# Sam Beckbessinger
> One girl's adventures in writing, reading, and lollygagging, brought to you by Sam Beckbessinger. Featuring musings on books, money, work and happiness.
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## Pages
- [About Sam Beckbessinger](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/about.md) - Sam Beckbessinger is the author of the bestselling Manage Your Money Like a Fucking Grownup and the novels Femme Feral (one of the Observer's top debut novels of 2026) and Girls of Little Hope (co-authored with Dale Halvorsen). Her interactive story about climate change, Survive the Century, was fe…
- [Books](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/books.md) - You're going to earn plenty of money over your lifetime. Are you going to waste it on stupid crap that doesn't make you happy, or let it buy your freedom and your most audacious dreams?
- [Community Guidelines](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/community-guidelines.md) - One of the best things about writing on the internet is being able to engage with the community that forms around it. That's you! The comments section on this site is a space for you to chat with other members, share knowledge and experiences, and share what content you enjoyed the most. To help ke…
- [Contact](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/contact.md) - I love hearing from readers. Get in touch to ask questions, tell me how you think I can do things better, or find out how we can do more together. Go on, don't be shy. READERS General stuff: hello@sambeckbessinger.com If you email me a question, I reserve the right to publish it as part of a blog p…
- [Creative writing mentorship](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/creative-writing-mentorship.md) - One-to-one mentorship, developmental editing, manuscript appraisal and creative coaching for developing writers.
- [FAQs](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/faqs.md) - Answers to your frequently-asked questions
- [Formal bio](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/formal-bio.md) - Long bio Sam Beckbessinger is the bestselling author of Manage Your Money Like a Fucking Grownup, sold in six countries. Her debut adult novel Femme Feral is a perimenopausal werewolf story that was named one of the Observer's best debut novels of 2026. Sam co-authored the teen body-horror novel Gi…
- [Freebies](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/freebies-2.md) - Useful downloads, guides and resources (and a few silly stories). Enjoy!
- [Help launch Girls of Little Hope](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/help-launch-girls-of-little-hope.md) - Thank you for offering to help with my book launch! Marketing a book is really hard. Maybe even as hard as writing the bloody thing in the first place. I'm so grateful to anyone who can help. The goal: get as many social media mentions and sales in the week of the launch (12 - 18 June 2023) as we c…
- [How can I help?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-can-i-help.md) - How to help the Femme Feral launch
- [Projects](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/latest-projects.md) - A summary of recently released and in progress projects from the Sam Beckbessinger Cinematic Universe. In progress Manage Your Money update - coming September 2026 A full rewrite and update of Manage Your Money Like a F-cking Grownup. Status: Done and dusted, and being printed as we speak! Expect t…
- [Manage Your Money Resources](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/manage-your-money-resources.md) - Welcome, Manage Your Money like a Fucking Grownup readers!
- [Podcast](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/podcast.md) - Do you feel like you’re just faking knowing how to adult? Me too! No-one gave us a guide to any of this stuff. This is a show where we take all the big scary questions you’ve always felt too embarrassed to ask, and try to find solutions. Like a Fucking Grownup is a podcast about health, money, happ…
- [Popular posts](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/popular-posts.md) - A collection of our most popular posts. Like a Fucking Grownup | The Money DashboardA spreadsheet for tracking your budget, debts and investments, available in Excel and Google Sheets.Like a Fucking GrownupSam Beckbessinger [https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/dashboard/]Like a Fucking Grownup | Radta…
- [Press](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/press.md) - General The best debut novelists of 2026 | The ObserverFeaturing a GP, a teacher, a former zoologist and a pair of poets, The Observer’s list of rising stars reveals the eight names to watch this yearThe ObserverAnthony CumminsInvertebrate minds: from spiders to octopusesOur panel discusses how to…
- [Privacy](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/privacy.md) - Your privacy is important to us. It is our policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you across our website, www.sambeckbessinger.com, and other sites we own and operate. We only ask for personal information when we truly need it to provide a service to you. We co…
- [Money Talks](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/talks.md) - I’ve spent most of the last decade talking to normal people about their financial lives. I’ve heard it all—from the ambitious 20-somethings juggling side hustles and university degrees, to the mothers worried they’ve fallen for a pyramid scheme, to desperate people who are changing their phone numb…
- [Terms](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/terms.md) - By accessing the website at www.sambeckbessinger.com, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms of service, all applicable laws and regulations, and agree that you are responsible for compliance with any applicable local laws. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from u…
- [Thank you 😍](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/thank-you-free.md) - I'm so stoked that you decided to join us here. You'll get a weekly(ish) email from me, and you can now browse all of the site's content. Why not start with a list of our most popular posts and freebies? Start reading [https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/freebies-2/]
- [Thank you 🥰](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/thank-you-premium.md) - People like you make it possible for me to do the work that I do. I am so, so grateful. As a special thank-you gift, you now have access to "Money 101", a one-hour online course about the basics of managing your money. Enjoy! Start learning [https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/money-101/]And if that's…

## Posts
- [The fascination of what's difficult](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-fascination-of-whats-difficult.md) - The work we choose for ourselves
- [Money calculators](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/money-calculators-2.md) - Simple calculators to help you work through hard money choices
- [Cut your electricity bills](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/cut-your-electricity-bills.md) - A South African action plan to cut thousands of rands off your utilities
- [Let's save pessimism for better times](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/lets-save-pessimism-for-better-times.md) - Come on chaps, let's all move to a commune!
