Wizard finances

[Tinfoil hat]

A comment on another chat got me thinking. A lot of villains have asked why harry is poor when he can use his talents to be rich. Nic, las,and other have said he should be living it up. On the hand their is a woj that the Winter knight is not a paying job becoz Mab thinking only an idioit would fail to make money from being the Wk( which explains harry's financial issues kkk).
In other books about the war harry states that rhe W council has a whole is rich. So how would a wizard make make money in the modern world.
Harry in book 1 and 2 admits he once sold a wileight loss potion. Bob ( bless his soul if he has one ) suggests breast enhancement potions

[vincentric]

In universe, Harry is poor because he not old enough for just pure compound interest on investments to kick in, because he is not focused on money making as much as being a knight errant and because he didn't think to ask Mab for salary.

Meta-wise, Jim wants to tell stories about a guy struggling to make ends meet so he can't be picky about his jobs. Harry is early days Spider-Man, not classic Batman.

[Mira]

In universe, Harry is poor because he not old enough for just pure compound interest on investments to kick in, because he is not focused on money making as much as being a knight errant and because he didn't think to ask Mab for salary.

Meta-wise, Jim wants to tell stories about a guy struggling to make ends meet so he can't be picky about his jobs. Harry is early days Spider-Man, not classic Batman.

  Point of fact, while he likes to eat as well as the next guy, up until he became a father and had a castle full of refugees to run, money wasn't that important to him.  Yeah, he was always whining about being broke, but at the same time he didn't cash in using his talents like a lot of his fellow wizards did and do.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

“No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties or Other Entertainment”

I think this neatly encapsulates most young wizards opportunities to make a quick buck, which Harry scorns. The first two are bilking the public,  and Harry is almost pathologically honest, the third ultimately demeaning and soul destroying. It is interesting that James Butchers protagonist, Grimsby is a childrens party entertainer at a Chuck E Cheese clone.

And he expresses perfectly the demeaning and soul destroying nature of that job, and is a minimum wage slave.

[Mira]

“No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties or Other Entertainment”

I think this neatly encapsulates most young wizards opportunities to make a quick buck, which Harry scorns. The first two are bilking the public,  and Harry is almost pathologically honest, the third ultimately demeaning and soul destroying. It is interesting that James Butchers protagonist, Grimsby is a childrens party entertainer at a Chuck E Cheese clone.

And he expresses perfectly the demeaning and soul destroying nature of that job, and is a minimum wage slave.

At a basic level, Harry is a simple man with simple tastes, Burger King and a Coke satisfies him.  If he wants to spurge there are few things he'd trade for one of Mac's steak sandwiches and a home brewed ale.

[g33k]

... Meta-wise, Jim wants to tell stories about a guy struggling to make ends meet so he can't be picky about his jobs...

Mainly this, I think.

Jim has set it up so Harry loves his art for its own sake, and is profoundly suspicious of anything that smacks of "cashing in."

[RobReece]

Will Harry make use of the diamonds he gave to Murphy?

[g33k]

Will Harry make use of the diamonds he gave to Murphy?

IIRC, WoJ is that the castle is taking a *LOT* of Harry's diamonds.

I presume Murphy did "something" with them (liquidated and moved to the stock market?  I'm guessing she needed to be *v*e*r*y* careful, because IA and other police agencies would have been closely watching for signs of unexplainable influx of cash... and  look! There one is! (thanks, Harry))

We don't know what happened with her will.  Harry may or may not be getting any of them back.

[g33k]

At a basic level, Harry is a simple man with simple tastes, Burger King and a Coke satisfies him.  If he wants to spurge there are few things he'd trade for one of Mac's steak sandwiches and a home brewed ale.

Yeah, but struggling to make ends meet -- make rent, eat his BK, drink his coke, and a regular visit to Mac's -- was a recurrent theme for the first books.

[g33k]

... So how would a wizard make make money in the modern world ...

Magically-insightful financial info would seem to be among the most-lucrative options.
Knowing how & where to invest -- and not to invest -- looks like a winning strategy.

Harry seems to have a talent for "finding" -- I bet he could "find" all sorts of unclaimed valuables, in the right places.  He could be a gold-miner, a treasure-hunter, etc.

If willing to break mortal law, wizards could smuggle amazingly well... veils (or simple illusions) to hide valuables, Ways through the nevernever to bypass customs entirely, etc.

Vigilante wizards could magically-spy on drug-lords, sleep them, and swipe a bunch of their cash.

But also, it's clear different wizards have different proclivities & talents.  Some will likely be more-inclined to some pursuits than others.  I presume not every wizard has a relatively-easily-monetizable talent... but that most do (if they aren't burdened by the kinds of ethical qualms Harry seems to be).

[Mira]

Yeah, but struggling to make ends meet -- make rent, eat his BK, drink his coke, and a regular visit to Mac's -- was a recurrent theme for the first books.

