Are you better off now, or were you expecting worse?

[Domeguy]

I pose this question, not as a political question, but as a peppers point of view. When you first became a full fledged prepper 5, 10, 20 years ago, or me, as a newbie prepper for about a year now, what were your expectations for the future? Did you expect nuclear war by now...did you think you might be dead before 2013 ever get close? Or did you think the worse would come latter? So...are you better off now from where you thought you would be? And be nice, this my first thread!

[mitunnelrat]

I am most definitely better off. Its because my expectations have evolved as I've grown, and I've grown because I havent quit - and that thought has come across my mind a time or two. I've since found out that can be pretty common for those who have been prepping for a while. Enough years going by without the balloon going up has caused many a man to question the necessity of his actions. I kinda think of it as the a prepper's 7 year itch.

I haven't quit though - just adapted. My start at prepping involved a bag packed like I would in the Army, with the vague notion of heading for the hills if "something" required it. There were serious flaws to that plan. One of which being figuring out what "something" would be.

So I adapted, and started looking at what threats I could face, and I got caught up in the big concepts. I'm still burned out from this, and have difficulty monitoring the news too closely. Some good came of it though, and I evolved from lone wolf in the woods to lone wolf thinking he'd get his family in line.

That was another spectacular failure. So I again evolved to lone wolf looking to stock enough supplies to carry the family through without their participation. I can tell you that before a few personal shtf and normal life events I felt very well prepped materially. Today? Not so much.

Due to that experience I learned I needed to do as much to develop renewable resources as I did in stockpiling - which led to the "it takes a village" realization, because I can't possibly do it all myself. There are flaws in that too though, and I now feel an organized MAG is the right direction to go. I began actively networking, and have grown much stronger in this area in the past year.

So yes, I am better off. I am no longer alone. I have learned, I have grown, and I will continue to do so for my own betterment, and for that of the others depending on me.

[prepguide]

Most definitely better off. I think the single biggest area of growth is learning to recognize and acknowledge the things I don't know. Over the years since I've been a part of this lifestyle there have been many, many changes both in myself and the world around me. Technology has improved and made some aspects of preparedness easier, more compact, more efficient but I have also grown in my understanding of the lifestyle, become well networked with others (that I continue to add to), added new skill sets and much more.

Back in 1999 I went through a SHTF situation with my family following a line of duty incident during which I was nearly killed. I was off work for several months and am permanently partially disabled as a result of my injuries. Had we not had all the items stored back that we did I shudder to think how bad it might have been. So every single day of my life is a post fan existence and I do what I can with what I have.

Great post!

[Willie51]

Better off for sure and I learn news things everyday. Because of where we live, we have always had the "preparedness" mindset due to storms and loss of power due to them. We have never thought much about the Mayan calendar theory or asteroids hitting the earth like some do and don't buy into the tin foil hat stuff.

I honestly have felt at times that we (I mainly) were overdoing some things in relation to preparedness and I stopped to question the whole mindset and lifestyle several times over the past few years. However, there are so many real shtf situations that folks encounter everyday....from job loss.....to sickness.....to accidents....to superstorm Sandy. Let alone (God forbid) if we had a nuclear attack, pandemic, or economic collaspe. We do live in dangerous times like none other in history and I feel it will get worse in the near future. Such situations like the repercussions caused by the mass killings in Conn. and the new Feinberg Bill that will be introduced Jan 3rd makes me pinch myself and say, "glad I ordered that and glad I bought extra". Because many many times I questioned why I should spend the time and money when I could be out fishing or playing golf. But I still use the "insurance" concept even on myself. Then it makes sense. As I read somewhere once, "We sleep when the wind blows".

[Evolver]

Allot better off!!! We've been prepping for three years now and there isn't a greater feeling than self reliance. We could both be out of work for any reason and still have the means to sustain life without being dependent of running to the store or the neighbors for anything. :D That said... We still need to work on our medical training though.

[Echo2]

Much better off with peace of mind....terrified I may have to use what I have gathered and the knowledge I have gained.

