future refugee? maybe

[mtl272]

I'm a possible future refugee.My wife and i are worried about what the future holds for this country. Political system aside, i know that in countries all over the world that people are able to survive under really bad conditions. the question i have is where is going to be the best place to raise my family with the least interference from uncle sam. maybe i should just stay put,i don't know. I'm very frustrated clinging to my bible and gun. I live in the Conyers/Covington area east of Atl.Ga. We have about three acres(2.97) and a 3bed room two bath house 1100 sq.ft. the lot is wooded and mostly pine trees 10"s or lesson the back half of the property. The front half is hard woods,sweet gum, oak, some other yet identified trees and kudzu. our lot is off the main road about 100yard to the mailbox. we have a spring head that stayed wet through the last few years of drought, it feeds a lake in the next neighbor hood. i drive a roll-off dump truck and have been salvaging materials. i built an out building 11' x8' all from the trash except the deadbolt. i can weld some, drive bobcat,bulldozer, .........

we are fairly happy and comfortable. we are killing are selves to make the bills.60 hour each. i know that people are having rougher times than us. i guess i can't decide if we should stay. the area isn't the best ,but we haven't had any problems yet, thank you GOD, the neighbors on the main road have had cars broken into and equipment stolen. according to the police dept. this is the more active side of the county and it's more densely populated. i didn't do very good research before buying, it's my first house. i have a 19mth old son and a 9 yr.old girl. i need an idea of how to plan. for the most part i have the home defense cover(guns&ammo), sorry about the rambling i'm just tired, help ,please!

[mtl272]

hey sorry i didn't read more posts be for posting mine. is there anyone in ga. on the east side of atl. that i can network with.

[Grizzy]

Hey Sweetie :)

At first glance, it sounds like ya'll have a good set up, and yet the need for 120 hrs a week to sustain it (and you're exhausted) doesn't make sense. It's the structure that you're struggling to pay off... What if you sold this and did like others have done? Get some land somewhere else and live in a temporary shelter there while you build a small home where you can get in and lock the door and be safe... enough room to garden (thas going to be totally necessary) and also not so close to other people... You can make it in a very small structure in which you could add on later, but ya'll would be safe and find peace.

I wish I had wisdom, but I don't. I just know that the big debt is seemingly drowning you... Change things around and trade off a nice house now for an easier wagon to pull... Life is always tradeoffs. Find what you can live with and work hard to preserve it.

In the meantime, and I say this sincerely, I will keep your family in with my family's prayers.

"For I have not given you a spirit of fear -
but of power, love and a sound mind."
Our Faith will carry us... In my lifetime I have seen some oddly creative solutions come to my rescue when I was in my most troubled times.
Bearhugz :)

~Grizzy~

[flatwater]

Stay put for now and don't panic and what Grizzy said about the spirit is true, you can always rely on God.---- Now look your situation over really careful. You are working , a roof over your head and food in your stomach, thats not a bad start. Figure out if either one of you have jobs that would be easy to get a job somewhere else. In the job market your only as good as what you can do well.

[Aiken]

60 hours per week each and still struggling is a major problem. I know the real estate in the Metro area is not doing well so it might be tough to get out from under the bills. You might consider moving closer to the Augusta Area since it is much cheaper and looking for employment there.

[NCLee]

There's a fellow on the radio - Dave Ramsey - who gives advice to people on how to get out of debt. People call in and explain their situation, then he tries to apply his approach to their circumstances. (3 hr program on weekday mornings here.) Here's a link to find a station in your area. http://www.daveramsey.com/radio/home/index.cfm?fuseAction=dspFindStation

Hope that by listening to him, that'll help you cut down on some of those 120 hours per week. Hope you can listen to it while driving your truck. Listening to his program will help you determine, from a financial standpoint, whether you should keep your home or move.

That said, it sounds like you have a good situation, from what you've said so far, in terms of your home. Lots of folks would give their eye teeth to be situated on 3 acres with a good spring on the property.

From a safety standpoint, moving out to the country may not make you any more safe than where you are now. I live in a rural area - closest neighbor is a half mile away. Every home on my end of this country road has been broken into, mine included. Some have been hit more than once. So, you may be more safe, right where you are than where you might choose to relocate.

