With a crowd of planets stacking up on your solar second house, you will be focused on improving your cash flow and finding ways to raise your income. If so, your timing is good, for with the new moon on your side, you have an excellent chance of getting it.

Ask for a raise or hike your fees as soon as the new moon appears, June 3. You will have ten days of opportunity following this date, but the first few days - say June 3-6 - will be your strongest. If you've been promised a raise some time ago, or if June is the month you are due for your review, things should click into place quite well. With so many heavenly bodies in Gemini, you may be bringing in TWO sources of income or having to decide between two opportunities, a great position to be in.

If you are self-employed, the force will be with you, so either raise your fees or work on bringing in a substantial amount of new business. You may be amazed at how enthusiastically others embrace your ideas and concepts. The problem is that Mercury will be retrograde for the first three weeks of June, so even though ideas will be applauded, they still will have to be thoroughly discussed and refined before you get to the drawing board. This is all part of the process, so don't be downhearted about that - this comes with the territory.

Property deals seem to be cooking for you too, for Mars is now zooming through your home sector. This seems to be a propitious preparatory phase for a larger, more major lifestyle shift that will happen as a result of the friendly new moon solar eclipse due August 1.

You may find the right buyer for your present house, or find a piece of property you want to buy this month but implement your plan later, on August 1 or several weeks after that eclipse. Or you may be drawing up blueprints for a renovation now that will take place later, and be busy collecting names of contractors and suppliers, and estimates. We will return to this theme in a second, but first I need to tell you more about how to handle this month's Mercury retrograde.

Mercury in retrograde is a period when communication, negotiation, and transportation / shipping matters get snarled. Electronics are greatly affected by Mercury too, and often need repairs during these phases. It matters where in the chart Mercury will go in apparent backward motion, for that's the area you will most likely find challenges come up.

Mercury will be retrograde in your financial sector until June 19. (Don't take this date too literally, for Mercury's haywire effects won't fully settle out until June 23.) A financial deal that you had high hopes would be quickly settled may drag on or fall through altogether. In truth, delays will benefit you - the last thing you want is a quick handshake or signature when Mercury is out of phase. Keep this in mind - never sign contracts or give verbal agreements during a Mercury retrograde phase.

Check references and take nothing for granted. Payments and checks due you that always came in like clockwork may now be delayed or lost, so keep a sharp eye on all your accounts receivables. When bank and credit card statements arrive, scrutinize them carefully to be sure they are correct. I never thought banks made mistakes, but indeed they do. You may find a deposit never showed up, for example. (Keep bank receipts, at least this month, for without them, it will be hard to prove anything.)

Still, as dreary as this all sounds, you may get a stroke of luck when a client you've not seen in ages calls with a lucrative assignment, or money promised to you suddenly comes through. Mercury retrograde will always work to help you get closure from past situations and promises.

If you do get a raise or a windfall, or your government economic stimulus check, you can spend it - but not immediately. It's never wise to buy expensive things while Mercury is retrograde. Later you will be sorry you bought the item for it will not deliver the pleasure you anticipated. (I know this sounds impossible to believe, but I suggest you take my advice anyway.) It's also possible you may find your item on sale later at a much reduced price when it is too late to return it. Electronics are especially problematic during retrogrades, so they are a big NO to buy now.) Buy the item you want on or after June 23.

As you see, there will be a huge financial emphasis to June, and with this, at some point, a large expense may suddenly arise that you have to handle. This outlay seems related to a social event - a friend's wedding perhaps. Whatever this event may be, there's a strong likelihood that you'll need to travel to attend. (Still, the event looks like fun, so you may not be too concerned about the outlay of cash.)

At the full moon, June 18, a bigger money matter comes up but at this time you may feel tension. This may be because you are concentrating hard on getting all the details right (a good tension) or because you feel that someone is simply not behaving the way you had anticipated and is being inappropriately pushy (a bad tension).

Still, when it comes to money, throughout the month Saturn will be very supportive. Saturn helps you materialize aims and also helps you be practical. If you have to compromise, you'll not stress over it but will do it and move on.

As mentioned earlier, Mars will move through your home sector, and also be in superb angle to the full moon on June 18. Since Mars will highly energize your fourth house sector, if you are about to make a major decision about home, property, or family, you'll find the outcome very positive as long as you go slowly.

As discussed earlier, Mercury will turn direct orbit on June 19, so if a deal is coming to fruition, the full moon will be strong enough to crystallize it. However, be sure to wait a few days after June 19 to make the final agreement. All full moons have an area of influence of four days on either side, so if a financial property deal is reaching fullness, be smart and sign papers on the back end, on June 22 or 23 - no sooner. Mercury is always at his worst behavior on the day he starts and stops retrograding and can create a hurricane of problems.

