Step 16 - part 9

Objective: 1,600.00 - 3,200.00 HRK

Since my last post I manage to increase my Doubling Capital to 2,204.00 HRK. Nice capital accumulation. It was mainly done by rounding up amounts I pay for various purchases, but it was also some money trading, savings, donations, paying interest when I borrow from my doubling capital. I even found 0.20 HRK coin. Actually, my wife picked it up, although we both notice the coin. I was a bit reluctant to pick it up because it was just near one coffee shop, but my wife was much braver and she took it without hesitation. :)

I also made another investment. Well, maybe someone wouldn't call it an investment, but I certainly look at it as an investment. What I did? I deposit $50 of my doubling capital at one online casino. I'm experimenting with one roulette system for awhile now, and decided to give it a try with my doubling capital. I already manage to blow up my balance once (not my doubling money), but since then I improve the system considerably (at least I think I improve it). I got $100 bonus money at the casino, so my current balance is $152. I start playing yesterday and still didn't blow it up. I play it very disciplined, following my system to the letter, and I use very strict money management with predefined stop loss points. Hope it will work out this time. My goal is to play until I complete wagering requirements for withdrawing bonus and winnings. I need to wager $2000 for $100 bonus.

Besides roulette strategy I currently play, I plan to apply one Black Jack strategy as well. Currently I run some tests for money management, stop loss points etc. Black Jack strategy will allow me to go for bonuses at casinos that don't count roulette bets for wagering requirement.

Since I use my debit card for depositing at casino I still didn't took out the money from my doubling stake. Will probably do that tonight or tomorrow, once I check on my debit card balance exact amount of kunas it cost me. Same goes for purchasing three copies of my haiku book. Once I take out the money out of my doubling stake I will update records of my doubling capital, by transferring some of it from Available Capital to Invested Capital.

Available Capital: 2,204.00 HRK
Invested Capital: 0.00 HRK
Total Capital: 2,204.00 HRK

New Doubling Terminology

I decided to change some of the terminology I use in my doubling project. Instead of Current Balance or Balance I will use the terms Capital, Total Capital, Available Capital and Invested Capital. Total Capital will be calculated as:

Total Capital = Available Capital + Invested Capital

Available Capital is part of the Total Capital that is in the form of money, so it is available for investment. Invested Capital is part of the Total Capital that is already invested in assets that have potential to produce profit.

The goal of My Doubling Adventure is to increase the Total Capital of the project. Each Step will be considered as completed when the Total Capital reach certain determined level. So for current Step (Step 16) the objective is to increase the Total Capital to 3,200 HRK.

By making described changes in terminology it becomes more clear that the essence of doubling in general is the accumulation of capital.

Some interesting facts about the accumulation of capital can be found in the Wikipedia's article "Capital accumulation". Here are some interesting excerpts from that article that very nicely explains the essence of the accumulation of capital:

"...capital accumulation may be the accumulation of production capital (industrial assets), or the accumulation of money capital (financial assets), or the accumulation of commodity capital (products, real estate etc. which can be traded)."

"...irrespective of whether the additional capital value (or surplus-value) happens to take the form of profit, interest, rent, or some kind of tax impost or royalty income, what drives the accumulation process is the perpetual search for more surplus-value, for added value as such."

"Although capital accumulation does not necessarily require production, ultimately the basis for it is value-adding production which makes net additions to the stock of wealth. Capital can accumulate by shifting the ownership of assets from one place to another, but ultimately the total stock of assets must increase."

"Capital accumulation does not necessarily require trade either, although capital presupposes trade, and the ability to exchange goods for money. The reason is that wealth can be amassed through illegal or legalized expropriation (robbery, plunder, theft, piracy, slavery, embezzlement, fraud and so on). However, a continuous and cumulative accumulation process always presupposes that capital ownership is secure."

Very insightful indeed.

