Much has happened since I began writing this column more than two years ago: the UK has voted for Brexit, Donald Trump has been elected US president and new trade tariffs have been imposed. But some things haven’t changed. In my first column, I argued that cutting out your daily cappuccino won’t make you the next Wolf of Wall Street. Whenever it’s suggested that it … Continue reading Marina’s Monetary Musings: Invest your tuppence wisely – or better yet, feed the birds

There is a belief that people with psychopathic traits – like aggression, cold charm and a ruthless lack of empathy – do well in the financial industry. So a team of academics, led by Leanne ten Brinke, a social psychologist at the University of Denver, set out to investigate if that’s the case. Her team studied the video interviews of 101 hedge fund managers. The … Continue reading Marina’s Monetary Musings: Mirror, mirror on the wall – who is the best one of all?

What’s your first memory of money? Psychoanalysts could have a field day unravelling how people’s first memories shape their views of finance. So, what do you remember? I remember finding a bundle of German banknotes in the playground. I gave the notes to my mother, who asked around at the kindergarten to see if anyone had lost money, but nobody came forward. In the end … Continue reading Money Observer: First money memories

As this column is dedicated to money matters, one question we should probably consider is a very basic one: what is wealth? The Oxford Dictionary says it’s ‘an abundance of valuable possessions or money.’ According to Coutts, the Queen’s private bank, anyone who can deposit £1 million is eligible to join the club. At HSBC, it takes £50,000 in savings or an annual income of … Continue reading Money Observer: Who is wealthy?

Much has been written about how automation will replace humans in the workplace. But what about those who have only been half replaced? I met some of them recently. I was walking through the electronic passport control gates at Frankfurt airport. I pressed my passport onto the glass screen and the gates swung open to reveal two people sitting behind a high counter. I showed … Continue reading Money Observer: Where automation only half-replaces humans

Literary critics are not usually known for their views on money. But the German critic Marcel Reich-Ranicki supposedly said that ‘money doesn’t buy you happiness, but if you’re sad, it’s better to cry in a cab than on a tram.’ This seems logical, and yet it may depend on whether or not you’re an introvert. The relationship between money and happiness has spawned many theories. … Continue reading Money Observer: Why money buys happiness sometimes

I have lived in London for many years, and I still can’t tell King’s Cross from St Pancras station. But I know where platform 9¾ to Hogwarts is, and I also know that the easiest way to travel to Germany is by train. Whenever I fly, I have to leave the house at the crack of dawn, rely on my train to be on time, … Continue reading Money Observer: The easiest way to travel to Germany is by train