Hot and humid, another sunny day. It got pretty dang hot yesterday. I was sweating and pretty dehydrated after working at my storage unit for over an hour. I had some water with me this time, and that helped.
I took a pickup truck load to the auctioneer, and picked up a lot to flip to my “non-prepping hobby” guys ( I hope) on Saturday. I will be picking up a few things for the BOL today, and heading up there Saturday afternoon. I was just too tired and had too much to do here to head up yesterday.
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The post title is about what we are facing and what I think you need to get through it, besides massive stacks of course. There was a shortage of used vehicles, and I bought a truck. There is a shortage of rural properties, and I bought a nice one. There are ongoing shortages of food, cleaning supplies, parts, construction materials, and skilled labor. I’ve had a chance to buy some, and am still waiting for that chance for others.
What let me get what I wanted was knowing what a good deal looked like, having the resources available to act immediately, acting immediately, and a willingness to compromise on what I was getting.
We’re still in a period where you can get what you want, maybe even precisely what you want IF you can search for it, and wait for it to become available. And if you can afford it… but that is rapidly becoming less common, and NOT being able to just walk in and get what you want, right here and right now, is becoming the norm.
We have a culture of abundance. We are entering a phase where some things, many things, are no longer abundant. That is a pretty big change and one that some people are going to have a hard time accepting. It’s going to be critical for your own success at seeing this through to the other side to recognize the change in our reality, and to develop new ways to deal with that fact.
It may mean carrying more inventory than you are used to, either at work or in your domestic arrangements. A full and deep pantry is going to ease a lot of misery around shortages of foods. Adequate spares for your critical systems need to be on hand, and not in someone else’s control. You may need to plan ahead, order early, and you may need to pay immediately, rather than on the terms you are used to. That means having access to more cash or bigger credit lines than you might have had last year. And it means accepting less than you would really like, because that’s what IS available.
That last point is going to be really hard for some people. The personality that likes to research thoroughly before a purchase, that likes to mull over a decision, is going to suffer if they don’t change. Do the research, make the decision, but then act decisively when the opportunity presents itself. Be open to alternatives.
And be open to alternative sources. The secondary economy is booming. Resellers are making hay. Used, damaged, fixable, or cleanable may be your best choice. Traditional retail and traditional supply lines will not be able to supply all your needs. Start exploring your other options now, while there is still time to climb the learning curve.
Finally consider the changes in culture. Respect for the law and for law enforcement is crumbling. Violence is increasing and occurring in areas that were formerly safe. Some people LIKE chaos and strife, it breaks down social norms and increases their freedom to do what they like doing. Some of them like hurting other people, taking their stuff, and destroying whatever strikes their fancy. Some people will go along to get along. It won’t matter to you if they guys running the roadblock are doing it for love or to feed their family, you lose either way.
It’s going to get tough, but we can get through this.
Stacks of stuff will help.
nick