Why you still need cash and how the system tracks you

Gold, silver snd copper are all likely to destabilize.

so having a little is ok but a lot is no protection for long.

the desire worldwide appears to be to force you onto a digital currency which leaves you open to randomly loosing access to your account or having your holdings randomly devalue in a worse way than paper.

we are entering a new age that isn’t meant to support a middle class, so not sure what you do living in post globalization post neo liberal society

 

Physical currency (CASH) is merely paper with ink; its value comes solely from the collective agreement that it must have value.

 

Several of my co-workers are in their 50's with 30-ish years working for "big-phone."
For the Gen-Z crowd a 'phone' used to mean an appliance in a home that was wired in place in the 'long ago.'
Several of these employees are trying to figure out how to stick the Retirement Landing if they are forced to look for work in their late 50's after they join ranks with textile workers, UAW victims, whalers, and people who "learned to code."


I always tell them that:
"...the BAD news is....you're STILL in your early 50's, but the GOOD news is.....you're STILL in your early 50's!
Wanna trade places?? "

Sorry, but that's simply not true.
It's either a LOT easier to live a middle class lifestyle NOW than it was 100 years ago, or the alphabet soup of social programmes that we're going BROKE as a nation by NOT paying for -are not working!!

I know of several people who have crash landed hard and are now working their way back up to the self-sufficiency that USED TO DESCRIBE being "middle class."
Peonage, or debt slavery was eliminated in the 1800s (actually? the 1940s - but that's a different topic.)
If you know how the Federal Poverty Level works, you can become "ejumacated" and enjoy fairly comprehensive health care coverage, and if you're willing to work in "the trades" which was THE EASIEST option to reach "middle class" as recently as the 60's then you can retire wealthy - with a little self discipline and perseverance.

Care to name a place that you would RATHER BE if you were broke?
-Probably so. But they might not want you to live there because as it turns out, some nations ACTUALLY have borders.

Care to name a place that you would RATHER BE if you were broke and DIDN'T WANT TO STAY THAT WAY?
-That list is much shorter.

 

Interesting questions. When I was younger, many, many years ago before I got married and had kids, I had dreamed of moving to a world poorest nation and live there. I had no concrete plan or idea where that would be, but I imagined somewhere in Africa or South Asia. Self sufficient, living off the land where money has no meaning, like Hadza people of Tanzania. That dream never materialized. I got complacent with my life. And I got family to feed and support. Money became more important than I wished for. But back in my mind, I still want to live in place where money has no meaning and being broke doesn't mean being poor. Yep, just a dream for me.

 

Two of the happiest people I know live WELL below the poverty line, probably always have - but they OWN everything that they have.

 

Well, that's the key - they don't play the game. That's why credit is so easy to get and so difficult to get out from under. IMHO; the shackles of life are of your own doing - living off of credit. When you retire, everything should be paid-off. I know many people that dream of retirement; but are actively taking on long-term debit. How does that work, when a chunk of your retirement goes towards paying down debit? Your income is going to be cut by at least 20%. Even if your properly invested - inflation is going to eat you alive in future years.
The backup plan is to move to a economically stable country; where the dollar still has value and our middle class is considered rich by their standards..

Just something to think about....