Illustration by David Dees. http://www.deesillustration.com/
This post was graciously contributed by Michael Snyder and originally published at his Economic Collapse blog.
Editor’s Note: Are we slaves today? Or are we free men? The question might sound insulting on many fronts: of course we’re not slaves – we make our own choices on the free market as to what to eat, what to wear, where to go, what to do for fun and the like. Moreover, comparing our current condition, even if not ideal, to the slavery of days past when people were put in chains and treated as subhuman seems insulting to those who endured it.
But for those brave enough to face the question, perhaps you have realized that this era is one of economic bondage, of slavery primarily through financial means. Just as many serfs and indentured servants were, we are free to move about, but yet we are not free. With mountains of debt saddled on the vast majority of us, and a long chain of taxes and conditions blocking anyone from true ownership and true prosperity, we dare not call ourselves free in our true heart of hearts. There is something better, and we know it. Those who read this blog know that we are being controlled and manipulated through our financial system, our fiat currency and the invisible chains of debt. Until we address these factors, only a few can truly call themselves free…
Most Americans Are Slaves And They Don’t Even Know It
By Michael Snyder
Most Americans spend their lives working for others, paying off debts to others and performing tasks that others tell them that they “must” do. These days, we don’t like to think of ourselves as “servants” or “slaves”, but that is what the vast majority of us are. It is just that the mechanisms of our enslavement have become much more sophisticated over time. It has been said that the borrower is the servant of the lender, and most of us start going into debt very early into our adult years. In fact, those that go to college to “get an education” are likely to enter the “real world” with a staggering amount of debt. And of course that is just the beginning of the debt accumulation. Today, when you add up all mortgage debt, all credit card debt and all student loan debt, the average American household is carrying a grand total of 203,163 dollars of debt. Overall, American households are more than 11 trillion dollars in debt at this point. And even though most Americans don’t realize this, over the course of our lifetimes the amount of money that we will repay on our debts is far greater than the amount that we originally borrowed. In fact, when it comes to credit card debt you can easily end up repaying several times the amount of money that you originally borrowed. So we work our fingers to the bone to pay off these debts, and the vast majority of us are not even working for ourselves. Instead, our work makes the businesses that other people own more profitable. So if we spend the best years of our lives building businesses for others, servicing debts that we owe to others and making others wealthier, what does that make us?
In 2015, the words “servant” and “slave” have very negative connotations, and we typically don’t use them very much.
Instead, we use words like “employee” because they make us feel so much better.
But is there really that much of a difference?
This is how Google defines “servant”…
“a person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant.”
This is how Google defines “slave”…
“a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them.”
This is how Google defines “employee”…
“a person employed for wages or salary, especially at nonexecutive level.”
Yes, most of us might not be “legal property” of someone else in a very narrow sense, but in a broader sense we all have to answer to someone.
We all have someone that we must obey.
And we all have obligations that we must meet or else face the consequences.
At this point, Americans are more dependent on the system than ever before. Small business ownership in the U.S. is at a record low, and the percentage of Americans that are self-employed has fallen to unprecedented levels in recent years. From a very early age, we are trained to study hard so that we can get a good “job” (“just over broke”) and be good cogs in the system.
But is that what life is about?
Is it about being a cog in a system that ultimately benefits others?
Perhaps you don’t think that any of this applies to you personally.
Well, if someone came up to you and asked you what you truly own, what would you say?
Do you own your vehicle?
Most Americans don’t.
In fact, today the average auto loan at signing is approximately $27,000, and many of them stretch on for six or seven years.
What about your home?
Do you own it?
Most Americans don’t.
In fact, overall the banks have a much greater “ownership” interest in our homes and our land than we do.
But even if you have your home totally “paid off”, does that mean that you actually “own” it?
Well, no, not really.
Just see what happens if you quit paying your property taxes (rent) to the proper authorities.
So if they can take your home away from you for not paying rent (property taxes), do you really own it?
That is something to think about it.
What about all of your stuff?
Do you own it?
Perhaps.
But a very large percentage of us have willingly enslaved ourselves in order to acquire all of that stuff.
Today, the typical U.S. household that has at least one credit card has approximately $15,950 in credit card debt.
And if you do not pay off those credit card balances, the credit card companies will unleash the hounds on you.
Have you ever had an encounter with a debt collector?
They can be absolutely brutal. And they use those tactics because they work. In fact, they are so good at what they do that many of those that own debt collection companies have become exceedingly wealthy. The following is from a recent CNN article…
Yachts. Mansions. Extravagant dinner parties. Life is good for the founders of one of the nation’s biggest government debt collectors.
That firm, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, rakes in big money from government contracts that allow it to pursue debtors over toll violations, taxes and parking tickets. While the debts often start small, the Austin-based firm charges high fees, which can add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to the bill.
After growing this business from a small Texas law firm in the late 1970’s to a nationwide debt collection powerhouse, the firm’s founders and top brass have walked away with millions of dollars.
And I haven’t even mentioned our collective debts yet.
We have willingly chosen to collectively enslave ourselves on a local, a state and a national level.
It is bad enough that we are doing this to ourselves. But we are also cruelly saddling future generations of Americans with the largest mountain of debt in the history of the planet. The following is from my previous article entitled “Barack Obama Says That What America Really Needs Is Lots More Debt“…
When Barack Obama took the oath of office, the U.S. national debt was 10.6 trillion dollars. Today, it has surpassed the 18 trillion dollar mark. And even though we are being told that “deficits are going down”, the truth is that the U.S. national debt increased by more than a trillion dollars in fiscal 2014. But that isn’t good enough for Obama. He says that we need to come out of this period of “mindless austerity” and steal money from our children and our grandchildren even faster. In addition, Obama wants to raise taxes again. His budget calls for 2 trillion dollars in tax increases over the next decade. He always touts these tax increases as “tax hikes on the rich”, but somehow they almost always seem to end up hitting the middle class too. But whether or not Congress ever adopts Obama’s new budget is not really the issue. The reality of the matter is that the “tax and spend Democrats” and the “tax and spend Republicans” are both responsible for getting us into this mess. Future generations of Americans are already facing the largest mountain of debt in the history of the planet, and both parties want to make this mountain of debt even higher. The only disagreement is about how fast it should happen. It is a national disgrace, but most Americans have come to accept this as “normal”. If our children and our grandchildren get the opportunity, they will curse us for what we have done to them.