- [Pet Worms](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/pet-worms.md) - Contemplating my strangest childhood pet
- [Silly Hour!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/silly-hour.md) - A few things keeping my mind playful
- [Obstinate columns](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/obstinate-columns.md) - The best books I read in Turkey
- [A brief history of the female werewolf](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-brief-history-of-the-female-werewolf.md) - And other essays from the Femme Feral Cinematic Universe
- [Launch storm](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/launch-storm.md) - The chaos of launching a novel
- [A Femme Feral playlist](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-femme-feral-playlist.md) - Celebrating UK launch day with some songs about female rage
- [Femme Feral UK launch week!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/femme-feral-uk-launch-week.md) - Okayokayokay British friends STAY CALM Femme Feral's on your shelves this week
- [How I make money writing](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-i-make-money-writing.md) - An interview about the nuts and bolts of paying bills with a writer's income
- [Femme Feral countdown!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/femme-feral-countdown.md) - Less than 1 month before Femme Feral hits your bookshops EEEE!
- [Autumnal treats](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/autumnal-treats.md) - Some tasty books and music recommendations
- [Architectures of Awe](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/architectures-of-awe.md) - Pipe organs and crumbling churches
- [Fat Bear Week](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/fat-bear-week.md) - Filling your larder with succulent salmon (and other good habits)
- [Send in the clowns](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/clowns.md) - I have had a revelation and I want you to have one too
- [The lost golden age and other stories we live inside](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-lost-golden-age-and-other-stories-we-live-inside.md) - On the TikTokisation of politics
- [Frolics](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/frolics.md) - Harris' Guide to Covent Garden Ladies, the F-Show, and a poem
- [Name a character in my novel after your worst ex-boss (or a nemesis of your choice)](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/name-a-character-in-my-novel-after-your-worst-ex-boss-or-a-nemesis-of-your-choice.md) - Ever wish you could trap your least favourite ex-boss in a novel and make bad things happen to him? Now’s your chance.
- [Company](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/company.md) - Joyful titbits for a dreary month
- [Since feeling is first](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/since-feeling-is-first.md) - Thoughts on rage and other gnarly emotions
- [Favourite children's books of the 21st century](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/favourite-childrens-picture-books-of-the-21st-century.md) - Delicious reads for tots, teens and in-betweens
- [Rich Man's Frug](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/rich-mans-frug.md) - Some dancing tunes, and a guide to editing your own writing
- [Ada Lovelace's satin gown](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/ada-lovelaces-satin-gown.md) - Scientists, inventors, and the clothing they're allowed to wear 👗
- [The Dolphin's Cry?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/dolphins-cry.md) - Better gift-giving, a fantastic young adult novel, and some poetry sleuthing
- [Crackles and grooves](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/crackles-and-grooves.md) - I finally gave in and got a record player.
- [Five October things](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/five-october-things.md) - Books about polar terror, investment platforms for teens, and October luxuries.
- [African SFF you should be reading right now](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/african-sff-you-should-be-reading-right-now.md) - Some of the best science fiction and fantasy coming out of the continent.
- [My food tastes are ridiculous, I'm sorry](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/my-food-tastes-are-ridiculous-im-sorry.md) - In my defence, I grew up in Centurion
- [Personal Nuclear Reactors](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/personal-nuclear-reactors.md) - Five favourite summer things
- [An opinionated guide to your first time in London](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/an-opinionated-guide-to-your-first-time-in-london.md) - A quick guide to making the most of your first visit to London, beyond red buses and Big Ben.
- [Femme Feral](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/femme-feral.md) - Ever felt ready to HOWL?
- [Worldcon Reading List](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/worldcon-reading-list.md) - Five books I'm hyped to read after Glasgow Worldcon 2024
- [Entangled histories](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/entangled-histories.md) - Bee-eaters, Bongeziwe Mabandla and other glimpses of home.
- [Big news!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/big-news.md) - I've been quiet recently. Here's why.
- [A learning path for crochet!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-learning-path-for-crochet.md) - An ABSOLUTE BEGINNER'S GUIDE to learning how to crochet.
- [MAMA live writing journal](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/cuckoobird-live-writing-journal.md) - Follow along as I write my next novel.
- [London for NERDS](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/london-for-nerds.md) - A travel guide to a very dorky city.
- [Uilleann pipes](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/uilleann-pipes.md) - Hello from Dublin
- [Pruning Time](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/pruning-time.md) - February is for letting go.
- [Femme Feral sneak peak](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/femme-feral-prologue.md) - A sneak peek of the first page of my new WIP novel.
- [Is it worth saving parasitic wasps?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/january.md) - Why should we care about species extinction?
