finance Archives - Zenconomics

Ban Bitcoin?

submitted by jwithrow.
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Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
Ban Bitcoin?

May 23, 2019
Hot Springs, VA

“Bitcoin is the most subversive technology on the planet. This is a system that is growing around the entire world. But Bitcoin is just math. The government, no matter how many guns they draw, cannot change a mathematical problem. They can point their guns at 2+2 but it’s always going to equal 4.” – Erik Vorhees

The S&P closed today’s trading session at $2,822. Gold closed at $1,283 per ounce. Crude Oil closed at $58.12 per barrel. The 10-year Treasury rate closed at 2.29%. Bitcoin is trading around $7,819 per BTC today.

Dear Journal,

Spring gradually gives way to summer up here in the mountains of Virginia.

And while the outside world frets over geopolitics… trade wars… wealth gaps… elections… and whatever else the news puts in front of them, I quietly admire the brilliance of nature.

You see, the seasons represent change. Unstoppable change. They turn with nature’s cycles whether we want them to or not.

Each season comes with its own beauty. And its own drawbacks.

The choice we have to make is whether to focus on the good… or the bad. That’s it.

And I believe that choice is what determines the course of our life.

Contentment or anger… love or hate… success or failure… it’s all in how we view the world.

Einstein said that there are only two ways to live. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is.

Was he right? I don’t know. But I bet there’s some wisdom in there somewhere.

The Truth About Education

submitted by jwithrow.
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Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
The Truth About Education

May 17, 2019
Hot Springs, VA

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

The S&P closed today’s trading session at $2,859. Gold closed at $1,277 per ounce. Crude Oil closed at $62.70 per barrel. The 10-year Treasury rate closed at 2.39%. Bitcoin is trading around $7,126 per BTC today.

Dear Journal,

It has been nearly two years since I’ve written. And time goes by fast.

As I write to you today, nothing has changed about my outlook or philosophy. Yet, everything has changed about my world.

My knowledge of financial markets continues to grow. As does my understanding of where finance is going.

Your neighbors haven’t noticed yet… But we are on the brink of historic change.

Traditional institutions are crumbling. Traditions and customs are being questioned. Entrenched hierarchy is being challenged. The old way is fading into the new…

The Individual is Rising – Third Edition

submitted by jwithrow.
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Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
The Individual is Rising – Third Edition

November 18, 2016
Hot Springs, VA

Dear Journal,

A specter is haunting the modern world…

Society has undergone a massive change over the past several decades – the type of change from which there is no return. This change has been the transition from the Industrial Age to the Information Age; a transition which is still in its infancy. Most people may not know this yet, but they can feel it.

The rules have changed, and many are rapidly falling behind because they still cling to the old paradigm. Yet a world of opportunity awaits those who understand what is taking place.

Continue reading “The Individual is Rising – Third Edition”

Maximize Capital; Minimize Crap

submitted by jwithrow.
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Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
Maximize Capital; Minimize Crap

September 20, 2016
Hot Springs, VA

“He achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;
Who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
Who has never lacked appreciation of Earth’s beauty or failed to express it;
Who has left the world better than he found it,
Whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
Whose life was an inspiration;
Whose memory a benediction…
To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived,
This is to have succeeded.” – Bessie Anderson Stanley

The S&P closed out Monday at $2,139. Gold closed at $1,316 per ounce. Crude Oil closed at $43.80 per barrel, and the 10-year Treasury rate closed at 1.70%. Bitcoin is trading around $608 per BTC today.

Dear Journal,

The first leaves of Autumn have begun to fall, and each new morning is now accompanied by a light breeze. Little Maddie seems to share her father’s love of the season, as she enthusiastically gathers black walnuts from the yard to feed the squirrels.

Here, squirrel, squirrel, squirrel… I have an apricot for you!

Yeah, she calls the walnuts apricots. I am not sure where that came from.

Madison has also been debriefed on the proper way to carve a jack-o-lantern, and I test her knowledge daily.

“Maddie, what’s the first thing we have to do to make a jack-o-lantern?”

“We have to carve the top and get the gunk out!”

“And what are we going to do with the gunk?”

“We are going to throw it on mommy!”

“…I think you are ready, kiddo.”

It is truly the simple things that make this life worth living.

We spend most of our time in these journal entries and especially in the Zenconomics Report discussing complex topics within the world of money, finance, and economics, but that is only because we want to be able to enjoy the simple things. Continue reading “Maximize Capital; Minimize Crap”

The Infinite Banking Concept: Privatize Finance and Become the Bank

This 45 minute program details a powerful strategy to warehouse capital, take full control of your finances, and actually become the bank.

Why the Infinite Banking Concept?

How many people out there live month to month and use credit cards to fill in the gaps?

How many people have to sit across the desk from a lender who scrutinizes and passes judgment upon their financial position each time they want to buy a car?

How many young people are drenched in student loan debt because of skyrocketing tuitions and stagnant starting wages?

How many people struggle to save a little money for retirement, and depend entirely on the solvency of political pension programs?

How many people out there feel like they are never in control of their life because of their financial situation?

