How to Prep for the Long Term

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   As this corvid pandemic is set to keep running and running, (not to mention a new swine flu that has potential to become another pandemic), my mind is wandering over how as an older person I can plan for the long term (long term = 10+ years).
I am getting too old to move to start farming a small holding (not that wife would agree).   I could add more berry bushes to the garden, but do I want to take on more watering (minimum has been taking me over one hour a day in the recent heat wave)?   
In the shorter term I am thinking of what clothes I might need to buy in the next year or so and see if I can get them (one problem is the shops are so seasonal I can now buy for next summer but not next winter).
I expect that the value of any pension will go down (a small one I have from the States lost 8% of its value in the first three months of this year), so I am focusing on what I can do to reduce costs, but most of the major things seem to have been done (ground heat exchange, new windows, better insulation of the basement, solar panels, hand pump on well).  The only major items for improvements are adding more solar panels (at present this is not financially worthwhile) and removing an old oil tank to use the area as a cellar space.

Do any of you have long term plans or are you, as I mostly am doing, focusing on getting through the next months?

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EdwinSm, Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Joined: April 03 2013 Status: Offline Points: 24065	Post Options Post Reply Quote EdwinSm, Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: How to Prep for the Long Term Posted: June 30 2020 at 12:25am
	As this corvid pandemic is set to keep running and running, (not to mention a new swine flu that has potential to become another pandemic), my mind is wandering over how as an older person I can plan for the long term (long term = 10+ years). I am getting too old to move to start farming a small holding (not that wife would agree). I could add more berry bushes to the garden, but do I want to take on more watering (minimum has been taking me over one hour a day in the recent heat wave)? In the shorter term I am thinking of what clothes I might need to buy in the next year or so and see if I can get them (one problem is the shops are so seasonal I can now buy for next summer but not next winter). I expect that the value of any pension will go down (a small one I have from the States lost 8% of its value in the first three months of this year), so I am focusing on what I can do to reduce costs, but most of the major things seem to have been done (ground heat exchange, new windows, better insulation of the basement, solar panels, hand pump on well). The only major items for improvements are adding more solar panels (at present this is not financially worthwhile) and removing an old oil tank to use the area as a cellar space. Do any of you have long term plans or are you, as I mostly am doing, focusing on getting through the next months?

Tabitha111 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: January 11 2020 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 11640	Post Options Post Reply Quote Tabitha111 Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: June 30 2020 at 5:34am
	As for clothes...do you have Charity shops...we call them thrift stores in the US.? Ours carry all seasons of clothes, coats in the summer, sweaters, etc. A good way to stock up inexpensively. I have enough coats to last me forever and a closet full....(one of my obsessions) rainboots too... I just make sure I have all my essentials stocked at all times. As I get older the need for many extra "things" (think kitchen tools, garden tools, bed linens, etc) are not necessary. I have enough! It's mostly consumables that I need and have stocked up on. I would look at your transportation needs...is you car going to last you those next 10 years? I bought a new car last year and it will be my last car I believe, desperately needed it after I drove my Camry as long as I could without putting more money into it.
	'A man who does not think and plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door.' --Confucius