- [Meander Maps](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/meander-maps.md) - Recent obsessions with Roman emperors and shifting waterways
- [100,000 copies later](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/100-000-copies-sold.md) - Reflecting on the book that changed my life
- [Rugby, Course Syllabi, and Billionaire Survivalists](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/rugby-course-syllabi-billionaire-survivalists.md) - Naomi Alderman's "The Future", a podcast about birds and rugby, and what makes a good course syllabus.
- [BONUS: Some fave readings about parenting, alloparenting and nonparenting](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/bonus-s-fave-readings-about-parenting-alloparenting-and-nonparenting.md) - I mentioned that, now that I'm in my late 30s and have fully entered my auntie era, I've been reading widely about fertility, parenting, alloparenting and nonparenting. Here's a collection of some lovely essays, books, and podcasts you all suggested for me. A general content warning: some of these…
- [Cosy October](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/cosy-october.md) - Some games, films, books and music to keep your October feeling cosy
- [Moving to the UK launch day bayyyybeeeeeee!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/moving-to-the-uk-launch.md) - Your handy guide to moving countries without losing your mind
- [RSS and other horrors](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/new.md) - RSS readers, live events, and some delicious books.
- [Chiaroscuro Tales: Contemporary African Speculative Fiction in Bengali](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/african-speculative-fiction-vol-2-in-bengali.md) - I'm so honoured that my short story, "Undercurrency", was chosen for inclusion in the anthology Chiaroscuro Tales: Contemporary African Speculative Fiction in Bengali ('আলো আঁধারের উপাখ্যান') edited by Wole Talabi and Debjyoti Bhattacharya. Amit Debnath is the translator. * Pre-booking link * Goodr…
- [Join Dale and I for a live Q&A on Instagram](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/join-dale-and-i-for-a-live-q-a.md) - Hi loves! Just popping you a quick note to say that if you're dying to ask Dale Halvorsen and I some questions about Girls of Little Hope, join us on Instagram Wednesday 12 July at 6pm BST/7pm SAST. We'll be sharing some of our favourite stories about the writing process, revealing the real-life in…
- [The concise guide to moving to the UK 🇬🇧](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/announcing-moving-to-the-uk.md) - Okay so GUESS WHAT I wrote a whole other book
- [Even more Girls of Little Hope goodies for ya 😱](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/even-more-golh-goodies.md) - Fanart, movie lists, merch and more
- [What the heck is a zine, anyway?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/what-are-zines.md) - In praise of radical publishing
- [Cape Town launch - Girls of Little Hope](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/cape-town-launch-girls-of-little-hope.md) - Join Dale in Cape Town to celebrate the launch of Girls of Little Hope
- [Moving to the UK: A Concise Guide for South Africans](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/moving-to-the-uk-a-concise-guide-for-south-africans.md) - Moving countries is hard and there's no handbook. But there should be!
- [10 books like Girls of Little Hope](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/10-books-like-girls-of-little-hope.md) - What to read next if you loved Girls of Little Hope
- [Girls of Little Hope launch day](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/girls-of-little-hope-launch-day.md) - It's today! It's today!
- [5 day countdown...](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/five-day-countdown.md) - EVERYTHING'S FINE
- [On being a better host 👯‍♂️](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/on-being-a-better-host.md) - Tricks for hosting more meaningful gatherings and divvying up the chores.
- [A Girls of Little Hope freebie for you!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/girls-of-little-hope-freebies.md) - Some Girls of Little Hope freebies for you, and other things that made my week.
- [Rigged games](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-man-with-the-golden-hands.md) - Highlights of the London Game Festival, graphs to help you understand Succession, and other things that made my week.
- [Springtime](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/springtime.md) - On finally deciding I was ready to buy a flat, and some great art, books and games which have been occupying me recently.
- [Don't Look Now](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/dont-look-now.md) - A personal history of my love/loathing of horror movies
- [Love is for Losers](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/love-is-for-losers.md) - Five things that made my week, from queer teen fiction to ChatGPT.
- [What do sponges think about?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/what-do-sponges-think-about.md) - A book about animal consciousness, postcard admin, and my favourite reads about the fall of SBF
- [Okay but for real, how great is Glass Onion?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/glass-onion.md) - This is a brief spoiler-filled discussion of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Don't read this until you've watched the movie!
- [Spooky season](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/spooky-season.md) - Some great new horror movies to watch this October
- [A Nick Cave Crash Course](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-nick-cave-crash-course.md) - Nick Cave is one of my favourite, favourite musicians: a dark crooner, a twisted lyricist, a rogue magic-man. But the guy's been making music for over four decades, so it can be hard to know what of his extensive backlog to listen to first. Before I dragged off one of my buddies to see Nick Cave ta…
- [The Autumn of Longevity](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-autumn-of-longevity.md) - Since AI art dominated the last newsletter, I thought it would be fun to showcase some art from YOU ACTUAL HUMAN readers. Today's cover image is by extremely brilliant artist Careshia Esperanza (hi Careshia!). She also does entirely adorable pet portraits, which make superb gifts. If you're a profe…
- [Girls of Little Hope - coming 2023](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/girls-of-little-hope-coming-2023.md) - A sneak peak of the cover for my first novel, coming out in 2023
- [Experiments in AI](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/experiments-in-ai.md) - Well, it's happened: the robots have officially come for my job.
