Could you survive hard times.

I think I could make it. I lve on a shoestring budget anyway. I have lifeskills that a lot of people my age do not. I can can my own food, I can grow my own food. I crochet I can sew. We have quite a bit of food put up that we have canned. I will be starting some new seeds today too.

My husband and I have a secure safety net called the Veterans Administration. He is a 100% totally and permanently disabled vet and I don't see the government ever taking his benefits away. There are too many disabled vets in order for them to be able to get away with something like that. When we moved to Florida from Maryland the original plan was for me to not have to go to work so we purchased our properties according to that plan. We live in one home and rent out the other. We also have a budget that is according to my husband's income so the income I earned while I was working was extra. We used it to do some upgrading and to build our savings but then I was laid off so we're almost back to where we started...except for the unemployment benefits I receive. Since we originally planned to live on one income we should have no problem doing that for an extended period of time. In the meantime I am planning to use V.A. educational benefits to finish my degrees so that I can become more marketable should the need arise for me to go back to work.

Hello Arkie,

I have no doubts about survival. I am one of the lucky ones who was brought up to knit and sew and cook and garden. I made most of my childrens' clothes when they were young and knitted most of their jumpers. I make all our meals from scratch because that's the way I was taught. If necessary I could produce three meals from one chicken.

There will be many who know the old ways and they will survive, but what about the ones who practically live on takeaway? What about the ones who are constantly buying new gadgets? What about the ones who have to wear the latest fashions? They have all been brought up in the world of consumerism. How will they survive?

We have no debts because my husband and I were taught that we must never owe money, and never to buy anything unless we could pay for it outright. For that I am truly grateful to our parents. Especially when I see the enormous debts some people are struggling to repay.

What happens when the credit runs out? I think it already has!

Glad to see you back my friend. You are so right. You mentioned things that could be done by hand on farms etc. The problem is that we think we are to good to pick crops and cotton and the like. That is why the illegals come into our country. They are willing to do the work that we Americans will not do. When things get tough enough and enough people loose their good paying jobs. There will have to be some hard decisions being made. Either accept and do work that you might not like but that puts food on the table, or let you and your family starve to death. Brought back old memories cause I picked those veggies on the farms when I was young. Didn't get paid a lot for sure but got some nice food also.

I think things could get worse instead of better too. You just never know what the future holds. We live on a budget now and so shortage of money wouldnt be a big thing. We also can and freeze vegetables, husband hunts and we also fish. I cook from scratch as that is cheaper, make my own sauces for foods, I sew, crochet and other things. We also go into the fields and glean when the local farmers are done, yes we are not above getting out hands dirty.

I do know that things will be even tougher if things get worse but I do think we will make it.

I like to think we will be fine, but I do not know. I think it will depend on how expensive things get, and how my job goes. Right now I work part time at home and part time outside of the home. I do not make a lot, but I try not to buy things I don't need. I can't really afford to. If I continue living this way, I think we will be ok. I worry about other people though. I hope the economy gets better soon.

I think I could make it, I am looking online for some thnings to do, here on the internet along with Mylot, I am reading e-mail, and I try to answer all the discussions here on Mylot, that I can so I can make a little money so I have a little something in my pocket sometimes, it's hard but I think I will make it though.

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Only time will tell if any of us make it but for sure people that are willing to work can make it in good times and in the bad times.
My husband is a foreman for a tree incorporation that covers 48 states,the company contacts from the power companies,they keep the trees out of the power lines year around,my husband has been with the company nine years,a few years ago Warren Buffet bought the power company in my state,even tho my husband has a very secure job nothing is 100% if he lost his job it would a hard road ahead.
I nag my husband about his spending habits he has gotten better but he could do much better if he would make more of an effort.
Seeing hard times coming a couple years ago I paid of all my credit cards and my husband paid off his pick-up two years early,we bought our home on a low 30 year fixed loan and I stock up on non-perishable foods every month as well my cleaning supplies to have at least 12 months of food and supplies in our home.
We live on property enough to have a nice garden and live in a state where hunting deer,elk is plentiful year around,lot's of streams and rivers so people can fish for some food if need be.
It seems people during the great depression was most very hard workers not having the easy life we enjoy today but the problem was the govenment hit rock bottom they cut people off of their benefits and the Army could not pay their soldiers,the people greatly suffered going from town to town looking for work to find when they got place to place there was no work, people had no money to pay someone to work,farmers had to kill their sheep and goats because they could not feed them and had no funds to ship the meat off some where.
The people in the cities had it very hard they sleep in card board box's on the streets and out in fields any where they could find to rest.
What the people did have back then was good hearts they helped each other and families stuck togeather making do with what they had and gave God thanks every day.
If this present government hits rock bottom and cuts the people off that get government benefits and the states cut people off food stamps and so forth I expect we will see a great deal of blood shed in this country.
In my opinion people need to be doing what some of these folks are saying in respond to this discussion depend on ones self and prepare just in case we do come face to face with something like the great depression of the 1930's,stock up on non-perishables foods and household cleaning,pay off the bills and make no new ones and hold on to each other tight.

There is no doubt these are tough times economically, globally and personally. But i think, handling it is up to us. Are you like the ostrich and hide your head in the sand and pretend like nothing is happening? Or are you like the rhinoceros charging through and knocking down anything in its way? I would like to be later;)

Think of it like this. You're at home and the power goes out and you're in the dark. You get a flashlight or some candles and now the darkness has been illuminated and you are able to see again. Yes, there are some shadows still lurking, but the moment you shine the light on them you can see what the shadows are. It's no different during "tough times". All one needs to do is turn the light on. Question your thoughts around the challenge you are having, face the fear head on, and reap the benefits as it dissipates in the light.

Robert Schuller's saying of, "Tough Times Don't Last but Tough People Do", holds much truth. How we handle those days, weeks, months or even years of what seem like the worst of the worst is what can make or break us. Whether you choose to be like the ostrich, rhinoceros or the eagle, "tough times" will be there and it is up to you how you will handle them. When they are over, will you still have your head in the sand? Will you be charging through so fast and furiously you won't even see that they are over? Or will you be soaring through and above them? I think choice is ours;)