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Behavioural Insights
Thoughtful analysis of how psychology shapes financial behaviour, spending habits, and long term decision making, translating academic research into practical insights that help individuals make smarter, more intentional financial choices.
Can Any Formula Tell You How Much Money To Save?
We are led to believe that there is a way to properly prepare for any financial disaster. But in the current (rapidly changing) economic...
Merle van den Akker
Feb 12, 20206 min read
How Much Money Will Make You Happy?
According to two Nobel Prize winners, 75k should be enough. Money and happiness. Two very different concepts that have gotten a lot of...
Merle van den Akker
Jan 22, 20205 min read
Pay Yourself First
Money comes in. Money goes out. Bills, debt repayment, groceries etc. After all that, how’s your saving strategy going? Many of us dream...
Merle van den Akker
Jan 8, 20205 min read
The Dangers of using Spending as a Reward
Are we digging our own financial graves "treating ourselves"? “Treat Yourself.” It’s a very common phrase these days. And it can mean a...
Merle van den Akker
Dec 27, 20194 min read
The Mystery that is Compound Interest
In my article "Why we need to teach Personal Finance" I have already alluded to the damage compound interest can do. Especially, when no...
Merle van den Akker
Dec 20, 20198 min read
Don’t Pay Later, Pay NOW
The idea of buying on credit, meaning you get your product now and the bill (the pain of paying) later, is as old as time. Well, maybe...
Merle van den Akker
Dec 4, 20194 min read
We Need to Start Teaching Personal Finance in Education NOW
If there is one thing the crisis has taught us, is that no one seems to have a clue what's going in our financial system. And why would...
Merle van den Akker
Nov 27, 20199 min read
How 20 Minutes a Day can Save Your Finances
There never seems to be any time for introducing changes to your life. Especially big changes simply seem too daunting to implement. We...
Merle van den Akker
Nov 20, 20193 min read
Behavioural Finance: What Can It Teach Us?
Behavioural Economics is a field that rapidly grew, seeing two massive spikes of popularity in 2002 and 2017, when Nobels were awarded to...
Merle van den Akker
Nov 8, 20196 min read
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