The Perpetual State of Fear & the Ever Continuing Expansion of Government

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

 

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

 

"Your silence gives consent."
-- Plato

 

The Cost of Living Continues to Hammer People & They’re Fighting Back

 

   To save money I frequent auctions…however I have seen an uptick of buyers who overspend by significant amounts at one auctioneer’s site I use.  This auctioneer charges a buyer’s premium [something I refuse to charge] and it doesn’t affect his buyers in the least…they almost always overspend.

 

For example, I recently started bidding on a gas powered generator and the bidding was fierce…I stopped at $200 as I found an ad for a local retailer which was selling new ones for the same price with a warranty.  The one at the auction went for $800 plus the buyer’s premium of $80!

 

I often write about the sharing economy as it is one way to save money in an economy where our dollar seems to lose value each week…

Uber, the ride-sharing service valued at $50 billion, is at the forefront of disrupting the taxi industry.

Want proof?

The price of a New York taxi medallion - the license that allows you to drive a taxicab in the city - has been plummeting since 2013... the first time that's ever happened.

A medallion would have cost you $1.3 million in April 2013, an all-time high. Now you can pick one up for a quarter of that, $840,000.

And the hospitality industry is taking seriously the threat presented by Airbnb, which puts temporary renters and guests together.

That makes the sharing economy - which Airbnb and Uber are at the forefront of - a major Disruptor. In the sharing economy, instead of buying goods from a corporation, consumers "borrow" - really, rent - assets from other individuals. And companies like Uber and Lyft are the "conduits" that put those individuals together... and take a slice of the profits.

And Uber isn't disrupting just taxis.

Many members of generations Y and Z, especially ones who live in cities, are forgoing the once-ubiquitous ritual of buying a first car. Rather, they're depending on ride-sharing outlets like Uber, Lyft and Zipcar.

And that's making auto manufacturers nervous.

 

 

How to predict the consequences of economic policy at least 90% of the time… . As you probably know, politicians and their friends in the media are masters of smokescreens...

“When a politician or establishment economist claims a certain policy will produce a certain result, use contrary reasoning. Believe it will produce the opposite result.

The government lies all the time and its lies keep getting worse every year…just look at government inflation figures, then look at your wallet after a trip to the grocer…

 

Many, many troubling developments have taken place over the past 30 years or more: the expansion of the military industrial complex and its influence in Washington DC, the rampant surveillance, the corporate-funded elections and revolving door between lobbyists and elected officials, the militarized police, the loss of our freedoms, the injustice of the courts, the privatized prisons, the school lockdowns, the roadside strip searches, the military drills on domestic soil, the fusion centers and the simultaneous fusing of every branch of law enforcement (federal, state and local), the stockpiling of ammunition by various government agencies, the active shooter drills that are indistinguishable from actual crises, the economy flirting with near collapse, the growing social unrest, the socio-psychological experiments being carried out by government agencies, etc.

 

Ever since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the old Soviet Union our government lost its favorite bogeyman, the evil one which kept it used to keep citizens in a perpetual state of fear and Wall Street in perpetual profits selling war and spy/surveillance goods…it was often the proverbial “wag the dog’ scenario…

 

The goal of government is the notion of social control, while pleasing its corporate masters…keep us orderly and docile, keep us paying taxes.  Most often this is accomplished through the use of fear.  That perpetual state of fear had been interrupted until the terrorist attacks of 911.  Arab terrorists have replaced the Communist Menace [unless you count China] and the un-Patriot Act created the most anti-freedom set of laws this nation has ever seen.  It has destroyed our right to privacy and it has severely curtailed our right to travel.

 

Modern society now works through the constant creation of fear and control by the Washington-Wall Street Cartel.  This Cartel has successfully usurped our rights, taken over the news media while decimating the Middle Class.

 

We should seriously take James Madison’s advice and “take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties.”

 

 

Whatever the government says, believe the opposite.

Only a week ago, the FBI and Homeland Security were telling us to quake in our boots because ISIS might attack your local Independence Day parade. We noticed many otherwise-intelligent people in the patriot/prepper community taking the feds seriously.

 

Never mind that “some 15 major terror alerts or warnings have been issued since the attacks on New York and Washington, and none of these has ever been followed by a terrorist attack, or even some kind of plot that was broken up,” says CNN terrorism expert Peter Bergen. A separate count by the group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting reveals a far worse record of 0 for 40.

 

Government has a keen interest in keeping us petrified about terrorists lurking around every corner.

 

Things are bad in America. Everyone in D.C. thinks the government needs to micromanage your life. The bankers are living the easy life off your retirement and tax funded bailouts. And everything you say or do online is stored in some unknown government database.

