Redefining Necessities

The whole world is watching as the government and the economy of Greece collapses.  It’s clear that any other country involved with the Euro is sliding into the same morass.  North America won’t be too far behind.

If we, in North America, are wise, we will take careful notes on what is happening, because there is definitely an exam coming up.

Right now, the Greeks are struggling each day to put food on the table, to keep roofs over their heads, and to make it from Point A to Point B without getting beaten or robbed.  The paradigm has shifted that dramatically for this beautiful country surrounded by blue waters and filled with historical ruins from the cradle of civilization.  Each day is a fight for mere survival and it’s only going to get worse. 

The "austerity measures" put in place due to the crumbling economy are so dramatic that starving parents are giving up their children to orphanages in hopes that they can be fed.

We have to learn from this to ensure our own survival in the years to come.

North Americans must redefine the word “necessity”.  Austerity is coming to a location near you, and it's coming soon.

aus·tere

   / [aw-steer]  

adjective

1.severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding.

2.rigorously self-disciplined and severely moral; ascetic; abstinent3.

grave; sober; solemn; serious.

4.without excess, luxury, or ease; limited; severe.

5.severely simple; without ornament ; lacking softness; hard

7.

We think we have it bad now, with the actual number of unemployed people hovering at 42%.   Don’t think that I’m glossing over the terrible situation. But this is the tip of the iceberg.

The last time you went to Wal-Mart or your other favorite shopping mecca to get the week’s goods, what was in your cart? Did you do a quick run with “just the necessities”?  What did those necessities entail?

Maybe you picked up….

 ~ a box of cold cereal for the kids.

~ a precooked rotisserie chicken so you didn’t have to make dinner

~ a pack of disposable razors

~ liquid soap for the bathroom

~ dishtowels because they were only a dollar

~ kitty litter

~ microwave popcorn

~ Ziploc bags for the kids’ lunches

~ a 2 liter bottle of Coke

~ a magazine that caught your eye when standing in the checkout line

All of this, of course, was bought in addition to any other regular groceries you purchased.  If you were lucky and thrifty, you got out of there for about $100.

In Greece any of these items would be luxuries right now.  These are not necessities. In Greece it is difficult to procure a bottle of aspirin, to say nothing of vital drugs like blood thinners and heart medications. People are searching through garbage cans to find something to feed their kids.

Your best chance of surviving the coming financial meltdown is to take a long hard look at the goods in your cart and redefine necessities.  Instead of that 2 liter bottle of Coke, buy a bag of dried beans that can be turned into a dozen servings of nutritious food.  Get 6 bars of basic soap for the same price as that cute little pump of liquid soap for your bathroom.

The prices are only going up, and shortly items we believe we must have will become more difficult to acquire.  Learn now what a necessity is, and stock up so you have what you need when the tsunami of economic collapse reaches our shores and begins to sweep away the unprepared.

Redefine necessities:

>Water

>Food (real food, basic ingredients like vegetable, grains, beans and meat)

>Medicine and medical supplies

>Basic hygiene supplies

>Simple tools

>Seeds

>Defense Items

Everything else is a luxury.

To rebuild our country once it collapses, hard workers and sensible people are going to have to survive the roughest years in modern history.

Learn from the tragedy unfolding in Greece and the rest of Europe.  Redefine what necessities are to you, and prepare while you still have time.  You won’t care that your dishtowels are nice if there is no food your cupboards.

Keep the people of Europe in your prayers, see your future in them, and prepare accordingly.