countdown 2

COUNTDOWN 2

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note: I have a CD I foolishly pre-burned, so there is only the old 14 rather than the new 18 files.  If you are genuinely poor and would actually appreciate the reading, e-mail me and I'll send it to you.  I'd rather see it go to use than throw it away.
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note: as per a minion suggestion, I've changed my "rules" ( which keep me disciplined on writing ).  All articles are now a minimum of 1500 words.  I'll go up to 2500 on a single day.  Beyond that, you get a two parter.  I think any more in a single day won't get read.  So, once again, more for your money.  I don't consider my shorter works very good, lacking detail.  If you want a Twitter size article, go anywhere else.
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Today we continue with the question is debt elimination good or bad.  It is both.  So you need to ask yourself what we are in store for.  What are you prepping for?  Because in an economic collapse you need to be out of debt but in a systematic collapse debt doesn’t matter as much.  And, no, Scooby, I’m not talking about an overnight collapse but the waterfall collapse.  Overnight, is literally just that, an immediate collapse.  Solar flare, global nuclear war, Yellowstone super volcano eruption.  The waterfall collapse is a long drawn out slow collapse with events relatively gently falling downhill until suddenly one event is the straw on the camels back and every problem henceforth dwelt with adds up altogether in a Perfect Storm and everything goes to complete crap.  We’ve been in collapse for almost fifty years.  Expect the waterfall event soon.  How soon is soon?  From tomorrow to likely a dozen years from now which, granted, you may not share in my timing.  I adhere to the Olduvi Theory which states 2030 will see the same oil production as 1930 did.

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This theory is of course just that and it might be incorrect.  I do submit to you however, that it is a far more scientifically valid idea than “infinite growth on a finite planet” or “fracking is energy independence even though most fracking wells are down up to 90% production in just five years, each well cost ten million and change, but I’m still pretty sure it can go on for another two hundred years and support a global population of 15 billion”.  And if the bell curve is correct, we are already screwed, for the simple fact is that a hundred years ago the population was a lot smaller and if you go by EROI rather than volume for production we are probably already at 1930 levels.  Total energy derived, not per capita oil availability which would be far less.  The fat lady has already sung and the opera is already letting out.  And that is the BEST problem we could be facing.  A 2008 derivatives implosion repeat, a too rapid petrodollar collapse, we can see our global empire crumble very quickly and with no warning.  Not an overnight collapse but a few months long collapse. 

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Now, I’m not trying to counter my advice about debt.  I still think the powers that be will find the time to harass you about delinquent payments.  What I am pondering is whether it will truly matter.  If systematic collapse is in the cards, rather than another decade or two of economic collapse, debt isn’t as of important a consideration as we’ve all believed.  If you mail in the keys to the house and deliver the car to the bank, you are left with student loans and credit card debt.  You can, mostly, discharge the credit card debt or at least reschedule payments in bankruptcy.  Some states, you are screwed and assume the unpaid liability of your house, but if I’m not mistaken sometimes an attorney can play that game to your favor.  But if you conceive of a waterfall collapse playing out in mere months rather than years, you can probably string that along until it doesn’t matter.  I’m not claiming you can escape consequences due to everyone else also defaulting.  You can’t count on that.  But can you count on legally sidestepping most debt through the collapse until you can then walk away? 

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Again, if all you think is going to happen is more long slow collapse, you need to be out of debt completely.  Me, I truly believe in Malthusian Survivalism.  You know where I stand.  This bitch is going down and nothing will save us.  But I’m also not stuck in your situation.  Only you can decide.  I just don’t think I’m giving dangerous advice here.  If getting out of debt is impossible, how are you doing anything you aren’t already doing, anyway?  Instead of killing yourself somewhat paying down some of your debt, just keep scrimping for that extra funding and prep with it.  If you can easily get out of debt, it does make your life easier and gives you extra options.  Which you might need to utilize as coping with a faster and faster collapse becomes more and more difficult.  But if you can’t pay off the debt ( if you live in a state you are stuck with the house, if that hundred grand student loan isn’t close to being paid off ), then don’t even try.  Minimize your payments-hell, refinance if possible, if they are even still allowing that-and prep like crazy.  As long as you prep smart and frugal rather than panicky toy buying.  It will come in a lot handier than having your bankers gratitude.

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So, since we’ve covered prepping while being OUT of debt many times, let’s focus on prepping while IN debt.  Your first priority was getting your bare bones supplies.  Then you got junk land.  Then you decided paying extra to get out of debt was counterproductive ( I’m assuming you are aware of all the risks such as immediate complete payment insistence by the bank and etc.  I don’t pretend to be a financial consultant here ).  Now your next step is to actually change your lifestyle so as to actually free up those extra funds.  This isn’t THAT hard.  If you are stuck with your cable bill, being on a contract, or your cell phone payment, there is still eating out to consider.  40% of all American meals are eaten outside the home.  That is insane.  Even worse, 40% of that 40% is at McDonald’s.  God, how that food is retched.  I can eat their fries and their chicken nuggets and everything else gives me an immediate stomach ache of historic proportions ( and lately it seems they did something to the fries, and I won’t eat them anymore as the taste is terrible ). 

