North Texas Prepper

[das]

Salutations new friends and fellow preppers,
Another Texan here looking out for friends and family in the slow emergency we seem to increasingly find ourselves in. The inevitable failure of the entitlement culture, corpratocracy and cheap oil economcs that power our AMAZING country cannot go on forever borrowing as we are the debtors of the world. Would you loan the US money?

Let me introduce myself. My goals are simple, prepare myself and my family for the disruptions to come. I am not political (no party can save us from the MATH) I own one paltry gun (a gift) I do not have a years worth of vacuum sealed/canned/mylar bagged/MRE's hidding out in my pantry and I don't think the problems we face are some huge conspiracy or the end-times. If you are then I RESPECT that and will never question your decisions; you go to your church and I will go to mine.

I AM a Christian and an open minded WASP who believes that community is stronger than the problems we are facing in the post cheap oil era of the 21st century. If this online community helps each of us overcome what we are facing then I am thrilled to have found this site.

Having said that, let me tell you what I am doing. I am saving (debt free except for mortgage) getting into the best shape of my life and learning new skills. (Yes I realize that inflation and devaluing dollar are a double punch to this goal but in a stagnant economy being broke is not a preparedness winner.)

I am an experienced rancher with family farming and small animal (chickens, pigs) experience. Ride well and am a good shot but only a mediocre hunter. I am conservative with both my money and my outlook. I am a strong believer in learning but consider the public school system the embarrassment of the nation.

In the days to come I hope to move the rest of my family together onto the family ranch. Build a business that can keep us out of the big urban cities and their G.O.O.D. jobs (Get out of debt) and avoid suburbia, consumerism and politicians/welfare establishment. That means giving up the corporate and technology jobs that have been the foundations of the first 20 years of my life, big changes ahead. Pulling my head out of the sand better pay off, lol.

Again, I have no interest in changing these things for others or promoting my views to others, I wouldn't know where to start. But I can change my way of life and my families future...that is my American dream.

Thank you for reading and again thank you for allowing me to participate.

Das

[Diesel]

Welcome to the site! Great first post, really nice to get to know you and where you stand!

YES! You are right no party can save us. The term politics alone is what has cuased us to get where we are, and the term parties is the nail in the coffin.

While you're not embedded into disaster prep in a packrat and armor sense, I admire your ranch skillsets and think it's the lost skill and lifestyle which will cause so many people to struggle. Being a rancher you have the ability to literally live off the land, something most of us no longer know how to do!

Look forward to chatting with ya nad hearing your opinions.

Maybe you can contribute ranching and living off the land knowledge in the appropriate sections, thanks!

[das]

I must have not been clear. I lived on a the family Ranch till I went off to college but haven't done more than the occasional innoculations/castrations with the family since then. I live in the future wasteland called suburbia in a computer job in a big city. My GOAL is to get back to the ranch. One cannot make a living raising cattle any longer though you are correct with a truck garden a good well and serious sweat you can feed your family.

To get to that point I have to be debt free and have enough money in the bank to pay taxes, utilities and the lifestyle my wife has come to demand. If the baloon goes up before I get to that point I will move home to the ranch....assuming I can get there...and pick up once again doing what I want.

To those who are lucky or hard working enough to make their jobs match their retreat/bunker goals I am envious.

[Muckraker69]

Ditto! Well said.

Welcome to the site! Great first post, really nice to get to know you and where you stand!

YES! You are right no party can save us. The term politics alone is what has cuased us to get where we are, and the term parties is the nail in the coffin.

While you're not embedded into disaster prep in a packrat and armor sense, I admire your ranch skillsets and think it's the lost skill and lifestyle which will cause so many people to struggle. Being a rancher you have the ability to literally live off the land, something most of us no longer know how to do!

Look forward to chatting with ya nad hearing your opinions.

Maybe you can contribute ranching and living off the land knowledge in the appropriate sections, thanks!

[Oddball]

Das, you're living my dream! Seriously, I have to add that I respect the amount of planning, hard work and faith it takes to pursue the path you've chosen. I'd do the same thing if I had a place to go and people to help me pull it off. Please share your journey and when you get there, share what you're learning!

[das]

Oh my, don't think I am an example. The truth is that I am a stupid man for getting into debt in the first place. Even student loan debt is dumb now in my opinion. If an employer isn't willing to pay for additional schooling figure out the break even point before plunging into sallie mae debt.

Nearing forty I have only learned one thing I am not hesitant to share with others. Do yourself a favor and cut up those credit cards NOW...no excuses and don't let your wife convince you that you will need one for emergencies. Trust me you will abuse it.

