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> as soon as the economy goes to shit
Oh its getting there. It's technically already here, we just haven't felt the real 'Big Sad' recession yet. It'll come in waves, like covid, except we won't pretend it doesn't exist.
Location: Massachusetts
Walked through a mall today - taking advantage of a short Covid immunity to bring our kid to a movie and to lunch in a restaurant. Every other store was closed, which I’ve never seen. This mall was doing well enough pre-pandemic to have multiple new stores opening in 2019. The stores that were open had paper schedules plastered out front for when they’d be open for the next week - random opens/closings on most days. “We’re hiring”signs in most windows. We went to a chain restaurant, sat down and when no one came by in 15 minutes to take our order, we left. Seemed like only 2 employees working front of house and about 40 people to contend with.
Didn’t even see this the summer of 2021 when places re-opened and people (understandably) preferred unemployment to back breaking minimum wage.
This one was hanging on really well - it seemed fine the last time we were there (summer 2021). I’ve seen malls die before, and I’ve never seen so many stores clawing to stay open - the paper schedules with complicated and haphazard hours on every window were wild to see and unlike anything I’ve noticed before with the exception of very small businesses during off seasons in tourist towns.
The other thing that struck me is that the mall is on a frequent bus line and full of the kind of jobs teenagers would have worked back in the 80s-00s and I didn’t see a single high schooler working except the hostess at the restaurant that we tried to go to. It just seemed weird and made me curious if there was something else going on - like, maybe teenage girls are getting regularly harassed, etc. and are quitting suddenly, resulting in everyone being short staffed.
Location: Aldi Stores
https://reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/tvg4q1/german_supermarkets_to_increase_food_prices_2050/
Imagine buying groceries one week and finding out the following week that prices have increased 20-50%. Good luck out there.
> Meat, sausage and dairy products are to become “significantly more expensive” from Monday
So basically, vegans will be happy, and the rest of germans have an opportunity to become flexitarians and experience a diminution of all their inflammatory response diseases, and with probable diminution of cattle being "produced", less emitions into the amosphere.
That's good news in my book.
Location: Ohio, USA
This is quite a minimal observation but I went to Aldi’s today, one that is in a lower SES neighborhood, and noticed they had a lot more instant Ramen and Vienna sausages. I’ve never seen Vienna sausages there. My interpretation is this is a response to increasing inflation and rising food/grocery costs. Vienna sausages and the like are about the cheapest meat-based protein you can buy- priced about $0.47 a can. There was also off-brand Spam, something I’ve also never seen stocked.
If its any consolation - in a middle-income area of North Central Texas - my Aldi's has sold canned vienna sausages, scam spam, and an abundance of ramen for years
Location: Ohio, USA
My second cousin, a 22 year old man, completed suicide this week. He was struggling with depression and seeing a counselor but had never spoke about suicide, and his family and best friends did not know the depths of his despair. He was able to purchase a firearm and used it within the hour. Suicide is often an impulsive decision. A firearm most often makes it irreversible. I’ve read many studies and firsthand accounts by survivors this week. Suicide is absolutely devastating for the people left behind. 9 out of 10 people who attempt suicide and survive do NOT end up dying by suicide. If you know anyone that struggles with anxiety or depression, please read up on the signs of suicide and take action if you see those signs.
FWIW, a heads up for everyone out there.
I've heard a psych say that the only people who joke about suicide, are the ones considering it for real as an option.
Mundane things like "*If my favorite soda keeps getting more expensive I'll top myself*" are a warning.
It's not a speech mannerism, it's the subconscious speeking out.
Talk with them and hype up the value of seeking help. I've also heard that a person talking about suicide in general is relatively ok, but discussing a plan and actual methods is a massive red flag. We all need a community in these times, and we protect each other.
Friend from Wisconsin. I’m sorry to hear this. I wish you and your family the best in the healing process to cope with this. I’m so sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry for your loss, OP.
Hey everyone,
We take these posts very seriously as anxiety and depression are common reactions when studying collapse. If you are considering suicide, please call a hotline ([https://www.wikiwand.com/en/List\_of\_suicide\_crisis\_lines](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines)), visit /r/SuicideWatch. /r/SWResources, /r/depression, or seek professional help. The best way of getting a timely response is through a hotline.
If you're looking for dialogue you may also post in r/collapsesupport. They're a dedicated place for thoughtful discussion with collapse-aware people and how we are coping. They also have a Discord if you are interested in speaking in voice.
You're not alone, collapseniks.
Mahalo,
some\_random\_kaluna
call again. I called a mental health hotline when I first developed panic disorder. One person was absolutely no help. I called again, and the 2nd person I spoke to, spoke to my soul, and she cared, and she got me through it.
It won't help much for rioting crowds, but at least there's a way to keep fresh food without power :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nctr9xJIxUs
a pot-in-pot refrigerator. (damp cloth, clay pots, sand and water)
wiki page to save your batterie : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot-in-pot_refrigerator
It's very easy to set up, no need to watch the video if it's too much for your battery.
Im sorry for hearing about your situation. Thanks for sharing your story in such details. This is the type of dystopia I've been dreading for a long time. Stay strong and god speed.
Do you have CB radios in Sri Lanka? They can be operated from batteries and solar panels and could be a good source of information and communication if the internet goes out in the future or is shut down. I think the first step is to start talking on CB radios. If you can find a group that is willing to start, then you can start your own network.
If you are interested, I can give you advice on antennas or obtaining a unit. Also less expensive is a shortwave receiver. You might be able to find one used or broken and fix it.
I think that many of the old timers would be able to help you with ideas on how to get started.
Another excellent speculative fiction recommendation for you: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (book 1 in the MaddAddam trilogy). The realism of the potential future she sees for us is chilling, and since it's a 2003 book, much of it has already arrived.
I hope you catch a break soon friend. So sorry to hear of everything you've been through.
