Natalie Pace. bestselling author of The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money & Put Your Money Where Your Heart is. Co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project.
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Photo of Natalie Pace by Marie Commiskey. Avalon Photography.
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Aging Mom Doesn’t Want to Discuss Dilapidated House. Investors Ask Natalie.

9/5/2025

 
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Harry Potter fans in the courtyard of Alnwick Castle (Hogwarts). Photo by Michael Hogan. Wiki Commons. Used with permission.

Aging Mom Doesn’t Want to Discuss Dilapidated House. Investors Ask Natalie.
 
Dear Natalie,
 
My aging mother lives in a house that is literally falling apart. Things are so drafty, and electricity bill bills are so high, that she just lives in a very small portion of it. It’s in an area of the country that gets very cold in the winter and extremely hot in the summer. So, there’s really no break from the high electric bills. Our family feels like she could use a little extra support from us, although she insists that she’s fine. We’ve never talked about money as a family, but it really feels like this is long overdue. How should we approach this delicate topic?
 
Signed,
Keeping Quiet Isn’t Working Anymore
 
Dear Smart Daughter,
 
Keeping quiet is one of the reasons why many families lose their wealth within three generations, whereas many rich families are able to keep their estates intact for centuries. So, bringing the family together is something that is essential for your mother’s current well-being, but it can also benefit all the family now and in the decades to come.
 
One of the exercises that I do in my Real Estate masterclass is to have everyone add up the housing costs of at least three family members who live in their own separate (often tiny) abodes. Four family members paying $2,000/month each on housing = $96,000/year. That’s a lot of money – it’s a million dollars in just 10.4 years. When we start looking as money as a family asset, we come up with all kinds of ways to keep the money in the family. When we don’t, we are making the landlord and bank rich at our own expense. Wealthy families spend far less on housing than most of us do. Oftentimes their kids spend nothing at all.
 
Princes don’t purchase their own castles. Rather, they must learn to be stewards of the family estate in order not to lose it. One of the most interesting examples of this is that Alnwick Castle is popularly known as Hogwarts. Not only does the Percy Family make money as the location of the Harry Potter films and television shows, the demesne has also become a very popular holiday destination. The Alnwich Garden is worth visiting as well. Starting from that premise with your siblings – that you are copying the moves that wealthy families make – might help to open the new conversation with your mother. Have a plan in place first, however.
 

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The Cascade at the Alnwick Garden. Photo by: Christine Westerback. Wiki Commons. Used with permission.

Is there a contractor, builder or handman in the family? Would someone be interested in overseeing a remodel of your mother’s home? Can this be done while your mother is living there without exposing her to toxic dust? Would a prefab home be a better idea? Should the person overseeing the project be earning some sweat equity (perhaps in the home equity itself) to keep costs down? Should the new home be bigger so that a family can live there with your mother, providing her with more company (loneliness is often a problem with aging parents) and healthier meals?
 
As one potential example, the family project manager could lease to own the house from your mother (once the home is livable). Initially the lease could be covered by her labor on the remodel. After the labor payback, your mother has steady income, which can help her remain financially independent, while giving her extra cash for some fun things she might wish to do. If the project manager hasn’t paid off the entire home at the time of your mother’s death, then the P.M. just buys out whatever equity is left after all her labor and rent is applied. If the home has been paid off, then at least part of the cash that went to your mom in rent might now be available for all the siblings to split in the inheritance. That’s a better scenario than having your mother’s health slowly decline as a result of living in an uninhabitable home, or for the family inheriting a dilapidated home that must be torn down (which is very expensive), and losing out on the extra money that could be generated in the above scenario. The sooner the family stops making all of the landlords rich and starts keeping more money in the family, the more wealth there will be to inherit.

Also, before the remodel, be sure to look at ways to build that can lower the electricity costs. There is a chapter in The ABCs of Money, 6th edition, that outlines many ways to save thousands annually with smarter energy choices, and lists the resources where you can learn more. If your mother lives in a sunny state, then it might be time to consider solar power, especially while there is still a 30% tax credit to do so. 
 
The situation could be very different from what I spelled out above, but this example is intended to illustrate what’s possible, especially if there are trustworthy, hardworking family members who are struggling with the high cost of housing (and who isn’t these days). It’s important to keep things equitable for all the family members, and to compensate the person doing the work. That ensures a win for everyone – including your mother.
 
Bottom Line
Many of us buy into the ethos that we must wait until people pass to talk about money. However, that strategy makes others rich at the family’s expense. Wealthy people talk about money all the time, and they have a plan in place with a vision of keeping the wealth and the estate 100 years from now. While the first conversation might be uncomfortable, you’ll find quickly that the lives of everyone in your family can change, and you’ll feel a lot better about your mother being able to enjoy her golden years, when you fix that dilapidated dwelling now.
 
If you’d like to learn more about Real Estate and having a family plan that benefits everyone, be sure to join me on June 14, 2025, for my online Real Estate masterclass. Email [email protected] to learn more and register now. Check out the hours, pricing and testimonials at the flyer.
 

Join us at our online Financial Freedom Retreat June 6-8 2025 where you'll learn how to protect your wealth, save thousands annually in your budget and how to green your money. The following Saturday on June 14, 2025, at our Real Estate Master Class. you'll discover the 10-point checklist for home buyers and sellers, as well as some overlooked areas of opportunity. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just eight rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the Financial Freedom Retreat June 6-8 2025 when they register by May 15, 2025. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.


Picture
Visit NataliePace.com to learn more. Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] for pricing, additional information and to register. Early Bird pricing ends May 15, 2025.
Picture
Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 8 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 70% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
PictureNatalie Pace with her father, Gerald Ray Pace, in 2014.
Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​


Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

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Sell in May?

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2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
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10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
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9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
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Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
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The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
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The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument.

Should You Sell in May Before You Go Away on Vacation

6/5/2025

 
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Should You Sell in May Before You Go Away on Vacation
Stocks are almost back as high as they were on February 19, 2025. The S&P500 was down -8.8% as of May 6, 2025.
 
So, should you sell in May before you go away on holiday? And by that I mean, rebalance and make sure that you have an age-appropriate, properly diversified plan that is overweighted a little safe (in case of more weakness). Additionally, if you’re suffering from paper losses, is there a better strategy?  
 
Below the topics we will cover in this blog.
 
Spring Rally
September Back to School Stock Sales
Expensive Stock Prices
Tariffs
Chance of a Recession
Whales and Hedge Funds
Paper Losses
 
And here is more information on each one.
 
Spring Rally
While we did have a little recovery from the rout earlier in April when the market flirted with the Bear (-19% on April 8, 2025), the Spring Rally really didn’t measure up this year. Typically, March and April are two of the most reliable performing months of the year. However, with stocks still trading near their all-time high, now is a great time to rebalance our wealth plan.
 
September Back to School Stock Sales
When we rebalance our wealth plan at the end of April/early May we are often capturing gains at the high. This also gives us more liquidity. If the summer is weak, and September is true to form (the worst performing month of the year historically), then we are in a position to buy more at a lower price at the end of September.
 
Rebalancing 1-3 times a year is a very good idea. This is not day trading. It’s simply ensuring that we are observing Modern Portfolio Theory, which is a time-proven, 21st-century plan. Our pie charts make MPT as easy as a pie chart.
 
Every seasoned broker-salesman knows the term: Modern Portfolio Theory. However, I do a lot of unbiased 2nd opinions, and I have yet to find one that was truly age-appropriate and properly diversified. Even more alarmingly, in today’s world I’m seeing a great deal of paper losses in conservative portfolios, and for people who are close to retirement. Keeping our money safe, and having it intact and available is always important, but even more so as we get closer to a time when we are no longer receiving earned income.
 
Expensive Stock Prices
One of the reasons why it’s a very good idea to do our rebalancing now is that stocks are historically expensive. Most of us have heard the term “buy low, sell high.” (In our nest egg, it’s a better idea to think of it as adding low and trimming high, so that we keep the proper amount safe and diversified.) Elevated equity prices are highly correlated with swift and startling declines. In the words used in the Financial Stability Report that was released on April 25, 2025, “Elevated valuation pressures may increase the possibility of outsized drops in asset prices… equity prices remained high.”
​

Tariffs
Tariffs are still a moving target. However, in general, they tend to increase inflation and slow down economies. The U.S. economy contracted -0.3% in the 1st quarter and is expected to slow down to 1.7% GDP growth in 2025, from 2.8% in 2024.
 
The trade war will be hard on a lot of different industries and companies but does have a few positive spots. We have seen the Chinese companies Temu and Shein suspend deliveries in the United States, which is helpful for the beleaguered U.S. fashion and retail industries and may help to reduce fast fashion waste. (As the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude project and the author of The Power of 8 Billion: It’s Up to Us, I’m hopeful that this pause will allow the word to get out about the many harmful side effects of polyester, which is an oil product. Up to 80% or more of the clothes churned out by fast fashion companies can be composed of oil-based fabrics.)
 
The automotive industry is one that could be adversely affected. In their 1Q 2025 financial results, Ford suspended their forward guidance and warned that they could have a “tariff-related net adverse adjusted EBIT impact of about $1.5 billion for full year 2025.” Since Ford Motor Company has teetered between BBB- (investment grade) and junk status over the past decade, tariffs could have a negative impact on Ford’s credit rating. Tesla is in a slightly better position for a variety of reasons, including: 1) having the top selling sedan in the world, 2) being one of the top selling EV brands in the world, and, 3) manufacturing cars in the region that it sells. However, Tesla (and Ford and GM) are being challenged by lower-priced Chinese EV manufacturers, which is why on both sales and profits. You can learn more about this in my Tesla blog.
 
Chance of a Recession?
JP Morgan has put the risk of a recession in the US in 2025 at 60%. Of course, that also means there is a 40% chance that we skate by without one. This is another argument for making sure that we know exactly what we own and why now and understand how to protect our wealth from another downturn in stock prices.
 
It’s important to remember that 21st-century recessions have historically cost a lot of investors more than half of their wealth and then take years to crawl back to even. It took the NASDAQ Composite Index 15 years to return to its March 2000 high after the Dot Com Recession, which handed -78% losses to Dot Com investors. (A million dollars became $220,000.) During the Great Recession, 20 million homes were foreclosed on and the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index dropped by -55%, taking almost six years to recover.
​


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Stock Data by MSN.com. (c) Microsoft. Used with permission.
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Stock Data by MSN.com. (c) Microsoft. Used with permission.

Whales and Hedge Funds
On April 8, 2025, when stocks plunged by -19% from their Feb. 19, 2025, highs, the selling was coming from the whales of Wall Street. That is the way it typically goes. The big players on Wall Street take profits at the top. Main Street is placated with consoling words that it is really not as bad as everyone thinks. By the time when we think it’s an Apocalypse, we’re closer to the bottom, which is when many Main Street investors are tempted to sell. In fact, if you look more closely at the charts above, recessions are not typically declared until Main Street has lost 40% or more of their wealth. In most cases, they won’t be officially declared until at least seven months in. This is another reason why we want to rebalance regularly rather than sit on our hands.
 
