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#253960 - 11/28/12 06:13 PM Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear?
picard120 Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 07/10/05
Posts: 763
Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear?

WWW III won't happen in our lifetime at all. I just shake my head watching TV show about doomsday preppers. These people spend so much money that could be used for savings.

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#253962 - 11/28/12 06:53 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: picard120]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
So what if they are? Spend money - stimulate the economy - create jobs - benefit all mankind.....

We all make choices in how we handle our resources. I doubt you would agree with all my choices, nor would I with yours? So what?

Sometimes even Mrs. Hikermor disagrees with the learned decisions of her wise and benevolent husband....
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#253964 - 11/28/12 07:01 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: picard120]
MoBOB Offline
Veteran

Registered: 09/17/07
Posts: 1219
Loc: here
I would say that maybe they spend it unwisely. The one episode I watched was about the guy in Arizona who just about blew his thumb off on a "practice shoot" with the boys (wasn't following the safety rules - you can't prepare for stupid). Anyway, this guy had at least four different caliber rifles (not including sidearms and shotguns) in his collection. I personally would just have two - .22 and either .308 or.30-06 plus a 12 gauge shotgun. You can get those anywhere. Too much diversity makes for complications. That was about as much as I remember. The blowing off the thumb thing pretty much blurred out the rest of the show. I haven't watched another episode since.
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"Its not a matter of being ready as it is being prepared" -- B. E. J. Taylor

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#253968 - 11/28/12 07:38 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: picard120]
Arney Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 09/15/05
Posts: 2485
Loc: California
Originally Posted By: picard120
These people spend so much money that could be used for savings.

First, I hear what you're saying, Picard, and I'm sympathetic. What comes next is probably not the kind of answer you were expecting but here's my "big picture" answer to your question.

The unfortunate reality is that without a consumer-driven, buy-buy-buy attitude, our economy would crumble. There would not be enough jobs for most people if everyone really did just buy "essentials" and saved the rest. You hear that statistic all the time that 70% of our economy is based on consumer spending. Subtract all that "unnecessary" spending and you have a much, much smaller economy. That's a crazy economic model, but that's what we have at the moment.

Also, our money is being debased every second by our country's monetary and fiscal policy (and that's as much politics as I'll mention). Or, in other words, inflation is eroding the value of our savings every second. $20 today doesn't buy as much as $20 did five years ago. The official US inflation rate is like 2%--what a joke! Everyone who actually spends any money knows that prices have been rising significantly for a while now, and yet the most recent Social Security cost of living adjustment is one of the smallest ever. Madness!

If the government continued to measure inflation the same way as back in 1980 (back when we DID have monster inflation around 15%), we would all be groaning about a 10% inflation rate in the US now. I'll say that again, 10% inflation, not 2%! What interest rate are you getting from your bank for your savings? Now subtract 10% from that interest rate (heck, or even use the official inflation rate) and that's what is happening to the actual value of your savings these days. People who depend on their savings or Social Security, like the elderly and retired folks, are being hit hard in the last 5 years. From a purely financial standpoint, an argument can be made that saving your money is not the smartest thing in today's crazy upside-down world.

So, really, one "smart" thing people should be doing is converting your rapidly depreciating money into tangible things of value--food, housing, tools, education/training, etc. Hmmmm, when you think about it, isn't that essentially what so-called "doomsday preppers" are doing with their money? I don't know about splurging on an underground bunker or a dumptruck full of MRE's, but they're actually doing the smart thing with much of their money, even if you may not agree with everything they're spending their money on.

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#253973 - 11/28/12 08:04 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: picard120]
JBMat Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/03/09
Posts: 745
Loc: NC
If I choose to buy 10 years worth of TP, and I have the room to store it - what did I waste? I actually have saved time and maybe money (inflation) as I won't have to buy TP for 10 years.

Same same if I buy anything that is pretty much static and won't degrade over time.

Stupid no, smart maybe.

And if times get tough and there is no zomie applesauce, I can pawn my guns/knives/tools if need be.

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#253977 - 11/28/12 08:51 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: picard120]
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078
Quote:
Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear?...These people spend so much money that could be used for savings.


It's very timely that you bring up Doomsday Preppers as the National Geographic TV channel in the UK is beginning a series called 'Preppers UK, Surviving Armageddon'

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-11-14/doomsday-preppers---usa-versus-uk whistle

http://natgeotv.com/uk/preppers-uk-surviving-armageddon/galleries/british-preppers

armouredcockroach is I believe the star of the tonights show, who gives the BBC an interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gKdF7YDwIg

Gear can make life easier, but I think that the emphasis should be on skills and common sense. Usually its the malfunctioning grey matter between the lug holes that gets most folks into trouble as with Paramedicpete's thread ' Some People Never Learn.

Oh and savings can quite literally disappear over night!


Edited by Am_Fear_Liath_Mor (11/28/12 08:53 PM)

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#253978 - 11/28/12 08:54 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: picard120]
Dagny Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 11/25/08
Posts: 1918
Loc: Washington, DC

Any specific "gear" you are referring to?

I've bought several fire extinguishers in my life. Haven't needed any of them.

Could've bought some Apple stock with that money. So that fire extinguisher money was wasted.

I have some firesteels. Won't need them unless my Bics and matches disappear or don't function. Have a fleece blanket in my car, chemical heat packs and a host of other stuff in case I were ever stranded.

Probably won't ever happen. Geico road service will come to the rescue before frostbite sets in.

I have a bunch of water stored that I'll probably never need and will someday dump out. Ditto for the Micropur tablets.

I have maybe three months of food on hand for peops and pup -- will eat most of it, eventually. The dog will eat her food.

I don't have an arsenal but I do have an art collection. The former at least has some utility and is fun for target practice. Well, the art collection could be fun for target practice, too.... but old milk jugs filled with water suffice.

We do have periodic power outages and we camp for recreation so the flashlights, headlamps, batteries and candle lanterns get used.

If it turns out you are not Nostradamus and "doomsday" happens in our lifetimes (which for some of the young'uns among us could be another 80 years) then the preppers will have seemed pretty shrewd.

In the meantime, it is a harmless hobby - if they have the money to spend.


.

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#253982 - 11/28/12 09:22 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: JBMat]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
Originally Posted By: JBMat
If I choose to buy 10 years worth of TP, and I have the room to store it - what did I waste? I actually have saved time and maybe money (inflation) as I won't have to buy TP for 10 years.

Adverse conditions will never wipe you out. Good planning!
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Geezer in Chief

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#253983 - 11/28/12 09:26 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: picard120]
Phaedrus Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3148
Loc: Big Sky Country
I haven't seen the show, so I'm just going on what my coworkers have told me. The main issue I have with the folks on the program is that part of being "prepped" in manner and mindset they espouse is that showing your preps on a national TV show sort of defeats the purpose. Aren't your preps supposed to be under the radar?
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“I'd rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” —Richard Feynman

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#253986 - 11/28/12 09:41 PM Re: Are doomsday preppers just wasting money on gear? [Re: MoBOB]
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078


Quote:
The one episode I watched was about the guy in Arizona who just about blew his thumb off on a "practice shoot" with the boys (wasn't following the safety rules - you can't prepare for stupid)



Tim seems prepared, he even owns a chain saw! laugh

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