 

 P.S.  Watch Obama's Iran Nuclear Deal come back to bite the world on our collective ass!

 

 

More Useful Resources You Can Share

 

Ultimate Privacy Guide/161-pages:Free

http://1drv.ms/1CzV7At

 

How to Survive the War on the Middle Class

 14 of the best reports I’ve assembled on protecting your freedom…the download link to this will be included with your package and/or sent to you via email.  Some of the life saving information includes:

 

·         Surviving the Final Days of the Dollar

·         Developing Your Financial IQ

·         What to do if There is a Bank Run

·         Become Self Sufficient for at Least Six Months

·         What to do if There is a Financial Collapse

·         77 Censored Cures

·         The Big Drop: Grow your wealth during the coming collapse

·         A Man’s Right to Happiness-reclaim your privacy, reduce your taxes and more

·         The Big Book of Free- FREE Stuff… chock-full of proven tricks, loopholes, and insider secrets to living a higher-quality, wealthier, healthier, and more successful life.

 

http://www.bonanza.com/listings/14-e-Books-Surviving-the-War-on-the-Middle-Class-Big-Book-of-Free-the-Big-Dro/268786606

 

 

Books, Art, Video – the saucy, the odd, the retro, even the practical…

http://RetroGuy.net

 

A Shallow Planet Production

From the Smoking Frog Group

 

 

 

The Future of a Sharing Economy, How to Escape Duct Tape & Other Useful Nuggets

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

 

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

If you buy what you don't need you might have to sell what you do.
- Irish Proverb

The Future of Sharing

Was it really that long ago, that we used to brag that the next generation of Americans would be better off than their parents?

Living comfortably has always, to some extent, relied on owning many goods. But this is becoming less and less the case. A new worldwide “sharing economy," composed of startup ventures whose products consumers rent or share instead of own, is blossoming across the globe.

Some sharing services are already quite famous: Zipcar, Craigslist, and AirBnB, for example. Others are very new on the scene and just starting to gain widespread recognition, such as the book-exchange Web site Paperbackswap.com and the Lego-set-swap site Pleygo. All these services and more get the spotlight in Beth Buczynski’s new book Sharing is Good: How to Save Money, Time and Resources Through Collaborative Consumption (New Society, 2013).

Buczynski examines the collaborative-sharing phenomenon and sees big things in store for it in years ahead: Its myriad services, she says, give consumers everywhere opportunities to enjoy more creature comforts while spending less money and using fewer material goods. It all adds up to a big win for consumers, and for the environment, too—the more we share our existing consumer products, the less we need to mine raw materials and burn polluting energy sources to make more new products.

Buczynski discussed her book and her outlook on collaborative-sharing enterprises in this interview.  More at:

http://www.wfs.org/futurist-interviews/future-sharing

 

How to Escape Duct Tape

When we come across these kinds of tips, we hope to high heaven that we never have to use them. But better safe (and prepared) than sorry. If you ever find yourself in a situation where your wrists are bound together by duct tape, there is in fact an easy way to escape. Here’s the important trick that Dateline learned:

The original clip from Dateline was taken off YouTube. It showed how to escape duct tape in a hostage situation. To escape, the journalist simply raised her hands, tied together with duct tape, over her head and brought them down quickly in front of her and used the extra force to break free. I’ve also include another video below that shows an alternative method. I hope you never need to use these tips but you can definitely break free from duct tape if the need arises.  More at:

http://tiphero.com/emergency-escape-tip-that-could-save-your-life/

 

 

The steady derailment of the U.S. financial system

 

Consumer spending in the U.S. accounts for approximately 70 percent of gross domestic product, though it is important to note that the manner in which “official” GDP is calculated is highly inaccurate. For example, all government money used within the Medicare coverage system to pay for “consumer health demands,” as well as the now flailing Obamacare socialized welfare program, are counted toward GDP, despite the fact that such capital is created from thin air by the Federal Reserve and also generates debt for the average taxpayer. Government debt creation does not beget successful domestic production…More here:

http://personalliberty.com/steady-derailment-u-s-financial-system/

 

 

The Weekly Roundup of Useful Stuff

 

Should you buy rural property? Or is there a catch?
read more here

 

3 Ways To Get Rid Of Mold Naturally

 

7 Great Depression Era Tips To Stretch Your Food Budget

 

14 Gardening Tricks From A Master

 

How To Grow Ginger At Home

 

Save Money With This Alternative To Dryer Sheets

 

Soap Making 101 - How To Make Cold Process Soap

 

Tips for Storing/Using Food to Reduce Waste

 

Bruce, the Poor Man

Support our efforts-Make a purchase

Yours for a useful life!