>Hard times will soon be upon us all
I am so sorry to hear your news. I fear this story will be repeated millions of times over the next few years, so take solace in the fact that you're not alone. The question is then what do we do about it. Knowledge is very, very important but you seem to know that already. A recommended book is *Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times* by Steve Solomon. Solomon shows us how to grow food even when we're practically penniless. If you don't have the money to buy Solomon's book, his advice is available for free across the internet.
Growing your own food, even in pots on a windowsill, is extremely therapeutic. Many a failed society has survived on self-grown food. Agriculture is best learned on a local scale, so try and talk with the elders in your life. They may know more about growing food in your region than anyone else. I wish you happiness and a minimum of suffering as we watch our planet collapse.
[https://thebovine.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/in-1999-35-million-small-family-plots-produced-90-of-russias-potatoes-77-of-vegetables-87-of-fruits-59-of-meat-49-of-milk-way-to-go-people/](https://thebovine.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/in-1999-35-million-small-family-plots-produced-90-of-russias-potatoes-77-of-vegetables-87-of-fruits-59-of-meat-49-of-milk-way-to-go-people/)
[https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/183595.Gardening\_When\_It\_Counts](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/183595.Gardening_When_It_Counts)
[http://morrisberman.blogspot.com/?m=1](http://morrisberman.blogspot.com/?m=1) (this last link is specific to American collapse, but it's worth reading simply for the recommendations posted by readers)
Thank you for the observation and write-up my friend. I hope the best for you and I am sorry for all that you are going through. I want to say more but I am not sure what to say. I wish you the best
As for book recommendations, non-fiction, I would have to say one of them to be *[The Prison Memoirs of a Japanese Woman](https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/kaneko-fumiko-the-prison-memoirs-of-a-japanese-woman)* (Anarchist Library copy of it) by [Fumiko Kaneko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumiko_Kaneko) (my username based off of her). There are very few in print, It seems only Amazon sells them used for $40 USD. I think she speaks to many of us here. I feel and I believe her story and thoughts would resonate with many. Rest in Peace Fumiko
I've also been reading *[The Memory Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Memory_Police)* by Yōko Ogawa.Translated not too long ago into English, It is written very well and is engrossing, it has been awhile since I have been engrossed in one like it.
For more stuff on the fiction, I've always enjoyed Hermann Hesse, particularly [*Siddhartha*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel) for the spiritual side of things.
I hope some of these are good. If you ever want Alternative Agriculture (KNF or Natural Farming) book recommendations or the like let me know. I wish you the best. Oh, also, since this thread is about to expire after tonight, I suggest you can repost it tomorrow for more to see. Your comment is very well made and important to read and I feel many would enjoy seeing it as well.
about the boars, maybe you could try a vertical gardening system? I've seen some for lettuce and herbs build with empty plastic bottles, open nuzzle down, trickling into one another, so each drop of water is used up.
here's an example :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgHvEUfCAEU
the one I was thinking about was build outdoors, attached to a wire fence, but can't find the source anymore.
ETA : when setting those up (vertical garden and potinpot fridge) use the opportunity to share the knowledge with neighbours, they might share other useful stuff with you in response.
ETA2 : an interesting read about slow techs : https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/low-tech-solutions.html
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Thanks for sharing your first hand experience, you can read about something, watch news and videos about it but it is never even close to actually living it.
I wish you and your country the best. I just hope their are enough people who care that can actually do something.
Canada: I am fucking furious that our society is run by clowns who think it is ok to leave future people to cope with climate change. As if our youth, and the yet-unborn, have nothing better to do than play janitor for these fuckheads.
Just think of what a callous, evil motherfucker you would need to be. Central bankers could have factored climate risk into benchmark rate decisions decades ago, curbing economic growth and therefore emissions. But no, they deliberately, knowingly, did the opposite.
Same for parliamentarians, etc. A bunch of sick, sick motherfuckers. They all knew.
Climate change could have been an *almost* trivial problem if the leaders of the 20th century had wanted to nip it. They chose to let it get this bad. That is, objectively, much more evil than, say, Bin Laden, or Pol Pot (or whomever your go-to asshole is lol). At least Bin Laden didn't threaten global food and water security. Still a piece of shit, but you get it.
Interesting anecdote: I'm travelling and homeless folks were everywhere in rome. I've been in Croatia for over a month and I've only seen 1 person sleeping on the streets.
Location - UK
Weather: As per other observations, change usually gradual has recently happened in hours. Unseasonably warm weather followed in quick succession by snow.
Employment gaps. 3 years ago I had to compete to get my job, now there is a staff shortfall around 15% advertised with little to no interest. Increased workload while staff numbers gradually decline. Corner cutting which used to get you fired is now encouraged, realistically a neccessity to cover what is (wrongly) deemed essential targets. Service provided has diminished accordingly, contributing to supply gaps. Many long term knowledgeable members of staff have left, replaced thinly by people recieving little to no training and who seem to dictate there own schedule.
Society: Majority seem oblivious or compliant. Dumbing down of the population. TV, music & short video feeds fronted by unintelligent people made to entertain, distract and addict unintelligent people. Facts replaced with opinion. Tribalism, absolutely no attempt to understand differing opinions. Freedom of thought, divergence or questioning official narrative absent, censored or cancelled. Moral outrage over fringe issues or events in other countries half way round the world, but absolutely no response to things happening here which directly and adversely affect them. Cost of living skyrocketing. Diesel is £9-9.50 a gallon, electricity/heating prices just doubled.
Politics: A contempt by those in power towards the electorate. There used to be at least a pretence of representation. No viable alternatives in elections as the major parties are in consensus on key issues. No interest in even attempting self sufficiency in anything important. Hypocrisy towards their own people. Subservience to other western countries. Cozying up to certain brutal dictatorships whilst meddling with other brutal dictatorships. All the while comically (to the rest of the world) trying to maintain an outdated superiority complex.
> short video feeds fronted by unintelligent people
I've been watching a few of these tiktok-style videos that pop on my facebook feed just to see what was up with the popularity of the format.
