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The Decline of Credit Scores: Buy Now, Cry Later with Paul Oster

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

Kerry talks to Paul Oster about a range of financial topics, including declining credit scores, evolving pricing strategies of retail stores, student loan debt, housing market concerns, psychological and societal factors in financial decision-making, budgeting for groceries, and debt repayment and financial planning. Speakers emphasized the need for individuals to take control of their financial situation by cutting expenses, accelerating debt elimination, seeking help from financial planners, and making deliberate financial choices. They also highlighted the importance of addressing high-interest credit card debt, conducting an insurance protection audit, and creating a household budget to mitigate the challenges posed by the changing economic landscape. The speakers underscored the pervasive influence of societal pressures, such as advertising and social media, on consumer behavior, and the emotional allure of luxury purchases. They emphasized the need for individuals to confront the reality of their financial limitations and make conscious, disciplined choices about spending. The discussion also touched on the significance of setting and adhering to a budget as a means of maintaining fiscal responsibility in the face of external pressures. Overall, the meeting provided practical insights and actionable advice for improving financial well-being and taking control of one’s finances.

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Questioning the Government’s Economic Narrative: A Critical Analysis of Inflation, PPI Numbers, and the Federal Reserve’s Response with Ed Siddell

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

Kerry and Ed Siddell discussed the recent inflation and PPI numbers, expressing skepticism about the government’s narrative of a healthy economy and the Federal Reserve’s ability to address economic challenges. They also touched on the growing disparity between Main Street and Wall Street, the potential impact of future rate adjustments by the Federal Reserve, and the need for prudent investment decisions. The conversation also explored the potential of commodities such as gold and silver as safe havens, the impact of the halving event on Bitcoin, and the emergence of new investment opportunities in the global market. The discussion briefly touched on the news of OJ Simpson’s death, before delving into a detailed analysis of treasury rates and the inverted yield curve. Finally, they discussed the evolving perception of the government and the importance of staying informed through various platforms.

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How to Network Your Way into the Best Junior Mining Deal Rooms with Tommy Humphreys

from Mining Stock Education

Tommy Humphreys reveals how you can network your way into the best junior mining stock deal rooms.  He discloses his personal struggles, strategies, and stories from his journey as a Vancouver outsider to one now sitting amid the deal room.

In this MSE episode, you will learn the initial steps and proven strategies regarding how you can begin to develop your network for junior mining investing success and improved deal flow.  You’ll be inspired by Tommy’s personal stories, challenged by his example, and given a paradigm you can employ.

Tommy Humphreys is now a self-described “Vancouver stock market insider on the hunt for the next Big Score.” He founded the popular mining investment website CEO.ca, which he sold in 2021. His current work can be found at TheBigScore.com

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Residency vs. Citizenship, Elite Insurance and Thinking Outside the Box in Uncertain Times with Christopher Willis

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

Kerry and Christopher Willis discussed the various options available for Americans seeking alternative citizenship and residency overseas. They explored the factors driving individuals to consider these options, the differences between residency and citizenship, and the practical implications of holding a second passport, particularly in light of travel restrictions during the pandemic. Willis provided insights into the cost and paperwork involved in obtaining Caribbean and European citizenship, highlighting the trade-offs between cost and speed of acquisition. The conversation also touched on the opportunities and challenges in different regions, the impact of political changes on immigration programs, and the significance of obtaining citizenship in a different jurisdiction for freedom and flexibility. Overall, the discussion emphasized the evolving necessity for the wealthy elite to consider these alternatives as a form of non-traditional insurance or a plan B in uncertain times.

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Unleash Your Inner CEO: Strategies for Maximizing Profits and More with Mandi Ellefson

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

Kerry and Mandi Ellefson discussed the challenges faced by successful CEOs in growing their businesses. Mandi, the founder of Hands Off CEO, emphasized the need for CEOs to remove themselves from day-to-day operations and focus on higher-impact activities to double profitability. She suggested that CEOs should solve higher quality problems, charge more for services, and build the right systems and processes to achieve business growth and profitability. Mandi also provided practical advice on reallocating time, generating more profit per client, and building effective teams to help CEOs transition their businesses to run and grow without their direct involvement.