So can we really call ourselves the “home of the brave and the land of the free”?
Isn’t the truth that the vast majority of us are actually deeply enslaved?
Michael T. Snyder is a graduate of the University of Florida law school and he worked as an attorney in the heart of Washington D.C. for a number of years.
Today, Michael is best known for his work as the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog and The American Dream.
If you want to know what things in America are going to look like in a few years read his new book The Beginning of the End.
Guilty, yes I am a slave. Trying to work out of my affliction, but who knows how long it will take.
We are all slaves to something….
Speak for yourself please, Mr. eppe.
Jamba Juice: strawberry and bananas, Blueberry Blast, Orange Crush, Raspberry Fantasy. Is this curable?
nothing but net –
Add a double shot of Rum to the mixture, and it will temporarily take care of your problem.
6 drink minimum
Have a pleasant journey
Be Well –
Endless shit, just another day.
GMAFB: “Endless shit, just another day.”
Sounds like eternal Hell.
Then why are you here?
You mean “Land of the Fee, Home of the Slave.” So basically those who are referred to as the “Free Shit Army,” are they really the Slave Masters, since they don’t Pay into the system, and us honest workers who pay taxes referred to as the slaves. Its time to Stop Rewarding Failure, and reverse the rolls and cut off all federal Free Shit Army Benefits.
Slave to my wife……haven’t got my allowance yet.
Eppe: “We are all slaves to something….”
True, dat. Slave to Christ. Free in Christ. Hence, the name.
Else, it would be Slave to Sin. And justly condemned to Hell for being a slave to sin.
Invitation for all to follow the same: A Free Slave to Christ.
Da very best prepping you can do!
FreeSlave –
I don’t know what book you are reading, but my book says Jesus does not condone slavery.
I’ll follow Jesus, but I will not choose to be his or any others Slave.
St.Paul stated that he was a bond servant to Christ. Jesus also told slaves to be obedient to their master and do the best job possible. Eppe is right, we are slaves to others; tax collectors, govt (IRS) obama, congress, supreme court, making laws and dictating to the populace what is we should, think, do and believe, and it’s getting worse. The only difference is we don’t have the chains around our ankles or necks. . .yet
confederate–
“St.Paul stated that he was a bond servant to Christ”
That word servant should be translated as slave from the Greek.
Tony Montana–If you follow Him, He must be your Lord as well as Savior. That makes you His ‘free slave’
I too am His ‘free slave’
Amen Grandee!
Tony M–>
Actually a close / serious reading of N.T. scripture, reveals, that “nowhere” does CHRIST ‘outright condemn/or slam’..the (then/time period) institution of slavery!!!
BUT!!! ..he did admonish..Masters/slave-owners..to treat their slaves well / humanely!!!
..its in the (true) texts, sir!
..read it/them……for edification!
——————————
However, if & per the implied “subservient clause..per salvation”…you’d be well advised…to bend thine knee in recognition & humbly bow, before the wishes / commands of “HE” who judges..
..and seriously seek the intercession of his ‘SON’…as your defense attorney…come judgement day!!!!
——————————-
Your quote:…
“..I’ll follow Jesus, but I will not choose to be his or any other’s Slave.”
My answer:..
“..Pride goeth, before the fall..sir!!”
——————————-
..he’s not interested in slaves..nor is his FATHER!
That’s why GOD gifted us…with..”FREE WILL.” ..we can ‘CHOOSE”….understand???
——————————-
He wants volunteers!!! He wants FAITH in him, per the Mercies of his Dad…& the Wisdom of his Holy Spirit..to be utilized & capitalized upon, by…us!!!
..for ‘OUR’ benefit, mind you!
..again..’tis but another gift / grace…offered to us!!!
——————————–
..and just so you know..following his example (see the ass-kicked money-changers N.T. episode)…he is ‘NOT’ enamored our w/ modern day preaching of the …’turn the other cheek’ crap/syndrome.
..when it comes to dealing w/ his enemies here on Earth..he wants us to..
..follow his example!!!
-(i.E.)- ..adorn ourselves w/ the armor & truth of GOD..then kick-ass & take names!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
..the real volunteers…understand this!!!
Anybody who believes in a religious hoax or fraud is a duped slave. Just admit you are stooopid as a clam.
Not me. I do what I want to do (as long as I have permission to) 😛
AN OPEN CHALLENGE TO OLD COACH AND TRIPOD…
If either one of you idiots can refute any post I have ever made and prove me wrong, I will change my name to Numskull, Get cracking!
(crickets chirping) 😛
H’mm, that’s interesting. How does one debate a Genius?
Answer: you can’t
Anyone who would challenge a Genius has already lost the debate before they took the first step towards the podium.
It’s a no-brainer, everybody should know this – pffttt
No need to change your name Genius – but those other two you mentioned may need an upgrade.
That’s funny Tony, I even offered coach 20 bucks and he hasn’t taken it. I am really not an arrogant person but I have a low tolerance for stupidity. I like people that can have an intelligent conversation and are creative. I don’t want to talk sports or the newest phone or etc. Let’s talk preps and security and alternative power or some other useful info. I will share my knowledge with anyone who asks, I don’t care if it’s someone I disagree with or think is an idiot, I am here to share and awaken people to things they might not have thought of. Many like it and use it and some refuse it.
I In the same way I love to gather info as much as possible. Like an info/idea barter place. I am always thinking of ways to improve preps and security and appreciate the input from people here. LONG LIVE SHTFPLAN 🙂
OK ,GENIOUS.
I am completely debt free , no cards , no credit , no nothin.
But , I am still a tax slave .
Please tell me how to free myself from bondage.
Right on Genius!