In my most recent Money Show presentation, one of the participants asked me if Main Street investors would just get used to the volatility. The problem with that premise is that losing money isn’t a mental exercise. It can plunge us into a real-world crisis. Most of us really can’t afford to lose any of our wealth much less half of it. Our FICO score plunges. Our ability to solve basic financial problems, such as paying our mortgage or rent, becomes problematic. And when fear rules the day, we’re tempted to sell low to stop more losses and sleep at night.
 
Proper diversification with regularly balancing is a “capture gains” mindset. The reason most people cannot buy low and sell high is this it’s contrary to human nature, until we train our emotions to be in service to a better plan. Additionally, most people don’t buy low because they can’t. When you lose half or more in a recession, you’re struggling to stay afloat and to keep your home. You just have the resources to take advantage of the opportunities that arise when prices drop.
 
Paper Losses
In a normal recession, bonds can be buoyant. It is one of the ways that Milo Bolden earned gains in the Great Recession, when most people around her lost half or more of their wealth and took years (or a decade) to get out of the hole.
 

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However, these days there is too much leverage, debt, low credit quality and duration risk for a cut in interest rates to solve everything. In 2022, long-term government bond values dropped -26%, resulting in the failure of five banks in early 2023. If you are suffering from paper losses, your conservative plan could be a lot riskier than you realize. Learn more in the blogs below.
 
Should I Have a Managed Portfolio
Paper Losses


 
Bottom Line 
It’s human nature to wait until things are broken to fix them. However, it’s a far better plan to fix the roof while the sun is shining than to wait for the storm to cause a flood.
 
“Sell in May before you go away” is a popular Wall Street aphorism for a reason. Wall Street goes dark in August, as burned-out financial executives flee Manhattan and the Beltway. Bad news is often buried over the summer. That is one of the reasons why September tends to be the worst performing month. The investor who has captured gains, locked in their profits and increased liquidity is in a position to buy low if prices weaken over the summer and in September.
 
In 2025, sell in May before you go away on vacation is likely to be a good idea. I’m not suggesting promoting market timing. Rather, make sure that we are:
 
·      Keeping a percentage equal to our age safe,
·      Diversifying the at-risk portion of our nest egg,
·      Overweighting an additional 10-20% safe, due to heightened leverage, expensive prices, lower liquidity and the increased risk of a recession.
 
I’m hosting a Financial Freedom Retreat online June 6-8, 2025, where you can learn and implement this strategy. Email [email protected] to learn more now.
 
 
Join us at our online Financial Freedom Retreat June 6-8 2025 where you'll learn how to protect your wealth, save thousands annually in your budget and how to green your money. The following Saturday on June 14, 2025, at our Real Estate Master Class. you'll discover the 10-point checklist for home buyers and sellers, as well as some overlooked areas of opportunity. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just eight rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the Financial Freedom Retreat June 6-8 2025 when they register by May 15, 2025. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.
​


Picture
Visit NataliePace.com to learn more. Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] for pricing, additional information and to register. Early Bird pricing ends May 15, 2025.
Picture
Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 8 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 70% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
PictureNatalie Pace at the Ritz Carlton in Powerscourt, Ireland. Photo by Marie Commiskey.
Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​


Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
Tesla, Tariffs, Chinese Competition and Price Wars.  
Fun Ways to Celebrate Earth Day April 22nd.
Will the Correction Become a Bear Market?
21st Century Recessions Look More Like Depressions. 
Will Oil Prices Sink or Soar? Executives are Uncertain.
Health Savings Accounts. Save Thousands. Get a Tax Credit. Provide for Tomorrow's Healthcare Needs.
Restormel Manor House 2025. A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure. 
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Berkshire Hathaway. Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument.

Tesla. Tariffs, Price Wars, Chinese Competition and Protests.

22/4/2025

 
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Tesla. Tariffs, Price Wars, Chinese Competition and Protests.
 
Overview
·      Tesla’s earnings report today at 2:30 PM Pacific time could be terrible.
·      Institutional investors could sell in the extended hours trading period, which could cause a gap down overnight.
·      Tesla’s challenges will not disappear overnight.
·      Valuations for the company are quite high.
·      We’ve been warning that Tesla was in trouble for over a year. Be sure that you’re following me on Instagram & LinkedIn so that you get these warnings regularly. (ISPs are not great about delivering emails these days.)
·      Join us at our Stock Master Class on May 3, 2025, where you will learn how to evaluate equities yourself and where to find the information about what is likely to happen before the announcement is made. (Prerequisite: Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025.)
·      Email [email protected] if you’d like an updated Auto Stock Report Card.
 
Today, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, Tesla will release their 1Q 2025 quarter earnings report at 2:30 PM PT. However, we already know that the deliveries were very underwhelming and that the company’s profit margins have been under attack due to intense Chinese competition in the electric vehicle space. On the other hand, with Tesla down by more than half, is now a time to buy into Tesla‘s potential recovery and rally? How are other American automakers faring against the new tariffs?
 
Below are the topics will cover in this blog.
 
Tesla and Electric Vehicles 
Expensive Share Price?
Chinese Competition & Price Wars 
Tariffs
Protests 
ICE vehicles
Debt and Profitability
 
And here is more information on each topic.
 
Tesla and Electric Vehicles 
Tesla has been making the news this year because of the CEO’s high-profile role in government. However, the massive drop in share price over the last four months can also be attributed to other challenges faced by the company, many of which were a problem before the 2024 election results. Chinese competition was already weighing severely on margins. The price wars were forcing Tesla to lower prices in order to compete. As a result, revenue growth in the December 2024 quarter was only 2.15%, even though deliveries were higher than they’ve ever been. Tesla’s net income in 2024 was $7.13 billion compared to $15 billion in 2023.
 
The results that Tesla will announce today could be a massive disappointment for investors. Deliveries in 1Q 2025 were -13% lower year over year and a whopping -32% lower sequentially. The net income could drop to levels not seen since the second quarter of 2022. Such poor performance could easily spark massive selling in the extended hours trading and a gap down by tomorrow morning. (As a reminder, we’ve been warning of Tesla’s challenges for over a year.) 
 
Expensive Share Price?
With a market cap of over $762 billion, Tesla is worth more than General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motors combined. The company was valued at over $1 trillion at the height of its popularity in January of this year. Even with the massive drop in share price, from a high of $488.54/share to today’s price of $240.34, the price earnings ratio is 112. That’s quite lofty for growth companies and far too speculative for companies that are experiencing a contraction in their profits and earnings.
 
You’ll see headlines about Tesla’s robotaxi as the savior of the stock. However, the company is not expected to put them on the road until 2027. Hoping that robotaxis will save the day becomes problematic when the global economy is embroiled in a Trade War, which could spark a recession. Learn more about Robotaxis in my Dec. 25, 2024, blog.
 
Many investors bought Tesla because they liked their cars. Once the CEO became involved in government, they began to sell their cars and stock. Institutional investors seek to profit from the popularity pulse. However, they are typically the first to pull the plug when challenges appear to be embedded and persistent. Many of Tesla’s challenges are unlikely to go away soon.
 
Chinese Competition & Price Wars 
The rapid growth of EV demand in China and the acceleration of the market to meet that demand has generated a massive price war. China is the fastest growing market for electric vehicles in the world by far, with 11 million of the 17.1 million EVs sold in 2024 (64.3%).
 

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China’s BYD had the largest sales growth, with 52.66% revenue growth year over year in the 4th quarter. There are hundreds of Chinese electric vehicle startups. Many of them crash and burn. However, before they do, they bring down the retail prices of all the companies.
 
Tariffs
According to Telemetry, a Detroit-area automotive advisory firm, U.S. and Canadian auto sales could decline by 1.8 million vehicles in 2025 and remain stagnant over the next decade if the current tariffs stay in place. U.S. automotive executives have been lobbying the White House to get the tariffs abolished or at least paused for an extended period. 
 
Elon Musk has said the impact on Tesla will be “not trivial.” (We’ll hear more on tariffs today in the earnings call.) Analysts point out that, while all automakers will be affected by tariffs, Tesla will be less impacted because they produce and deliver locally. Tesla‘s vehicles are made in the United States, while GM imports 48% of its vehicles. Many of the vehicles sold in the US are imported from Canada or Mexico.
 
All cars are smart vehicles these days, relying upon microchips, most of which are sourced from Taiwan. Many auto parts are in the global supply chain and subject to tariffs. This will increase the cost for the automakers no matter where their cars are produced and delivered.
 
Protests 
Last year, the Tesla Model Y was the bestselling vehicle in the world. This year, there are Tesla Takedown protests. The brand has taken a hit due to Elon Musk‘s role in government. It’s still early in the game, and it’s impossible to know what the future holds in terms of investor and customer sentiment. Will Musk take more interest in government and give up his CEO position at Tesla? Will the reverse happen?
 
Tesla was so popular because it enjoyed First Mover Advantage and produced excellent vehicles. However, there are a lot of great choices for EVs these days.
 
ICE vehicles
According to Rho Motion, the leading electric vehicle research house, 17.1 million units of electric vehicles were sold in 2024, up 25% versus 2023. China led the charge with 11 million sold, up 40% over the 2023 sales. 2024 was the first time that Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles dropped below 80% market share in the U.S., at 79.8%. The forecast is that 25% of vehicles sold in the US in 2025 will be EVs.
 
Debt and Profitability
With profit margins getting squeezed by tariffs and intense competition, the automobile industry will be challenged in 2025. (The industry always suffers when the economy slows down. Remember that GM and Chrysler went bankrupt in 2009.) It’s important to note that many of the U.S. automakers are at the lowest rung of investment grade. Ford and General Motors both have elevated Debt to Equity ratios. Ford has the lowest credit rating of the big automakers at BBB- with a negative outlook. The company has slipped in and out of junk and investment grade many times over the past few decades.
 
Tesla has a lot of debt, as well. However, the market cap is so massive that the debt looks small by comparison. That will change if the share price plunges.
 
Bottom Line 
Tariffs are making automobiles more expensive to make at a time when the margins are already under attack from intense competition from the Chinese automakers. Forecasts are projecting a significant pull back in U.S. automobile sales. That is not the only problem weighing on Tesla at this time. All of the factors listed above are playing into why there has been a great deal of selling in the stock. While it’s human nature to want to buy & hope when tough times arrive, professional investors read the tea leaves of what the future is likely to hold to determine their strategy. The future looks rough and murky for the former darling of Wall Street and Main Street – Tesla.


