A new world order is near. Financial markets are collapsing, banks are failing, governments are intervening with little or no effect.
Stock markets round the world are generally 25% lower than they were just a month ago. People are losing their jobs, their homes and some are realising that soon there may be disruption to their travel, their food supply and their electricity. THIS IS SERIOUS!!!
Some of you out there may be very aware of the situation, others may be wondering what the hell is going on and how might it affect you personally.
Let me explain it to you in astrological terms:
Saturn in Virgo is currently in opposition to Uranus in Pisces and on November 4th, the day of the US election, this will form an exact degree of opposition.
John McCain and Sarah Palin represent the Saturn in Virgo which stands for the status quo, conservatism and wanting things to go on as they are whereas Barack Obama and Joe Biden stand for the new world order, change and a "brighter" future, which relates to the Uranus in Pisces. They are in direct opposition with one another and there is a strong fight within the American people about which way is best for the future of their country.
This opposition of these two powerful planets happens to the exact degree five times over the next few years.
What else is happening?
The other most significant change is that Pluto is moving out of Sagittarius and into Capricorn on November 26th 2008. This means a move away from excesses, from false optimism, from pretending or hoping that the problems can be easily resolved (Sagittarius) and into Capricorn which is all about injecting reality into the situation and coming up with a workable plan for the future. Capricorn usually indicates a period of contraction, of making best use of resources and of a new set of rules and regulations to live by.
Pluto is in Capricorn for the next 16 years, so this is going to be a long period of building new structures that have integrity and that are beneficial for everyone, not just the elite few. There could be some very hard times ahead, indicated by the sign of Capricorn, as the goat does not mind working hard toward a goal that is both realistic and achievable.
It is too late to correct what has already been unleashed in the world, but we can now start to create structures that will stop this from happening again and that will be strong and solid for us upon which we can build our future world.
Pluto is about world changes. This is not a simple and short-lived aspect, this is life-changing.
This is telling you clearly NOT to live beyond your means, NOT to take on too much debt, preferably not to borrow at all.
This is telling you to make best use of resources, to learn how to make things, to recycle, to grow your own food if you can, to buy food that is grown locally, to use a bicycle instead of your car for a shorter journey, to buy a moped or scooter to use less gas...these are all ways that you can work harmoniously with the energy of Pluto in Capricorn.
If you work against this vibration by spending too much, by being reckless with your resources, by not protecting what you do have, by not planning for the future, then Pluto in Capricorn, sooner or later, will pull you up short and will take everything away from you. Remember that Pluto in Capricorn is like having the veil of Saturn with it as Saturn rules Capricorn. This is a time of learning lessons.
If we learn the lessons, then we can and will thrive in the years to come as we will have a more honest society that we can be proud of.
If you would like an astrological or financial reading concentrating on your personal situation and the options available to me, you can reach me on www.yourastrologysigns.com
Thank you.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Pluto in Capricorn - what does it mean?
Pluto moves into Capricorn on November 26th 2008 and stays there until 2024. What effect might this have on you and on the world?
Pluto has been in Sagittarius for the last 14 years and both Pluto and Sagittarius have a tendency to go to extremes. We have seen that over these years especially with the housing bubble, the credit bubble, the burgeoning stock market and the utter greed and fantasy of the bankers thinking that it could all go on forever without consequences.
Pluto is moving out of the fire sign of Sagittarius which tends to overdo it and live in the clouds, into the earth sign of Capricorn which is all about reality, practicality and integrity.
Pluto is the planet that rules death, power, debt and taxes, while Capricorn rules government, authority, boundaries of nations, and is signified by the psychological concepts of ambition, caution, resistance, responsibilities and an urge to make a clear distinction between right and wrong or good and evil. Depending on your degree of preparedness, Pluto can cause considerable damage and destruction, or it can be just a very close call.
Pluto in Capricorn is like Pluto making an aspect to Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn. It’s time for a reality check on all levels.
In the world situation now, Pluto is about taxes and debt in the financial world. Capricorn relates to government and business.
Pluto in Capricorn is certainly shaking everything up, exposing fraudulent deals and the world will never be the same again.
When Pluto goes through Capricorn we can expect the transformation of all things ruled by that sign - such as our religious institutions, halls of government and political structures, the way we inter our dead and take care of our old people, construction techniques and buildings, and how we handle ownership of property.
Once Pluto is firmly entrenched in Capricorn in December, we will begin to really see it at work. Pluto seeks to focus and intensify as well as break down and regenerate. The structures of our world keep societies in order and functioning: religious institutions, governments, buildings - all of these are ruled by Capricorn. But so are bridges and tunnels, and the entire infrastructure upon which we live, particularly in urban areas, are likely to experience a severe breakdown while Pluto travels through Capricorn.
Underground transportation, under the domain of Pluto, could become a battleground as Pluto often brings warfare or death in the areas of the sign through which it passes (such as September 11th during Pluto in Sagittarius, where air travel became a conveyance of death and total world transformation).
