solar return chart - pluto in 8th and some other questions

Hello,

Lately, I have been trying to understand how solar charts are being interpreted. It`s difficult, I must admit. I tried with the simpler solar return chart and I wondered about several things:
1. I read in more than one article that having Mars in 1st house in a SR is very very negative and bad. Do you agree? Articles refer to accidents and injuries.
2. The second thing that bothered me is Pluto in 8th. Some people state it is related to death, which I prefer not to consider or think about as I know this is not something easy to spot for sure in a chart. What I wondered is how this will affect my financial situation. I have been struggling there for years. This year I made some progress in managing my budget but things are almost the same - credits and debts, low income, always some emergencies. My mother is retired, so I try to help her too, not easy at all. Moon is also in the 8th - probably this year I will be again too emotional and angry about money.
3. Saturn in 2nd in the SR is also very disturbing in regard to finances. He is transiting at the moment my 2nd and having natal Neptune there makes me not very serious about finances, meaning I don`t have the ability to manage finances well.

Do you think this will be a difficult year having all those negative aspects? Do you see something more I must pay attention to?

I will be grateful for any input.

Thank you!

I don't agree that Mars in the first house would automatically lead to a very negative year as you've supposedly read. The placement of Mars alone isn't enough to doom you to a "bad year" and you are likelier to make mistakes if you don't ascertain what Mars' role plays in your chart. Knowing what the planets do in your natal chart makes it easier for you to determine what the aspects in your solar return are saying.

For this solar return, I am seeing a couple of reinforcing influences that might speak to a continuation of your issues in regard to finances. The 8th house/sign is rising in your SR, which would bring a lot of focus to that house for that year, one of the major significations of the house being debts, wills and other people's finances. The moon, which I've come to see in SRs as a planet that describes another area of focus for the year, is also in the 8th house. Capricorn isn't the best sign to find the moon, and if you notice, the moon is also afflicted by Mars.

I know that your Mars question was a jump-off from this SR as a see that Mars is on the edge of the 1st house, straddling the 2nd house cusp. I read any planet within 5 degrees of a cusp as having influence in the next house so therefore this is a 2nd house Mars from my viewpoint. The 2nd house isn't a particularly nice place to see Mars, as the erratic and unstable aspects of Mars doesn't facilitate cautious, thrifty behaviour in regard to finances and resources. Mars is made even more erratic due to its placement in Cancer, it's sign of fall, another negative indicator for proper money management. Unfortunately, the moon opposition to mars across the 2nd/8th house axis describes possible mismanagement of finances/resources due to rashness, impatience, incontinence etc.

The natal 2nd house ruler Jupiter is located in the 5th house and in libra in the SR, which you could say is a positive aspect. However, it squares both the Moon in 8th and the mars in 2nd so you might have to guard against possibly wasting away your resources chasing very pleasurable 5th house endeavors. Gambling, partying, fun, romance etc (just some of the things that the 5th might indicate)

There also seems to be 1st house emphasis in your SR, but that seems to be wrought with another set of issues of it's own.

I think it will be quite a challenging year for you, but that's nothing to role of over and play dead about. Of my most recent years, I've found the rough ones the most meaningful and growth-inducing ones. Not saying you have to, but you might appreciate some of the fruits of a difficult time period.

Thank you, conspiracy theorist!

Your interpretation sounds really good and exact. You confirmed my fears. It sounds very typical of me to spend recklessly on fun considering I am exiting a depression that lasted several years. Dark years that I regret living the way I did. And now I need to make it up to me for losing all that time.
Anyway, thank you again for sharing and posting!
You gave me much needed clarity on some matters and I hope at the end you will be right in the last part about the fruits of difficult times.