Is anybody here as afraid as I am?

[poppycat]

Yes Karen, we are blessed in too many ways to count. Gotta go to work now (another blessing, I have a job that I really like and wouldn't have bothered to go out looking for if our finances were more-um abundant)


Hugs to ALL of you.

 

[patandchickens]

My biggest concern with the media is that I don't think that they report the real truth. when it is happening .. and you start to see that when you go to alternative news sites. I've been on forums where this financial crisis was predicted about 2 years ago, caused by just the reasons we are being told now...

Remember that alternative news sites have axes to grind just as much as the big media do. It is strongly to their benefit to be saying the sort of things they're on about right now. I think you have to take what they say with just about as big a grain of salt.

NEITHER sort of news outlet has the whole truth (nor any specially great grip on what truth they have, if you ask me). To put it mildly.

Look at yer history. Even just during our lifetimes. Financial crises have CONSTANTLY been predicted over the years (and years and years and years), as have world wars, collapse into anarchy, the end of the world, etcetera. Occasionally it happens, but not generally in any major accord with predictions :>

My point is NOT that nothing bad can happen -- obviously bad times DO sometimes happen, and undoubtedly we are entering a period of at least not-nearly-so-good-as-before times (which, since the past 30 years or so have involved unprecendented INSANE prosperity in the western world, is more or less to be expected, as a return to global and historical averages if nothing else). My point is just that it is all, as MorelCabin says, no more than speculation, and not disinterested speculation either (the doomsday-scenario hysteria-mongers get a lot of BENEFIT, both personal psychological and in some cases actual material benefit, from what they're saying).

There is a big difference between being in a position (in terms of mental preparation as much as phsyical preparation) to deal with life's vicissitudes and twists, and being afraid of what will happen...

Pat

 

[Dace]

He will...MANNA!

My DH is still wearing his rose coloured glasses...and I am seeing alot of smoke and mirrors...makes for interesting conversation to say the least:>)

LoL...this is our house too! Like you I am reading a lot outside the mainstream media and I am very concerned. Our extended family are clueless as to what is going on in the world, my husband gets it bit is more optimistic than I am. My MIL gets $1400 per month in social security, I asked her today what would she do if that money stopped coming? She looked at me as if I had sprouted a second head. she decalred that would never happen as she needs it to pay her rent and make her car payment...then a short time later tells us that she is thinking about buying a new car cuz the one she has is over a year old

I am worried about how we (our family) will make it through financially, as we are hanging on by a small thread. In the big picture, our nation can not continue on the way we have been, it is time for a change and the one that is looming ahead of us will be ugly but will create the change we need. We can not go on in the consumeristic (is that a word) fashion that we have been.
I am trying to prep as much as I am able with an unstable income...I would be happy to rent a little cabin with a small hunk of land and just hunker down with some and watch the fall out.

 

[Dace]

My biggest concern with the media is that I don't think that they report the real truth. when it is happening .. and you start to see that when you go to alternative news sites. I've been on forums where this financial crisis was predicted about 2 years ago, caused by just the reasons we are being told now...

Remember that alternative news sites have axes to grind just as much as the big media do. It is strongly to their benefit to be saying the sort of things they're on about right now. I think you have to take what they say with just about as big a grain of salt.

NEITHER sort of news outlet has the whole truth (nor any specially great grip on what truth they have, if you ask me). To put it mildly.

(which, since the past 30 years or so have involved unprecendented INSANE prosperity in the western world, is more or less to be expected, as a return to global and historical averages if nothing else).

Pat

In that time frame our personal debt has climbed just as rapidly as our personal savings has plummeted. Inflation and the weakness of the dollar combined with our financial fragility is a scary thing.

I read a lot of outside main media sources and I do agree with you Pat, if you are looking to prove that the sky is falling you can probably do a search and find a web site that supports that theory, you do have to maintain some common sense. I just find it concerning how uninformed we are as a whole.