Join us at our online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025 (online) where you'll learn why ESG investing is missing the E and how to green your money. The following Saturday on May 3, 2025, at our Stock Masterclass, learn the strategies that earned me the ranking of #1 stock picker. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just nine rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the April 25-27, 2025 Retreat when they register together. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.
​​
Picture
Join us for our Online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025. Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details.
Picture
Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 9 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 70% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
PictureNatalie Pace, author of The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us and other bestsellers. Photo by Brian McLernon.
Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​


Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
Fun Ways to Celebrate Earth Day April 22nd.
Will the Correction Become a Bear Market?
21st Century Recessions Look More Like Depressions. 
Will Oil Prices Sink or Soar? Executives are Uncertain.
Health Savings Accounts. Save Thousands. Get a Tax Credit. Provide for Tomorrow's Healthcare Needs.
Restormel Manor House 2025. A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure. 
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Berkshire Hathaway. Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
The DJIA Plunged 1100 Points After the Dec. 2024 FOMC Meeting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sweepstakes.
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
4 Ways to Celebrate World Sustainability Day, Oct. 30, 2024.
Will There be a Santa Rally or will the Election Ruin Everything?
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
May is National Bike Month. Paris and Amsterdam are the Stars.
Vacations that Color Our World Forever.
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
WeWork's Bankruptcy. Half-Empty Office Buildings. Problems in our Personal Wealth Plan.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument.

Fun Ways to Celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2025

20/4/2025

 
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Earth Day is coming up on April 22, 2025 (Tuesday). How will you celebrate? Please tag us on Instagram and Facebook and use the hashtag #EarthGratitude, so that we can easily find and share your work.

 
Think about an hour of personal net zero (in addition to whatever you’re doing). Can you walk or bike to your event? Also, see below for two free opportunities, including mingling with some film stars, and a few inspiring tips to consider for your observance of this important holiday.
 
Here are the opportunities I’ll mention in this blog.
 
Star-Studded Global Watch Party at 10 am PT
Free Ebook April 18-22, 2025 Only
Money-Saving Sustainability Tip
Have You Ever Gone a Week Without a Car? A Day?
Kids, Animals, Conservation, Food & Health, Lifestyle Notes and the Power of Gratitude
Fun and Informative Green Tips
 
And here are the details on each.

Star-Studded Global Watch Party at 10 am PT
Join a star-studded global watch party and Q&A featuring Jason Momoa, Rosario Dawson, Ian Somerholder, Woody Harrelson and more to celebrate the free global streaming of the Common Ground film (in multiple languages) on Amazon Prime. Go to CommonGroundFilm.org to register now. Host your own screening party. The live Q&A will be at 10 AM PT.
 
You can learn more about how soil is the solution in my interview with the producers/directors of the Common Ground film, Josh and Rebecca Tickell.

Free Ebook April 18-22, 2025, Only
The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us ebook is free (in the U.S.) April 18-22, 2025. (Thank you for taking the ebook to #1 on the Environmental Economics vertical on Amazon.)

​Learn how tapping into the Power of 8 Billion People leading greener lives is the solution for healing our planet.
The Power of 8 Billion presents inspiring stories of individuals, organizations and metropolises around the world who are coming together to replant rainforests, sequester carbon, reduce their own CO2 footprint, power the grid with renewables, promote micro mobility and mass transportation solutions, eliminate plastic and single use, draw down CO2 and so much more. It also educates us on how oil and plastic touch almost every aspect of our lives (and how to change that), as well as why there is no excuse for single use.



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Money-Saving Sustainability Tip: Did you know that you can save thousands annually with smarter energy choices? Learn more in The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us. The ebook is free (in the U.S.) April 18-22, 2025.    


Have You Ever Gone a Week Without a Car? A Day?
We had many sustainable moments at the 2025 Restormel Royal Manor House Retreat. For many attendees, this was the first time they'd gone an entire week without driving. H.M. Queen Diambi joined us and was hosted at Project Eden and Nansladen. The private Restormel estate is rich in pristine air, trees, meadows, forest bathing, walking paths, history and so much more. Join us in 2027! Click on the blue-highlighted words to access additional information and videos of the magic and impact that the 2025 retreat offered.  

Kids, Animals, Conservation, Food & Health, Lifestyle Notes and the Power of Gratitude
 
How Will You Celebrate Earth Day?
Are you looking for something fun and meaningful to do on Earth Day? There are lots of great tips in our 5-part docuseries at EarthGratitude.org. Whether you want to learn more about Eco Kids, Animals, Conservation, Health, Everyday Sustainability, or Why an Attitude of Gratitude is key, you'll find inspiring stories and organizations to support. Share your fun and tag us on Instagram with the hashtag #EarthGratitude.    


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Fun and Informative Green Tips
Below are some of the fun and informative green tips that you’ll discover in The Power of 8 Billion, in the Common Ground global streaming party and in the 5-part docuseries at EarthGratitude.org. Email [email protected] if there’s a particular area that you have interest in. Chances are we can send you some resources to help you on your journey to living a life that is in greater harmony with the home planet that nourishes and sustains us. There are free clean living ebooks on EarthGratitude.org.
 
·      Save thousands annually in your budget 
·      Discover organizations that help set up and fund student and community gardens 
·      Learn how much healthier walking and biking are instead of driving, and how to make your community safe for shared roads
·      Energy tips for non-homeowners 
·      Sustainability for kids and teens 
·      How nature is great for our physical and emotional health 
·      We are the change our planet needs to heal 
·      The most eco-friendly schools in the world 
·      Composting. Are you aware that 60% of food waste goes to landfills, that 24% of landfills is food waste, and that rotting leftovers create methane – one of the worst polluting gases? Many cities now offer composting in the green yard waste bin. If yours doesn’t, why not? Get your city officials on the ball. 
·      Are you aware that plastic is everywhere in our lives, from what we eat on to even what we wear every day? 
·      Did you know that one of the best solutions for climate anxiety is climate action. When we know that every footprint we are making is in greater harmony with our home planet, we can then be a shining light and example and wisdom carrier for others. There is great power in 8 billion people leading green lives. That is the exact shift that our planet needs to continue to sustain and nourish us. (The planet will continue; it is our ability to exist that is threatened.)
 
 
Bottom Line
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” Rumi
​
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David Wilson, the former Home Farm manager of The 24th Duke of Cornwall educating Natalie Pace on organic and regenerative farming practices.

Join us at our online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025 (online) where you'll learn why ESG investing is missing the E and how to green your money. The following Saturday on May 3, 2025, at our Stock Masterclass, learn the strategies that earned me the ranking of #1 stock picker. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just nine rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the April 25-27, 2025 Retreat when they register together. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.
​

​
​
Picture
Join us for our Online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025. Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details.
Picture
Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 9 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 70% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
Picture
Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​


Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
Will the Correction Become a Bear Market?
21st Century Recessions Look More Like Depressions. 
Will Oil Prices Sink or Soar? Executives are Uncertain.
Health Savings Accounts. Save Thousands. Get a Tax Credit. Provide for Tomorrow's Healthcare Needs.
Restormel Manor House 2025. A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure. 
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Berkshire Hathaway. Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
The DJIA Plunged 1100 Points After the Dec. 2024 FOMC Meeting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sweepstakes.
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
4 Ways to Celebrate World Sustainability Day, Oct. 30, 2024.
Will There be a Santa Rally or will the Election Ruin Everything?
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
May is National Bike Month. Paris and Amsterdam are the Stars.
Vacations that Color Our World Forever.
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
WeWork's Bankruptcy. Half-Empty Office Buildings. Problems in our Personal Wealth Plan.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. 

Will the Correction Become a Bear?

13/4/2025

 
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Will the Correction Become a Bear?

 
The S&P500 is down -12.8% from the all-time high set on Feb. 19, 2025, as of April 11, 2025. Just a few days before, on April 8, 2025, the index closed 1% above the official point of a Bear Market. The correction (-10%) will become a bear market (-20%) if the S&P500 closes at 4,915.32.
 
Will stocks rally again? What are the economic challenges that lie ahead? Can an emergency interest rate cut put everything back on track? What's the best wealth strategy for 2025? Check out my free videoconference at YouTube.com/NataliePace.
 
Here are the things I’ll cover in this blog.


Is a Recession or Bear Market in the Cards for 2025?
VIX: 41 Pretty High.
Oil is Below Break Even
The Magnificent 7 Becomes the Fantastic, but Expensive, 5
Will Stocks Rally Again?
Emergency Interest Rate Cut?
Best Wealth Strategy for 2025?
 
And here is more information on each point.
 
Is a Recession or Bear Market in the Cards for 2025?
Economists have been increasing the odds of a recession. JP Morgan‘s puts the odds of a recession in 2025 at 60%.
 
Just two weeks ago, the Federal Reserve Board’s Summary of Economic Projections had the U.S. GDP growing by 1.7% in 2025. That was lower than their December projection. Since then, Jerome Powell has indicated that the impact of the tariffs is “significantly larger than expected.” In a speech on April 4, 2025, he said that the economic effects will include higher inflation and slower growth.
 
While nothing is guaranteed, the odds of a recession occurring have certainly increased. The important thing to remember is that if we wait for the headlines, we’ll always be late. It’s important to adopt an age-appropriate, properly diversified wealth plan as early as possible. (Last year, we were warning everyone to fix the roof while the sun is still shining.)
 
VIX: 41 Pretty High.
The CBOE market volatility index, commonly known as VIX, closed at 41 on Friday, April 11, 2025. That’s pretty high. This fear gauge soared to 85 in March 2020, during the pandemic. There is a strong correlation between market plunges and investor fear. Between February 19 and March 23, 2020, the S&P 500 sank as much as 38% in just one month’s time.
 
Oil is Below Break Even
“Drill Baby Drill” has been a mantra in the current Administration, as they seek to lower oil and gas prices. However, as I indicated in my Oil blog of March 31, 2025, oil executives could go into the red if they drill new wells with oil prices under $70 a barrel. Prices were at $60 a barrel on April 10, 2025. If prices remain this low, the next quarterly earnings reports for the industry will be disappointing for investors, with revenue down and net losses instead of profits.
 
While lower gasoline and oil prices are great for the owners of ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles, it’s not great for their 401(k) or stock portfolio, as oil companies will have to layoff personnel and cut back on production with prices where they currently are. Between now and when the 2nd quarter earnings are announced in July, investors could experience losses, unless oil prices rally soon.
 
The Magnificent 7 Becomes the Fantastic, but Expensive, 5
Recently, one of my coaching clients asked me if they would have lost money if they had invested in the Magnificent 7. Even with the Magnificent 7 leading the stock market plunge over the last month and a half, those seven companies are still performing impressively over the 2 1/2 year period. Even with the current pull back, gains on the Magnificent 7 companies since January 2023 range from a low of 47% to a high of 637%.

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As you can see in the Magnificent 7 Stock Report Card below, most of these companies are experiencing robust year-over-year sales growth, with notable profit margins. The exceptions are Apple and Tesla, which had very tepid annual sales growth and face fierce competition, particularly in the Chinese market.

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The spectacular performance of technology stocks is one of the reasons why we need a diversified wealth plan that includes a large cap growth fund, and potentially an additional hot slice of technology. This is something we go over in detail during our Financial Freedom Retreat. The next one is April 25-27, 2025, online (in the comfort of your own living room). Email [email protected] for pricing and information. 
 