- [A simple guide to making AI art with Midjourney](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-to-make-ai-art-with-midjourney.md) - A simple guide to making AI art with Midjourney... for total beginners
- [The mundane joys of relationship in-jokes and deep-cleaning your house](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-joy-of-long-relationships-and-deep-cleaning-your-house.md) - Meditations on mundane delights
- [Revenge songs!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/revenge-songs.md) - Savage songs of revenge, great Cape Town climate fiction and other things that made my week.
- [Tell me your politik](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/tell-me-your-politik.md) - On witchburning, scruffy hospitality, and great new music.
- [Worried about SA's economy? Here's how to sleep a little better at night.](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/managing-your-country-risk.md) - Worried about South Africa's economy? Here are some practical things you can do to reduce your financial risk.
- [Bye Boris](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/bye-boris.md) - Musing on methods to fund your art.
- [Inequality is weird](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/inequality-is-weird.md) - Polite Sukoku pros, deals with the devil, Kate Bush... five things that have caught my attention this week.
- [35 lessons I'm learning at 35](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/35-things.md) - Midlife reflections
- [MUSICAL FUNTIME EAR EXPLOSION](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/musical-funtime-ear-explosion.md) - Musical highlights from two weeks in Barcelona
- [Just be a rock](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/just-be-a-rock.md) - Gushing about the movies, books and TV shows that have gotten me through a stinker of a work week.
- [Survive the Century - now in book form!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/survive-the-century-now-in-book-form.md) - Exciting news for fans of interactive stories, jokes, and stories about the future
- [Pozdrav iz Dubrovnik 🇭🇷](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/dubrovnik.md) - Strange finds in the Red History Museum in Dubrovnik, eel facts, and buying a house.
- [Invisible luck, time management, and raunchy pot-plants](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/time-management.md) - 5 things that made my week, including an anti-productivity book, a new writing app, and a love poem from a houseplant.
- [Bursting with pride day](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/shining-girls-launch-day.md) - actually dying of joy today
- [Is your job meaningful? And does it have to be?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/is-your-job-meaningful.md) - On finding meaning inside and outside of your job.
- [A little bit of good news about the climate crisis - yes! Actually!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-little-bit-of-good-news-about-the-climate-crisis.md) - On hope, forgiveness, and superb blanket designs.
- [Covidtined!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/covidtined.md) - The things keeping me sane through an endless Covid quarantine
- [Leashing your anxiety](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/leashing-your-anxiety.md) - Thoughts about staying sane in strange times
- [Useful resources about the climate emergency](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/useful-resources-about-the-climate-emergency.md) - A living list of resources that I found helpful in understanding the climate emergency. * How to Save a Planet [https://gimletmedia.com/shows/howtosaveaplanet] (podcast) * All We Can Save [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53231994-all-we-can-save?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=0AZpQlFb1E&rank=1] (ess…
- ["Not an Important Failure"](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/not-an-important-failure.md) - WH Auden, a demon barber, and an ode to the recklessness of springtime
- [Life-themes archive](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/life-themes.md) - One of the most helpful things I've been doing for the past few years is setting a theme to guide every season. I got this idea from the wonderful CGP Grey, who speaks about why loose themes can be more helpful than setting specific goals and resolutions. As I wrote in my post about my Winter of We…
- [Everything must go](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/everything-must-go.md) - Hi loves! Here are ten quick things I wanted to share with you this week. 1. Clearing out my storeroom. Everything must go! In the interest of spring cleaning my entire life, I've decided to shut down my online store. That means it is your TIME to grab books, stickers and gifts at bargain prices. G…
- [A peek at my work setup](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-peek-at-my-writing-setup.md) - Wanna geek out about tech with me?
- [Questions from a high-school reader](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/questions.md) - What influenced you to write? Who was your inspiration? Answering these and more questions from an aspiring young writer.
- [A cut-up poem for Ukraine](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-cut-up-poem-for-ukraine.md) - A small poem made from words cut out from the Saturday 26 February edition of the Guardian
- ["I don't finish scripts, they get confiscated"](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/i-dont-finish-scripts.md) - Ten quick things I wanted to share with you this week.
- [A simple guide to getting your family playing online games together](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-simple-guide-to-getting-your-family-gaming.md) - How to get started playing video games online, for absolute beginners of all ages.
- [Beloved stuffed pigs, virtual decor and the Metaverse](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/decorating-virtual-spaces.md) - Thoughts about the ugliness and beauty of the virtual realities we escape into
- [Pondering Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/children-of-time.md) - How to write an eight-legged character that your readers don't want to squish
- [Sale! Questions! Postcards!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/sale-questions-postcards.md) - A few end-of-the-year bits and bobs.
- [Should I pay off my home loan or invest?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/should-i-pay-off-my-home-loan-or-invest.md) - One of the most frequently asked questions I get: if you find yourself with extra cash, should you invest it or pay off your home loan?
