(End of the American Dream)—In your opinion, does it feel like we are in the middle of a recession right now? If you feel that way, you are definitely not alone. In fact, as you will see below, most Americans believe that the U.S. is currently experiencing a recession. Large employers have been conducting mass layoffs from coast to coast, the cost of living crisis is absolutely crushing millions upon millions of working families, and the number of business bankruptcies has jumped by more than 40 percent in just one year. Considering all of the economic pain that we are witnessing all around us, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that 59 percent of Americans believe “that the U.S. is currently in a recession”…
And yet, 59% of Americans falsely believe that the U.S. is currently in a recession, according to a recent survey of 2,000 adults by Affirm in June.
Citing higher costs and difficulty making ends meet, most respondents said they think a recession started roughly 15 months ago, in March 2023, and could last until July 2025, Affirm found.
CNBC would like for us to believe that it is “wrong” for Americans to be thinking this way. Even though millions upon millions of Americans are deeply hurting, we are just supposed to pretend that everything is sunshine and lollipops.
They can try to gaslight us all they want, but even the Federal Reserve is admitting that most of the population is “running low on disposable cash”…
Middle- and lower-income Americans are running low on disposable cash and are on track to have less than they were on pace to have before the COVID pandemic disrupted the economy, a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco found.
Retailers such as Home Depot are extremely dependent on discretionary spending.
Needless to say, discretionary spending is way down right now, and Home Depot is openly admitting that people are not spending as much on home improvement projects as they once did…
Home Depot says consumers are feeling crummy about the economy, and they’re dishing out less on major home renovation projects.
The home improvement giant, a bellwether of consumer spending and the housing market, lowered its sales expectations for the year. It said customers were spending less on home improvement projects, pressured by higher interest rates and concerns that the economy is getting worse.
Home Depot’s business is closely tied to the housing market, and high interest rates are putting a brake on housing turnover and consumers financing larger projects.
When the economy is booming, Home Depot is usually swimming in cash. But when the economy is struggling, Home Depot really tends to struggle.
To me, this is one of the clearest indications yet of where the economy is heading.
Of course it isn’t just discretionary spending that is down.
At this point, many Americans can’t even afford the basics. In fact, one recent survey discovered that 39 percent of Americans have actually skipped meals just so that they can make their rent or mortgage payments…
39% of Americans say they’ve skipped meals to make housing payments, per Clever Real Estate survey.
And among millennials, that figure rose to 44%. Among Baby Boomers, it was 20%.
Wow.
I had not seen that number before. That is just stunning.
In a desperate attempt to make ends meet, millions upon millions of us are racking up enormous credit card balances, and lots of people are now falling behind…
A growing number of borrowers are falling behind on their monthly credit card payments. Over the last year, roughly 9.1% of credit card balances transitioned into delinquency, the New York Fed reported for the second quarter of 2024. And more middle-income households anticipate struggling with debt payments in the coming months.
In particular, credit card accounts that were opened in 2021, 2022 and 2023 have particularly high rates of delinquency…
Overall delinquencies increased rapidly over the last few years because the credit cards originated in 2021, 2022, and 2023 have gone delinquent much more rapidly than credit cards originated in other years. About 8 percent of credit cards originated in 2016 became delinquent about four years after origination. Meanwhile, the 2021 vintage reached an 8 percent delinquency rate just after 2 years while the 2022 vintage reached 8 percent after less than two years and 2023 has followed 2022 closely so far.
Sadly, a lot more economic pain is on the way, because I am entirely convinced that the cost of living will continue to rise faster than paychecks do.
One recent survey found that the high cost of living is one of the biggest reasons why so many of us consider living in large cities such as Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco to be undesirable…
The company found that the the nation’s capital, for the second year running, is the one Americans feel the largest distaste for.
According to the findings, 33 percent of respondents said it is one of the top five worst cities in the country, up from 20 percent last year.
65 percent of people said that a high cost of living makes a place undesirable, with New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco also ranking on the list of unfavorable places.
But it isn’t just our large cities that are being absolutely hammered by the current economic climate.
In some areas of the country, it literally looks like the next “Great Depression” has already hit.
For decades, the U.S. experienced an extended period of time when the standard of living was extraordinarily high.
But that was never enough.
We always had to have more, and so we piled up the largest mountain of government debt in the history of the world, the largest mountain of corporate debt in the history of the world, and the largest mountain of consumer debt in the history of the world.
Now those bubbles have started to burst, and as a result our entire system is at risk.
Economic conditions are not great now, but the truth is that what we are experiencing at this moment will be considered rip-roaring prosperity compared to what is eventually coming.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
