April 08 Warm n Fuzzy Index

April 08 Warm n Fuzzy Index:
61% - 43/70
(Last month's reading: 54%)


8/10 - Personal Performance: +1 this month. I’ve managed to claw my way back to just under 8% ROI when using Excel’s XIRR function.

6/10 - Peer Performance: No Change.

7/10 - Prosper Management: +1 this month. The recent change to use WebBank to originate Prosper loans so that rate caps and state restrictions could be minimized was long overdue. Of course, it now appears Prosper’s origination mechanics are even more similar to LendingClub’s, who just last month ceased all activity in order to register promissory notes with the appropriate securities authorities. Perhaps Prosper is still slightly different enough to be ok. Maybe not. Who knows. But ballsy enough – I like it.

10/10 - Platform Improvement: +2 this month. The updates implemented in April were fantastic enough to award the first 10 to a category score.

Nationwide lending at 36% interest rate cap – Cool, fantastic, and excellent! About time?

Second loan criteria updated – nice

Lender servicing fee for AA changed to 1% per annum – Bzzzt. Wrong answer.

3/10 - Listing Selection/Volume: +1 this month. With nationwide lending now a reality, the listing count has increased a little bit. Still, not many good loan opportunities, but better than before.

2/10 - External Influences: No Change. The economy still sucks. Inflation. Oil prices…

7/10 - Viability Forecast: No Change.


Summary: The nationwide lending change was by far the most interesting improvement I’ve seen in a while. Enough to push the Warm n Fuzzy Index to its highest level to date!

See you next month!


Past Index Readings:
54% - March 2008
54% - February 2008
46% - January 2008
43% - December 2007
50% - November 2007
57% - October 2007
54% - September 2007

What is the Warm n Fuzzy Index?