heidiiiii Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Gina, I was not around during the Great Depression but both my parents were. They were both born in 1923. They would tell stories that have stuck with me today. Leaving the milk out in the winter so the cream would rise to the top so they had cream for their coffee. Dad lived on a chicken farm and he ate chicken every single conceivable way. You got new shoes in the beginning of school and you went barefoot in the summer. He only finished school thru the 8th grade so he could go to work to help the family. They were both only fortunate in the fact that their father`s had food based businesses (father:chicken and eggs..mother: fish monger) I agree it is time to stock up if you can. Start a veggie garden and learn how to can your bounty. Pay down your debt and try not to accumulate any more. If meat is on sale..buy as much as you can and stick it in the deep freeze. Chelsea is understanding what is going on but Nat hasnt gotten it yet. She wants a manicure at the salon..i tell her i love ya but I cannot afford to pay for that and the upkeep every month. She is still in *GIMME* mode. Fred and I go to breakfast every Friday morning. It is like a date for us. The place is usually packed to the raffters..it has been really dead in there lately. Then we would go across the street to the Pawn shop to look around..The place has so much stuff to choose from now then before. People are getting desperate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleFox Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 After reading all of this... all I can say is that I am glad that I am not alone. I heard an interesting talk radio show the other day... interesting but scarey. I don't remember what this man's name was but he said that EVERYONE should start buying non-perishable food and stock up on it. He said that this is for two reasons. With food prices going up... it will save money. The second reason is that people are going to have to save all of their money to buy gas and won't be able to buy as much food. I don't know about you guys.. but I've been buying a few extra cans of food a week and stocking up on dog food since I heard this. I'm scared to death that its going to come to this... because both my husband and I drive more than 30 miles a day to get to work. And we are so broke right now and the housing market is so bad that we can't move closer to our jobs... Everyone just needs to hang on to each other and hope that this is not the beginning of severely hard times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I hate watching the news.. Did you hear this one? The guy who predicted that gas would go to $4.00 a gal says he doesnt think it is all unlikely that gas will go to $10 a gallon in the next 2-3yrs! It actually made me sick to my stomach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 It cost me 71 dollars to fill up my tank a few days ago....and i still had a little bit of gas in my tank before i filled it up. ouch. fortunately i only have to fill up my tank about every 1 1/2 weeks. It's annoying tho to think that as bad as the economy is right now, the oil companies are raking in the dough at our expense and making our economy so much worse. How can they contribute on a grand scale to the problems of this country and not have a conscience about it? How can the people running this country stand by and let this happen? Seems like i have less money to play around with lately. I certainly haven't been buying Bespaq or other mini items lately. Groceries are getting outrageous as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nechee Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 My husband is the only one who works and I am a stay at home mom of three young kids. My DH says I need to get a job but he is not realizing the cost of daycare. My friend pays $1500 a month for his one child to go to daycare. We have three kids. My paycheck would be going to babysitters or daycare. Gas is too expensive for us to consider another vehicle. I drove a standard car before I met my husband and I still have that car. I met my husband more then 5 years ago. My Dh cannot drive standard and has no interest in learning so I have to drive him to work. To fill my gas tank it took more then 50 dollars. When I first got my car I was able to fill it from empty to full with only 19 dollars, now I spend more then 50. We don't drive very much anymore. We used to go for drives to calm the kids down and point out different animals, now we stay home much more. The cost of food has really gotton us. We go to a cheaper grocery store and buy big bags of meat for 10 dollars a bag. We spend easily $200 every 2 weeks on groceries and that barely lasts two weeks anymore. Hobbies and video games have really slowed down. We tried to buy a house but were told that our credit wasn't good enough to get a mortgage. We are moving to a different townhouse with gas heat because electric heating cost us more then $400 dollars a month last year. I don't sew as much anymore because even the cost of getting fabric has gone up. I think the powers that be need to see how real people live and not just the super rich. I can see the 1930's great depression happening all over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 I don't know about Canada, but in the US back in the '70s the Fed redefined certain fiscal terms, so it's grammatically impossible to have another "Great Depression" in the US; but if the recession doesn't stop deepening we'll all wind up going down the tubes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Kathie, Have you thought of doing some work from home? In the Chit Chat section I posted a bunch of things you can do at home if you have a computer. Gas prices are going down but nothing else. Nat just asked me if I had any money to go to the grocery store to pick up stuff to make tacos..I have money but I have to save it for the rest of the week..She sucked her teeth at me..Grrr! I know what you are saying about the *Great Depression* Holly. My father schooled me all about it as a child. He and my mother lived thru it. It is hard but we will soldier thru. Yes...I cannot go out and have a nice ladies lunch whenever I would like anymore. Yes..I cannot go out and buy a nice new comforter for my bed. But I do not need those things and hopefully life will swing back in the other direction like it always does..And we will all remember what we went thru now so we do not make the same mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 Heidi, where is that link I am looking.