No support from spouse

[DrHenley]

I was on a Red Cross Disaster Action Team. Yes it is an eye opener! And probably one of the major reasons I am a prepper now.

I saw a whole county get cut off from the rest of the world after Hurricane Frederic. Communications towers all down, no power, no water, all roads impassible due to fallen trees. The only way in or out at first was by helicopter. I was the first person from the outside to get into the county seat when the roads were opened.

People just don't realize how quickly their whole world can be turned upside down.

 

[Kevin L]

Thank you for this insight. My husband doesn't have an issue with money, or the space. And we both agree the politics have us balancing on the edge of a knife, and we could slide at any time. He just figures that 1, I'm already preparing for the minor possible catastrophes, and 2, if it's his time to go, nothing he does is going to make any difference.
I'm not sure about volunteering for ARC will change that kind of outlook, but I suppose anything is worth a shot.

As far as his fatalistic outlook about it being "his time to go", try to portray prepping as being similar to having home insurance.

No one wants to believe that their homes will be destroyed, but we buy insurance anyway.

Prepping is the same thing.

 

[user 7704]

Kevin,

Keep in mind that there are marriages built on love and trust and unity. And then there are people that remain together for none of those reasons. It happens. Robin has made it clear in the past that she's in that category.

That's me. Lol

 

[Kevin L]

That's me. Lol

Too bad. I sometimes feel the same way.

 

[Celeree]

My hubby thinks it's "cute" and doesn't stand in my way. More than once we've had to rely on some of my little preps. Power outage, minor emergencies, cash I had stashed away, etc. I want to get more into it, and slowly, by example, he is seeing the benefit. I try not to preach to anyone, just do what I can do, and show the benefit when something inevitably happens. Works for me, so far.

I thought it was funny a few years back when my parents called concerned when a snow and ice storm was coming. Was single and lived some miles from them, and would I be alright with a power outage and do I need to come stay with them. I tried to convince them I was fine so they started throwing questions at me. Every thing they threw at me I was already prepared for. Heat, had a camping propane heater with plenty of propane refills. Food, had plenty and didn't need to get out. Way to cook it, camping butane stove with plenty of refills. Radio for updates, battery power with more batteries. What if your phone dies? Had a battery charger already charged. Water? Had gallons already stored. When they couldn't think of anything else, my mom blurted out "well what if you get bored?", I had plenty of books. No, I had no need to have to get out in this weather. They finally conceded I was better prepared than they were and said if they needed anything they were coming to my house. It was a great feeling. Yeah, that example was only for a power outage (that never actually happened) to last just a few days and I need to prepare for longer scenarios, but having just that little start of prep sure took some anxiety out of the situation.

 

[Petoski]

Small preps help but they may not thank you for it. This winter I put a small shovel in to boot (trunk for the Americans) of the car as a backup. The girlfriend went in to a pile of snow in a ditch 2 days later. Apparently I caused the crash by tempting fate and buying a shovel.

 

[Kevin L]

My hubby thinks it's "cute" and doesn't stand in my way. More than once we've had to rely on some of my little preps. Power outage, minor emergencies, cash I had stashed away, etc. I want to get more into it, and slowly, by example, he is seeing the benefit. I try not to preach to anyone, just do what I can do, and show the benefit when something inevitably happens. Works for me, so far.

I thought it was funny a few years back when my parents called concerned when a snow and ice storm was coming. Was single and lived some miles from them, and would I be alright with a power outage and do I need to come stay with them. I tried to convince them I was fine so they started throwing questions at me. Every thing they threw at me I was already prepared for. Heat, had a camping propane heater with plenty of propane refills. Food, had plenty and didn't need to get out. Way to cook it, camping butane stove with plenty of refills. Radio for updates, battery power with more batteries. What if your phone dies? Had a battery charger already charged. Water? Had gallons already stored. When they couldn't think of anything else, my mom blurted out "well what if you get bored?", I had plenty of books. No, I had no need to have to get out in this weather. They finally conceded I was better prepared than they were and said if they needed anything they were coming to my house. It was a great feeling. Yeah, that example was only for a power outage (that never actually happened) to last just a few days and I need to prepare for longer scenarios, but having just that little start of prep sure took some anxiety out of the situation.

I agree 100%.

We have hurricanes down here in South Florida, and being prepared is important.

Shelves in supermarkets get stripped quickly, and it's not uncommon for panicky people to pull knives over the last bottle of water on the shelf.

