Living

Captain Finance's May Summary 2016

Submitted by Captain Finance on Fri, 06/03/2016 - 00:00
Captain Finance's May Summary 2016

May was an interesting month.

Not only were we getting closer to a potential change in the structure of the European Union and one of its most important members voting on whether to stay in or leave in the infamous Brexit vote on June 23rd, but a potential Fed interest hike and the preparations for the Euro Cup were in full swing.

Bitcoins, beauty, love, and millenials.

May was a diverse and really interesting month.

Captain Finance's summary of some of the ten most interesting stories over the course of May's 31 days.

Captain Finance's March Summary 2016

Submitted by Captain Finance on Thu, 03/31/2016 - 00:00
Captain Finance's March Summary 2016

March was a much calmer month than January and February with regard to the stock market. The market has not gained or lost significantly - in fact ending flat. The European Central Bank, on the other hand, has delivered another major surprise by not only introducing negative interest rates but also by increasing monthly bond purchases, or in other words upping QE (quantitative easing), by an additional €20 billion per month.

Evolution of mankind

Submitted by Captain Finance on Tue, 02/23/2016 - 00:00
Evolution of Mankind

Mankind’s evolution is mind-blowing. In a relatively short period of time have we managed to evolve to a level so incredible that it would have sounded like science fiction only a few decades ago. Whether we are talking about developments in medicine, technology, or the amazing standards we enjoy today, every generation has becoming richer, healthier, more powerful. Just take the growth of humans in terms of their body height. From 10 cm in the USA to an astonishing 19 for Dutch men.

Captain Finance's January Summary 2016

Submitted by Captain Finance on Sun, 01/31/2016 - 00:00
Captain Finance's January Summary 2016

Another exciting month: January 2016.

What a start into the year it has been.

The stock market started similarly to the final weeks of 2015, with loses. However, this time it appears a bit different. Is it the end of the bull market? Will you get a new car? Will you earn more in your savings account?

And what a wonderful time for putting fuel into your car? We haven't seen gas prices as low as this in a long time.

The key to happiness - Epiphany in the sea

Submitted by Captain Finance on Fri, 12/18/2015 - 16:46
The key to happiness - Epiphany in the sea

What is the key to happiness? I guess many of us ask ourselves that simple, yet so complex question. Some time ago I had an epiphany in the blue sea in the beautiful country of Greece. As I was floating in the sea, the crystal clear water giving way to the sandy bottom of the ocean beneath us, the waves dandling us, I thought ‘Could life get any better?’

Just thirty meters from us, on the beach, a group of newly rich showing off their wealth, ordering cocktails and waving their electronic gadgets. We were in forbidden territory; the adjacent beach belonged to a luxury hotel.

What Does it Mean to Be Rich?

Submitted by Captain Finance on Fri, 06/19/2015 - 00:00
Being rich. Living on your investment returns.

If someone asked you what you consider rich, what would you answer? I am not referring to health, friends, family, or other areas of life that are truly enriching. Rich in terms of finances. I for one am really struggling with the concept of “being rich”. What does it mean to be rich? Do you need $/€/£ 1 billion, $/€/£ 100 million, $/€/£ 1 million, or $/€/£ 500,000?