A few days ago, I dropped a comment on r/ValueInvesting about Microsoft (MSFT) and Adobe (ADBE), and the corresponding collective AI panic that was melting stock analysts’ brains. It seemed like I struck a chord, so I’m unpacking it in more detail here. The underlying point goes beyond just those three stocks.
When I first wrote about robo investing in Belgium in early 2022, nine providers were in the market. I looked at them all, compared fees, read the fine print, and then did absolutely nothing with it. Never opened an account, didn't bother with any of them.
In Belgium, the saying goes that a child costs you a house. AG Insurance and the Gezinsbond put a number on it: €264,310 over 25 years, or €917 per month when childcare and study costs are included. The Belgian median house price in Q3 2024 was €275,000. Headlines wrote themselves. VRT's Money Time podcast ran with it, and the Gezinsbond has been publishing versions of this research for years.
Thinking about making the switch? Or already freelance and wish someone had told you some of this earlier? Let me know in the comments. Always happy to talk through it. And if you're wondering how going freelance in Belgium fits into a bigger FIRE plan with a family, I wrote about exactly that over here.
Hey everyone! So...a second post in a week's time! What's going on?! If you've been following along, you know I have a habit of disappearing for months at a time and then showing up with a massive life update. But this time I hope it's different. I hope I can keep a consistent post record.