by patience » Thu 28 May 2009, 21:13:49
No. AP is as sane as anyone I've ever known or heard of. Dead on target, IMHO. Good advice, I think, and well stated.
Mortgage rates in the US jumped a bunch today. I wouldn't want to be in the market for a home right now in the US. Dunno about BC. But, Jotopay sounds right--be as conservative as you know how to be, so that whatever the situation you can make it.
What savings we have, I'm looking to put into something that will produce what we need. Gardens, chickens, orchard, rainwater catchment, machine shop, wood shop, sewing and canning needs, energy production (solar PV now and maybe wind later), and lay up parts and supplies for those things to keep them going.
For those things we can't supply for ourselves, we first looked at reducing our needs, with insulation, better doors, new white metal roof (reflects summer heat and good for catching water), solar space heating, clotheslines, etc.. This is exactly what Ludi has been saying, "Reduce your need to earn". So. whatever the dollar is worth, we won't need as many dollars.
strider3700,
Look at the community around where you plan to buy, with regard to its' self-sufficiency, and traditions thereof. Don't want no helpless neighbors!
On the dollar outlook, put me down as seeing first (now), deflation in big ticket items from collapsing credit. I see that getting a lot worse as the govt sops up all the available credit to finance itself. That won't be enough, so I think they will fragrantly print money when all else fails, but there will be a lot of games and jawboning first. As the bond market tanks, the FED will have to buy more and more of the Treasury's crap bonds, until we get a currency collapse. I think there is no turning back on that now. I have no idea what a currency collapse will look like, but I know I won't like it. My guess is barter, at some point, will be the order of the day.
In the words of John Shuttleworth, creator of The Mother Earth News, "Look around and see what you own that would be worth anything if you had to provide basics for yourself", or something close to that. Good advice, then and now.
Local fix-it guy..