- [How do I get a book published in South Africa?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-do-i-get-a-book-published-in-south-africa.md) - A quick guide to getting books published in South Africa.
- [How do I establish a credit score?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-do-i-establish-a-credit-score.md) - Stuck in the catch-22 where you are too sensible with money to be in high-interest debt, but now you have no credit record? Here's how to build a credit score without getting into debt.
- [Google Translate Telephone Poetry](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/google-translate-telephone.md) - Some silly poems created by playing telephone with Google Translate
- [The Old Chesterton Allotment Society](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-old-chesterton-allotment-society.md) - How to grow potatoes for fun and very little profit
- [Postcards postcards!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/postcards-postcards.md)
- [Teenage Smut](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/teenage-smut.md) - The books you loved as a teenager shape you forever... (nsfw)
- [Winning the "War"](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/winning-the-war.md) - Looking at my grampa's photographs from WWII
- [A small place](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/a-small-place.md) - Hello, grownups! Airports always make me feel like the world is a very small place. I’ve spent enough time in them to know that each one is different, and has its own strategy for comfort: don’t eat anything except the bran muffins from Jomo Kenyatta. The benches at Dubai International were designe…
- [Recorder Girl](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/recorder-girl.md) - Some reflections on how I ended up playing the world's least cool musical instrument.
- [Some questions about starting a blog](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/some-questions-about-starting-a-blog.md) - How do you make money? Can I blog anonymously? And some other questions about blogging.
- [I remember Shawn Michaels, the Heartbreak Kid](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/i-remember.md) - Memories from primary school
- [Mistakes, catastrophes, and the climate crisis](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/mistakes.md) - A story about the unintended consequences of killing one billion sparrows.
- [Commonplace books](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/commonplace-books.md) - How do you keep track of the most interesting things you know?
- [Not somewhere else, but here](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/not-somewhere-else-but-here.md) - Some very disconnected thoughts about what it has felt like to be on the other side of the world during all this
- [What should we do with all the old statues?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/what-should-we-do-with-all-the-old-statues.md) - (after we throw them in the ocean, that is)
- [The Bachelor is the perfect TV show](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-bachelor.md) - You will never convince me otherwise.
- [Money 101](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/money-101.md) - An online course about the basics of money.
- [When did you last have an identity crisis?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/identity-crisis.md) - Why it's important to have a breakdown occasionally.
- [Robben Island's Rabbit Problem](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/robben-island.md) - People were stupid in the olden days. Totally unlike now, when we've got it ALL figured out.
- [Udemy course, Power Hour and a new website](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/udemy-course.md) - Two freebies, and a note about the new website.
- [The Secret to Superhuman Strength](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-secret-to-superhuman-strength.md) - In praise of Alison Bechdel's marvellous look at fitness crazes and mortality.
- [Kids picture books you should read right now no matter how old you are](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/kids-picture-books.md) - Some of the most hilarious children's picture books to read as an adult
- [(Don't) do all the things!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/productivity-isnt-doing-all-the-things.md) - Can you be more productive by doing less?
- [Climate change as a question of justice](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/justice-as-geo-engineering.md) - Can the climate emergency help us to make the world a little fairer?
- [How to build a cold-weather wardrobe from scratch](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-to-build-a-cold-weather-wardrobe-from-scratch.md) - Adjusting to living in a cold country for the first time? Here's everything I've learned about staying warm on a budget.
- [Behind every great man...](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/behind-every-great-man.md) - ... is a woman who fucking hates that saying.
- [Sometimes money problems are just relationship problems](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/sometimes-money-problems-are-just-relationship-problems.md) - When is a fight about money not about money?
- [Midlife career switches](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/crafting-your-own-apprenticeship.md) - Some thoughts on crafting your own apprenticeship and weaponizing your imposter syndrome
- [Where do I invest my own money?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/where-do-i-invest-my-own-money.md) - A roundup of the funds, products and tools that I use to manage my own financial life.
- [My favourite resources about the craft of writing fiction](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/my-favourite-resources-about-the-craft-of-fiction-writing.md) - rite more words gud
- [How to make hard decisions](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-to-make-hard-decisions.md) - A practical guide to tough choices.
- [What buying a new car in my 20s did to my net worth](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-dumbest-thing-i-ever-bought.md) - A cast study in stupidity.
- [Looking = Loving](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/looking-loving.md) - On pet rocks, citizen science, and 17-19th century naturalists.
- [I finished a draft of my novel wheeeeee!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/draft-magpies.md) - I am a literary goddess. All shall love me and despair.
- [Imagining the future is how we create it](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/imagining-the-future-is-how-we-create-it.md) - Read an extract from "Undercurrency", a love story about ocean farming.
- [Hooray for 20 years of Wikipedia!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/20-years-of-wikipedia.md) - Enthusing about my new favourite lockdown hobby: editing Wikipedia pages.
- [Planning for life as a post-covid digital nomad](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/digital-nomad.md) - How much would it cost me to spend a few years as a digital nomad?
