Surviving the crash

[Longwalkhome]

See, this is where I think we have a disconnect. I follow the Dave Ramsey Total Money Make-Over model that states that a credit card is for emergencies only, unless you can pay off every charge in the card's monthly cycle. If you can't pay off the statement balance every month, they you need to delay those purchases and save up for them. The Ramsey TMMO model also states that many, many things that Americans treat as emergencies are actually not. Those things should be budgeted and saved for over time. For instance, car repairs are not an emergency, as the need for maintenance is a known issue. So, those repairs are easily forecasted and should be saved for over time with a budget item.

Same with a new fence. You knew the fence was going to hell, so you could have started saving for it's replacement long before it became necessary to replace it. A car wreck with attendant hospital bills, OTOH, is a real emergency, since it is something that you could not foretell. So as I said to begin with, very few things rise to the level of a real emergency for which a credit card could be employed to pay those bills.

If you have the money saved, or the appropriate income stream, to pay off the balance every month, then none of the above would apply to you.

I needed a new fence pretty bad. Post were all rotted and so were the boards. I could pay cash but the fence company was from Salem and wanted half down first. I used the credit card for the half down to save some money.

 

[solv3nt]

Yes, that's 2012, not 2022. So, 10+ years of interest-free use of the banks' credit.

I have only paid interest to a credit card once in my life, and that's when I was 18 and didn't know that the ATM cash has an interest charge from when you pull it out.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

The first time I became aware of "the big crash is coming - it's right around the corner, almost upon us" was in the late 1970s

Right around the time my dad scared the living bejeebers out of me with "The pole's are going be reversing and the earth will spin in the opposite direction"

Kind of amusing all the pay your bills on time talk seeing as how part of Congress not wanting to do that "for reasons" is by far the biggest threat to our economy right now

 

[Certaindeaf]

Real soon now.
&
This time its different.

I too got involved in prepping because of his book and other articles by him and others on prepping.

I don't know if/when there will be an economic collapse of the magnitude some people are predicting, but personally, I don't think it is anywhere near the top of the list of humanity's problems that can/will cause a SHTF situation.

Just the same, being frugal, paying down/off debt, owning certain durable goods and land, being as self-reliant as possible is the best approach to any of the SHTF scenarios that I think are probable.

Prolly most of the dopes want STHTF so they don't have to pay for their stupid crap.

 

[solv3nt]

Right around the time my dad scared the living bejeebers out of me with "The pole's are going be reversing and the earth will spin in the opposite direction"

 

[Camelfilter]

Prolly most of the dopes want STHTF so they don't have to pay for their stupid crap.

I know you post in jest, however I feel most true preparedness minded folks NEVER want ANY type of STHTF.

Just like having any type of standard insurance...

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

Serious question:

If TEOTWAWKI is inevitable and imminent what's the downside to using credit cards to get all the gear you will need? I mean, who's going come after you for late payments?

 

[Bobbygun]

Kind of amusing all the pay your bills on time talk seeing as how part of Congress not wanting to do that "for reasons" is by far the biggest threat to our economy right now

I generally have trouble working up too much anguish during those negotiations. Reminds me of some of those early battle scenes in Braveheart where they all gather around and make a big show of it before the customary dictation of the terms of surrender. But, with the level of dementia and flat-out crazy roaming Washington D.C. these days, it is at least slightly more worrisome than usual.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

I generally have trouble working up too much anguish during those negotiations. Reminds me of some of those early battle scenes in Braveheart where they all gather around and make a big show of it before the customary dictation of the terms of surrender. But, with the level of dementia and flat-out crazy roaming Washington D.C. these days, it is at least slightly more worrisome than usual.

Especially with some on the fringes saying default would be good for polling numbers

 

[Certaindeaf]

I know you post in jest, however I feel most true preparedness minded folks NEVER want ANY type of STHTF.

Just like having any type of standard insurance...

The average dope and not in jest.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Serious question:

If TEOTWAWKI is inevitable and imminent what's the downside to using credit cards to get all the gear you will need? I mean, who's going come after you for late payments?

The thing is, it's not but the first thing I'd do if that happened would be to stop paying bills. There wouldn't be a way to anyway.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

The thing is, it's not but the first thing I'd do if that happened would be to stop paying bills. There wouldn't be a way to anyway.

Not like you can count on some rando drifter finding a jacket in the forest and deciding to cosplay a civil servant

 

[Camelfilter]

Not like you can count on some rando drifter finding a jacket in the forest and deciding to cosplay a civil servant

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

View attachment 1429710

I don't think I will ever not be salty about "and suddenly, super soldiers"

 

[The Heretic]

Right around the time my dad scared the living bejeebers out of me with "The pole's are going be reversing and the earth will spin in the opposite direction"

I remember being on some forum/BBS during the night of Y2K, and one of the guys saying he put all his food/water on the lowest shelves so that when the poles reversed and caused a massive increase in gravity, pinning him to the floor, he would have food/water until the increase subsided.

Not sure if he was serious or not.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

I remember being on some forum/BBS during the night of Y2K, and one of the guys saying he put all his food/water on the lowest shelves so that when the poles reversed and caused a massive increase in gravity, pinning him to the floor, he would have food/water until the increase subsided.

Not sure if he was serious or not.

He was seriously something!

 

[The Heretic]

Serious question:

If TEOTWAWKI is inevitable and imminent what's the downside to using credit cards to get all the gear you will need? I mean, who's going come after you for late payments?

The banks will. If you can use the cards then the banks can take your stuff/money.

If you have enough warning to buy the stuff, then it won't be happening overnight, unless it is something like a dino killer hitting the earth.

I remember all the people who sold their Y2K stuff for half what they paid for it after it turned out that us s/w engineers had fixed most of the Y2K issues.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

The banks will. If you can use the cards then the banks can take your stuff/money.

If you have enough warning to buy the stuff, then it won't be happening overnight, unless it is something like a dino killer hitting the earth.

I remember all the people who sold their Y2K stuff for half what they paid for it after it turned out that us s/w engineers had fixed most of the Y2K issues.

Yeah, they sold post nothing burger because ya'know, it was a nothing burger which was kind of my point.

 

[nammac]

The banks will. If you can use the cards then the banks can take your stuff/money.

If you have enough warning to buy the stuff, then it won't be happening overnight, unless it is something like a dino killer hitting the earth.

I remember all the people who sold their Y2K stuff for half what they paid for it after it turned out that us s/w engineers had fixed most of the Y2K issues.

Yup, Y2K was a big nothing burger to those of us on the inside…. I recall the panic of those who weren't in the know in IT….

What if the water stops flowing, or the ATM's don't work, what if the lights go out…. Was actually kinda entertaining. And as you say, the bargains to be had as Y2K supplies were liquidated….

 

[Longwalkhome]

The banks will. If you can use the cards then the banks can take your stuff/money.

If you have enough warning to buy the stuff, then it won't be happening overnight, unless it is something like a dino killer hitting the earth.

I remember all the people who sold their Y2K stuff for half what they paid for it after it turned out that us s/w engineers had fixed most of the Y2K issues.

There is a couple of things worth watching, the war in Ukraine and the bank failures as property doesn't sell.

USA is heavily invested into defeating the Russians and the war could reach us at any time.

High energy cost is tanking the housing market like it crashed in 08.

Anyway it's spring and time for a vacation, got ammo loaded and time to hit eastern Oregon and have fun. Catch you guys later.