What you said should be the focus point and I have mentioned this in a previous thread.
“everybody here (excluding trolls) have something in common, and that is – there is something wrong with this country and abroad.”
As long as the Grid is up and the Net is working, this is the opportunity to gather and share constructive ideas with one another. The humor that gets blended into these threads are a huge bonus, everybody can use a good chuckle – especially if a person at that moment thought they couldn’t laugh.
Dark times are coming, and I find laughter a beneficial tool.
Economic Collapse, WWIII, Local or Global Disaster. I care not which comes first, because one or all are going to arrive in whatever order it chooses in our lifetime.
Prepare, Plan, & Prep Accordingly
hammerhead, If I knew how to get out of taxes I’d be doing it. I tried once and it didn’t work out so well. Sorry man.
Yeah your solar tips are great; keep them coming.
On that note, any good books/websites you would recommend for those that maybe have a basic understanding but want to become more knowledgeable?
In my dream I want a 10Kw windturbine (It’s predictably windy in this part of Idaho most of the time and there are lots of commercial wind farms around) with a battery backup and transfer switch for on/off grid power. We have reverse power meter laws here if your transfer switch passes inspection, though it’s a credit not a payment.
I think I still want a small solar setup for the wellpump and maybe some more for the house.
If you ever have time could you maybe describe small, medium, and large setups price wise and of course any tips or resources?
Thanks,
Funny, If you mean me, I haven’t received the offer. If it was made in good faith, you owe me $20, because I already have refuted you several times over. But I’ll waive the cash if you just fulfill your promise to start calling yourself Numskull.
Genius, same here, but with ONE important difference. I don’t even have anyone to ask permission. Always knew there was a good reason why I didn’t marry a second time.
Reb, try this site for info, they have a blog too windsun.com ad the www. Also wholesalesolar.com has info.
Old Coach, Try looking on the article before this one DERRRRR.
Also show me where you have proven me wrong lol.
Eppe;
I have been a slave for 40 years and I would not change a thing. My earthly master gives me honey do’s and a few honey do not’s. All in all she been very, very good to me!;-}
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N.Reb
Northern Reb–>
Ditch the dominated slave meme, pal!!!
..instead, concentrate on lengthening the length of your leash……..
LOL, sir!
..Marriage is a function of “COMPROMISE”…yes??!!??
————————-
Thumbs up to ya!!!
Try paying for everything you purchase with cash -the kind you fold and put in your pocket, not the debit card kind) and you’ll be surprised how much less you spend and how many things you decide not to buy because you don’t really need them that you would otherwise be buying without really thinking about it on a credit or debit card.
Pay off your smallest debt first while paying minimums on everything else -assuming they all carry similar interest rates and one isn’t way higher than the rest- then when that is paid off add what you were paying on it to the next largest debt and so forth till they’re all gone (you get positive reinforcement from this every time you get a zero bill in place of one you used to owe a payment on which helps stay the course.
When you get those zero interest for a year offers and you have other greater debts elsewhere take advantage of them to move high interest balances to them if the fee is reasonable (they usually are) and you are sure you will be able to pay them off and avoid a huge interest jump if you don’t.
Surprisingly, and for some reason almost never done, you’ll find interest rates can be quite negotiable if you have a good payment record.
When you get a special offer from one of your card companies -one that can be sued for transfer of high interest balances on other cards- don’t hesitate to call the company and ask what they can do to make it worthwhile to use it by implying you have a balance(s) you would like to consolidate but you need a lower rate to make it worthwhile (this also works to reduce rates on higher interest balances by asking if they’ll beat the offer you have from someone else).
Keep in mind that there is almost nothing worth having that is not worth saving up to pay in full when you buy it and you’ll very rarely or never miss any real opportunity for a bargain by doing so.
If someone wants my stuff, especially where I lay my head, they’ll have to take it by force and the price of doing that will be very high I promise.
This site is very good .. it provides a great insight in history.. good information into the world from today.
Thanks Mac you are a patriotic man and thanks to Frank from ohio who did recommend this book on this site.
Thanks guys
The Jewish Strategy
From Revilo Pendleton Oliver (July 7, 1908 – August 20, 1994) he was an American professor of Classical philology, Spanish, and Italian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
In reality Oliver’s 68 page tract is more an essay than a book, there is, for example, only an afterthought of an index and no bibliography.
That being said, the author makes a case that Aryans and their culture which is generally known as Western Civilization are both endangered by Jewish parasitism.
He notes that Jews have historically infiltrated and worked for the destruction of civilizations going back more than 2,000 years and are doing the same to the racial minority of the West today.
He speculates that the Jewish mind may actually be somewhat different than Aryans and language and art may reflect these differences, Oliver was a linguist and the essay reflects his background. He is also critical of Christianity as it introduces to the West concepts of “all mankind,” and “equality”
But away from what might be pretty philosophical stuff, Oliver drops little tidbits that leave you thinking, “Wait, what was that.
I never heard about that.” An example is the illegal immigration of Jews to America after the second war at a secluded port on Long Island.
He also notes in a single paragraph that the Germans appeared to be braking away from Jewish control in the 1930’s and had to be destroyed. I guess most of us know what happened to them.
Oliver also notes how in America the white population has been cowed into impassiveness.
“Even a few decades ago I should not have believed it possible that here in the United States Aryans would willingly send their children hauled to ‘schools’ to be defiled by enforced association with savages and to be robbed, beaten, raped, and mutilated by the animals
How the Jews have survived thousands of years of persecution-and why the European West may not survive this century.
This remarkable work by a Professor of the Classics at the University of Illinois, provides an in-depth study of the tactics which Jews have used to remain a cohesive group despite centuries of persecution and self-imposed isolation.
Professor Oliver points out the exact methods used, the weaknesses of their opponents, and the use of religion in this remarkable survival strategy.
“Passionate hatred of the Jews is almost certain to be futile, for violent emotions prevent rational thought. . .
The international race. . . by arduous, intelligent, and indefatigable work for more than twenty-five centuries, has, through its own efforts, made itself the major world power today. . .