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Unicorn Dolly Varden Silver: Captures the Attention of Major Players; Only 8% Public Float

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

We sat down with Shawn Khunkhun, CEO of Dolly Varden Silver, (🇺🇸DOLLF — 🇨🇦DV new sponsor) and dove into its unique strategy and recent successes. DV has been hitting high-grade gold and silver, most recently 79.4 g/t gold over 12.35 meters. The results have well exceeded Shawn’s optimistic expectations. The 2024 drilling season is getting off to the earliest start in many years, due to the lack of snow fall in British Columbia. The company will have 3 drills turning and plans for an updated resource estimate at in the future. It has an attractive capital structure, with a public float of just 8 percent. Interest expressed by major miners and large financial institutions has been increasing together with the price of gold and silver. The company recently raised C$15 million and has enough cash on-hand to meet its obligations for the next two years. While “Silver” is part of DV’s moniker, Shawn discussed the company’s substantial gold resources, which now equal its silver resources. He believes that Eric Sprott’s $300 silver is a real possibility. With the company selling at just $1 per ounce in the ground, a substantial discount to historic levels of similar companies, that price could increase substantially, which is why we own shares.

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The Latest Jobs Report: Boom or Bust for Inflation, Stock Market, and The Election? with Ted Thatcher

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

Kerry and Ted Thatcher discussed various topics related to the economy and financial markets. They analyzed the latest jobs report and its potential impact on inflation, unemployment, and the stock market, as well as its significance for the upcoming election, the banking sector, and the Fed’s future actions. They also discussed the reliability of statistics, expressing doubts about the accuracy of the current job numbers and reflecting on the history of revisions in job and inflation figures. In addition, they explored the impact of the Florida economy on the real estate market, focusing on both commercial and residential building sectors, and the influence of mortgage rates on the market. They provided insights into the seasonal trends in Florida and the significance of connecting with Ted’s website for further information.

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2% Inflation, My Ass with Michael Pento

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

Kerry and Michael Pento discussed various economic issues, including inflation, interest rates, and the stability of the US dollar. Pento expressed skepticism about the possibility of inflation going below 2% and argued that a recession or depression might be the only way to achieve that. He also highlighted the increasing strength of gold trading, with central bankers buying gold due to their lack of trust in the US dollar and bond market. The discussion also touched on the potential consequences of interest rate cuts, monetizing debt, and the challenges faced by households, corporations, and the government in handling current interest rates. Overall, the conversation emphasized the need for a viable and functioning middle class in the country.

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Dream Merger: X (Twitter) to Acquire Trump Media (DJTX) with John Rubino

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

Kerry and John Rubino discussed a range of topics including the current state of the economy, the precious metals market, geopolitical tensions, the potential consequences of increasing interest rates on regional and community banks, the problem of squatters taking over homes, and the challenges of reaching a wider audience on digital platforms. They explored the impact of deficit spending, immigration, and the surge in tech stocks on the economy, while also expressing apprehension about potential terrorist threats and the role of the U.S. financial system in a failing global system. They also provided an in-depth analysis of the current state of the precious metals market, emphasizing the significant rise in gold and silver prices and the positive performance of junior and major miners.

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Libertarianism, Politics, Fear, and Healthcare Reform with Karl Denninger

from Kerry Lutz's Financial Survival Network

I have been a huge fan of Karl Denninger for nearly 15 years. I’ve wanted to get him on the show for the longest time and finally caught up with him. We discussed a range of topics, including the rise of libertarianism in Argentina, the impact of political leaders and their promises, and the role of fear in shaping human behavior. We also explored the influence of food on metabolism, the dissatisfaction with current political candidates, and the budgetary situation in the United States. The conversation highlighted the need for political change, the enforcement of laws related to illegal immigration and price fixing, and the need for cost reduction to enhance competitiveness and job creation in the US healthcare system. The discussion also touched on the potential consequences of electing certain leaders, the lack of fear of legal consequences and ethical implications in wiretapping activities, and the societal shift from previous decades. They emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law and the role of the people in bringing about positive change. The conversation shed light on the significant interest payments made by the Treasury and the complexities of taxable treasury interest, as well as the monopolistic practices in the healthcare system and the need for reducing the overall cost of medical care. Overall, the meeting provided a thought-provoking exchange on a range of pressing issues.