Will Stocks Rally Again?
Corrections and bear markets can have mini rallies in them. However, those relief rallies can be a temporary blip in the overall downward trend. Bear market rallies can be bear traps. On April 8, the S&P 500 was flirting with a bear market, closing just 1% above that milestone. The following day, on April 9, 2025, stocks enjoyed a massive rally, the best the S&P500 had seen since 2008. However, the gains didn’t hold. On April 10, 2025, the market dropped again. We’re still down -12.8% from the February high.
 
When the economy slows down (as it currently is doing) and when we have recessions (the probability of this has increased over the past two weeks), stocks drop. The drop can be more problematic if stocks were very expensive, as is currently the case. However, it is rarely a “crash.” It is, rather, a series of unfortunate events. In the Financial Crisis and Great Recession, we saw the Bear Stearns crisis, followed by the Lehman Bros. liquidation, only to experience the bankruptcies of General Motors and Crysler, followed by the cities of Detroit, Stockton and others declaring bankruptcy. In between those events, we saw relief rallies that were quickly erased by another horrible event. A similar trend played out in the Dot Com Recession before that, when the cash-negative Dot Coms lead the bankruptcy trend, but were followed by the telecom industry and Enron.
 
Hoping for some kind of relief such as we saw in the pandemic is likely to be a fool’s journey. We just can’t print up trillions of dollars every time we get into trouble, especially as we are now on a path that is economists agree is unsustainable. Recessions and bear markets are a normal occurrence in the business cycle. When financial engineering prevents them from happening (as occurred in the Great Recession) worse things build up (like inflation and stagflation).
 

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Emergency Interest Rate Cut?
 
When unemployment rises, the Federal Reserve Board will typically respond by cutting interest rates. Sadly, many economists are now predicting a period of stagflation, where the economy contracts and unemployment rises, but inflation remains persistent. As Jerome Powell explained in his April 4, 2025, speech, tariffs are likely to stoke inflation, and that complicates the equation. Interest rates must remain restrictive in order to get inflation down. (Drop down the rabbit hole on Paul Volcker and the 20% interest rate of June 1981 for a lesson on fighting stagflation.)
 
In the March 18-19, 2025, meeting, the FOMC participants projected a couple of rate cuts this year, from the current 4.25-4.50, down to 3.9%. The market expects the Feds to pause (keep rates where they are) at their May 7, 2025, FOMC meeting. We’ll get the next Summary of Projections at the June 18, 2025, FOMC meeting.
 
Best Wealth Strategy for 2025?
We are currently overweighting safe in our sample pie charts due to the heightened risk of a recession. (By comparison, in 2021, when we were predicted to have a gangbuster recovery, we were encouraging everybody to act their age and potentially take on a little more risk.) Acting our age and having a properly diversified wealth plan protects our wealth in recessions. That is how Nilo Bolden earned gains in the Great Recession, while most everyone around her lost more than half of their wealth.
 


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​A solid financial plan protects us from losses while also allowing us to participate in bull markets. As we get closer to retirement, we cannot afford to lose half of our wealth; we must cut back on the amount that we have at risk. So, the first step of a solid wealth plan in 2025 is to make sure that we have an age-appropriate, properly diversified plan that is potentially overweighted an additional 10-20% safe. (Email [email protected] if you’d like pricing and information on receiving an unbiased 2nd opinion from me personally.)

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Another challenge in 2025 is that we are live in a Debt World. There is heightened credit and duration risk on the fixed income side of our wealth plan. That’s typically where most of us are expecting to preserve our principal and keep our money, while earning some income. However, many managed plans are experiencing paper losses, which are a lot more problematic than we are being told.
 
Bottom Line
We must be the boss of our money. We cannot simply have blind faith that someone else is protecting our future for us. You can read about our time-proven strategies in The ABCs of Money 6th edition. You can learn and implement them at our Financial Freedom Retreat. Or you can contact [email protected] for an unbiased 2nd opinion, where you will learn exactly what you own, which assets are risky, which you have too much of, which you don’t have enough of, and a blueprint of a much better strategy. Again, our easy-as-a-pie-chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the Dot Com and Great Recessions and have performed the bull markets in between.
 
It’s easy to make money in a bull market – and we’ve been in a secular bull market since 2009. It’s easy to lose a boatload of money in bear markets. That is why it’s important to adopt a time-proven strategy early in the correction. If we wait for the headlines that we’re in a recession, we could be closer to the bottom, having lost 40% or more of our wealth. At that time, all we can do is hope and pray to recover from our losses. It took 15 years for Dot Com investors to recover.
 

Join us at our online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025 (online) and our Stock Masterclass (learn the strategies that earned me the ranking of #1 stock picker) on May 3, 2025. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just nine rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the April 25-27, 2025 Retreat when they register together. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.
​
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Join us for our Online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025. Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details.
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Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 9 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 70% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
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Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​

Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
21st Century Recessions Look More Like Depressions. 
Will Oil Prices Sink or Soar? Executives are Uncertain.
Health Savings Accounts. Save Thousands. Get a Tax Credit. Provide for Tomorrow's Healthcare Needs.
Restormel Manor House 2025. A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure. 
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Berkshire Hathaway. Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
The DJIA Plunged 1100 Points After the Dec. 2024 FOMC Meeting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sweepstakes.
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
4 Ways to Celebrate World Sustainability Day, Oct. 30, 2024.
Will There be a Santa Rally or will the Election Ruin Everything?
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
May is National Bike Month. Paris and Amsterdam are the Stars.
Vacations that Color Our World Forever.
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
WeWork's Bankruptcy. Half-Empty Office Buildings. Problems in our Personal Wealth Plan.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. 

Correction: 21st Century Recessions Look More Like Depressions (Unless You Incorporate a Time-Proven Strategy).

7/4/2025

 
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Correction: 21st Century Recessions Look More Like Depressions (Unless You Incorporate a Time-Proven Strategy).
 
With the S&P 500 down -17.7% from its February 19, 2025, highs – an official correction and almost a Bear Market – it’s a good idea for all of us to take a few lessons from history to determine our best path forward. Should we sit on our hands and wait, under the assumption that Buy and Hope is the best strategy? Is now the time to learn what an age-appropriate, properly diversified plan looks like? Are we able to do that easily? Is it too complicated? Is there a plan that actually works?
 
Here are the topics we will cover in this blog.
 
The Pandemic Recession of 2020
The Great Recession of 2008
The Dot Com Recession
Buy and Hope?
An Age-Appropriate Properly Diversified Plan
 
And here is more information on each topic.
 
The Pandemic Recession of 2020
Between February 19 and March 23, 2020, the S&P 500 dropped about -38% (in just one month!). That ended up being the shortest recession in history. However, it was because the U.S. printed up $4.2 trillion in cash and handed it out like candy to every adult with a pulse. 
 

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While the cash infusion averted a Great Depression, which was the case the world leaders made for printing up this unprecedented amount of capital, it did usher in a downgrade to the United States sovereign credit rating from AAA to AA+ by Fitch Ratings.

Debt has continued to creep up since that time. The most recent reading shows total public debt outstanding of $36.2 trillion (source: Treasury.gov). The total debt and loans in the US are at $102.2 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Credit and duration risks are elevated in the United States, which is why many people are suffering paper losses in their fixed income portfolios, where our wealth is supposed to be safe from losses.
​

Earning a safe yield without losing principle is tricky in today’s Debt World. That is why we spend one full day educating our attendees on “What’s Safe” at our Financial Freedom Retreat. We also host a Bond and Fixed Income Master Class every year. 
 
The Great Recession of 2008
Between the October highs of 2007 and the March 3, 2009, low, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped -55%. It took about six years to crawl back to even. Lehman Brothers investors never recovered. If you wait for the official announcement of the recession, you're closer to the bottom than the top. Headlines are always late.
 
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For the millions of Americans that were in trouble with one or more homes that were severely underwater, the recovery took much longer. Over 20 million homes were foreclosed on during the period before and after the Great Recession.

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The Dot Com Recession
The Dot Com Recession was one of the most devastating in history. It was also a period when equities were more elevated than any other time.

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As you can see in the CAPE Ratio chart above, prior to the current market correction, stock prices were almost as expensive as they were in the Great Depression – second only to the Dot Com era highs.
 
It took the NASDAQ Composite Index 15 years to crawl back to the March 2000 highs of over 5000. Between March 2000 and October 2002, the NASDAQ composite index lost -78%.

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Buy and Hope?
Buy & Hope is a plan that worked in the 20th century. However, in the 21st century, when recessions can drop so far so fast and take so long to recover, Buy & Hold wipes out our wealth. Suicide rates rise during troubled times.
 
As we get closer to retirement, we simply cannot afford to lose half of our wealth. When we are young, losing half of our assets could cost us our home, make us borrow on credit cards at high interest rates, plunge us into a serious financial crisis, wipe out our FICO score, and make us vulnerable to financial predators, including high fees and usury interest rates. 
 
An Age-Appropriate Properly Diversified Plan
 
Our age-appropriate properly diversified sample plan was overweighted 20% safe in December 2007. That is how Bill and Nilo Bolden earned gains when most people lost more than half of their wealth. 
 

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Keeping a percentage equal to our age safe and overweighting safe in trouble times means that we have less to lose. Our wealth is protected from Wall Street’s volatility. At the same time, our sample pie charts also include hot slices and diversified exposure to size and style funds and companies. Without the support of the Magnificent 7 in 2023 and 2024, our gains would’ve been half of the S&P 500 returns. This cohort of trillion-dollar technology companies doubled in share price in 2023. Having an extra hot slice of technology, or hedges like gold and crypto, can add performance to our portfolio, especially when we are rebalancing and capturing gains 1-3 times a year.
 

​​"Many people, including educated men and women, often get into trouble when they neglect to follow simple and fundamental rules of the type provided [by Natalie]. This is why I recommend them with enthusiasm." 
Professor Gary S. Becker. Dr. Becker won the 1992 Nobel Prize in economics for his theories on human capital

"College students need this information before they get their first credit card. Young adults need it before they buy their first home. Empty nesters can use the information to downsize to a sustainable lifestyle, before they get into trouble." 
Joe Moglia, former Chairman & CEO, TD AMERITRADE.


 
Bottom Line
The sooner we adopt an age-appropriate properly diversified plan that we rebalance 1-3 times a year, the faster our lives transform. While this correction may not be as severe as other 21st-century recessions have been, it’s always a good idea to have a time-proven plan in place, rather than hoping and waiting. If the markets go up, we’ll earn gains and potentially outperform in our hot slices. If the stock slide continues, we will have protected a great deal of our wealth. All of this is as easy as a pie chart – less time, money and stress than Buy & Hope costs.
 

​
Join us at our online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025 (online) and our Stock Masterclass (learn the strategies that earned me the ranking of #1 stock picker) on May 3, 2025. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just nine rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the April 25-27, 2025 Retreat when they register together. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.


