still relevant. As the metaverse grows, a number of coins with crazy movements are about to hit us. The pressure to participate will be real, but remember that unless you know exactly what you’re getting into, you’re better off staying and waving from a distance.
Lessons From The Great Resignation
The great resignation happened - but what happened next? This thoughtful follow-up from CNBC talks to 3 people who quit their jobs and the advice that they have for anyone else who’s been considering the same decision. The concerns around identity (what am I without my job & title?) and mental health are very relatable. That said, I did find it odd that the people who were quoted didn’t share how their finances changed, so perhaps it is safe to assume that they sorted them out before they quit.
Bonus: Loving Your Job Is A Capitalist Trap
“Love what you do, so you’ll never have to work a single day in your life” - I know I’ve drunk from that kool-aid and it took me a decade to wake up and smell the coffee. Recommending that career aspirants do what they love and figure out the “employment stuff” later (something I was guilty of before beginning this research) ignores the structural obstacles to economic success that many face, and blames career aspirants if they cannot overcome those obstacles. Erin Cech writes with blistering clarity for The Atlantic on the problem with passion.
And that’s a wrap from my end. It’s been a while since I made any real resolutions, but I do hope that I write to you more in 2022. Here’s wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
I needed to read this today, Thank you Lavanya!