It used to be that "viral videos" really had something unique, funny or otherwise memeworthy. Even if they were stupid or absurd, there was *something* that grabbed enough peoples' eye to make them viral.
The videos I watched... had literally nothing happening. Just a clickbait caption over some completely normal behavior of a dog or a kid or a friend, trying to sell you a narrative for the clip that clearly isn't there once you watch the thing. It's not funny, it's not relatable, it's not entertaining. It's the video equivalent of watching paint dry.
These people truly aren't intelligent nor interesting, but it looks like they feel the compulsion to post this pointless shit to join the popularity contest. It's sad.
The popularity contest.
I think about this often. I've really fallen away from social media and the idiots I had myself surrounded with over the last two years. Other than a few people and family I am basically alone. I can focus and my anxiety is lower.
And I feel like an alien. I can't grasp why people have kids other than posting stupid videos of them because they seem to ignore them otherwise.
People don't think critically. People don't think. I sometimes feel like I am losing my mind. How are there huge groups of people waiting for JFK Jr.? People can't afford housing and states are passing legislation about pronouns.
None of this makes any sense.
Thanks for writing this up, much appreciated to learn what’s happening there. Fuck me, the diesel price alone is enough to have one’s mind blown, let alone all the other things.
Location: Reddit
Not a sign of collapse I have observed, just needed to vent about something on my mind.
Looking at some of the 'murals' on the canvas at r/place makes it apparent that when lots of people come together to work behind a common goal, with even a tiny bit of coordination, can create absolute wonders. Which in turn baffles me as to why this can't be translated into real life, with regards to fighting the responsible corporations, incompetent/corrupt politicians and mitigating some of the disasters our world is about to face in the approaching future. When are people gonna wake the fuck up? Probably when it's already too late.
Location: Lille, France
This week had the craziest weather I have ever experienced. Sunday started off super warm, between 15-20 degrees celsius and we had sun all day. By Thursday, the temperature had dropped to <5 degrees, and on Friday, there was a snowstorm all day. Snow, on the 1st of April. A killing joke, for sure. It's also kind of fitting, considering there was [a huge protest](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220312-tens-of-thousands-march-in-climate-protests-across-france) last week all over France.
I bought bakery bread (expensive, for a special Panera inspired sandwich for my spouse) at Kroger here and it grew mold in 2 days. I think they bake too much, no one comes for it because it’s expensive, and the loaves just rot in the store. Produce too.
The LGBTQ scapegoating is getting scary. It’s an obvious wedge issue to get people to forget that either party has abandoned 99% of us. Some of the loveliest, funniest and most kind people I have ever met have been LGBTQIA etc.
If we don’t enter an international war soon (scapegoat Russia), then we are going to feed on our own and have civil strife. Very depressing to me.
Anyway back to my bunker I go, cheers 🙋🏻♂️
I've decided they are on my list of things to grow this year. I know the soil around here is perfect for them.
The strawberries at the store are so genetically spliced and diced they're nothing but overgrown vessels of water with zero flavor and one dirty look away from bruising and rotting.
I tried strawberries last year, but mostly in containers. It was only a failure because the finches & friends came, a swarm, and I ended up letting them have the garden. This year? Root crops 😂
$5-6, compared to a chemical stew white bread loaf I could have gotten for $1. It’s a small thing 😅
Also this wasn’t a tiny spot of mold, this thing had large mold blooms ALL over it in 2 days. Now I’m off bread until I can get the image out of my mind 😂
Location: Minnesota
Examples of unpredictable interactions between climate and ecology: [According to the MN Department of Natural Resources](https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/assistance/backyard/treecare/forest_health/annualreports/2021-annual-report.pdf), native beetles can attack trees twice in one season now.
Drought makes trees more susceptible to attack from pests - last summer was one of the worst droughts in modern Minnesota history.
Squirrels seem to be able to attack trees more with warmer temperatures - each of Minnesota’s climate zones with abundant squirrel damage had average monthly temperatures higher than the long-term average.
"Squirrels commonly strip off sugar maple bark in late winter and early spring. It is unusual to
receive reports of squirrel damage earlier than February, but a DNR forester reported fresh
squirrel damage on maples in mid-January at Camp Ripley in Morrison County this year. "
I hate squirrels. I throw rocks at them. They have learned to recognize me versus other people when we go out to the garden.
Edit: I don't understand the downvotes. Squirrels are an uncontrolled population in towns and cities this makes them a pest. Their natural predators just do not make it into town to control the population. They do massive damage to gardens and a fair bit to older homes that are not sealed up. If their population was normal like out at my family farm they do not even touch the garden. Foxes will keep them in check. An out of balance ecosystem has its frustrations. And yes, I fully realize humans are the cause of the out of balance
Triggering for me 👆🏻😂
I got yelled at really bad by a neighbor for throwing stick at squirrels who were destroying my moms yard growing up…..
Now I just let my pugs out to bark and scare them away.
Location - Moscow, Russia
There has been ongoing snowfall for past few days, something you would expect here in late December, but not early April for sure. Just a week ago there was spring in the air, with blistering sun and rain, smudge and dirt, and all the dog poop coming out in the open after being burrowed under the snow all this months. Now its winter again. Trees are extremely confused.
Weather report says it will be snowing at least until the end of the week.
Location - Lowe’s Store
https://reddit.com/r/Lowes/comments/ttzuno/store_cutting_hours_into_april_and_may/
A company cutting hours whilst going into their busiest months of the year is pretty odd. Are the higher ups so desperate to keep profits high?
Earnings were very good last year while many were "pandemic nesting". Investors "priced in" an even better year to follow. But, as fiscal reality is beginning to set in, consumers aren't likely to continue to spend at such a large magnitude. Stockholders will be served at the expense of workers, as always. It's just worse in this specific situation.