- [Man's Search for Meaning](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/mans-search-for-meaning.md) - Timeless but timely wisdom from Viktor Frankl
- [Why care work is systematically underpaid](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/pay-care-workers-more.md) - If 2020 has taught us anything, it must surely be that JEEZ we need to pay care workers more
- [Some resources for you!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/some-resources-for-you.md) - Hello, grownups! Happy Friday, loves :) I've written two new money resources for you this week, but they won't be relevant to all of you right now, so rather than clog up your inbox with them I'm just going to send you the links to read them if you want to. Super-awesome resource #1: a guide to get…
- [How to break out of a debt spiral](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/get-out-of-debt.md) - Totally overwhelmed by your debts? I've been there. Here's an action plan for getting your head above water again.
- [Radtastic investment funds and savings accounts (UK)](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/radtastic-investment-funds-and-savings-accounts-uk.md) - Are you a beginner investor in the UK looking for a good low-cost global ETF? I gotchoo, boo!
- [The Winter of Weird](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-winter-of-weird.md) - Or, how I'm trying to wean myself off to-do lists.
- [Macrame plant hangers are the key to happiness and I refuse to believe otherwise](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/macrame-plant-hangers-are-the-key-to-happiness-and-i-refuse-to-believe-otherwise.md) - A 7 minute rant about consumerism
- [Zen and the art of doomscrolling](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/zen-and-the-art-of-doomscrolling.md) - I'M NOT ANXIOUS, YOU'RE ANXIOUS.
- [Is it safe to invest in a new ETF?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/is-it-safe-to-invest-in-a-new-etf.md) - Tackling a reader question about whether you should be wary of investing in a brand-new ETF.
- [Let's all make gifts!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/lets-all-make-gifts.md) - Giving stuff away for free is the cure for hopelessness, and it's PUNK AS HELL.
- [Some freebies because I love you](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/freebies.md) - Some freebies and an update for members.
- [Starting a small family business or side-hustle](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/starting-a-small-family-business.md) - Your step-by-step guide to helping your family start a small business in 2020.
- [Technology isn't (always) the solution](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/technology-isnt-the-solution.md) - Why the climate emergency needs political solutions, not just shiny new inventions.
- [On Victory Gardens and community resilience](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/on-victory-gardens-and-community-resilience.md) - Who knew it's so hard to grow your own damn food?
- [The Politics Follow the People (or, how I learned to stop worrying and love the protests)](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/politics-follow-people.md) - Something I learned this week that helped me to feel a little less hopeless.
- [Should you split up your savings?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/savings-pockets.md) - Tackling a reader's question about whether to maintain different savings accounts for your specific goals.
- [It's book launch week! AAAAAH! 😱🥂🥳](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/its-book-launch-week.md) - Just for members, here's the first chapter of Manage Your Money Like a Grownup: the Best Money Advice for Teens.
- [What marshmallows can teach you about the limits of knowledge](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/marshmallows-and-the-limits-of-knowledge.md) - Some musings about the money cultures of different social classes.
- [Marketing books, collaboration, and creative freedom](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/marketing-books-collaboration-and-creative-freedom.md) - A nerdy deep-dive into how books are made, on Arthur Attwell's new podcast.
- [Getting teens interested in personal finance: a Q&A with Bargain Books](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/getting-teens-interested-in-personal-finance.md) - I recently did a little Q&A with Bargain Books, talking about what it was like adapting Manage Your Money Like a Grownup for teens 😈
- [Being your own rich husband](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/being-your-own-rich-husband.md) - Someone once told me I needed to get a rich husband if I wanted to do what I love. I found a different option.
- [Would somebody tell me what's happening, please? I'm so confused.](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/corona-madness.md) - How to make sense of things when you feel like you're living in a totally different reality to everyone else around you.
- [Where to invest on behalf of a teenager?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-does-compound-interest-apply-to-etfs.md) - Talking about how ETFs actually grow in value, and where you should invest a large lump-sum on behalf of a teen with globetrotting ambitions.
- [Handling the death of a loved one, the world's MOST SUPER CHEERFUL TOPIC EVER](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/handling-the-death-of-a-loved-one-the-worlds-most-super-cheerful-topic-ever.md) - My loves, a couple of people asked me to put together a guide for the practical stuff you need to do when someone you love is dying. There's no way to make this a cheerful topic, unfortunately (I TRIED adding jokes, I TRIED... but it didn't work). It also came out as a looooooong post, because it t…
- [What to do when a loved one is dying, or has died](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/what-to-do-when-a-loved-one-is-dying.md) - Some practical tips for managing the death of someone you love.
- [How much does it cost to move overseas?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-move-overseas.md) - Lifting the lid to show you what it really cost me to move to the UK.
- [Reading binge! Frantically-trying-to-avoid-the-news edition](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/reading-binge-lockdown-edition.md) - All the books I've read between March - June 2020.
- [On drawing the moon and confirmation bias](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/on-drawing-the-moon.md) - Some thoughts about learning to see what's there, not what you THINK is there.
- [Taking some of your money questions](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/money-questions.md) - Answering a question about debt review, and a detailed walkthrough of how the money dashboard works.