Being prepared beforehand saves me the aggravation and nonsense of waiting in huge lines, price gouging, etc..

 

[lonewolf]

Small preps help but they may not thank you for it. This winter I put a small shovel in to boot (trunk for the Americans) of the car as a backup. The girlfriend went in to a pile of snow in a ditch 2 days later. Apparently I caused the crash by tempting fate and buying a shovel.

that's a good one!! typical head in the sand(or was it snow?) attitude

 

[KateMTx]

Small preps help but they may not thank you for it. This winter I put a small shovel in to boot (trunk for the Americans) of the car as a backup. The girlfriend went in to a pile of snow in a ditch 2 days later. Apparently I caused the crash by tempting fate and buying a shovel.

Does this girl carry a spare tire and a jack? She'll tempt fate into giving her a flat!
I often point out to people that we all (or the vast majority) prep for little emergencies - a spare tire, a first aid kit, an extra shirt, etc. I just want to be prepared for something worse, because if we read the news, we know it's possible.

 

[lonewolf]

at the basic level prepping is just insurance.

 

[Kevin L]

Does this girl carry a spare tire and a jack? She'll tempt fate into giving her a flat!
I often point out to people that we all (or the vast majority) prep for little emergencies - a spare tire, a first aid kit, an extra shirt, etc. I just want to be prepared for something worse, because if we read the news, we know it's possible.

I disagree with you in a minor way.

You say "if we read the news, we know it's possible."

I say it's not just possible, but almost inevitable.

 

[KateMTx]

I disagree with you in a minor way.

You say "if we read the news, we know it's possible."

I say it's not just possible, but almost inevitable.

What percent chance would you consider to rank as "almost inevitable," rather than simply "possible"?

 

[Kevin L]

What percent chance would you consider to rank as "almost inevitable," rather than simply "possible"?

80 to 90%

 

[TexasFreedom]

Kevin,

I would go much higher. More like 98%.

The car example is perfect. If you do not replace the tires (IOW form a new gov't?), the tires will eventually wear out & fail.

There is the push and the pull. The push is the extra $1trillion/year in new debt (talk more about that later). The Pull is the $22.2 trillion current national debt, but if you add the local/state/future unavoidable debt, we're closer to $100 trillion. That level of debt is hard to imagine. All US mortgages are $10T, so this debt is 10x times all mortgages combined. It is about $300k per person (from newborn to 100 year olds).

The push is even worse. We start with a near-impossible debt level. But we're being worse than stupid & jacking it up every year. The extra $1 trillion is just the national debt, far more is added state/local plus long-term debt pensions.

There are only a few ways to address this. The 2% likelihood is if our gov't (and our people) get serious and stop spending and start attacking this debt. Possible? yes. 2% possible. The other scenarios make up the 98%. Economic collapse. Massive devaluation of the dollar (slow or fast). Gov't failure/takeover (revolution?). Currency replacement (basically devaluation). Other forms of major War. You may consider some of those as better than others. But 98% it will end badly.

 

[Kevin L]

Kevin,

I would go much higher. More like 98%.

The car example is perfect. If you do not replace the tires (IOW form a new gov't?), the tires will eventually wear out & fail.

There is the push and the pull. The push is the extra $1trillion/year in new debt (talk more about that later). The Pull is the $22.2 trillion current national debt, but if you add the local/state/future unavoidable debt, we're closer to $100 trillion. That level of debt is hard to imagine. All US mortgages are $10T, so this debt is 10x times all mortgages combined. It is about $300k per person (from newborn to 100 year olds).

The push is even worse. We start with a near-impossible debt level. But we're being worse than stupid & jacking it up every year. The extra $1 trillion is just the national debt, far more is added state/local plus long-term debt pensions.

There are only a few ways to address this. The 2% likelihood is if our gov't (and our people) get serious and stop spending and start attacking this debt. Possible? yes. 2% possible. The other scenarios make up the 98%. Economic collapse. Massive devaluation of the dollar (slow or fast). Gov't failure/takeover (revolution?). Currency replacement (basically devaluation). Other forms of major War. You may consider some of those as better than others. But 98% it will end badly.

I agree with you, and there are points relevant to what you said that I would add.

In history, every fiat currency has collapsed.

Also, I'm sure you've known short-sighted people who always have to live beyond their means. Eventually, they declare bankruptcy. It happens to corporations as well.