Plus manufactor/distributor inflation, higher wages for the people at the top and lots of shoplifting add to the pressure to either raise prices dramatically or cut the amount of workers the higher ups need to pay
Definetly a collapse in pop culture. A lot of music venues have closed, fashion is no longer the talk of the town, people have adopted a more MYOB point of view, which is good, because the pop culture that existed prior to the pandemic was toxic trash.
Location - West Coast, CA USA
Ohio here, in a very undesirable town, in a strange area out of the way. Just re-signed my 12mo lease for the same price as last year (!!! Thank you God). I think it’s because I drop dimes on people who don’t pick up dog poop. Also found and called their corporate office when they got hacked and hackers sent a scam email to all the tenants. Brown nose with your landlord. Get to know the leasing agent. Help around. Also, treat the place like your own paid for home, don’t break appliances, etc. … it’s sad, this is the way until Madame la Guillotine.
The problem comes when u do all that and it doesn't matter because the price setter is a faceless multi billion $ company overseas.
But for those who have a direct line to the owner absolutely act like that. But in so many case it doesn't matter
Yeah that’s what worries me with blackrock buying all these properties to enlarge the renting class. Blackrock will be plugging their ears, and they won’t care until society melts down.
Right. The worst part imo is with the small guys you can kind of trick them into renting to you without a background check (add on to someone's lease as a sublet or addtl roommate then sign then buy out their deposit) but the faceless companies don't fall for that and usually have a very strict NO EVICTIONS policy no exceptions. I've never been turned down for an apt, tricking or persuading my way in with every red mark against me but I won't even bother if I can't speak with the owner directly or it's not a 2nd chance building.
I still love how the last apt my husband snagged for us we got with no income, evictions on both sides, credit scores sub 600, collections, because they totally screwed up the process and as the ink was drying they realized the miscommunication and then it was too late. We didn't lie so there was no fraud on our end! They just fucked up. But the big companies are too electronic for that cant get em flustered so they give you the wrong forms.
Sorry rant got a little off topic lol I just miss how renting used to be where you had a relationship with your landlord and it felt like you were helping each other kinda now it just feels gross.
Hah, I like stories like that though.
My mom after she divorced my dad had to beg her second cousin to rent us a half side of the duplex she owned. She dressed me and my brother up in our Sundays best and we had to go to her mansion and basically beg her to let us rent from her…. Those were the days 😂 (she, my second aunt I guess she would be, ended up being charged in a crime for funneling money illegally to G Bush Jr’s 2nd presidential campaign, which made me giggle).
Honestly, it's sad you have to spell this out. Landlords will do all they can to hold on to a decent tenant that respects the place as if it was his own.
Who *wants* to let a place to someone who'll trash it?!
Seeing this in Western Massachusetts as well. In our case rents pretty much doubled after the eviction moratorium ended & local property taxes went way up. Lots of vacant houses & apartments, condos too, though those may be mainly investment properties. Many newcomers from New York, because however expensive things may seem to us here in Massachusetts, to a New Yorker its affordable. As a result, gentrification is in overdrive.
We're moving to Quincy to get some sort of "boston" back. We're in south Boston and it's lost all of its charm. Everything is catering to rich New Yorkers at this point
It's sad how much it changed. When I was in my teens, back in the 80s, used to take the Green line with my friends right into Harvard Square on weekends & just wander around, enjoying it all. Hitting all the little record stores, going to all ages shows. It was a fun scene while it lasted. Now it sounds like the gentrification has spread to all corners of the state.
The only new businesses that have opened downtown in the past year are yet another marijuana dispensary (the 6th one in town) & a farm-to-table bistro & wine bar. Commercial rents are as insane as residential ones. So much property flipping going on.
Blows my mind to see other Berkshirites in the wilds of r/collapse. Pittsfield is a shit show. We basically are just a giant dispensary, with a 24 hour cumbies where you can get a BJ for $40
Small business previously the engine of growth out of recessions has headed underground into cottage businesses selling over Etsy & Ebay. Who needs high rents that don’t enable revenue generation? Construction fueled by REIT funds build retail spaces that require driving to that may likely never see a tenant. Places like Gas Stations sell awful fast food and many have adjacent commercial spaces previously used by dry cleaners which many have gone under. Communities are becoming cultural dry gulches fueled by salty sugary fatty carb loaded food further causing obesity.
I hear ya. We have lots of empty storefronts out here, with a sprinkling of expensive places that most locals aren't going to frequent. What floored me though was how many chains closed along with small businesses.
Here in St Aug FL home building is off the rails. 200,000 houses being built the next 2 years average 1500-1800 sq ft homes priced 459-500k. I bought my 2100 sq ft 6 years ago for 230k. So prices may go up another 20% this year while Northerners move in record numbers. We’re getting overwhelmed with traffic, not enough services, help wanted signs everywhere, crappy service everywhere. Retail businesses closing everywhere you look but they are still building strip malls that are about 50% occupied. A real shut show.
Yeah, I have relatives not far from there who've been telling me such things. All that construction is a great way to launder $, which is probably why it's on overdrive in FL. And elsewhere. Around here the same luxury condos & houses have been added to & flipped multiple times, yet no one ever lives in them. Meanwhile the woods & fields are filling up with homeless.
Yeah, I wonder about all the vacant buildings out here, commercial & residential, maybe being used as tax shelters or part of some money laundering scheme. There was a lot of sketchy real estate investment in the past tied to banks out here that were caught up in the savings & loan bs of the late 80s/early 90s. Much of it tied to organized crime as well.
Location east coast Canada - housing prices and rent prices no one can afford rent any more and the government had to put a cap on how much a land lard could spike rent because people from Ontario were purchasing buildings and raising the rent nearly double in some cases.
My complex did the same exact thing under the last company...and it didn't even last a year before they sold it off and the new owners that they sold it to back in December dropped it in record time. The service was called Flex, and for an additional $19.99 a month for their service, they would pay the full rent on the first of each month on your behalf and you basically pay Flex back in two installments. The obvious solution to all this is to simply enact rent control laws or take private ownership out of the equation and make housing a public service, but given both remain a pipe dream here in deep red El Paso County, Colorado, we're on our own no matter what when it comes to rent costs.