- [You don't have to starve to be an artist](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/artists.md) - A live video q&a with Francis Chouler about how to manage your money as a creative freelancer.
- [On Twine, space mirrors, and the joys of making pointless shit](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-joys-of-making-pointless-shit.md) - About that time I got a bunch of internationally-renowed climate scientists to make a branching narrative game with me. About Bruce Willis.
- [On water tanks and the joys of doomsday prepping](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/on-water-tanks-and-the-joys-of-doomsday-prepping.md) - I always dismissed doomsday preppers. Now I'm starting to think they might have the right idea.
- [My actual daily routine under lockdown ⏰](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/my-actual-daily-routine-under-lockdown.md) - We've all heard by now that routine is the best way to stay sane and give structure to your days when you're stuck in the same bloody place all the time. That's fine and dandy except if your daily routine involves eating lots of snacks.
- [Oh Hey, What's This, A New Website? 👻](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/oh-hey-whats-this-a-new-website.md) - Like many of you, I've had too much time on my hands recently, so I decided to to finally tackle a long-overdue project: rebuilding this damn website.
- [An action plan for surviving Covid-19 financially](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/an-action-plan-for-the-newly-retrenched.md) - A step-by-step guide to building your own Covid-19 financial action plan.
- [When the world is in flux, a sketch is better than a painting](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/when-sketches-are-better-than-paintings.md) - Now's not the time for long-term plans, but it can be a good time for tiny projects.
- [The market crashed. Should I buy the dip?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-market-crashed-should-i-buy-the-dip.md) - Your investment portfolio evaporated. Should you buy more shares right now, or wait until things are less crazy? Or give up on shares and just buy toilet paper futures?
- [How should small business prepare for Covid-19?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-should-small-business-prepare-for-covid-19.md) - My friend Nic Haralambous and I hosted a live Q&A webcast about what business owners can do to prepare for the incoming economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- [On TikTok And Social Distancing 🦠](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/on-tiktok-and-social-distancing.md) - A few gentle thoughts about what you can right now to find peace amongst the panic.
- [Should you give your kid an allowance? 💸](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/should-you-give-our-kid-an-allowance.md) - An excerpt from Manage Your Money: a guide for Teens, about whether you should give your kid an allowance.
- [Holiday reading binge! 2019-2020 edition](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/holiday-reading-binge-2019-2020-edition.md) - I went on a reading binge over December! It was an elaborate ruse to avoid packing. Here’s what I read.
- [On danger noodles and letting go](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/on-danger-noodles-and-letting-go.md) - What a slithery creature taught me about being brave.
- [Fallow Time 🌞](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/fallow-time.md) - Goddamn I love this time of year. Not only because of mimosas and mince pies and friends and fun (which, to be fair, are things I love a very lot), but because of how good it is to not be productive for a bit.
- [How to manage depression like a grownup](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-to-manage-depression-like-a-grownup.md) - Depression is WEIRD. It’s a much weirder disease than you expect it to be. Which is why, when it starts sneaking up on you in your teen years or your 20s, which is when it normally manifests, it can be hard to even recognise what it is, let alone know what you’re supposed to do about it.
- [The money dashboard](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/dashboard.md) - A spreadsheet for tracking your budget, debts and investments, available in Excel and Google Sheets.
- [How's the water? 🌊](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/hows-the-water.md) - A story about fish, and musings about the term "retirement".
- [Simoleans, Galleons and Flurbos, oh my!](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/simoleans-galleons-and-flurbos-oh-my.md) - Have you ever wondered what your house would be worth in The Sims? Or wondered how many Galleons you’d get if you cashed in your savings at Gringotts? Or how many games of Roy you could afford at Blips and Chitz? Now you can find out!
- [When should you buy a house? 🏠](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/when-should-you-buy-a-house.md) - How to figure out when you're ready to buy a house, and a personal note about why I've decided to move to the UK.
- [How to start exercising when you hate exercise](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-to-start-exercising-when-you-hate-exercise.md) - What I’ve learned about the absolute basics of getting fit, and why it matters so much.
- [So what actually is the stock market? 🎩](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/so-what-actually-is-the-stock-market.md) - Let's talk about shares and why the heck finance bros give everything such terrible names.
- [Girls of Little Hope](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/girls-of-little-hope.md) - A chilling tale of monsters, teen angst and small-town America for fans of Stranger Things, The Thing, and the 1990s.
- [Five things you didn't learn about STIs in Sex-Ed](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/five-things-you-didnt-learn-about-stis-in-sex-ed.md) - One of the side effects of South Africa’s high rate of HIV was that people got very good at talking about sexual health.
- [How to budget as a university student](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/starting-with-a-blank-slate.md) - How do you budget when your income's all over the place?
- [What are your unconscious money scripts?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/raising-money-savvy-kids.md) - The SNEAKY BELIEFS you have about money shape your behaviour more than you realise.
- [Jungle Beat: Season 8](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/jungle-beat.md) - Human explorers have come to Munki and Trunk’s jungle. The animals want to hide from them… but they can’t resist the lure of the explorer’s cute puppy!