Other than that? Yikes. Okay here is good advice...be your own boss and MAKE something. Don't work in a service industry unless you are prepared to be abused by both ends of the workplace. You must develop the confidence to be worth something instead of being a cog.

Until America gets into the business of producing again we are just trading fiat paper and we will never get out of this rut of economic depression.

[Rustyshakelford]

I am 40. Never owned a credit card, pay cash for everything and only hold a mortgage on a rental home. I am also fortunate in that my wife and I make a very much above average income. Credit cards are legalized usery. The MOB was busted up for scams like credit cards, numbers rackets, and loan sharking.

Think about this. Does your state have a lottery? (Numbers racket)

Credit cards? Mob loans to small businesses

Payday loans? Loan sharking.

I guess it really IS ok as long the government gets a piece of the action. I for one would rather deal with mobsters. They at least will follow through with their promises.

[Oddball]

You guys are right. We need to be debt free as possible. I have a little left on a car note and rent, of course. But, that's it for debt. I'd love to be self employed, but have no service or product to offer (pah-rum-pa-pum-pum). I'm definitely part of the machine.....and, I hate that. Seems the best I can do is stay out of debt and save what I can.

[das]

Rusty is right, unfortunately, the government's marionettes are happy to have everyone up to their eye-balls in CC debt. Kudo's to you both for avoiding debt as much as possible. I would like to add that I didn't do it on my own I had help. I used a social lending service to pay off my credit card debt and was able to pay the last of it off very quickly.

If anyone is interested consider looking into this at http://www.prosper.com. Anyone interested in doing this feel free to contact me as I can pass on some advice on getting funded.

[Rustyshakelford]

Another group to look at is Dave Ramsey. www.daveramsey.com
He is an advocate of something I have practiced for many years. His saying is "Debt is dumb, Cash is King". Being credit card free is pretty cool and is easy. When you get paid set out some envelopes. Get cash. Do a budget. Label one "Food", One "entertainment", One "slush". Pay all your bills. Put cash in the one for food, cash in entertainment, and cash in slush. Everything else goes to savings. When you run out of money in the envelopes, you are done until payday. I usually have money left over in the entertainment envelope because I would rather mow the lawn, take care of my plants and play with my dog. I do have another envelope that I use for shooting supplies. But that is my hobby.

You can check out his website and listen to his daily radio show. He really does not pump anything for sale, but will tell you to check his book out at the library. He is a rather decent fellow.

[das]

I agree with Rusty, I'm a fan of Dave and listen every day...especially Fridays when people can call in and scream, "We're debt FREE!" on the radio. Inspires me to save every week. Like Rusty I read his two books at the library and saved myself $50.

Dave is a good guy and deserves our support. He is smart and Christian/generosity centered but also a wise businessman...a rare combination I fear.

[Rustyshakelford]

I agree with Rusty, I'm a fan of Dave and listen every day...especially Fridays when people can call in and scream, "We're debt FREE!" on the radio. Inspires me to save every week. Like Rusty I read his two books at the library and saved myself $50.

Dave is a good guy and deserves our support. He is smart and Christian/generosity centered but also a wise businessman...a rare combination I fear.

I like to listen to hear some of the "crazy" things people do. Like lease vehicles, finance cars, and especially those shady business dealings with brothers-in-law.

[das]

Yes there are plenty of people making all kinds of excuses. I encourage you to remain humble and remember that we are all fallen souls who make mistakes. Many of these people are racked with guilt and desperate for a solution...some are just looking to squeeze out of their debt to but they are luckily in the minority.

Dave can be harsh though so at times I find myself squirming when he cuts into a person who is mainly just ignorant/stupid/uninformed. Then he will be patient and kind and he wins me back.

The truth is that everyone makes mistakes. It just so happens that for MOST of America debt is our mistake. I include myself in that category as like all recovering addicts I still get obsessesed with material possessions versus friends, family, church and life.

One day at a time with Jesus by my side and charity in my heart. Remember that we have NO IDEA what burdens those around us are carrying.

[das]

I was speaking with a fellow I know out in California last night. He was bragging how he hasn't paid taxes in four years, how he will laugh when the condo his sole proprietorship business bought on a 0% ARM is bailed out by the Federal Government as he writes it off as a $2k loss each month but secretly gets paid under the table by the tenant in cash.

It was all I could do to not want to beat him for his stupidity. What arrogance to think that he has beaten the system. When I asked how he avoided income taxes he said he just creates new business when the 3 year loss exemption runs out.

Amazing.