What if things get worse? Prepare for hard times.

With the situation of the current economy, we should take it as a warning sign. I think people are just trying to weather the situation and hope for the best but what if get worse? What if the U.S. government can temporarily make the situation better but in the long run it gets worse. This situation with our economic downturn should remind us of how vulnerable we are. Great civilizations have come and gone sometime no matter what man does you cannot stop fate. I am sure there are many homeless families right now who never imagined they could end up being without.

I have always admired my father who grew up during the great depression... he is a survivor. My mother who grew up without in England during and after WWII... she is a survivor and a great role-model. They both are tough. They both know how to make do, produce what they need and plan ahead.

Take the current economy as a warning sign and prepare for the worse. If the worse does not come, then hey your future will be even brighter! Beware and prepare should stay on our minds. I believe this will make us a more successful country.




Our current flaws which I personally am guilty of too!

1. Max out our credit and live month to month. I have several credit cards which are maxed out. We were late with a payment so many of our interest rates skyrocketed! Happens to most people. Serves the banks right to suffer loses when they set folks up in credit traps. Credit traps are a whole nother blog, too much info for here.
   
   Solution: Get out of debt and save! Educate yourself about money. Cut back and make a budget. One of the best advisers who is easy to follow is Dave Ramsey I am sure there are several others but he is a good place to start, he keeps it simple. Check him out, you won't be sorry. Be careful who you listen to about financial matters and I do not recommend debt consolidation.
   
2. Physically unfit & consuming too much junk food. So if things got really bad... could we survive? What if there was no gasoline and you had to ride a bike or walk where you needed to go, could you do it? Are dependant on medication for things that could be reversed such as in some cases loosing weight to lower blood pressure. Exercise and diet change can reduce diabetes. What if you couldn't get to the doctor or pharmacy? Maybe you should reserve some of your medication for unsure times. Look at the folks stuck in New Orleans after Katrina! Better yet work on prevention: loose weight, stop smoking, exercise, skip the drive through. As Jim Rohn always says, "What if an apple a day keeps the doctor away, why aren't we doing it?" Simple changes in our lives can make a big difference.
   
3. Not producing only consuming. One of the problems of our economy is we have become a country of consumers not producers. Of course we all know everything is made in China. Did you know the U.S. is in financial debt to China, isn't is frightening to be in debt to such a strong communist country? Let's look in our own backyards, on a personal level... other than our work/careers, how often do we truely produce anything? What if you couldn't get what you need from Wal-Marts anymore? Do you know how to make things yourself, grow a garden, or repair things you need?
   
   Solution: I am not recommending you become an automechanic, a farmer or a seamstress but it would not hurt to learn some basics to survive. These are great skills to pass onto your children too. Just think if everyone grew even a small garden how much healthier we would be from the fresh food and exercise of planting it and the money we could save. I recommend learning a new skill whether it is producing artwork, repairing something, cooking or baking, growing things... you get the idea.
   
4. Teaching our children to be survivers and savers. Number 3 touched on this subject... teach your children to produce something. Get them off the computer and away fromt the television. The earlier you start them producing the better. It builds there self confidence and makes for real bonding moments.
   
   Also start kids early saving, investing and giving charity. Children have to learn to save money not just let it burn a hole in their pocket as soon as they get money. Jim Rohn talks about this in depth.
   
5. Not making clear goals for the future. Don't just live day to day going through the motions without having some exciting plans for your future. Set goals makes it much more worthwhile and fulfilling.
   
   I have to credit Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar for this breakthrough in my life. Setting clear goals really makes things happen. You have to put down on paper what you want out of life and set steps to reaching those goals. I recommend you check out their philosophies each is linked to his website. Additionally you can find lectures by them on http://www.youtube.com/.