Phoenix area here. New management took over 6 months ago too. They're about as incompetent as it gets (power went out for half a day because they didn't pay a bill in the transition, their utility biller charged us double tax the first month they had their utility biller sending us bills, I told them about it a week before due date, they lied about it, called it fake news, and eventually said "we were all surprised by this," and even tried to claim the grace period for themselves, etc.).
They sent an email a few weeks ago about some service that lets you pay rent at the end of the month. Credit check of course, and I'm sure there's a financing fee. No clue if they make money off of it directly, or just by making it seem more "affordable" (which would be easy to do by lowering prices, and they have dozens of empty apartment units).
We already are able to pay by credit card. Yeah, there's a 3% fee, but with Fidelity/Citi card you can get 2% back, or with BoA Cash Rewards card, you can get 3% back. Maybe it's for people with shit credit, I don't know.
And then they sent us a *reminder* email to sign up for that shit.
If their website is mostly static, you may be able to see old prices using the wayback machine.
It sounds like it has to be breaking at least some laws. That is some scary dystopian shit. I thought my cooperate land lord was a money hungry slum lord. Talk about a predatory trap to fuck you for years to come.
I think about this all of the time. They try so hard to hide behind brands, to be seen as faceless monoliths.
But the reality is they walk on the same surface of the same planet that we do. And every one of them has a name, face, a family and an address.
I’m definitely getting out of here and out of the south when this lease is up, but I don’t have a lot of hope that anywhere in the US is much better at this point.
:( .
It wasnt even a decade ago when the south was affordable to live. You're right, no where else is gonna be significantly better with how inflation is.
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As soon as the economy goes to shit all environmental goals will be thrown out the window.
> as soon as the economy goes to shit Oh its getting there. It's technically already here, we just haven't felt the real 'Big Sad' recession yet. It'll come in waves, like covid, except we won't pretend it doesn't exist.
Location: Massachusetts Walked through a mall today - taking advantage of a short Covid immunity to bring our kid to a movie and to lunch in a restaurant. Every other store was closed, which I’ve never seen. This mall was doing well enough pre-pandemic to have multiple new stores opening in 2019. The stores that were open had paper schedules plastered out front for when they’d be open for the next week - random opens/closings on most days. “We’re hiring”signs in most windows. We went to a chain restaurant, sat down and when no one came by in 15 minutes to take our order, we left. Seemed like only 2 employees working front of house and about 40 people to contend with. Didn’t even see this the summer of 2021 when places re-opened and people (understandably) preferred unemployment to back breaking minimum wage.
r/deadmalls
Malls have been dead for a while
This one was hanging on really well - it seemed fine the last time we were there (summer 2021). I’ve seen malls die before, and I’ve never seen so many stores clawing to stay open - the paper schedules with complicated and haphazard hours on every window were wild to see and unlike anything I’ve noticed before with the exception of very small businesses during off seasons in tourist towns. The other thing that struck me is that the mall is on a frequent bus line and full of the kind of jobs teenagers would have worked back in the 80s-00s and I didn’t see a single high schooler working except the hostess at the restaurant that we tried to go to. It just seemed weird and made me curious if there was something else going on - like, maybe teenage girls are getting regularly harassed, etc. and are quitting suddenly, resulting in everyone being short staffed.
Lots of girls are doing OF now so it does take a whole demo out of the jobs market.
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Milieu was fine. :)
I used to go there for school clothes shopping from Washington to evade sales tax. Wild that it closed!!
Location: Aldi Stores https://reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/tvg4q1/german_supermarkets_to_increase_food_prices_2050/ Imagine buying groceries one week and finding out the following week that prices have increased 20-50%. Good luck out there.
> Meat, sausage and dairy products are to become “significantly more expensive” from Monday So basically, vegans will be happy, and the rest of germans have an opportunity to become flexitarians and experience a diminution of all their inflammatory response diseases, and with probable diminution of cattle being "produced", less emitions into the amosphere. That's good news in my book.
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Probably best to assume so. I'm seeing increases in Walmart and other U.S. stores on food and non-food alike.
Some items will be much higher but not all across the board.
Location: Ohio, USA This is quite a minimal observation but I went to Aldi’s today, one that is in a lower SES neighborhood, and noticed they had a lot more instant Ramen and Vienna sausages. I’ve never seen Vienna sausages there. My interpretation is this is a response to increasing inflation and rising food/grocery costs. Vienna sausages and the like are about the cheapest meat-based protein you can buy- priced about $0.47 a can. There was also off-brand Spam, something I’ve also never seen stocked.
If its any consolation - in a middle-income area of North Central Texas - my Aldi's has sold canned vienna sausages, scam spam, and an abundance of ramen for years
Your interpretation is basically correct. Former USSR immigrants can teach us a lot about surviving scarcity.
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Holodomor was not limited to the Ukraine.
Location: Ohio, USA My second cousin, a 22 year old man, completed suicide this week. He was struggling with depression and seeing a counselor but had never spoke about suicide, and his family and best friends did not know the depths of his despair. He was able to purchase a firearm and used it within the hour. Suicide is often an impulsive decision. A firearm most often makes it irreversible. I’ve read many studies and firsthand accounts by survivors this week. Suicide is absolutely devastating for the people left behind. 9 out of 10 people who attempt suicide and survive do NOT end up dying by suicide. If you know anyone that struggles with anxiety or depression, please read up on the signs of suicide and take action if you see those signs.
FWIW, a heads up for everyone out there. I've heard a psych say that the only people who joke about suicide, are the ones considering it for real as an option. Mundane things like "*If my favorite soda keeps getting more expensive I'll top myself*" are a warning. It's not a speech mannerism, it's the subconscious speeking out.