Picture
Join us for our Online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025. Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details.
Picture
Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 9 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 70% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
Picture
Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​


Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
Will Oil Prices Sink or Soar? Executives are Uncertain.
Health Savings Accounts. Save Thousands. Get a Tax Credit. Provide for Tomorrow's Healthcare Needs.
Restormel Manor House 2025. A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure. 
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Berkshire Hathaway. Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
The DJIA Plunged 1100 Points After the Dec. 2024 FOMC Meeting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sweepstakes.
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
4 Ways to Celebrate World Sustainability Day, Oct. 30, 2024.
Will There be a Santa Rally or will the Election Ruin Everything?
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
May is National Bike Month. Paris and Amsterdam are the Stars.
Vacations that Color Our World Forever.
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
WeWork's Bankruptcy. Half-Empty Office Buildings. Problems in our Personal Wealth Plan.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. 

Will Oil Prices Sink or Soar? Executives are Uncertain.

31/3/2025

 
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Will Oil Prices Sink or Soar? Executives are Uncertain.
In the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Energy Survey released on March 26, 2025, oil executives largely expected oil prices to stay where they are this year – at $68/barrel. However, the range of projections was quite broad, with $50/barrel on the low end and $100/barrel at the top. Uncertainty was the most popular word in the anonymous survey comments, with one respondent writing, “I have never felt more uncertainty about our business in my entire 40-plus-year career.”

Will “Drill Baby Drill” and $50/barrel become a reality in the coming months, or will some unexpected shock send prices sky high? Is forecasting really that complicated? Consumers want lower prices, but what do the Gulf States want? Would $50/barrel oil sink the industry?
 
Below are the topics we’ll cover in this blog.
 
Supply and Demand
Breakeven Price of Oil
Low/High Forecast: $50-$100/Barrel
Plastic, Polyester and Other Oil Products
Geopolitical Uncertainty
Investing in Oil and Gas
 
And here is more information on each point.

Supply and Demand
Oil prices are subject to supply and demand. After 9.11.2001, when the U.S. began fighting two wars (Afghanistan and Iraq), prices began to rise and eventually peaked at the all-time high of $145.31/barrel on July 3, 2008. At the other end of the spectrum, during the lockdowns of the pandemic, oil prices went negative, to -$37.63/barrel. Traders were paying to have someone assume their futures contracts because they couldn’t store all of the oil they were about to take delivery of!

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The United States has been the world's top producer of natural gas since 2009, when U.S. natural gas production surpassed that of Russia, and it has been the world's top producer of petroleum hydrocarbons since 2013, when its production exceeded Saudi Arabia’s (source EIA.gov). The U.S. trade balance “with members of OPEC shifted from a deficit of $50.0 billion in 2014 to a surplus of $6.6 billion in 2015” (source: BEA.gov). As you can see in the chart below, the U.S. produced more oil than it consumed in 2023. Having said that, the market is global. When the U.S. needs oil abroad (to fight a war, for instance), it imports from OPEC and Saudi Arabia, rather than ship the crude around the world.

As more and more drivers switch to electric vehicles, this reduces the demand side. China’s rapid switch to EVs is one of the reasons why prices are still under $70/barrel. The fewer times we visit the gas pump, the more downward pressure we put on prices.

Did you know that most people can save $8,500 or more annually by giving up their car? The cost of taking a ride-share or taxi, renting a car here or there (with non-owner insurance) is a fraction of what we pay to be a car owner, when you consider car payments, insurance, maintenance, parking, registration and fuel. Riding a bike and walking improves our physical health as well. If you’re not ready to give up the vehicle yet (or even reduce it to one per family), at least try walking or riding a bike for local errands.  
I gave up my car years ago, and began walking, riding a bike or taking public transportation for 90% of my needs. I’m writing this blog from Rome. Financial freedom awaits those who extricate themselves from being buried alive in bills. Reduced demand should lower prices.

Breakeven Price of Oil
According to the Dallas Fed Survey, “Firms need $65 per barrel on average to profitably drill [a new well] … [ranging] from $61 to $70 per barrel” depending on the size of the firm and the location. Tariffs on steel might curtail completion of new wells due to increased costs and thin margins at the current oil price of $69.60/barrel (WTI). Lowering the price of gasoline at the pump requires increased supply, which producers won’t do if they are losing money. (We've seen OPEC and other oil producers cut production to drive up prices in the past.)

As the survey respondents pointed out, the cost of drilling is inconsistent with $50/barrel oil. One anonymous respondent to the survey explained, “The threat of $50 oil prices by the administration has caused our firm to reduce its 2025 and 2026 capital expenditures. ‘Drill, baby, drill’ does not work with $50 per barrel oil. Rigs will get dropped, employment in the oil industry will decrease, and U.S. oil production will decline as it did during COVID-19.”

All the companies examined in our Oil Stock Report Card showed lower revenue year over year and most had profit margins under 10%. As Conoco Phillips stated in their annual earnings report, “Prices and margins in our industry have historically been volatile and are driven by market conditions over which we have no control.” (Wars increase prices. Lockdowns cause prices to plunge. Demand is decreasing as drivers switch to EVs.) Email [email protected] if you’d like an updated Oil Stock Report Card.

Low/High Forecast: $50-$100/Barrel

The near-term forecasting done by the industry experts tends to just follow what the current price is, probably because no one knows what the next shock to the industry will be and which way it will take prices. Oil executives are forecasting that oil prices will increase to $74/barrel in two years and $82/barrel in five years – headed in the opposite direction of what consumers and The White House want. High gas prices have a strong correlation with recessions, largely because almost 70% of the U.S. economy is based on consumer spending. Consumers lose confidence in the economy and cut back on spending when so much of the budget goes for gasoline. Fitch Ratings is projecting $70/barrel oil in 2025 and $65/barrel in 2026.  

Plastic, Polyester and Other Oil Products
One of the ways that the oil industry is protecting itself from reduced demand, due to the rise of electric vehicles and clean energy, is to pivot more into other oil products, such as plastic, polyester, vinyl, rubber and asphalt. According to As You Sow’s report at ExxonMobil’s 2024 Annual Meeting, “ExxonMobil is the world’s largest producer of single-use plastic resins and continues to expand its production of virgin plastics despite both the likelihood of single-use plastic demand reduction and recent analyst projections of global polyethylene and polypropylene overcapacity.” Plastic is everywhere (even in our clothes and laundry sheets). Many of us are in constant contact with this petrochemical.

The rise of fast fashion is another product of Big Oil. Reports are that companies like Shein have 76% of their clothing made with polyester (oil-based fibers that also leech microplastics into our oceans and water supply). Many oil and gas companies also vertically integrate at least some of the polyester supply chain (beyond the source: oil). India’s wealthiest billionaire is a polyester/oil executive. Polyester is bad for our health, for our oceans, our fresh water and so much more. (Please purchase natural fiber clothing and nix the idea of constant shopping.) Learn more in my Fast Fashion blog.
​


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Geopolitical Uncertainty
On January 23, 2025, at the World Economic Forum, the 47th U.S. President asked OPEC and Saudi Arabia to lower oil costs (by increasing production). “If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately,” he said. Oil and gas make up to 30% of Russia’s revenues. An end to the war in Gaza could also be positive for lower gas and oil prices, particularly if auto owners continue to reduce demand.

Oil prices dropped from $145.31/barrel on July 3, 2008, to $37.77/barrel on January 13, 2009. This partially had to do with the election of 44th President, who ran on a platform of ending the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. However, an even bigger factor was the global financial crisis of the Great Recession. Unemployment soared to 7.9% on average in 2009. Consumers were constrained. Travel was a luxury many couldn’t afford. If you lost your job, you weren’t commuting to work or taking vacations. Demand for oil and gasoline dropped and prices plunged.

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Investing in the Oil and Gas Industry
ExxonMobil, Chevron and Conoco Phillips are trading close to their 5-year highs. They pay a yield of 3-4%. However, share prices are volatile in this industry. If oil prices do indeed drop, as the current Administration desires, oil companies will go into the red and investors will watch their share prices lose money. Our best protection against the price volatility of this industry is to rebalance 1-3 times a year to capture gains and to ensure that our wealth plan is age-appropriate and properly diversified. Doing that now would equate to capturing gains near the high. (This is something we teach at our Financial Freedom Retreat.)

Due to elevated equity prices (in most U.S. companies), lower expectations for U.S. GDP growth, massive debt in U.S. corporations and a few other economic factors, we are using country diversification as substitutes for our value funds. (Oil is often found in large value funds.) Some of our substitutions offer a higher yield, while others offer higher credit quality.

Bottom Line
Oil Executives are not a fan of “Drill Baby Drill” populism or tariffs. Some have curtailed capital spending (no more new wells). One comment was, “Our ability to plan operations for any meaningful amount of time in the future has been severely diminished.” This is negative for lower oil and gas prices because there is no incentive to increase supply. Meanwhile, the increasing popularity of electric vehicles is reducing demand, while plastic becomes ever more prolific and fast fashion polyester runs rampant. In other words, there are many factors that are pulling on the tug-of-war between $50/barrel oil (which the oil industry clearly doesn’t want) and $100/barrel oil (which consumers can’t afford).
 
As consumers, we hold more cards than most of us realize. If we visit the pump less, walk and bike more, refuse plastic, and buy natural fiber clothing (instead of oil-based polyester), we can dramatically lower demand and achieve the prices we all desire. Of course, that might put the oil companies into debt restructuring, as happened during the pandemic. According to Haynes Boone, between 2015 and 2021, there were over 600 oil and gas company bankruptcy filings. (This is another reason to capture gains now if you are an investor and consider a value substitution fund.)

​
Join us at our online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025 (online) and our Stock Masterclass (learn the strategies that earned me the ranking of #1 stock picker) on May 3, 2025. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just nine rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the April 25-27, 2025 Retreat when they register together. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.



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Join us for our Online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025. Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details.
Picture
Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 9 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 70% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
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Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​


Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
Health Savings Accounts. Save Thousands. Get a Tax Credit. Provide for Tomorrow's Healthcare Needs.
Restormel Manor House 2025. 
A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure. 
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Berkshire Hathaway. Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
The DJIA Plunged 1100 Points After the Dec. 2024 FOMC Meeting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sweepstakes.
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
4 Ways to Celebrate World Sustainability Day, Oct. 30, 2024.
Will There be a Santa Rally or will the Election Ruin Everything?
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
May is National Bike Month. Paris and Amsterdam are the Stars.
Vacations that Color Our World Forever.
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
WeWork's Bankruptcy. Half-Empty Office Buildings. Problems in our Personal Wealth Plan.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. 

Health Savings Account. Where Does This Go in the Budget? Investors Ask Natalie.

26/3/2025

 
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Health Savings Account. Where Does This Go in the Budget? Investors Ask Natalie.
Updated Nov. 4, 2025

On the basis of the Thrive Budget, what slice of the pie is an HSA in, and at what percentage? Signed, Looking to Thrive, Instead of Feeling Buried Alive in Bills
 
Dear Healthy, Wealthy and Wise,
 
Health insurance is definitely on the basic needs side of the Thrive Budget because health insurance, taxes, food, lodging, transportation, debt repayment – all the costs and responsibilities of living in the modern world go there. The Thrive side is very easy:
 
  1. Invest (pay yourself first and earn money while you sleep),
  2. Be charitable (charity is the best networking, where you find your people),
  3. Education (the highest correlating factor with income, and,
  4. Fun (free happy hormones which promote health and happiness).
 
