Running a household, intelligently
Notes on money, home, travel, retirement, and the systems that hold a household together.
Countdown Log: Road to Product Hunt
Day 0. The quiet part ended at 12:01 this morning, Pacific time, while I was asleep.
The Most Useful Thing Our AI Ever Did Was Say No
Anyone can build an AI that says "sure, go for it." The value lives in the moments it pushes back with receipts. What we learned when our household AI refused to be encouraging.
There Are a Dozen Good YNAB Alternatives. That's Not Your Problem.
If you're shopping for a YNAB alternative, you'll find a dozen good ones. But if the budget keeps missing things that aren't money, no budgeting app will fix it. Here's the difference.
"Can We Afford It?" — Why the Most Common Money Question in Any Household Is So Hard to Answer
Every household argues about the same question. It's not a math problem — it's a data problem. Here's why "can we afford it?" is so hard to answer, and what an actual answer looks like.
The Hurricane Prep Your Household Actually Forgets (A Sarasota Checklist)
Water and batteries are the easy part. Here's what Florida households actually forget before a hurricane — documents, deadlines, and decisions — and how to stop rebuilding the list from memory every June.
Life After Mint: Why Households Are Moving Beyond Budget Apps
Mint shut down in March 2024 and left millions looking for a replacement. Here's why many households are skipping the next budget app and moving to a household operating system instead.