everyone discuss about tips in survival for disaster situations. However, I think that real survival disaster is having enough money for retirement. With rising cost of inflation and dwindling employment prospects. I worry about saving money for retirement because I am scared of growing old. Does any one have this fear like me? <img src="/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

Nope, but I expect I'll either (a) be found dead with my face in the keyboard, having work until I die as a code monkey or (b) die at 110 at the hands of the angry 25 year old husband of my beutiful and brilliant executive assistant. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I'm betting on the former, though. I don't think those of us under, say 35-40 are likely to see anything in the form of retirement for the reasons you mentioned.

Or maybe we could get lucky and thier will be a societal collapse. I know herbal medicine, how to tan hides, alchemy (I use the term to describe things like leaching saltpeter out of soil from under dung hills, as opposed to modern chemical works) and the theoretical underpinnings of blacksmithing. In a dark age, I'd hopefully have some value. *sighs*

...you scan the Sunday newspaper classifieds hoping to see a 70+ pound anvil
...you think _Dies the Fire_ by S.M. Stirling would be a good idea
...your survival kit includes a mortar and pestle
...you refuse to buy a fuel-injected vehicle
...your library consists of books older than you are
etcetera

One thing my dad taught me was take 10% of each paycheck and invest it. No matter how poor we were (in 1987 he made $18,000 and had three sons in college!) he ALWAYS followed this rule. Now he and mom spend their retirement traveling with no financial worries. Fifty years of compound interest is a wonderful thing. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The first step to having money later is DON'T SPEND IT NOW!!!

The second step is buy things that MAKE money (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, rental property), not things that COST money (boats, fancy cars, big-screen TV's). It's not nearly as much fun, but it doesn't take long (15-20 years) and you'll have a nice wad of cash.

Blast

Every day... they've got us just about where they want us... "work 'till you die".

Troy

In order:
Yes
Yes
It's part of the house equipment
I'd love to have a carb again
partically

I think they have us, but it's only "work 'till you die" becuase it's "consume until you are in debt" instead of "save until the gains outweigh your cost of living (and then keep on saving)"

We are bred to be consumers, schooled in how to labor and not think (public schools), and given little if any instruction on investing, living below our means, the true gift of compound interest and providing for your future.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a consumer, but I try to limit myself to reasonable purchases, I save for larger items or put them off for a couple of years. If something goes on my want list (and it's extensive) I look at it like this:

1) Are there alternatives? Better yet, are there any free alternatives? (I want a Bowflex, but I could just pay a little each time I want to go to the Met, get a membership, or just exercise on my bike, hike, and lift some cheap free weights!)
2) Do I really want this now or can I put it off?
3) Is it a fad?
If it passes those criteria, I put it on my want list.. I generally try to stay away from impulse purchases over anything I can't cover out of petty cash. I also don't forget about them... I reward myself with some nice items when the time comes! A new 4) that I'm working on is: Can I sell off some of the crap I don't use now to finance something new and fun?

Note: I didn't call it my "need" list. Before I buy anything on my want list, I make sure that all of my housing and any other debt is covered, I have food and energy costs covered, I can pay for necessities like insurance, health care, etc.

Even then, there can be unlucky times and it's typically health related - a large percentage of personal bankruptcies are from health care costs. One of the best investments we can make is in ourselves and our bodies.

You are "right on the money" Blast. Pun fully intentional. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Oh, and looks like you are preping for hurricane season in your blog... true to the ETS crowd.