I'm older than you are and have been where you are now. When we moved here, I had less than $10 left in my paycheck that month. It wasn't easy as those long hours to pay the bills took their toll. And, at one point, my spouse and myself both lost our jobs at almost the same time. That time was really, really bleak.

However, I'm also here to say there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We went through the economic problems of the 70's. Parents went through the depression of the 30's. Barring a complete meltdown, things will get better. Keeping that hope, when things look so bad, does help to cope with what's going on.

In closing, hunker down, listen to Dave, prepare as best you can for the worst, and hope for the best. With any luck you'll do fine in the long run. Feel free to post questions you may have or to simply let off some stress. There are a lot of people here who've been through or are going through what you're dealing with now. We're here to lend a hand, when we can.

Lee

[Terri]

You have a home and both of you are employed. Right now that is not bad at all! I know that times are hard for you, but, it is not just you. The times are HARD!

When will your vehicles be paid off? That would help.

Listen to Dave Ramsey. We differ on a FEW things but his basic program is sound.

If you are working that hard you are probably eating too much fast food, which will add up to $400 a month REAL fast! To decrease this, learn to crock pot. Start dinner before you go and come home to a hot meal.

I used to put a FROZEN beef roast into the oven and set the timer to start one hour before we were due home. By the time the oven came on-one hour, again, before we were due home- it would be thawed. By the time we came home we could nuke some potatos, open a bag of salad, and eat. It was faster than fast food, healthier, and cheaper.

And, instead of baby food, use a blender if you have one. A jar of peaches is pretty, but with a dash of water and a blender you can make your own. I would make chicken stew for my youngest every Sunday, blend it, and freeze it in baggies for the rest of the week. Etc.

[Terri]

I ran an errand while I thought about this some. This is my third recession-I am 54- and it is easily the worst.

I grew up with stories from my elders about the depression and I thought them strong people, even when they had problems making ends meet. Your grandchildren will listen to your stories also!

At any rate, the food budget is one of the few things that can be easily changed. Only, instead of setting a limit on the dollar amount I would just try to pinch pennies.

I shop at Aldi's a lot: do you have one? It is a cut-rate grocery store: they charge about 1/3 off of what most grocery stores charge. There is *NO* membership fee! I would not pay a membership fee!

However, their selection is poor and they do not have the great sales, so I alternate grocery stores. I buy the staples (rice, noodles, laundry soap, flour, crackers, etc) and I shop the local Thriftway to buy their loss-leader meat.

Loss leader meat is sold at below cost, to get people into the store.

Recent meals for my family of 4 (2 adults, 2 teenagers) are:

loss-leader ham ($9 for enough meat for 3 large meals), with bagged salad and potatos and mac n' cheese (33 cents a box at Aldi's: it tastes EXACTLY like Kraft)

canned stew ($5 aldis) Biscuits ($1 Aldi's) with jelly ($1.50 a jar at Aldi's)

Chuck steak ($6 loss leader) with potatos and frozen peas

At any rate, that is about $7 a dinner for 4 full-sized people and there is ALMOST NO PREP TIME involved! No prep time is AWESOME for working parents!
...........................
Times are hard. this, I know.

[Cil]

for working parents!
...........................
Times are hard. this, I know.


Just yesterday, I did my monthly grocery shopping and bought 4 rib-eyes steaks in a family pack for about $12. Origanally, the price was $27. Not bad if I do say so myself. I'm nemployed, so I can grocery shop once a month.

[firegirl969]

Welcome from GA. I am not from your area, but rural south GA. It sounds like you have a pretty good setup there barring the high bills. I do know that the cost of living around Atlanta is higher than where we are. However, you both have jobs and that says alot. I would first recommend you and your other half sit down and look at all areas where your money goes and make a budget. See where you can cut corners. Buy the loss leaders at the grocery store and stock a pantry. Once you get to the point that you only buy stuff on sale, you will begin to see automatic big savings in the grocery area of that budget. Can you cut out cable or downgrade to a smaller package? Can you go from 2 vehicles to 1? Instead of ordering Pizza out or stopping at Subway, make your own at home. Just a few ideas to get you started thinking of ways to cut corners. Blessings, firegirl