2023-12-09 21:01:21
Dealing with money seems almost ridiculous, confessed the creator of the successful finance blog “The Solid” recently in a different post than usual, which expressed the emotional upheaval that gripped her as a result of Black Sabbath and the war that followed. “More than a month later, I open my Excel, and random numbers stare at me in all their shrill paleness,” wrote the blogger whose pen name is “Dorine Hartman”, and who has been maintaining the blog for over a decade.
In an interview through X (formerly Twitter), we asked to understand if now, two months after October 7th, The Solid is able to return to dealing with finances, and in what way the recognition of the fragility of life changed her outlook on life and on money.
Hartman had difficulty sticking to her financial routine in the weeks after the disaster, and she has tried to explain why in her latest post. The sudden presence of death makes life’s finitude present, and the prospect of money at the end of life is zero. This insight becomes more present as she gets older.
But this doesn’t mean she is giving up healthy financial habits completely. She has been reorganizing her Excel expenses and net worth as part of trying to get back to normal. Yet, she has come to realize that at this stage of her life, money should take a more modest place in her life than it did in the past.
“Concern for a margin of safety, with the understanding that life is completely random and may land on you from nowhere at any time, is the basis for proper financial conduct,” she said.
The blog creator detailed that the upheavals in 2023 have made people spend money abroad, invest in dollar-linked funds, and transfer funds from deposits to various assets that are protected in the event of a bank failure. Hartman has also diversified and now invests mainly in dividend-yielding stocks, and has shifted her focus to a portfolio of stocks traded in the US and Canada.
Hartman’s investment strategy for 2023 has been focused on converting shekels into dollars and pouring fresh money into her dividend stock portfolio.
She also emphasized the importance of a diversified portfolio, stating that the S&P index is very centralized and driven by a small number of mega-tech companies. She also shared her preference for staying away from industries characterized by very high capital expenditure, exposure to consumer sentiment, or high debt levels.
In conclusion, Hartman’s experiences in 2023 have led her to prioritize a margin of safety and a dividend-focused investment strategy. Her insights reflect the importance of a balanced and cautious approach to managing finances in a volatile and unpredictable economic climate.
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