If you haven’t already mocked up your own personalized Thrive Budget, email [email protected] for a link to our free web app.
 
While the cost of health insurance is part of your survival plan, the Health Savings Account is a retirement plan, on the Thrive side of the budget, in the “pay yourself first and invest in a tax-protected retirement account” slice. In terms of percentage, there is a cap on the annual contribution: $4,300 if you are single and $8,550 for families. (This could increase in the coming years.) If you are on Medicare, you no longer qualify to contribute but could substantially benefit from the HSA if you have already accumulated a lot in that account.
 
This is one of the reasons why it is important to start an HSA with our first job. The HSA is the best long-term healthcare plan. Instead of paying premiums for supplemental Medicare, we could have a cache of money that can be used for health care costs that won’t disappear if we can’t make the monthly payment. In the event we don’t need to use all the funds, the HSA money will go to our designated beneficiary.
 
An HSA can also help to lower costs on the survive side. We must purchase a high-deductible health insurance plan to qualify for the HSA, which lowers the premiums dramatically from a low-deductible plan. Many people report savings of thousands annually. Some save tens of thousands. That’s a lot of money that is now available for investing, charity, education and fun – things most of us like a lot more than paying bills. We also receive a tax deduction for the contribution to our HSA. Essentially, with an HSA, we stop making the health insurance company and the taxman rich at our own expense.
 
Health savings accounts work best when we are healthy and let the money accumulate and start compounding gains (through investing) instead of dipping into it constantly for every office visit. It’s a great idea to save up three years of our total out-of-pocket costs in cash or short-term (high-quality) fixed-income investments before taking on more risk (equities), so that in the event of an unexpected illness or accident, we can cover our high deductible and co-pays without selling stock. While we’re saving up, the funds will be part of the safe side of our nest egg pie chart. Once we start investing in stocks, we will have “at-risk” slices in our HSA, too. This will make more sense if you’ve attended my Financial Freedom Retreat and read The ABCs of Money, 6th edition.
 
I discuss HSAs in my recent tax blog. Be sure to check that out.
9 Tax Tips to Cut Your IRS Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.



​Join us at our online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025 (online) and our Stock Masterclass (learn the strategies that earned me the ranking of #1 stock picker) on May 3, 2025. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just nine rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the April 25-27, 2025 Retreat when they register together. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

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Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.


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Join us for our Online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025. Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details.
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Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions (value $3,200). There are only 9 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're paying to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and receiving the room for free. Email [email protected] to learn more. 2025 was sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
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Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
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Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​



Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
Restormel Manor House 2025. 
A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure. 
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Berkshire Hathaway. Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
The DJIA Plunged 1100 Points After the Dec. 2024 FOMC Meeting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sweepstakes.
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
4 Ways to Celebrate World Sustainability Day, Oct. 30, 2024.
Will There be a Santa Rally or will the Election Ruin Everything?
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
May is National Bike Month. Paris and Amsterdam are the Stars.
Vacations that Color Our World Forever.
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
WeWork's Bankruptcy. Half-Empty Office Buildings. Problems in our Personal Wealth Plan.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
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Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. 

Restormel Manorhouse 2025: A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure

25/3/2025

 
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Natalie Pace, H.M. Queen Diambi, Terri Quenzer, Gayle Gladstone at Watergate Bay Inn, Newquay, Cornwall, England. taken on Natalie Pace's iphone by Jo Ruxton, founder, Ocean Generation.

Restormel Manorhouse 2025: A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure

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Our trip to the Restormel Manorhouse in Lostwithiel, Cornwall just before the Spring Equinox 2025 was one of the most magical and royal ever. I’m so grateful to the individuals and couples who joined me as my guests there. Check out some of the synchronistic and epic things that happened, as well as some of the learning lessons, in the blog below.
 
For many people traveling there, this was the first time that they had ever been to Cornwall, England, and certainly the first time that they had stayed in a manorhouse that is owned by The Royal Family. For one week, we were living in the biggest house in the community on a private estate that is so exclusive many taxi drivers have no clue how to find it. Being in that role means that we must think differently than most of us ever have – to anticipate how our actions might benefit, inconvenience, or burden the community or our roommates. We want to understand the ripple effect of our actions, which is the basis of stewardship, which is what being the wealthiest person in the community is all about. It's a rare opportunity to live the dream, while also understanding firsthand the responsibilities that go along with the role.
 
Below are some of the topics I’ll cover in this blog.
 
H.M. Queen Diambi
Magic on the Train
Our 1st Walk to the Village of Lostwithiel 
Exploring the Private (and Expansive) Estate
Cornwall’s M.P. At Asquith’s
The Eden Project
Nansladen
Potluck Dinner and a Gift for H.M. that Rippled Around the World
Restormel Kitchen
Composting, Walking, No Plastic & Recycling
Tea at the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery & Cafe
Nothing is Free (even if you think it is)
Lessons Learned
There are 1 Million Questions 
 
And here is more information on each topic.   
 
H.M. Queen Diambi
We were honored to host H.M. Queen Diambi in the Trinity wing of the Restormel Manorhouse. She was accompanied by Gayle Gladstone, the CEO of Waterside Productions. Having a Queen staying with us offered constant lessons of grace, wisdom and the power and currency of a smile. In every photo of Her Majesty that you see in this blog, you’ll see that she’s smiling. Her essence is effervescence.
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Magic on the Train
On the train ride into Lostwithiel from London Paddington, we were seated in a car with a businessman. He immediately offered to help us with our luggage. I went over to thank him, and within five minutes, discovered that he lived in Nansladen. That synchronistic meeting led to his son Thomas guiding a tour of the Nansladen school for H.M. Queen Diambi. Thank you, James, for all that you did to make our trip to Nansladen so special, and also for joining us at the meet and greet at Asquith’s restaurant.​


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James Stanger, H.M. Queen Diambi, Thomas Stanger. Photo by: Natalie Pace. (c) 2025

Our 1st Walk to the Village of Lostwithiel 
After our check in and champagne toast, most of us took the 25-minute walk to Lostwithiel for our dinner at The Globe Inn. Some of the areas were lit by streetlamps, while others were dark. We used our Flashlight app on our phones. Many people raved about the food – a particular hit was the pie and mash.
 
Exploring the Private (and Expansive) Estate
After breakfast on Saturday, many of the attendees went on a walking exploration of the private estate with me. From almost every direction, you can see Restormel Castle just up the hill, which you can visit throughout most of the year. The structure of this medieval castle bears witness to a time when Cornwall was thriving as the region’s home to the 1st Prince of Wales (in the 14th Century). It has been a key asset of the Duchy of Cornwall since that time (though English Heritage runs the tours). There is also an ancient tree close by that is dedicated to The Queen‘s Green Canopy.
 
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Restormel Castle. Photo by Natalie Pace.


Forest bathing, birdsong, babbling brooks, with lambs lounging in the expansive meadows are just some of the ways that Mother Nature slows down time and nurtures us on the Restormel estate. See some of the reels I created at https://www.instagram.com/nataliewynnepace.
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Cornwall’s M.P. At Asquith’s
Our Lostwithiel guardian angel, Suzette Dawson, arranged for Anna Gelderd, the Member of Parliament for South East Cornwall, to have a special meet and greet with H.M. Queen Diambi and our group.


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H.M. Queen Diambi with M.P. Anna Gelderd for SE Cornwall at Asquith's Restaurant, Lostwithiel. March 8, 2025. Photo by Natalie Pace.

We were also joined by the Lostwithiel Mayor and Vice Mayor. I was pleased to be able to have a very engaging conversation with M.P. Gelderd, who is such an informed and passionate advocate for sustainability, with a powerful voice, as a member of Parliament. Who knows what lasting positive effects will transpire as a result of connecting Her Majesty and the M.P.   

Thank you, Suzette! Thank you Asquith’s for hosting this important meeting and serving Michelin star worthy meals. Personally, I had the best gnocchi I’ve ever had in my life! 
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The Eden Project
What an extraordinary place the Eden Project is! A picture is worth 1000 words as you can see from the short video that my Apple iPhone created from the pictures I took there. Click to watch that on Instagram. The CEO Andy Jasper is interested in pouring champagne in our veins about just how we can all be the change that our planet needs to continue offering us the sustenance that humans rely upon. It's an engaging, immersive experience that I highly recommend we all visit again and again.


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H.M. Queen Diambi at the Eden Project's Eve Sculpture by Peter and Sue Hill. Photo by Natalie Pace.
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H.M. Queen Diambi at the Eden Project. Photo by Natalie Pace.
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H.M. Queen Diambi at the Eden Project. Photo by Natalie Pace.

Nansladen
What a worthy example of sustainable development! Guided by the vision of H.R.H. The 24th Duke of Cornwall, this community in the seaside city of Newquay, is an exemplary living model that other communities can adopt to weave biking and walking, biodiversity, regenerative agriculture and landscaping, clean energy, community, affordable housing, and so much more into the fabric of the design. You can learn much more at nansladen.com.
 
I also want to thank The Duchy of Cornwall team for introducing H.M. Queen Diambi and I to Jo Ruxton MBE, an award-winning filmmaker and the founder of Ocean Generation. We had a lovely cream tea with Jo at the Watergate Bay Inn, with stunning views of the famous surfing beaches of Newquay. Did you know that the ocean is responsible for every other breath we take and draws down 30% of the CO2? (I didn’t.) Jo’s award-winning documentary A Plastic Ocean was named by Sir David Attenborough as “one of the most important films of our time.” Ocean Generation is educating all of us on solutions. Learn more and support this organization at https://oceangeneration.org/.

Potluck Dinner and a Gift for H.M. that Rippled Around the World
At our potluck dinner, we each discussed a passion that we have. One of the more delightful and surprising things I learned was that Lostwithiel locals Kodzo and Adzoa Adabio are so passionate about sustainability and clean energy that they are building their own windmill. Their son, Marcus, was the artist whose delightful painting of an African water carrier had a ripple effect around the world.



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H.M. Queen Diambi with Marcus Adabio. Photo by Helen Padilla. Used with permission.

The winding process of having Marcus present his art gift to H.M. Queen Diambi began when Terri, one of our repeat attendees, was on the lookout for an ideal gift for our group to offer to H.M. Rather than purchase something off the shelf, we thought it would be even more special to find a unique one-of-a-kind item that was created in Lostwithiel. Kodzo and Adzoa are both renowned local artists, but their work was outside of our collective budget. However, their son Marcus is also a young upcoming artist. When Helen, one of the members of our group, approached Adzoa with the idea of creating something special for Her Majesty, Marcus jumped at the chance. We commissioned the gift and Marcus selected the perfect image for H.M. The water carrier is a symbol of sustenance, eternal life and magical protection.
 
