...computer literate, forum addicts, or have real lives:) But seriously, I suspect that more than less are making preps. Ever try and talk about it? Little gets said, and for good reason. Don't want to let everybody know where the peanutbutter is stashed. Sooooo, what's my point? Well, if more people than not are really preppin, maybe some kind of collapse will happen sooner than later, ie banks. Plus, IMHO, I somehow doubt that any real money will be made on gold, ANDY, because the timing of the increase will too closely parallel the raiding of the bank accounts by nervous househusbands. A 'convergence' of sorts, with too little time to turn a tidy profit, IMHO.

Owl

-- owl (b@a.com), September 30, 1999

Answers

When the newly GIs start to prep, they're going to be shocked at how much it's going to cost them. I am a shopper, I clip coupons, I search for the best price, I am a bargain hunter tightwad. I have noticed lately that the price of food has increased dramatically. Have any of you priced a can of Campbells soup lately? Some of it has gone up 75% from last year. Golden Grain Pasta with a discount card or clip coupon was going for 69 cents for 2lb. package, but on sale now it's 99 cents, regular price $1.69. Someone is lying about inflation or maybe the supermarkets know that people will be stocking up and are keeping their prices high. I can't rule out the price of gasoline either for the increase. I am glad I finished my preps for food.

Stopped at the bank on my way home and cashed a check. No problem getting cash.

-- Tight Wad (tightwad@tightwadddd.xcom), September 30, 1999.

Maybe you're right Owl, but I don't see it in my small corner of the pond. I have worked with the same people for over 20 years, I know them well. We all make good salaries but most can't keep out of debt much less worry about y2k.

It seems to me that part of the denial around y2k is because most people live for the moment. It's too hard to do long term goals and planning when you're too accustom to indulging yourself.

I don't believe that most people have the discipline to make preps on the chance that things might go very wrong, it's easier to bury your head in the sand and go ahead and buy that new boat.

-- Mabel Dodge (cynical@me.net), September 30, 1999.

Great response Mabel! You really summed it up.

-- B-17 (flying@fortress.com), September 30, 1999.

Mabel, perhaps some of your "well-off-but still-broke" friends would benefit from the article on my website entitled "Finding Y2K Prep Time".

my website: www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), September 30, 1999.

Mabel, you are right, people live just for the moment. I sometimes wonder how these people hold down a job. In my conversations with people regarding Y2K, I have come to the conclusion that they lack common sense. You would think that intelligent people walking on the railroad track would think to get out of the way of the freight train. Maybe it's just laziness, or the belief that nothing bad has ever happened to them so why worry? Do you think they'll get it when the sheeple herd flocks to the stores and the shelves are bare?

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), September 30, 1999.

It's a mixed bag I think- some are prepping and some aren't. A number of people we know, we don't lurk on this forum, are prepping. And a fair number of others are oblivious. I must say, that when I'm at the farmers market, and a customer buys one tiny tiny onion, to use for dinner that nite, or two potatoes; I worry. I mean onions? Potatoes? these things will keep for months and they buy them one at a time.....I'd hate to look in their kitchen cabinets.......2 soy sauce packets, old salad dressing, 4 year old spices, and a dented can of 5 year old soup.......

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.net), September 30, 1999.

"We all make good salaries but most can't keep out of debt much less worry about y2k."

I guess it's all where your head is at. Sure, I've posted here many times about how the computer business has "veen bery bery good to me." I've been doing it for almost 32 years, and haven't had more than a month off between jobs, and even then, it was my choice.

I drive an '87 Honda CRX. I could have a nice new Lexis if I wanted one, but I'ld rather have the 50 grand "in the bank."

But yes, I think many are doing something. I've posted a few articles about sales of "survival" items being way up. And yes, I do think it's a very good thing. The more that are "ready," the less problems the rest of us will have.

Let's all hope that the trend continues...

Tick... Tock... <:00=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 30, 1999.

I have to admitt I haven't been keeping an eye on the price of "basics" (wheat, Rice, Beans, pasta) as I got a good supply in last year....But I'm seeing some pretty good food sales now.

The local Safeway has Staggs Chili for 50 cents (limit 12) and good S& W canned fruit for the same price. Canned veggies are 4 for a buck. At this point I'm just flushing out my food preps with more convienience stuff and treats. The Stagg's folks say the Chili should be okay for 3 years as should the fruit (if stored properly).