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Down with Big Brother: Warrantless Surveillance Makes a Mockery of the Constitution

from The Rutherford Institute

“Whether he wrote DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER, or whether he refrained from writing it, made no difference … The Thought Police would get him just the same … the arrests invariably happened at night … In the vast majority of cases there was no trial, no report of the arrest. People simply disappeared, always during the night. Your name was removed from the registers, every record of everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one-time existence was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word.” – George Orwell, 1984

The government long ago sold us out to the highest bidder.

The highest bidder, by the way, has always been the Deep State.

What’s playing out now with the highly politicized tug-of-war over whether Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act gets reauthorized by Congress doesn’t just sell us out, it makes us slaves of the Deep State.

Read the fine print: it’s a doozy.

Continue Reading at Rutherford.org…

The Professor Who Wrote the Seminal Book On Wall Street Megabanks Calls Today’s Financial System “Dangerously Unstable”

by Pam Martens and Russ Martens
Wall Street on Parade

George Washington University Law Professor, Arthur Wilmarth, has done it again. After authoring the seminal book on the insidious evolution and enormous dangers still posed by the Wall Street megabanks (Taming the Megabanks: Why We Need a New Glass-Steagall Act) Wilmarth is now out with a new, gripping paper. In the paper’s abstract, Wilmarth explains how the risks posed by the Wall Street megabanks in 2008 have become exponentially more dangerous today. He writes:

“The dangers created by universal banks (including their ‘internal’ shadow banking affiliates) and ‘external’ shadow banks have intensified since 2009. A toxic symbiosis has developed between the syndication and underwriting of risky loans and debt securities by universal banks and the origination of speculative private credit by ‘external’ shadow banks. That noxious partnership has helped to generate unprecedented levels of risky consumer and corporate debts.

Continue Reading at WallStreetOnParade.com…

The U.S. Government Shattered Its Own Quarterly Debt Record

by James Hickman
Schiff Sovereign

It’s barely six months into the US government’s ‘fiscal year’ (which started on October 1, 2023) and the federal budget deficit is already $1.1 trillion.

This number is utterly astonishing.

Of course, anyone paying attention to the rapidly dwindling US financial condition knows that the national debt is now hovering around $35 trillion.

That’s up $2 trillion in the last year alone, and up nearly $20 trillion over the last decade.

More importantly, the Congressional Budget Office has projected that the US national debt will increase by another $20 trillion over the next decade.

Those numbers are obviously bad. Horrendous, really.

Continue Reading at SchiffSovereign.com…

Why We Cannot Reach the Fed’s 2% Inflation Target

by Martin Armstrong
Armstrong Economics

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) released on April 10 by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that inflation rose by 0.4% on a monthly basis and by 3.5% on the yearly. One must only look at their bills, items in the store, or open their eyes to see that the cost of living in every area has far surpassed this figure. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell released some disparaging comments regarding the data, and we should not expect any rate declines in the near-term. The Fed’s 2% target is simply not possible due to excessive government spending. Inflation was never transitory and we have not had a soft landing. Yet, the Biden Administration insists the “economy is going in the right direction.”

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has insisted that greedy corporations are to blame for price gouging. He’s repeatedly called on large corporations, more specifically, to pass along their savings on to their customers. We’ve said that. We’ve been very consistent about that. And that includes rip-offs such as shrinkflation,” she insists.

