And the winner of the silver quarter caption action challenge IS . . .
*drum roll*
“Lets try again ..*I* get the house, the cars and the savings, *you* get five minutes to pack.”
by rebel
Rebel bro, send me your addy - ranger@shtfblog.com. One silver quarter coming your way!
My personal favorite was 2nd place -
“I SWEAR! If I hear ONE MORE blonde joke…!”
by John
Send me your addy, John. YOU get one, too!
A 1949 beauty:
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I just read a great blog post on the recession we’re presently in, entitled “A Recession Handbook”. Then again, perhaps I think it’s great advice, because it’s similar to what I said in my Gold: Don’t Buy the Hype post. Either way, you at least gotta check the artwork for the blog post - cartoon dude running into a bunker-root cellar. The link is at the end, but this is the best paragraph:
Protect your pocketbook. Make paying down your debts a priority, counsels Garrett. Kill the credit-card balance as quickly as possible, even if you have to give up new clothes and nights out to do it. You can even draw down your emergency savings account to pay off the credit card, as long as you keep the card balance at zero after that. Then you could use the card in an emergency until you rebuild the fund. Apply for a home-equity line of credit, so it’s available for emergencies, but don’t use it. Consider refinancing your home mortgage while the Federal Reserve is holding rates down, especially if you have an expensive or risky loan now.
This is particularly sweet:
And don’t feel guilty about disappointing our nation’s leaders if you use the stimulus package to put your financial house in order. When that government check comes, probably sometime in March, don’t spend it. Use it to pay down your credit-card bill, or put it to work in your retirement- or college-savings account.
This line needs some lovin’, though - “Remind yourself that recessions are a normal part of a healthy economic cycle, and resist panic.”
Let me twist and expand it Ranger Man style - “Remind yourself that recessions are normal, but Great Depressions also happen. Couple any recession / depression with an avian flu outbreak and it’s a bad, bad world. Peak oil is coming. It’s only a matter of time. Build yourself a sweet pantry - stock it. Purchase in bulk and save. Rotate stock.”
The link to the post and cool art is here.
- Ranger Man
11 responses so far ↓
1 ryan // Jan 28, 2008 at 10:32 pm
It does give a positive feeling when some random unrelated person is saying very similar things as you. Either your on the right track or atleast crazy in the same way. I tend to think you are pretty right on but maybe I am just crazy in the same way also.
2 ryan // Jan 28, 2008 at 10:38 pm
That article was interesting. Remembering the market is going to have some ups and downs in the normal cycle is essential. The same way that gold advocates (I really want some but cool expensive usefull stuff is pretty low on my list) say it is a buying opportunity every time prices go down there are some survivalists who say the end time is happening every time the market is going down or charging up for that matter.
3 ryan // Jan 28, 2008 at 10:39 pm
I meant useless…Sorry.
4 rebel // Jan 29, 2008 at 7:03 am
I think this is some of the most important, but un-sexy topics - financial survival. You work for the Gvt until tax freedom day, and another un-specified time to pay you debts. How much of the money *you* earn do you actually get to spend? Reducing debt, idealy to zero, is one of the most liberating things you can do. After that you open up a huge number of other options in terms of jobs/ lifestyle and what spend / invest. Its never the right time, so the best time to start cutting your debts is now
5 ALPHIE OMEGA // Jan 29, 2008 at 9:28 am
I SEE THIS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN….IN ONE RESPECT BUYING TANGIBLE ASSETS NOW AND PAYING IT BACK WITH CHEAP DOLLARS IS A WIN WIN SITUATION.YEA I KNOW ITS STILL DEBT BUT IF THOSE ASSETS ARE PURCHASED WITH THOUGHT YOU CAN HAVE FOOD, SOLAR PANELS,BATTERIES,WIND GENERATORS,SOLAR WATER HEATERS, WEAPONS, AMMO,TOOLS KNOWLEDGE AND THE ABILITY TO SURVIVE THE COMING FINANCIAL COLLAPSE OR NO DEBT NO JOB(DURING THE COLLAPSE) NO WAY TO FEED YOUR FAMILY,NO POWER,NO COMMO AND NO WAY TO DEFEND YOURSELF FROM THE MUTANT BIKERS AS PER SURVIVLBLOG. AT THAT POINT WHAT DOES NOT HAVING DEBT DO FOR YOU. GRANTED A “MIX” OF THIS THOUGHT PROCESS IS BEST BUT “BETTER TO HAVE SUPPLIES AND FOOD IN TIMES OF NO MONEY THEN MANY IN TIMES OF MONEY IN TIME OF NO FOOD AND SUPPLIES” WHILE I CONTINUE TO DECREASE MY DEBT I WILL NOT FORGO THE PURCHASES THAT I SEE PRETINENT TO THE SURVIVAL OF MY FAMILY….. ITS YOUR CALL I HAVE MADE MINE THE FARM WILL CONTINUE TO BE HERE AND I WILL HAVE PROTEIN,POWER WATER COMMO AND THE ABILITY TO REPRODUCE SUCH ITEMS WAY INTO THE FUTURE,YES I WILL HAVE SOME DEBT BUT I WILL HAVE THE NECESSITIES TO SURVIVE AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AGAIN PAYING BACK THAT “BORROWED MONEY WITH CHEAPER WORTHLESS PAPER…
6 ALPHIE OMEGA // Jan 29, 2008 at 9:35 am
sorry i forgot to proof my statement “better to have food and supplies during times of no money then money in times of no food and supplies” sorry
7 Half Elf // Jan 30, 2008 at 4:20 pm
SORRY!: A recession is 2( TWO) consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, not the MSM saying it is one. Recessions are difficult, and should be avoided, but we are not in one, and still have to hit a single quarter of negative growth. Yes we only got a .5% growth 4th quarter 2007, but that is still not a negative number.
Under Clinton interest rates were dropped through the floorboards, and the DOW hit 10,000, and the MSM acted like it was the “Second Coming”, and all was rosy, yet under Bush interest are again at the low and the DOW hits 12,000, and this is a recession. How does this work for the rest of you. I am re wrapping my foil beret, as the rays must be getting stronger than before.
8 TheGunGeek // Feb 15, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Just keep in mind that credit card companies can and will adjust your credit limit any time, especially if you suddenly change your spending habits (like if you start to live off your card because you have no income) or if there is an economic crisis.
I’m just saying don’t count on that big credit limit always being there if you suddenly find yourself needing it.
9 RefinancingTips // May 2, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Great read. I think I’ll subscribe to this as it has some good info! Thanks. I do apppreciate the blog
10 danica // Aug 4, 2008 at 2:06 am
it is a consecutive quarters of negative economic growth. it is difficult, and should be avoided, but we are not in one, and still have to hit a single quarter of negative growth. thank you
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danica
NEW, NEW, NEW
11 sridhar // Nov 3, 2008 at 11:38 am
Recession is the buzzword today.I happened to visit a website “seechangeworld.com”. They talk something new , “RECESSIONOMICS”. They have come out with a novel product online - “Recession Proofing your Business” .Please visit http://seechangeworld.in/Recession_Proof.html“
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