Worst Money Articles of 2018
Whether it’s tipping, the stock market, or savings habits, in 2018, people had a lot of bad opinions. And instead of keeping our bad opinions to ourselves, we went to the Internet to fan the flames of Internet outrage.
Okay, not all of the articles listed here are bad . Some are educational in nature or highlight how different people see and use money. But the conversations they generated weren’t always productive. Let’s take a look at the financial articles, tweets, and conversations that fell short in 2018.
A week in New York at $ 25 an hour and a $ 1,000 monthly allowance
by Refinery29
Look, this is one of those articles that isn’t bad in and of themselves – in fact, I almost put it in the Best of 2018 post – but the conversations around it seemed to get to the point where if you don’t 12 dollars an hour, saddled with $ 100,000 in student loan debt, you don’t deserve to give your opinion on this.
Personally, I think it’s worth reading because it’s an inside look at exactly how these 22-year-old gallerists live in a penthouse and eat takeaway every day at below minimum wages. If you live in an area with a high cost of living, you are familiar with these people and may feel overwhelmed that you cannot afford the lifestyle they do. But the money diary will reveal a secret for you: it has nothing to do with you and how hard you work, because you don’t have several generations of family members to help you. We all “knew” this, but now we know for sure. This is the appeal of R29 Cash Diaries and this year has been a big one for them.
Point without fracture
by Eater
Again, placing this article on this list has nothing to do with the article itself – interestingly – but with the people involved. Here’s a small sample:
Sam knows tip size is not the norm. In fact, one of the reasons she doesn’t think she needs to tip is because she believes everyone else is giving enough to make up for it. “They make $ 5 off me and the next person they get, like $ 25, $ 30, and it all goes into their pocket, so what’s the difference?” she said. “I would rather spend this money on other things.”
Sam says that all her friends tell her that she should tip at least 18 percent, but she doesn’t care. “I’m not going to be rude and say I don’t care, but I don’t really care,” she says. “This is not my concern. I do not know you. You have chosen this profession. “
Sam, I hope you took notice of the response to this article and now care enough to tip 18%.
Debt: a love story
by Wealthsimple
Look, I understand that this is a Wealthsimple ad, and in that regard, the marketer who created it knocked it out of the park. This article, in which the “couple” discusses their debts and spending habits, is one of the most stressful non-political articles I read in 2018. I really felt like my face was on fire as “Kate” and “Tom” worked through all of their decisions. I usually don’t want to judge people, but at some point that’s enough, right? From time to time you have to make one responsible choice, even by accident or by inertia?
I’m pretty sure this is just an advertisement, right? These people cannot be real. Right? Anyway, congratulations to Wealthsimple on this one.
President’s Twitter feed
By the President of the United States
The president tweeted a lot of dizzying things about money and markets this year, but this one stuck with me. Why didn’t he just write excellent and not “good (excellent)?” Does he think the stock market is intelligent? Why is the stock market capitalized? So many questions from so many characters.
Bill O’Reilly’s Twitter feed
Bill O’Reilly
Listen, buddy, leave us a tip, okay? It’s okay that, as Nick wrote , you are a sexual predator, but your “advice” is simply bad. Do you really want to model your life after the guy who shelled out $ 45 million to cover up at least six different incidents of sexual assault?
How much money should you have saved by the X Age
from each personal finance department
The Internet decided this year that personal finance websites should no longer publish articles with guidance on savings. And I get it – the articles I’ve written are usually a backdoor when something breaks out in the news – X The celebrity (or politician ) saved $ Y, but how much should they actually have spent? Readers are understandably annoyed with articles like this – yes, we all know we should have more savings, but when student loan arrears are consistently high, rent eats up more than half of our salary every month, employers are only interested in hiring. full-time workers, benefits and insurance are getting stingier every year, it’s hard to know how far behind you really are on the road to financial freedom.
However, there is nothing wrong with having landmarks. Many find them useful. But personal finance websites including this one would do better to explore the structural reasons many of us find it difficult to save and invest in than to write the same main article over and over again.
Elon Musk’s Twitter feed
Elon Musk
He tweeted that he is keeping Tesla private , prompting an SEC investigation, and said that people have to work 80 to 100 hours a week if they want to change the world, among many other stupid things not related to money. Mister Musk, in 2019: Step away from the Twitter machine.
19-year-old Bitcoin Millionaire: How Much Should You Invest in Cryptocurrencies
CNBC
Where to begin. Oh yes, with this quote:
In an interview with CNBC Make It, he offers this advice to other young people looking to join the crypto craze: Invest 10 percent of your income in leading cryptocurrencies, especially bitcoins.
Here’s another best piece of advice: Don’t do what some random 19-year-old tells you, especially if he’s investing in something you don’t understand. In fact, I could pick any article about “investing” in cryptocurrency that was published this year, but this headline, in my opinion, perfectly illustrates the deception. Notably, the author goes on to warn readers, but sometimes one has to wonder if a headline is worth the traffic, especially when it comes to people’s money.
So, will things get better in 2019? Probably no. But for reading better content in the New Year.