Why does the Consumer Price Index seem "fake" to us?Why does it sometimes seem to us that the Consumer Price Index is falsifying Read more »
Improve your home and your quality of lifeOne of the annoying things about emergencies like war, the coronavirus, etc. is the realization that when we want to, we can. For example, it took a year or much more to get a permit to build a protected space in a private home until the war. In our case, we've been dealing with this since 2018... Read more »
How much should a flight cost?Economists are often accused of thinking about money/profit and so on, and not about people. Another claim is that economics is a (relatively) simple science and that anyone with common sense understands it (or, alternatively, that economics isn't a science at all...). Read more »
Stock market drops, uncertainty, and your electricity billIn early August, we saw some slight movement in the US stock market. I am deliberately calling it slight movement, even though people who transferred their money to SP500 trackers, for example, sometimes saw tens or hundreds of thousands of shekels drop from their balances, and that is definitely not... Read more »
What to do now? Number twoA few days ago, I received an email that moved me. From someone who, before asking a question, reminded me of a broadcast I did at the beginning of the war, and he said it helped him through a difficult point in his life when he not only suffered like me from the massacre event itself, the videos, the worries, etc... Read more »
On FreedomMy freedom, you taught me to give up treats and comfort. My freedom, you taught my heart to rejoice even in solitude. You taught me to smile at the sight of a passing adventure. To lick my wounds in secret and to get up and walk on with a song. About freedom, by Georges Moustaki (lyrics and music). Translation by Yoram Taharlev, there is... Read more »
How not to get into troubleA few weeks ago, an article was published about a mortgage advisor who charged a sum that the author believed was too high for his services. The article also claimed that the advisor had actually harmed the client. Since I haven't seen the data supporting this claim, I don't have... Read more »
Don't panic! Israel's credit rating downgradeOn credit rating downgrades, their causes and consequences Read more »
Critical Reading of This Week's NewsI usually avoid writing about politics. I've found that a specific ideological topic being discussed can provoke much more emotion when a party or political figure is attached to it. For example, a person might support something in principle if it's presented... Read more »
Nine things you didn't know about meIn November 2023, I started Gil Peretz's writing course. The program included a daily writing assignment that I received by email each morning. At the time, the idea of purchasing such a training program seemed very strange to me. On one hand, my income decreased significantly... Read more »
On real benefits and "benefits" to stay away fromAgainst the backdrop of the war in Gaza and the destruction of Israeli communities in the Gaza envelope, banks have created several benefits and promotions. The purpose of this article is to sort out real benefits versus marketing offers disguised as benefits that should be avoided. The full list of benefits varies from bank to bank… Read more »
We will always have BarryIn October 2023, a few days after the Simchat Torah massacre, Professor Yuval Albashan published the article 'We Will Always Have Beer Sheva." I read a small excerpt from the article on the special broadcast I did about the war and things to do and not to do economically and in general. The recording of that broadcast... Read more »
How do we proceed from here?11/10/2023 – Two days after the Simchat Torah massacre. What I think should be done, what should not be done during this challenging time, and greetings from the Oct. 1973 snows. Introduction Before the holiday, I published an interview I did with my parents about the war… Read more »
Income tax deduction for rent paid by tenantsIn 2023, it was determined for the first time that anyone who rents out an apartment for an amount that requires tax payment and simultaneously rents an apartment will be able to offset the rent they receive with the rent they pay, thereby saving significant tax payments at times. It is very important, for example... Read more »
What should you do before answering any financial question you have?Lately, I've often been asked questions like, "Should I take out the maximum mortgage possible or the minimum necessary?" "Should I sell the apartment and put the money in a deposit?" and similar questions. To all these questions, I respond... Read more »
What did I learn from the light rail bench in Gush DanLast Friday, I rode the light rail on its first day of operation. My daughters attend high school in Tel Aviv and for two years, they've taken the bus an hour and a half each way every day. On the train, the travel time will be slightly less than half that time (I measured). In the article… Read more »
Four things I learned at my dentistIn recent months, it has become clear that I need to undergo a dental healing process. During the hours I've spent on the road to the clinic and in the dentist's chair, I've thought about a few things that I believe could be beneficial. Dr. Keren Aharoni, my dentist… Read more »
Journal of Self-Built Private House Construction – Part III – Construction MethodsPart B of the Diary In the previous part of the diary, I wrote about choosing a construction method in terms of the business commitment: a turn-key contractor, a project manager, or full self-management of the construction. In this part, I will talk about construction methods in a physical sense,... Read more »