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Please don’t use the excuse that you don’t have enough time to cook.  With a microwave, crock pot and “air fryer”, cooking simply cannot be easier.  And I’m NOT talking about frozen processed foods for diner but cooking from raw ingredients.  How hard, really, is to throw together a salad, cut and fry chunks of meat ( use a cleaver instead of a knife, and keep it sharp with a Rada sharpener and it is easy peasy ) and mix them in with instant rice?  Three people, about $3-$5.  How is spending $13 at McDonalds better than that?  Left over mashed potatoes get nuked as a paddy, and you throw those meat chunks into a few cups of gravy and you are done.  I hate tomato sauce, so for pasta I add hamburger to angel hair, mix in butter and add parmesan cheese.  A chunk of bread added and there’s a meal ( I don’t usually worry about a veggie for dinner as it is part of lunch.  Well, a second lunch as my metabolism usually demands four or five very small meals.  And I despise cooked veggies-they have to be raw.  So that saves a lot of time ).  I grant you readily that McDonald’s tastes far better than home cooked.  But it is terrible for you ( if you watch the documentary on Netflix, “Super Size Me”, the guy got a POUND of sugar a day eating three McDonald’s meals ).

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Nothing wrong with eating out once a month.  It becomes a treat, it tastes better, it is a lot cheaper and a lot healthier for you.  The Lots Cheaper being the primary focus right now ( of course, if I knew when the collapse was due, I’d splurge and eat out a lot for a few weeks.  Not Mickey’s, but eating like I’d never see some food items ever again.  Big steaks, curly fries, seafood.  Okay, I’d still eat McDonald’s chicken nuggets-and McRib if they had it.  I think.  I haven’t had one of those in twenty years ).  But let’s not wander too far off our collapse activities priority list.  You know how to save money-you just don’t want to since it involves deprivation.  I’ll leave it at that.  So, assuming you’ve freed up spending cash, what is next?  Add to your bare bones.  Not insanely.  It isn’t time to buy 9mm pistols, freeze dried foods, bug-out $1k bicycles or that Gott Damned night vision scope.  Keep being frugal.  Remember, we are on a strict timeline and severe budget constraint.  You can’t go nuts.  But you can add powdered milk, even if from the store in boxes since you can salvage enough plastic trash to store it in.  Can some meat or even get a food dehydrator and dry 99 cent hotdogs ( or, if on sale, far better a ham ).  Anything except freeze dried #10 cans.  More ammunition.  A scope or three.  Just keep adding inexpensive but needed items.  Hell, even lumber, glass and insulation. 

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You have a lot of preps you need to even come close to being comfortable and safer, but they can all be cheap.  You should have enough grasp on frugal survivalism by now to know what to do.  Just don’t go crazy, like I did for three years.  After prepping poor for a dozen years ( except six months prior to Y2K ) I went hog wild making up for lost time, buying multiples of everything.  Nothing expensive.  A dozen bayonets, years worth of bike parts, more solar panels.  Just multiples of everything I’d need for years to come prior to and after the collapse.  A lot more wheat, more grinders.  More water filters.  I might have gone overboard.  You just need to round out the bare bones plan.  Next up, I’d recommend starting to save.  First up, put aside enough money for that attorney for bankruptcy.  The “expert” say save six months of your salary.  I say, save up enough to declare bankruptcy, have enough daily food in your home for six months eating, and THEN have six months worth of whatever small amount you’ll need for bills.  You’ll be on your junk land, with no debt ( or at least a lot less ) and no grocery bills, so how much would you actually still need?  Far less than your present salary.

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What comes after that?  Now you start prepping beyond a year.  Shoot for five years.  Lots more wheat, lots more ammo.  Underground shelter ( even if it is only a cinderblock hut with dirt piled up to the roof, not dug down due to flooding ) if needed.  And if you have harsh winters, it is needed.  If you don’t want to deal with dirt, even plastered sandbags, just double insulate, triple on the roof.  You stay comfortable with minimum fuel.  The trick here is to keep your preps at the bare bones level, just adding quantity rather than quality.  You have five years of wheat, but perhaps just about five months worth of dead animal protein stocked.  That kind of thing.  Lots of ammo but few guns.  You need to know when to stop so you can move on to the next item.  I’d focus on quality of life items now.  Not luxury items like $1200 HK-91 clones, or FLIR scopes or freeze dried foods.  No, ways to improve your life now.  Now might be the time to invest in your hobby business so you can plan on leaving the corporate nest.  Leaving the rat race soon voluntarily rather than waiting to be forced during the collapse.  Don’t just invest in post-apocalypse business, but one you’ll enjoy doing now.  If it is basket weaving, fine.  If it is computer programming video games, fine.  It is for doing what you love rather than what makes you money.  Semi-retirement, as it were.

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If the only investment you need is paying off your debt to be able to live on almost no income, now is the time to do so.  You are all set prepping, so now is the time to use that crappy job you hate to invest in being able to quit that job.  You can’t time the collapse.  So you don’t try.  Priorities first, working your way up to less immediately necessary tasks and tools.  But once you’ve taken care of business it is time to reward yourself.  Wouldn’t it be nice for all this sacrifice and hard work to be not only rewarding in the end, but actually having a discernable end in sight?  All prepping and no work that brings you joy makes Jack a very dull boy.

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