History provides no parallel for that stupendous accomplishment.
It must be regarded with respect, even awe
I own what I have and owe no-one.
After March I will only have one debt my truck.
It is hard to get out of debt so please don’t get into to it.
In the last 2 years I have worked my butt off to get out of it.
I have only spent the extra money on my preps. I haven’t went on a vacation in two years. I have gone on my hunting trips, but that has put food on the table.
GTL
Good for you. It is a battle, but I believe you can do it. I have talked to several people that have done the same things I have done. It takes about 2 years to get it done. BEST OF LUCK.
Sgt.
Good for you, Sarge.
Vacations are over-rated anyway, spend a full, long day, flying somewhere, jet lag, expensive hotels, indifferent food, then after a week of cramming every possible activity into as short a time span as you can, another long day getting home.
I’ve had a lot better holidays just hanging around the house.
I beg to differ. Our last vacation was 5 days camping in Moab (we drove), the one before that was 5 days camping in Yellowstone (about a 2 hour drive).
If I have time off around the house I work too hard building something, planting something, or improving something, and it usually costs me way more at Home Depot and the garden center than a vacation.
Eh. Who really cares about the average. I’m working off the last of a 3/4 million debt but I’m no slave. Whole article is meaningless. Bob Hope said 60 years ago: “Unless you are the lead sled dog, the view is always the same.” That’s why I value the 2ed amendment, as long as you can stand and say NO, your no slave. Most people aren’t even smart enough to notice, so why does it make any difference?
Paranoid, As long as you have a government, you are a slave. Think about it.
Genius,
as long as the government can take your property for any reason OTHER than non-payment on a loan against said property then you never ever did own the property, and that my friend needs to be changed and has been needed to be changed for a LONG time. so in essence you really do not ever own your property. maybe after the civil war we can take care of this!
Apache, Spot on friend!
First. we’ll need to wrestle the land back from the chinese.
While I certainly agree in principle, I don’t see any way to achieve this without bloodshed. Anyone know how to abolish property taxes ( and w whole lot more) without bloodshed?
Va… ca….
Vacation??
What is this word, “vacation” that you speak of? I’ve never heard of it.
Sgt., I haven’t been in debt since 2001. I have always had a paid for place and preps to see me through also. Who said I’m not a genius lol 🙂
Genius, congratulations and yes, you ARE a genius. How does it feel being debt-free?
Hey Sarge, could you amagine some pig shooting this poor black yout. (https;//www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152409165407282&fref=nf
MT
I haven’t seen this can you give me more INFO?
I don’t know what happened. I would like to know.
I don’t get on face book.
Sgt.
Sarge just do a google search on what I posted on the last line on my comment. Don’t know how to post it so people could just click on it and get the video. suppose to be Micheal Brown Sucker punching some old guy. May or Maynot be him. Somebody else may be able to post this video. Trekker Out
Good evening, Sarge, and congratulations on working toward being debt-free. I’ve always struggled to do certain other things, including my prepping, but I’ve never had any type of loan or credit card to pay off. My income level is too low to qualify for that type of credit, but that’s OK, I don’t want it or even need it. I’ve always bought vehicles straight up for cash from private owners, although they were always something 20 to 30 years old. Nobody can tell me that route is not feasible. I did it from when I was 16 all the way up until the late 90s when I first got a company vehicle. I always got something that the parts were still easy to get for. Yes, there were a few I had to put a lot of money into in order to make them worthwhile. But when nobody will let you get something financed, what the hell else can you do? I’ve had a company vehicle since 1998 so I don’t miss the headaches of the old ones. Everyone should do their utmost to become debt-free. It’s an awesome feeling.
This is why I like paying things in cash while I/we still can.
If I don’t have enough to pay for something at that moment, I go without until the day I am able to. I’m sure all of us at one time or another have been caught up in the phoney game called Debt.
Though the day will come where I can see a cashless society, and everything turning to digital with a paper trail of everyone’s transactions. A system of that nature will be far worse than what we are dealing with now. There’s just so much wrong with it.
Right on Tony, I do the same. I have been setting myself up with skills and items for barter in such an event also. I like your posts and welcome you here. Good to see people that are on the same page 🙂
Genius –
Thank you, and likewise and to be completely honest.
I’m not actually “new” here. Guess you could say I’ve been a good observer of this Website for a good 4 years, just haven’t added any input to the board during the time. I suppose I kinda fall into that line of “long time listener, first time caller” scenario.
I’ve seen people come and go, I recognize who has been here for a decent amount of time, and notice a few new monikers arrive pretty much daily. The one person who really stands out and no longer is around, is “BeInformed”. I really liked what he had to bring to this forum, and I hope all is well with him.
Again, thanks for the “welcoming” me – much appreciated 🙂
YW Tony, Be informed was a great poster. Also I miss PA Farmer. I hope all is well with them also. Please chime in more, I am interested in what you have to share.
What happened to KyMom? Why did BI leave?
I think they got tired of being personally insulted/attacked, every time they posted. The personal insults were pretty out of hand for a while there. I almost quit as well, because the demeanor of this site changed to something too ugly for me.
I decided that no trailer thrash was going to run me out.
oops— “NO TRAILER TRASH” was going to run me out.
TM, we didn’t get off to the best kind of start, but I also welcome you. We all miss Be Informed. He was one of our brightest lights in the house.
TM, way to go. I also use cash for most of my personal transactions. I also put off buying a particular item until I have enough cash to get it. No loans or credit cards for me ever. Debt-free is the way to go.
Its bad enough that they hold the aces and actually print more cards as needed in the global poker game but to go into debt for largely wants (working people with homes that Physicians had 40 years ago) is feeding them. Designer clothes, high school kids with new cars and of course every electronic gizmo as soon as it hits the store drains funds for important things.
Often people make their own trouble.
Kevin2, you said a mouthful with that post. If I can’t use cash to get something, then I just do without it.
There is no such thing as living “debt-free” in America. DOES NOT EXIST.
Why?
