When I was growing up it was an expectation to be free from debt, ie: mortgage, loans, etc., by the time near retirement.
What has in fact proved to be reality is quite the opposite.
Whereas “debt” was once perceived to be a shameful state, it is now considered to be the absolute norm!
We have been asleep at the wheel, as we have been suckered into a system where we are little more than Serfs.
So what is a “Serf” I hear you ask?
Wikipedia sums it up thus: Serfs who occupied a plot of land were required to work for the Lord of the Manor who owned that land, and in return were entitled to protection, justice and the right to exploit certain fields within the manor to maintain their own subsistence.
Indebtedness, in other words, is the key to not owning one’s own existence.
Many of my friends and family are waking up to the fact that theirs is a debt-based existence. Some have confided in me, that they will have to stay in work past official retirement age, in order to service the inflated mortgage they are now tied to.
Once in retirement, the family home will have to be sold!
And this, at a time when many adult children are moving back into the family home!
In past blogs I have offered advice in terms of the practical adjustments you can make to your home in order to make it easier and cheaper to run.
If you have a huge mortgage, think of selling while prices are fairly high.
Trade down to something small and affordable.
Land, no matter how small, once bought and paid for, will be a great buffer against the vagaries of the present crumbling financial system.
If you continue to live in the cities, pressurize your local politicians for Allotments and Community Gardens, where food can be grown and a sense of self-support maintained.
This approach has proved itself already in post-Soviet Russia and in Cuba as well as other countries.
Here’s a link to how Permaculture ensured continued food support to the people of Cuba in a time of sanctions…yes, it works!
https://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/chris-bird/2014-01/permaculture-gathering-cuba
Creating a Food Pantry can help you take full advantage of storing food, as well as making the most of supermarket offers to help offset the rising costs we are facing into!
Pay off your debts and try to avoid any loans, plastic cards etc.
Keep a housekeeping book, tracking all your income and outgoings, so as you can grab more control of your life.
All this will take time, so it’s best to make a start as soon as you can.
There are, however, two simple skills you can learn, to make a practical start to the New Year ahead.
The first is easy and will save you a small fortune, as well as increasing your good health…teach yourself to make some of the best food ever…Soup.
Home made soup is a meal in itself.
…and Bread, for good home made bread is the “Staff of Life!”
We are facing into an uncertain future in terms of economic stability…Be Prepared!
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