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Episode 556: Navigating Inflation, Lessons from the 70s


Today is a complement to last Monday’s episode on developing a deep pantry. We will discuss lessons learned from two folks who navigated the inflationary period of the 70s, when jobs became scarce, people saw the value of their retirements cut in half, and a savings account was the worst way to preserve wealth.

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Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Madly preparing workshop food
  • Freeze Drying Left Overs for travel food
  • Time to assess vinegar stores for the year
  • Using up old seeds

Frugality Tip

  • Reusing ziploc
  • Reusable ziplock tip from a listener! https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Storage-Ziplock-Sandwich-Freezer/dp/B091CRGNMX/ref=sr_1_7?crid=TNH3SHOUUNGC&keywords=reusable+ziplock&qid=1649690426&sprefix=reusable+ziplock%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-7

Operation Independence

  • All focus is on the Spring Workshop

Main topic of the Show: Navigating Inflationary Periods

Why we are talking about this

How I gleaned this information. 

A tale of two families: Just Starting Out vs Time to Retire

Set the context: in 1969, gas was 19 cents a gallon … and rose to 29 cents (50% increase), then kept rising. Policy steps taken – price fixing and rationing.

Dad focused on big picture, Mom on the details

  • Preserving wealth (Food and agriculture, government job | HAD to have a side hustle to get ahead. 2 jobs)
    • Interest rates were much higher (Like 11% on a mortgage was a good rate)
    • Unemployment high
    • Realestate investment/rentals
    • Buying low, selling high (trellising wire example, barrels 15-100 (Dowie joke)
    • Kept household expenses down, squeezed pennies from stones (Buying $69/yard fabric for clothing, not $99/yard fabric. Multiple stores to get the cheapest thing because gas was cheaper than food.
    • Always were “fully mortgaged” – robbing peter to pay paul some months on the bills
  • Value From Home
    • Garden
    • Canned foods
    • Buying wholesale eggs
    • Learning to do things from scratch to save 
      • “Milk” shake
      • “Cool” whip
      • Spicing up the same old ingredients to add variety
      • Home sewed clothes (we looked funny)
      • Canned beans vs dried beans
      • Dad DIYd everything so we lived better than many
  • Family/Relationships giving a leg up
    • Initial downpayment (Dad’s regret)
    • Cobought a cat with his brother then resold
    • Sunday Dinner with the Middlesworths
    • Family would help on large projects
  • Hellmans Mayo – $.43 cents a quart – not is $5 and lost 2 ounces
  • Retired perspective
    • Grandparents sold the farm and had money in the bank – lost 50% of their retirement value because it was in cash
    • Lived quite frugally – RV, from scratch cooking, growing and preserving
    • Did odd jobs (picking fruit, roofing, etc)
    • Bought and sold real estate in Arizona to make up some of the difference
    • Short term bond at 20% story
  • Sum it up – your saving dont mean crap – biggest worry right now is the dollar no longer is the world basis currency:
    • Produce food
    • Trade and barter/DIY when it makes sense
    • Material things hold value better than savings (as long as they are useful) gold vs building materials example
    • Look at different investment vehicles (Check out the wealth steading podcast)
    • Mindset (Buying used vs new)
    • Assets that are not assets – 1 job loss from losing a home example

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