The implications of projected Y2k, breakdowns in electric power production, oil wells, refineries, telephone systems, banks, etc. means a total change in lifestyle NEXT YEAR. Have you thought this through? Although if the payments system breaks down, everything with past due payments will not get repossessed due to the volume of delinquencies, it is foolish to assume that the things with real value such as new cars, new homes etc. will not be repossessed if the person holding the loan thinks they can get something for it. They will reclaim the stuff and sell it to people who can pay CASH for what they can get that may be 20% of the previous value. Money spent for college,stuff etc. could be better spent for food and other necessities that may be expensive or not available later. Persons without cash are Sorry out of luck. Another implication is that people living on social security, pensions etc. will not have money to buy food if the payment system breaks down or if checks and charge cards no longer work. These problems will happen before the Y2k related crop failures in mid 2000 caused by problems getting seed, fuel, loans for planting etc. so that less is planted.

P.S. Can someone tell me how to send a hypertext link to another site on this forum? I can do it on regular E mail but it will not turn blue on this one. This is frustrating. Thank you.

-- Steve (sfennel@nettally.com), January 17, 1999

Answers

I've had the same thoughts. We are in the process of building our small retirement home. The problem is this; I think we should just stop until after the roll over to see how things go. My husband, thinks it will be just a matter of days before we are back to business as usual and so wants to get as much done as possible. We probably won't be able to sell our present house, or finish or retirement house. I am not as confident of the future as he is.

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), January 17, 1999.

Steve: I also have wrestled with this question. I am hedging my bets by buying rural property. If things are "good" enough after the rollover that banks are still able to send repossession teams out, then it's not so bad and I just let them foreclose if it comes to that.

My main intention is to have a location to evacuate to if y2k is a 7 or higher. In this case, it will be quite a while (years) before enough order is restored to process the required paperwork for a foreclosure, and I will have safely weathered the storm in a safe area.

What do you think?

-- a (a@a.a), January 17, 1999.

That's a difficult question. My feeling is that a person shouldn't put themselves in a bad position if the world "doesn't" collapse. It would be a hell of a thing to be hoping that the power goes out. If this gets to the point where a college education is no longer availible, or simply not important, then extra food isn't really going to get you very far. We'll all be trying to farm in our back yards.

-- d (d@dgi.com), January 17, 1999.

I agree entirely with the position 'a' takes. Hedging is good; I want to be in a position to ride out the big one, and also in a position to carry on through a smaller one, and this entails compromises and some blue-sky guesswork.

I'm also at a loss about the sequence of recovery. Are we likely to see the resumption of gasoline availability before auto manufacturing? Will the utility of reposession precede the wide availability of gainful employment? Will there be a period during which the availability of food exceeds our ability to buy it? It may be premature to worry about this, but it can affect preparation.

Altogether, your questions are the kind that make us lose weight and sleep, and go bald. And even that doesn't help a bit.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), January 17, 1999.

Steve, for general forum info, including hypertext links, see the New to the Forum? README thread at http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000I05.

-- No Spam Please (anon@ymous.com), January 18, 1999.

I have been wrestling with the very same thoughts. There are several things going on with us that could be only achieved this year. Will costs lots of $, teenager will be devastated if she doesn't get to follow thru on 4 yrs hard work. Can't see taking it away ..made life changes due to 95 predictions...nothing happened in stock market..was glad but....hesitant to make same mistake..not playing with my life but a really good teenagers. Would like to have some writing in the sky "y2k will be a bump in the road" "y2k will be teotwawki"...some how don't think this will happen..here's hoping!

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), January 18, 1999.

"Does your current life plan make sense with Y2K coming?"

Where in the web of life are you connected?

For a possible context: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q- and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000Oi2

~C~

-- Critt Jarvis (Wilmington, NC) (critt@critt.com), January 18, 1999.

While I'm uncertain, at best, as to what will happen at the rollover--and before--and while I have been preparing for more than a year, I cannot simply assume that we'll have TEOTWAWKI and junk plans for the future. I have a very bright 17 year old daughter who is looking forward to going to college. It will be expensive, and that money could be used for additional supplies, but I cannot, in good conscience, spend that money. There are some things we can utilize regardless of what happens. We can eat the stored food, keep the generator as a backup, sell some of the gold and silver coins, but I have to hope and pray those colleges are open and educating this time next year.

-- Vic (Roadrunneris@compliant.net), January 18, 1999.

I have struggled with that question for about a year and a half now. I got out of the Navy in mid 1995 and currently working for Computer Sciences Corporation with all of this stuff staring in my face from time to time and on top of that I am a college senior with a major in Computer Information Systems! I am thinking of delaying completion of my degree until after 2000 and pursing something that would help get me into the IT field like Oracle certification or UNIX certification. I of all people feel like a victim already to Y2K.

-- Ron McCamey (rmccamey@integrityonoline7.com), January 19, 1999.

I think we all have what might be called "analysis paralysis" as we try to figure the outcome of Y2k.

-- catatonic (....@.....), January 19, 1999.