What if there were a way out?

What if there were a way to make money problems go away… forever?

What if there were a way to take full control of your family’s finances for yourself, and for generations to come?

What if there were a way to actually become the bank and privatize finance completely?

What if there were a strategy so powerful that the political insiders and financial elite covered it up with advertising restrictions and regulations to keep it from getting out?

Would you want to know about it?

If so, this course is for you. The Infinite Banking Concept is your strategy to privatize finance, warehouse capital, and create a family bank.

You can use this strategy for yourself to finance a business, investments, or real estate purchases.

You can use this strategy to finance your child’s college education.

You can use this strategy to finance travel or vacations.

You can use this strategy to create a million-dollar pension plan for yourself, your spouse, and your children.

But those are all short-term benefits. The true power of this concept can be unleashed if this strategy is implemented generationally.

I am not kidding when I say that you can use the Infinite Banking Concept to privatize finance for generations to come. If you think long-term, you can eliminate the need to borrow money ever again. Your personal bank will warehouse all the capital your family ever needs to live the life of their choosing.

To add additional value to this course, the instructor is completely willing to answer any and all questions you may have as you go through the material.

Now to be clear, this is not a get-rich-quick scheme; it is a long-term strategy that requires intense discipline and an out-of-the-box mindset. If that is you, please do not hesitate to enroll in the Infinite Banking Concept today!

Takeaways:

Privatize Finance
Warehouse Capital in a Tax-Advantaged Way
Create a Family Bank
Build a Personal Pension Plan
Understand the ins and outs of the Infinite Banking Concept

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The Beta Investment Strategy

submitted by jwithrow.
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Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
The Beta Investment Strategy

July 22, 2016
Charlotte, NC

“Most people think the secret to making money by investing is to find the stock that will go up. They all want to be an alpha investor, the big man on campus… That’s the whole game, they believe – seeking alpha… But the trouble with alpha is that it is unreliable… In the long run, it’s beta that makes fortunes, not alpha. Every study proves it… A beta strategy is completely different from an alpha strategy. Instead of trying to beat the market, you make the market your friend. It’s not your enemy. You don’t try to beat it; your just want to join it. And go along with it.” – Bill Bonner, Family Fortunes: How to Build Family Wealth and Hold on to It for 100 Years

The S&P closed out Thursday at $2,165. Gold closed at $1,332 per ounce. Crude Oil closed at $44.56 per barrel, and the 10-year Treasury rate closed at 1.56%. Bitcoin is trading around $655 per BTC today.

Dear Journal,

Wife Rachel and I are back in the Queen City for the weekend with little Maddie in tow. Accustomed only to mountains, pastures, and the wide-open spaces of the countryside, Madison stares up in awe at the tall buildings that loom overhead. Accustomed only to backwood country roads, her father tries very hard not to curse at all of the other motorists he shares the highway with.

We travel back to the city of our marriage this weekend to celebrate a soon-to-be new addition to the world of humanity. Friend Wade will soon be a poppa!

Rachel comes bearing gifts for the mother-to-be Kristi and her soon-to-be son, Thomas. I come to share a stiff drink with Wade and tell him how amazingly hard child-rearing is. Madison has been instructed to wake up crying at 3:00 am to hammer home my point. Continue reading “The Beta Investment Strategy”

The Path to the Great Reset

submitted by jwithrow.
Click here to get the Journal of a Wayward Philosopher by Email

Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
The Path to the Great Reset

April 6, 2016
Hot Springs, VA

But if government manages to establish paper tickets or bank credit as money, as equivalent to gold grams or ounces, then the government, as dominant money-supplier, becomes free to create money costlessly and at will. As a result, this ‘inflation’ of the money supply destroys the value of the dollar or pound, drives up prices, cripples economic calculation, and hobbles and seriously damages the workings of the market economy.
–Murray Rothbard

The S&P closed out Tuesday at $2,045. Gold closed at $1,229 per ounce. Crude Oil closed at $35.89 per barrel, and the 10-year Treasury rate closed at 1.78%. Bitcoin is trading around $423 per BTC today.

Dear Journal,

I began writing a book titled The Individual is Rising back in 2013. The first edition was published in the summer of 2014, and then the updated, expanded, and revised second edition was published in August of 2015.

The central thesis of the book was that a financial “Great Reset” was on the horizon specifically due to the gross abuse and mismanagement of the monetary system that grew progressively more blatant over the course of the past century. Continue reading “The Path to the Great Reset”

Leap Year Special – Finance for Freedom

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This 3-hour program focuses on helping you understand money, finance, and economics in order to build a custom-tailored asset allocation model and ultimately achieve financial freedom.

Why Finance for Freedom:

Though it sounds trite, the key to your personal financial success all begins with a thorough understanding of money. If you doubt this, simply ask yourself a question: what is money?

Though there are a plethora of “Personal Finance for Dummies” books and courses out there, Finance for Freedom is the only program that is rooted in a thorough understanding of money and monetary history. Money is half of every transaction thus half of the entire economy therefore it is only possible to construct a sustainable asset portfolio with a fundamental understanding of money.