My business is much better off now than last year.....the sad part is it's because 5 other welding shops have closed in my AO.

We are in the middle of a finical collapse....it's a slow motion train wreck.

This Fiscal cliff their talking about going over is silly.....it is unavoidable. They are now poising them selves to lay blame on one side or the other.....even though they are the same. Both of the parties are leading us over a cliff....I used to think one was doing the speed limit....turns out both are breaking the sound barrier.

The argument about taxing the folks making over $250k....is silly....it will run the country for about a week.

We are in for wild ride....I prep to hang on.

[MegaCPC]

Much better off with peace of mind....terrified I may have to use what I have gathered and the knowledge I have gained.
Couldn't have said it any better.

[bacpacker]

Growing up my parents and grandparents were farmers and always were putting up veggies, beef, por, chickens for the next season. repairing all our own gear and buidlings, making do with what we had. It wasn't prepping, just life.
I got away from that for awhile due to teen stupidity and a very bad marriage. It took me a long time to get back to my roots, but over the last 20+ years I have been making steady progress to getting back to where I never should have left.
These last 6-10 years have saw a steady increase in volume of getting things together. The last 2-3 at a much faster pace. Like Echo said, we are looking at very serious financial times ahead and IMO no real way around it.
We are in much better shape than we were in past years in some ways,(prep goods and some skills), but others (age and health in particular) not so much. Over all I think we are light years ahead of where we were, but still have so much more I want to accomplish before time runs out.

[Domeguy]

I too feel I am much better off today than any other time in my life. But, I can't take the credit for most of it. The credit for that would go to my wife, domegal. She has been my steady rock that I could always rely on, no matter what.
My father retired from the Air Force after 21 years of service, and when I graduated high school, I was going to sign up and see the world with Uncle Sam as an airman, but severe color blindness cut that dream rather quickly. I got married to my high school sweet heart, but after a couple years, she was heading in a different direction, with different values, and different political views. Then came wife #2, where I had to consider after a few years what was important in life. I stayed miserable for years waiting for my son to grow up a bit more, so when I left that marriage, if I didn't get custody of him, I knew he would be able to take care of him self. But, luckily I did get full custody of him, and after being a single parent for five years, I meet domegal on the computer. And the rest as they say is history. With her help, I was able to raise a son who eventually turned out OK. With her at my side, we were able to build our own house, a geodesic dome, by ourselves. We did it together, us, we, together. I had never had a partner who would work with me, not against me. I had always had to work 2 jobs, and work for others on the weekends, just to have my ex sit at home on her lazy butt an watch TV and eat ice cream. She latter .became a person who felt the government should take care of her, and was 'entitled' to a check. When she found out 'WE' make to much money for to draw a check, she actually asked me to voluntarily move out so she could draw one. That was the day I knew divorce #2 was just around the bend. I guess I was destined to forever work my ass off, and never have anything, to live paycheck to paycheck, and possibly lose my son to the government BS just because she was a good liar. But, as I said earlier, I did get full custody of my son, was awarded $20 child support a month, until she got that stopped because all she had was her government check. That was when I knew the system was beyond repair, and would collapse under it's own stupidity.
So, to wrap this up, I am better off now than I was 10-20 yrs ago because I have a partner who will always be there, in the good as well as the bad. Someone who has the same values, believes in hard work gets you ahead, and most importantly, believed in me, that we could do it, together. Thank you Domegal.