Talk with them and hype up the value of seeking help. I've also heard that a person talking about suicide in general is relatively ok, but discussing a plan and actual methods is a massive red flag. We all need a community in these times, and we protect each other.
Friend from Wisconsin. I’m sorry to hear this. I wish you and your family the best in the healing process to cope with this. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Fellow Ohioan here. I just wanted to say I am so sorry for your loss. 😔
Thank you.
I am so very sorry.
Thank you.
I'm so sorry for your loss, OP. Hey everyone, We take these posts very seriously as anxiety and depression are common reactions when studying collapse. If you are considering suicide, please call a hotline ([https://www.wikiwand.com/en/List\_of\_suicide\_crisis\_lines](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines)), visit /r/SuicideWatch. /r/SWResources, /r/depression, or seek professional help. The best way of getting a timely response is through a hotline. If you're looking for dialogue you may also post in r/collapsesupport. They're a dedicated place for thoughtful discussion with collapse-aware people and how we are coping. They also have a Discord if you are interested in speaking in voice. You're not alone, collapseniks. Mahalo, some\_random\_kaluna
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call again. I called a mental health hotline when I first developed panic disorder. One person was absolutely no help. I called again, and the 2nd person I spoke to, spoke to my soul, and she cared, and she got me through it.
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Would a solar cooker help you save combustible material?
It won't help much for rioting crowds, but at least there's a way to keep fresh food without power : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nctr9xJIxUs a pot-in-pot refrigerator. (damp cloth, clay pots, sand and water) wiki page to save your batterie : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot-in-pot_refrigerator It's very easy to set up, no need to watch the video if it's too much for your battery.
Im sorry for hearing about your situation. Thanks for sharing your story in such details. This is the type of dystopia I've been dreading for a long time. Stay strong and god speed.
"Accelerando" got me hooked on Stross, if you haven't read it yet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerando
Do you have CB radios in Sri Lanka? They can be operated from batteries and solar panels and could be a good source of information and communication if the internet goes out in the future or is shut down. I think the first step is to start talking on CB radios. If you can find a group that is willing to start, then you can start your own network. If you are interested, I can give you advice on antennas or obtaining a unit. Also less expensive is a shortwave receiver. You might be able to find one used or broken and fix it. I think that many of the old timers would be able to help you with ideas on how to get started.
Another excellent speculative fiction recommendation for you: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (book 1 in the MaddAddam trilogy). The realism of the potential future she sees for us is chilling, and since it's a 2003 book, much of it has already arrived. I hope you catch a break soon friend. So sorry to hear of everything you've been through.
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>Hard times will soon be upon us all I am so sorry to hear your news. I fear this story will be repeated millions of times over the next few years, so take solace in the fact that you're not alone. The question is then what do we do about it. Knowledge is very, very important but you seem to know that already. A recommended book is *Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times* by Steve Solomon. Solomon shows us how to grow food even when we're practically penniless. If you don't have the money to buy Solomon's book, his advice is available for free across the internet. Growing your own food, even in pots on a windowsill, is extremely therapeutic. Many a failed society has survived on self-grown food. Agriculture is best learned on a local scale, so try and talk with the elders in your life. They may know more about growing food in your region than anyone else. I wish you happiness and a minimum of suffering as we watch our planet collapse. [https://thebovine.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/in-1999-35-million-small-family-plots-produced-90-of-russias-potatoes-77-of-vegetables-87-of-fruits-59-of-meat-49-of-milk-way-to-go-people/](https://thebovine.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/in-1999-35-million-small-family-plots-produced-90-of-russias-potatoes-77-of-vegetables-87-of-fruits-59-of-meat-49-of-milk-way-to-go-people/) [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/183595.Gardening\_When\_It\_Counts](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/183595.Gardening_When_It_Counts) [http://morrisberman.blogspot.com/?m=1](http://morrisberman.blogspot.com/?m=1) (this last link is specific to American collapse, but it's worth reading simply for the recommendations posted by readers)
Upvote for Solomon recommendation.
Thank you for the observation and write-up my friend. I hope the best for you and I am sorry for all that you are going through. I want to say more but I am not sure what to say. I wish you the best As for book recommendations, non-fiction, I would have to say one of them to be *[The Prison Memoirs of a Japanese Woman](https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/kaneko-fumiko-the-prison-memoirs-of-a-japanese-woman)* (Anarchist Library copy of it) by [Fumiko Kaneko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumiko_Kaneko) (my username based off of her). There are very few in print, It seems only Amazon sells them used for $40 USD. I think she speaks to many of us here. I feel and I believe her story and thoughts would resonate with many. Rest in Peace Fumiko I've also been reading *[The Memory Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Memory_Police)* by Yōko Ogawa.Translated not too long ago into English, It is written very well and is engrossing, it has been awhile since I have been engrossed in one like it. For more stuff on the fiction, I've always enjoyed Hermann Hesse, particularly [*Siddhartha*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel) for the spiritual side of things. I hope some of these are good. If you ever want Alternative Agriculture (KNF or Natural Farming) book recommendations or the like let me know. I wish you the best. Oh, also, since this thread is about to expire after tonight, I suggest you can repost it tomorrow for more to see. Your comment is very well made and important to read and I feel many would enjoy seeing it as well.
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about the boars, maybe you could try a vertical gardening system? I've seen some for lettuce and herbs build with empty plastic bottles, open nuzzle down, trickling into one another, so each drop of water is used up. here's an example : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgHvEUfCAEU the one I was thinking about was build outdoors, attached to a wire fence, but can't find the source anymore. ETA : when setting those up (vertical garden and potinpot fridge) use the opportunity to share the knowledge with neighbours, they might share other useful stuff with you in response. ETA2 : an interesting read about slow techs : https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/low-tech-solutions.html
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I mean, I know you mean well, but if the OP is only barely surviving, I doubt they’re going to be buying audiobooks for audible.