However, the stardust didn’t stop with the gift. Marcus then used a portion of his renumeration to donate to one of his friends in Ghana, Seth, to support his university education. Seth is in his 1st year of studying agriculture. Of course, we encourage Seth to learn about the power of Regenerative Agriculture by watching the Soil & Health episode of our Earth Gratitude docuseries, and by joining the global streaming watch party of Common Ground and Kiss the Ground on April 22nd on Amazon Prime.

You can see a short Instagram reel that I created about this magical moment @NatalieWynnePace.


Editor's note: Would you like to join us for this exclusive adventure in 2027? Register now to receive a year of prosperity, abundance, sustainability and financial freedom training now, so that you can fully embrace and benefit from the adventure! You’ll also receive a $500 discount, eight 50-minute prosperity coaching sessions (value $3,200) and your choice of the best room and wing in the home. Visit the Spring Equinox 2027 Restormel Retreat flyer at NataliePace.com to learn more now, including pricing information. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is far more affordable than you might imagine, particularly if you use some of our travel hacks. Email [email protected] to get your questions answered and to register. With only 9 rooms available, most of the rooms sell out a year in advance.

Restormel Kitchen
Restormel Kitchen is another delightful, award-winning restaurant in the village of Lostwithiel. (Really love The Mess Hall and Bellamama, too.) Mmmm. Mushroom Veloute. Scallops. Rhubarb and apple crumble… Still tasting these treats. It’s astonishing that a little hamlet (Lostwithiel) with a population of less than 3,000 that dates back to 1100 (such history here!) has so many excellent food options (that are very affordable given the high quality). During my previous visit in 2023, Chef Jordan Cook served me the best pea risotto that I’ve ever had.

Tea at the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery & Café
Our group wandered along the footpath up to the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery & Café for a cream tea. This is yet another destination that is easier to get to on foot, and just as fast as driving. The café has a lovely Orangery, a cute store stocked with treasures and a stunning view of the valley. Be sure to go through the nursery of plants, to the top of the hill, to take pictures of the vista.





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View from the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery and Cafe, Lostwithiel, England. Photo by Natalie Pace.

Suzette asked me to remind everyone to shop in Lostwithiel and support the local artisans, merchants and shopkeepers. So, wander the streets and shops for keepsakes to take home of this unique experience. A tour of Lostwithiel with a local guide is also a delight.
 
Composting, Walking, No Plastic & Recycling
How many of us have gone a week without driving? How many of us eat on plastic flatware, throw our food in the trash, where it stinks and then creates methane gas in a landfill? Are we aware that recycling is the least effective of all the six Rs of sustainability, since less than 9% of plastic gets recycled and plastic is an oil product – not sustainably produced either? Sustainability is interwoven into the fabric of the Restormel Royal Manorhouse experience because T.R.H. The 24th and The 25th Dukes of Cornwall are informed and proactive about green solutions.
 
These experiences are built in, with no thinking or adjusting required. It’s often easier to walk. The plates are ceramic. Food delivery comes without all the produce covered in plastic. The sheets and blankets are all made from natural fibers. (Polyester is an oil product.)
 
One of the reasons I host this retreat is to immerse us in forest bathing, walking for local errands, composting, and to understand, by living the experience, how to be outstanding stewards of wealth and of our home planet. A big bonus is that the air quality at Restormel is the best I’ve ever encountered in the world (science, not an exaggeration). Every breath you take is invigorating. Now that you know, you’ll breathe even more deeply and perhaps with an extra spring in your step when you join me for our Spring Equinox 2027 return!
 
Nothing is Free (even if you think it is)
I’ve discovered that thinking someone is giving us something for free is a very American mindset that is not necessarily shared in other countries around the world. In fact, if you believe that you are getting comped (without carefully listening to what the person is saying), you might find yourself in serious trouble. One person narrowly avoided getting booted off a train, could have received a serious fine, and only saved herself when she ponied up the cash for the proper train ticket. We’ll never know why the clerk didn’t charge her and ticket her properly.
 
Another person thought they got a free ride in a cab. However, the taxi driver simply said that he’d put it on the bill, which meant that the next person in our group to use the service was the one who would get stuck paying for her trip.
 
Bosses don’t let their employees give out freebies. If an employee comps something, they might have to pay for it out of their own salary, which is pretty modest. So, it’s important to ditch this very American idea and to understand that living in the biggest house in the community means everyone thinks you’re rich. If anything, they are hoping that you’ll buy more (rather than get a free ride). And even though England is a country that doesn’t have tipping in the culture, because they know many of us are Americans, some individuals will hope you do slip them something extra, while others will refuse, if you offer.
 
Lessons Learned
One of the most valuable lessons that I learned is that I need to do a better job of preparing our Restormel attendees about the responsibilities and assumptions that go along with being the “rich folk.” Our actions have ripple effects throughout the community, especially in one that is as economically challenged as Cornwall is – particularly in the shoulder season. (There was a positive ripple effect in the gift we chose for H.M.) It’s a great idea to comport ourselves in the same way that a billionaire CEO or a royal would, and ask ourselves constantly, “How will my action impact the individual who is helping me or serving me and the larger community?” (Imagine the experiential lessons we can learn that we can apply to our own leadership skills by doing this!) When we consider the bigger picture – that we want the shopkeepers, taxi drivers and restaurant owners to thrive so that they can continue serving us – we don’t want freebies because we know that far too many people in the area are living on a tight budget, in challenging circumstances, with low profit margins.

I spend two years planning this event. I personally rent out the biggest house on the largest private estate in the region, and then invite a few guests to my home for the week, who have been prepared (with quarterly panning meetings) to create a positive and uplifting experience for one another. The ethos of being a guest in that situation is unique. Since my ties are strong with the people in the community, the actions of my guests reflect directly on me. 
 
It might be the first time (at least in a while) when we have to live in a community setting. Since we’re living with roommates, it’s considerate to keep the common areas clean and tidy. Eating should be done at a kitchen table or in the dining room (not the sitting rooms). You don’t have to attend anything, but if you have ordered food or confirmed a taxi, don’t cancel at the last minute. (Uber won’t even allow you to stiff the driver.) If you have signed up for a group event, please be on time (dinners, the talent show and the Financial Freedom Game, etc.) On the last day (Thursday), everyone is going to want to use the washer and dryer, so it's important to empty them out spot on, so the next person can wash and dry! A little forethought and consideration makes everything run so much more smoothly.
 
There are 1 Million Questions 
 
There seems to be a question around every corner. We’re staying in a home that is 500 years old! Why isn’t the water hotter? (The person in your wing who just showered used up all of the hot water. Tanks take time to reheat.) How do I flush this toilet? (Hold down the handle for a few seconds. You might have to do this twice.) When will the taxi arrive? How long is the walk to the Duchy Nursery or Lanhydrock? (Listed in this blog and the resources, but it might take longer, if you get lost, which seems to happen a lot.) Why isn’t the Wi-Fi working? (This is the countryside! The Wifi is spotty! We’re here for forest bathing and nature walks.) Where's the garbage? (Look in the manual or take a short walk to find it.)
 
I’ve been to Restormel 4-5 times and have assembled an extensive resources list for the attendees to make everything go much more smoothly than it did the first or second time that I visited the area. There is also a very detailed house manual. Having said that, not all of the questions will get answered. Some must be explored or experienced. For instance, it’s very common to get lost on the walking path to Lanhydrock if you’ve never taken it before. GPS doesn't work as well on the private pathways. So even though it is an hour walk each way for someone who knows the path, your experience and results are highly likely to vary. All the attendees who took that path in 2023 got lost, including yours truly! Some people found it very stressful when they did. 
Your best bet to avoid getting lost is to go with a local or someone who has walked the path before (which is not guaranteed) or just take a taxi there. 
 
I’m Here to Inspire and Mentor
Many times, since my to-do list during the retreat is quite long, my walks are impromptu – not planned in advance. However, I do inform the group on Whatsapp when these opportunities pop up. I know many of the secrets of the area, so the stroll might include visiting the ancient tree in The Queen’s Green Canopy or a secret pathway, many of which are just steps from the manorhouse. Sometimes I may wish to take a walk in silence, even if I’m next to someone, so I can hear the wildlife and birdsong. You might find those trips even more informative than if we talked.
 
You are a guest at my home for the week. I’m happy to be a mentor and to facilitate a grander vision and the lessons that can be learned in such a delicious way in that setting. However, the experience is really intended to be immersive (living in the moment, breathing in the pristine air deeply, observing things in nature, not just talking inside a dwelling). In 2025, hosting H.M. was one of the ways that guests were exposed to how leaders comport themselves. We all had the privilege of living with H.M. for the week and of meeting the Cornwall M.P. It required a great deal of planning and work before and during the retreat. Each retreat will have a special person, place or event for our retreat attendees to experience. Of course, your presence and positive attitude are a big part of creating a memorable, life-changing week.

Having spent more than two decades learning from high-profile individuals about sustainability and financial freedom, I have some wisdom that I’m happy to share during our two evening firesides. The resources list and the manor house guide are intended to answer the quotidian manor house questions (not me personally). There are ample suggestions on things to do and how to do them in the resources guide. Please consult your roommates and the guides and use me as a last resource for mundane questions (at a reasonable time, not before 9 am, and not during our champagne toast or while we are playing the Financial Freedom Game).
 
If the Wi-Fi is out at 6:30 a.m., take it as a reminder that we’re here to experience things in person that we can’t experience online, like the smell of pristinely clean air and getting a little lost from our daily routine. (Since I have so many things to coordinate throughout the retreat, chances are I already know about the outage and am waiting until 9 AM when the office staff arrives to get them to fix it.) This is a rural setting. The Wi-Fi is spotty, and it goes out sometimes. Thank goodness. Let it prompt us to step away from virtual reality and our to-do list and drink in the dreams of our natural world outside.
 
Clearly in the event of an emergency, I do wish to be alerted right away.
 
Bottom Line
Our Restormel Royal Manorhouse Retreat is truly a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that can inform every footstep we take, and have positive ripple effects for our lives, our families, our communities and may even touch someone on the other side of the world. Join us for a magical experience for Spring Equinox 2027! Register now to ensure you get the training that will enhance your experience. (Your registration includes two 12-month all-access passes to all of our online training and other gifts.) Register by Sept. 30, 2025 to receive $500 off, eight private prosperity coaching sessions and your choice of the best room/wing. Visit the Restormel flyer on the home page of NataliePace.com. Email [email protected] to register now.
 
 


Join us at our online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025 (online) and our Stock Masterclass (learn the strategies that earned me the ranking of #1 stock picker) on May 3, 2025. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just nine rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the April 25-27, 2025 Retreat when they register together. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.

