14 Signs That Most Americans Are Flat Broke And Totally Unprepared For The Coming Economic Crisis

Bottom line is that should the system break down for any reason -
Within a week half of America would be begging the government to save them, rights and freedoms be damned.
What of the other half that are prepared?
Government can wait them out too.

They spent years of your taxes stockpiling everything they will need to live comfortably while the rest starve.
How thoughtful of the Continuity of Government planners.

a reply to: Char-Lee

That's what I thought I'd need it for, 2012 ... or actually, I was under the delusion that it would happen before 2012. Thought I was really hot stuff and prepared. Joke's on me now, I'll be eating the old expired rusted cans of food that are out in the shed collecting dust. Which will probably poison me, so I'll croak and won't have to deal with the apocalypse

originally posted by: blujay
a reply to: Char-Lee

That's what I thought I'd need it for, 2012 ... or actually, I was under the delusion that it would happen before 2012. Thought I was really hot stuff and prepared. Joke's on me now, I'll be eating the old expired rusted cans of food that are out in the shed collecting dust. Which will probably poison me, so I'll croak and won't have to deal with the apocalypse

LOl actually the same happened with us, only those buy the Mountain House 30 year stuff will be ready as far as food goes...

a reply to: jimmyx

The who is both party.

a reply to: wasaka

And we seek reasons why the government for several years has been preparing us for some great catastrophe. It is not war, disease, Yellowstone, earthquakes or asteroid strikes, it is nothing more than the sinking, inevitable collapse of the world's economy. It appears from all signs that we will not be the first to fail, because the situation is even worse elsewhere, but probably we won't be the last either.

a reply to: wasaka

" If you are trusting in the government to save you when things fall apart, you will be severely disappointed."


Well , there's Always Theft......

originally posted by: Agit8dChop
a reply to: Cuervo

and steal it all..

If anarchy broke out i'd just get 5 mates, all armed to go and hijack someone's home who'd bee hording and preparing.

Impossible. I already hired Seeker1963 to guard my Scrooge McDuck-esque vault.

And witchcraft. People are always afraid to rob a place when pentagrams and bottles full of urine and blood are strewn about.

a reply to: wasaka

In your OP it stresses on the fact that most Americans aren't ready for the next economic crises.

My interest and concern is related to how so many Americans got into this mess and what that says about our society in general.

It's very dismal and punitive if you ask me. Especially the student loan debt and collection practices.

The op focuses on money. That system is rigged and needs to change.

I personally have tens of thousands of dollars in debt (yes, I had, have and almost always have had insurance but this is mostly medical debt)

On the other hand, I have more than one garden, grow mushrooms, I forage for wild foods, I make beer and wine, make recycled art, build things, solar powered and other wise from salvaged parts.

Am I prepared for whatever? Certainly not on paper certainly not by the numbers.

but, I think I'll be alright.

a reply to: seeker1963

I have often said the same of Ramen noodles and while one may giggle about it right now, if the world suddenly went nuts, money would be worthless (as you said). You could get far more for a package of Ramen than you could get with $10.

One person said they're now eating rusty canned goods from their old "emergency stash." Yes, you have to build up a stash for emergencies, but you have to cycle through these supplies and not let them get expired. Buy a little at a time and when the first cans get near expiration time, eat them and buy new ones to replace them. Keep cycyling through them in this way so you've always got some fresh, new stuff. It also helps if you really like Ramen noodles and potted meat in times of no emergency as well!

I've got this nifty recipe for manicotti made with potted meat.... (I call it potticotti, by the way.)

the stupid thing about all this, the part that just makes me angry and sick to my stomach, is that we currently have enough physical resources right here in this country, to grow all the food and create all the other stuff we need, including the steel, the rubber, the oil, the chemicals, medicines, care products like diapers and bottles, and toys and electronics and computer stuff. what in the sam hill is going on? we have all that right here, right now. if we were allowed to have our own businesses and build our own factories and create our own goods, the jobs and money would skyrocket and begin to recirculate around the globe.

i hate marxism. it pisses on everyone's parade

originally posted by: undo
the stupid thing about all this, the part that just makes me angry and sick to my stomach, is that we currently have enough physical resources right here in this country, to grow all the food and create all the other stuff we need, including the steel, the rubber, the oil, the chemicals, medicines, care products like diapers and bottles, and toys and electronics and computer stuff. what in the sam hill is going on? we have all that right here, right now. if we were allowed to have our own businesses and build our own factories and create our own goods, the jobs and money would skyrocket and begin to recirculate around the globe.

