Cont’d.
Most of us are so used to running out to the supermarket or to Wal-Mart for whatever we need that we never even stop to consider what would happen if suddenly we were not able to do that. Already the U.S. economy is starting to stumble about like a drunken frat boy. All it would take for the entire U.S. to resemble New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina would be for a major war, a terror attack, a deadly pandemic or a massive natural disaster to strike at just the right time and push the teetering U.S. economy over the edge. So just how would you survive if you suddenly could not rely on the huge international corporate giants to feed, clothe and supply you and your family? Do you have a plan?
Scientists tell us that a massive high-altitude EMP (electromagnetic pulse) blast could send large portions of the United States back to the stone age in an instant. In addition, there is the constant threat that the outbreak of a major viral pandemic (such as what happened with the 1918 Spanish Flu) could kill tens of millions of people around the globe and paralyze the economies of the world.
But even without all of that, the truth is that the U.S. economy is going to collapse. So just think of what will happen if one (or more) of those things does happen on top of all the economic problems that we are having.
What an inane article.
If you aren’t prepared now it’s probably too late for most people to start.
As you can see, lots of Americans think it can never happen to them, they’ll be standing in the bread lines.
My grandparents grew up during the depression and they not only survived but thrived because they were independent first.
lol our government is doing a good job prevent us from having anything to survive on.
Your failure to insert proper paragraph breaks enrages me.
Poor English composition skills are a sign of disorderly thought process.
They are also ZOTbait.
The topic is good but the link is horrible. It is one of those sites that makes you click 20 times (with an ad at every click) just to see the list of 20.
MSN is like that and now no matter how interesting the headline makes the article appear, I just won’t go there.
No rap on you. It is an worthwhile topic. We just need to find a direct list.
Preparedness/Survival Ping!
Put your two cents here...
If the supply of energy were disrupted severely, millions would be dying within weeks and violence would be widespread, you may find that survival is not even preferable. Some very tough, ruthless actions would be necessary and honestly most average folks just aren't up to it.
It's the last sentence that jibes with me most whenever these doomsday preparation scares crop up. Most people are not up to doing what is necessary to KEEP all the items on the list.
Lessons from Argentina’s economic collapse
http://www.silverbearcafe.com/private/10.08/tshtf1.html
The Coming Depression
http://thecomingdepression.blogspot.com/2010/01/protection-guns-and-gold.html
What Good Can a Handgun Do Against an Army.....?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/2312894/posts?page=242
SURVIVING IN ARGENTINA: MAKING MONEY DURING A DEPRESSION(PREPARE TO BE SURPRISED)
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?noframes;read=142352
Our grandparents and parents survived the Great Depression—because they lived on farms. Our modern lifestyles says “we’re dead meat”.
I remember my grandmother said she “frequently fed the hobos passing thru”. My grandfather stuck around with a .38 revolver just as a precaution. But back in those days, it was less of a risk of being attacked for your kindness as it might be today.
For future reference.
25 Rules for today’s economy
Rule 1: For return on investment, using quality materials and a cohesive design provide the best returns on a home upgrade. Bathroom and kitchen upgrades add the most equity.
Rule 2: Its worth refinancing your home only if you can reduce your overall costs including the added refinancing costs.
Rule 3: Go no more than two and a half times your income in overall debt to buy a home. For a down payment, only exceed 20% if you dont think you can beat the interest rate in investments.
Rule 4: Your total housing payment should not exceed 30% of your net income. Total debt payments should not exceed 40% of your net income.
Rule 5: Never hire anyone to provide a nontrivial service for you if they cannot provide quality references.
Rule 6: All else being equal, the best place to invest is in an investment plan through your work benefits up to the full company match. After this, invest in a Roth IRA. Still have money to invest? Put it in a place that you can easily access in ten or fifteen years, like an index fund.
Rule 7: To figure out what percentage of your money should not be in stocks, sutract 30 from your age and then double that number.
Rule 8: Invest no more than 5% of your portfolio in your company stock or any single companys stock, for that matter unless you are exceptionally well-educated on the company; even then, dont go above 10%.
Rule 9: The only way you should compare mutual fund returns is by first subtracting the fees off the top of any fund; this will expose the true value of the fund.
Rule 10: Aim to build a retirement plan that contains 25 times the annual amount you want to have when you retire. So, if you want a total income of $60,000 each year when you retire, you need to have $1.5 million in your retirement account.
Rule 11: If you dont understand how an investment works, do some research before you invest; dont just write it off.
Rule 12: If youre not saving 20% of all of your income in excess of $20,000, you arent saving enough.
Rule 13: Keep two months worth of living expenses in a bank savings account or a money market account for each person in your household. So, if four people live in your household, have eight months worth of living expenses.
Rule 14: Aim to accumulate enough money to pay for what four years of undergraduate tuition would cost for your child at the institute of your choice on the day he or she was born. The rest can be borrowed or covered when the time comes.
Rule 15: You should leave behind a years worth of life insurance to cover your funeral, plus two years salary for each dependent you claimed on your last tax return (including yourself).
Rule 16: When you buy insurance, compare the packages at multiple insurance providers with the highest deductible you can afford. Its the easiest way to lower your premium.
Rule 17: The best credit card is a no-fee rewards card that can earn you at least 1.5% in return that you pay in full every month. But if you carry a balance, high interest rates will wipe out the benefits.
Rule 18: The best ways to improve your credit score is to pay bills on time, to reduce the balance on your credit cards, and to not cancel old cards when youve paid off their balance.
Rule 19: Anyone who contacts you at any time and requests personal information of any kind is a scam artist. You should initiate all contacts that require a personal information exchange.
Rule 20: The best way to save money on a car is to pay cash for a late-model used car and drive it until its junk. A car loses 30% of its value in the first year.
Rule 21: Never lease an automobile.
Rule 22: When a new gadget or computer comes out, select the model you would like to buy, then wait three months for the price to lower. If you still want that model, buy it; if not, move on or select a new model and start a new three month wait.
Rule 23: Save money on airline tickets by buying early, comparing rates, and being flexible when it comes to carriers and options.
Rule 24: Dont redeem frequent-flier miles (or points from any bonus program) unless you can get more than a dollars worth of air fare or other stuff for every 100 miles (or points) you spend.
Rule 25: When you shop for electronics, dont pay for an extended warranty.
mark
btt