 

[Dace]

Mackay,
Your fears and your insights are alot the same as mine:>) I don't believe the news coverage of all this is very accurate either, and I do look into alternative news sights alot. What you have to keep in mind is that allot of it is speculation. No one knows for sure what will happen. I do believe however that the governments all have something up their sleeves and we're not going to like it much. It's probably going to hurt for a while, but we will get through it. The ones that won't are the ones that are still not seeing it for what it is. The ones who are going to wait for someone else to come in and save them. We have time to prepare, yes, there is still time...maybe not alot, but if you work hard you will be fine:>)
I am more worried about chaos than anything else at this point.When people realize the enormity of it all I think they are going to panic, and many will have nothing to stand on except a big pile of debt. I believe the poor will be the best off...they alread know how to spend a very little amount of money wisely.

I too have a diificult time believing that no one is talking about it...I think many are of the believe that if you don't say it, it won't happen:>)

I agree with you. I read outside sources and I am just so surprised that so much of what I read does not make it into the mainstream media! Sometimes I hear a little blurb here and there on the news and I just stare at the tv and think 'is that it? That is all you have to say on this incredible bit of news? I would sure like to have heard more about our economic situation in the presidential debates too.
We were just talking about this at lunch with family today and I was saying that those who rely heavily on credit are in for a surprise. Those of us who live a cash based lifestyle will be better able to adjust.

 

[MorelCabin]

Oh those that rely on credit to get them from paycheck to paycheck are in for a real surprise...we were doing that for a while but in the past few months I have really crunched down...to the dismay of my DH! It made for a few very tight weeks until we evened out again and got used to a limited amount of cash instead...but it sure does feel better!
Yes, I get all excited when I hear a little blurb of alternative on TV but it is usually very shortlived because they never tell the whole story...it's only been in the last few weeks that alternative news has ever even been hinted in the media...but then I don't watch much TV so I may be wrong.

 

[Beekissed]

Not concerned, not scared, not even dwelling on it past the occasional thought of keeping the family close enough to help each other through any changes.

I guess I'm kind of hanging loose, waiting to roll with the punches. My faith doesn't allow me to really worry about it all, as I know that anything that happens was meant to happen and God is in control. Peace of mind is the best by product of Christianity, I guess! And, no, its not one of those "Ignorance is bliss" kind of things. I know things are going to get rough....I've known it for a long time, as the Bible spells it out for us. Actually, its kind of exciting being here for the proof that its real, its going to happen, it is happening and this gives me comfort of a kind.

As far as financial concerns, I don't lay up treasures here on Earth, so I'm not losing much!

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.....

 

[Dace]

Beekissed, you are exactly the kind of folks who will make it thru this mess...frugal practical and SS
It is the Starbucks chugging, Hummer driving, Prada purse toting folk that are in for a real surprise.

 

[hsm6kids]

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.....

That scriture is one that has been in my heart for many years and It has helped me threw many a tough time.




The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death; I will fear no evil: for thou
art with me; thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies: thou anointest
my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life; and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord for ever.

psalm 23 - bible - psalm of david

 

[Homesteadmom]

If Obama gets elected this country is really going to be in a huge financial down spiral & we are doing everything we can to protect our family food & clothing wise. For dd I have clothing all the way up to size 8/10 that I have gotten at rummage sales, off freecycle & from ds outgrowing(jeans, t-shirts, etc.). She is getting into size 3t now. Ds has a big stockpile of size 16 jeans a friend gave me from her son outgrowing them. I need to stockpile a few more clothes for him. Dh is okay since when he gets new uniforms for work we remove the patches off his old ones & put them up for wearing around here to work in. Me i have good clothes that will last a long time & grungies too for working in the garden & with animals, my biggest concern is shoes for the kids(I make mine last).
As for food we grind our own wheat & I have over 100lbs of it[good yard sale deal(y2k stockpile)] so bread & other baked goods we are good on. We are planting at least 4 more fruit trees this next Jan too. More if we can swing it.
So am I scared you bet I am, he scares the living daylights out of me. But God will get my family through it.

"If he leads you to it, he will get you through it".