So is the s*%t starting to hit the fan for you?

[SKR8PN]

The city we live near(Mansfield) is starting to see quite a few "home invasions". A polite way of saying the SOB's kick your door in and demand money. I hope some of the bad guys tries it out here. One can never get to much target practice. Anymore, I never leave home without a firearm. Never. 99% of the time I either have one on me, or within arms reach, no matter which building I am in. I fear for my neighbors, all of which are elderly and frail. We keep an eye on them as much as possible.
I don't know that I would say the stuff has actually hit the fan yet, but it isn't getting any prettier. My business is down to a crawl, but we have positioned ourselves well, have almost no debt, so I am not to concerned.I only need to make enough to cover buying electricity, propane and more ammo.

 

[TanksHill]

Hang in there OldFashioned. Last year my dh had his employment cut drastically. We lived off my sored foods and freezer or about 6 months. It's ok not to replace it. When things start to pick up you can add back then. Spring is also coming. Do you have plans for a garden? If not get working in them. It will help considerably.

There are many houses on the market around me and several I know are empty. That alone worries me.

g

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

. I hope some of the bad guys tries it out here. One can never get to much target practice.

just remember, brother, we'll all get together to bail you out
;-)

and yep, oldfashioned, hang in there. remember this is a season and it will pass. dont give into temptation to panic. be thoughtful, plan well, and dont waste anything. you'll be ok.

 

[SKR8PN]

. I hope some of the bad guys tries it out here. One can never get to much target practice.

just remember, brother, we'll all get together to bail you out
;-)

and yep, oldfashioned, hang in there. remember this is a season and it will pass. dont give into temptation to panic. be thoughtful, plan well, and dont waste anything. you'll be ok.

Hang in there oldfashioned, better times are coming, at least that's what they keep telling us.

Glad to see you have my back OFG. I already have my speech down pat. "He threatened my life" , "I had to use deadly force to stop him" and lastly, "I want to talk to my attorney". Then you shut the h e l l up.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

.....and remember to drag the body back into the house
;-)

 

[SKR8PN]

.....and remember to drag the body back into the house
;-)

No need for all that work. Ohio now has the castle doctrine.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

The little town near us has been having about 1business per week shut down. It is a VERY small town to begin with. The only retail stores are a dollar store, a Brookshire's, and a tiny local grocer. Maybe 3 or so gas stations. The home health care office is pulling out. Last week it was a resale store that closed, the week before a small restaurant-candy shop, and the week before that a gas station. The movie theatre closed, and another restaurant. I'd say the place is about 25% empty. The dollar store expanded though. It's about the only place a lot of folks can afford to buy groceries.

My road has about 1/2 the houses empty. The nearby resort-type area has well over 50% of the houses for sale, but I don't think they are foreclosures.

I don't hear too much about crime. Then again, I don't read the paper or have a way to watch local news. I don't encounter a lot of worry about it. Folks surely ARE worried about how they are going to get by.

As for me, I'd say I set myself pretty well. Now I'm thankful for that. I finally found a job last Seotember. The problem is, our business depends on everyone else paying us. My boss was underpaying me, but it never seemed like a good time to bring it up as her parents were in the hospital one after the other, and her husband had surgery. Now my pay is WAY behind and I haven't been able to cash my last check for weeks. The good news is that I had already stocked up pretty well so I've been eating mostly out of the pantry/freezer for months, so I don't yet FEEL the tightness. However ... Insurance and taxes are coming due, and they don't take eggs to pay for electricity, gas, and feed. So I'm just about at the point where something is going to have to happen if I'm going to make it. I've seen lots of new faces around at work, so I know the income should be up there. I hope so. I really wanted to buy bacon yesterday and it's on sale, but I was 50 cents short, and my boss seems to be out sick this week, and she promised to meet with me again last week to go over all this. But thankfully I DO have other food in there. And spring is coming ... Need that for the animals' sake ... I'm sure they'll appreciate the fresh growing variety again.

So I'd say in general, around here, it's in the fan already for lots of folks. For me, it's getting close. I'm just so thankful that having firewood keeps you warm and having stored food keeps you fed. I've always been one to prepare for a "rainy day" anyway, but not a hardcore survivalist. My grandparents made it through tough times too, and I hope I've taken lessons from them.

 

[tortoise]

I appreciate you guys posting here.

Nothing much here. Small rural town. A couple things went out of business. A floral-gift shop that opened for less than a year (c'mon, market research people). A dog groomer retired and also closed the attached art gallery. A realtor went out of business.

Our finances are changing just from adding 2 more people to the household and me not working. My fiance has a very secure job (thank god!).

Thanks for reminders that good don't things don't last forever.

 

[Wifezilla]

January is our slow time and this is also when a bunch of bills come due. Estimated quarterly taxes, sales tax, unemployment insurance payment, etc....

So this is naturally when the plumbing backs up and the out of warrantee work computer blows a power supply.

Yes this is only short term tightness, but our customers are struggling and you can only make so much money faxing resumes, leap applications and unemployment paperwork.

We used to sell a lot of flyers, brochures and postcards to real estate agents and mortgage brokers. Now we only have 2 steady clients and even they have cut way back.

 

[savingdogs]

I think for us the stuff has not only hit the fan, but the fan has blown it all over the room now, too and it is starting to dry.