Stop! Consider Gold Before Another Trinket...

Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year

This year, I spent a lot less money on Christmas gifts and a lot more on putting myself in a better position to prosper in 2012. Lately, I watch over my money like I gave natural birth to it, now that I bought a new money pit (a house). The goal is not to obsess, but to learn it, how it does and does not work so that college financing won’t be as burdensome on my daughter as it has been on me. We want better for our children don’t we?

I don’t usually forward information that I get from certain newsletters because I pay big money for it, and I respect the business model (most of the time), however, there are some very immediate pitfalls staring us in the face at the start of 2012 due to our no-compromise – I don’t-care-if-it-leaves-them-in-the-food-line-congress. In light of this I want all my family, friends and readers to be protected.

The fact of the matter is, most people won’t listen to most advise, even if it sounds good. It’s just human nature so I know better than to take it personal. People don’t take action until they are minutes, even seconds from total destruction. It’s unfortunate that we are this way. On the other hand, with all the clues on the page I might get through to a few who are watching the global pulse and realize the significance in clamping down on their wallets and placing their paws on a bit of ore for insurance against the tanking American dollar.

My Christmas gift to you is this short message from one of the newsletters I’m a paid subscriber of called The Growth Stock Wire, written by Jeff Clark. Take it in and think about it before you buy one more toy or sweater or ipod or blinking inflatable California Beach Lawn Santa…

The Most Compelling Reason to Own Gold
By Jeff Clark

Investors woke up yesterday morning to the news that the European Central Bank (ECB) had performed a "Bernanke." The ECB announced it was giving away free money to European banks through something it called Long Term Refinancing Operations (LTRO). Everyone else should call it Let The Ripoff Occur.

The operation is based on the principle that nobody wants to hear the ear-piercing screams of heroin addicts suffering through withdrawal, drowning out the soothing sound of Christmas carolers. So the ECB is providing more drugs to the European banks just ahead of the Christmas holiday.

Here's how it works…

The ECB is lending long-term money to European banks at 1% interest. Those banks can then pay down their existing short-term debt to the ECB. Or they can invest the money in longer-term European sovereign debt and collect 5%-plus. Or they can simply hang on to the funds and make their balance sheets look more attractive.

Under these conditions, it's no surprise the banks jumped at the chance to borrow money and did so to the tune of nearly $500 billion. After all, if you were offered a chance to refinance your mortgage at 1%, wouldn't you do it?

But the real question is… Where did the ECB get the money for these cheap, long-term loans?

The answer, dear reader, is from the same place our own Federal Reserve got its money for quantitative easing parts one and two. It printed it out of thin air.

I cannot imagine a more compelling reason to own gold right now.

Yes, the shiny yellow metal got clubbed last week. And yes, there may be a bit more downside. But with the ECB now borrowing the heroin-filled syringe of the Federal Open Market Committee, any dips in the price of gold are like early Christmas presents – unexpected and tremendously appreciated.

Banks pay 0.10% interest on savings deposits. The broad stock market is marking time, and will likely do so for a few more years. Long-term U.S. Treasury bonds pay 3% interest.

I can't imagine a more opportune time to buy gold. You should look at last week's weakness as a Christmas gift. Be thankful for it.

Merry Christmas,

Jeff Clark

End of the Year Cleaning: Taking out the Trash

I won't try and fight it or deny it any longer. I'm busy. I'm owning it. And because I get up at 4am to get my daughter to school on time and I don't get home until well after dark, I don't muster the energy to write new articles as often as I used to. That is my December 13th confession.

Despite all this, there is no excuse for not passing on gems I stumble across. The article I'm reposting is from Bedros Keuilian, a fitness and business guru who recently wrote this article for Early to Rise. I found it inviting and very appropriate for this time of year. Enjoy.


Take the Trash Out of Your Life


By Bedros Keuilian


Each and every day your head is being filled with trash. It's happening to all of us. To some more than others. Let me explain...

I was recently talking to a program director for a major news network and the conversation turned to how news networks make their money. It's probably no surprise to you that they make their money by selling advertising. But their big problem is that they need lots of eyeballs to make the most money. So they figured out that "trash", as he called it, sells the most. By trash he means "news" that's scary, filled with gossip and fear. You know, gloom and doom news.

In fact he went on to say that years ago when they tested running feel good segments on the news, less people stuck around to watch. Crazy? Yes.

But, this does prove two things...

1. Society is twice as likely to act on pain (fear) then pleasure.

2. They are intentionality putting trash into your head because that makes them more money.

So while you can use the first fact above to make more money by changing your marketing, the second fact is pretty scary because that "trash" has an effection you.

It's actually been scientifically proven that your thoughts can be influenced by what you watch. Therefore, anything that enters into your conscious and subconscious mind can impact your beliefs. Since your thoughts affect your decisions and actions, that clearly shows you must be careful about how much 'trash' you allow into your mind.

This upcoming holiday season will give us a chance to spend time with loved ones (and our global readership will surely have similar experiences over the next six weeks). However, often our loved ones don't quite necessarily understand what we seek to accomplish in our lives and may even discourage our ambitions.

In most cases, our relatives mean well, and aren't trying to be negative, because they believe they are protecting us. But there are also some relatives who are just plain toxic to our goals in life.

Frankly, you can't change those you are related to, but when you get back into the office next week, take some time to analyze your professional relationships. Are your surrounding yourself with the right types of people?

Fortunately, I have something that helps me keep my thoughts clean and clear all the time. And you can use it too to protect your mindset.

If you feel that sometimes you're stuck in a bad place and want to change your thought patterns to those of the super successful then consider these changes in how you think: •Eradicate the words "try" and "can't" from your vocabulary
•Cut out negative people and energy vampires from your life
•Eliminate fear, greed, hate, and scarcity from your mindset
•Surround yourself with positive people who you want to be like

Use the list above to shift your thought patterns to a success mindset.

But never forget this. The harsh truth is that YOU need to take responsibility for your failures, successes, and lack of action. That is the number one reason people never get what they want – No personal responsibility. And with that they don't take action and 12 months go by and at best they're in the same place in life that they were last year... only older.

Don't let that happen to you. Change your mindset today and take out the trash.