Anyone paying attention to the news lately? I do not watch the news on television, but I read a lot of it from newspapers and the internet. Here is what is getting my attention:

1. Droughts in the Midwest and a good deal of the West. This drought will have an effect that will be widespread and disastrous. Corn, soybeans, and wheat comprise much of what you buy at the grocery store. If our supply suffers due to the drought, and it will suffer, you will be paying much, much more at the grocery store. If you eat a fair amount of processed foods, then you eat more corn and soybeans that you even realize. Flour and bread prices will be affected if the wheat supply is less than normal. All three are used in some way to feed livestock. Less supply will mean higher prices for feed which will mean higher priced meat.

This is just me talking, but I will be stocking up now of some of the grocery items that will be going up shortly. Spend now and save later!

2. Unemployment and jobs numbers have been manipulated. The powers that be have been manipulating the jobs and unemployment numbers to give you and I a false sense of hope if you believed them. They have now admitted they were doing just that. The problem with this is that the powers that be were trying to tell you that things are getting better, the economy is getting better, and people can start spending their money again. Not exactly. We just found that out that more people are out of work, but since they haven’t been able to find another job and their unemployment benefits have been used up, they are no longer counted in the unemployment numbers.

Not good, not good at all. This means we have a bigger burden on the government and ourselves to help provide for the unemployment in the way of welfare benefits and local charities. When people are out of work for longer than a year, three things can happen: (1) they continue to look for work and actively do whatever they can to provide for themselves and their families; (2) they become a burden on society because they have simply given up looking for employment or find life easier on welfare; and (3) they become desperate and turn to crime to provide for themselves by stealing your food and money by whatever means possible. Number 2 worries me a bit. Number 3 should worry everyone. Be prepared to defend what is yours.

3. Gas prices hanging in the balance for the moment. I work with propane and let me tell you, this price has me worried. Right now, we are at $1.21 a gallon. The potential is there to further decrease. Instead of looking at that price and buying, consumers are waiting for it to go lower. I firmly believe that while crude is down right now, the election year has more to do with this price than anything. The same as the gas prices at the pump. In our area, we are $3.39 with some wavering of a little lower and a little higher. Further east of us, the prices are $3.25 a gallon. Some economists are still calling for higher priced gas by Christmas.

The point of this? I would seriously consider buying now and storing what you can. Again, spend now and save later. I do hope I am wrong and the prices will continue to fall, but our economy is not supporting that idea.

I hope you can see why I am a little worried about the news right now and what is going on. I hope I can help you to be more aware and to make a conscious decision about what is right for you and yours.

Thanks for reading! Have a great day!

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