We feel the next survival situation we will encounter is an economic one. My wife and I are doing the same thing as some of you. We are buying hard goods, and paying down our house at an almost crippling rate. That knocks off 17 years and 45K in interest, and if all goes well, will insulate us from what is coming. With the national debt that has already accrued, taxes and interest rates will be high enough to change all of our lifestyles permanently. In the recession of the late 70's, the government printed more money, and as an example, the mortgage interest rate went to 24% in 1982 (that's the year I bought my first house). Anytime the gov't prints more money, the fed must collect it back through higher interest rates, and banks must follow suit. This keeps the value of the dollar from falling, and prices from skyrocketing (inflation). We are in a recession now, and the government is again printing more money. This is the scarey part...In the late '70's, they printed an extra 25% relative to the existing money supply. In 2009, they printed an extra 120% relative to the existing money supply. Do the math.....and be prepared.