Pluto's reach will extend beyond governments as Capricorn also rules the elderly and end of life issues. Pluto in Capricorn could transform the way we view the entire process of death and dying, including the disposal of the body after death.
There is always another side to Pluto cycles, and in Capricorn we are likely to see an increase in stability and a more practical approach to economics and business than we saw under the Sagittarian influence. The inflated (Sagittarian) bonuses for CEOs that we have seen in recent years are likely a sign of the past as businesses and corporations become more concerned with down-to-earth reality than with Sagittarian appearance and image.
Capricorn is essentially practical and prizes achievement above all else, which means achievement of real goals and objectives. Although Pluto in Capricorn will bring out secrets (Pluto) of governments and other political entities (Capricorn), there will be an increased focus on proficiency, skill, and a successful outcome rather than spin and propaganda of the Sagittarian era.
At the end of all this upheaval we should have a better and more efficient system and one which is beneficial to all.
However in the meantime, there are likely to be huge challenges and here are a few of my tips of ways to protect yourself for the current financial and economic crisis we are currently facing:
- have at least three months cash on hand NOT in a bank
- spread what money you do have among several banks. Do not put it all in one financial institution
- pay off your credit cards
- cut down the number of credit cards you have
- reduce your debt
- renegotiate the rate of your mortgage with your bank. You will be surprised at the deals you can agree upon in these stressed times.
- create a store of dried goods, tinned goods and essential toiletries and paper goods
- have alternative means of transportation e.g. bikes, moped, scooter
- have an emergency survival kit and include a store of any important medicines you need
- if you do not have any debt and have paid off your credit cards, consider buying some one ounce gold and silver coins. During periods of emergency, gold acts as insurance against system collapse and panic
- if you are a risk-taker and have some extra monies and wish to diversify, get out of the weak and falling currencies like the UK Pound, US dollar, NZ dollar and buy the stronger currencies like Yen, Canadian Dollar and Swiss Franc.
If any of this makes sense to you, please take action and spread the word around. Everyone needs to hear this and to take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones.
If you would like some personalised help with your situation, I am available for financial and business consultations.
Barbara Goldsmith, MBA, CeFA, CeMAP, Cergi
Professional Astrologer, Qualified Financial Adviser, Business Consultant, Economist.
0800 33 77 52
03 388 4111
027 3377 921
bg@financemoneybusiness.com www.financemoneybusiness.com
bg@yourastrologysigns.com www.yourastrologysigns.com
Pluto has been in Sagittarius for the last 14 years and both Pluto and Sagittarius have a tendency to go to extremes. We have seen that over these years especially with the housing bubble, the credit bubble, the burgeoning stock market and the utter greed and fantasy of the bankers thinking that it could all go on forever without consequences.
Pluto is moving out of the fire sign of Sagittarius which tends to overdo it and live in the clouds, into the earth sign of Capricorn which is all about reality, practicality and integrity.
Pluto is the planet that rules death, power, debt and taxes, while Capricorn rules government, authority, boundaries of nations, and is signified by the psychological concepts of ambition, caution, resistance, responsibilities and an urge to make a clear distinction between right and wrong or good and evil. Depending on your degree of preparedness, Pluto can cause considerable damage and destruction, or it can be just a very close call.
Pluto in Capricorn is like Pluto making an aspect to Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn. It’s time for a reality check on all levels.
In the world situation now, Pluto is about taxes and debt in the financial world. Capricorn relates to government and business.
Pluto in Capricorn is certainly shaking everything up, exposing fraudulent deals and the world will never be the same again.
When Pluto goes through Capricorn we can expect the transformation of all things ruled by that sign - such as our religious institutions, halls of government and political structures, the way we inter our dead and take care of our old people, construction techniques and buildings, and how we handle ownership of property.
Once Pluto is firmly entrenched in Capricorn in December, we will begin to really see it at work. Pluto seeks to focus and intensify as well as break down and regenerate. The structures of our world keep societies in order and functioning: religious institutions, governments, buildings - all of these are ruled by Capricorn. But so are bridges and tunnels, and the entire infrastructure upon which we live, particularly in urban areas, are likely to experience a severe breakdown while Pluto travels through Capricorn.
Underground transportation, under the domain of Pluto, could become a battleground as Pluto often brings warfare or death in the areas of the sign through which it passes (such as September 11th during Pluto in Sagittarius, where air travel became a conveyance of death and total world transformation).
Pluto's reach will extend beyond governments as Capricorn also rules the elderly and end of life issues. Pluto in Capricorn could transform the way we view the entire process of death and dying, including the disposal of the body after death.
There is always another side to Pluto cycles, and in Capricorn we are likely to see an increase in stability and a more practical approach to economics and business than we saw under the Sagittarian influence. The inflated (Sagittarian) bonuses for CEOs that we have seen in recent years are likely a sign of the past as businesses and corporations become more concerned with down-to-earth reality than with Sagittarian appearance and image.
Capricorn is essentially practical and prizes achievement above all else, which means achievement of real goals and objectives. Although Pluto in Capricorn will bring out secrets (Pluto) of governments and other political entities (Capricorn), there will be an increased focus on proficiency, skill, and a successful outcome rather than spin and propaganda of the Sagittarian era.