Bruce ‘the Poor Man’

 

Books, Art, Video – the saucy, the odd, the retro, even the practical

http://RetroGuy.net

 

 

A Shallow Planet Production

The Sharing Economy Updates and Free Resources You Can Use

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

 

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

"Governing a large country is like frying a small fish.
You spoil it with too much poking."
-- Lao-Tzu

 

 

 

      A few updates on a topic I’ve previously written about, the Sharing Economy.  We wrote about ride sharing services such as Uber and Lyft and the new accommodation service, Airbnb…all of these services have pissed off regulators and competition as one would expect.

 

Here are few new ones for the sharing economy…

 

Postmates-a courier service that is affecting the way goods are moved around a city.  [Amazon might want take a peek].  The firm connects customers with local couriers who purchase and deliver goods via their own transportation from any store or restaurant in a city, in an hour or less.

 

Lantern – launched in 2012 it aims to deliver treatment programs in one of the most expensive areas of health care, mental health.  It provides customized mental health care delivered by a therapist via a smartphone app.  It is designed to be affordable.

 

EatWith – has been called the Airbnb of dining.  It matches carefully vetted local hosts who are great cooks [like me] and want to monetize their talent with guests seeking quality home-cooked meals, bright conversation and a taste of local hospitality.

 

Renting an extra room in your home has long been a means of making some extra cash…I couldn’t do it.  Too many episodes of failed ventures on Judge Judy and my love of privacy prevent any of that for me!

 

 

 

The Weekly Goodies List for You to Share

 

10 Things You Will NEVER Have To Buy Again

 

21 Adorable DIY Projects To Spruce Up Your Kitchen

 

14 Reasons Why Witch Hazel Should Be In Every Home

 

How To Make Your Own Liquid Hand Soap For Pennies

 

   Wash Your Fruits & Vegetables

Washing your fruits and vegetable in white vinegar removes waxes, film, dirt, mold and pesticides resulting in attractive produce which will stay fresh longer.  Clean your sink and fill with water.  Add 1 cup of vinegar and let the produce sit for 10-15 minutes…rinse and dry, use or refrigerate.

Handy Cleaning Supplies

If you are like me with limited storage space for cleaning supplies, I found that if I hang a shoe bag on the back of a door, I can put all my bottles, cans, etc. into the pockets. They are easy to get to without rummaging through a bunch of stuff.

DIY CLEANING PRODUCTS

 

I save a lot of cash making my own cleaning products and use roughly four ingredients for everything…bleach, lemon ammonia, vinegar and water.  Over the years we’ve fostered and adopted many pets, ranging from dozens of cats and dogs to horses and donkeys.  Cats are the worst in terms of odor and I keep at the ready a spray bottle with a solution of 60% water, 40% lemon-ammonia and a touch of dishwashing soap.

 

Spray it on the sofa or carpet, rub in lightly and damp up the excess and then vacuum later.  Sometimes I’ll add sprinkles of baking soda over the area and after it absorbs more odor, I’ll vacuum again.

 

I don’t waste water and electricity using a dishwasher but here’s a recipe for lemon detergent which cost about $2.50 and does about 24 loads.

 

1 cup washing soda

1 cup baking soda [cheapest in bulk at Sam’s Club or Costco]

1 cup borax

20 drops of essential lemon oil

 

Combine ingredients in large bowl and store into a glass container with lid to keep dry.

To Use:  Place a heaping tablespoon per load in your dishwasher soap compartment and run as usual.

 

Natural Home
Cleaning Products
If the environmental and health risks associated with commercial cleaning products are not enough to convince you to look for alternatives, saving money should be. Anti-bacterial, disinfecting cleaners can be expensive, especially if you purchase different ones for every job. The actual expense might outweigh the benefits and there are many alternatives to expensive commercial products that will effectively and safely clean your home. Read more.

 

An internet search will yield a bonanza of recipes you can try.  I have a few on the Homemade section of our Poor Man Survival site.

 

Last Minute Holiday Touches on the Cheap
Last minute details can take a holiday home from ho ho hum to spectacular, and doesn't have to cost a lot of cash! Here are some great quick, easy, and inexpensive ideas to wow your guests and comfort your family.

 

Most of us give to charities this time of year, but we should do it wisely by both picking a legitimate charity and following IRS donation rules. Look for a charity that spends the vast majority of its money on the cause rather than on administrative expenses and commissions to phone solicitors. You can check out a charity at these organizations: >Give.org, >CharityNavigator.org, and GuideStar.org

Personally, I have my own private foundation which awards money to my favorite charities dating back to 2001…for years the Salvation Army has been its primary recipient.  Recently, in light of how Goodwill screws its handicapped workers while paying out large salaries to its CEOs and bypassing its retail customers [selling better quality items online instead], I cut off ALL donations and grants to them last year!