I'm staying "in" the food storage game for now...not much time left in it perhaps. Could get wierd any time now...possibly next month. By Now the checkers in all the stores I frequent know exactly what I'm doing. The gal at Safeway yesterday asked me how many cans of tuna I got on their 25 cent sale. Need to make another "Smart & Final" run soon... Costco...I go in there for 4 pounds of roasted coffee beans and leave $140 bucks later (well, maybe 6 more cans of Dinty Moore, another 10 pounds of Honey, more Balance Bars and, oh, that is a good deal on those Garlic tabs....).....DCK

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), September 30, 1999.

Owl, I know this is a hard concept to follow, but I feel the need to take exception to your statement "I somehow doubt that any real money will be made on gold"...

The concept of 'making money' off gold isn't the reason why a few of us are pushing gold around here.

You got it backwards, through no fault of your own, cuz you been fed a damn good line of BS 'round these parts (in the U.S.) You think money is paper. It is not. Cash or paper money is and always has been an instrument to use in lieu of real money for the purpose of ease of transfer. Get it? US cash or paper money was created simply as a note promising to pay in for CONVENIENCE. You and most Americans out there, through very clever manipulation now think the paper form is really money.

Very sadly, the joke is on you. The rest of the world, as they say, ain't buyin' it.

When you purchase gold, you are exchanging essentially worthless paper for true money, as it is viewed globally. Are you going to make a killing on it? Well, in strict terms of commodity investments, I'd say yes, however, when gold skyrockets, it will be in terms of dollar devaluation...in other words, gold will serve to hold 'value' whereas the dollar will show to be better used as the paper product it is. If you were being paid in EUROs and buying gold, you would probably do quite well, as the EURO will likely be stable or become stable after a period when gold does go up in US dollar terms.

Why don't you try to think of the US dollar as monopoly money, because that is exactly what it is...monopoly money perpetrated on a global scale for 27 years which is now ready to be discarded by all global players and trashed in the hands of the local holders.

-- OR (orwelliator@biosys.net), September 30, 1999.

on this gold thing... here's the rub. Lets say gold goes thru the roof say $100,000 / oz. Like last post says that'll be because of severe dollar deflation, bread would cost $1000 bucks too. So then the fed comes in and say "ok new dollar comes out tomorrow, exchange rate is 100,000 to 1. didn't gold just go back to a dollar and bread back to a dime or something? and we all start trading at prices we're used to? SO everythings relative and whether there is no value in paper depends on the definition doesn't it? I guess biggest difference is a "before" paper dollar is worth 1/100,000 an ounce of gold (?right?) but gold gets wiped out in the process too - because we paid 300.00 for it originally and now it'll by a $1's worth. The point is you've at least got the new dollar???

-- wd s (wd@toptexas.com), October 01, 1999.

I noticed an increase insome food prices also. Especially soup, .89 at Wal Mart and that was suppose to be on sale. Something else I noticed is the canning supplies have increased in price. They should be going down because we are at the end of the season. Lids that were .87 are now up to 1.27.

To keep up with what is really happening, these are the true indicators, not the media spin. It is the little things that will tell the end story. Keep your eyes open.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), October 01, 1999.

wds,

Your point on a new dollar is slighly off. In periods of high inflation/hyperinflation; those that have cash or valuables will demand a higher interest on any lending, so what yoiu describe would push interest rates through the roof - woe to borrowers with an outstanding balance on a variable rate debt. Additionally, it is not likely that wages and incomes could pace rapid inflation, so the real cost of essentials would rise faster than ones income or ability to pay.

So even if there is a new revalued dollar (I like orange - maybe we could have all carry orangebacks - NOT.), gold would still maintain close to the relative value in older dollars. Changing the defintion of the paper's denomination will not significanyly affect real tangible goods.

On the other handd, if what you really mean is a return to the gold standard with one US dollar redeemable for some fixed fraction of an gold, than the purchasing power of the gold backed dollar would rise and the value of gold in todays dollars would go thru the roof due to a fixed supply of gold. Jack Kemp makes a strong case for a return to a gold standard as a way to shore up American and global finance.

-- Bill P (porterwn@one.net), October 01, 1999.

Don--The nearest Safeway to me is about 30 minutes away. So, at the prices you mentioned, I'm going to make the trip. I only purchase what's on sale so I'll report back what I find. We have a Lucky's and a Raley's where I live and I'm hearing lots of complaints about Raley's being expensive. Hope I find some yard sales along the way.....

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), October 01, 1999.