Cash22 - A personal finance blog

The time vs money conundrum. This does sound like a jargon, albiet an intuitive one. In its most basic form, it's a question; what is more important to you, time or money? You will hear honest answers and dishonest answers from all kinds of people. But have you ever wondered how it applies in your life? Not in a finance class test, not while discussing earnings potential with your fellow investment bankers during Thursday drinks, but in your day to day life? I used to earn 20,000 INR (≈ $250/month) 10 years ago. I was a happy go lucky person, rarely thought about saving, but thought very much about being seen using the latest fragrance from Bath & Body Works. I used to spend my entire salary on fragrances (think amazing smelling candles and lotions), rent, food and commute. This went on for 3 years. I saved zilch, save for some sad and unused candles. I studied engineering, and nobody had told me the importance of saving money. I now wish there was a basic finance class for eve...

It’s been more than a decade since the 2008 recession but a lot of people still don’t know what actually caused it, just like a lot of people do not know what caused the great depression. It’s important to learn and understand these, as they give you insights into what happens when financial instruments are abused and the government may or may not do its part and the importance of economic policies and how they can effectively bring countries out of tough times. What caused the 2008 recession? The US Fed had lowered interest rates after 9/11 to keep the economy going – to ensure that money was available for very cheap to every American. The low interest rates combined with the Fed’s home ownership policy encouraged more people to buy houses at low interest rates. The intentions were not bad. As a consequence, the total mortgage debt was as its peak by 2008. As more Americans bought homes, the real estate market boomed dramatically in the years between 2002 & 2008. Banks were en...