Please Do Not Make This Political

[MTY]

I have been through some ugly times. There was a heck of a recession when I was in the third grade. The old man lost his job, and I was out picking up pop bottles for food money. Charity was never considered.

When I divorced in '92 my bills were $385 more than I grossed each month. I have seen a little bit of ugly. 2008 was a cake walk compared to the two aforementioned times.

I have no idea what happens next. Gas is up at least a dollar per gallon in the last week. The price of fuel adds the cost of everything else.

It is almost spring. If you have not already given it consideration, think about planting a garden. I am not going to say horde, but put a few extra groceries aside.

Think about where you can conserve. If you might be able to reuse something, hold onto it for a bit. You can always send it to the dump later on. Even a zip lock baggie requires oil to manufacture.

It is too early here for outside planting, but we have veggies started in pots. I will pick up a few chicks in a couple of weeks. We are lucky in that this old farm existed prior to electricity being available, water squirts out of the ground, and we both grew up rural.

 

[CatamountRob]

We’re 2+ months from being able to plant outside but I’ve got stuff started. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and onions.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

My wife used to grow vegetables and spices. Now she grows flowers and MJ and we trade it for fresh vegetables. Its easier and definitely a 'cash' crop.

 

[LHR]

Hard times makes Hard Men
Hard men make good times
Good times makes soft men
Soft men makes Hard times.

We are currently at the end of this cycle and Hard times are coming for sure.
All common sense seems to have gone out the window!
The time to prepare was yesterday, today and always !

 

[Mnt monkey]

I've never been a prepper and always laughed at those that were,, not so much concerned about myself ,more so about my children and grandchildren, political and social changes the last two years have changed my whole outlook,, I don't watch TV, but I happen to catch just a few moments yesterday of course it was dramatic watching those in Ukraine with their children try to flee to safety,,I can't help but ask myself what if,,,my future plans have changed,, focusing more on getting ready,,to help take care of others. I personally think very hard times are coming within the next 3 years,, times that very few of us have the character to deal with... I hope for my children and the grandchildren's sake that I'm wrong,,,politics aside,,, I'm focusing on being able to take care of myself, my children, grandchildren and those are love,,, few years ago I thought retirement and saving for retirement would facilitate all that I'm just not sure anymore.. I'm ready and I look forward to the future,,, but we better be preparing today.

 

[Smyrnagc]

The OP asked not to make this political so please consider your posts. He makes some very valid remarks about being prepared so let's stick to that. If it crosses over to political then posts will be deleted. Thanks

 

[fishdfly]

This will make some worth while reading, thanks.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Security ,food, energy , opportunity economically, we've had it so long if it ever disappears I worry about how people will react. I personally find myself simplifying my life in many ways, from muzzleloading rifles to centerfire rifles even the other hobbies I have in my life ,building rifle stocks ,working with wood ,building things, I'm in the process of changing four different rifles that were muzzleloader back to centerfire, cleaning the barrels and plugs up and mothballing them for the time being, if things change I can easily pull the center fire barrels off and rebuild them into muzzleloaders doesn't take long, still have plenty of muzzleloaders to go bang and keep experimenting with and just shooting for pleasure. Other changes I've made I don't Black Horn target shoot anymore I consider blackhorn only a hunting powder for me from here on out,, I'm staying as flexible as possible I'll change all that right back to a full closet of muzzleloaders and very few centerfire and I'll go right back to shooting blackhorn by the pound I just don't see it ever going back though to what it was so I'm not ringing my hands about any of it but I'm trying my best to rationally evolve with it.

 

[fishdfly]

Want to see panic, let the electricity go out for a week or cannot get to the grocery store during that time.

 

[MTY]

I have a few advantages. I did homework by candlelight as a kid, have been to a few third world countries, lived in a thatched mud hut with an outhouse in the yard, yada, yada, yada. So, I know not to panic. There is always someone worse off.
By the same token, I do not want to live like that.
The modern world is pretty dependent on tech. In good portion of the country, if a fiber optic cable goes out non-cash commerce pretty much stops. A person can be 100 miles away and be unable to make a debit or credit card purchase.
All I am saying is that one should, as the Boy Scouts said, be prepared.

 

[deermanok]

I've had some hard times in my younger years. Lost my dad when I was 12. Mom did her best but we were poor and hungry most of the time. In my 30's, I fell into drugs and alcohol, was homeless for about a year.
It took a while but with the help of God, I found my way. Had a good job for 25 years, married a wonderful woman. We retired 3 years ago and moved to Oklahoma. I still own a house in Connecticut that we rent to my wife's daughter and husband, our little house here in Oklahoma is all paid off, so life is good. We attend church regularly and our faith carries us on.
If something bad happened, we would still have our faith in the Lord.

 

[CatamountRob]

Went out and did a little foraging last night. I love fishing on the ice at night.

 

[fishdfly]

Fishing is good.

 

[Firewater Forge]

Want to see panic, let the electricity go out for a week or cannot get to the grocery store during that time.

People in the U.S. would go insane. There aren't enough cops or national guard troops to keep it from happening.

 

[Firewater Forge]

Unfortunately the term "prepper" has a stigma attached to it. My grandmother grew up during the depression. The result of which made her stick food and supplies away that would make any hard core prepper envious. People in this country have had it too good for too long and have lost touch with what real hardship is. I doubt anyone is going to give a damn about pronouns or feelings when they experience real hunger for the first time.

 

[nadbell]

I have been through some ugly times. There was a heck of a recession when I was in the third grade. The old man lost his job, and I was out picking up pop bottles for food money. Charity was never considered.

When I divorced in '92 my bills were $385 more than I grossed each month. I have seen a little bit of ugly. 2008 was a cake walk compared to the two aforementioned times.

I have no idea what happens next. Gas is up at least a dollar per gallon in the last week. The price of fuel adds the cost of everything else.

It is almost spring. If you have not already given it consideration, think about planting a garden. I am not going to say horde, but put a few extra groceries aside.

Think about where you can conserve. If you might be able to reuse something, hold onto it for a bit. You can always send it to the dump later on. Even a zip lock baggie requires oil to manufacture.

It is too early here for outside planting, but we have veggies started in pots. I will pick up a few chicks in a couple of weeks. We are lucky in that this old farm existed prior to electricity being available, water squirts out of the ground, and we both grew up rural.

Great post.

 

[toytruck]

We can survive this an hope people wake up fast!! Just another reason to hunt/fish for me. Just makes me laugh when this generation thinks their food comes from the grocery store...

 

[rusticbob]

My daughter and son in law started a pig farm here in Vermont. Was an old dairy farm, and an even older house, 13 rooms need repair. They both have college education, and I questioned them as to why? They said they want to grow food, and raise there children on a farm. I was skeptical for a long time, and thought it was a big mistake!
Boy, was I wrong! I now have two tough little grandsons, and the farm is thriving. I suppose anyone who raises “food” in the coming recession should do fine.
Good luck to all and God bless.

 

[fishdfly]

In all honesty, how many folks under the age of 40 can get a fish or critter from being whole to cooking?

How many can take a piece of ground and have food come out of it?

The govt./service made me poor in the early 1970's. I went from a prestigious college to an E-1. I worked fulltime for the govt. and 2 part time jobs to survive with a wife and 2 kids. I survived and being poor taught me a lot.

 

[MTY]

I try to purge my transition to an E-1 from my mind. Married 18 months when it happened, and where I went the only part time job was the black market.