China's Doom-Loop
The edge of recession has now progressed to a full-blown Chinese fire drill
Failing to plan is akin to having a plan to fail. While we never know what the future holds, there are some foreseeable trends that can help you in 2021.
With apologies to Robert Burns, just because the best laid plans of mice and men can still go wrong doesn't mean we shouldn't try to plan for the future.
There is also something powerfully symbolic about making plans to implement for a new year, particularly after the tumult of 2020. Somehow I don't think 2021 will be any less disruptive despite what the media forecasters tell us.
The Covid vaccine agenda will help restore some confidence but there is enough suspicion (on my part) about the effectiveness and necessity for the vaccine that I won't be rushing to have the jab. Many others may be in the same frame of mind.
I'll write something more about that in the new year.
However there are some broad trends that can be expected and which can be used to enhance your lifestyle, finances and wellbeing.
Technology
The past year has simply accelerated the tech sector and one can expect that to continue. Developers, service providers and end users all realise that new technology has the ability to change bottom line profits.
Companies can use tech to further reduce overheads on staff, office space and product fulfillment. This will only gain pace in the next twelve months as more efficient solutions to contemporary cost centres are developed and implemented.
One obvious example here is corporate travel. While there will always be some necessity and appeal, the travel budgets for business have been slashed and the deals are still being done via Skype and Zoom.
It's the same with work from home tech. It save companies money and while the central office will never totally disappear, it will likely become smaller as the decentralisation trend continues.
Decentralisation
The above have huge implications for the major cities. If you can work from home and there are likely still restrictions on entertainments and restaurants, what is the real appeal of a large city?
They are expensive and crowded. We have already seen an exodus from large corporate centres (think New York City, Melbourne and Sydney) as people relocate to more amiable climes.
In the USA corporates and individuals are moving to Florida and Texas for tax reasons while in Australia, the relocation focus seems to be climate and lifestyle related. Noosa has had a boom in executive buyers!
International and Domestic Travel
There are always going to be those who seek the adventure of visiting foreign countries for pleasure but I cannot see vacation travel rebounding in any significant sense in 2021.
The risk/reward is simply not there. You could be easily caught in a lockdown situation, unable to get a flight home or even have access to adequate medical care. It makes little sense to take those risks in pursuit of a holiday.
The lockdown/quarantine risk exists with domestic travel too. That will be a boon for regional intra-state travel which will likely see some centres become even more attractive to those interested in relocation.
Finances
This is where it gets really interesting because caution is the catchword for 2021. There are so many variables that uncertainty is the only sure thing!
That means you need to hedge your bets by having investments in many camps.
Stocks and real estate seem fully valued, but could still go much higher, due to the debasement of fiat currency.
Cash is necessary but will simply go backwards in terms of purchasing power so too much in reserve makes little sense.
Debt will start to show it's dangers in 2021.
I expect official interest rates to remain low but market rates to start to rise. The difference is what governments will tell you interest rates are and the actual rate banks and others will led to you at.
Because of the increased risk environment, lenders will demand higher returns driving borrowing costs higher.
The institutional re-rating of Bitcoin (as opposed to all cryptocurrency) should continue. This could result in a 3x value event in the next twelve months. That equates to a Bitcoin price around USD 100K.
It will continue to be super volatile but my thought is that no investor with a serious intent to preserves their wealth can afford not to have some exposure to Bitcoin.
The quantum of that exposure should only amount to how much you can afford to lose while not losing any sleep!
Business
We are going to see a battle of business models in 2021. The online trend will continue and that will help those who have made the transition into even more profitable territory.
Those left behind or who resist the change will suffer accordingly.
It's reasonable to presume that the many 'zombie' companies which operate only through the help of government handouts will go to the wall. This should be a good time for insolvency practitioners.
It will also be positive for those businesses left standing. Their market penetration will grow as competitors fall away.
For the individual, the opportunity in the online space is extraordinary. If you are working from home or have flexi-time, the ability to create an online side-business has never been better.
It just takes an idea and the development of some basic skills to get started. The best thing is you don't need to spend much to test your business idea and you can scale quickly at reduced risk.
Thousands are making the transition every single day. Once you make a single online sale you will realise how transformative the liberation can be.
Politics
This could be the most interesting year ever for politics. That's a big call considering recent events but powerful forces will see even greater political polarisation. Unfortunately it won't be polarisation on normal political lines - that would be too predictable and manageable.
Instead, the divide will be between the authoritarians and the freedom fighters across regular Party lines.
Coronavirus has engendered the era of really BIG government and so many seem to love the handouts and lack of personal responsibility. They are comforted by the establishment mantra that if you do as you are told, everything will be ok and the government will take care of everything.
This group dutifully wear a mask on the days they are told to and remove it when the contrary advice kicks in. They also lecture everyone else to do the same. As their own free will is systemically broken down by these simple compliance measures, they become even more amenable to greater government intrusions.
The elites engineering this process hold themselves to different standards which is the hallmark of the marxist agenda behind the Great Reset.
The other side of the authoritarianism will be the emergence of the sovereign individual. They will be the ones resisting the siren call of socialist government by becoming even more self reliant.
These people will build portable businesses, invest in easily transportable assets and make logical choices on where to live and do business. In such an environment, if government gets too big and too intrusive, you can simply pick up and move somewhere that values your worth as more than a mere economic serf.
Conclusion
I have to stress that these are simply educated guesses as to where we might head in the year ahead. Some may not come to pass but they do provide a framework upon which I am planning and you might too.
The most critical aspect for everyone is to ensure you have options. They include developing multiple income streams - work, investments and side-business. Always maintain personal, financial and professional flexibility so as to be able to adapt to changes around you.
Don't be bogged down by yesterday's thinking in the hope that everything will go back to the way things were. They won't.
The past year has been a game changer. I believe it was engineered that way to usher in the Great Reset which is just socialism under a new name and supposed moral purpose. The compliance of the people has only emboldened those behind it.
Make the decision whether you will go along with their agenda for you or you'll start to prepare your own path. That might be the most important decision you make in 2021.
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