At the end of all this upheaval we should have a better and more efficient system and one which is beneficial to all.
However in the meantime, there are likely to be huge challenges and here are a few of my tips of ways to protect yourself for the current financial and economic crisis we are currently facing:
- have at least three months cash on hand NOT in a bank
- spread what money you do have among several banks. Do not put it all in one financial institution
- pay off your credit cards
- cut down the number of credit cards you have
- reduce your debt
- renegotiate the rate of your mortgage with your bank. You will be surprised at the deals you can agree upon in these stressed times.
- create a store of dried goods, tinned goods and essential toiletries and paper goods
- have alternative means of transportation e.g. bikes, moped, scooter
- have an emergency survival kit and include a store of any important medicines you need
- if you do not have any debt and have paid off your credit cards, consider buying some one ounce gold and silver coins. During periods of emergency, gold acts as insurance against system collapse and panic
- if you are a risk-taker and have some extra monies and wish to diversify, get out of the weak and falling currencies like the UK Pound, US dollar, NZ dollar and buy the stronger currencies like Yen, Canadian Dollar and Swiss Franc.
If any of this makes sense to you, please take action and spread the word around. Everyone needs to hear this and to take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones.
If you would like some personalised help with your situation, I am available for financial and business consultations.
Barbara Goldsmith, MBA, CeFA, CeMAP, Cergi
Professional Astrologer, Qualified Financial Adviser, Business Consultant, Economist.
0800 33 77 52
03 388 4111
027 3377 921
bg@financemoneybusiness.com www.financemoneybusiness.com
bg@yourastrologysigns.com www.yourastrologysigns.com
Monday, October 13, 2008
Who will win the US Presidential Election?
Who will win the US Presidential Election?
Having examined Barack Obama’s and John McCain’s astrological charts together with their progressions and transits, I conclude that although it will be a close-run match, that Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States of America.
How did I reach this conclusion?
Here are my thoughts:
Barack Obama
With Pluto transiting the 11th house trine progressed Venus conjunct North Node, this gives him great power to influence the mass consciousness of the people. With Venus trine the transit of Pluto, this softens his approach and he can reach people he would not have otherwise attracted.
There are no challenging aspects to any of the transiting planets in his chart at the moment – this indicates that he will be able to keep his head, stay calm and move through all the turmoil and negativity around him.
Jupiter transiting the 11th house again reiterates the good fortune that the people feel he will bring to them. By voting for him, they see change, new structures, growth and protection for all. There is an all-encompassing feeling of hopes and wishes coming true. Neptune is not involved in any of these particular aspects and therefore it looks like he will not be deceived and although he has a lot of hard work ahead of him, he can convince the masses to vote for him. He comes across as honest and trustworthy and he will fight for the good of all.
Neptune transiting the 1st house gives the possibility of self-deception or being duped by others. Also, he may have feelings of confusion and be uncertain of what to do at times. However, this aspect can also add to his personal charisma and draw people magnetically towards him. So this can act in a positive way as well.
Uranus is also transiting his first house which can indicate sudden and shocking changes. Maybe he has had to change himself, his appearance and his views in order to rise to this position, also he has had to come up with radical and new views in order to be the Democratic nominee. The fact that he is the candidate of “change and hope” attests to this position of Uranus together with Jupiter transiting the 11th house.
Saturn is transiting the 7th house which shows that he can bring stability and fairness to the USA. It is almost conjunct natal Mars indicating that his energy and passion can be put to practical use.
Interesting too, that Obama is Leo Sun with Biden a Scorpio Sun. Reminiscent of the Clintons – Bill a Leo Sun and Hillary Scorpio Sun.
John McCain
On the positive side, progressed Sun conjunct Mercury in Scorpio in the 1st house shows that he feels great personal power and strength inside himself. He sees himself as invincible and unbeatable. However, that is how he seems himself. More importantly on the negative side, transiting Uranus is conjunct natal Saturn in the 6th house. This could mean that he will have to change radically or there will be danger to his physical health. The fact that Uranus is involved indicates that it could be a sudden health scare. He really needs to be taking care of himself at this time and overdoing it will certainly take its toll on his health. He has only one planet in water which means that he does not tend to be in touch with his emotions and therefore may ignore the warnings that his body is probably already alerting him about.
Transiting Saturn in Virgo is entering his 11th house. This means he has an uphill climb with the masses and is seen as the voice of conservatism and holding back. Saturn’s involvement shows that the masses do not think that he is the voice of change, rather the voice of status quo. He is seen as someone who will want more involvement in wars, the war on terror, alienation of the USA with racist tendencies, the splitting up of the country with right wing views and actions. He will be seen as someone who does not want change and wants to keep things as they are.
Transiting Saturn is also conjunct natal Neptune in the 11th house which could mean that he is being fooled by the friends and business associates around him as well as the population at large. This also shows that his dreams will be thwarted unless he is able to show deep compassion and love for all his fellow men. This is a highly unlikely scenario but it would be the way for him to ward off the unsettling combination of Saturn conjunct Neptune.
