5 Concepts in Self-Reliant Living

If you want professional advice, seek out a professional. You know, a lawyer or accountant or something. You won’t find any professionals around here. Just the voice of painful experience.

1. Get out of Debt
   Debt is THE control mechanism of our times. The banks and government are partners. Especially, now. The Patriot Act has removed all pretense of financial privacy.

Your actions are controlled by the need to work to pay your debts. Get out of debt!

2. Stay out of Debt
   The same credit card companies that supplied the easy terms have finally got their slice of the corporate welfare check. Bush and Congress have conspired to hand the banks a nice fat windfall.

How?

The new bankruptcy law that goes into affect Oct 17, 2005 is going to do a lot to screw over the vast majority of honest bankruptcy filers. It was never about making people accountable for their debts. It was about lining credit card company pockets with a few more dollars.

And they are the ones that set the terms and rates! Raise the stupid rates to cover the defaults. It’s not like credit is some god given right.

Stop shopping to cover for the fact that your not happy with your life.

3. Cut your Expenses

Now that you’ve kicked your credit habit start whittling back those expenses. Even if you still love those Credit Cards cutting back your expenses will help pay ’em down faster.

4. Start a Business

There’s all sorts of businesses you can start with very little capital. Check out the ads on this blog and the Tools section.

Don’t quit your job. Start small and before you know it you’ll be paying off those Cards. Then you can start working and saving for YOURSELF.

4. Develop Your Own Food Supply

Grow stuff you can eat. In containers, gardens or window-sills. You’re going to need to know how soon enough.

5. Reduce Your Energy Needs

Survival is about Energy. Warmth, food, shelter. All aspects of conserving energy. Start now by reducing your energy foot print. When nobody can afford oil to stay warm you’ll be sitting fat (OK, maybe you’ll be skinny form all that shivering with the furnace off) and happy.

Besides, you’ll save money to help pay off those STUPID CREDIT CARDS.