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iTulip has a very interesting thread (How One iTuliper is Invested). I would like to propose we do another topic which is How One iTuliper is Prepared which can focus on the ways people see to be ready for the challenges the world will throw at us.
I personally value EJ's and Fred's perspectives that The End Of The World as We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) is probably not coming to a locale near you. That said, “As We Know It” (AWKI) is probably a matter of dispute at the worst and matter of discussion at the best, considering the whole body of iTulip membership.
Just today, I discovered that purchasing a sale priced GUCCI purse for your daughter might or might not be a wise decision for a parent whose goal is to
1: Instill a strong motivation for success along with
2: consumer competence, expecially recognizing a really really good sale item and
3: to inculcate a burning desire for the finer things in life in their progeny so they remain motivated in later years, and presumably move out of the house by the age of majority.
I always have to remind myself that it is my fault that I seek alternate viewpoints, and when I find them I need to recognize that I deserve what I get.
So, when you describe your preparations, your assumptions about what is important in the AWKI domain might be important. I will start with my input and then others can jump in as they feel the urge. I think if you read the investment thread you will see lots of really good and some really different thinking, and that is (I think) what we come here for... iTulipers may be many things but sheeple does not adequately capture them.
So, here are my AWKI assumptions: I live not far from the US shore of Lake Superior, in Michigan. I chose a five acre dense woodland so that the yearly tree blow-downs would mostly heat my house with wood. In any case, as a widower at the age of 60 it is unlikely I will run out of trees before the end of this mortal coil even if I started cutting good trees. Of course, being a closet tree hugger, I would doubtless buy firewood (i.e. I would take a hit out on innocent trees in neighboring territories) before I cut too many good ones on my own land. My new 1000 square foot energy efficient house was built cash on saved money and was planned for a lazy tree hugger to heat with minimal impact/effort. Success this year, heating the house with 3 full cords of wood gives me all sorts of satisfaction. Most of my neighbors use much more, but I avoid gloating in favor of friendship.
In the electric domain, my AWKI expectations are that the power will go out roughly every month for the better part of a day, maybe a bit more. Ice, snow, wind, thunderstorms, drunks, and dead trees combined with 25 miles of vulnerable power lines all conspire to meet that target. A couple of days after I noticed that I had had uninterrupted power for an extended period, a snowy owl seeking a good place to watch for prey sacrificed himself on my power pole to take out my power.
As a result, I still keep and use a twelve volt battery that can provide extended lighting, radio, cell phone power, movies on a laptop, and miscellaneous high tech devices for the duration. Because I lived on the land in a 12 by 16 tool shed before the house was built, I have a 12 volt generator set to keep the battery charged and I can thrive by running the generator a few hours a day to keep the battery charged. A gallon of gas lasts days providing the basics.
AWKI also includes lifestyle. Somehow, living in a largely unheated tool shed shelter through a good part of a winter reduced expectations for survival and even for pleasure. When electricity came to the estate, then temperatures and entertainment opportunities were much more comfortable, almost excessive. Satellite Internet is making me soft, but I can live with that. :rolleyes:
I listened to EJ and his predictions for inflation, which I still believe will be rampant at some point. So, I purchased commodities including beans, rice, pasta, egg noodles, coffee, flour, bulk spices, sugar, canned tomatoes and paste, canned vegetables, and others, as well as acquiring a dehydrator to keep produce available for long periods. Sweet, multicolored peppers work really well and some other things seem not worth the go. Already, since I stocked up, beans have gone up by over 50%, rice, ditto, canned food and other stuff by somewhat less. I started to think about what I would need to eat for a year or two and started planning for that.
Retirement seems now to be defined as the last layoff one has before a new job does not materialize. That makes consideration of living costs a primary issue. Guess what! It is fun! You would be amazed how planning and executing meals, stoking the stove, and other life supporting activities are rewarding in and of themselves. I have gone from considering survival to thriving and enjoying life. As an aside, my brother has an interest in a hog on the hoof, and soon he will have a major chunk of pork for his family's diet. Good stuff, not costly, and lots of enjoyment. For me, deer and fish are available and I have considered growing chickens for meat, and may one year try it. I may build a greenhouse this spring.
Now, if a solar event drops out power, I am ready. It would most certainly get old in a few weeks but I would have what most people would be thankful for as a passable quality of life nonetheless. Ditto for an epidemic of bird flu or other creeping crud. I could decide to stay in my house for a few months or longer and live off my food. Not fun, definitely lonely, fraught with cabin fever, but not suffering. But guess what, I don't fear those events or most other events the world could throw at me. The End of the World (TEOTW) is amazingly easy to manage if you contemplate what is really important in that As We Know It (AWKI) clause.
Other ideas, folks? Canning? Making Maple Sugar? Gardens? Raising livestock? Hunting? Investing in local farmers in return for a piece of their action? Running a community farmer's market with your savings invested locally? Stocking up with long lasting commodities? Shopping farmers' markets and preserving foods? Other Ideas?
By the way, for the PM folks, I have some silver and some gold in case I need it for exchange but it is just insurance for economic collapse and I hope I still have it a long time from now. You never outgrow your need for gold/silver. If you are really fortunate you get to pass the insurance on to your heirs, since then it continues to provide security and a good night's sleep for them too.