Based on the above summaries, it looks most likely that Obama will win the election. However, I decided to add the vice presidential nominees into the mix to see if there were any further indications for a clear winner.
Joe Biden
He is certainly suited to being a behind-the-scenes man with five planets in Scorpio all in the 12th house.
Transiting Pluto in the first house conjunct progressed Mars indicates lots of personal power and drive. At last there is a feeling of all his hard work coming to fruition. As Pluto will enter Capricorn fully on 26th November, he will be able to put his ideas into action and create solid practical structures. There is a very strong and solid feeling to him.
Progressed Sun in Aquarius in the 2nd house is trine natal Saturn in the 7th house in Gemini. The 7th house Saturn in Gemini could mean helping a one-to-one partner – note that Obama’s Moon is in Gemini – and using his progressed Sun in Aquarius (Obama’s Ascendant) in the 2nd house to bring a shine and freshness to new values that are important to the future dreams of America.
Transiting Uranus in Pisces is opposing the MC and conjunct progressed Moon in Virgo. This could mean that there will be changes and shocks in his family environment. It can indicate a death or a sudden move of home. It will be a very emotional time for him with his energies pulling in the direction of work and power and yet also strong energies and responsibilities in the home area.
Transiting Saturn in Virgo is in the late stages of the 9th house and will soon transit his 10th house which could put him in a serious position of responsibility in the public eye. The fact that it is in Virgo, shows that he will have a supporting role, dealing with the details and the work done behind the scenes.
Transiting Neptune in Pisces square natal Mercury in Scorpio means that he has to be very careful who he speaks to and what his opinions are seen to be. There may be some confusion about his intent and he would do well to say as little as possible at this time lest it is construed against him.
However, all in all, his compatibility with Obama and the fact that Saturn will enter his 10th house of career and achievement, indicates that he is likely to be in power in the near future.
Sarah Palin
She is all fire and air and has to watch out that she doesn’t burn out. On the positive side, transiting Jupiter and Pluto in the 5th house of creativity make her the potential star of the show. She certainly feels like she has a right to be the star with her Leo ascendant.
On the negative side, transiting Neptune retrograding her Sun and Mars means that she is fooling herself, being taken in by others and that inside she is not really very confident. In fact, she talks a good talk – her five planets in Aquarius give her great talking abilities and the fact that three of them fall into the seventh house gives her the ability to make people feel as though she is talking to them personally. However, this retrograde Neptune is highly deceptive and she seriously thinks that she is a contender to the future presidency of the US – not just the vice-presidency, but the possibility that she could be the President.
Saturn transiting the second house of values means that she will have to look long and hard at her values and eliminate those that no longer work.
Uranus transiting the 8th house can mean that she has the ability to shock people, especially with respect to the financial situation and her ideas about how it should be resolved. It can mean the death of someone close to her, but as there are no aspects to other planets in this case, it is not likely.
Natal Sun in Aquarius in the 7th house is square progressed Venus in Aries in the 10th house. This indicates that she would dearly love to be in power and be the leader, but it will be very hard for her and there will be mistrust from the populace. This is due to the fact that her Sun has the retrograding Neptune hovering over it as mentioned earlier which does not bode well for election into power, especially if she is unable to show deep compassion for all her fellow men.
Given that McCain and Palin have just three planets in water signs between them, I wouldn’t hold out much hope for compassion and a deep understanding of peoples’ needs.
Having examined Barack Obama’s and John McCain’s astrological charts together with their progressions and transits, I conclude that although it will be a close-run match, that Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States of America.
How did I reach this conclusion?
Here are my thoughts:
Barack Obama
With Pluto transiting the 11th house trine progressed Venus conjunct North Node, this gives him great power to influence the mass consciousness of the people. With Venus trine the transit of Pluto, this softens his approach and he can reach people he would not have otherwise attracted.
There are no challenging aspects to any of the transiting planets in his chart at the moment – this indicates that he will be able to keep his head, stay calm and move through all the turmoil and negativity around him.
Jupiter transiting the 11th house again reiterates the good fortune that the people feel he will bring to them. By voting for him, they see change, new structures, growth and protection for all. There is an all-encompassing feeling of hopes and wishes coming true. Neptune is not involved in any of these particular aspects and therefore it looks like he will not be deceived and although he has a lot of hard work ahead of him, he can convince the masses to vote for him. He comes across as honest and trustworthy and he will fight for the good of all.
Neptune transiting the 1st house gives the possibility of self-deception or being duped by others. Also, he may have feelings of confusion and be uncertain of what to do at times. However, this aspect can also add to his personal charisma and draw people magnetically towards him. So this can act in a positive way as well.
Uranus is also transiting his first house which can indicate sudden and shocking changes. Maybe he has had to change himself, his appearance and his views in order to rise to this position, also he has had to come up with radical and new views in order to be the Democratic nominee. The fact that he is the candidate of “change and hope” attests to this position of Uranus together with Jupiter transiting the 11th house.