Continue Reading at ArmstrongEconomics.com…

The Spear in AI’s Back

by Charles Hugh Smith
Of Two Minds

That real harm will result from the use of AI tools is a given.

AI is like the powerful character in an action movie who looks invincible until they turn around, revealing a fatal spear embedded in their back. The spear in AI’s back is the American legal system, which has been issuing free passes to tech companies and platforms for decades on the idea that limiting innovation will hurt economic growth, so we’d best let tech companies run with few restrictions.

The issuance of free passes to Tech monopolies / cartels and platforms may be ending. Letting Big Tech run with few restrictions has led to the smothering of innovation as tech monopolies do what every monopoly excels at, which is buy up potential competitors, suppress competition, pursue regulatory capture via lobbying and spend freely on deceptive PR.

Continue Reading at OfTwoMinds.com…

On the Mayorkas Impeachment

by Karl Denninger
Market-Ticker.org

The Senate appears to have a rather odd view of the Executive — then again so does the House, and both are not only toxic they’re demonstrably false.

Mayorkas is the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached in almost 150 years. House Republicans voted to impeach Mayorkas in February over his handling of the southern border by a narrow margin after failing to do so on their first try.

Democrats have slammed the impeachment as a political stunt, saying that Republicans had no valid basis for the move and that policy disagreements are not a justification for the rarely used constitutional impeachment of a Cabinet official.

The impeachment of Mayorkas has nothing to do with “policy disagreements”; it is first, last and only about a Cabinet official’s deliberate refusal to enforce laws as written, including 8 USC §1324.

Continue Reading at Market-Ticker.org…

Doug Casey On the New American Dream: “You’ll Own Nothing and Be Happy”

by Doug Casey
International Man

International Man: According to a recent study by Investopedia, the classic middle-class American Dream now costs over $3.4 million.

That’s the estimated lifetime cost of marriage, two children, cars, homes, healthcare, education, and retirement. It’s now entirely out of reach for many Americans.

What do you make of this? How did this happen?

Doug Casey: The fact is, despite the fact that his standard of living has been slipping over the past 50 years, the average American today lives much better and longer than a king during pre-industrial times. There were never any guarantees that Americans would live in the lap of luxury for their entire lives.

Continue Reading at InternationalMan.com…

Revisiting the Great Taking with David Rodgers Webb

by Dr. Chris Martenson
Chris Martenson’s Peak Prosperity

Today, I welcome back David Rodgers Webb, Author of “The Great Taking”. For me, this journey began after an initial reading of David’s book, and a weekend down the rabbit hole, followed by my first interview with David last November. Nearly a thousand hours of research later, and a complete series of deep dives on the topic, I am pleased to talk with David again on recent developments surrounding The Great Taking, and how David sees things developing including some of the recent events with states such as South Dakota and Tennessee taking notice of David’s work. Enjoy the interview and don’t forget to check out our digital webinar – details below.

Continue Reading at PeakProsperity.com…

Mortgage Rates Over 7% and Heading Higher, Housing Market Still Frozen, Lots of Buyers On Strike as Prices Still Too High

by Wolf Richter
Wolf Street

All that makes sense, but why are there still any cash-out refis when people could take cash out via HELOCs, without losing a 3% mortgage?

Mortgage rates continue to trudge higher from the abandoned Rate-Cut-Mania low. The average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 7.13% in the latest week, the highest since early December, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association today, as the 10-year Treasury yield has re-surged amid the Fed’s vigorous backpedaling on its December rate-cut visions after the presumed-vanquished inflation raised its ugly head again.

The MBA’s measure of the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has risen 37 basis points from the Rate-Cut-Mania low of 6.76% in early January:

Continue Reading at WolfStreet.com…

Congressional Spending Goes Full Weimar

by Jeff Lukens
American Thinker

It has become a speculative game in the blogosphere to predict what black swan calamities could lead to a breakdown in civil order and the imposition of some form of martial law. Wars and rumors of war abound. We have already seen a container ship mysteriously knocking down a bridge and closing a key port. Other such scenarios include massive cyber-attacks that shut down the grid and block communication and transportation networks nationwide. The speculation on the variations of such events is virtually endless.