I personally value EJ's and Fred's perspectives that The End Of The World as We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) is probably not coming to a locale near you. That said, “As We Know It” (AWKI) is probably a matter of dispute at the worst and matter of discussion at the best, considering the whole body of iTulip membership.
Just today, I discovered that purchasing a sale priced GUCCI purse for your daughter might or might not be a wise decision for a parent whose goal is to
1: Instill a strong motivation for success along with
2: consumer competence, expecially recognizing a really really good sale item and
3: to inculcate a burning desire for the finer things in life in their progeny so they remain motivated in later years, and presumably move out of the house by the age of majority.
I always have to remind myself that it is my fault that I seek alternate viewpoints, and when I find them I need to recognize that I deserve what I get.
So, when you describe your preparations, your assumptions about what is important in the AWKI domain might be important. I will start with my input and then others can jump in as they feel the urge. I think if you read the investment thread you will see lots of really good and some really different thinking, and that is (I think) what we come here for... iTulipers may be many things but sheeple does not adequately capture them.
So, here are my AWKI assumptions: I live not far from the US shore of Lake Superior, in Michigan. I chose a five acre dense woodland so that the yearly tree blow-downs would mostly heat my house with wood. In any case, as a widower at the age of 60 it is unlikely I will run out of trees before the end of this mortal coil even if I started cutting good trees. Of course, being a closet tree hugger, I would doubtless buy firewood (i.e. I would take a hit out on innocent trees in neighboring territories) before I cut too many good ones on my own land. My new 1000 square foot energy efficient house was built cash on saved money and was planned for a lazy tree hugger to heat with minimal impact/effort. Success this year, heating the house with 3 full cords of wood gives me all sorts of satisfaction. Most of my neighbors use much more, but I avoid gloating in favor of friendship.
In the electric domain, my AWKI expectations are that the power will go out roughly every month for the better part of a day, maybe a bit more. Ice, snow, wind, thunderstorms, drunks, and dead trees combined with 25 miles of vulnerable power lines all conspire to meet that target. A couple of days after I noticed that I had had uninterrupted power for an extended period, a snowy owl seeking a good place to watch for prey sacrificed himself on my power pole to take out my power.
As a result, I still keep and use a twelve volt battery that can provide extended lighting, radio, cell phone power, movies on a laptop, and miscellaneous high tech devices for the duration. Because I lived on the land in a 12 by 16 tool shed before the house was built, I have a 12 volt generator set to keep the battery charged and I can thrive by running the generator a few hours a day to keep the battery charged. A gallon of gas lasts days providing the basics.
AWKI also includes lifestyle. Somehow, living in a largely unheated tool shed shelter through a good part of a winter reduced expectations for survival and even for pleasure. When electricity came to the estate, then temperatures and entertainment opportunities were much more comfortable, almost excessive. Satellite Internet is making me soft, but I can live with that. :rolleyes:
I listened to EJ and his predictions for inflation, which I still believe will be rampant at some point. So, I purchased commodities including beans, rice, pasta, egg noodles, coffee, flour, bulk spices, sugar, canned tomatoes and paste, canned vegetables, and others, as well as acquiring a dehydrator to keep produce available for long periods. Sweet, multicolored peppers work really well and some other things seem not worth the go. Already, since I stocked up, beans have gone up by over 50%, rice, ditto, canned food and other stuff by somewhat less. I started to think about what I would need to eat for a year or two and started planning for that.
Retirement seems now to be defined as the last layoff one has before a new job does not materialize. That makes consideration of living costs a primary issue. Guess what! It is fun! You would be amazed how planning and executing meals, stoking the stove, and other life supporting activities are rewarding in and of themselves. I have gone from considering survival to thriving and enjoying life. As an aside, my brother has an interest in a hog on the hoof, and soon he will have a major chunk of pork for his family's diet. Good stuff, not costly, and lots of enjoyment. For me, deer and fish are available and I have considered growing chickens for meat, and may one year try it. I may build a greenhouse this spring.
Now, if a solar event drops out power, I am ready. It would most certainly get old in a few weeks but I would have what most people would be thankful for as a passable quality of life nonetheless. Ditto for an epidemic of bird flu or other creeping crud. I could decide to stay in my house for a few months or longer and live off my food. Not fun, definitely lonely, fraught with cabin fever, but not suffering. But guess what, I don't fear those events or most other events the world could throw at me. The End of the World (TEOTW) is amazingly easy to manage if you contemplate what is really important in that As We Know It (AWKI) clause.
Other ideas, folks? Canning? Making Maple Sugar? Gardens? Raising livestock? Hunting? Investing in local farmers in return for a piece of their action? Running a community farmer's market with your savings invested locally? Stocking up with long lasting commodities? Shopping farmers' markets and preserving foods? Other Ideas?
By the way, for the PM folks, I have some silver and some gold in case I need it for exchange but it is just insurance for economic collapse and I hope I still have it a long time from now. You never outgrow your need for gold/silver. If you are really fortunate you get to pass the insurance on to your heirs, since then it continues to provide security and a good night's sleep for them too.
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