FYI-As I indicated last month, I will be closing down the Poor Man Survival website right after Christmas. I’ll also be closing off the Word Press version/host for this blog as well.

Support for the site is dismal and I needn’t waste further time and resources.  I am not certain how much longer I’ll keep blog going either but it probably will not last beyond the middle of January.

 

I’ll be shutting off the Gmail address associated with the Poor Man also next week…

 

 

A secret prize included with every purchase!

http://RetroGuy.net

Yours for better living…Bruce ‘the Poor Man’

Cashing in - How a Sharing Economy Can Save or Make Money

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

http://PoorManSurvivor.net

 

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

Since we cannot get what we like, let us like what we can get…Spanish Proverb

 

 

Cash In on the Sharing Economy

 

You can save money or earn a few extra bucks by sharing

 

Neal Gorenflo of San Francisco went on a sharing crusade three years ago. He identified about 30 ways to share, including peer-to-peer car-rental service Getaround, home-sharing service Airbnb and a shared nanny for his infant son. Gorenflo estimates that his efforts over the course of a year saved him $17,000. But he had another agenda: Gorenflo is co-founder of Shareable, a nonprofit online hub for information on the sharing economy. He wrote about his year of sharing to generate enthusiasm for his passion.

In the three years since Gorenflo conducted his experiment, the sharing economy has exploded. There are nearly 5,000 sharing companies, organizations and programs, according to the Mesh Labs Global Sharing Economy Index. And by some estimates they will generate billions of dollars in revenue this year. Belt-tightening during the economic downturn played a role in the rise of the sharing economy, as more people looked for ways to turn idle resources into cash—say, by renting out a barely used bicycle to neighbors—or to take on a part-time gig. In turn, sharing services found a willing clientele of newly cost-conscious consumers. And technological advances, in the form of the Web and mobile applications, made it easy to connect services with people.

Read more at http://www.kiplinger.com/article/business/T049-C000-S002-cash-in-on-the-sharing-economy.html#vgmqoJDIcu1tAVMw.99

 

12 Sites to Help You Save and Make Money By Sharing

 

Whether you want to use services such as carpooling or dog sitting or provide them, you can cash in on the sharing economy by heading online.

The sharing economy has exploded. There are nearly 5,000 sharing companies, organizations and programs, according to the Mesh Labs Global Sharing Economy Index. And by some estimates they will generate billions of dollars in revenue this year.

 

Belt-tightening during the economic downturn played a role in the rise of the sharing economy, as more people looked for ways to turn idle resources into cash—say, by renting out a barely used bicycle to neighbors—or to take on a part-time gig. In turn, sharing services found a willing clientele of newly cost-conscious consumers. And technological advances, in the form of the Web and mobile applications, made it easy to connect services with people.
http://www.kiplinger.com/article/spending/T050-C000-S002-sites-to-help-you-save-make-money-by-sharing.html

 

 

Surprising Outdoor Cleaner

The other day, I was outside looking at the dirt and pollen (and, yes, even algae) buildup on my white deck railings. I decided to try something that removes "stuck on" food from my pans.

I mixed just a tiny bit of liquid, automatic dishwasher detergent in warm water and sprayed the deck railings. It didn't have to stay on there long before I was able to just wipe them clean. I then sprayed some resin chairs that had set out over the entire winter and the mixture broke through the grime on these as well. It worked better than any store bought cleaner I had ever tried!
Sandra

35 Effective Ways To Slash Your Power Bill »
One of the best ways to cut utility bills is by getting off the vulnerable electrical grid as much as possible. Regardless of whether you are able to do that, there are many additional steps you can take in order to reduce your power costs. More »

FREE Flax Seed Recipes to Download

http://www.healthyflax.com/flax-recipes/

 

Find more homemade recipes and tips at:

http://www.poormansurvival.com/Pages/Homemade.aspx

 

Yours in freedom,

Bruce ‘the Poor Man’

 

Got a News Tip or Resource to Share With the Poor Man?

Send it to:  PoorManSurvivor@Gmail.com

 

The solutions to surviving the war on the Middle Class can be found in our new e-book.

 Discover life-saving ways in which you can survive and prosper during The End of the Monetary System As We Know It. This is the information that your financial advisor, your doctor, your police precinct and your government hope you never discover…plus learn how food is your best investment!

http://www.poormansurvival.com/Pages/WaronMiddleClass.aspx

 

A Shallow Planet Production