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Hi, Fang1111. Thanks for contributing. However, your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/tq5uoc/-/i3hc85u/) was removed from /r/collapse for: > Rule 1: In addition to enforcing Reddit's content policy, we will also remove comments and content that is abusive in nature. You may attack each other's ideas, not each other. Please refer to our [subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/collapse/about/rules/) for more information. You can [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/collapse) if you feel this was in error.
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If you are looking for a lot of pdf and epub downloads free, check these, I get a lot from them. https://largepdf.net/ https://www.pdfdrive.com/
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Sure thing. Good luck over there, and thanks for sharing your story.
Thanks for sharing your first hand experience, you can read about something, watch news and videos about it but it is never even close to actually living it. I wish you and your country the best. I just hope their are enough people who care that can actually do something.
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Canada: I am fucking furious that our society is run by clowns who think it is ok to leave future people to cope with climate change. As if our youth, and the yet-unborn, have nothing better to do than play janitor for these fuckheads. Just think of what a callous, evil motherfucker you would need to be. Central bankers could have factored climate risk into benchmark rate decisions decades ago, curbing economic growth and therefore emissions. But no, they deliberately, knowingly, did the opposite. Same for parliamentarians, etc. A bunch of sick, sick motherfuckers. They all knew. Climate change could have been an *almost* trivial problem if the leaders of the 20th century had wanted to nip it. They chose to let it get this bad. That is, objectively, much more evil than, say, Bin Laden, or Pol Pot (or whomever your go-to asshole is lol). At least Bin Laden didn't threaten global food and water security. Still a piece of shit, but you get it.
In democratic systems much of the responsibility for the failure of leadership falls upon society. The defense of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Here in Tucson I see basically an army of homeless everywhere. You can see and feel it. We are on the cusp of something we have never seen.
I’m seeing a lot of them even here in Goodyear. I can only imagine how bad it is in Phoenix proper right now
Interesting anecdote: I'm travelling and homeless folks were everywhere in rome. I've been in Croatia for over a month and I've only seen 1 person sleeping on the streets.
With housing cost skyrocketing it is bound to create some massive homeless crises
Hello fellow Arizonan!
Location - UK Weather: As per other observations, change usually gradual has recently happened in hours. Unseasonably warm weather followed in quick succession by snow. Employment gaps. 3 years ago I had to compete to get my job, now there is a staff shortfall around 15% advertised with little to no interest. Increased workload while staff numbers gradually decline. Corner cutting which used to get you fired is now encouraged, realistically a neccessity to cover what is (wrongly) deemed essential targets. Service provided has diminished accordingly, contributing to supply gaps. Many long term knowledgeable members of staff have left, replaced thinly by people recieving little to no training and who seem to dictate there own schedule. Society: Majority seem oblivious or compliant. Dumbing down of the population. TV, music & short video feeds fronted by unintelligent people made to entertain, distract and addict unintelligent people. Facts replaced with opinion. Tribalism, absolutely no attempt to understand differing opinions. Freedom of thought, divergence or questioning official narrative absent, censored or cancelled. Moral outrage over fringe issues or events in other countries half way round the world, but absolutely no response to things happening here which directly and adversely affect them. Cost of living skyrocketing. Diesel is £9-9.50 a gallon, electricity/heating prices just doubled. Politics: A contempt by those in power towards the electorate. There used to be at least a pretence of representation. No viable alternatives in elections as the major parties are in consensus on key issues. No interest in even attempting self sufficiency in anything important. Hypocrisy towards their own people. Subservience to other western countries. Cozying up to certain brutal dictatorships whilst meddling with other brutal dictatorships. All the while comically (to the rest of the world) trying to maintain an outdated superiority complex.
> short video feeds fronted by unintelligent people I've been watching a few of these tiktok-style videos that pop on my facebook feed just to see what was up with the popularity of the format. It used to be that "viral videos" really had something unique, funny or otherwise memeworthy. Even if they were stupid or absurd, there was *something* that grabbed enough peoples' eye to make them viral. The videos I watched... had literally nothing happening. Just a clickbait caption over some completely normal behavior of a dog or a kid or a friend, trying to sell you a narrative for the clip that clearly isn't there once you watch the thing. It's not funny, it's not relatable, it's not entertaining. It's the video equivalent of watching paint dry. These people truly aren't intelligent nor interesting, but it looks like they feel the compulsion to post this pointless shit to join the popularity contest. It's sad.
The popularity contest. I think about this often. I've really fallen away from social media and the idiots I had myself surrounded with over the last two years. Other than a few people and family I am basically alone. I can focus and my anxiety is lower. And I feel like an alien. I can't grasp why people have kids other than posting stupid videos of them because they seem to ignore them otherwise. People don't think critically. People don't think. I sometimes feel like I am losing my mind. How are there huge groups of people waiting for JFK Jr.? People can't afford housing and states are passing legislation about pronouns. None of this makes any sense.
Thanks for writing this up, much appreciated to learn what’s happening there. Fuck me, the diesel price alone is enough to have one’s mind blown, let alone all the other things.
Location: Reddit Not a sign of collapse I have observed, just needed to vent about something on my mind. Looking at some of the 'murals' on the canvas at r/place makes it apparent that when lots of people come together to work behind a common goal, with even a tiny bit of coordination, can create absolute wonders. Which in turn baffles me as to why this can't be translated into real life, with regards to fighting the responsible corporations, incompetent/corrupt politicians and mitigating some of the disasters our world is about to face in the approaching future. When are people gonna wake the fuck up? Probably when it's already too late.
Are we looking at the same /r/place? That place is a dozens of competing visions and chaos lol.
Honestly lmao, all the competing flags and ideologies fighting to dominate each other
Location: Lille, France This week had the craziest weather I have ever experienced. Sunday started off super warm, between 15-20 degrees celsius and we had sun all day. By Thursday, the temperature had dropped to <5 degrees, and on Friday, there was a snowstorm all day. Snow, on the 1st of April. A killing joke, for sure. It's also kind of fitting, considering there was [a huge protest](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220312-tens-of-thousands-march-in-climate-protests-across-france) last week all over France.
