Fiction, Fallacy, Fibs, Fables, and Fantasy- the real story of hoarding to barter.
In the last 100 years, how many times have you had to barter? What about in the last 50 years? When was the last time you had to barter with gold, silver, or chocolate? Yet there is a segment of the population that believes there will be a day in their lifetime when there will be no money and everyone will need a stash of ammo, weapons and toilet paper to barter and survive. A Mad Max scenario.
I am not here to change anyone’s minds. But while I do encourage all to store food, water, fuel, and chocolate :) I would much rather see you put your time, money, and resources to those things that will give you more “bang for your buck.” Let’s take a look back at major disasters and see if bartering occurred.
Hurricane Sandy (2012)-no barter
Hurricane Katrina (2003)-no barter
Fires in California (2007)-no barter
Sept 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack-no barter
Freezing rain in Oklahoma (2007)-no barter
Joplin, Mo. Tornado (2011)-no barter
Housing crises and unfolding unemployment (2008 to at least 2013)-no barter
Historic flooding on the Mississippi (2011)-no barter.
About 20 years ago, my wife and I opened a savings account for each child. They didn’t earn any interest, but when the children got Christmas money, Birthday money, did chores, earned money or we paid them based on their grades, they gave 10% to God, 50% into their savings account, and the 40% they got to keep. They could not touch their bank account money until they went to college or on a church mission.
This doesn’t have to be your family’s pattern, but 20 years later three of my children paid for their own missions and are have no student debt in college. My daughter can buy a car any time she wants with cash. We taught our children to save at a very early age. Almost monthly my wife would take the children to the bank and they would make a deposit in their bank account and would come home to show me, their dad, their account balances. They loved having all that power.
We encouraged our children to get good grades when they were younger with a little bit of incentive cash. Sometimes we would offer to match a deposit. Sometimes when the children would buy something and then pay back mom and dad, we would take that and deposit into their account. But they know how to save.
Walk into a bank or credit union with your child and open an account with them. Help them understand that when you put money into their savings account the bank pays them.
What they do with that money and knowledge is up to them. Some may squander it, but as parents we have taught our children good principles and let them choose their way. Yes, sometimes it’s hard to let children make small mistakes, but it’s easier for them to recover from small mistakes when they are younger than to have freedom all at once and not be prepared for it with wisdom and knowledge gained from simple choices and sometimes mistakes. Make 2016 your year to save some money.
In the last 100 years, how many times have you had to barter? What about in the last 50 years? When was the last time you had to barter with gold, silver, or chocolate? Yet there is a segment of the population that believes there will be a day in their lifetime when there will be no money and everyone will need a stash of ammo, weapons and toilet paper to barter and survive. A Mad Max scenario.
I am not here to change anyone’s minds. But while I do encourage all to store food, water, fuel, and chocolate :) I would much rather see you put your time, money, and resources to those things that will give you more “bang for your buck.” Let’s take a look back at major disasters and see if bartering occurred.
Hurricane Sandy (2012)-no barter
Hurricane Katrina (2003)-no barter
Fires in California (2007)-no barter
Sept 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack-no barter
Freezing rain in Oklahoma (2007)-no barter
Joplin, Mo. Tornado (2011)-no barter
Housing crises and unfolding unemployment (2008 to at least 2013)-no barter
Historic flooding on the Mississippi (2011)-no barter.
If you feel hoarding bullion, bullets, and beer is your thing, more power to you. But if you really want to help your family in a disaster that will most likely effect all of us sometime in our lives, then food, water, fuel and learning to save will bring greater peace of mind when disasters strike.
This year, I am encouraging everyone to learn to save. Save $5 every opportunity you can. Some can do more, others may have to be creative, but start saving. In 2012 I started to pull out $5 here or $10 there. I didn’t spend it. By the time Thanksgiving came around I had saved several hundred dollars. And when the after Thanksgiving sales arrived, I had some money. I looked at the newspaper adds and I knew I could get most anything, but I resisted because I didn’t want to give up the spending power I now had. Please start saving.
About 20 years ago, my wife and I opened a savings account for each child. They didn’t earn any interest, but when the children got Christmas money, Birthday money, did chores, earned money or we paid them based on their grades, they gave 10% to God, 50% into their savings account, and the 40% they got to keep. They could not touch their bank account money until they went to college or on a church mission. This doesn’t have to be your family’s pattern, but 20 years later three of my children paid for their own missions and are have no student debt in college. My daughter can buy a car any time she wants with cash. We taught our children to save at a very early age. Almost monthly my wife would take the children to the bank and they would make a deposit in their bank account and would come home to show me, their dad, their account balances. They loved having all that power.
We encouraged our children to get good grades when they were younger with a little bit of incentive cash. Sometimes we would offer to match a deposit. Sometimes when the children would buy something and then pay back mom and dad, we would take that and deposit into their account. But they know how to save.
Walk into a bank or credit union with your child and open an account with them. Help them understand that when you put money into their savings account the bank pays them.
What they do with that money and knowledge is up to them. Some may squander it, but as parents we have taught our children good principles and let them choose their way. Yes, sometimes it’s hard to let children make small mistakes, but it’s easier for them to recover from small mistakes when they are younger than to have freedom all at once and not be prepared for it with wisdom and knowledge gained from simple choices and sometimes mistakes. Make 2016 your year to save some money.
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