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Nifty Thrifty:  Preparing For A Depression  |
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farmgirlnextdoor
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Sandy
FORT WORTH
TX
USA
52 Posts |
 Posted - May 04 2020 : 12:14:48 PM
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I've been looking into ways to prepare for a possible depression. I think the economy will bounce back once this is over, but that could be a while. In the meantime, I don't know how bad it will get so I'm trying to prepare. This is what I've learned we should be doing:
1. Prepare your finances. This one is obvious. Pay off debt, save, etc.
2. Update/learn new skills. You may need to trade skills for necessities and additional skills will make you more employable. I'm using the merit badges for this as well as attending graduate school.
3. Food will be the biggest consideration so gardening, keeping chickens, having some food storage, etc. Consider eating less meat and using more plant-based meals.
4. Take care of any medical needs as soon as possible. Get a physical and take care of anything you've been putting off including dental work. Have a home pharmacy.
5. Build your reference library. We don't know if internet will be available or what it will cost during a depression. Pretend we don't have it and build a home library with reference books and fiction for entertainment.
If a depression does not materialize we are still better off for having done these things. We'll be better prepared for whatever happens.
Sandy
Farmgirl Sister #8063
http://www.thefarmgirlnextdoor.com
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Edited by - farmgirlnextdoor on May 04 2020 12:16:12 PM |
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HollerGirl56
True Blue Farmgirl
1334 Posts
Barbara
Flat Top
WV
USA
1334 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2020 : 04:00:23 AM
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Well girl---you are right on for sure! Hubby just retired and we are cashing in his life insurance to pay off our credit card debt. We are blessed as our house and car are paid for. We have few bills and live a simple life--grow our own food and are going to raise thirty chickens the end of May. I have only had internet for about three years or so and I always used books for reference---so very many books I do have. No time to be bored in this house. I buy big bags of flour and beans from Sam's Club and I have a lot stored---always had emergency food stored. Although I do worry about food for my dear animals---they will eat before I do---LOL. Great post and we are retired and thank God for that---although I do have a housecleaning job I can't go to and that hurts---but just being alive and well is enough. And here in West Virginia social distancing is pretty easy. We are blessed and bless you too. Carry on
Old Age Ain't No Place For Sissies!------Bette Davis |
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9094 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9094 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2020 : 06:18:27 AM
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Funny that you should post this, I just ordered two books about the great depression of the 1930's.
Sandy and Barb thanks for the good ideas. Never know whats coming over the hill.
NANCY JO |
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farmgirlnextdoor
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Sandy
FORT WORTH
TX
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2020 : 10:16:35 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by HollerGirl56
Well girl---you are right on for sure! Hubby just retired and we are cashing in his life insurance to pay off our credit card debt. We are blessed as our house and car are paid for. We have few bills and live a simple life--grow our own food and are going to raise thirty chickens the end of May. I have only had internet for about three years or so and I always used books for reference---so very many books I do have. No time to be bored in this house. I buy big bags of flour and beans from Sam's Club and I have a lot stored---always had emergency food stored. Although I do worry about food for my dear animals---they will eat before I do---LOL. Great post and we are retired and thank God for that---although I do have a housecleaning job I can't go to and that hurts---but just being alive and well is enough. And here in West Virginia social distancing is pretty easy. We are blessed and bless you too. Carry on
Old Age Ain't No Place For Sissies!------Bette Davis
Love all of this, Barb. I'm moving toward living those ways as a lifestyle not just when something looks like it may go wrong.
Sandy
Farmgirl Sister #8063
http://www.thefarmgirlnextdoor.com
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farmgirlnextdoor
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Sandy
FORT WORTH
TX
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2020 : 10:17:15 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Nancy Gartenman
Funny that you should post this, I just ordered two books about the great depression of the 1930's.
Sandy and Barb thanks for the good ideas. Never know whats coming over the hill.
NANCY JO
Glad you could use some of the ideas, Nancy Jo.
Sandy
Farmgirl Sister #8063
http://www.thefarmgirlnextdoor.com
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RachelLeigh
True Blue Farmgirl
635 Posts
Rachel
Rainier
WA
USA
635 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2020 : 11:24:09 AM
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We've done Latter-Day Saint (LDS) style food storage for a few years now, even though we're not LDS. (We're Jewish). But given the current situation, our food storage has greatly expanded and I now "shop" from my pantry when I cook.(My "pantry" is a workshop in our outbuilding which has about a dozen shelf units set up, plus built-in shelving along the walls). In addition to the many shelf-stable foods we have, we also have some of the 25-year-storage emergency foods, and are going to order more MJF foods as soon as we can. I'm also scouring my cookbook collection to find recipes that are minimalist in nature and only use a few ingredients at a time. So far, I've had luck with my Amish cookbook, some cookbooks from the 40s, and one called Grandma's Wartime Kitchen, which gives recipes that were used during food rationing. The Pantry Project, as I'm calling it, has become a massive passion of mine.
I'm also about to dig out my "survival" book collection and "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" book.