So, currently the status of my doubling capital is as follows:

Available Capital: 2,150.70 HRK
Invested Capital: 0.00 HRK
Total Capital: 2,150.70 HRK

Step 16 - part 8

Objective: 1,600.00 - 3,200.00 HRK

Just a quick update about gold earring. I got 20.70 HRK for it from the goldsmith. That makes it as my biggest find so far in my doubling career. I think it is even biggest find ever. At least I can't recollect I ever found something of more value than this. But also, before I started my doubling project, I wasn't paying much attention on things that I can find on the street.

Anyway, that increased my doubling capital to 2,150.70 HRK.

I received an email from Lulu.com informing me that they sent me three copies of my book that I ordered few days ago. Hopefully I will receive them in 10-15 days. They will bring more profits to my doubling project, and if everything is OK with them I will order between 10 and 20 copies of the book. They should bring nice profit.

Available Capital: 2,150.70 HRK
Invested Capital: 0.00 HRK
Total Capital: 2,150.70 HRK

Step 16 - part 7

Objective: 1,600.00 - 3,200.00 HRK

Starting Balance: 2,071.75 HRK

My current doubling capital is 2,130.00 HRK. Still didn't visit goldsmith to sell gold earring that I found few days ago. I think it will be done tomorrow. Will report back how much I got for it.

Current Balance: 2,130.00 HRK

Step 16 - part 6

Objective: 1,600.00 - 3,200.00 HRK

Starting Balance: 2,030.00 HRK

I increased my doubling capital to 2,071.75 HRK. Mainly from rounding up, saving, receiving donations, asking friends to give me some pocket change (2 kunas), and I even found 0.55 HRK in the bar where I drop by with my friend from work.

Yesterday I found one gold earring during my walk through the neighborhood. It is first time in life I found some gold and it feel like I found some kind of treasure. There is certainly some kind of mystique and romance in finding gold. Anyway, I decided to sell it to the goldsmith and to add the money to my doubling stake. Will report how much did I get for earring.

I also have some news about my publishing venture. I collect quotes for printing my haiku book and it turned it will cost me about 20 kunas per book with 100 books printed, 2,000 kunas in total. Although I have that kind of capital in my doubling stake I decided not to invest in printing because I will have to sell lots of books just to return my invested capital. So, I went to the Lulu.com and check the figures there. Printing my book at Lulu.com will cost me about 5.31 USD or about 28.70 HRK kunas per copy, and I can choose to print any number of copies. When I add the cost of shipping it will cost me about 37 kunas per copy. So, I decided to go with Lulu.com. I already uploaded my file, choose the book cover design and everything. The whole process was completed in 15 minutes and my book is ready for printing. I already ordered 3 copies just to check if everything is OK with the book. I will sell them to myself.

Once I receive my proof copies and I make sure everything is OK with my book I will order 10 to 20 copies of book and sell them offline. Once I sell them I will order again if I see there is at least some market for it. With smaller invested capital I will faster recoup my invested capital. My plan is to set the retail price with 100% profit per copy of the book. So, in case of 37 kunas of cost I will set my retail price at 74 kunas. This could be nice and profitable deal. And the best of all this will be a nice learning experience in the economics of publishing. Hopefully this will give me more ideas for profitable publishing ventures, and may even lead to setting up a publishing company.

Current Balance: 2,071.75 HRK

Step 16 - part 5

Objective: 1,600.00 - 3,200.00 HRK

Starting Balance: 2,010.00 HRK

During the weekend I increased my doubling stake to 2,030 HRK. I borrowed twice from my doubling stake and pay it back with 20 HRK of interest. The best income of all, capital income. :)

Current Balance: 2,030.00 HRK

Step 16 - part 4

Objective: 1,600.00 - 3,200.00 HRK

Starting Balance: 1,973.00 HRK

First post for June. Just to update that my current doubling balance is increased to 2,010.00 HRK. I received 30 kunas as donation to my doubling project. Also, I saved 2 kunas today, 3 kunas added as result of rounding up, and earned 2 kunas by trading 8 kunas in coins for 10 kunas in paper money.

I selected 80 haiku poems for my publishing project. Still didn't find time to collect quotes for printing services. Hope I will have more time on Monday for that.

Current Balance: 2,010.00 HRK