[4suchatimeasthis]

For me, I always knew the life I wanted to have. I grew up on a large, mainly self-sufficient farm, my parents raised their own beef, pork, chicken, turkey, shot venison, planted multiple large gardens, orchards, etc. We had a log cabin with a wood stove, a cement floor and no indoor plumbing till I was 13. We didn't know we were "poor", we worked hard, we played hard, and learned to do a job and do it well. I had a period of rebellion/stupidity, and except for a few short years of youthful ignorance, when I lived downtown in a major metropolitan area, (complete with drunks and addicts passed out on my doorstep on a regular basis, fun stuff), I have been steadily working toward the goal of having a small farm in the country. It's taken me 10 yrs, but I finally have it. Anyway, I didn't really become a "prepper" till about 3 yrs ago. I still lived in a small city then, so I prepped LTS food, ammo, got my carry permit, etc, did what little I could with what I had at the time. Now we are busy building up this farm. Yesterday we started digging holes for the horses shelter, just a pole/metal building out in the pasture, to protect them from sun and rain. After that we will finish the back pasture fenceline, get some cows, maybe board a few horses, and by this April we really need to get the chickens a permanent run built, buy a bunch of meat chickens, and a few more layers, right now they are in the tractor I had them in my backyard in the city. I want more chickens, and that means more space so they don't kill each other off. Again. And, then something for goats, because I want meat goats and a dairy goat....

Long story short, does this even qualify me as a prepper.....not really sure. I guess I mainly just consider myself a hobby farmer - someone who raises animals for their own use, not for commercial gain. But I can also read the writing on the wall, our country has crossed the line, gone too far, and I fear there is no way to prevent what is coming. Only prepare for it, as best we can. I also do it because I think that a farm is the very best place to raise my kids, to help them be responsible, creative, in touch with the natural world and order of things. I want my kids to be self-reliant, and not grow up to be like the idiot women who thought that hunting was cruel, and we should all buy our meat at grocery stores, so no animals are harmed. Yeah, parenting fail there! I want my kids to be strong, get lots of fresh air and sunshine, and learn to work hard so that they can be a success at whatever they choose to do in life. I want my kids' friends to be 4H kids, not lazy spoiled brats whose asses permanently indent the couch, and are so glued to their stupid phones that they are 99.8% unaware of anything going on around them. Like my 14 yr old stepson. Ha, little does he know, hubby worked out a deal with the guy we buy hay from....next summer they are going to help him bale his hay in exchange for enough for our critters. It's about time the boy learned what a callus was!

So...is my life better? It's sure better than it was living in town. How much of that has to do with being a prepper? Well, in some ways I guess I miss being ignorant of what was happening in the world, the economy, and the implications. Of course I would rather know and prepare for it, and of course I am better off being as prepared as I can be. But sometimes I hate knowing the things I know, understanding the consequences of choices that people in power are making. "For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow." I am glad to know that I am trying to be ready, but I hate knowing that so many of my loved ones refuse to ready themselves, refuse to increase their knowledge or understanding of the world, of human nature, of how "the real world" operates, and how that will impact each of us.

[David Armstrong]

Far better off. Although my health has suffered as I have aged, my knowledge and supplies and my network have all expanded and improved.

[Grumpy Old Man]

I'm better off, even unemployed. I've been living out of my pantry so groceries don't make much of a financial impact. I bought used tires for my truck so I'm in good shape for a year or two. But mostly, I'm better for leaving that company- no more chronic upset stomach, no more wrestling with compromising my ethics, no more having to shine on vendors and I can leave this Godless Babylon. And I'm still out a couple of months before I'd have to start on my LTS if cash didn't start flowing. And...... most importantly, I've had my faith strengthened and have been able to shed much of the tyranny of "stuff".

Life Is Good!

[Domeguy]

