Cost today of Preppers items Jul 2012

**RICHFL** · 07-11-2012, 07:08 PM

I'm one of those who has a set income, military retirement and SSN gives me well under the poverty line, but we have not had a real pay raise in 12 years! So every time I see prices go up a few penny's I cringe. I understand what people older then I who have only SSN to live on; find it hard to even have a roof over their heads!

Try to live on $385.00 dollars per month then take out $132.95 for medicare cost, that we all will have to pay (I do that now). That is why so many have to decide to forgo the medical attention they need.

All I can state is our generation has failed our older generations. We have not provided for them as we should. I know that before SSN came around, older people would move in with their kids; now all the kids want is to put them into a home.

Where did we go wrong?

**Applejack** · 07-15-2012, 09:18 PM

I see prices go up every time I walk into a store. It is getting bad. I don't even want to think about what it will be 2 years from now. We are also on a fixed income but a a little better off than some as my husband had a very good retirement income and he get's social security as well. he put everything into his retirement that he could and when he retired, he took the money from the gas company and put it into conservative measures that have paid off for us so far. this was done because if it stayed with the gas company I would have only gotten half of his retirement and now i will have all of it and will be better off if he dies first. I just filed for my retirement early at 62 instead of waiting till I am 66. found out we would be even better off to just go ahead and take it early and that I am not the only one who has decided to do this also. Our house is paid for and we don't owe anything to anyone such as charge cards or car payments, although we really need to get a new car. We are going to be working on that maybe by the end of the year. We only have to pay utilities, insurances and of course taxes. We are hearing that more and more people are trying to get everything paid off as fast as they can. I am now trying to can as much as possible so it will help my children and grandchildren as well. Our garden lately has become a comunity garden with phone calls can I have some of this and that. I don't mind sharing, but with hubby being 74 years old with health problems, why don't they help in the garden? We do the work and they just call and ask us for stuff and my husband will go out and get it for them. Something is wrong with that picture. So far we have had only one who put in his own garden with my husband's help because it was his first time and didn't know what to do. But the neigbors we thought we could trust i am starting to question now. don't think they will contribute to anything now but handouts. We really need that privacy fence.
AJ

**CountryGuy** · 07-23-2012, 09:44 PM

Applejack, have you tried in that sweet southernly lady way to tell them to pitch in if they want anymore grub or that they need to put in there own? Time for tough love. Maybe tell them you and/ or hubby would be glad to come by, sit in the shade and direct them and answer questions as they work up their own garden. I'd nip their "Community Garden" mentality in the bud now. With this entitlement mentality society, you know what happens when many get a taste of something for free; they then expect, no DEMAND it as their "human right". Shut that spigot off now.

ps - might want to drop the hint that the garden is in rifle range from the house...lol

Originally Posted by Applejack

Our garden lately has become a community garden with phone calls can I have some of this and that. I don't mind sharing, but with hubby being 74 years old with health problems, why don't they help in the garden? We do the work and they just call and ask us for stuff and my husband will go out and get it for them. Something is wrong with that picture. So far we have had only one who put in his own garden with my husband's help because it was his first time and didn't know what to do. But the neighbors we thought we could trust i am starting to question now. don't think they will contribute to anything now but handouts. We really need that privacy fence.AJ

**Applejack** · 07-23-2012, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by CountryGuy

Applejack, have you tried in that sweet southernly lady way to tell them to pitch in if they want anymore grub or that they need to put in there own? Time for tough love. Maybe tell them you and/ or hubby would be glad to come by, sit in the shade and direct them and answer questions as they work up their own garden. I'd nip their "Community Garden" mentality in the bud now. With this entitlement mentality society, you know what happens when many get a taste of something for free; they then expect, no DEMAND it as their "human right". Shut that spigot off now.

ps - might want to drop the hint that the garden is in rifle range from the house...lol

I agree, next year when the garden goes in we are going to pull the plug. We don't mind sharing but a little help at our age would be nice instead of them just standing around our yard while we pick and they wait. My next door neighbor is retired fireman and his wife still works, comes home has grandchildren dropped on her and she's the one cutting the grass. Hubby said something to him about it and he just said she likes to cut the grass. That's not what I get from his wife. He is lazy and his son is just like him. We have another neighbor lives on the other side of him and she want's to stock a few beans and rice and bought everything over to my house for me to put up in canning jars with ox oborbers and seal them for her. I told her to fill the jars and I would seal them with my seal a meal. She huffed and puffed about it and that was the end of me doing anything for her. She even tells me that canning is work and she's not going to do it. She plants a garden at her daughters house, freezes everything, but does not blanch any of it. and then throws it away in the spring and doesn't even eat it. neigbors have to go. We do have one neighbor who will help with anything we need help with and I have been teaching him and his wife how to can. Hubby helped him to put in a garden this spring. He and his wife can stay the rest bad news.
AJ

**CountryGuy** · 07-31-2012, 08:54 PM

To heck with the other neighbors. The last couple you mention sound like they could be excellent allies and be beneficial for both of you. They can assist with the heavy lifting so to speak and they can benefit from your years of knowledge and wealth of skills.