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 And we will all remember what we went thru now so we do not make the same mistakes.Well it sure didn't work the last time, did it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 It's kinda funny you should say that cause while gas prises where at $4 a gallon the car sellers could not give SUV's away. They just published that now that gas prices are down $.30 or $.40 SUV sales are back up. Have people already forgotten ? Do they not think that it could go back up? Proof that people don't think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 You're right on, Melanie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfieldzoo Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 If I felt brave, I would be one of those buying a new SUV, but I don't want the payment right now. I can't stand driving a car. Plus what I do, I need a truck. It's crazy, the price of stuff. I don't know how anyone can afford to buy beef. I buy in bulk at Sams club and split it with my daughter. It was on the news how realtors tell people who are buying a new house to close on the new one and then walk away from the old one and let the bank take it. They usually owe more than they could sell it for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniwendy Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 We are in a bind re gas prices. My husband works on the west side of the city. But, we had no choice but to live on the east side, where the school district is good. We have a 4 yr old with developmental delays and there are such differences in school district special ed programs. Near my husband's work, they wouldn't give him half the assistance he gets where we are now. So, in order to make sure he is taken care of and can get a good supportive education, we have to live on the other side of the city. My husband bought a used motorcycle which gets great mileage and that helps. But he won't be able to ride it once winter hits. The kids and I just don't really go anywhere that's not close by. We purposefully moved into a neighborhood with sidewalks so we could walk to the park. The post office and library, and all shopping are within 1/2 mile. Our version of a vacation- an inflatable kiddie pool and a couple of lounge chairs!! Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Heidi, where is that link :lol: I am looking.... Here you go...Work from home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 Yes, It is definitely cramping my miniatures spending. Every time I go to the grocery store, I cringe. I hate to go shopping now. Never any extra money for anything. At least gas and oil prices have gone down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 Gas prices have gone down here too...... $2.10 a gallon yesterday. However our food prices are rising. Here in our little town, the one main business here is lumber. And our one mill is shutting down this winter. The people who work at the lumber mill are big supporters of both the gas station and the grocery store and school. The grocery store will be closing here in town and the result will be a virtual ghost town. We don't mind. But familes are leaving town going where the jobs are. The school is beginning to notice the lack of students here too as things are beginning to dry up. There are sadly many many houses with "For Sale" signs in front of them, and most of those houses are now empty. The town dump is now closed except for Saturdays and Sundays. The little town is "drying" up. There are several "stores" in our little mall that are now empty. It looks like even though gas is less expensive, you will have to drive to Missoula (65) miles for groceries whether you want to or not. The prices right now at our little grocery store are overwhelmingly high. They are putting a local brand on the shelves and not stocking the more nationally known brands. Politics aside, this country of ours is in deep, deep trouble. But you all know that. So we must pull in our belt buckles and depend on ourselves more. We have devoted fully 1/4 of our basement to the storage of food items in cans and boxes and bags. The freezer is about 3/4 full, and Doug is going elk hunting soon. That will pretty much fill the freezer. If the store closes for sure next month, we'll be traveling more to get perishible type foods. Our greenhouse is providing tomatos and peppers and we've already enjoyed our cucumbers and other veggies, so we have to order more seeds. Doug is seriously thinking of blocking off our dining area with partitions, removing the chandelair and installing more grow lights. We will be moving the table and chairs and such into the living room area.....installing more grow lights in the dining area means installing more hydroponic auto pots and growing more things like onions, potatoes, peas, beans, corn etc. We don't see another solution. Our world as we knew it, is vastly changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted November 19, 2008 Author Share Posted November 19, 2008 Gas prices here are under $2.00 a Gallon. I found one gas station at $1.89 I think the new title of this topic should be "Gone Broke" because it just seems like so many of us are having a hard time trying to stay afloat..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butlerestates Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Gas here in Oklahoma is $1.68 as of Tues afternoon. Maybe today it will be lower. My daughter was so excited that she can fill her car up for $15 and since she is now driving a Honda Fit that should last her for quite awhile. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Finally, gas prices here in Mansfield are $1.76. I think they are actually back to where they were before 911. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Well last month the propane man came and delivered 150 gallons of propane. And the cost was $500.00! Today he came back, and the pricess have dropped considerably here.......anyway we got 98.9 gallons of propane for $206.00. we couldn't believe our eyes! And ears! Less than half! Doug was thrilled! Of course 10 years ago when we moved here it was 49 cents a gallon........ Things change.......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa R. Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 I have to say that with the GDP so yucky right now I have been eying up some British purchases as they have been out of reach until recently. Lis R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 We use my car mostly for local errands and quick trips, and when we filled up last month on the 13th it took 12.6 gallons & cost almost US$40; last night on the way home we stopped to fill up again and it took 12.6 gallons again, and this time it cost US$13 LESS; gas was US$1.85 last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 $1.99 here. (good ole CT holds on till the end..LOL) I was able to almost fill the car with $10! (small gas tank). LOVE IT! Oil is $2.29 a gal... I still will side with the going broke though. Groceries are still high. When they start to come down, I will feel better. Our electricity company is going to raise rates again in January too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Groceries are still high.You just HAD to remind me, and we have to go out and shop for groceries this AM so I can do some holiday baking to take with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 I'm going broke with repairs to houses.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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