What caught my eye this week.
With AI chatbots and search overviews now vigorously putting the boot into an online media that was already on its knees, quality independent websites covering investing and money are shrinking faster than violets at an OnlyFans convention.
Good news then that the curation site Snippet Finance [1] has started maintaining a content hub [2] for investors, with links to all kinds of resources.
You’ll find a few Weekend Reading favourites in its listings. But there’s plenty of other lesser-seen websites, tools, and other useful stuff to explore, especially if you’re a professional or dedicated amateur finance nerd.
Be sure to check out Snippet Finance itself. Creator Yuri is the Hemmingway of investment editorial. This introduction is twice as long as a typical Snippet post.
Incidentally, I just dived into the Monevator vaults to find a similar listing I ran early in the life of this website. Of the blogs I tracked, only us, Mr Money Mustache [3], Financial Samurai [4], and Simple Living in Somerset [5] (renamed) are still standing.
Who would want to write for us?
Talking of the bonfire of the blogosphere, any investing maniac starting today who wants to talk about their favourite subject online – doubtless having been banned from doing so by exhausted family and friends – would probably have to gurn into an iPhone to create videos for YouTube or TikTok.
Maybe that’s you – but then again maybe you’re more a great one for a witty adverb, rather than the next Mr Beast?
If so then Monevator would benefit from a new and brilliant regular writer.
We’ve had several over the years, but somehow they never last.
Often they discover they haven’t got as much to say about FIRE, personal finance, or index funds as they thought they did after the third article.
Most just can’t write the Monevator way. (It’s not so hard. Take the day off and yet still be at it at midnight. Never use two words when three will do. Add some obscure references to 1980s music and 1990s video games and you’re all set!)
Honestly it probably won’t work out with you either.
But I’d still love to hear from you if you’ve got a lot to share.
Ideally you’ll be more towards the start of your journey than we are. Not phobic about smartphones and investing apps. Maybe you even bought an NFT of a cartoon gorilla during the 2021 crypto mania before repenting your foolish ways.
But mainly you’ll be on-message with sensible investing. A bit of personal finance hackery – stoozing, credit card rewards, current account bonus chasing – wouldn’t hurt either. (It all adds up in your 20s.)
We’d want a bit of personality in the mix. Judicious. Tasteful. Nothing too influencer-y.
Can you point me to a bit of writing you did earlier? Brilliant.
Get in touch via the Contact form if you’re the person all your friends go to about investing. Just so long as you write better than ChatGPT, and without it too.
Try to enjoy the heatwave if you’re in the UK. It’ll be winter by August.
From Monevator
Quality, momentum, low vol, and dividend growth versus the market – Monevator [6]
Profiting from the UK stock market liquidation [Posting Sunday, sign-up now!] – Monevator Mogul Members [7]
From the archive-ator: Cash and bonds are different investments – Monevator [8]
News
BoE holds rates at 4.25%, with dovish split emerging despite high inflation – BBC [9]
CEO pay at UK’s top companies 52 times that of typical worker… – Guardian [10]
…but overall the UK rich got poorer in 2024 – This Is Money [11]
Scottish Widows to slash UK equity exposure [Paywall] – FT [12]
The families paying £1,500 for ‘private bobbies’ to police their homes – BBC [13]
Retail sales slumped in May – This Is Money [14]
UK house prices rose 74% over the past 20 years – Which [15]
Chancellor considers changes to non-dom IHT amid ‘exodus’ [Paywall] – FT [16]
Assisted dying set to become law in England and Wales – Guardian [17]
Japan’s Nippon seals controversial US Steel deal after Trump pact – BBC [18]
[19]
UK goes all-in on nuclear after years of debate – Semafor [20]
Products and services
Savers warned of wave of tax bills as millions of fixed-rate deals end – T.I.M. [21]
Ten ways to save on festivals – Which [22]
Monzo partners with Blackrock to offer 11 ETFs – This Is Money [23]
Get up to £2,000 when you switch to an Interactive Investor [24] SIPP. Terms and fees apply. – Interactive Investor [24]
