Saturday, January 31, 2009

Book Review: "This is easy to read, simple to understand and a good place to start"!

I highly recommend this book for one very simple reason. It sheds light on a large portion of the driving force of our economy -- something we cannot change; Family Spending Cycles. There are so many factors in calculating why the economy is doing what it is at any given time. Many more factors to consider in order to predict an economy. But to understand a major driving force of our economy here in the United States gives insight and some comfort in knowing that it is just a cycle like anything else and in time will cycle back.

Harry S. Dent Jr. says, “An old economy must die for a new one to emerge”.

The book I recommend is called Roaring 2000’s, by Harry S. Dent Jr. Then read his latest book, The Great Depression Ahead. But don't let that title scare you. Be informed, be empowered, be in position to ride this economy out!

Our economy is driven by Family Spending Cycles. And you don't have to be an economist to understand this!

Consumption: How the average family spends money shows in predictable patterns over time. Harry S. Dent Jr. calls this pattern the “S” Curve.

People hit the work force @ average age 19
People get married @ average age 25.5 (men @ 27, women @ 24)
First child @ average age of 27.5
Starter home is purchased @ average of 33 –34
By the average age of 43 the largest home is purchased
Family Spending Cycles peaks @ average age of 46.5 – years 2008-2009
After 46 spending becomes discretionary (move into travel and leisure spending) *but end of Family Spending!

So basically pay attention to the largest populations of people moving through life now; here in the United States and in other Countries. Harry S. Dent Jr. explains this and so much more. I must say though, in some countries the generation cycles are not key to growth simply due to standard of living – people are poor (health care is poor) and don’t live long enough.

One more thing I'd like to highlight that Harry S. Dent Jr. talks about; the internet. The Internet is the key to the next information revolution - a 500 year cycle. The last information revolution began in 1440 with the printing press. 500 years later, in 1947, we have the transistor, which is the basis for today’s computer and communications technology. We are only 62 years in to the next revolution ... just imagine what is still to come!

Enjoy,
Jules

If you want to buy either Roaring 2000's or The Great Depression Ahead by Harry S. Dent Jr., visit Copia's Bookshelf in the column to the right. Just scroll down the page and you will see it. Also, sign-up for my FREE monthly Journal and be a part of a growing community of women moving in new directions!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Women Want o Talk About Money!

It is really wonderful to see the woman I have come into contact with get so excited about the topic of money! If this is the first article you have read on my blog, then let me share this with you first before I continue.

I started a women's investment club in November 2004. The group has changed the lives of all its members in more ways than just learning how to invest, actually investing and even earning more money. Somehow the path that the club has taken us has enriched all areas of each of our lives.

The investment club just added five new members in January and we are now at capacity according to the club's bylaws. BUT word is getting out and more women are very interested in what we are doing. And I would love nothing more than to somehow reach these women who are interested. This is so exciting to me! When I first started the club, I asked all my friends if they would be interested in such a club and guess what? I was amazed at how many of my girls friends told me "No thank you, my husband takes care of our investments". Well, I was married then (Still am but am now going through a divorce now)and my husband was not interested in investments. I had always been interested, but nobody taught me, not high school, not my parents, not even college. Anyway, I had decided it was time to learn on my own and I wanted a comfortable environment to learn in so I created a women's investment club.

So now what I am doing is starting a FREE monthly journal that you can get through email. This journal will share all that I am learning and all that the investment club does. I am in the process of building a website that will offer so much more than the monthly journal. This is is how I will reach all of you who are interested in what I am doing and what my investment club is doing and MORE!

And stay in touch with me because I have more plans evolving that will knock your socks off. I can not sit still just thinking about them and the possibilities!

Enjoy the day!
Jules

Oh and to sign-up for the FREE monthly Journal, just look in the column on the right near the top!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Investment Club Meeting: January

Last night was my women's investment club meeting. Our new president did a fabulous job of running her first meeting. We had five new members join last night! That is very exciting! Everyone is so happy about that! We are beginning to plan our annual retreat which is planned for three days in March. We set some dates on the calender for stock study groups. We got a lot done in the three hours that we were together for the meeting.

You know what, if your are interested in learning how to start your own investment club, subscribe to my FREE monthly Journal! I will share how to to things like this in my publication!


Jules

Monday, January 5, 2009

"Join hundreds of other women who are moving in new directions!"

With the New Year ahead most of us make new resolutions and set new goals. I am certainly doing that! I love this feeling of reflecting on the past year and bringing it to a close. Then, I ambitiously make new plans for the coming year and set new goals. One of my projects is to create a FREE monthly Journal where you will find articles, tips, stories and more about women and how they manage finances, hold successful careers, nurture and raise healthy families, keep themselves healthy too, find time to socialize with friends, keep the fire in intimate relations and devote time to important causes in their communities -- "how we balance it all".

How to do YOU balance it all? I bet you are closer than you think, but if you are not sure, my FREE monthly Journal will show you how I am doing it and how others do it too! So join my community of women who want to focus on one or more of these areas in their lives during the New Year to come. Sign up for my FREE monthly Journal!

My other aim for the New Year is to share my expertise on budgeting (dry boring word - maybe you can help me come up with a new word) and teach workshops on streamlining household cash flow. I can see a demand for this with the changing economy. And I am writing a book somewhere in all of this too!

How about you? What’s important in your life? Which areas of your life will you be focused on in the new year ahead? I would love to know!!

Please participate in the poll on the right column of the blog page and share with me.

Warmly,
Jules

Friday, January 2, 2009

A Quote for Today: January

"If you do not see great riches in your imagination,
you will never see them in your bank balance".
~Napoleon Hill

Meet Copia

In Roman mythology, Copia is the Goddess of Abundance. Her name means ‘abundance’. In addition it means ‘plenty’, ‘wealth’, ‘opportunity’ and ‘resources’. She carries a cornu copia overflowing with the fruits of harvest and wealth. “The Horn of Plenty”; a magical goat’s horn the gives everything anyone desires. It is important to mention that Copia is often associated with Fortuna, the Roman Goddess of Fortune, Luck and Fate.

But I did not purposefully name this blog after Copia. I was looking for a word that described a life of truth and integrity. I like the word authentic; Authentic Life. But it appears that many others on the internet like that word too. I also like the word intelligent; Intelligent Life. But John Tesh uses the phrase “Intelligent Life” on his radio shows. Then came the word copious; Copious Life.

Copious

Pronunciation:

\kō-pē-əs\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

14th century Middle English, from Latin copiosus, from copia abundance, from co- + ops wealth

Synonyms:

Ample; abundant; plentiful; plenteous; opulent; rich; full; exuberant; overflowing; full.

Definition:

1 a: yielding something abundantly; a copious harvest, copious springs. b: plentiful in number; copious references to other writers.

2 a: full of thought, information, or matter b: profuse or exuberant in words, expression, or style; a copious talker.

3: present in large quantity: taking place on a large scale; copious weeping, copious food and drink.


Well, okay so this word will do. I know I want plenty of what ever it is I desire in my life; money, healthy, patience, joy etc., … So I’ll sign up and create a copious life!

When pronounced, copious sounds very similar to Copia’s. After researching and discovering a linguistic connection these two words have, I thought Copia was quite nifty! Since this blog is about money and I think women (mostly) will read this blog, I gave Copia a purse (because most women can relate to having a purse) instead of a goat’s horn.

So there you have it. That is who Copia is. Hopefully she resonates inside each of us.

Cheers to a life of abundance – A Copious Life!