But wait... there's less!

First question. Why 4000 weeks? That's the average human lifespan. If you're reading this you've probably used up 1000 already. If you're a bit older you may have only 2000 left. Maybe just 1000. That can be a startling thought - given how quickly each week goes by. There's so much wisdom in this book, it's hard to summarise it briefly. But I'll give it a go.... Face the Finitude If time was infinite, we could work for 40 years and not miss out on anything. We could spend frivolously as we could always earn more money later. But in the real world there are time limits. Even if we have enough money to escape the nine-to-five, our time (though more plentiful) is finite. Just like money, we will run out if we fritter it away on low-value options. "Face the Finitude" has become one of my internal phrases now. It's my reminder that I don't have infinite time to waste. It may be helpful to think of it like money. eg. I might like something, but d...

 The Minimalists' first documentary - "Minimalism" is now available to stream for free. If you'd like to know more, check out my original review of the movie. Otherwise, kick back and enjoy the movie...

The Ulysses Contract doesn't sound like a book about investing. The subtitle "How to never worry about the share market again" is what grabbed my attention. The book is mostly about the mindset and strategy of investing in shares. The obscure title refers to Greek mythology, the temptation of the siren songs, and the measures Ulysses took to keep his ship and crew safe - including being tied to the mast of the ship, to hold himself to his own plan. In the book, Michael Kemp outlines the temptations (siren songs) in the share market, gives some solid guiding principles (the mast) that investors can secure themselves to, and outlines his idea of a Ulysses contract for investing. The temptations include spending too much on consumer items (it's hard to invest if we spend all our income) doing what everyone else is doing (when the crowd is selling, it might be the best time to buy) expert predictions (not worth that much, and can be wrong as much as right) market-timing, ...

Dan Ariely is an expert on human psychology and decisions. His book  Dollars and Sense is focussed on how to avoid "money mishaps" . That can include paying too much for something; buying something that doesn't provide value; or in some cases not buying something that we really should buy. We can be better spenders of money by avoiding money mishaps. We can get more value for our money - or get the same value for less money. So what are the mishaps? Here are some highlights. Opportunity Cost This is the idea of thinking about what else we could do with money - and whether that's better value.  In one experiment, people were given the option of (A) a $1000 stereo or (B) a $700 stereo and $300 cash. People chose option A. Then people where given the option of (A) a $1000 stereo or (B) a $700 stereo and $300 worth of music. Now they chose option B. In the first choice, people gave up the $300 because they wanted the more expensive stereo. But when forced to think of some...