Because the Federal Reserve system is debt-based, not asset-based. All contracts executed since 1913 using FRNs are also debt-based, thus while your name or my name may be on the “deed” to a particular piece of real-estate, the underlying debt has not changed, has not been paid, and is still present.
WHEN the dollar is dumped as the worlds’ reserve currency (which could happen at any time, now), the trillions of printed dollars will quickly come back to the USA, as other countries, investors and savers will not want to hold a quickly-devaluing asset. The result of all those dollars washing back to America will cause massive inflation. At the same time, the government will be unable to meet their financial obligations as interest rates on the dollar spikes, forcing them to push the “printing presses” (or electronic creation of more funny-money) to warp-speed.
The prices for consumables (like fuel and food) will skyrocket, while prices for houses and other high-ticket items will collapse as interest rates rise (lowering the ability of the average consumer to finance debt). People with fixed housing costs and locked-in auto loans will initially suffer greatly, as their “equity” vanishes. Later, as inflation really ramps up (>30%) their “equity” will return in numerical value, though the purchasing power of their “equity” dollars will be dramatically diminished.
Where the pain will occur is that wages and salaries will not keep up with inflation; the lag will cause families difficulties feeding their families, putting gasoline in the car to go to work, much less purchase luxury items that help make life pleasant.
Eventually, the inflation will become so great as the Fed prints increasingly worthless notes that people will demand payment on a daily basis adjusted for inflation, and then spend the money as fast as possible to minimize the losses of purchasing power. (We just saw an example of this in Russia.)
Eventually, the dollar will collapse completely, reaching the intrinsic value of the piece of paper it’s written (or not) on. At that point, those who financed houses, had student loans or other large debts will see their debts evaporate, the contracts written in a worthless currency.
This, in my opinion, is the most likely outcome, short of a provoked war with Russia by our lovely .gov
sh!theads.
Used wisely debt can be a helpful tool. Reckless use of credit is never a good thing.
I sell used cars everyone needs a ride no one wants to pay for it I watch people take out stupid 72 month loans at 650 a month so they can have a fast red machine ok I drive an 2001 CRV that I paid 1500 hundred dollars cash for and has over 20,0000 miles but it runs! The brain washing to have the nice things you can’t afford begins at an early age only common sense can stop it.
wow! GEO-lithic… I agree. When I drive around in my 2003 Toyota Echo with over 200k miles ($1200)I get excited at how much money I am saving in gas over my, bought with cash, 4×4 Tundra (2003, 130K miles).
My brain had a final rinse in 1996, when I made the last installment payment on a car loan. I just got sick of having to hustle to make ends meet on credit card balances, car notes, and eating out.
Since then, I have been practicing being poor, with ZERO help from anyone, or any gov’t agency. I still have a mortgage, but a ZERO balance on ONE, low limit credit card. Yes, I still pay for expenses like water, sewer, electric, gas, basic cable, internet, etc. And yes, I pay property taxes, insurance, and upkeep on all.
So yeah, I am still a slave. But I don’t feel the weight of heavy debt on my shoulders, like I did when I was chasing down the nicest things I could with a credit card.
So I probably don’t own a lot, but I control what I have in my possession. I have never used an ATM machine.
For those of you who want to know where our country is heading look up South Africa Boer genocide. I’ve been researching things and stumbled onto this and its shocking. Its starting to mirror what happened to South Africa in this country. You already see heinous black on white crime in the news and its just a start. Afrikaners who fled their farms and came to America are starting to speak up and talk about the startling coincidences that are going on.
Indebtedness is avoidable. Government tyranny is not.
Decades ago, between grants and work study, one could earn a BA debt free. By choosing to rent and not follow the conventional wisdom to buy a home because everyone else is, I was able to save. Chose to live where public transportation and the shoe leather express got me where I needed to go. Invested in small cap equities, to own something free and clear. One could take guidance from his parents’ dictum: If I can’t pay cash for it, I don’t need it. Doing that entails sacrifices. Lost leisure, lost friends (who may have each others’ company but are all in debt north of their eyeballs.)
Selling less stellar investments bought my home and vehicles for my own cash. Am now out of those investments per Snyder articles from 2012. Cyprus, haircut. Have a few dozen dollars in a credit union so I can use their bill payer but no credit card. Pay cash for most things. Inconvenient, yes, but not being in the hunter’s snare is worth it.
My home is free and clear. But in fact I only rent it from the county. Am working on getting out of that.
Am no longer a kid. What I look forward to is living honorably while enjoying life. The simple pleasures. Both those things are within my control. Has more to do with how I interact with people than it has to do with acquiring things.
Even for an anarcho-capitalist, it isn’t possible to totally avoid dealing with government. But thus far I have managed to avoid being a debt serf.
I don’t intend this comment to sound preachy. Thousands of people will read this thread. Your lives are all different from mine. What we have in common is we all make choices and act on them.
John_Allen –
I couldn’t have said it any better, excellent post!
Getting caught up in trying to “keep up with the Jone’s” can be easily attainable. Getting out of that type of game is a different story all in itself.
Great post John..
TM and JA, I couldn’t agree more. I don’t even care what the Jones’s have. If I can’t get something with cash, then I don’t really need it.
John_Allen
When you right your right. The correct way is usually the more difficult.
Hats off to you. You didn’t mention children. Passing on your plan and being a role model to another generation would have been good.
“My home is free and clear. But in fact I only rent it from the county. Am working on getting out of that.”
JOHN-
Somthing i found out ,I can get Alodial title to my property , which MAY excempt me from some land taxes.
However it will NOT excempt me from school , fire , police or other such taxes.
Its a long row to hoe my friend , let me know if ya got more input on this , it would be much appreciated.
Some things i dont mind payin for ,the fire dept and sherriff are OK with me , when they tell me to vacate becauae of a simple prop. tax issue ….. well thats wrong as I own it .
@ hammerhead,
Thank you for the heads up about allodial title.
For a quick overview, I looked that up in wiki. It mentioned something about Nevada and Texas. Since I don’t live in either, I disregarded it.