Is it time to take a fixed rate energy tariff? – This Is Money [25]
Santander Edge saver review: earn 6% interest – Be Clever With Your Cash [26]
French app Poppins rents out underused household items – Guardian [27]
Get up to £100 as a welcome bonus when you open a new account with InvestEngine via our link [28]. (Minimum deposit of £100, T&Cs apply. Capital at risk) – InvestEngine [28]
Can you get travel insurance if you’re over 80? – Which [29]
Crypto fund Ziglu stops trading and tells customers to withdraw funds – This Is Money [30]
Penthouses with a private terrace for sale, in pictures – Guardian [31]
Comment and opinion
Shared ownership: “It’s a con and we felt trapped” – BBC [32]
Britain can’t afford to spend £24,000 on every adult – CityAM [33]
Casting doubt on risk preferences – Klement on Investing [34]
The ‘joint & separate’ method of managing money in marriage – Of Dollars and Data [35]
Empathy isn’t part of the S&P 500 – A Teachable Moment [36]
Why some assets become more attractive when more expensive – Behavioural Investment [37]
How childhood financial insecurity can define your life – Optimistic Callie [38]
(So) what if you miss the market’s N best days? – AQR [39]
Finance rules that are good in theory – Humble Dollar [40]
The ‘first year of retirement rule’ – Kiplinger [41]
What would a dollar reversal mean for global equities? – Larry’s Substack [42]
David Blanchett: Doing better with less [PDF] – Retirement Income Institute [43]
The human complexities of correcting the record – Portfolio Charts [44]
Naughty corner: Active antics
AirBnB: the hospitality giant without property – Quartr [45]
Why investors should take a look at REITs – Morningstar [46]
Enhancing momentum strategies – Alpha Architect [47]
Monetising meals: advertising at the big delivery platforms – Platform Aeronaut [48]
What are inflation surprises telling us about the tariffs? – Stay-At-Home Macro [49]
Kindle book bargains
How to Own the World by Andrew Craig – £0.99 on Kindle [50]
The Algebra of Wealth by Scott Galloway – £0.99 on Kindle [51]
The Big Short by Michael Lewis – £0.99 on Kindle [52]
Skunk Works: A Memoir of My Years at Lockheed by Ben Rich – £0.99 on Kindle [53]
Or pick up one of the all-time great investing classics – Monevator shop [54]
Environmental factors
Race to mine metals for EV batteries threatens marine paradise – BBC [55]
How to keep your home cool in a heatwave – Guardian [56]
Renowned climate scientist decries the most difficult time for science he’s seen – F.C. [57]
Attenborough’s Ocean tells the truth about marine destruction – Guardian [58]
Octopus boom on England’s southwest coast down to ‘perfect storm’ – Sky [59]
Scientists develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours – Reuters [60]
Robot overlord roundup
Mary Meeker’s latest AI report [PDF] – Bondcap [61]
Planning your retirement? ChatGPT can help with that [Paywall] – FT [62]
Student essays RIP. The future of cognition – The Garden of Forking Paths [63]
All civil servants in England and Wales to get AI training – Guardian [64]
The harsh reality of being laid off because of AI… – Independent [65]
…with Amazon’s boss warning staff AI will replace jobs – BBC [66]
Not at the dinner table
How to navigate the tariff circus – Mr Money Mustache [67]
The reality behind Trump’s incredible investment claims – BBC [68]
All we have are vibes and the vibes are bad – Garbage Day [69]
Strikes on Iran reverberate through the media – Columbia Journalism Review [70]
Off our beat
Very bad advice – Morgan Housel [71]
The Taliban has gotten around to banning… chess – NPR [72]
A Russian soldier takes the stand for an execution – BBC [73]
The reciprocity of interest – More To That [74]
Using GLP-1 drugs for weight loss from a doctor who’s been there – NPR [75]
What happened to working your way up from the mailroom? – The Diff [76]
The rise and fall of TV sitcoms – Stat Significant [77]
Going out on top – We’re Gonna Get Those Bastards [78]
And finally…
“Real estate is the ultimate field for entrepreneurs. You don’t need substantial capital to start; you just need to be resourceful. You can access financing. You can access friends and family money. You can use other people’s money. You can be in this business owning one property or a thousand.”
– Erez Cohen, Real Estate Titans [79]
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