[InnerSuburbia]

My wife is finally on board after years of runaway spending and thinking that I was totally off my rocker. With gas $3.20 a gallon here on Long Island and rising fast she finally understands that this party is not going to last to much longer. We're finally ditching that adjustable rate mortgage for a fixed rate one and cutting expenses hard to the bone.

As for getting out of here, I'm still working on that one, but for the short-term I think it would best to stay put because I have a good paying job accessible by public transit. Medium to long-term I know where I am is a death trap and I think she is realizing that too. Good old snowy (but safer) Western New York is calling us home. It's just a matter of when.

[SoothSayer]

My wife made us move into the countryside because for some years she has suspected that the system will fail rapidly when it finally goes.

Peak Oil and/or Bird Flu and/or possible ethnic conflict seem to fit the bill for what might be coming so I feel that her instincts have been proved right.

However we are NOT hoarding big time ... can't afford it & don't have the space.

We are however getting to know the local farmers, growing vegs, raising a few animals.

I suspect that our local contacts and the fact that we are getting our hands dirty will pay off locally if/when things get tough ... however "newcomers" scrounging for food might not do so well around here!

[12amps]

THE NSA WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING

RIP

[PrairieMule]

WJ4,

I too have a wife similar to yours. For some folks the fallout of Peakoil is to to much to wrap their head around. What I have been doing over the last 5 years is making small preparations instead of draining my savings. Every week at the store I pick up a extra can of tuna fish or peanut butter. Next week I pick up a extra box of 9mm ammo, next paycheck I spend $30 for a wind up radio. Next I start collecting up to date maps. Little things that add up quick and slowly give you peace of mind knowing that measure of your control in a crisis is growing.

I have explained to my wife about peak oil but not the dieoff. If you ask her about Peakoil she will tell you I am a little bit off from the center way of thinking but that if a true emergency comes up, she and our daughters will be taken care of.

Be smooth and subtle-eat the elephant one bite at a time.

[waegari]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', 'W')J4,
Every week at the store I pick up a extra can of tuna fish

[LadyRuby]

I have the same issue with my husband. He's kind of aware but we've gotten into some disagreements over what to do with finances, etc. He kind of thinks I've gone mad.

[mgibbons19]

Your wife is right.

[seldom_seen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SoothSayer', 'M')y wife made us move into the countryside because for some years she has suspected that the system will fail rapidly when it finally goes.

[Lore]

Well for one thing, you can't run around like Chicken Little. Remember the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, when Richard Dreyfuss was building mounds of mashed potatoes on his plate that resembled his vision of Devils Tower. Such behavior is pretty scary to a wife and family. I'm sure you haven’t gone that far off the deep end, but if you tone it down a bit you'll get a lot farther with her. Save the candles for scented ones in the bedroom!

It’s good to have a gun around that you know how to use properly, but don’t seriously get too attached to the idea that you’ll soon be cutting out gun ports in the parimeter walls of your home to defend yourself. Talk like that will just get you another shouting match.

You might put forward examples and recommendations, Mormons keep a years supply of food on hand, as a suggestion of common sense preparedness. Even our US government is suggesting that we keep nonperishable food and supplies on hand in the event of another pandemic.

Forget precious metals and other such things and wasteful spending; just concentrate on keeping an adequate amount of readily available cash on hand. A gold coin may not get you a roll of toilet paper if the real SHTF. Realistically anything that will happen related to PO will be a long drawn out process. It would be better to focus on you personal and professional work skills. That means the job you have today and one or two you may think are practical for the future, a gas station attendant not being one of them. However don't plan on learning some buckskin, shoe making, soap bar, moonshine trade unless you enjoy attending frontier reenactments. Anything related to the modern trades will always be valuable such as plumbing, carpentry, mechanics, woodworking, and yes even being an electrician. Someone has to hook up all those solar panels! Like a nurse you can get a good job most any place with these skills. If you want to add value to your family and peace of mind for yourself I don't think you can go too wrong following these suggestions.

[willjones4]

Thank you to all who have responded so far-really good advice here-sounds like the bottom line is "be cool" and quietly prepare...

What sucks is that she refuses to watch or read anything related to PO...

[Revi]

The problems may start in earnest around 2007/08. That's what we're getting ready for. If it delays to 2008/09, fine! Best to quietly prepare. Get stuff together before everyone else panics. Like getting out of Houston as soon as the hurricane was announced. When everybody wants the solar panels they'll be hard to get.

[Lighthouse]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('willjones4', '.')..She thinks I am wasting our money on the candles, lanterns, canned food, books, guns, etc and told me that Im not living in "reality". ...

[IslandCrow]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('willjones4', ' ')She thinks I am wasting our money on the candles, ...... etc

[Lighthouse]

willjones4 what I tried to say was that candles, laterns, guns, canned food etc. will not save you. It just will delay the inventible for a couple of weeks.

You have to learn to become self sufficient. Spending your money on books about horticulture, permaculture, a big block of land and learning skills how to grow your own food would be a much better strategy.

[ReeceARK1]

Your not nuts my friend, It is hard for some women to understand this stuff. But yes its happening as we speek. I am a woman myself and do believe that life as we know it will soon be over. This world has alot of ups and downs, but the one thing going down is OIL. We absolutely need to have a food storage and water storage. This is just the beginning of the end of modern life. We need to be more self-sufficient. Buy land that is sustainable, learn to garden, learn how to can your fruits and veggies. Get a milking goat, start a compost pile, get some chickens, 2 pigs(they do better when theres 2). Have a root cellar dug and get a really mean dog. IF you have children they all need to learn proficiency with firearms. I hope this does not sound over the top, But get ready. Rebecca S

[BastardSquad]

UUMMMM..............Like.........is your wife's name America?......AKA U.S.A?

Dude.........did you like..............marry my country?

[Doly]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('willjones4', 'S')he thinks I am wasting our money on the candles, lanterns, canned food, books, guns, etc and told me that Im not living in "reality". What to do???

[DigitalCubano]

Yes, you are being nutty. Get a grip, man. Would you get into an argument with her over avian flu, an asteroid impact or a dirty bomb explosion? Be reasonable. How certain are you that you're right? Are you so certain that it's worth inciting marital trouble?

[willjones4]

OK, Im leveling off-I am quietly gathering a library and we already had plans to buy rural land in a couple years-started a garden in my backyard and am slowly stockpiling ammo-to the person who asked me why I am getting guns: I do not think they will make me bulletproof, I do think I can hunt for food and defend myself and my family if necessary... all the things Im doing make good sense PO or not-