Is There a Storm Brewing?

It has only been a month since I read in the Seattle Times that housing prices here in the Northwest were finally starting to climb again and then we get hit with more bad news.  It seems not a day goes by when I don’t see some economist or another stating dire predictions for Europe and the Euro and the ramifications for us here in the U.S.  It’s a global economy now, so all that impacts us whether we like it or not.

We see things like: the stock market has taken hits these last few months after looking better earlier in the year and overall consumer confidence is down (see article here).  Just today, employment/unemployment numbers came out and the U.S. job situation took a big hit with lower than expected jobs created in May.  Jon Talton, a writer for the Seattle Times states, “With the decline in labor-force participation, the unemployment rate badly underestimates joblessness” and that "average hours and weekly wages fell.” These job numbers resulted in stocks plummeting – yet again.  It seems it is bad news, bad news, and more bad news. 

Are we in for a triple dip recession?  Did we ever come out of the one we’ve been in? I don’t think so.

So what am I going to do about it?  I’m going to continue my quest to become more self sufficient. I like what Phil Burns called “standard of living insurance” in his Five Principle of Preparedness article. He says, “we can provide our families with the assurance that we will be able to maintain a certain standard of living.  This standard of living is dictated by the level of preparedness we are able to achieve and maintain.” He reminds us all that we have house insurance, car insurance, life insurance, health insurance and other types of insurance to help us get by when something ill befalls us.  But have you thought about food, water, electricity, and other bare necessities if something occurs to disrupt the supply of those crucial items?  As Phil says, “a hedge against calamity”. It doesn’t even have to be a economic, natural or other type of disaster even.  What if there were a job loss, or someone got ill and couldn’t work to the point it impacted your ability to purchase these necessities?  Being prepared is a lifestyle choice not many people make; however, I urge anyone reading this to consider stocking up on essentials. 

Our modern world has seen us become a nation of people who live week to week off of what we can buy in a store.  That, my friends, is not being prepared.

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