Saturn is transiting the 7th house which shows that he can bring stability and fairness to the USA. It is almost conjunct natal Mars indicating that his energy and passion can be put to practical use.
Interesting too, that Obama is Leo Sun with Biden a Scorpio Sun. Reminiscent of the Clintons – Bill a Leo Sun and Hillary Scorpio Sun.
John McCain
On the positive side, progressed Sun conjunct Mercury in Scorpio in the 1st house shows that he feels great personal power and strength inside himself. He sees himself as invincible and unbeatable. However, that is how he seems himself. More importantly on the negative side, transiting Uranus is conjunct natal Saturn in the 6th house. This could mean that he will have to change radically or there will be danger to his physical health. The fact that Uranus is involved indicates that it could be a sudden health scare. He really needs to be taking care of himself at this time and overdoing it will certainly take its toll on his health. He has only one planet in water which means that he does not tend to be in touch with his emotions and therefore may ignore the warnings that his body is probably already alerting him about.
Transiting Saturn in Virgo is entering his 11th house. This means he has an uphill climb with the masses and is seen as the voice of conservatism and holding back. Saturn’s involvement shows that the masses do not think that he is the voice of change, rather the voice of status quo. He is seen as someone who will want more involvement in wars, the war on terror, alienation of the USA with racist tendencies, the splitting up of the country with right wing views and actions. He will be seen as someone who does not want change and wants to keep things as they are.
Transiting Saturn is also conjunct natal Neptune in the 11th house which could mean that he is being fooled by the friends and business associates around him as well as the population at large. This also shows that his dreams will be thwarted unless he is able to show deep compassion and love for all his fellow men. This is a highly unlikely scenario but it would be the way for him to ward off the unsettling combination of Saturn conjunct Neptune.
Based on the above summaries, it looks most likely that Obama will win the election. However, I decided to add the vice presidential nominees into the mix to see if there were any further indications for a clear winner.
Joe Biden
He is certainly suited to being a behind-the-scenes man with five planets in Scorpio all in the 12th house.
Transiting Pluto in the first house conjunct progressed Mars indicates lots of personal power and drive. At last there is a feeling of all his hard work coming to fruition. As Pluto will enter Capricorn fully on 26th November, he will be able to put his ideas into action and create solid practical structures. There is a very strong and solid feeling to him.
Progressed Sun in Aquarius in the 2nd house is trine natal Saturn in the 7th house in Gemini. The 7th house Saturn in Gemini could mean helping a one-to-one partner – note that Obama’s Moon is in Gemini – and using his progressed Sun in Aquarius (Obama’s Ascendant) in the 2nd house to bring a shine and freshness to new values that are important to the future dreams of America.
Transiting Uranus in Pisces is opposing the MC and conjunct progressed Moon in Virgo. This could mean that there will be changes and shocks in his family environment. It can indicate a death or a sudden move of home. It will be a very emotional time for him with his energies pulling in the direction of work and power and yet also strong energies and responsibilities in the home area.
Transiting Saturn in Virgo is in the late stages of the 9th house and will soon transit his 10th house which could put him in a serious position of responsibility in the public eye. The fact that it is in Virgo, shows that he will have a supporting role, dealing with the details and the work done behind the scenes.
Transiting Neptune in Pisces square natal Mercury in Scorpio means that he has to be very careful who he speaks to and what his opinions are seen to be. There may be some confusion about his intent and he would do well to say as little as possible at this time lest it is construed against him.
However, all in all, his compatibility with Obama and the fact that Saturn will enter his 10th house of career and achievement, indicates that he is likely to be in power in the near future.
Sarah Palin
She is all fire and air and has to watch out that she doesn’t burn out. On the positive side, transiting Jupiter and Pluto in the 5th house of creativity make her the potential star of the show. She certainly feels like she has a right to be the star with her Leo ascendant.
On the negative side, transiting Neptune retrograding her Sun and Mars means that she is fooling herself, being taken in by others and that inside she is not really very confident. In fact, she talks a good talk – her five planets in Aquarius give her great talking abilities and the fact that three of them fall into the seventh house gives her the ability to make people feel as though she is talking to them personally. However, this retrograde Neptune is highly deceptive and she seriously thinks that she is a contender to the future presidency of the US – not just the vice-presidency, but the possibility that she could be the President.
Saturn transiting the second house of values means that she will have to look long and hard at her values and eliminate those that no longer work.
Uranus transiting the 8th house can mean that she has the ability to shock people, especially with respect to the financial situation and her ideas about how it should be resolved. It can mean the death of someone close to her, but as there are no aspects to other planets in this case, it is not likely.
Natal Sun in Aquarius in the 7th house is square progressed Venus in Aries in the 10th house. This indicates that she would dearly love to be in power and be the leader, but it will be very hard for her and there will be mistrust from the populace. This is due to the fact that her Sun has the retrograding Neptune hovering over it as mentioned earlier which does not bode well for election into power, especially if she is unable to show deep compassion for all her fellow men.
