All in yet?

[Guest]

Survival stuff has always been a type of insurance policy for me. It

[rockriver]

will,
thanks for a moderating type post...
tell me (us!) the things you have done to "prepare for success" and help us "facilitate our fiscal success"
i think this threat is huge.
i'd love to learn from your experience, planning, preps in this area.
rr

[Lowdown3]

To me, "all in" doesn't necessarily mean sitting at the OP daily with binocs in one hand, rifle in other, scanning the wire while listening to Alex Jones in the background, but we do live in a "survival homestead off grid in Southern Idaho" :)

I'm curious to your thought that America has been in "worst debt before" and pulled out just fine. I don't claim to be an economist but it would seem 14 trillion (and counting) is a pretty awesome amount. When has it been that bad before?

What you asked here is the age old question of people trying to "time" the collapse-

What if I’m wrong. I would have incurred a huge, unnecessary hardship on my family for nothing. I can’t be making that kind of mistake with my families lives based on fear of a possible future.

And this honestly is what will kill a lot of people IMO- trying to "time" it all.

What exactly do you mean by a "huge unnecessary hardship?" Do you mean moving away from the cities? Why does that have to be a hardship? Are you contemplating moving into a bunker in the woods and not having ANY contact with the outside world? I know that's the common STEREOTYPE and it's sad to see but people who call themselves survivalists and "preppers" use that/believe that stereotype DAILY :(

Is just moving a half hour from Megapolis a "huge unnecessary hardship?" Or what do you mean?

I was born, raised and lived in cities my whole life. at 23 I bought land in a rural area and started slowly developing it. At 26 I had finished my house and moved their full time. We took some financial hits INITIALLY when we moved, they have long since been rebuilt. We enjoy a life free of a lot of the BS that comes with daily city life. Initially we built a smaller house than what we lived in in the city. I guess some would call that a "hardship" but it really wasn't. We certainly didn't have the REAL HARDSHIP of a mortgage, and during a couple of tough financial years, that saved my bacon.... Years later we added on to the house again paying cash as we went.

I really can't think of a "hardship" we face in our day to day lives.....

The stereotype of the lone survivalist on top of the mountain that never interacts with society or the homesteader who's sole income comes from selling a dozen eggs a week and a pound of butter is old tired and honestly in meeting thousands of real survivalists over almost three decades- I'VE NEVER FOUND IT TO BE TRUE.

Have you ever lived outside the city? I mean not in subdivision 10 miles from the city, like a rural area?

[WILL]

will,
thanks for a moderating type post...
tell me (us!) the things you have done to "prepare for success" and help us "facilitate our fiscal success"
i think this threat is huge.
i'd love to learn from your experience, planning, preps in this area.
rr

Well, the things we have done to prepare for success in a functional society aren't very applicable to TEOTWAWKI. For example, my investing alot of money in a differed compensation retirement plan. It's kind of like a 401K. It’s useless if the economy collapses. On the other hand, if society prevails, it's our nest egg. So we’ve tried not to put all our eggs in one basket by preparing for survival in TEOTWAWKI on the one hand, while at the same time, preparing for success in the event society prevails. Now that it seems likely to us that society won’t prevail, we’re debating switching all efforts towards TEOTWAWKI preps. That’s a big mental step for us.

[WILL]

To me, "all in" doesn't necessarily mean sitting at the OP daily with binocs in one hand, rifle in other, scanning the wire while listening to Alex Jones in the background, but we do live in a "survival homestead off grid in Southern Idaho" :)

I'm curious to your thought that America has been in "worst debt before" and pulled out just fine. I don't claim to be an economist but it would seem 14 trillion (and counting) is a pretty awesome amount. When has it been that bad before?

What you asked here is the age old question of people trying to "time" the collapse-


And this honestly is what will kill a lot of people IMO- trying to "time" it all.

What exactly do you mean by a "huge unnecessary hardship?" Do you mean moving away from the cities? Why does that have to be a hardship? Are you contemplating moving into a bunker in the woods and not having ANY contact with the outside world? I know that's the common STEREOTYPE and it's sad to see but people who call themselves survivalists and "preppers" use that/believe that stereotype DAILY :(

Is just moving a half hour from Megapolis a "huge unnecessary hardship?" Or what do you mean?

