Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy new year.

   I wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year.At this time of year people are always making resolutions about losing weight , drinking ,smoking, and other things in their life that they want to change. That fine I have made them, some I have even kept till January the 6th.

    This year I will  be skipping RESOLUTIONS ! In place I will have Goals. I know its kind of the same thing but a goal is a place one want to be at  some point in the new year. With oil crashing and gas along with it .The stock market going up. Gold and silver falling, Inflation up ,only 6 out of 10 people working. I feel time is short before Something Big and Bad will happen .No not next week but in the next 12 to 24 months .

   1 find and fill holes in long term food storage !
   2 increase fuel storage gas and propane
   3 learn more on food storage cooking
   4 finish home repairs and yard work
   5 add to ammo before it disappears again.
  
   These are just a start . oh yea #6 is lose weight and eat healthier. Its an annually lie I had to add it in. Happy New Year




Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas .

      A Very Merry Christmas To All. May every one have a safe and happy holiday.




        Santa is a prepper too. He makes lists and checks them Twice!





     Wearing camo doesn't  mean you are fearless or brave.

 No you can't have her instead of an AR15. Remember your wife has a 12 gauge and knows how to use it.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

A good time to get gear cheap !

     I know this time of year most people are shopping online or in big box stores looking for gifts. Now if your like me we men tend to wander off at some point to the automotive, Sporting goods and Hardware. Last weekend I skipped out to the pawn shop next door to a store my wife was in .Usually the prices at most pawn shops are high but last week I got a couple of good tools cheap and a lot of the prices were a bargain . The ladies at the register said sales were low during Christmas but pawns were high so they had to clear some room and generate cash. I bought a electric chainsaw a Homelite43120 with new chain and bar for 20.00  and a Milwaukee skill saw with a high end blade for 10.00. They both are in great shape . Most the electronics were still high but tools camping gear and out door items were cheap. Now a lot of people feel giving someone a used gift is wrong but if someone needs something and you can find a bargain  at a pawn shop or thrift store now may be your chance. 

P.S. The chainsaw and skill saw are going to be gifts to me from my wife. We have a deal where I buy the gift she gives me and she buys the gift I give her :) it works.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Gun porn

   She may be a prepper but she still wants her gun and hummer to match. Camo isn't her thing.

Monday, December 8, 2014

A few things to do before retirement .

    My last to 2 post have been kind of dark about retirement but retirement should be a happy enjoy able time. What brought on the bad mood is its tax time (property) insurance (cars and house), the holidays and a slow time for projects and BBQ . It has got me thinking about things I need to do so I don't wake up in 10 years and have an Oh Shit moment realizing I am retirement age and in trouble. While I wrote the other post I thought of a lady I once worked with that lives near here.
     Flo was 58 at the time she told me about this. I had just bought my house that's what started our conversation. Flo told me she was getting ready to retire at 62 so she was remodeling her house. A roof new appliances (I bought her used washer and dryer),painted inside and out. She got her a new car, had medical checks and dental took care of. She had a tree removed and her yard had beds removed so it was a flat straight mow job. She spent money as she got paid financed the car and the roof so it was paid off when she quit.
 She had a plan, NO payments and everything almost new to last her trough her retirement. She got to travel and last time I saw her she was mowing her yard. That car she had got was even in the drive .

    I have 10 years till I am of age to retire I guess I have already from real work . The house needs a lot of repairs we need a new truck the yard is a nightmare. The bad part is I am in the same boat as most that wake up and realize retirement has arrived and they didn't have a plan or income they need to get it done.Fortunantly I have 10 years to get things in shape Make a plan and get set to live on a Questionable income.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Imagine life on minimum S.S.

     My last post I wrote how Fixed income would now be subject to reduction. But I didn't touch on the rise in medical cost (now Mandatory) Inflation and the general increases in what is spent to be able to function as we age. At present S.S.says inflation was 1.6 present . Ahh how much has insurance gone up?8% 12% power gas phone water sewer ? If the government can cap increases in pay at 1.6% for S.S. and lie that that keeps up with inflation shouldn't it make it illegal for company's that provide senior services to go up more ?

    Now just for fun lets look at a person receiving the S.S.age62 minimum check.
    S.S. 726$
     Standard utility allowance for 1 is 355$ a month per household.
     Food cost per USDA for 1 is 189$ a month
     Medicaid part B is 104$ per month.
     The total for these 3 things  is 648$ out of 726$ now that leaves the staggering sum of  78$ for rent, car, gasoline, cloths, phone and medicine .

    Of the above expenses lets say a person only spends 240$ on utility's. They may be able to eat for 120$ a month. You can forget having part B coverage that leaves you with 366$ for rent and other stuff. GOLDEN YEARS MY ASS.

    The 726$ mark is not arbitrary it is well thought out by the government. It puts you above income for food stamps, most public housing, utility assistance, and a lot of other services.

     

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Old age survival plans may be changing.

     We all have Plans on retiring and a ruff idea of what our income will be.For some it is social security only for others it is a pension savings and SS .The days of set in stone payouts are ending. Social security has said by 2030 it may have to reduce payout to 85 to 90 % now Congress is going to allow pension plans to reduce payouts to maintain solvency.http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/congress-could-soon-allow-pension-plans-to-cut-benefits-for-current-retirees/ar-BBgj0f9?ocid=U141DHP   Now I do not have a pension plan but I do believe that 80% of a retirement is better than nothing. This affects private plans but government plans will soon be included.

   In the city of Pritchard Al. they haven't payed a penny in retirement since 2009.Can we say Detroit once the flood gate open you will see this at all levels nation wide. The days of fixed income retirements may be ending.
     In the title I used the term survival rather than retirement for a reason . In the past people worked to 65 and then quit to enjoy the benefits that they had earned in their working life. Now those benefits can be changed at a whim. Will you have the flexibility to adapt to the change. Do you have a worst case plan to fall back on?

   Retirement should be planed for like a survival situation. If it isn't as bad as you planed you are sitting pretty if it goes to crap you were prepared for it.