Given that McCain and Palin have just three planets in water signs between them, I wouldn’t hold out much hope for compassion and a deep understanding of peoples’ needs.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The Financial Crisis - more thoughts
Financial Crisis – thoughts on Oct 8th 2008
It’s worldwide. No matter where you live, you will be affected.
Ireland and Greece move in early and guarantee all bank deposits
Germany’s govt has to rescue its fourth largest bank.
Belgium and Iceland govts are bailing out their major banks.
Australia drops interest rates by 1% and stuns the market.
What next???
Maybe you are sitting calmly thinking that this crisis will not affect you?
I hope not.
This is a worldwide situation and in one way or another, nearly everyone will be affected:
Job losses, cutbacks, redundancies,
Pension plans dropping in value
Property prices plummeting
If you have investment property you may find you cannot let it easily if at all
Uncertainty in the banks – maybe a freeze on your hard-earned monies
Inflation – meaning that the value of your money is decreasing – NZ already at 5% at the moment and going up.
Why should we all suffer due to the greed and irresponsible lending of the banks worldwide?? It seems grossly unfair, but that is the situation we find ourselves in. Is it similar to the Great Depression of the 1930’s? In some ways yes and not in others. Well, here the banks are more centralised and can communicate with one another and can pump liquidity into the system. However, there is great distrust between the banks and in order to keep the system alive, they have to be able to lend to one another, especially in the short term markets.
Governments are buying up tons of bad debts that they cannot hope to ever recover – what is going to happen to all this money?
How much information has yet to come out? Probably a lot more. The European banking system is much more secretive than other parts of the world and so likely to produce some startling news as time goes on.
The US is still trying to be optimistic in the face of an upcoming election – yet once the dust settles and the new president is inaugurated – then the true situation will be revealed. There are still rose-tinted glasses on despite the heavy drops in stock markets worldwide. There is still manipulation of the gold price keeping it as low as possible – however, panic is setting in, and sooner or later, the price of gold will skyrocket.
What on earth can you do?
I do not mean to be a doom-monger – that is not my style – however, I do believe in protecting myself, my loved ones and in alerting the rest of the world to the current unfolding situation and giving ways of insuring yourself against the worst scenario.
Do not take on any debt.
If you already have a mortgage, try to get a better rate as interest rates start to fall. If you are on a fixed rate, make sure you check the date the fixed period ends and be ready to transfer onto a floating rate. This is likely to reduce your monthly payments.
If possible, pay off larger amounts so that you redeem the debt earlier.
Pay off your credit cards. Do not use them if you can possibly help it. If you have several cards, just keep one and get rid of the rest.
Keep 3-6 months cash on hand. Just in case your money is frozen for a period in the bank, at least you will have enough money to live on.
Stock up on dried goods, canned products and toiletries. Prices will continue to rise, and these goods will last – so at least you will have bought them at more reasonable prices.
Buy some gold or silver.
Do not keep it in the bank. All banks are scary at the moment. It is hard to know which one is going to be all right and which one will not be. Also, although governments are guaranteeing the monies (excluding NZ at the moment) – be prepared to have something that will insure your money should all else fail. Gold and silver are your insurance in case of systemic failure. Buy the one ounce coins in the gold.
Sit tight. Do not invest in property at this time.
Wait it out. These are turbulent times ahead – and although there are high-risk takers out there who will know how to invest and ride out the storms, for the average person, this is too risky and will have you up at night worrying about your finances. Do nothing. Wait.
Rent rather than buy.
If you do not own a property at the moment, do not buy. Rent and negotiate on the rental. There is an over-supply of rental properties out there at the moment and you should be able to get a good deal – maybe with some extras thrown in e.g. garden maintenance, cleaning etc.
Investing
If you are a very high risk taker and have spare cash, then you may want to invest in the stock markets as they are plummeting. However, this is not for the faint hearted and should only be considered if you have a large sum of spare cash. This is only an option once you have NO DEBT, own your own property, have at least 6 months cash on hand, have some gold and commodities. Then you might consider this option. It is vital to study the markets and to be on top of your investments on a day to day basis.
Remove the intermediaries
Wherever possible remove intermediaries between you and your money and assets. It’s very hard to know who is sound and who is not, so best for you to take control as much as you can. Then you will have no one to blame.
Pensions
If you are near to your final pension and you can draw the money out at a small discount now, then consider this option very seriously. Stock markets worldwide are in for severe volatility for the foreseeable future. If you are able to get a lump sum out and you are near to retirement, this could be preferable to watching your investments fall and then receiving hardly anything for all your payments.
If you are not near to retirement e.g. 5 years plus away, then hold tight and wait it out.
Foreign currency
If you have spare cash and have already done the above points, then you may want to consider diversifying your risk into different currencies. This is something that you will have to watch on a daily basis, however, and you cannot leave it to your financial consultant or bank. Minute by minute the exchange rates change, and you need to be abreast of the changes.
Also it is important to know what your options are:
If you are exchanging cash, you will be charged a premium at the bank. For example, the general rate for the Yen to the NZD might be 0.63, but the bank will only give you 0.67 for your Yen.
