Financial Organizing Soap Opera Episode #7: Name that Soap Opera!

The Debits of Our Lives

Awhile ago Len Penzo challenged me to name the financial organizing soap opera episodes, and then actually helped me figure out the name. Thanks Len! And so without further delay, let me introduce the official name of the soap opera:

Debits of Our Lives

The theme is an old-fashioned ledger, in keeping with the accounting and organizing focus of this blog, and reminiscent of the hour-glass image from Days of Our Lives.

You can think of the debits of our lives as the expenses we incur in living. The lower the expenses, the more we save and increase our net worth. For those with businesses, lower expenses increase profits and owner equity. It sounds really simple doesn’t it? The soap opera characters come from a variety of backgrounds with different levels of financial literacy, and different attitudes about money and the role it plays at an individual level and in relationships with friends, significant others, family and the wider community.

Here’s the soap opera cast at a glance:

Holly. conservative, financially savvy 34-year-old sole-proprietor CPA who shares a one-bedroom apartment in San Fancisco with her photographer boyfriend Jack. Dreams of developing and marketing a line of cosmetics for fashion models.

Jack. 34-year-old professional photographer specializing in head shots and working on a fashion photography niche. Heavily in debt and financially illiterate.

Heather. Free-spirited 59 year-old Mother of Jack and Sarah, often broke and between boyfriends, good at convincing family members to loan her funds for risky investment opportunities. Just bought a fixer-upper.

Frank. Heather’s latest boyfriend, a 60-year-old teacher who enjoys doing carpentry as a hobby.

Ben. 64-year-old ne’er do well guitar player and house painter, ex of Heather, Father of Jack and Sarah, husband of folk singer Kate and Stepfather of her two whiny twin daughters Zoe and Chloe, now 26.

Stephen. Conservative, successful 62-year-old Silicon Valley CFO, Father of Holly and James, husband of Joan. Loves William F. Buckley, George Will, William Kristol and David Brooks. Has medical problems.

Joan. 60-year-old wife of Stephen and Mother of Holly and James. Clueless about the household finances.

James. 32-year-old brother of Holly, software developer and iPhone app enthusiast looking forward to his start-up company’s IPO (initial public offering).

Craig. 30-year-old poorly paid Accounting intern at Holly’s firm. Has passed 2 of 4 sections of the CPA exam. Likes to flirt with Holly.

Yuri. Jack’s fashion designer friend, age 37.

Sophie. One of Yuri’s models, age 23.

Sarah. Jack’s 33-year-old sister, recent graduate art school drop-out and event coordinator in training. Lives with her significant other Julie.

Julie. talented 35-year-old grahpic designer. Closet libertarian and admirer of her Buckleyite father, a Wharton professor.

I hope you enjoy the episodes!

Tagged as: Soap Opera Episodes