Currency and Exchange Rates
83 episodes
#6082: Brazen, Not Fraudulent: Hunting Staycation Deals in Israel
Last-minute staycation hacks for Israel: empty-hotel leverage, the zimmer sites, card and reservist discounts, and Hilbert's laminated rules for asking a hotel for a deal.
#6015: How Banks Move a Million vs a Billion Dollars
A million and a billion are the same number to a computer. The difference is liquidity, netting, and where the payment actually settles.
#6007: What a $1M AI Inference Contract Actually Contains
The sticker price isn't the deal. Inside the commit floors, discount curves, and overage traps of enterprise AI contracts.
#5894: Printing Money Isn't What You Think It Is
Central banks order billions of banknotes a year — but that's replacement, not stimulus. Here's how cash actually gets made and destroyed.
#5892: How Cities Borrow Money: US Bonds vs Denmark vs Israel
From 50,000 US issuers to Denmark's single lender to Israel's two-ministry approval — how cities actually get credit.
#5562: What "Heavy Industry" Actually Means
It's not about weight — it's about capital intensity and cycles. Why the heavy/light split is younger than the factories it describes.
#5552: Why Ireland and Israel Feel Poorer Than Their GDP Says
Ireland ranks 2nd in the world by GDP per capita. Israel's prices rank 5th highest. Neither number tells you how wealthy life actually feels.
#5441: Dollar Plumbing: Why Bessent's Iran Threat Has Teeth
One line from Treasury can ground an airline worldwide. The reason lives in New York's clearing houses, not the currency itself.
#4988: Building the Ultimate Misery Tour of Air Travel
What routes, airlines, and airports would you string together to maximize flying suffering in 2026?
#4874: Why Greece Works More Hours Than Germany
Southern Europe works more hours for less output. The lazy stereotype collapses on contact with the data.
#4817: US vs Israel: The Shrinking Cost-of-Living Gap
US prices are up, wages flat. Israeli purchasing power has grown. The gap is narrowing faster than you think.
#4655: The Market vs. The Economy: What's Missing
The stock market is the most watched institution in finance—but it might represent a minority of actual corporate activity. Here's what "the market...
#4400: Who Actually Moves the Euro-Dollar Rate?
Trade flows are just 3-5% of FX volume. Here's what actually drives the euro-dollar price.
#4377: The Club Card That's Actually a Credit Trap
Why a hardware store "membership" in Israel often means a 30% APR credit card — and why regulators haven't stopped it.
#4351: The Wholesale Price of Trust: LIBOR's Rise and Fall
Why banks borrow from each other overnight, how LIBOR became a fiction, and what SOFR means for global finance.
#4348: Beating Israel's Banking Oligopoly: Real Options
Israeli banks charge 5% per transaction. Here's how to get a US dollar card, better rates, and real customer service.
#4343: AliExpress Checkout: Dollars vs Shekels
Which currency should you pick at checkout? The hidden fees of DCC, PayPal, and credit cards explained.
#4310: What Actually Happens When You Tap Your Phone to Pay
94% of money exists only as digital IOUs. Here's how the system actually works when you tap to pay.
#4309: Where Does Your Money Go During Those Three Days?
Your money doesn't move during a transfer. It's just ledger edits waiting for trust. Here's why.
#4300: Why 2% Inflation Is a Policy Choice, Not a Law of Nature
Why central bankers fear zero inflation more than 2% — and who actually wins and loses.
#4231: 7 Bills to Fix Israel's Cost of Living
A practical reform program targeting food, housing, and competition in Israel's most concentrated markets.
#4129: The Invisible Market for Used Equipment in Israel
Why Yad2 prices are broken — and how to buy equipment for 1/3 the price by just walking in and asking.
#3693: The Magic Trick of the RRP
Why the RRP is a psychological anchor, not a value signal—and how discounts are often theater.
#3659: Late-Stage Capitalism vs Post-Capitalism: What Do These Terms Actually Mean?
Late-stage capitalism" is a mood, not a prediction. We break down where these terms come from and what they actually mean.