I agree.

Innovation in America is dying.
Not because people don't have 10 great ideas a day.
But because people don't trust the system not to steal it from them if they try.

For example: the guy who invented sliced bread died broke.
Otto Rohwedder.


He did everything right.

He developed the technology himself.
He got patents for his new machine.
He invested.

But no one bought it.





"For fifteen years, no one bought it, no one knew about it, it was a complete and total failure." -Seth Godin [ timestop 0:50 - 1:23 ]

Only after a large corporation could 'own' his patents
was a major marketing campaign started up that made
the saying "As easy as sliced bread" a household phrase.


Innovation in America is dying.
Not because people don't have 10 great ideas a day.
But because people don't trust the system not to steal it from them if they try.


Mike Grouchy

a reply to: wasaka

Inflationary boundaries are being reached for anyone making under 15 dollars an hour. You will not be able to afford food and housing in the very near future. 3-5 years at this rate and this could happen even faster if inflation keeps rising out of control.


The numbers the government put out are all lies or half truths. Real unemployment is right around 20-30%. Households have no more lifelines to use. Both spouses are working......Can not take on more debt.....Already working overtime......This can not go on much longer without crashing. The stock market is being manipulated daily to keep up the lie.



Think I am way off base.......Keep track of your grocery bills and see the simple cold hard truth.

a reply to: mikegrouchy

Innovation means nothing when no one can afford the new gadget or do-hickey. Until we bring the currency inflation rate under control nothing......And I mean nothing will change.




Inflation is the most dangerous thing facing this county today. Fiat currencies always fail......We currently have a currency bubble that can not be bailed out. When it crashes....And it will 401K's will vanish overnight.

Guess I'm fine compared to some. I have long term food stored up always. Guess that's what I get for dealing in wholesale food items all the time. I have lots of items to barter with and a very large skill set to barter with as well.

Only down side I'm not in a great area, but I'm out of the way and out of sight. Plus there are better looking targets out in the open then my place.

a reply to: mikegrouchy

Innovation in America is dying.
Not because people don't have 10 great ideas a day.
But because people don't trust the system not to steal it from them if they try.

Also starting a business like one we started a few years ago is difficult and takes a ton in money and labor, but then along came CA inspectors that required we build another bathroom and enlarge both to fit wheelchairs, remove the sinks and lower them for wheelchairs, retile the already nice concrete painted floor in the kitchen, redo the parking lot that had been fine for the previous business for 20 years as was all the other stuff, but start new and they hit you with all the new regulations and on and on until finally they broke us before we got to start.

The taxes on business and the demand to pay taxes by quarter and paying tax on money not yet earned is such a burden that they crush new business.

There was a UK Youtube video about money which said if you have just $10 and no debt you are richer than 25% of Americans.
Skip to 4:40

originally posted by: seeker1963
Your assuming that those services will still be available. How many employees will show up for work? When the current derivatives market collapses and shuts down the top 6 banks in the US because they have over 200 Trillion in unaccountable funds invested in it, do you think people will show up to work when banks shut down?

How 9 Banks Are Exposed To $200 Trillion Worth Of Derivatives

The above link in from 2012! It's WORSE NOW!

The government will fund things, if they have to nationalize the utility companies and give food stamps to everyone they'll do it. Grocery stores are one of the few things that can almost guarantee they won't go out of business, they'll have plenty of employees

That said, the derivatives market keeps me awake at night. It is a complete and total unmitigated disaster that sooner or later will trigger a total worldwide currency collapse.