Personal operations research: Practicing Operational Research OR on ourselves

Documented cases of people applying Operational Research OR in making personal decisions are hard to find. Standard Operational Research OR models can be used to advantage in making personal and family decisions. In two examples, the paper used standard economic order quantity models to plan the size and timing of the transfer of funds to an overseas bank account. In a third case it used standard linear programming software to make financial plans to handle, in the best way, the problem of making regular household income cope with the lumpy nature of household bills. The benefits of producing a good financial plan for the family are partly mometary but are mostly in satisfaction gained and relief of stress.