I was born, raised and lived in cities my whole life. at 23 I bought land in a rural area and started slowly developing it. At 26 I had finished my house and moved their full time. We took some financial hits INITIALLY when we moved, they have long since been rebuilt. We enjoy a life free of a lot of the BS that comes with daily city life. Initially we built a smaller house than what we lived in in the city. I guess some would call that a "hardship" but it really wasn't. We certainly didn't have the REAL HARDSHIP of a mortgage, and during a couple of tough financial years, that saved my bacon.... Years later we added on to the house again paying cash as we went.

I really can't think of a "hardship" we face in our day to day lives.....

The stereotype of the lone survivalist on top of the mountain that never interacts with society or the homesteader who's sole income comes from selling a dozen eggs a week and a pound of butter is old tired and honestly in meeting thousands of real survivalists over almost three decades- I'VE NEVER FOUND IT TO BE TRUE.

Have you ever lived outside the city? I mean not in subdivision 10 miles from the city, like a rural area?

As a nation, America was in worse debt by the end of WWII. Of course, we actually produced things back then and were able to manufacture our way out of trouble.

As far as moving to the country, we live there now. 10 acres in Florida. The crux of my thread is that we could improve our disaster survival position, but that would entail me abandoning all hope in society. I would have to walk away from a good paying job with benefits, relocate my family to a less A/C (electric) dependent area, cash out where I could and spend that money on survival stuff. Financially, we're in a position to do that, but it would cause hardships. I really don't want to get too hung up on my specific situation. The general questions I'm asking are, knowing what you know about America’s fiscal situation, how convinced are you that we’re headed into something life threatening? Do you struggle with how far you’re willing to go doing something about it? Are you going all in on survival?

[xdpatriot]

My wife and I are all in. We carry on wih our normal lives. We have fun with our children, all the things a normal family does. We also have all of our preps in order and are expecting something catastrophic in our lifetime. It's a personal responsibility as parents to be able to provide for our kids.

[brokedownbiker]

I guess it depends on your definition of "all in". I think you are making a common mistake of assuming that prepping has to be an all or nothing proposition- either you spend all your time and resources in preparing for the apocalypse or you are going to die.

In reality, it is all about balance and common sense; I prepare a lot more to survive winter storms than to survive a meteor strike or Yellowstone erupting, and I'm better prepared to face a home invasion by common criminals than stand off a platoon of JBT's with night vision and machine guns. Try to prep for the the most realistic threats and struggles you and your family might face; you will find that you are then better prepared for the less likely things.

But if you start out with the mindset that you are only going to prep as long as it doesn't inconvenience you, you are setting yourself up for failure- changing habits and certain behaviors that will help you save a little more money or buy a few more supplies might be inconvenient but then being responsibility is rarely a recipe for a party

[Cimarron]

[QUOTE=WILL;47294]
So, knowing what you know about America

[WILL]

I guess it depends on your definition of "all in". I think you are making a common mistake of assuming that prepping has to be an all or nothing proposition- either you spend all your time and resources in preparing for the apocalypse or you are going to die.

It's a little different than what you are saying. In the past, we divided our time, energy and money three ways. Some went to preparing for a bad future (disaster preps, training, ect), some went towards preparing for success if society prevailed (retirement savings in conventional vehicles, pre-paid college for the kids, ect), and most went towards daily expenses and enjoying life in the present. We've reached the point we're fairly sure society isn't going to prevail, so it's pointless to continue investing our time, effort and money in that direction. To go all in for us means NOT ONLY stopping all future investments of time, money and effort to anything attached to society functioning, but pilfering what we can from that side and transferring it to the disaster prep side. I'm talking about basically cashing out of society and walking away. BUTTTTTTT..there's this nagging voice in the back of my head that says, WILL you may be over-reacting.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

It's a little different than what you are saying. In the past, we divided our time, energy and money three ways. Some went to preparing for a bad future (disaster preps, training, ect), some went towards preparing for success if society prevailed (retirement savings in conventional vehicles, pre-paid college for the kids, ect), and most went towards daily expenses and enjoying life in the present. We've reached the point we're fairly sure society isn't going to prevail, so it's pointless to continue investing our time, effort and money in that direction. To go all in for us means NOT ONLY stopping all future investments of time, money and effort to anything attached to society functioning, but pilfering what we can from that side and transferring it to the disaster prep side. I'm talking about basically cashing out of society and walking away. BUTTTTTTT..there's this nagging voice in the back of my head that says, WILL you may be over-reacting.

