Author Archives: Kim Stephenson
Too much month, not enough money
Generally, the more “right wing” our economic/political view, the more likely we are to regard money as being a reward for effort and talent, the more “left wing” the more we may be suspicious of the effects of money. … Continue reading
Pensions: are pensioners adults?
There has been a lot about pensions since the budget bombshell, particularly in the financial press. George Osborne plans to allow savers to take their entire pension pot as cash when they reach age 55. He … Continue reading
No-nup or no brain?
There was a piece in the Evening Standard the other day about agreements for co-habiting couples, a “no-nup” (equivalent to the “pre-nuptial” agreement of married couples). The theory seems to be that it’s a sensible idea. Maybe, but I … Continue reading
Mindfulness, happiness and finance.
It looks as if the UK military are catching up with the US marines. According to the Sunday Times, senior military personnel are being taught “happiness” lessons and meditation. The inverted commas indicate that there is still a … Continue reading
Add-ons, warranties and the like
The insurance “add-on” product market is apparently worth £4 billion a year. And the FCA, the regulator for financial services, says that consumers are “simply not getting value for money”. Mind you, Simon Burtwell the head of … Continue reading
Mindfulness and money
There’s a nice article about mindfulness . But why is it “Over nearly four decades, Ellen Langer’s research on mindfulness has greatly influenced thinking across a range of fields, from behavioural economics to positive psychology.”? As I keep … Continue reading
Tell me what you want.
I just went into a supermarket. As I headed for what I wanted to buy I was told, “sir, get a free mug. When you buy these tomato soups. It’s a really good offer”. I thought, “who is … Continue reading
Gambling or rent?
The mass media are finally catching up. So are the “experts”. We’ve started to get stories about people borrowing money from payday lenders to pay their rent, such as this in the Guardian. I said a couple … Continue reading
Overspending at Christmas
There’s something about Christmas. It’s a time of giving, being happy etc. And of spending money. There were some figures in the papers last week, from research by the Halifax. They said that why we … Continue reading
Positively avoiding debt.
I had some feedback the other day that recently I’ve been tending to focus on what people do wrong with money. Given that I use positive psychology a lot and emphasise the value of things like hope and optimism, … Continue reading
