The acquisition of large sums of money has always held an allure to many. There are now more than 20,000,000 millionaires in the United States. (Forbes Advisor: “How to Become a Millionaire” by Rob Berger, Sept. 15, 2022)
Part I: Frugal Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller became a millionaire by scaling a business. [DOB: July 8, 1839] He was naturally thrifty. John saved the string and paper from packages that arrived in the mail. He wore his suits until they were nearly threadbare. At night Rockefeller went through the house and turned off any gas lights that had been left on. (“Be Your Own Tyrant: John D. Rockefeller’s Keys to Success,” in Character by Brett and Kate McCay, October 19, 2016)
Each sign gives certain abilities. John was a Cancer with a Gemini Moon and Aries Rising. Cancers can be adept at spotting potential, conserving resources, and making things grow. An Aries Ascendant would have given him the ability to initiate new enterprises. The sign Gemini is known to keep up with things au courant and to like to communicate. Rockefeller took up bicycling, golf, and read a daily newspaper. He had a telegraph line run to his home.
At its zenith Rockefeller’s Standard Oil controlled 90 percent of the oil in the United States. He began by making his Cleveland refinery the most profitable. In four months in 1872, John bought out 22 of 26 of his competitors. His operation was more efficient, and he undercut his rivals’ prices. Rockefeller also formed investment pools and pressed for discounts on railroad shipments. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Standard Oil later added its own tank cars, pipelines, and home delivery network. John sometimes sold below cost to increase market share. 300 products from petroleum to chewing gum were developed by the company to maximize its use. (Wikipedia)
Kerosene was used for lighting until the invention of the electric light bulb. With the advent of the internal combustion engine and the automobile, the demand for gasoline increased greatly. Rockefeller benefited from market trends and industrial advances. He once observed some workers welding cans of kerosene. John asked how many drops of weld they were using. He suggested they try and use less. It worked. By scrimping, thousands of cans were made more cheaply because of this economy of scale. (Dr. Donald Hensel, Cal Poly SLO History Professor, lecture, about 1976)
Rockefeller began his career as a bookkeeper. This is a good starting position, for it enables one to track expenditures, profit and loss. Money is the life blood of a company. John loved learning about “all the methods and systems of the office.” (Wikipedia) Throughout his career he monitored the books of Standard Oil.
Rockefeller had Mercury trine Saturn in his chart. This would have given him an interest in the daily routine of work and organizational ability. He had Venus in Virgo, and this “can confer an excellent business sense.” (Parker, The Compleat Astrologer, p. 93)
There is a debate in astrology about the fourth and tenth houses and which parent they represent. The 10th traditionally is said to show paternal traits while the fourth shows the influence of the mother. John’s Sun and Mercury are in the 4th House.
Rockefeller’s mother, Eliza Rockefeller, nee Davison, was thrifty and devout. Her son was the same.
Bill Rockefeller, John’s father, was a bigamist and a conman who who was often away and ultimately abandoned the family. He billed himself as a botanic physician and sold elixirs. Bill said, “I skin my sons as often as I can. It keeps them sharp.” (Wikipedia)
John was more like his mother than his father. He believed God had given him his great wealth. He married once. His wife was quite religious, and the marriage was long lived. The Mercury/Saturn aspect mentioned above tends to honesty and morality.
Every natal horoscope has its keys to the nativity. Rockefeller had an exact trine from his Sun too his Uranus. This made him farsighted. His Mars conjunction Jupiter gave him the ability to focus on his objectives in a positive, energetic way. It’s good for financial matters. Both were sextile to Saturn. These helped him rise steadily and work with large groups.
Part 2: Tips to Become a Millionaire
1. Stay away from debt. “Ninety percent of all millionaires have never taken out a loan. Seventy-three percent have never had any credit card debt.” (“How to Become a Millionaire” by Ramsey* Solutions, July 17, 2023)
2. Invest early and consistently. Through compound interest money makes money. By investing each month one adds to principal and increases the amount of interest.
3. Cut expenses. Live on less than you make. Shop at discount supermarkets. Buy electronics at places like Walmart. Purchase a car without a lot of frills. Cut the cable and use an antenna where possible. Eat at home.
4. Make saving a priority. Try to save at least $10,200 a year. Put that amount into a 401K or a Roth IRA. At a rather high projection of an 11% return, the money could turn to $2.3 million in thirty years. (Ramsey Solutions) If you do not have access to a 401K plan, consider investing in the stock market. Find safe companies with a long history of dividends and good management. Or put some money into utilities. Use analytical investment tools like Value-Line to help you make your selections. Make sure the finances of the companies are sound.
_________
*Dave Ramsey (DOB Sept 3, 1960) hosts a radio show and gives financial advice. He has written several bestsellers. His parents were real estate developers. Though worth $4 million by age 26, Ramsey was forced to file for bankruptcy when banks under new ownership recalled his lines of credit and $1.2 million in loans. They thought he was carrying too much debt.
Dave has a stellium in Virgo. His Sun is conjoined with Pluto, the planet of regeneration and renewal. Saturn is trine the Sun and Mercury. Radio host was a good career choice, for his Moon is in Aquarius and trine Mars in communicative Gemini.
Brian Hill, blog writer