I doubt that Harry will ever be a champagne and caviar type of guy, at some point if he survives I wouldn't be shocked if he retired to his grandfather's farm.  I bet Eb is comfortable financially, yet
unless he is decked out in formal wizard robes we see him in overalls and driving an old pick up. Harry is a lot like his grandfather..

[g33k]

...  I bet Eb is comfortable financially, yet unless he is decked out in formal wizard robes we see him in overalls and driving an old pick up ...

Note that ALL wizards have to drive very-old vehicles (if they want a reliable vehicle)!  But unless Eb wants to attract "fancy antique car-owner" attention -- there in Hog Hollow, Missouri -- he needs to drive something pretty low-profile.  An old pick up fits right in!

I'd put long odds on Eb having a "Mike"-style mechanic in or near Hog Hollow (unless he's taken the time to learn to be his own mechanic (which seems entirely possible, to me)).

I'm guessing Ebenezer has a few meaningful-to-him luxuries, but mostly doesn't bother with "fripperies."  I also presume he has some pretty-substantive resources in various obscure locations:  properties he owns, hidden bank accounts, treasures hidden in hard-for-muggles-to-reach locations, etc.

 

[Ed0517]

Magically-insightful financial info would seem to be among the most-lucrative options.
Knowing how & where to invest -- and not to invest -- looks like a winning strategy.

Where, though, do his insights come from? Sight into the future is not very reliable... it sounds like it can come and go. And time travel is a no.

Harry seems to have a talent for "finding" -- I bet he could "find" all sorts of unclaimed valuables, in the right places.  He could be a gold-miner, a treasure-hunter, etc.

I think when he finds stuff he has to have a link to it - like from a previous owner. He doesn't find all lost pearl necklaces, he finds Mrs. Smith's. So Spanish gold from a wrecked galleon is a no-go. Or a less ethical Harry could decide to find 90% of what he can to turn into the client, and 10% he finds and keeps for him.

If willing to break mortal law, wizards could smuggle amazingly well... veils (or simple illusions) to hide valuables, Ways through the nevernever to bypass customs entirely, etc.

THIS, he could do. Human trafficking. Escorting drug mules. Or even carrying it himself.

 

Vigilante wizards could magically-spy on drug-lords, sleep them, and swipe a bunch of their cash.

But also, it's clear different wizards have different proclivities & talents.  Some will likely be more-inclined to some pursuits than others.  I presume not every wizard has a relatively-easily-monetizable talent... but that most do (if they aren't burdened by the kinds of ethical qualms Harry seems to be).

and, of course, he was offered a contract from Marcone. Heck, he might not have had to actually DO anything. Might have been paid for non-interference. Or a rare consult - like when someone uses magic against Marcone, Harry comes in and says "Ah, the old exploding heart spell. Third time this week."

[Ed0517]

Note that ALL wizards have to drive very-old vehicles (if they want a reliable vehicle)!  But unless Eb wants to attract "fancy antique car-owner" attention -- there in Hog Hollow, Missouri -- he needs to drive something pretty low-profile.  An old pick up fits right in!

I'd put long odds on Eb having a "Mike"-style mechanic in or near Hog Hollow (unless he's taken the time to learn to be his own mechanic (which seems entirely possible, to me)).

I'm guessing Ebenezer has a few meaningful-to-him luxuries, but mostly doesn't bother with "fripperies."  I also presume he has some pretty-substantive resources in various obscure locations:  properties he owns, hidden bank accounts, treasures hidden in hard-for-muggles-to-reach locations, etc.

Actually, don't we hear how waxed and maintained Eb's pickup is? a 1930's pickup with a fresh coat of wax draws plenty of attention... what I am wondering if no one ever notices that old man McCoy has been living there for forever - old men knowing you stayed away from his farm when they were kids... 80 years ago? and he was old THEN? At least Hearne had crooked lawyers providing Atticus with new identities every so often

[Mira]

Actually, don't we hear how waxed and maintained Eb's pickup is? a 1930's pickup with a fresh coat of wax draws plenty of attention... what I am wondering if no one ever notices that old man McCoy has been living there for forever - old men knowing you stayed away from his farm when they were kids... 80 years ago? and he was old THEN? At least Hearne had crooked lawyers providing Atticus with new identities every so often

Not only that, but a 1930s pickup in good condition is considered an antique and quite valuable.  Your point about no one noticing that the same old man has lived on this farm for the past 200 years is a good one, but can be gotten around.  We don't know how isolated the place is, so if no goes around there, they may not know.  Eb is quite capable of putting up the type of wards that unless he wants someone to come onto the place, no one could or would.  Also there are a lot of abandoned places in real America, one drives by them on country roads all of the time.  So if Eb created an illusion of this,no one would bother to check if anyone lived there or care.