However, one crisis is no black swan and is entirely expected, already happening, and growing in scale by the day. That would be the ballooning debt crisis. If Washington does not change its free-spending ways, the debt will become a catastrophe of devastating proportions that will tear the nation apart. So long as Congress continues its multi-trillion-dollar deficit spending, we will have a financial death spiral, similar to events a century ago in the Weimar Republic of Germany.

Continue Reading at AmericanThinker.com…

Midweek Conversation – Alasdair MacLeod

by Craig Hemke
TF Metals Report

Our old friend Alasdair Macleod stops by today to share his thoughts on the gold price and why it has continued higher after breaking out in late February. It seems everyone is searching for answers these days and it was great to hear what Alasdair believes is behind the move.

Again, Alasdair is Head of Research at GoldMoney and you can always find his latest articles on their site: https://www.goldmoney.com/research

Alasdair now has his own Substack page, as well. If you’d like regular updates on his thinking, I strongly urge you to subscribe here: https://alasdairmacleod.substack.com

Continue Reading at TFMetalsReport.com…

Last Friday’s Silver Selloff May Be Great News for Silver Bulls!

by Mike Maharrey
Silver Seek

Silver endured a significant selloff last Friday. Was this another step forward in the bull market?

This may seem counterintuitive, but GoldMoney founder James Turk thinks it was a positive sign for silver bulls.

The spot price of silver fell from just over $29.60 per ounce to just under $27 before rebounding late in the day last Friday.

The timing of the fall was more significant than the extent of the selloff. It indicates that the shorts and price manipulators in the paper market drove the selling action.

Continue Reading at SilverSeek.com…

San Diego Takes Over as Busiest Border Sector – 9K in Past Week

by Bob Price
Breitbart.com

San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended nearly 9,000 migrants last week. The report propelled the sector into the busiest position for the second consecutive week. Apprehensions in the Tucson Sector recently fell to below 7,000 per week for the first time in months.

San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel posted a weekly recap on X, crediting her agents with the apprehension of 8,959 migrants during the second week of April. This is up from just under 7,000 one week earlier.

[…] Between April 3 and April 10, San Diego Sector agents apprehended 6,997 migrants. The two-week total of 15,956 migrant apprehensions catapulted the sector into first place.

Continue Reading at Breitbart.com…

Biden Opposes Bill That Would Keep Cops and Feds From Buying Your Data

The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act would prevent law enforcement and intelligence agencies from purchasing data that they would otherwise need a warrant to obtain.

by Joe Lancaster
Reason.com

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is once again trying to keep the government from performing an end run around the Fourth Amendment by buying people’s personal data. This week, President Joe Biden indicated that he opposed the bill.

H.R. 4639, known as the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act, “expands prohibited disclosures of stored electronic communications” to include purchases of data by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

First introduced in 2021 by Sens. Ron Wyden (D–Ore.), Rand Paul (R–Ky.), Patrick Leahy (D–Vt.), and Mike Lee (R–Utah), the bill has been reintroduced in subsequent sessions. The current version was introduced in the House by Rep. Warren Davidson (R–Ohio) and in the Senate by Wyden and Paul.

Continue Reading at Reason.com…

Shorting Evil

by Robert Gore
Straight Line Logic

Evil is in a topping formation.

Evil is completely dependent on the good it attempts to destroy. When good discovered fire, invented the wheel, and started planting seeds, evil invented government. Evil produces nothing, it only commands, coerces, enslaves, destroys, and murders. Gigantic tombs loom over Egypt’s desert, built by slaves millennia ago, monuments to rulers’ vanity. A single farmer working the Nile’s alluvial soil produced more than any pharaoh, yet the former had to send a portion of his crop to the latter. Nothing has changed since then. How do the production and lives of the good become the property of evil?

Continue Reading at straightlinelogic.com…