In addition to being stunningly beautiful tokens of love, diamonds have enjoyed an enduring reputation as being a highly portable, highly liquid, and highly desirable asset. While not as predictable as gold or real estate as a hedge against inflation or as a safe haven for wealth, they nevertheless gave a sense of security to … More Diamonds Are Not Forever
I am constantly considering strategies and techniques that will help me be more productive. These run the gamut from simple prioritizing (first things first) to more involved, philosophical approaches like defining and refining my purpose in life. Recently, a friend related an interesting approach which I’d heard previously expounded upon by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of … More Thought, Word, and Deed
Greetings. My apologies for the long delay in posting. Personal business took up all the oxygen in the room for a few weeks, but I’m now back in the digital saddle. Peter, one of our members and a resident of Stockholm, recently commented about the local upper class and their “less than Old Money” habits. … More Stockholm Syndrome
We recently received the comment below from one of our readers. I thought it was very interesting and very relevant. Here it is, and I’ve added some thoughts below. I happened on your site while doing some personal research on old money style and its contemporary applications, like the trendy of the concept of sprezzatura, … More The Application Process
Where stories for screenplays, ideas for books, or lyrics for songs come from is a mystery. Like asking a butterfly to land on your shoulder, creativity is not something that can be ordered like room service. What the world calls genius–the original, unfiltered, simple yet awesome light that shines so undeniably in rare works–comes when … More A Source of Inspiration: Oscar Wilde
The wonderful and sometimes irritating thing about travel and learning is that, on occasion, it requires you to rethink your position on certain things. While we have to hold fast to certain values and ideals, we should allow ourselves some flexibility as we consider other, perhaps less important, issues and choices. One such item that … More Jaeger-LeCoultre – A Wristwatch to Consider
I’ve introduced Simone Craig to all of you before here on the blog. Just as a reminder, Simone is a seasoned (25+ years) accountant with Big 4 experience and a thriving practice in the NYC area. She combines nuts-and-bolts fundamentals about money management with a spiritual approach to life to help people and companies get … More Financial Literacy and The Right Mindset – Simone Craig
In The Old Money Book, I talk about the importance of prioritizing Financial Independence: stacking up savings and investments before spending money on consumer products. Of course, this is not always easy. The cost of living seems to outpace salary increases. Kids need braces on their teeth. Automobiles need repairs. Houses need maintenance. Uncle Sam … More How To Address a Retail Addiction
First, my apologies for the delay in posting over the past two weeks. I’ve been working on a new book as well as dealing with some family business. A close friend here in the neighborhood had surgery, as well, and my wife and I have literally been his right hand for a period of time … More Old Money vs. New Money – Lifestyle Creep
3.0…or was it? Saturday marked the commencement of the third lockdown Paris has experienced in the last year. The first one started, if you can believe it, on March 17, 2020 and lasted until Mid May. If my confinement-impaired memory serves me (somewhat) correctly, October saw our 2nd lockdown. And now, 12 months later, we … More Paris Lockdown 3.0, Covid Vaccines, and Aging Parents