how prepared are YOU?

all of this talk of unemployment (oh wait! that's ME doing all the talking.) leads me to this post.


i find that we (especially me) live a world where i often wonder about our "need to" (needs) and "want to". (wants)


as i have blogged about previously, being in this situation (without work) begs the question...


"HOW PREPARED ARE YOU?"


i belong to a church that consistently "preaches" preparedness. they encourage monetary savings, food storage, and living with the least amount of debt possible. ("good debt" which could be incurred while pursuing an education, in the purchase of a home and possibly a car. they claim all other debt is "not good.")


depending on the season of my life, i have been more prepared in some areas and less in others according to those guidelines.


but as we have worked our way forward through this latest challenge in our lives, i have often paused to ask myself that question. (the one about being prepared.)


because it is something we ALL should be thinking about.


did you know that the national "average", the length of time one can expect to be unemployed right now in our country is a year.

did you read that right? a year?

YES! you did.

certainly people are finding employment sooner that that, or taking LONGER than that. but according to "statistics" that is the length of time it is taking to find gainful employement again.


Utah, at the moment is slightly less than average on statistics, but regardless, those are frightening numbers.


so, again my question. how prepared are you?


*how much debt do you have?

*how much savings do you have? (we are encouraged to have on hand 6 months worth of our take home income, i know for some that is not possible--and for some that is EASY!)

*how much food storage do you have? what could you live on if you had to?

*how much frivolous spending do you do? do you REALLY need that thing you just bought?


*how long could YOU live without a job?


these are just questions that have been brought to the forefront of my mind, and MY LIFE, right now. (obviously)


i certainly know that when my husband DOES get a new job, it will really make me rethink my saving and spending habits.

it will make me think about, and reconsider, what is REALLY important...really really important.

it has been a good lesson for us, to think about these things.


because, it can happen to ANYONE! ANYWHERE!
no matter how safe you think your job is!

i know people (including ourselves) who have thought they were "safe" and were not. people that were accountants, business men, lawyers and even doctors. it is a crazy, uncertain time we live in right now.

just some food for thought today....

how prepared ARE YOU?