I started with the Constitution of Virginia. Article X, sections 1 and 2 explicitly grant localities the power to tax property. Also skimmed title VII on Local Government.
Next went to the Code of Virginia, Title 58.1, chapter 32. Some possibly useful things here due to my age and income.
The state constitution and code are mandatory authority for judicial decision. Neither mentions allodial title. Which is conclusive on its uselessness (in Virginia) to get out from local real estate taxation.
Next time I’m at the county law library I will run a search on Westlaw for Virginia cases. Am not holding my breath. On this issue government can not afford to lose. One suspects if there are any Virginia cases, government won.
Would like to run it by Michie’s Jurisprudence and either Am Jur or CJS. Which are legal encyclopedias. Only persuasive authority but ads the icing when other ingredients are there.
Legal decisions rest on precedent, on settled authority. The danger in taking the word of somebody on the internet is, likely as not, he has no idea of what it takes to persuade a court to do anything. “Joe Blow on the internet says so” gets one nowhere if there is no precedent the judge can use to decide my way.
But thank you.
The invisible chains of debt are driven by our desire for every new game or gadget. To have it first in your neighborhood. A standard truck today, costs more than I paid for my home. The cost of a cup of coffee is outrageous. Who eats leftovers? Most go out every night to eat. Flip it on the card.
The way I look at it is that many will work till they die and then many will be eating bugs and worms to survive.
They are winding up the housing market again to catch some more stupid people with their great “Circus Barkers” of affordable housing.
How many empty housing divisions did they plow under?
Slingshot, I’ll eat out once a week and that’s it. I have a refrigerator in my office where I keep some cold cuts, cheese, bottled water, etc. Also keep a few canned goods, crackers, peanut butter, etc. On some occasions I have just a can of Vienna sausages and crackers for lunch. How many people here remember that? That was one of my standard lunch meals back in the 80s when I was poor and struggling. It’s not gourmet, but if a person is hungry enough, he or she will eat t to stay alive.
Maverick.
Sardines in Hot Sauce on saltines. That will clear the office out.
Yes, simple meals are very tasty.
Comes down to whats a priority to a person…freedom or lots of stuff…sometimes one can have both but most folks have no clue as to how! REB
I don’t really let it concern me. Why should it? I still have a small house payment. In today’s times I would most likely rent if I was getting started. Like it’s been discussed here many times: Stop paying your property taxes and see how fast you lose your home on the courthouse steps regardless if its paid for. You’re either going to engage those who come to take it from you or you’re going to walk. Simple as that. As far as being a slave to others, I don’t see it that way.
Just paid off all of my bills Friday. I owe nothing, no bills except water, gas, electric.
I can get off the grid if I have to. I use the grid so I do not draw any more attention to myself.
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N.Reb
Congratulations Reb.. 🙂
Northern Reb –
Very smart move on your part, I like it!
“staying connected, but I don’t need to depend on it.”
Reb, I can show you how to make your power bill lower for a minimal cost and use the same system to have an off grid power source too. The trick is to not lower your use so much as to raise a red flag but save hundreds on power. I don’t know what you have but I bet I can help 😉
I’ll take any advice that can help after TSHTF. We all here can use all the information to survive we can get.
Thanks
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N.Reb
Reb, Ok bud here goes…
Buy solar panels from craigslist or ebay or wherever you can find the best deal. If you buy 12 volt panels get 100 watt or larger, if you buy 24 volt panels get 250 watt or higher.
To estimate what will not raise a red flag from the power co. Look at your power bill and the average KW hours per month. Take 30-35% of that and times it by two.
This will be the maximum amount of solar panel wattage you want to use. Next get an inverter (or 2) from ebay under grid tie inverter. They have low voltage inverters that use 12 or 24 volt input.
Match the solar panel wattage to about 75% of the inverter capacity. For a 240 volt house system get 2 inverters so you can connect one to each branch. Divide the solar panels equally to supply the inverters.
Connect the panels in parallel to match the inverter input. Between the panel output and the inverters install 100 amp rated 2 way knife switches (cheap on ebay). Have one side go to the inverter input and one side go to a charge controller.
Install charge controllers rated for the amperage of the panels on the controller side of the switch. Run the output wires from the controllers to a battery bank of deep cycle batteries wired to the voltage of the DC to AC inverter (size the inverter to the loads you expect to use).
So basically all you are doing is diverting the power from the solar panels to either the grid tie inverters or the off grid charge controller to battery system. From the battery system it goes to the DC to AC inverter and supplies power.
If you hook the AC power output from the off grid inverter to your main power panel you MUST! disconnect the main grid breaker BEFORE you connect the off grid inverter.
Other wise use an extention cord to supply your needed loads or wire a seperate power outlet system. Do not ever backfeed the off grid inverter.
This system will give you grid tied power to reduce your grid usage and is switchable to use the same solar array to power an off grid system if needed. So you are basically using the same array of panels to use on/off grid and getting maximum benefit from them.
Be sure to use real deep cycle batteries (do not buy trojan). Use the correct size of wiring for DC power (a lot bigger than AC and must be stranded wire). Install the off grid power input to your main panel (if thats what your plan is) with its own appropriate sized breakers on each leg.
Avoid xantrex and cobra inverters. Try not to run your batteries down more than 50% of capacity. Do not put flooded lead acid batteries in your house or dwelling. Flooded lead acid batteries are the best bang for the buck. Use a minimum of #2 cables for your battery interconnects. A basic rule of thumb for 12 volt DC to AC inverters is for ever 10 amps of AC power you will draw 100 amps off the batteries. Size your battery bank accordingly.
Use no less than #10 wire on the solar panels and fuse the circuit.
This may sound like a lot but it isn’t if you have basic electrical knowledge. Never use solid wire on the DC side and follow the instructions on all equipment, Hope this helps 🙂
Genius:
Thanks for the info, will be looking into it.
May the good Lord guard you and yours.
Keep prepping, stay safe.
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N. Reb
NR
Ok now this is the second person to do this.