Finance for Freedom: Master Your Finances in 30 Days will not only convey the necessary fundamentals, but it will also present specific actionable strategies that you can begin to implement immediately to grow your wealth.

Takeaways:

How to become money-conscious
How to analyze your financial statements
How to intuitively understand how each decision you make affects your financial statements
How to analyze spending, slash debt, and implement a tool to model and monitor a flexible monthly budget
How to ultimately master your finances in 30 days time
How to analyze macroeconomic trends and leverage this understanding into actionable financial strategies
How to construct and implement an asset allocation model
How to assess and acquire the prominent asset classes for your model: cash, precious metals, real estate, stocks, bonds, and bitcoins
How to implement the Beta Investment Strategy
How to integrate alternative investments into your portfolio to truly create antifragility
How to build and scale diverse income streams in order to achieve financial escape velocity

Customer Feedback:

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Finance for Freedom is very comprehensive with great knowledge to use to gain financial health. I understood the concepts and the instruction was easy to follow as well as implement. I enjoyed Joe Withrow’s research and presentation style. I am having my husband take course also so we can act on the ways to improve our family financial future. This course was engaging and interesting as well as practical.

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Grant W.: A great comprehensive guide to get you in control of your finances!

This course does a really nice job of explaining the ins and outs of money and the economy in a simple way that never got overwhelming – a tricky thing to accomplish when talking about finances! You’ll leave the course feeling like you have a much better understanding of your money, where it goes, and what to do with it. And best of all, Joe gives great actionable tips that will get you on your way to achieving financial freedom–the dream!

Chris R.: Sound Thinking – Clearly Explained

The understanding of money and the U.S. monetary “system” is something that’s sorely lacking throughout American society. This is by design, of course. Fortunately, Joe Withrow understands the dangers posed by the Federal Reserve and is able to formulate sound ways to protect one’s assets. Great job Joe!

Enroll today at https://www.udemy.com/finance-for-freedom/?couponCode=leapyear16

Bulletproof Money Management: Employing Expert Asset Allocation

This one-hour long program focuses exclusively on how to manage money like the pro’s utilizing a customized asset allocation model and expert risk management tools.

Why Bulletproof Money Management:

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The average person today completes twelve-to-sixteen years worth of formal education and graduates with no useful information regarding personal finance or money management. This leaves the average person with a predicament as they progress in their career: what should I do with my money? Where should I go to learn actionable personal financial strategies?

This course was written to answer those questions and fill that void. Bulletproof Money Management will show you how to construct a customized asset allocation model, and how specifically to integrate each asset class into your portfolio. The course will walk you through several screencasts to demonstrate this where necessary.

All of the concepts presented in this course are rooted in a fundamental understanding of money, economics, and current macroeconomic trends based upon years of independent research. These concepts are more than abstract theory, however; they are the strategies used by the instructor to build a sustainable asset portfolio and quit his job within five years time.

Keep in mind, there are no get-rich-quick schemes. This course is designed with proper risk management techniques in mind. The number one rule of money management is: don’t lose money. Remember – opportunities are endless, but capital is finite. As such, this course best suited for self-disciplined people with a long-term perspective.

Bulletproof Money Management is clear, concise, and to the point – you won’t find any hype or filler here.

Takeaways:

How to construct and implement a personalized asset allocation model
How to effectively manage an asset allocation model using a customized spreadsheet
How to determine a proper cash allocation
How to acquire precious metals for home and overseas storage
How to acquire real estate with advantageous financing terms
How to build a stock portfolio utilizing expert risk management tools
How to analyze and acquire low-risk bonds at a discount to par
How to acquire, use, and store bitcoins using proper security practices

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Blending Timeless Simplicity with Modern Technology

submitted by jwithrow.
Click here to get the Journal of a Wayward Philosopher by Email

Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
Blending Timeless Simplicity with Modern Technology

January 22, 2016
Hot Springs, VA

The S&P closed out Thursday at $1,869. Gold closed at $1,100 per ounce. Crude Oil closed at $29.75 per barrel, and the 10-year Treasury rate closed at 2.02%. Bitcoin is trading around $395 per BTC today.

Dear Journal,

Two inches of snow covers the ground here in the mountains of Virginia this morning, and the falling flakes show no sign of stopping. At the Withrow Estate we have a fire in the hearth, coffee in the pot, and pancakes on the griddle. I pause and smile as I hear the sounds of a laughing toddler, a lovely wife, and a loyal dog emanating from the Great Room.

The weather forecast suggests another twelve to twenty-four inches of snow are on the way this weekend. There will be no salt trucks or snow plows venturing out to the gravel road that connects our property with the rest of the world which means we will not be going anywhere for a few days. Wife Rachel, a wedding coordinator at the nearby mountain resort, has already rescheduled the various events and tastings she had booked this weekend in anticipation of our snow days. She is not terribly enthused about being snowed in for the weekend, but I can think of nothing more serene. In fact, a number of years ago I had a fleeting vision of this exact occurrence. Continue reading “Blending Timeless Simplicity with Modern Technology”