As the Depression worsens, have you made plans for if it really gets bad?

I love Bennigan’s! :(

No, Marina… I don’t even have a plan for now. I think if it gets any worse, my plan will be padded walls. Seriously, it sounds sarcastic, but I’m truly scared here. My income barely covers my expenses as it is with the gas prices.

don’t have kids and you’ll be fine!

my plan is to live more within my means. Stop using so many credit cards and have food storage.

Ah. Too much time working in the psychiatry department. I thought you were talking about suicide.

Well, not all of the small towns and rural areas.

Mine or the nation’s?

@loser The growing one in the United States—not your personal depression.

Hmm. No plans there, no. Thanks marina!

Dumpster more food. It’s free, reduces our societal waste, and can be reasonably sanitary!

I guess thats the one upside to poverty, I’ll just keep living life as usual.

I’m more scared of what people will do, then not eating or anything like that. I plan to have an arsenal and an underground bunker full of food, water, and medical supplies. Well, once I win the lotto that is.

[deleted – this was a serious question – a humorous response was not nice]

I will buy a deep freezer and prepare more of my meals at home, in bulk, then freeze extra portions for later on. Also, that way when frozen items goes on sale, I can buy in bulk.
I’ll of course continue to ride my bike, might invest in a bike lock if I can’t get the kryptonite product replacement thing worked out, so I can ride to more places.

@drhat77: my apologies.

I have a very hearty vegetable garden, I hunt, I fish, and I’m a carpenter! Try growing a garden in Central Park! Not happening! I own land “Free and Clear” on a well stocked creek(river to you west coasters)! Three deep freezers running on homemade turbine power! Two bows(one compound one recurve) a plethora of arrows! Seven rifles, three pistols, and plenty of rounds! I was raised with my grandparents, so I know the art of preservation(canning)! My stepfather has a still where he produces ethanol, and sour mash! A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE!

@Marina I hope you “city folk” will be alright! When the $dollar$ means jack shit; what good will your “Broader Economic Base” do? Who’s garden will you pillage? Can you make wine? Can you catch fish? Can you manufacture hooks in order to catch the fish? Do you own goats, cattle, horses? Where will you get milk? What about your water?

THANK GOD I’M A COUNTRY BOY!

@bulb Love and peace, country brother. Actually, I was surprised to read that. My husband (another professional writer/editor) and I have always joked that we would be the first to die off in a post-disaster world, because we have no practical skills.

wow slow down bulb, why attack marina when it was just a question. Hopefully us country boys will assit people like marina if needed just like their advice helps others. Take a breath of that fresh country air and relax.

@Marina That is what I’m here for! I’ll help get you through! If you need any “self-sustaining” advice; I’m your man! You had better start studying up on “survival” now! I may not drive a Benz, but I make some awesome Muscadine Wine! My grandparents are “products” of the Great Depression, and they helped raise me with that mentality! A provider is not someone who makes $10,000 in a week(which I have), but someone who can live ten years without a single penny! Altho, I do make a good bit of money doing what I do(carpenter), I can live without it! That includes taking care of my five week old daughter and my wife!

Not all scholars attended colleges! The first scholars had no college; they created it!

@srthill Marina knows this is not a personal attack! I’m just trying to look out for “My Fluther”!

@bulb You will concede that not all rural folk are like that, won’t you. Some are more like the Joads.

@Marina Of course!

I wish the best for all my fellow men and women!

Just be prepared, like your thread implies!

in that case I’m already prepared because I treat people the way I want to be treated
Every day. If you want to stock pile something important stock pile, love, compassion, patientce,tolerance,understanding. Maybe when you need somthing that’s what you will get back. Life is short make it work for you and your family and friends.

@srt: I totally admire that outlook on life. Totally. But with all due respect, love and compassion aren’t paying my rent.

Now I quit smoking, driving less, buying less cd’s and books, I have 2 bottles of wine a month instead of 2 bottles a week, I don’t drink a glass of whisky everytime a get home, just when I’m really tired, don’t go to the movie theater once a week, now I twice a month, and I don’t go to my fav restaurant that much, an I dont have coffee that often (I want to die, but everything is sooo expensive :s)

@ flameboi ~ true that. When I’m lazy and eat out or don’t make my own lattes, I go through a lot of disposable income that I could otherwise be saving.