Reading The Signs, Awareness Around You..

[Boogity]

Let's all just keep on purchasing all that Chinese crap.

 

[savingdogs]

Lol, I've been trying to buy "made in the USA" for many years, but sometimes it is HARD!

With the price of oil, it would be good if EVERYONE became more SS and less dependent on world trade.

 

[Boogity]

Lol, I've been trying to buy "made in the USA" for many years, but sometimes it is HARD!

With the price of oil, it would be good if EVERYONE became more SS and less dependent on world trade.

Yes I know. Sometimes it's more than hard, it's impossible. I sure wish we could get everyone on the bandwagon to purchase only American made products and if that's not possible, do without.

 

[Sunny]

I can see that times are getting harder and may stay that way. We have always lived with almost nothing.

Three years ago our town got a quiznos and blockbuster. Sandwhich place is gone. Right now blockbuster is selling all dvds and going out of business.

Two car dealerships closed. Two used book stores closed.

The most popular bar closed down. Now that is a sign of hard times. Cause people usually go there to drown out their sorrows. But they cant even afford to do that. So it went out of business. I dont care if it closed or not, because I dont drink. But I couldnt believe it when I read the closing business sale sign I saw on the building.

There is more empty stores lining our streets.

We almost didnt have funding or a group to do our fourth of july fireworks. But it is saved for one more year. We have not personally bought fireworks for about 5 years now.

The price of gas is making it hard to do any thing. As it was I was barely driving any way. But the weather here most days is still to cold to walk my small kids to school. Both my kids go to school at different times and get out of school at different times. And two different locations. The bus dont go to our house, you have to live over a mile away. The buses all drive by my house on the way to the school. So I dont see what the problem would be. And they stop at the day care, which is closer to the school than me. Its just frustrating some times.

Lets see how long it takes me to walk out of this pair of shoes.. Time for me to run barefoot again. But cement is still a bit cold for that.

 

[justusnak]

There have been several smaller places close down here in our "one horse town" We HAD Ace Hardware...for about 6 months. Then a "cheap store" went in there, similar to the "dollar tree" It lasted about 3 months. Mostly our small town is banks and insurance companys...a feweateries are still hanging on.
I can tell you...the feed mill where I get my feed...the owner "cornered" me one day when everyone left, and was asking me if I was "prepared" I told him I was...and he asked me my "plan" and what the plan was for? I told him very little....but informed him, when the SHTF I would be ready with my home canned foods, supplies, canners, and such...home saved seeds...animals feeds and crates to haul out the animals I want to take...galvanized trash cans for feed....tarps, "protection" hunting and fishing supplies. He was talking about martial law...he was concerned it would hit our small town hard. I just smiled and said....there is a web site I go to...called Sufficient Self....go there, and start reading.

 

[KevsFarm]

In the past our nation has gone through up/down cycles, we always recovered.It just isn't the same this time.As mentioned,our nation has never been in so much debt, and we just keep on printing more money.This is a big problem.Someone else mentioned , we don't produce , make things like we use to.Thats why China makes a fortune from Americans.They call this the "jobless recovery ", huh...? recovery for who, Wall St....? I see lots of empty stores in my town too.The food pantry is wiped out, asking more than ever for food donations/clothes.I see people walking the streets with despair in there face, like they lost all hope.I'm pushing 60 and can only find part time work at a chicken farm.I recently applied for a job as a handyman for a big local plumbing buisness...the woman told me, they had received over 150 application for the position..! There are very few jobs here, hundreds and hundreds of houses for sale and in forclosure. I don't believe this is a cycle thing at all.All the signs, indications around us point to something different this time, and its not good.

 

[Damummis]

Reading the signs I see......
Fuel increase + no pay rate increase = people working for free
Earthquake + tsunami = disruption in chain of supply
Not to mention the new "N" word You know.
Plutonium being dumped in the Pacific Ocean + Oil in the Gulf + Over fished Atlantic = Seafood is off the list
Huge, 60 nautical mile debris islands disrupting shipping lanes, heading straight for you left coasters.
Contaminated soil that use to grow rice means rice will go up along with everything else but more so.

The repercussions are endless from Japan alone. Then there is the economy. Granted there are ups and downs, cycles for everything, but with a severe down swing after a period of excess and indulgence some folks are in for a surprise. Most of the folks that remember the Great Depression are gone. No one to remind us today how bad it really was then. How is split families, took lives and changed countries. I do still have my Grandam at 95 years old. We have talked about the hard times. I fear for the average person.

I am glad I am industrious when it comes to old school skills. I enjoy living simple and could bug out at a moments notice if need be. DH and I are working on getting of the island and heading for higher terrain. This too will be important.

 

[chickenone]

Every place I go I see help wanted signs. Granted, these are not the highest paying jobs, but there are companies here looking for workers. I get calls from recruiters all the time looking for people. There are new shopping centers being built locally. I guess I am not seeing what you all are seeing. I should just count my blessings.

And as bad as the depression was, we recovered from it.

 

[Wifezilla]

Where do you live?

 

[chickenone]

I live in the Baltimore area.