homeschool2boys Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I do worry about it but not as much as other people. We are pretty set up if the economy tanks. We only have 3 acers but if need be we could work our land and feed ourselves. We dont have enough land for things like grains, but we could do most other things and do pretty well. I used to envy people who had big homes since my home is so tiny, but not anymore. Mine will be paid off in less than 4 years and I wont even need to worry about that anymore. We already had plans to do a chicken house and a place for raising rabbits. I have also thought of maybe getting a milk cow one of these days but I dont know if I can talk dh into it lol. I guess the things I plan on doing to get prepared include getting things like a wood stove, building the chicken coup, building a rabbit hutch (area), planting an orchard, and getting a big area tilled up for a garden. Its not really differnt than before, we already had planned on doing this stuff before the economy started having trouble. We wanted to do some of it (like getting the wood stove) because we have horrible ice storms and the power can be out for a long time when one hits. Its always best to be prepared just incase, and I guess it works along the same lines with the economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I thought I heard Bill Clinton was. Absolutely!!! Bill Clinton was the one who championed everyone owning a house back in the 90s. It sounds like a worthy goal. He encouraged the banking industry to find more creative lending practices to allow more people to qualify for loans and mortgages and I believe he supported the deregulation that allowed lending and investment institutions to mix. I doubt that he foresaw the problems this all created but that's when it started, in the late 90s. And it continued into the early 00s. The problem here is that there is a difference between the overall economy which is sound and the banking industry which is in serious trouble. Sorry to disagree with some experts here, but it depends on which experts are talking. Many businesses, general employment levels, etc. are in decent shape. The banking industry with all those marginal loans and risky investments is reaping what they sowed. They went waaayyy out on a limb and now the branch is breaking. Sorry, but I'm tired of hearing that we're headed into the Great Depression next week when the economic indicators just don't support that. Some of the economic numbers are better than they were when Bill Clinton was in office just a decade ago and no one was feeling like we were on the verge at that point. Let's not forget that Congress is acting quickly, in part, because they're trying to finish up so that they can head home to run for reelection. Yes, I think they need to pay attention to this -- but part of the rush is their schedule. Of course, the totally responsible media don't help by fanning flames for the next big story they get hold of. :tongue_smilie: Ok, where's that "off-rant" smilie now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Depression is NOT coming. That's what Friday's move by the Feds prevented. The last thing the American economy needs is a run on the banks and everyone pulling their money out. Live within your means is the best advice. Here, here!! :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in MD Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 ......Many businesses, general employment levels, etc. are in decent shape. The banking industry with all those marginal loans and risky investments is reaping what they sowed. They went waaayyy out on a limb and now the branch is breaking. ........ I'm not anticipating another Great Depression now, but you need to remember that this was the same situation when the stock market crashed in '29. Businesses were fine. Then the banks failed. Then the businesses started to fail....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 We already had plans to do a chicken house and a place for raising rabbits. I have also thought of maybe getting a milk cow one of these days but I dont know if I can talk dh into it lol. Get a mini cow! We have just a little more acreage than you do, but no where near paying it off. We bought our home just before the dot com bust... and at the time we bought it, we could actually afford it. So it wasn't like we got in over our heads from the get-go. BUT, Dh lost his computer job soon after buying the place, and we began a long journey of trying to make ends meet and watching the savings we had dwindle to nothing. It's a miracle we didn't lose the house back then, sort of. We're still struggling to get back on top of things. We found out that our home is on another city's long term growth plans as a freeway on-ramp. Makes it a bit hard to sell the place, especially when times are tough and there are many other homes to be had. (We probably should have sued for non-disclosure.) So... since we're stuck here and have a huge mortgage, I figure the best we can do is put the acreage to work for us. Actually- we're getting a pretty good deal on the mortgage considering that we're able to provide a home for my FIL who had nowhere else to go. Even if we had a smaller house with no land, in this area, we'd end up paying the same or even more every month if we had to pay for his rent somewhere... So- I have a garden and laying hens. 2 sheep that mow the weeds down for us and provide me with wool to spin and knit. ;) But I think we should take it a bit farther and go for dairy/meat goats or mini cows (lol, the mini cows crack me up!). Gosh, on small acreage like we have, we could go for all mini livestock. My land could totally support mini horses and cows and pygmy goats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I'm not anticipating another Great Depression now, but you need to remember that this was the same situation when the stock market crashed in '29. Businesses were fine. Then the banks failed. Then the businesses started to fail....... Right. But part of my point is that an overreaction by Congress and the media could push us/US into over-regulation just for the sake of getting it done now, quickly. For weeks now, I've been hearing the media and "experts" and candidates (particularly those leaning Democratic) talking about the horrid shape of the entire economy, employment numbers down, etc., etc. If you do the research, these folks can't back up these claims with real numbers. The comparisons just aren't there. But I agree with you that if people can be convinced that the end is near, they'll start to believe that it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Another Jen Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Ronpaul.com is sending a link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSNnembIJ_c What does the hive think? By the way the title of the email was: Are we headed for a new depression? