Could You Survive another Great Depression?

Several folks were doing this, so I hopped on just now and tested our homestead here. There are a couple of things I think we need to work on, but overall, we are in pretty good shape really.

You Are 85% Likely to Survive Another Great Depression

You have been saving for a rainy day... or a rainy few years. While most people may not have as grim of an outlook as you, they're also not as prepared as you. If society collapses, you'll have plenty of food and resources for you and your loved ones. And plenty of ammo for anyone who wants to steal from your stockpile!

Could You Survive Another Great Depression?

1. How much credit card debt do you have?
• So much that you don't know when you'll pay it off
• Some - you could pay it off in a few months
• None

We haven't had a credit card in years.

1. Are you employed?
• No, you can't be employed right now
• Yes, full time
• Yes, but you don't get the hours you want
• No, but you are actively looking for a job

Ahh, yes, we're employed...Dewey in Arkansas and me here on the homestead with 8 children and some animals.

1. Do you have an emergency fund?
• You have enough money to cover six to nine months of expenses
• No
• You have a couple weeks expenses in the bank
• You have enough money to cover a year or more of expenses
• You have a couple months expenses in the bank

The paycheck is direct-deposited. That really bothers me. Sure, if the world fell apart, I couldn't cash the paycheck anyway, but at least it would be in my hand. I tend to hit the bank on payday and remove the money.

1. Do you own a home?
• No, and you can hardly afford you rent
• Yes, you own a home - but you can't afford your mortgage
• Yes, you own a home - and you have over 20% of paid for outright
• No, but you have affordable rent
• Yes, you own a home - but you have very little equity in it

Yes, we own our property. There's no equity in it, but I don't think I'm too concerned with that, really. I'd rather own it outright and have nothing in it, than still have a mortgage and some equity. I'd be too tempted to borrow against it.

1. Do you know how to build a fire?
• No
• Yes

This has been a family joke for some time. Yes, in an overall sense, I can build a fire. By the same token, you could give me a box of matches, a load of kindling and some firewood and put me in front of the woodstove and I'd likely freeze to death before anything would take hold for me.

1. Do you have any silver or gold?
• No
• Yes, jewelry
• Yes, coins

1. How much non perishable food do you have?
• Enough to last you a year or more
• Enough to last you months
• Enough to last you a couple weeks
• Your pantry is pretty bare

We could certainly use more, but overall we are far better set here than most folks I know in real life. And we have the ability to make-do with what we have...again better off than most folks I know in real life.

1. How much do you rely on prepackaged foods?
• Not much, you cook pretty much everything from scratch.
• A fair amount, but you can cook from scratch if you need to.
• Not much, because you rarely eat at home.
• Almost completely. You cook from a box.

We don't. My grocery shopping generally consists of baking things and the occasional can of spaghetti sauce and dried pasta, some crackers, powdered milk, and recently some candies for the cookie baking. I'm changing that this year -- we will really work harder to have our own pasta on hand at all times, as well as the sauce.

1. Do you grow your own food?
• You have a small garden for herbs
• You have a decent sized garden
• No way
• Yes, you grow so much food that you have extra to give away to neighbors

That's a two-sided question there...we had a pathetic garden in real terms, but good grief, we had a ton of okra out there! We always plant far too much of many things, and need to do more of a few things.

1. Can you get around to shops and work by bike, public transportation, or walking?
• Yes, you are car-free or practically car free.
• It's about a 50-50 split between using your car and using another mode of transportation.
• No, you drive everywhere.
• You only use your car on occasion.

The goal is to be self-sustaining, which means no car usage really. Right now, we don't really get out much at all. We could work around using other transportation if needed, but we are about 13 miles of mountain roadway to town. If the world falls apart, I don't see us really leaving the homestead for much anyway, and we can easily walk to church 2 miles away.

1. How much of your salary do you spend each week?
• 75% or less
• Around 90%
• 100%
• You spend more than you make

Right now, all of it is 'used' -- but if the world falls apart, none of it will be used....and we'll still be fine.

1. Can you easily go without extras like cable tv and restaurant meals?
• You already do
• You're pretty sure you could
• Only if you absolutely had to

LOL....we can't get cable out here,and I sort of doubt we could get much going with even a satellit...come February, when digital comes to fruition, we won't have any television...and we don't really do restaurant/fast food meals unless it's rare and far far between.

1. How is your health?
• You are in poor health, and it's expensive to take care of
• You are in excellent health
• You are in fair heath - you have a couple minor health problems

We aren't too bad off, and we have no medical bills. Could work on the health same as anyone -- especially with Dewey's blood pressure rating right now!

1. Do you own a weapon?
• You have a weapon of some sort
• No
• You own a gun (or guns) and ammo

Ummm...yes, and then some. We are adequately supplied here, thank you.

1. What describes the area you live in?
• City
• Country
• Suburbs

I listed 'country' but we are a bit farther down the road than that...or should I say, farther over the mountain from there?

1. What sort of climate do you live in?
• Temperate - it doesn't get very cold or very hot
• Warm / Mild - The winters are tolerable
• Average - It snows a good deal in the winter
• Cold - Winters are long and rough

Ugh...not too cold at all but oh the heat! I may have to build an underground house.

1. Do you trust and know your neighbors?
• Yes, on both counts
• You know them, and you trust a few of them
• You know them, but you don't trust them
• You don't know your neighbors

1. Do you know how to use tools and fix things?
• You know the basics
• Yes
• Not really

Yes, and honestly, I think we have far too many tools here. We have things we don't even know we have. We need to pare it down to the essentials...of course, Dewey would say the same thing about my sewing supplies...

1. Compared to most people, how much stuff do you have?
• Compared to the average person, you have hardly anything
• You have less stuff than the average person
• You have more stuff than the average person
• You have about the average amount of stuff

Depends on who you rate us with...around here on the mountain, we have way more "stuff" than most folks. They mostly live a sparse kind of lifestyle, with essentials and not so many 'wants'. Compared to the majority of my friends and family, we have far less 'stuff' -- we are working to get to even less stuff.

1. Are you good at entertaining yourself if the electricity is out?
• No, you go crazy if your cable or internet is out
• As good as someone can be
• Reading by candlelight sounds sort of fun

We have been using only the oil lamps for lighting lately...we need to adjust the routine here and follow the chickens...rise with the roosters and go to bed with the hens -- but I'll need a different rooster first, this one gets to crowing at 3:30 am!!! I think it's the pole light out there that sparks him on!