However, if you have a foreign exchange account with your bank, you may find that they will give you a better rate even if you have to pay a 1% handling charge. For example let’s say they will give you 0.65 for your Yen.
So 800,000 Yen at 0.65 is NZD $12307 – plus their 1% commission of 8000 Yen at 0.65 is NZD$123.00 - so your total is NZD$12184.00
However, if you exchange your Yen at the Forex counter at the bank you will get 0.67 which amounts to NZD$11940.00
So, in knowing about this option, and checking it out fully, you would have gained $243.00.
Check out all your options with Forex – it can be a minefield, but it is worth taking the time to do this and you will make money. If you are unsure, you may want to consult an independent financial adviser who specialises in this field.
This is a risky option generally, and I reiterate – ONLY if you have no debt and have some spare cash.
It’s worldwide. No matter where you live, you will be affected.
Ireland and Greece move in early and guarantee all bank deposits
Germany’s govt has to rescue its fourth largest bank.
Belgium and Iceland govts are bailing out their major banks.
Australia drops interest rates by 1% and stuns the market.
What next???
Maybe you are sitting calmly thinking that this crisis will not affect you?
I hope not.
This is a worldwide situation and in one way or another, nearly everyone will be affected:
Job losses, cutbacks, redundancies,
Pension plans dropping in value
Property prices plummeting
If you have investment property you may find you cannot let it easily if at all
Uncertainty in the banks – maybe a freeze on your hard-earned monies
Inflation – meaning that the value of your money is decreasing – NZ already at 5% at the moment and going up.
Why should we all suffer due to the greed and irresponsible lending of the banks worldwide?? It seems grossly unfair, but that is the situation we find ourselves in. Is it similar to the Great Depression of the 1930’s? In some ways yes and not in others. Well, here the banks are more centralised and can communicate with one another and can pump liquidity into the system. However, there is great distrust between the banks and in order to keep the system alive, they have to be able to lend to one another, especially in the short term markets.
Governments are buying up tons of bad debts that they cannot hope to ever recover – what is going to happen to all this money?
How much information has yet to come out? Probably a lot more. The European banking system is much more secretive than other parts of the world and so likely to produce some startling news as time goes on.
The US is still trying to be optimistic in the face of an upcoming election – yet once the dust settles and the new president is inaugurated – then the true situation will be revealed. There are still rose-tinted glasses on despite the heavy drops in stock markets worldwide. There is still manipulation of the gold price keeping it as low as possible – however, panic is setting in, and sooner or later, the price of gold will skyrocket.
What on earth can you do?
I do not mean to be a doom-monger – that is not my style – however, I do believe in protecting myself, my loved ones and in alerting the rest of the world to the current unfolding situation and giving ways of insuring yourself against the worst scenario.
Do not take on any debt.
If you already have a mortgage, try to get a better rate as interest rates start to fall. If you are on a fixed rate, make sure you check the date the fixed period ends and be ready to transfer onto a floating rate. This is likely to reduce your monthly payments.
If possible, pay off larger amounts so that you redeem the debt earlier.
Pay off your credit cards. Do not use them if you can possibly help it. If you have several cards, just keep one and get rid of the rest.
Keep 3-6 months cash on hand. Just in case your money is frozen for a period in the bank, at least you will have enough money to live on.
Stock up on dried goods, canned products and toiletries. Prices will continue to rise, and these goods will last – so at least you will have bought them at more reasonable prices.
Buy some gold or silver.
Do not keep it in the bank. All banks are scary at the moment. It is hard to know which one is going to be all right and which one will not be. Also, although governments are guaranteeing the monies (excluding NZ at the moment) – be prepared to have something that will insure your money should all else fail. Gold and silver are your insurance in case of systemic failure. Buy the one ounce coins in the gold.
Sit tight. Do not invest in property at this time.
Wait it out. These are turbulent times ahead – and although there are high-risk takers out there who will know how to invest and ride out the storms, for the average person, this is too risky and will have you up at night worrying about your finances. Do nothing. Wait.
Rent rather than buy.
If you do not own a property at the moment, do not buy. Rent and negotiate on the rental. There is an over-supply of rental properties out there at the moment and you should be able to get a good deal – maybe with some extras thrown in e.g. garden maintenance, cleaning etc.
Investing
If you are a very high risk taker and have spare cash, then you may want to invest in the stock markets as they are plummeting. However, this is not for the faint hearted and should only be considered if you have a large sum of spare cash. This is only an option once you have NO DEBT, own your own property, have at least 6 months cash on hand, have some gold and commodities. Then you might consider this option. It is vital to study the markets and to be on top of your investments on a day to day basis.
Remove the intermediaries
Wherever possible remove intermediaries between you and your money and assets. It’s very hard to know who is sound and who is not, so best for you to take control as much as you can. Then you will have no one to blame.
Pensions
If you are near to your final pension and you can draw the money out at a small discount now, then consider this option very seriously. Stock markets worldwide are in for severe volatility for the foreseeable future. If you are able to get a lump sum out and you are near to retirement, this could be preferable to watching your investments fall and then receiving hardly anything for all your payments.