Not only is June 23 your first solid day, but due to the normalization of Mercury's orbit, you will also be closer to June 25, when the Sun and Saturn will be so beautifully angled.

Another four-star day for you to mark on your calendar for home and property matters is June 30, when Mars and Pluto will be beautifully angled. If you need financing, your loan or mortgage should be approved by month's end. Stay optimistic all month, even through the month's rocky first three weeks. If something untoward should happen on the path to your goal, realize what you "lose" isn't really worth worrying about - Mercury will spot the weak links and weed them out for you. You may think that situation is precious and that you lost something special, but that would not be the case. A more sturdy deal is to come.

Now let's discuss your career for a second. If you have an important professional decision or meeting, set it up for prior to June 26, the date Uranus goes retrograde for the coming five months. Uranus will turn direct on November 27. After June 26, you would be wise to focus in on all the projects and obligations you currently have on your plate rather than to add, swap, or substitute new ones.

If you face a setback near June 26 - and there is no indication that you will, but if you do - you will have another chance to try again in late November and beyond. Late January and early February 2009 will bring a stunning chance to rebound. Honestly, dear Taurus, what is to come in January and February will knock your socks off. Everything in your chart is shouting success. If you have to tweak an idea, do, knowing this is what is necessary to win - and win you will.

Romantically, things are upbeat but fairly steady. You won't have a really important month for romance until July, but this month could nevertheless still bring you a number of warm, sexy, and affectionate evenings.

Your best romantic evenings will fall on June 6, 14, 19, and 28-30.

I particularly like June 6 for you, when Venus, your ruler, will flirt with Mars. The job of these two planets, when together, is to spark the chemistry of love. How sensational!

Love - and life - will be a bit turbulent June 12, so keep a low profile. Venus, Taurus' guardian planet, will be doing battle with Uranus, so nothing is likely to go right. Not to worry - once that tough aspect peaks on June 12, the coming Saturday night, June 14, should go quite well.

Your best romantic days will occur at month's end, when Pluto and Mars will make you a hot tamale. Keep smiling, dear Taurus. For you, the best is yet to come.

Summary

This month will be a big money month. Since gas prices are high, and you need new things, especially those related to your house or apartment, you'll easily find the courage to ask for that raise. Good idea. Happily, with FOUR heavenly bodies filling your financial sector, and with Mercury (news) in superb angle to Neptune in your house of career status, you are poised for a generous reward. Ask for your raise on or just after the new moon June 3.

If you are searching for new sources of income, you'll likely turn up TWO offers! With Uranus turning retrograde June 26, announce your career choice on June 23, 24, or 25 for best results - that will be prior to Uranus going retrograde, and after Mercury goes direct. If you feel it'll be impossible for you announce a major career move on either of these two days (and I realize this is a ridiculously tiny window of opportunity and you must think me delusional to even suggest it), then put off new career decisions until after November 27. Better yet, see if you can wait to make your switch in late January or early February 2009, your most critical and golden career phase that you've seen in over a decade.

You might be tempted to change jobs for better compensation rather than try to convince VIPS to give you a promotion. Ask yourself if this is truly what you want. It may not be wise to change jobs solely for the money - you may get bored in time, an important point to ponder. All sorts of financial talks will finish up on the full moon, June 18, plus or minus four days, or later on June 30 (an easier time to find accord).

Keep an eye on all financial statements. Mercury will be retrograde until June 19, so mix-ups, delays, and errors could cause you problems and possibly even prove costly. If anyone owes you, send a gentle reminder early in the month.

With Mars moving through your home sector in perfect angle to Pluto, you may be working on buying, selling, or leasing a house or apartment, or redecorating / refurbishing your home. If seeking a mortgage or home improvement loan, it will come through either at the full moon on June 18 or when Mars and Pluto collaborate on June 30. It is just as well that you won't hear from the lender any earlier - with Mercury retrograde during the first three weeks, there will be too many problems associated with the deal to seal it.

Romantically, your one day to watch as potentially problematic will be June 12, when Venus and Uranus will be at odds, creating a day where nothing will seem to go right, especially in matters of the heart.

You will likely have a number of sweet episodes, however, with June 6 being quite happy.

Over the weekend of June 28-29, if you aren't moving or in the middle of a major renovation, then entertain your friends at your home! (If you ARE moving or renovating, ask your friends for help and offer them lots of cold drinks and crusty hot pizza!)

I know this month just brims with financial matters, and if you think none of this will apply to you, wait and see. This will all make sense as you move through the month! See you in July, dear Taurus!

Just remember these dates:

Ask for a raise: June 3-10

Get approved for a mortgage or bank loan: June 18-23

Sign key papers, make big purchases: After June 23, no sooner