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmkclscroggins Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 You're not the only one worried. I've worried for months about the state of our economy. It seems to me that the government has no problem spending our tax dollars. The wasteful spending makes me physically ill. What I want to know is what we can do to stop it! Do our representatives/senators have no oversight? We need to get the "crap" out of Washington and get people in office that care more for their constituents (sp?) than they do themselves! We don't have much debt...one car payment ( for 2 more years) and our home. We've been trying to sock away some money for savings. I think like a lot of you, I worry more about food shortages than anything else. Our farmers have been driver out of business and taken over by large corporations who don't care for the land like they should. Our farm lands are now highways and shopping malls.....shopping malls that we don't need. It's a continual cycle of spending and getting people to spend more. This whole situation infuriates me and I do tend to go on ( apologizing here!). Melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Wow! I SO agree with this! Buy locally as much as possible! I'm moving more and more toward this every month. Regarding buying "American made", you have to be careful because some companies now list things as "made in America" when they really aren't made here anywhere on the mainland. If they're made anywhere that's a protectorate or has any other sort of US association that the companies can use to consider them related in some way to America, they may list their products as "made in America". You have to be careful, just as with buying "organic". Some classes of products are not required to be truly, completely organic (such as health and beauty aids). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohio12 Posted September 23, 2008 Author Share Posted September 23, 2008 Here, here!! :iagree: I don't want to belabor the point here, but Istarted this post and I just wanted to clarify that DH and I do live WELL within our means and save or invest a lot of our money. But that doesn't mean that we won't suffer the consequences of what is going on with the economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Ronpaul.com is sending a link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSNnembIJ_c What does the hive think? By the way the title of the email was: Are we headed for a new depression? GREAT clip. He is SO right about this - why can't our representatives see that? Without the bailout, I believe things would get pretty difficult, for lots of people, probably including ourselves; but that doesn't mean this is a better plan - this bailout is going to prop up a bad system, and when it crashes later, which it will, it's going to crash harder than it would have now. I'm a lot more worried about what our government is going to do in the name of "saving" us than about what would happen if they would refrain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 I dont think there is any point worrying, but it's worth thinking about "worst case scenario" and just discussing things with your dh. I am in Australia- I am discussing it with my dh, and I have even had a conversation with my kids this week that in their lives, things may not always be as prosperous and secure as they see now- I am preparing them for possible upheaval so its not a shock if it comes. We are probably protected somewhat due to our growing economic ties with China and our local mining boom, but still, most of the western world is being, and will be, strongly affected by a collapse of the U.S. economy. I am reading everything I can get my hands on, and my dh has understandings that i dont simply because he has lived 14 years longer than me and used to be a business man, so talking to him is helping me. Worry doesn't help anyone. And it doesn't make you think clearly. We don't and can't know the future, but we can discuss with each other what we might do if such and such were to happen. Personally, to me, it's not looking good for the U.S. and therefore there will be fallout throughout the world. It seems to be the bailout can only be a temporary measure. But, I dont know and am no economics expert- although I am now making it my job to learn. I am not sure that there arent even people at the top who knew this was coming and will use the opportunity to take away more rights and centralise more power. Worry is fear, and fear is not going to help- it will send us in the wrong direction. Making decisions from fear is not wise. We need clear minds and strong hearts. The truth is the system is unbalanced and unsustainable and we may be the generation that lives through some rebalancing- and that is a good thing for future generations. So it's not all bad, but for us personally, it may be hard. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Get a mini cow! So... since we're stuck here and have a huge mortgage, I figure the best we can do is put the acreage to work for us. Gosh, on small acreage like we have, we could go for all mini livestock. My land could totally support mini horses and cows and pygmy goats! :lol::lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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