How to Save Money During Our Struggling Economy: The Urban Disaster Preparedness Guide

So why prepare for a disaster? Aren't people who do such some kind of nut case who watched one too many movies? What kind of disaster should one prepare for? What is a disaster anyway? Questions like these are very common, and in this article I'll try to make a reasonable response and also some advice.

Actually, preparedness is a very practical thing and without going into too many details, one can prepare for a natural disaster, loss of employment, etc. A realistic way to prepare is quite easy and normal, being prepared is about trying to maintain a normal lifestyle during a difficult situation, it is not crawling into a bunker or hiding in a cave. Also, being prepared, doesn't mean that one will not suffer some misfortune but perhaps we will have a better way to deal with it if it happens.

First we will discuss economic/job loss disasters:

Consider the following factors:

1. Price of food keeps rising. Many items we buy from the groceries a few years ago has doubled or tripled in price. (honey, flour, or bread for example)
2. Wages and income do not keep up with inflation or rising costs.
3. Debt for many continues to increase.
4. Unemployment is increasing
5. Changes in the economy affects us all whether we admit it or not

If one doesn't think about the direction of the economy and measure their own ability, they just keep buying normally, eventually the cost of food gets too high, then one has to start making decisions, tough decisions, to cut out or draw back certain aspects necessary in life. Perhaps eventually it is too expensive to buy food on a normal basis, so a family may go hungry part of the time. This kind of situation happens even now.

So how to do about it? By careful planning we can examine

Extended Unemployment

It is increasingly common that people will have extended unemployment, perhaps one is without a job for a few months or more. The job market now is also more competitive due to people who were once employed now looking for jobs. Even to work in a retail store is a dog eat dog world, first come first serve, and survival of the fittest to get the job.

• During unemployment, one will have no or very little income.
• We still need to eat and have shelter.
• Possible to have little or no help.
• Rely on our savings if any, or what food stuffs we have until we can purchase more.

In this situation it is very difficult to purchase enough food and pay the bills, often we willl have to make difficult choices, to eat full one day and be behind in bills and rent, or to be hungry so as to save money to pay the bills and rent. Why would one go hungry to pay the rent? It is so that the interest on the debt doesn't sky rocket, to pay off the debt soon, also by keeping up with the bills, one has a better chance to keep his home or apartment and stay on top of finding a job which often requires one to have a permanent address.

How to Cope

Many landlords are very understanding of our situations, so it is possible to reason with them, to work with the landlords or utilities to work with us and help us get our selves back on our feet. Keeiping a good relationship with them is helpful for us during our down time.

Also, if we feel we may be in such a situation, it would be prudent to stock up on dry goods, foods with long shelf life, canned goods, etc. so when we do hit a down time, we can still feed our selves and families, no need to spend extra for grocieries while looking for a job. This could save us anywhere from a few hundred to more than a thousand per month, depending on a family's normal intake. Also, we can limit electrical usage, gas, and hot water. During cold weather, turn off the heater and wear more clothes in the house. It's ok to wear jackets and sweaters indoors. When the weather is hot, try to go without air-conditioning, just wear shorts or less clothes at home (as long as you don't have visitors). At night, use the fewest amount of lights needed, and if possible, switch to the energy efficient low watt bulbs, that can save a bundle.

Job Hunting

Now, when looking for a job, it is of first importance to understand our goals. Our goal is to provide housing and feed our families. It is not to seek the same kind of job we used to have or to seek to keep our existing comfort level. People who are looking for that in these times, will often have a difficult time to find a job. We have to be realistic. Take an examination of what your family actually NEEDS to run, and see what extra things and activities one can cut out. Also if renting, is it possible to move into a more affordable apartment? From this, you can find your minimum needs to keep your family running. Now, you will have a basic idea of the amount of income you will need, it may be low enough that you can get by in a retail store, working as a waiter/waitress, or even dishwasher. You may also find you can get by with a job that doesn't use your degree or a job that was not to your taste. If you are unemployed, especially if for an extended time, there is no option to be picky. Get the job that will work, regardless if you like it or not. Later you can still get the job you like when the opportunity comes back.