I cant do it. Maybe i'm wrong but there is no way i'm gonna walk away and not invest in my kids future, not keep trying to build a better world and not keep struggling every single day to leave it better than what i woke to. Walk away from the possiblity of retirement, no way. It may not be the WorldAsWeKnowIt but there will be something as history shows. If it all falls then day 1 we start from scatch and drive on for a better tommorow. Shoot I was out this morning planning the building on a new range for mid next year even though I prepare for a worsening condition as well.
I prepare but I also am on the side that tommorow will still be there and it needs to be planned for and lived as well. I'm not a doomsdayer and what I live is a lifestyle

[WILL]

I cant do it. Maybe i'm wrong but there is no way i'm gonna walk away and not invest in my kids future, not keep trying to build a better world and not keep struggling every single day to leave it better than what i woke to. Walk away from the possiblity of retirement, no way. It may not be the WorldAsWeKnowIt but there will be something as history shows. If it all falls then day 1 we start from scatch and drive on for a better tommorow. Shoot I was out this morning planning the building on a new range for mid next year even though I prepare for a worsening condition as well.
I prepare but I also am on the side that tommorow will still be there and it needs to be planned for and lived as well. I'm not a doomsdayer and what I live is a lifestyle

Thanks, that was a thought out and honest reply. I appreciate your perspective.

[1Admin]

It's a little different than what you are saying. In the past, we divided our time, energy and money three ways. Some went to preparing for a bad future (disaster preps, training, ect), some went towards preparing for success if society prevailed (retirement savings in conventional vehicles, pre-paid college for the kids, ect), and most went towards daily expenses and enjoying life in the present. We've reached the point we're fairly sure society isn't going to prevail, so it's pointless to continue investing our time, effort and money in that direction. To go all in for us means NOT ONLY stopping all future investments of time, money and effort to anything attached to society functioning, but pilfering what we can from that side and transferring it to the disaster prep side. I'm talking about basically cashing out of society and walking away. BUTTTTTTT..there's this nagging voice in the back of my head that says, WILL you may be over-reacting.

Okay, now I think I get what your saying.....

No, don't cash out your 401K, IRA, etc. I know of too many people that did that in 87, 91, 95, 97,99, 2001, 2005, 2008......

Do a search on the COLMOLLIIN threads/concept....

[WiseOwl]

I am Colmolliin

[jimmycthemd]

I am Colmolliin

+1 but with an eye on increasing my preps....just in case. Won't be cashing in anything. Now, if you see me selling my Harleys...run for the hills LOL

[rockriver]

my wife is constantly is telling me about grocery prices going up.

planting blueberry bushes, fig trees, grape vines, garden, are $ spent now, but will provide food
if shtf, but also reduce our costs at the grocery store now and for years to come. this will help our
pensions stretch further... (i hope the checks keep coming)

a huge concern i have is that the checks will keep coming but the purchasing power will crash..

i'm digging a septic system now. a second system. it's a pain in the a@@. But, if i happen to have some guests,
when the shtf, and the house system goes down (i'm sure you've read Patriots by Rawles) starting from scratch
would be a much bigger pain then. now i have the use of some mechanical equipment that may not be available in PAW. besides, it makes the location more valuable.

i dug out (by hand) a 400+ s.f "storm shelter* basement at last house. huge time investment. huge financial investment. this meant we didn't get to go on some vacations. we weren't able to spend money on many of the things
that our neighbors did.
but i drastically increased our security.
AND
when the house went on the market a year ago, the second prospect, thought the house was overpriced,
until he walked into the *storm shelter* he immediately recognized what it was, and in the middle of a real estate disaster year the house sold for top dollar.

so prepping, whether it's fruit trees, or storm shelters, will payoff if things stay "normal."

but i know everyone won't prep.
will, what have you got that you'd trade for a tank of gas?

i live in a rural area. maybe i can walk down to my neighbor with the huge fuel tanks and trade grapes for fuel. sounds like a good investment to me.
what will that suburbanite have that i will want that he can use to get grapes from me
or fuel from my neighbor.

i doubt that i'll be wanting green back frn.
and i don't take credit cards. no machine!!

my finances are not secure. let's trade.
i've given some specific and detailed examples of how folks can be more secure in today's wonderfulness, and in the event tshtf. i put my info on the table.
now,
it sounds like your finances are very secure. will you give some detail of how i and others can get our finances secure. personal examples would be great.