That's what I see our country doing....living beyond it's means.

We keep exporting our debt, but what happens when the paper comes due? What happens if foreign countries get disgusted with our arrogance and decide that they don't want to buy any more?

I feel like it's only a matter of time.

Venezuela, Russia, and Zimbabwe have had currency collapse.

Zimbabwe actually had a 15 trillion dollar note that might have been enough to buy a beer in a dive bar. These bank notes have since become valuable collectors items....especially to sophisticated preppers.

 

[MadMamaBear]

at the basic level prepping is just insurance.

Might be a good way to describe it to him, thanks bigpaul.

 

[lonewolf]

people have house insurance yet don't want the house to burn down.
people have car insurance but don't go looking for a car wreck.
same with prepping, its a back up in case the worst happens but we hope it wont happen.

 

[Brent S]

With the state of the national debt, the over crowded jails that are releasing criminals early, global warming and a list of other issues I can’t believe everyone dosent prep.....

 

[Kevin L]

With the state of the national debt, the over crowded jails that are releasing criminals early, global warming and a list of other issues I can’t believe everyone dosent prep.....

I agree with you.

 

[Dani]

You re not alone. . . It took my hunny awhile to see the benefits too. I first started introducing when I put in a garden. Money saved on food bill. Money savings speaks volumes with men. . . tell me if I am wrong guys and its not only mine? Then it was gradually building a stockpile for hurricane season. While doing that and having to rely on those preps, he is fully on board now and has done more than I would have ever expected to 'help'. The additions of a well was our biggest thing but then he also installed a house generator that runs off a 500 gallon propane tank. Little bit by little bit. . . you just gotta nudge in the right direction.

 

[KateMTx]

You re not alone. . . It took my hunny awhile to see the benefits too. I first started introducing when I put in a garden. Money saved on food bill. Money savings speaks volumes with men. . . tell me if I am wrong guys and its not only mine? Then it was gradually building a stockpile for hurricane season. While doing that and having to rely on those preps, he is fully on board now and has done more than I would have ever expected to 'help'. The additions of a well was our biggest thing but then he also installed a house generator that runs off a 500 gallon propane tank. Little bit by little bit. . . you just gotta nudge in the right direction.

Yeah, this is the way you have to do it.

 

[lonewolf]

With the state of the national debt, the over crowded jails that are releasing criminals early, global warming and a list of other issues I can’t believe everyone dosent prep.....

its always someone else's job or someone else's fault.

 

[Brent S]

Yeah, this is the way you have to do it.

And as they say, lead by example, and you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

 

[lonewolf]

I thought the saying was "more MOLEASSES than vinegar"? at least that's how I remember it.

 

[Brent S]

I thought the saying was "more MOLEASSES than vinegar"? at least that's how I remember it.

I guess when we broke away from England we had to change everything as a snub. Sayings, math, money, driving on the wrong side of the road, etc..!

 

[lonewolf]

pity you got it all wrong!

 

[Brent S]

pity you got it all wrong!

Lol, yet I agree! Our math system makes no sense. Metric is way more efficient. As far as driving on the right side of the road, I don’t see any advantages for or against it, but we were behaving like a bad child and had to do it our own way.... now, for all the weird sayings you guys have, well let’s just say there’s a lot lost in translation. Having a *** has completely different meanings to our cultures!

 

[lonewolf]

yeah well we got the worst of the 2 money systems, we kept £ sterling but now its got 100 pence to the pound instead of 240.
I know what you mean about the ***, 2 meanings entirely.

 

[MadMamaBear]

Well, maybe with the support from all of you, I don't need my husband's. Though the financing comes through him. Lol

 

[Dani]

Well, maybe with the support from all of you, I don't need my husband's. Though the financing comes through him. Lol

I would start with the garden to save money on your food bill first, then play in with the tornadoes you guys get there. If you had a storm shelter or root cellar would be a great place to put your 'preps'. Of course my first was to stock pile the food and water. Learn how to preserve your garden goods that require no refrigeration t you don't already know, a few different options there. Then was the paper goods and hygiene items, just so convenient not to have to make a run into town to get whatever you are out of or low on. . . Plant the seeds so to speak. . . He may eventually come around. I am sure he does some kind of prepping and does not even realize it.. . . Jumper cables and oil in car, extra gas can in the garage for when he needs to refill the lawnmower. . . Little things here that could be considered a prsp. You just got to build on it a little at a time.