Utilities and Public Service Breakdown

It is possible that with the slump of the economy that utility services will not always be available or will have delays in repair and such. This may be due to lack of money or natural disaser. If we are prepared for such events, it is very prudent. What may have been fixed in a few days or a week during a strong economy, may take longer in a weakened on.

Having extra canned goods, water, etc. is all useful. If one waits till the utilities break down, then rushes to the groceries, he will often find that people have already cleaned out the bottled water and canned goods. So, it is useful to have already prepared ahead. Water, can't be stored for a long time normally, but one can buy water "preservatives" from survival stores, which help water to last during long term storage. It is also helpful to have prepared for sanitation if there is no running water.

One can use baby wipes to give semi-showers, to keep clean, and also if using the bathroom, if you have a home or yard, it is very clean if you dig a hole/latrine, and use it. It will be much cleaner than trying to find a public restroom that has been filthied by hundreds of others without a working toilet, and also cleaner than using your own non working toilet. One can find a selection of canned foods that rival the canned goods in the store, yet the survival canned goods may have longer shelf life. Having flashlights and batteries, candles, and fire extinguishers are all useful, as well as walkie talkies.

One thing I like to suggest too, is if possible, the family should take classes in first aid, and have a decent first aid kit in the home. This is very important, especially in the case of natural disaster. The last thing I recommend is to have a can of pepper spray. People think having this in the house is odd, however, during an extended breakdown of utilities and public services, it is more dangerous and perhaps the police couldn't respond in a timely manner, so pepper spray is an option that is a very safe and effective alternative to a firearm.

Scarcity of Goods

Over the past months, we have seen food prices increase more and more, the cost of transportation is also increasing and driving up the price of goods. If unemployment isn't solved and if the economy isn't repaired soon, the prices will continue to go up, people can't afford things, so less would be made, causing a scarcity of goods. What will it feel like when we go to the supermarket and find either we can't afford the food or there is no food on the shelves? This thought might not have come across many people's minds and it may feel that something to that extent would never happen. However, I remember when there is panic, such events do happen, there's no food to buy in the market. What happens if it lasts more than a few days? Are you prepared?

A good buying plan, in my opinion, is one where we have a fresh intake of perishables, some foods for long term storage, etc. The foods for long term storage must be gradually consumed and replaced. Doing like this helps to keep the food usable for a longer period of time. How much of the goods to save, well, that depends on each individual or family. Some will save a few weeks worth of food, other I have heard save a month or more. It all depends on our ability to store the items and our income.

Don't Over Stretch Your Wallet

Now we have been talking about preparations. But one thing we have to keep in mind is that we should not over stretch ourselves in these trying times. This is quite easy to do, especially with credit cards. So we can call this as a silent disaster. A disaster which affects many. If we have not arrived at this disaster, it's best to stay away from it. Don't spend money you don't already have, and if needed use the credit card, but sparingly. And be sure to pay off the credit card right away.

Some items useful for the house, or car:

Exra cash, flashlight, candles, canned goods, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, water purifier/filter, food items with long shelf life, pepper spray, emergency contact list, walkie talkies, batteries.

This is just a basic list I can think of at the moment.

We have discussed only a few aspects of what things may occur or how to deal with them. The most important thing to have in any situation is common sense. Improving our common sense can only be done by understanding our dealings with people and our understandings of how to handle life matters. It is something that every one thinks they have, yet few people actually possess a common sense and a refined common sense. Having common sense will improve our family safety during difficult situation, and also help to prevent us from being victims or suffering some loss or certain difficulties. Anyway, it's a good thing to exercise and improve upon.

Speaking about common sense, it is always good to keep a list of emergency contacts near the telephone or saved in the contact list of your cellphone and children's cell phones. Have a plan of where to meet in case the lines of communication are interrupted. In all cases, during a disaster or other event, it is useful not to panic like the crowd, the confusion that breaks out will make it more difficult for friends and family to come together sooner.

Disclaimer

All the things discussed in this article is only an opinion and may not reflect the actual situation. The article is meant to only be used for informational or entertainment purposes only. The author of the articles and information contained in this hub disclaim any liability from any damages or injuries of any type that a reader or user of information contained in this hub may encounter from the use or misuse of the information contained in this hub.