4suchatimeasthis has got it all right. As far as your situation goes, in my opinion you are a 100% prepper. I think just realizing this country is on the WRONG track makes you a prepper. If you realize the power may go out in a storm, or you could lose you job, or the drought may last a few more months, it makes you a prepper. If you choose to do nothing more beyond that realization, if just make you a lazy (and possibly a soon to be dead) prepper. If you go to Wallyworld, and think you might need a new pack of batteries for that old rusty flashlight with the magnet on it that always was stuck on to the front door of Grandpas refrigerator in the basement where he hid his one bottle of Jack Daniels from Grandma because if she found out he had even one sip from that 'demon bottle', she would start throwing......I think I may have gotten off track here, but realizing you needed to change out the batteries makes you a little bit better prepper, and while standing in line at the check out lane, you also think to your self...self, maybe I should just get a NEW flashlight. The old rusty one does have that lose on/off switch from the time Grandpa used it to squash that big spider in the basement that one time when you went down the stairs to get a can of stewed tomatoes because Grandma was down there about 5 minutes ago folding the laundry, and after she had ironed about 10 of Uncle Bills shirts, and carried them upstairs, she was tired and asked you to take them upstairs and put them in Uncle Bills room.. so you take them up to Uncle Bills room, and he says to get out of his room you little brat, and you might then sayback to him .....well, you might not say anything because I, ...you might not want to get beat up again like that one time in gym class when I was changing ...I mean you could be changing into your clothes at the end of gym class, and those big 7th graders think they are soooo funny by making you put your dirty gym shorts into your mouth, and I start...you might start to cry....and then the coach comes in and sees me...you and takes meyou into his office where he shuts the door and pulls down the blinds, and then the bell rings for the end of the day, and the coach say it all will be OK, and gives meyou a hug and says he will give meyou a ride home if Iyou would be his friend........so you decide to get the new flashlight. That now makes you a little bit better of a prepper. I am just grateful Domegal sees what we think is up and coming in this countrys future. If your spouse is against the whole prepper idea, I don't see how it could w.

[4suchatimeasthis]

^^^ You are a funny guy, lol.

[Domeguy]

That last post didn't post right. I posted what is written in the bold text, and 4suchatimeasthis posted the lighter printed text, and hope this causes no confusion......................................... ..........................................but is now fixed so never mind!

[Katrina]

A bit better off now that I have a good start on the LTS. I know despite what the hubs says to me, he IS worried about the financials but I think now that I have gotten the LTS in order and he sees what I am doing, he feels a little bit better knowing we'll be able to weather things. I still have a ways to go but I am not obsessing like I have as often. Well at least I am not waking up in the middle of the night worried about things as much. Har Har Har!

[ak474u]

4suchatimeasthis has got it all right. As far as your situation goes, in my opinion you are a 100% prepper. I think just realizing this country is on the WRONG track makes you a prepper. If you realize the power may go out in a storm, or you could lose you job, or the drought may last a few more months, it makes you a prepper. If you choose to do nothing more beyond that realization, if just make you a lazy (and possibly a soon to be dead) prepper. If you go to Wallyworld, and think you might need a new pack of batteries for that old rusty flashlight with the magnet on it that always was stuck on to the front door of Grandpas refrigerator in the basement where he hid his one bottle of Jack Daniels from Grandma because if she found out he had even one sip from that 'demon bottle', she would start throwing......I think I may have gotten off track here, but realizing you needed to change out the batteries makes you a little bit better prepper, and while standing in line at the check out lane, you also think to your self...self, maybe I should just get a NEW flashlight. The old rusty one does have that lose on/off switch from the time Grandpa used it to squash that big spider in the basement that one time when you went down the stairs to get a can of stewed tomatoes because Grandma was down there about 5 minutes ago folding the laundry, and after she had ironed about 10 of Uncle Bills shirts, and carried them upstairs, she was tired and asked you to take them upstairs and put them in Uncle Bills room.. so you take them up to Uncle Bills room, and he says to get out of his room you little brat, and you might then sayback to him .....well, you might not say anything because I, ...you might not want to get beat up again like that one time in gym class when I was changing ...I mean you could be changing into your clothes at the end of gym class, and those big 7th graders think they are soooo funny by making you put your dirty gym shorts into your mouth, and I start...you might start to cry....and then the coach comes in and sees me...you and takes meyou into his office where he shuts the door and pulls down the blinds, and then the bell rings for the end of the day, and the coach say it all will be OK, and gives meyou a hug and says he will give meyou a ride home if Iyou would be his friend........so you decide to get the new flashlight. That now makes you a little bit better of a prepper. I am just grateful Domegal sees what we think is up and coming in this countrys future. If your spouse is against the whole prepper idea, I don't see how it could w.

Lol, you should get help.