I just could not stop thinking about this..

This has also been bothering me and the word "Depression" keeps coming up. I think that the best way to deal with this is by protecting yourself and your money. Buy gold. Pay off your mortgage, if you have one. At least, you'll have a house to live in. Invest overseas, maybe even consider moving to a place like Canada or overseas. Get rid of your credit cards by paying off the balance. Buy only what you need and forget the rest. Cut down on spending money on doodads like trips, furniture, restaurants, etc. Consider growing your own veggies.

Don't stress yourself out thinking about the Great Depression and it happening again. Do a search on the net and read about it, then learn about the last recession and how we got past it. Yes, it was bad but nowhere near as bad as the Depression and there's more help available for families and businesses now. I do believe our economy is going to get worse before it gets better but we're a strong people and we will get through this. My family has cut back about as much as we can and right now we're holding steady but we have many unnecessary things that we can cut out if it becomes necessary. The cell phones, satellite tv, taking the boat or the bike out, internet service are all things that are expendable. Most of us have things we can cut out of our budgets before we lose our homes. Try to stay upbeat and do what you can. That's about all you can do.

I couldn't have said it better grammasnook. You really hit the nail on the head because I agree with you 100%. I don't know how we're to pull out of this "hole" we're in. Hubby and I have been lucky in not using the credit card till this month due to his mother's passing, he needed a suit but got a decent outfit at Walmart but still we didn't have the cash to buy it so he had to use the credit card and gosh, a few other things were needed along the month as well such as gas to see my mom in the hospital 30 miles south of me and go to their house which is 31.5 miles to the north of me to keep things up and going there, it's been pure hell to say the least and having to deal with a disturbed and mean "BEAR" of a husband, I don't know how much more I can keep going. I'm about to go off on somebody or something. Not my furbabies of course but something or somebody somewhere.

YOu have every right to feel that way; i don't things will get better. I feel that what has happened in other countries will start to happen her in the united states. There is more to what is going on right now then what is being said and the people will be the ones that feel the affect of what is going on. Those that are in control are not affected like those that have to spend everyday. It's only going to get worst.

what i must say is today on the radio it was talking about how the saskatchewan (provincial govt) government had budgeted 80million dollars to be made from profits of gas taxes ...and theyre going to MAKE atleast a billion more on profits..i dont think its fair that they are profiting that much off this issue when they could offer releif.

I totally agree with you. If you think about the way things are going, it is depressing. You here commentators constantly trying to convince us that the American Dollar/the American economy is strong. They are not very convincing when put up against real life experience. Yeah, I tried to use credit cards, but the thing about credit cards is that you have to pay the bill. You could buy your house outright, but you still have to pay taxes and insurance, and your own water bill and repairs, etc. The foreclosure thing is happening because people who were not really eligible for a mortgage were given one. So, some people will have to go back to renting. But, a lot of landlords can't even afford to pay the mortgage on their rental properties. So, then your looking at a lot of vacant/blighted properties, or rental properties being bought up by companies instead of persons. Just about every aspect of our life is being affected by the status quo. More importantly, the quality of our lives is being affected. It's sad to think that one would have to cancel a family outing because they can't afford the gas, or a business person would have to swallow his pride and sell a family business and try to find employment working for someone else. We're in for a change. We may look back on prior years and feel like we were living like spoiled brats compared to how we will be living in the future. The good thing about America is that we have strength, we can endure and we can facilite change and solutions to problems.

hello there gramma:)happy day to ya..Sooo..as im reading this i am agreeing 100% if we arent there yet in a year we will be very soon after..i know i can barely get food on the table and being disabled and on social security they dont pay much as most know..and we all know how expensice clothes are as well..And u and i both know there is nooo dang reason gas is soo much..they are takinjg us for everythign we have and i think its crap the goverment cant or wont do anything about it..they can do everythign else ..why not help us out? just make teh rich RICHER!! thats all they want and kill the poor man..and make him suffer!! im soo angry..but i give up..Bush is almost out..hopefully whoever is next plzzz lord not a rep..will help or ease something..but with all the debt we have now..i seriously doubt it..have a good one..April:)

I also worry about the credit crunch now that it is beginning to bite harder. Having been through recessions in the past I can only hope that we will be able to claw our way back out of this again before too much longer. I have been unemployed for four years and in failing health, I don't receive any benefits or financial help and my partner and I have to rely on his low income. We are just hoping that things will not get so bad but we are also making a lot more economies.

thats a good one to think about.

I am doing my best to prepare for the worst.But at the same time I am trying to have faith instead of driving myself crazy.I got a job a few weeks ago that doesn't require a car,because it is right across the road.And now I have my eye on another one that is also so close I can walk. I think it would be a good idea for everyone to try to get something as close to home as possible.Even if it pays less,you won't have to worry about expensive gas or no gas.I realize this is not possible for some,but I think it is possible for most people. I am also stock piling food a little at a time.Luckily the job I have across the road is enough to pay rent,elec,water.I don't need anything else.I can walk to everything I need.And as I said I'll already have alot of food.

I'm with you I think we are headed for a great depression. Look at the times, I have been without a job for nearly a year I have applied everywhere possible and nothing jobs are scarce. The price of gas here is 4 dollars a gallon ridiculous, the price of food outragous milk 4 dollars a gallon right up there with gas, eggs $2.50 a dozen, and God forbid the crop states have a long winter that freezes them then fruits and veggies skyrocket. The sad thing too is that everyone should eat healthy but who can afford to ? Beef is cheaper then chicken or fish so you get what you can afford.. Housing ewww I thank God my house is paid for if it wasn't Il'd probably be homeless, my brother just lost his home to foreclosure he started out paying I believe $1200.00 a month was on an adjustable ( not a very smart move ) that went up to $3000.00 a month he couldn't afford it so he lost his home. Times are hard and getting harder where will we be in a few years / The thought scares me...

I agree with you, grammasnook. These are the things that make a great depression. At least during the Hoover depression, people could grow their own food and dip water from their wells. We won't be able to do that. We have no knowledge of growing food and no wells to dip water from.