A private ledger is the first instrument of fortune

This Weltee Journal note argues that an individual should keep a written household ledger because fortune is a measured stock, not a mood. It cites the Federal Reserve Board 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances: real median family net worth of 192,900 dollars against a real mean of 1,063,700 dollars, and the fact that 99 percent of families held at least one financial asset. It also cites the OECD definition of household net worth as assets less liabilities, including dwellings. The note is for private individuals who hold cash, housing, pensions, or private interests and who still rely on memory. The next step is to write a complete list of assets and liabilities in one place, in one currency, and to refresh it on a fixed cadence.