I agree about the friends, but I'm newer to the area and it's been slow going. Working on it, and this page has been the best way to meet like minded people.
I'm not sure I agree with you on the stocks thing. the depressions/recessions of the past have made many an "average man" very wealthy and able to keep up with inflation. If, at the start of covid, you pulled your money out you locked in a loss. If you realized it was (likely) a short term thing and continued to put money in, you would have much more than you started with.
I'm not thinking the US will completely collapse. The world is too connected for that to come to fruition. But I own shares of American companies, foreign companies, etc. I have skills that would work well in any industrialized nation or 3rd world hell hole. I don't want to be in the latter, but understand it may end up coming to us. Not all my eggs are in that basket. Some is in PMs, some is in lead, some is in property, etc.
I'm working every day on physical stuff and mental, learning all I can, becoming more self sufficient whenever possible. I think all we can do is all we can do, and as long as we're a little better today than yesterday it's a win.
It’s always best to diversify your assets. If nothing changes then you’re covered if things go south you can still float along depending on what assets you have. Warrior poet society did a whole video on that which was pretty cool
I’m right down the road from you in Woodstock. Always down to grab a beer with a fellow ODT guy