- [What roller coasters can teach you about stress 🎢](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/what-roller-coasters-can-teach-you-about-stress.md) - As much as we think that we need to figure out all of our problems with our GIANT SMART BRAINS, sometimes what we really need is to just feel something.
- [How to buy a private island](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-to-buy-a-private-island.md) - A talk about funding your BIGGEST DREAMS for TEDxCape Town
- [Survive the Century](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/survive-the-century.md) - A climate game of choice and consequences
- [Being kinder to old you 🧓🏻👵🏾👴🏿👵🏼](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/being-kinder-to-old-you.md) - What do you want for Old You? And what are you going to do now, to give them a better chance at having that life?
- [What might you earn over the rest of your lifetime?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/what-might-you-earn-over-the-rest-of-your-lifetime.md) - Have you ever stopped to think about how big that pile of cash might actually be? Here's how to calculate it.
- [Upshot: Stories of Financial Futures](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/upshot.md) - An anthology of African stories about financial futures
- [Jessica Jones: Playing With Fire](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/on-superheroes-and-the-joys-of-writing-with-others.md) - I can finally talk about the Super-Secret Project I’ve been working on: Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire, a serialised fiction project that’s going to be available on Serialbox this May.
- [Fin Week with Pap Culture](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/video-series-with-pap-culture.md) - Some fun, quick videos I made about money, with the lovely team from Pap Culture.
- [How well do you know your partner's money style?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-well-do-you-know-your-partners-money-style.md) - A set of questions to spark better money conversations between you and your partner.
- [The all-in-one flowchart for managing your money](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-all-in-one-flowchart-for-managing-your-money.md) - An all-in-one flowchart that takes you through, step-by-step, all the major milestones you'll reach on the rocky road to financial freedom, especially for South Africa.
- [GAH! An error in the book](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/gah-an-error-in-the-book.md) - There's a tiny mistake in the OTHERWISE 100% PERFECT book!
- [Radtastic investment funds and savings accounts (South Africa)](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/good-funds.md) - An opinionated roundup of the best simple investments and savings accounts in South Africa for new investors
- [Schemes and Scams](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/schemes-and-scams.md) - A list of money making schemes and scams that we think you should avoid
- [The cheapest place to buy everything](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-cheapest-place-to-buy-everything.md) - Save money by spending smarter at these great, cheap stores.
- [Alternative tertiary education options](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/the-new-school.md) - Not sure if university is for you? Here are some alternative ways to study.
- [Critical Skills](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/critical-skills.md) - The list of critical skills that the government is handing out visas for, in South Africa. This might help you to pick what to study at university or choose a career.
- [Cancel your subscriptions](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/cancel-your-subscriptions.md) - Cancel your subscriptions and save money. Here is a list of contact numbers to cancel all the likely candidates in South Africa.
- [Some great apps and tools to help you manage your money](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/some-great-apps-and-tools-to-help-you-manage-your-money.md) - Here's a list of useful apps and tools to help you manage your money ... outside of the United States.
- [How much should you be paying your domestic worker?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-much-should-you-be-paying-your-domestic-worker.md) - Are you paying your domestic worker a living wage? Here's a calculator to help you work out what you should be paying.
- [Should you keep renting, or buy a house?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/should-you-keep-renting-or-buy-a-house.md) - Here's a great tool to help you work out whether you should buy a house or keep renting your home in South Africa.
- [How to find a financial adviser who doesn't suck](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-to-find-a-financial-adviser-who-doesnt-suck.md) - A guide to choosing a good financial adviser for your money, in South Africa.
- [Find your credit score](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/find-your-credit-score.md) - Here's a guide to how to check your own credit score in South Africa.
- [How much is your car worth?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-much-is-your-car-worth.md) - Should you sell your car? Here's a tool to help you work out how much your car is worth if you sell it. Features two different car valuation calculators.
- [Post-apocalyptic Tinder Profiles](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/post-apocalyptic-tinder-profiles.md) - My friend @iheartlungs and I were imagining what Tinder might be like after the apocalypse. But then we looked at what we’d made and realised that it’s pretty much just what Tinder is like now, anyway.
- [Who is a coder?](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/who-is-a-coder.md) - Who gets to call themselves a coder?
- [80,000 Hours](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/80-000-hours.md) - Confused about career stuff? Here's a great tool to help you figure out how to make a difference in the world. Includes advice about choosing the right job and degree.
- [Affordable Therapy in South Africa](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/affordable-therapy-in-south-africa.md) - Mental health support on a tight budget
- [Manage Your Money Notes & References](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/manage-your-money-notes-references.md) - RECEIPTS for the key claims and figures made in the Manage Your Money Like a F-Grownup book
- [How to Tame a Monster](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/how-to-tame-a-monster.md) - When Lwando’s little sister gets mad, she turns into a monster. Can Lwando help her tame her big feelings?
- [Manage Your Money Like a F-cking Grownup](https://www.sambeckbessinger.com/manage-your-money-like-a-f-cking-grownup.md) - You’re going to earn plenty of money over your lifetime. Are you going to waste it on stupid crap that doesn’t make you happy, or let it buy your freedom and your most audacious dreams?

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