I Abandoned Everything to Find My Purpose

LONDON, ENGLAND – Today we visited the Tower of London.

The Tower of London is probably the most famous prison in the world. It was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 and served as a prison from 1100 to 1952.

Its most famous prisoners include Walter Raleigh, Elizabeth I, Edward V, Rudolf Hess, Anne Boleyn, and Guy Fawkes.

Here we are…

Dusty, Penny, Miles, and Kate at the Tower of London

Reset Button

Greetings from London!

Two years ago, I did something that seemed a little extreme, even to me:

I hit the Restore Factory Settings button on my ENTIRE life.

I abandoned EVERYTHING – including my children, my ex-wife, my property, my car, my business, my friends, my family, and even my clothes – and I ran away to Scotland with nothing but a Jansport backpack. 

I needed to either find a cure for my illness… or kill myself.

(I was in terrible pain and I couldn’t see a path out of it. I’d tried everything. Plus, I have two large life insurance policies. I was starting to think I’d be more valuable to Kate and the kids dead than alive.)

Two years later, I’m pleased to tell you that I found meaning in my life again – in showing my children the world, in supporting Kate, in understanding the global financial system, and in sharing everything I learned with YOU, my dear readers.

And now, as I write these words to you at my mother’s dining room table, I prepare to return back to the States in 9 days and build a new future for myself (although not necessarily in the States), serving Kate and the kids as a father and husband, studying, and sharing what I learn.

Writing this postcard to you at my mother’s table in London

Not sure exactly what this will look like, but I’m excited to find out.

Biggest Bubble

As I’ve written many times, the biggest bubble of them all is the bubble in central bank hubris. The feds believe they can manage the economy by pulling levers and pressing buttons. And they stand ready to “do whatever it takes” to keep the house in order.

So with a slowing global economy and not enough lenders to meet the U.S. government’s gargantuan borrowing habit, my big prediction for this year is massive, relentless inflation by the Federal Reserve, the ECB (European Central Bank), and the BOJ (Bank of Japan).

This chart is the one to watch. It shows the amount of fake money they’re pumping into the system. When the line is above zero, they’re adding fake money into the system. When the line is below zero, they’re taking it away.

As you can see, the line is now above zero. If my hypothesis is correct, this line will not fall below zero again for many years to come.

What does that mean for you?

As the dollar and other paper currencies devalue, the prices of everything from gas to food to clothing to services will rise, possibly by more than 10% a year. This is like getting a 10% pay cut and being hit with a 10% tax on savings, at the same time, every year. Not good.

Meanwhile, gold and silver will become the hottest investments on the planet, as savers clamor to protect their purchasing power in the only assets that serve this purpose. I expect gold will go parabolic, like bitcoin did in 2017.

So you have a choice. Will you take the steps to protect your purchasing power before the market realizes what’s going on? Or will you be one of the millions of sheep bailing out the government with their savings?

You know where I stand.

– Tom Dyson

Questions for Tom based on his experiences on the road… Plus, two readers offer suggestions for the Dyson family’s future…

Reader question: With financial institutions’ strict rules, how do you manage to keep a U.S. bank account and/or brokerage account without a U.S. address?

Tom’s response: I didn’t tell them we left and they didn’t ask. It hasn’t been an issue.

Reader question: Any recommendations on the type of ATM card you use on the road? Do you have many fees and fees for exchange rates?

Tom’s response: We bank with Everbank. Everbank is refunding all our ATM fees on international cash withdrawals. I check the exchange rates we’re getting occasionally, and they’re always fair. Better than an airport exchange kiosk, for example.

Reader comment: I’m really happy for you and your family, the adventures you have had, and what a great experience it’s been for your kids. My advice, (61 years old – 2 adult children) don’t mess up your relationship with your wonderful wife again. My ex would have never done the things she did to bring you all together again. Without knowing, my guess is, she did it because she really does love you, which you’ll probably never replace if you ever tried to move on again.

You are very capable of doing something great for your family long-term. Don’t stress or worry about it. The opportunity will likely present itself soon. The 2020s will be a world-changing decade. You’re more informed on how to prosper and survive difficult times than 99% of the rest of the world. You’ll figure it out. Just believe in yourself. Bill Bonner probably still does, too.

Reader comment: For a future family job: maybe start a web-based travel agency specializing in adventure… passenger train journeys or interesting ocean voyages on cargo ships that take just a few paying passengers…

Tom’s comment: Thanks for writing in! Your messages are an integral part of these postcards. Please keep writing us at [email protected].