If you are not near to retirement e.g. 5 years plus away, then hold tight and wait it out.
Foreign currency
If you have spare cash and have already done the above points, then you may want to consider diversifying your risk into different currencies. This is something that you will have to watch on a daily basis, however, and you cannot leave it to your financial consultant or bank. Minute by minute the exchange rates change, and you need to be abreast of the changes.
Also it is important to know what your options are:
If you are exchanging cash, you will be charged a premium at the bank. For example, the general rate for the Yen to the NZD might be 0.63, but the bank will only give you 0.67 for your Yen.
However, if you have a foreign exchange account with your bank, you may find that they will give you a better rate even if you have to pay a 1% handling charge. For example let’s say they will give you 0.65 for your Yen.
So 800,000 Yen at 0.65 is NZD $12307 – plus their 1% commission of 8000 Yen at 0.65 is NZD$123.00 - so your total is NZD$12184.00
However, if you exchange your Yen at the Forex counter at the bank you will get 0.67 which amounts to NZD$11940.00
So, in knowing about this option, and checking it out fully, you would have gained $243.00.
Check out all your options with Forex – it can be a minefield, but it is worth taking the time to do this and you will make money. If you are unsure, you may want to consult an independent financial adviser who specialises in this field.
This is a risky option generally, and I reiterate – ONLY if you have no debt and have some spare cash.
If you would like some impartial advice about your finances during these volatile times, please contact me on
Barbara Goldsmith
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Financial Astrology
Money tends to follow a series of cycles - both up and down. This is true on the macro and micro levels. For example, the world financial markets are currently in recession, however, your personal finances might be going through an upward phase.
The stock market goes up and down, gold and commodities fluctuate wildly at times, and anyone who has followed the markets for any length of time will know about cycles and how they affect the movements of the market.
The knowledgeable investor of today must be aware of the opportunities which exist in the various markets, develop a strategy that suits their risk profile, and then apply that strategy. However, it is important to be willing to be flexible and to adapt to changes in the market and to change your strategy if necessary. In addition to following general economic and political cycles, the investor must also be aware of their own personal astroogical cycles for long term investing. This is helpful in order to minise losses while taking advantages of opportunities when they arrives.
Here are some examples of people who used astrological cycles to makes millions if not billions of dollars:
JP Morgan was a very wealth American financier who used astrology for business timing purposes. His use of astrology for business made him a billionaire in the early part of the 1900's when a million dollars was a vast fortune!
Walt Disney used astrological cycles too. He chose his introduction and opening times for movies and theme parks based on astrological cycles. He made millions using well-thought out strategies.
Some examples of the ways planets affect business cycles:
Mars retrograde often coincides with disputes in business and legal entanglements. It can also indicate major corporate mistakes, such as launching a new product or service at an inopportune time due to impatience or being rushed into a quick decision.
Venus retrograde can coincide with lack of financing such as venture capital. Customer acceptance of a new product is less favourable during a Venus retrograde period and therefore would not be good timing.
Jupiter and Saturn cycles also relate to investment success. The Jupiter / Saturn cycle lasts approximately twenty years. This cycle relates to changes in the market emphasis and also to the contraction and expansion of the market. The aspects that these two planets make in your natal chart must be considered in the timing of your personal investments.
If you would like a financial consultation, check out my website: www.yourastrologysigns.com
The stock market goes up and down, gold and commodities fluctuate wildly at times, and anyone who has followed the markets for any length of time will know about cycles and how they affect the movements of the market.
The knowledgeable investor of today must be aware of the opportunities which exist in the various markets, develop a strategy that suits their risk profile, and then apply that strategy. However, it is important to be willing to be flexible and to adapt to changes in the market and to change your strategy if necessary. In addition to following general economic and political cycles, the investor must also be aware of their own personal astroogical cycles for long term investing. This is helpful in order to minise losses while taking advantages of opportunities when they arrives.
Here are some examples of people who used astrological cycles to makes millions if not billions of dollars:
JP Morgan was a very wealth American financier who used astrology for business timing purposes. His use of astrology for business made him a billionaire in the early part of the 1900's when a million dollars was a vast fortune!
Walt Disney used astrological cycles too. He chose his introduction and opening times for movies and theme parks based on astrological cycles. He made millions using well-thought out strategies.
Some examples of the ways planets affect business cycles:
Mars retrograde often coincides with disputes in business and legal entanglements. It can also indicate major corporate mistakes, such as launching a new product or service at an inopportune time due to impatience or being rushed into a quick decision.
Venus retrograde can coincide with lack of financing such as venture capital. Customer acceptance of a new product is less favourable during a Venus retrograde period and therefore would not be good timing.
Jupiter and Saturn cycles also relate to investment success. The Jupiter / Saturn cycle lasts approximately twenty years. This cycle relates to changes in the market emphasis and also to the contraction and expansion of the market. The aspects that these two planets make in your natal chart must be considered in the timing of your personal investments.
If you would like a financial consultation, check out my website: www.yourastrologysigns.com
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