Take there advise. You know that I’ve been doing this for years, and told you to get some.
Sgt.
@ Genius…
What do you mean by backfeeding the off-grid inverter?
I have my small grid tie system run directly into an AC circuit away from the AC breaker panel. The inverter automatically shuts down if there is no AC current in the line (power outage, kicked breaker, etc.).
I have been using this system for 4 years now with no problems.
Jrs, You have a grid tie inverter which takes power from the panels and feeds AC directly to the house AC power. That is what it is made to do. An off grid inverter is one that takes power from a battery bank and converts it to AC power. If you were to feed Ac power back into the AC output of a battery based inverter it would destroy it. Grid tie= panels to house power
Off grid= Battery to stand alone AC power
Duh…I don’t know what I was thinking. I should pay more attention to my reading comprehension.
Thanks, Genius. Yea, I have a couple charge controllers and batteries to hook up if any grid down situation develops.
These guys have very good solar charge controllers.
http://www.midnitesolar.com/
Yes midnight solar is excellent, I use one myself 🙂
“Patriots will not go quietly into the night—They will not vanish without a fight”!!!!!!!
When the economy tanks, it’s not going to matter. Tax collectors, bill collectors and banksters will have a hard time collecting anything, except maybe for lead. Give it just a little more time, it will soon come crashing down.
Confederate, when TSHTF, those same scum will go into hiding. They’ll have targets on their backs. Bullets don’t care who or what they hit.
Today I finish another 55 gal. movable water stand. Next project is a worm grunter.
slingshot, so your making a still??
Ya I know, OPSEC lol 🙂
Sling:
I have been using 30 gallon barrels on old gas grill frames for water.
I catch water off the house with then to do laundry and flush. off the shed I have 6 55gallon barrels catching water. and one 350 gallon water barrel I got from a hospital distiller that they changed out.
Yes I have to carry water, but it cuts my water bill down to next to nothing and I can water my garden with a hose that is gravity feed soaks the garden during the dry times.
Congrates on your portable water stand.
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N.Reb
Northern Reb. and Genius.
I do not know why people out of the blue are giving me things. A few months ago a person gave me a Caterpillar battery. Still holds the voltage. Weighs about 80 pounds. Awhile back I acquired a 55gal. steel ,lid type drum and was going to make charcoal for filtration. Just have to install a stack. Seen the worm grunter on Dirty Jobs. Figured I would use the worms for bait or eat them. Could use the caterpillar battery, two prod poles and a little water to bring the worms up to the surface also. Water collection and storage has a high priority. I plan to put in a garden this year. Have a shallow water well and the water has less particulates in it than my city water. Go Figure. Down 27 feet and went through two layers of hard pan clay before good water. About 15 gallons per minute flow.
I would be happy with 1 gallon per minute, if the wellhead was concealable. I’ve had to live with less than that, and it can be done.
Ive seen some mighty rough lookin females. I wonder what a worm grunter loks like? explain how she grunts your worm? must be a real pig?
OLD GUY
No more than a stick in the ground and you move a board or steel plate across the top to make it vibrate. Worms do not like the vibration and come to the surface.
Sounds like a pig grunting.
Im debt free and have been for decades. Im not a christian my soul is mine. I have free will. Now heres a thought do you own you stuff or does it own you?
The way I figure it this whole tax and debt thing is a direct violation of my constitutional rights.ie: My right of the pursuit of happiness. My lack of money is the proof!!!
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness is in the Declaration of Independence.
Its still my dam right!
It says you can pursue happiness; It doesn’t say you can have it.
Average American household has $15,000 in credit card debt? that is insane. In a reset situation, don’t you think those people might end up being ahead? I mean really, who is going to come and take their “stuff” they bought with credit? Nobody.
No; they won’t come and get them; but they also don’t have the cash to pay their electric or phone so they won’t work; Last laugh on them. We rent apartments, thrown more than one out without rent money, but a huge DVD collection
Whatever happened to fourty acres an a mule ? HMMM?
Sarah got the Mule so I heard.
Hammer:
The forty acres got rammed up our back sides and the jackass is in the White House,
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N.Reb
They sold the 40 acres to a Chinese investor, and he ate the mule with some plain rice.
Debt free.
Paid city & county taxes last month.
Get to live here one more year 🙂
Taxes are a necessary evil, yet evil with power is unnecessary. A flat 10% use tax would solve 90% of the problems associated with tax. From a yellow rose to a yacht to yogurt 10%…
Anyone who s not completely self reliant and needs $ to live is a slave. Who the hell has almost $16000 in debt that is crazy. I go without so I’m debt free and it feels good. What is the minimum payment on this amount. Probably like a car payment a month. The bigger question what did they get for $16000 probably a bunch of cheap junk . I’m supposed to feel bad about peoples situation while I was going without fuck them it’s their problem keep borrowing slave. Never heard a grunting pig . Been through a few moanin pigs. I tell you I’m glad my house is paid for I wouldn’t want a mortgage. I just pay the taxes and utilities. I don’t care that my electric bill is $200 a month I like leaving the tv on all nite I pay for it. I conserve where I want to but I like living like a normal person I’m not interested in going off grid. If I was broke it would be more appealing though. I stopped working for peanuts long ago. The answer to survival is get more $ it’s that simple. Why complain about the cost of shit you can’t do nothing about it . Getting more $ is something you can so work more hustle sell stuff get another job or get a better one . You don’t need to borrow $
Live small, pay small; live large, pay large. The secret is to draw up a balance sheet and ask yourself what benefits – if any – do you get from living in the country you are in. Being at peace and feeling safe is very important, so give that a positive check. Running water is a positive thing. Clean air. etc. The secret is to pay as little as possible to reap these benefits. The mistake people make is to go all-in on the biggest house, the most possessions, and then get hit with the most fees and taxes. Live humbly while in your work country, live large when outside your work country.