Farmgirl Sister #127
My blog: http://14thandoak.com
"Nowadays, even living simply - working only to acquire life's most basic necessities, demands so much." - Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
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MaryJanesNiece
True Blue Farmgirl
7253 Posts
Krista
Utah
USA
7253 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2020 : 11:53:30 AM
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Sandy, these are some great tips. I knew this pandemic would cause some issues with our economy but I hadn’t thought much about it causing a depression. I’m glad you brought this up. I want to make sure I’m prepared for this as well. I like the idea of cookbooks based off of simple eating and fewer ingredients. I will have to see what recipes I can find.
Krista |
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farmgirlnextdoor
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Sandy
FORT WORTH
TX
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2020 : 8:11:46 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by RachelLeigh
We've done Latter-Day Saint (LDS) style food storage for a few years now, even though we're not LDS. (We're Jewish). But given the current situation, our food storage has greatly expanded and I now "shop" from my pantry when I cook.(My "pantry" is a workshop in our outbuilding which has about a dozen shelf units set up, plus built-in shelving along the walls). In addition to the many shelf-stable foods we have, we also have some of the 25-year-storage emergency foods, and are going to order more MJF foods as soon as we can. I'm also scouring my cookbook collection to find recipes that are minimalist in nature and only use a few ingredients at a time. So far, I've had luck with my Amish cookbook, some cookbooks from the 40s, and one called Grandma's Wartime Kitchen, which gives recipes that were used during food rationing. The Pantry Project, as I'm calling it, has become a massive passion of mine.
I'm also about to dig out my "survival" book collection and "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" book.
Farmgirl Sister #127
My blog: http://14thandoak.com
"Nowadays, even living simply - working only to acquire life's most basic necessities, demands so much." - Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
After reading this, I'm going to be looking for an Amish cookbook. I have a "pantry project" going on at my house too, but I'm not as far along as you are.
Sandy
Farmgirl Sister #8063
http://www.thefarmgirlnextdoor.com
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farmgirlnextdoor
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Sandy
FORT WORTH
TX
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2020 : 8:12:47 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by MaryJanesNiece
Sandy, these are some great tips. I knew this pandemic would cause some issues with our economy but I hadn’t thought much about it causing a depression. I’m glad you brought this up. I want to make sure I’m prepared for this as well. I like the idea of cookbooks based off of simple eating and fewer ingredients. I will have to see what recipes I can find.
Krista
It's a lot to think about. I'm so dependent on the internet that I don't have a single reference book in my house. I'll be starting from scratch.
Sandy
Farmgirl Sister #8063
http://www.thefarmgirlnextdoor.com
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9443 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9443 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2020 : 3:43:11 PM
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Rachel,
I do enjoy my copy of Encyclopedia of Country Living. Going to look for a copy of Grandmas Wartime Kitchen.
I think that would be most helpful.
~Denise
Sister #43~1/18/2007
"I am a bookaholic and I have no desire to be cured." 
"Home is where we find comfort, security, memories, friendship, hospitality, and above all, family. It is the place that deserves our commitment and loyalty." William J. Bennett
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
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Dreamer42
True Blue Farmgirl
2694 Posts
April
Central
Oregon
USA
2694 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2020 : 9:01:20 PM
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Sandy, great tips and reminders! I've been concerned of a depression as well... we've begun several of your checklist items, can never be too prepared. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst... I'll be googling for the cookbook as well, thx for the tip! Hugs!
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
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EMGJulie
True Blue Farmgirl
54 Posts
Julie
CLAWSON
MI
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2020 : 04:21:01 AM
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Sandy, so glad you wrote about this. I've been building a small reference library for years. Prepper books are helpful because it's a little bit of info on every topic (food, shelter, first aid, communication) in one book. We are on a well/septic and I had no idea how getting water out of the ground works so I bought a book on that. Here in the midwest, I'm looking into having cold frames to extend the growing season. I'm also taking note of the wild plants that are abundant though I would like an expert to walk my yard with me to really know what plants are edible. You are so right to mention that we need physical books and I get puzzled looks if this comes up in conversation. And building a library can be very inexpensive as thrift and antique stores can have a plethora of DIY books.
Julie (awaiting Sister #) |
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suny58
True Blue Farmgirl
4411 Posts
Dianna
Jack
Al.
USA
4411 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2020 : 07:06:15 AM
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Thank you Sandy! I've been preparing for this for a while just here and there but in the last 8 months or so have really buckled down on dried goods, medical supplies, and such. Very good tips! Thank you!!
Farmgirl #7103
FGOTM January 2018
Dianna
"Blessed are they that see beautiful things in humble places, where other people see nothing." Pissarro |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2020 : 9:28:01 PM
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Sandy, I'm right there with you girl. With ALL of you.
Rachel - I have a "Pantry Project" of my own going on, too. Kudos to you! SO important. My family thought I was crazy til Covid hit. Now I'm a goddess! LOL! (Just kidding!) We don't have an LDS Cannery nearby, but I have purchased some of their dried goods online. I am definitely going to check out the Wartime Kitchen cookbooks!
If any of you are interested, you can catch some really great BBC series on YouTube like Wartime Farm, Wartime Kitchen and Garden, Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm, etc. They are very interesting/educational. I just can't get enough of them. And their series, "Land Girls" is really more for entertainment, but I really enjoy that one, too!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Nifty Thrifty: Preparing For A Depression |
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Preparing For A Depression
