Are you ready? I think this is gonna be a rough couple years.

[Dave2001]

Aha it was Clinton, not Carter. I knew it was a C guy.

YEP Clinton and NAFTA ruined a lot of manufacturing in America

 

[Dave2001]

As Hardcalibres correctly points out, the fact that the US dollar is the world's reserve currency, and the fact that oil is traded in US dollars, is the only thing keeping this country from bankruptcy.

Politicians in BOTH parties have misused the trust the world has in the dollar to literally print trillions upon trillions out of thin air to spend currying favor.

I really think we should go back on the gold standard, I would LOVE to know just how much gold we really have in Fort Knox now!!

 

[Dave2001]

Almost everything that Harbor Fright sells in made in China crap. I went to one of their stores one time years ago. Ive never seen so much China junk, outside of Walmart. About the only thing that I found made in the US was WD 40.

I dont buy ANY tools made in China or Tiawan

 

[Dave2001]

I will gladly go thru a couple ruff years to try to bring back America from what has been done to the economy, stop all this wasteful spending that has been going on over the last four years, if you have children just look what we have gifted them with all this freebies for every country but not people here in the USA that need help, $750.00 if you qualify.
It’s time we get our head out of the sand and stand for what’s good for us citizens.

I agree AC, time to pull that plug on the swamp and go hunting!!

 

[Dave2001]

Interesting thread.....
As far as jobs for two working parents with kids....check into night watch for someone who is disabled and staying in their home with family...You might need to change adult diapers but the job can pay you to mostly sleep...

Double up with someone else...we share our home with a young family and a deadbeat teen.. We look after the toddler on the rare occasion and between the two families we have several cars that usually run. The family chips in on our house payment and it works for everyone..

What habits do you currently have that will get much more expensive in the future? We have a selection of stainless insulated drink cups (bought at the thrift store) so we take our coffee with instead of buying those expensive double soy foamed organic sprinkled drinks. The time to implement new habits and lose old ones is now before it goes cold turkey.

I expect to see boarding houses and poor farms in the future... Investigate what your role will be.

If you have no assets and no ability to make enough money to support yourself and those you care about.......time to try something different.. Human nature is to survive so get to it.

If you won't do a lesser job and would rather starve.......better invest in this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Exit-Practicalities-Self-Deliverance-Assisted/dp/0385336535/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XNWLJ77PVCBE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iV7JX6JkbtCv1L9gp7D2jI_J4RvbFdAKoI1dw9aYaLmbKIwC9swub8L0c3oFfTWaLF_MHxNos4JIwIoofh3LgQyuAYwuZfQuAX5UWYnHREoVQRh77BX4cL3L6E0Yn00TmJl5yaqxEZ0u95usKdnIlyccG1BKgdOeeLylXyNoUk-ruKNkHBOzpp3UsxeOmXAb-kP648MomgjL9Du8JJVo8RTrjV6mYwsYCuViJFB33t8.SbCqUkfaL2VAiCbaoPb20RYz63hxsmAuN1b7tPQ88s8&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+final+exit&qid=1738633350&sprefix=the+final+exit,aps,227&sr=8-1

Wish we were rt neighbors, would love to have friends like yall

 

[Spikedriver]

I dont buy ANY tools made in China or Tiawan

Some Taiwan made tools are pretty solid. Taiwan is a modern country and a close US ally, and they've got really good manufacturing capability. I've got a Pittsburgh Pro ratchet from HF that's Taiwan made, and it's been every bit as good as my old US made Craftsman Ratchets. It's not as good as Snap On, but it's 1/5 of the price.

There really is a lot of Chinese junk at HF though. I do use their combo wrenches in my traveling work kit, because tools walk away at work if they're good quality tools. I wouldn't ever touch their Chinese adjustable wrenches or Allen wrenches, but the screwdrivers have been ok.

 

[Spikedriver]

The real truth is there are lots of jobs available for anyone that wants one.

The job market is slowing down. We're seeing a lot less help wanted ads here, and GF says that her company is seeing triple the number of applicants for open positions compared to last year. Also, workers are worried. She says that attendance has improved over the last 6 months and people are buckling down at work. A year ago if a worker got termed for not showing up or doing shoddy work, they could have another job in 3 days. It's not so easy now. There have been quite a few layoffs...

 

[Dave2001]

ALL my tools are snap on or old craftsman,

 

[elkhound]

From what I have seen..
Lumber futures projected to be in the 5 to 600 per thousand board feet..that is about average ish..but operation costs are not. The coast of everything, supply disruptions, finding people who are willing to stick it out n work are big hurtles anymore. Then like you mentioned about the housing crisis..lack of affordable housing makes finding willing workers more difficult. Mills aren't exactly located in areas with a abundance of places to rent and remote locations are more expensive to live in generally. If mills can't produce due to high operation costs, lack of workers or ability to fix machines via getting replacement parts in a reasonable time and not costing exorabnt amounts $$ to do so..first it's penny pinching..like now at this mill..we are on a fairly strict no unauthorized OT. , layoffs happened for a few..next steps might be one shift..who knows.
The other component is getting lumber. Private land regulations for lumber isn't as strict about what trees can be cut mostly..however out here the lumber we get is strictly regulated by the forest service.
While there is arguments to ponder about who n how forests are managed..there can be a balance found in having productive forest to harvest lumber , be utilized for grazing and harvesting of other products while not completely destroying the ecology in the process. Humans and forest creatures can benefit from responsible, thoughtful stewardship and more sensitive ecological areas can be maintained for preservation.
I've been on both sides of this fence of being a steward towards maintaining more sensitive areas for preservation, to Sawyer projects to cut down run away invasive species in other areas, firefighting alittle and massive tree planting n restoration projects onto recent harvested logging lands to now mill work...
It can work..it's not always perfect but as we evolve tech and better understanding of forest health..we can enjoy decades of beautiful healthy forests, streams n rivers . In my opinion..

knew i could count on you......!!!!!!!!!

 

[rice paddy daddy]

ALL my tools are snap on or old craftsman,

My dad always bought Craftsman.
I have his tools including ratchet and sockets from 1939.
Real adjustable wrenches made by Crescent Tool Company.
American made Milwaukee power tools (made in China today).

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Speaking of lumber, since I retired almost a decade ago I noticed that with British Columbia cutting back on SPF dimensional lumber they were replaced by Baltic Birch from Germany and that northern region.

 

[Mountain trapper]

The job market is slowing down. We're seeing a lot less help wanted ads here, and GF says that her company is seeing triple the number of applicants for open positions compared to last year. Also, workers are worried. She says that attendance has improved over the last 6 months and people are buckling down at work. A year ago if a worker got termed for not showing up or doing shoddy work, they could have another job in 3 days. It's not so easy now. There have been quite a few layoffs...

Things are different in different parts of the country. Layoffs have always been a fact of life in many industries around the country. In my early years it was common to get laid off for up to 6 months at a time. I worked in an industry that was closely tied to construction, mining and the timber industry. It was just the way it was and everyone accepted it. Nobody in the rest of the country ever shed a tear when one of our saw mills or a mine shut down.
I have no clue what the job market is around other parts of the country, I only know about my area and the industries that I spent 40 years in; mining, timber, construction, heavy equipment ops and oil.
The majority of these years was spent in management roles, so I have a little insight on the "other side" of running a business and with manpower issues.