the depression begins?

[Tarrel]

(6 December 2012, 22:51)Cloud Wrote: Well from what im reading about stuff in the US atm, the dollar is pretty much dead, and its just a matter of time till it hits home over there, and has a chain effect bringing down the rest of europe russia etc.

The price of stuff is going to keep going up quite simply.

I agree. There are a couple of billion people in India and China, all aspiring to be middle class and have the same stuff we have. There's only so much stuff to go round (well, resources to produce it, anyway), so prices will rise. Basic supply and demand.

So, where at all possible, we need to become less dependent on stuff (especially basic necessities):
- Move closer to work (or work closer to home) - cycling or walking distance
- Insulate (It's cheap, and maybe even free)
- If you have the capital, invest in solar electricity and/or solar water heating (latter is cheaper and effective)
- Try to grow some food, even if it's only a small patch of ground, or a windowbox.
- Invest in low energy lighting
- Switch to Economy 7 and invest in time switches to run energy-hungry appliances at night (e.g. washing m/c, immersion heater)
- Install a small woodburner and scavenge for wood

This is a different kind of prepping; preparing to be resilient against a long-term, chronic stagflation which we all know is coming (or already here?)

I'd even consider taking savings out of the bank and investing in some of the above, as each action results in a small reduction in day-to-day outgoings, and will continue to provide returns on an ongoing basis. Also, the more prices for fuel, energy, food, etc. go up, the more you save. You become more insulated against the effects of inflation. £2000 that would have been sitting in the bank losing value, could be invested in solar thermal panels that will save on ever more expensive gas, for ever.

Just out of interest, if you are a tax-payer and are able to save, say, £100 a year on your electricity bill, it's actually like saving £130, because you would have had to earn an extra £130 before tax and national insurance in order to have the £100 in your pocket to pay the extra electricity cost. Reducing usage where possible always pays.