are you prepped for a recession/depression?

[palabeco]

ok, so before the big Y2k event, did all you pessimists stock up on toilet paper, water and can canned meat too?

Nothing happened then.

 

[wegotchickens]

I don't think it takes a catastrophe to want to be more self-sufficient. I've been slowly heading that way. I'm not there yet, but I'm closer.

I've been learning about gardening, and doing so organically. Companion planting to fight pests, rather than using sprays. We have chickens for eggs, and to 'recycle' food waste from the table. Someday, I'd like to have rabbits for meat.

I buy local veggies to supplement what I get from the garden (especially last year, due to the drought). And I buy beef & pork from a local grass fed, free-range farming operation.

My credit card is paid off each month, and I'm getting better at focusing on needs than wants. I drive less, and plan my route to minimize gas use.

But I think most everyone here is headed in the right direction. You wouldn't be at BYC, otherwise. So no need to argue about whether the sky is falling or not. Even if it isn't, we should still all try to be more responsible in all aspects of our lives. And we can all improve in some way.

 

[4F FARM]

Recession or castrophe I don't think it really matters. I have been working on being self sufficient just to make myself feel good. I love to look in the cupboard and see all the pretty jars of veggies and fruits.

 

[DuckLady]

This is funny...I am in my mid 40's and I have seen this many times as well. Prices always go up, companies always go under, real estate always inflates and deflates, the prime goes up the prime goes down. Just go with the flow and make sure your toilet paper cupboard is stocked.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
I'm not old enough to have seen that... but my really really old chem engineering professor said that when he was a kid, there were fears of global cooling.

All in cycles and take it in stride.

 

[carugoman]

I can remember sitting in my 2 year old Dodge Dart,wondering if the world was going to end,because gasoline went up to 65 cents a gallon and I had to wait 3 hours in line,in the hot Florida sun,to get a 15 gallon limit??? Thank GOD for A/C and Frank Zappa 8-track tapes on quadraphonic sound!!!! For the past 16 years I have been doing the self-sufficient,homesteading thing or something close to it. I've had people tell me that,in this day and age,it's a pipe dream to do so. I've even had people in this forum tell that self-sufficiency was living the "impossible" dream. So what? I'm living a "life of illusion" as Joe Walsh put it and I seem to do quite well at it and am quite happy!

All y'all take care!

 

[rufus]

Well, our nation has pretty much lost control of it's economic destiny. The Fed can reduce interest rates, but it doesn't work anymore because we are in a world economy. The tail is wagging the dog. Making money cheaper here just makes it easier for foreigners to borrow money to penetrate our markest and purchase our real estate and industries.

I don't expect a 1930's style depression, but more of a Jimmy Carter stagflation; high unemployment, high interest rates, high inflation.

The good news is that there will be some real bargains in the stock market. The dollar will continue to decline in value, and smart investors will avoid anything that is dollar denominated. Buy real estate and other hard assets.

In times of inflation, the debtor wins. Borrow money now to buy hard assest and pay the bills off later in cheap money. Remember the horrible inflation in Germany in the 1920's. It took a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread.

The people that will really suffer are those that live hand to mouth and own no real hard assets. Once they lose their jobs they are lost.

Rufus

 

[quadcam79]

really my point was, how many people are putting more into self reliance...growing thier own food, raising animals for food, switching to alternative energy sources etc.

the downturn in the economy is really just more motivation for me to do so. it gets harder and harder to stretch our paychecks and my fiancee and I both make decent money. No reason to fork over the $$ to the store when we can grow the stuff ourselves for next to nothing.

today for instance, we went to the grocery store and much of what we bought are things we will be growing for ourselves. I was at the checkout writing the $149.00 check and realized that soon we'll only spend 1/2 that amount at the store.

Purplechicken, no hard feelings about the RP thing, I just get people on other forums talking like every RP supporter is a maniac with cannons in the front yard, hiding out for the government while living in a makeshift bombshelter. So I'm a little testy about it LOL

 

[fallenweeble]

in terms of self-sufficiency - we've been thinking about it a bit more.
i do like the feeling of being able to produce our own food, even if it isn't necessary.
we were at the 99 cent store yesterday and SIX eggs were a dollar. these were just plain old white "large" eggs (not really that large to tell the truth) and i was a bit surprised. i don't pay close attention to grocery prices but six eggs for a dollar - is this a little high?
i also get mad these days when i go to get a little fast food and for two "meals" i have to spend 20 bucks!!!!
maybe i'm just gettin' old.
soon i'll be talking about how everything used to cost a nickel.
sigh.

 

[akyramoto]

i was at the store last night & actually looked @ egg prices for the first time in a long time. cage free eggs ( dozen ) were $4.32, regular white eggs were around $4 also.

now when i was selling my eggs @ $3 a dozen that was a steal!

the whole idea of self sustainability just agrees with me. Not many people my age care about stuff like this, lol.

I'm actually going to be buying a yurt in the next year or so, my BF & I are going to live in it & possibly rent out my house. The yurt will be on my property & be completely sustainable, solar, water reclamation etc. We'll be able to live 'in the round' or simpler while still taking care of the financial part of my property.