​
Picture
Join us for our Online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025. Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details.
Picture
Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions (value $3,200). There are only 9 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're paying to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and receiving the room for free. Email [email protected] to learn more. 2025 was sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
Picture
Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​


Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Berkshire Hathaway. Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
The DJIA Plunged 1100 Points After the Dec. 2024 FOMC Meeting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sweepstakes.
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
4 Ways to Celebrate World Sustainability Day, Oct. 30, 2024.
Will There be a Santa Rally or will the Election Ruin Everything?
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
May is National Bike Month. Paris and Amsterdam are the Stars.
Vacations that Color Our World Forever.
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
WeWork's Bankruptcy. Half-Empty Office Buildings. Problems in our Personal Wealth Plan.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. 


9 Tips to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.

22/3/2025

 
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9 Tips to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Updated Nov. 4, 2025

The Big, Beautiful Bill that passed July 4, 2025 wiped out clean energy incentives. The Clean Energy Tax Credits will be phased out on 12.31.2025. EV tax credits ended 9.30.2025.
 
A lot of you have heard me say, “Stop making everyone else rich, including the tax man, the debt collector, the landlord, the gas station, the utility company, the insurance salesman, etc.” Tax season is the perfect time to start keeping more of your dough, which you can then use to invest (money while you sleep), to have more fun, and to buy things you like a lot more than the IRS. Additionally, these strategies can also save us thousands annually in our budget.
Below are 9 tips to start on the path.

9 Tips to Stop Making the Tax Man Rich!
These tips will help you put your best leg forward on the path to financial freedom. See the list below for what applies to you, and then details on each tax deduction below the list.

1.     Health Savings Accounts.
2.     IRA Contributions.
3.     Mortgage Interest Deduction
4.     Student Loan Interest Deduction.
5.     Qualified Education Expenses.
6.     Energy Efficiency and Clean Power Tax Credits.
7.     Charitable Contributions.
8.     Capital Gains
9.     Facing an Audit or Tax Levy?

1. Health Savings Accounts. Are you young and healthy, spending an arm and a leg on health insurance, while using natural cures that aren’t even covered by insurance? HSAs are one way to increase your personal net worth and save thousands annually in health insurance premiums and taxes. With a qualified high-deductible health insurance plan, the HSA ensures that we are giving much less to Uncle Sam AND the health insurance company. Health Savings Accounts work best for healthy people. An HSA, combined with a high deductible health insurance, could save you thousands of dollars in insurance premiums each year. The IRS offers an annual tax deduction of $4,150 for individuals (and $8,300 for families), which can be invested for tax-free gains. (This increases to $4,300 and $8,550, respectively, in 2025.) 

To learn more, visit IRS.Gov and enter Health Savings Accounts in the search box. NOTE that opening an HSA with a brokerage could offer you more investment options than opening the account with an insurance company or bank.

2.  IRA Contributions: You can still contribute to your IRA and receive credit for 2024, up until April 15, 2025. (Roth IRAs are not tax deductible.) Retirement accounts are a great place for our investments (rather than just a brokerage account0 because they are rarely subject to capital gains taxes.
Should you opt for a Roth, a traditional IRA or a SEP IRA? Most people earn more in their working years, when they can most benefit from the tax deduction of the IRA, and less in their retirement years. However, we will have to pay income taxes on our traditional IRA when we start taking distributions, but not on our Roth IRA. Peter Thiel reportedly has over $5 billion in his Roth IRA (source: ProPublica). If you are self-employed, consider a SEP-IRA, where you might be able to sock away $60,000 each year (or 25% of your income, whichever is smaller). FYI: At our retreats, we encourage putting our hot investments in the Roth IRA (like very wealthy people do).

Self-directed IRAs offer more freedom of choice in your investments than 401Ks, RSPs, 529Bs, etc. So, rather than just maxing out your employer-offered retirement plan, it’s a good idea to contribute up to the employer match, and then consider maxing out your HSA and personal IRA. We discuss this in greater detail at our Financial Freedom Retreats.
​

3.  Mortgage Interest Deduction. Mortgage interest paid on a qualified first and second home can be deducted. Click to read the IRS rules. This is a huge tax deduction that allows us to stop making the landlord rich and pay less to the taxman. However, we must itemize deductions in order to qualify.

Home prices on a nationwide basis are at all-time highs and are largely unaffordable, so it’s not a great idea to just race out and purchase. (Over 20 million homes were foreclosed on before, during and after the Great Recession.) However, there are opportunities for smart buyers to rethink their housing and to vision and prepare, so that they can create a win-win-win for themselves when the opportunities arise again. These are some of the tools we teach in our Real Estate Master Class. The next one will be June 14, 2025. You can also read case studies in the Real Estate section of The ABCs of Money, 6th edition.




Picture

​4.  Student Loan Interest Deduction.  If paid on a student loan in 2024, you might be able to deduct up to $2,500 of the interest you paid. Take this IRS interview to determine your eligibility.

5. Qualified Education Expenses. You may be able to deduct education costs for yourself and/or a student in your immediate family. You may also be able to take an early distribution from an IRA without paying the early distribution penalty and additional taxes, if the withdrawal was made to cover a qualified education expense. And if the education is work-related, you may qualify for a Lifetime Learning Credit or a business deduction.


6. Energy Efficiency Credits. If you made energy-efficiency improvements to your home, you could qualify for up to $3,200 in tax credits. If you purchased an electric vehicle or installed solar or wind energy products, you could qualify for a generous tax credit. EV credits go up to $7,500 and wind/solar power products can be as high as 30 percent of the purchase price. The EV tax credit and the Residential Clean Energy Credit are both good through 2032. Certain rules apply to both, so be sure to visit the IRS pages and understand how to dot the I’s and cross the T’s.

7. Charitable Contributions. Your charitable contribution is tax deductible, provided it is made to a qualified 501c3. In addition to deducting your cash contributions, you generally can deduct the fair market value of any property you donate to qualified organizations. It is my experience that donating goods yields a better value in tax donations than you’d earn sitting all day through a yard sale.

8. Capital Gains. It’s important to do as much of our investing as possible in tax-protected retirement accounts. Doing so can eliminate capital gains taxes, which can be up to 37% for short-term capital gains. Did you know that you can even invest in real estate in your IRA? Email [email protected] to learn more.

9. Facing an Audit or Tax Levy? Hire an experienced, qualified accountant to review your case and communicate with the IRS on your behalf. As Wayne Layton, CPA, reminds us:

From time to time the IRS may suspect an error on a tax return or underpayment of tax and send my clients a letter assessing additional tax, along with penalties and interest. Most taxpayers become fearful upon receiving these letters as some of them even refer to liens and levies. Out of fear, many people just write a check to the IRS. As I see it, the letters from the IRS are simply telling the taxpayer to pay or prove why you do not owe the balance. There are many times that, on behalf of my clients, I write a letter disagreeing with the IRS’s position, attaching proof of why the taxpayer does not owe the additional tax, and the additional tax assessed is either reduced or the balance is adjusted to zero.

Sometimes the IRS will agree with the accountant and adjust the balance due. Other times, if there is a good reason, the IRS may waive the penalties. And, of course, there may be times when you have to pay everything the IRS claims is owed. Most importantly, do not simply write the check before discussing your options with a qualified Certified Public Accountant in a timely manner.
​

Bottom Line
Many of the above tax benefits offer substantial savings in health insurance costs, capital gains taxes, utility costs, housing, gasoline and more. The savings all told can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. We can live a much richer life when we learn how to keep more of our money and stop making the taxman and billionaire corporations rich at our own expense – just like very wealthy people do.


Join us at our online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025 (online) and our Stock Masterclass (learn the strategies that earned me the ranking of #1 stock picker) on May 3, 2025. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just nine rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. 

Your friends and family can get the best price for the April 25-27, 2025 Retreat when they register together. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 

​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. 
​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.


​
Picture
Join us for our Online Spring Financial Freedom Retreat April 25-27, 2025. Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details.
Picture
Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and six private, prosperity coaching sessions (value $2,400). There are only 9 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're paying to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and receiving the room for free. Email [email protected] to learn more. 2025 was sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!
Picture
Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​



Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
Berkshire Hathaway. 
Should I Just Invest in Warren Buffett?
Should I Have a Money Manager?
The Cleanest Cities in the World. 
Can Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Gaza Become Edens?
Rebuilding Gaza. American Companies Will Benefit.
Top Dividend/Income Strategies for 2025. 
2025 Crystal Ball: Who Will be the Superstars of Wall Street?
Gold & Crypto IRAs and the Risk of Fraud and Losses.
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Quantum Computing. 
Paper Losses. ​Another Warning About Long-Term Bonds!
2025 Investor IQ Test. 
2025 Investor IQ 
Test Answers.
Apple 
iPhone Sales Plunge in China.
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Charitable Giving. Nonprofits that are Worthy of Supporting.
The DJIA Plunged 1100 Points After the Dec. 2024 FOMC Meeting.
Why Are So Many Safe Investments Losing Money?
A Bargain-Priced AI Company.
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sweepstakes.
Robo Investing and AI. No, They are Not Foolproof.
Stocks Soar as Nvidia Joins the DJIA. 
Copper. Peru ETF Outperforms the S&P500.
4 Ways to Celebrate World Sustainability Day, Oct. 30, 2024.
Will There be a Santa Rally or will the Election Ruin Everything?
Will Insurance Companies & Homeowners Weather the Hurricanes?
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Arkansas Sues Temu for Data Theft.
We Must Be the Boss of Our Money. Why?
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Can Crowdstrike Recover from its Colossal Catastrophe? Featuring a Cybersecurity Overview.
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
5 Green Tips for Clean Beaches Week.
So, You Think You Want to Be a B&B Owner...
Retiring Soon? Start Planning Now.
2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
Answers to the 2024 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
May is National Bike Month. Paris and Amsterdam are the Stars.
Vacations that Color Our World Forever.
9 Inflation, Budgeting, Debt Reduction and Investing Solutions.
China & Russia Double Their Gold Holdings. 
2024 Investment of the Year?
Bitcoin Sets a New Record High. The Importance of Rebalancing. 
Uh. Oh. More Bank Trouble.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
The Best ROI* (Almost 40%!) & 7 Life Hacks That Save Thousands.
WeWork's Bankruptcy. Half-Empty Office Buildings. Problems in our Personal Wealth Plan.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
China Bans Apple
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Bank of America has $100 Billion in Bond Losses (on Paper)
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Why We Are Underweighting Banks and the Financial Industry.
​Save Thousands Annually With Smarter Energy Choices
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 
My 24-Year-Old is Itching to Buy a Condo. Should I Help Him?
The Bank Bail-in Plan on Your Dime.


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. 

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    Author

    Natalie Pace is the co-creator of the Earth  Gratitude Project and the author of The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, The ABCs of Money, The ABCs of Money for College, The Gratitude Game and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is. She is a repeat guest & speaker on national news shows and stages. She has been ranked the No. 1 stock picker, above over 830 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency, and has been saving homes and nest eggs since 1999.

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  • Financial Freedom Game in Santa Monica
  • Natalie Pace June 5-7, 2026 Financial Freedom Retreat. Online.
  • Preparing for Retirement Masterclass 2026
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  • Bond Master Class 2025
  • Rebalancing Master Class Jan. 10, 2026
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