Knew a guy who was making six-figures in royalty payments in the US from his work, but did not domicile in the US. Instead, he would bum places to stay from his friends, family when in the US (he is a charming guy and people like him around to help with the kids etc.) but he kept his main home in a third world country where he was basically the village ‘king’. In the third world country, where he would stay about six months of the year, he paid no taxes, he had three ‘wives’ – all under 30 – and had everything done for him – all meals cooked, a lovely home, amazing sex whenever he wanted (these women were not obese heifers but stunningly beautiful tribe women in a culture where being amazing in bed is de rigure for women). He would go to Switzerland for his doctor and dentist appointments.
As the women got older, he set them up with small businesses and they were happy to let a younger replacement come in (this only cost him US $1,000 per woman: money goes far there). Most of the men in the country were useless drunks and wife beaters so it wasn’t like better men would step in. Anyway, the dude is very happy and very rich. Healthiest guy I know: always looks like one of those California surfer dudes and he is 50 plus!
Debt free as of this month; except the “rent” I will have to pay to the county for the right to live in the house that I supposedly own.
True come to USA work hard hoard $ live cheap as possible go back to home country live like a king in your village bang many women be loved by all there. The American dream is gone it been hijacked. It’s like watching a dog race no matter how fast you run never gonna get the rabbit on the stick. It is always gonna be out of reach. Just like American dream. I used to dream as a child but now I’m much older and see it’s all fake there is no dream just survival. You wouldn’t beleive the amount of people who send the $ back to their wife In another country have seen people as young as 50 go back to their country to retire had no interest in being an American
Very true: the biggest financial transfers now – greater than all the aid money – is people sending money back home from jobs they work in developed countries. Since the dollar is still king everywhere in the world, and backed up with the good faith and bullets and bombs of the US military, all you need to do is earn dollars and then ship them home. Do that, and you can have a far better lifestyle in your home country than you could in the US. In the US, a woman for the night, which is illegal, would set you back US $300 or so. In many countries, this can be had for $25. Your money goes much farther and you can then buy assets and businesses with the money you save. Rather than get angry, Americans should learn to play the economic system like this and then they would not be getting poorer and poorer.
You can move to a tax free state and live miles farm work or live without running water and sewer
“The Invisible Chains of Debt Slavery:”
We should all fear dying subjugated and subordinated to nefarious malevolent tyrants. Forced to perpetually suffer their violence, criminal legislation, criminal bureaucracies, militarized sociopathic law enforcement agencies, ceaseless coercion, unending extortion and etc. etc. etc… With no chance of ever realizing real freedom, dignity, valor, contentment, peace or freewill. Under today’s Statism you are never financially paid up. For your debt to them is never paid in full, even after death they come too collect and after your postmortem payment, then and only then, are you paid in full. Perpetual daily, weekly, monthly or yearly debt is the Oligarchs contrived insanity, to assure our eternal Indentured servitude. This is not living! This is existing to feed the Beast!
Sure,not having debt is a great thing.That said,most pensions/ss ect. are junked/many investments for future manipulated and junked,the list of govt. theft and manipulation too long for here.In a way,you have place set up as not directly related to you for legal purposes ect.,hell,roll out some big ass debt.Get useful things for the long term but beyond that,fuck it,get that boat/motorcycle ect.,things crash debt collectors will either be a thing of the past or a endangered species!
“Well, if someone came up to you and asked you what you truly own, what would you say?”
My response is…. Our income to debt ratio is infinite. (For the math challenged, anything divided by zero is infinity or undefined) Admittedly… Our cars are at least 9 yrs old and our house is only 1300 sq ft. How did I do it before age 45? We bailed on “Keeping up with the Joneses” 10 yrs ago. No new i-phones. No starbucks every morning. No cable TV. No bottled water (out of the faucet outside the gas station is fine if the need is there… lol) Rarely eating out. Hmmm… NOT having those things can save a heck of a lot of money. We focused on actual “needs” and not “wants”. We had grown seriously tired of the debt and thinking of the possibility of losing what we had if one of us was laid off. I have a basic cell phone. A flip phone. $50 a month (which is cheaper than a land-line with the same capability). Many people spend way too much money on trinkets, junk, and convenience. They would be amazed how much they would save by not doing that. I still have to pay my “yearly rent” which is property tax. Don’t know how to get rid of that. Being debt free does not mean we run out and buy whatever we want. We do treat ourselves on occasion like a dinner at a restaurant (normally for the 2 of us it is about $20) and on rare occasion by something we want; like a new Dewalt Cordless Drill provided it was on sale for about half price. Side note…. She uses it about as much as I do. lol Debt free living does not give you a license to be reckless. It does allow you some more creature comforts (without credit cards or debt) and to sleep soundly without worrying about someone coming and taking it from you. I do know some are not in a position to do what we did. We have been seriously blessed. But…. many could make wiser decisions and sacrifices that would get them closer to becoming debt free.
My house, BOL and cars are paid for. I don’t have any credit card debt, though I keep two accounts open in case of emergencies. I’m not paying 19 to 28 percent to a credit card company to borrow for a swimming pool or some such nonsense. I noticed a chart on zerohedge that showed (even though our total debt to GDP ratio is 230%, putting us in 16th place among nations) that consumer debt is actually down over the last few years (corporate and sovereign debt is still climbing). So Joe Sixpack is wising up, and borrowing less (perhaps because he no longer has a job) and he is saving more.
I have a phrase… To say it would be “Bought See”. The acronym is BOTC. It means bring on the collapse. I believe many of this community feel that way waiting for the bell to ring. We would prefer it not to happen but with the circumstances it is coming. It takes a fool or a troll to not to see it. Wishing for it is like wishing for something bad to happen as quickly as possible. I don’t know about the rest but I am still physically (and that is what it takes) to deal with it. I say BOTC… Lets get the sh!t dealt with while we are still able to deal with it. I will admit… The current PTB seem to be intent on it, on their own plan. Bring it on I say. I dont want to wait ten years when I have physical probs dealing with it. We all (true people in this community and not the trolls) need to buckle down. The SHTF soon enough. For the others I say this I Timothy 5:8. Enjoy
God Bless to All,
PIZ