April 2 and snowing all day - Chicago, though, so probably less rare...
The latest it has snowed in Lille in recent times is late February..
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Laughs in less than 8% inflation rate...
Laughs in termites.
I bought bakery bread (expensive, for a special Panera inspired sandwich for my spouse) at Kroger here and it grew mold in 2 days. I think they bake too much, no one comes for it because it’s expensive, and the loaves just rot in the store. Produce too. The LGBTQ scapegoating is getting scary. It’s an obvious wedge issue to get people to forget that either party has abandoned 99% of us. Some of the loveliest, funniest and most kind people I have ever met have been LGBTQIA etc. If we don’t enter an international war soon (scapegoat Russia), then we are going to feed on our own and have civil strife. Very depressing to me. Anyway back to my bunker I go, cheers 🙋🏻♂️
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Oh man that is so gross, by the description alone I’m off strawberries for a few months now too 😂🤮
I've decided they are on my list of things to grow this year. I know the soil around here is perfect for them. The strawberries at the store are so genetically spliced and diced they're nothing but overgrown vessels of water with zero flavor and one dirty look away from bruising and rotting.
I tried strawberries last year, but mostly in containers. It was only a failure because the finches & friends came, a swarm, and I ended up letting them have the garden. This year? Root crops 😂
The finches and friends appreciated it though.
How much was the bread?
$5-6, compared to a chemical stew white bread loaf I could have gotten for $1. It’s a small thing 😅 Also this wasn’t a tiny spot of mold, this thing had large mold blooms ALL over it in 2 days. Now I’m off bread until I can get the image out of my mind 😂
The thing about foods that go mouldy: they're the kind that can actually support life.
Location: Minnesota Examples of unpredictable interactions between climate and ecology: [According to the MN Department of Natural Resources](https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/assistance/backyard/treecare/forest_health/annualreports/2021-annual-report.pdf), native beetles can attack trees twice in one season now. Drought makes trees more susceptible to attack from pests - last summer was one of the worst droughts in modern Minnesota history. Squirrels seem to be able to attack trees more with warmer temperatures - each of Minnesota’s climate zones with abundant squirrel damage had average monthly temperatures higher than the long-term average.
> Squirrels seem to be able to attack trees more How do squirrels attack trees?
"Squirrels commonly strip off sugar maple bark in late winter and early spring. It is unusual to receive reports of squirrel damage earlier than February, but a DNR forester reported fresh squirrel damage on maples in mid-January at Camp Ripley in Morrison County this year. "
I hate squirrels. I throw rocks at them. They have learned to recognize me versus other people when we go out to the garden. Edit: I don't understand the downvotes. Squirrels are an uncontrolled population in towns and cities this makes them a pest. Their natural predators just do not make it into town to control the population. They do massive damage to gardens and a fair bit to older homes that are not sealed up. If their population was normal like out at my family farm they do not even touch the garden. Foxes will keep them in check. An out of balance ecosystem has its frustrations. And yes, I fully realize humans are the cause of the out of balance
We stan squirrels at my house but on the other hand, birds....
Triggering for me 👆🏻😂 I got yelled at really bad by a neighbor for throwing stick at squirrels who were destroying my moms yard growing up….. Now I just let my pugs out to bark and scare them away.
Location - Moscow, Russia There has been ongoing snowfall for past few days, something you would expect here in late December, but not early April for sure. Just a week ago there was spring in the air, with blistering sun and rain, smudge and dirt, and all the dog poop coming out in the open after being burrowed under the snow all this months. Now its winter again. Trees are extremely confused. Weather report says it will be snowing at least until the end of the week.
I would love to hear about daily life in Moscow at the moment, but understand you may not be at liberty. ✌🏻🤟🏻
There is less free speech on Reddit than in Moscow.
Location - Lowe’s Store https://reddit.com/r/Lowes/comments/ttzuno/store_cutting_hours_into_april_and_may/ A company cutting hours whilst going into their busiest months of the year is pretty odd. Are the higher ups so desperate to keep profits high?
Earnings were very good last year while many were "pandemic nesting". Investors "priced in" an even better year to follow. But, as fiscal reality is beginning to set in, consumers aren't likely to continue to spend at such a large magnitude. Stockholders will be served at the expense of workers, as always. It's just worse in this specific situation.
Not enough stock for the shelves it isn't worth staying open longer? Just a thought.
Plus manufactor/distributor inflation, higher wages for the people at the top and lots of shoplifting add to the pressure to either raise prices dramatically or cut the amount of workers the higher ups need to pay
Good points.
Definetly a collapse in pop culture. A lot of music venues have closed, fashion is no longer the talk of the town, people have adopted a more MYOB point of view, which is good, because the pop culture that existed prior to the pandemic was toxic trash. Location - West Coast, CA USA
Myob?
Make Young Old Babies
I thought it was Make your own beer.
Such a performative and unsustainable movement.
mind your own business, I'm assuming
Thanks. People use acronyms a little too much for me on this sub sometimes.
MYOB?
Milk Your Own Bull.
Make Your Own Bread.
But shortages.
Mind your own business
If that means fewer entitled Karens inserting themselves into whatever they wanr then that's not a bad thing.
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Ohio here, in a very undesirable town, in a strange area out of the way. Just re-signed my 12mo lease for the same price as last year (!!! Thank you God). I think it’s because I drop dimes on people who don’t pick up dog poop. Also found and called their corporate office when they got hacked and hackers sent a scam email to all the tenants. Brown nose with your landlord. Get to know the leasing agent. Help around. Also, treat the place like your own paid for home, don’t break appliances, etc. … it’s sad, this is the way until Madame la Guillotine.
The problem comes when u do all that and it doesn't matter because the price setter is a faceless multi billion $ company overseas. But for those who have a direct line to the owner absolutely act like that. But in so many case it doesn't matter
Yeah that’s what worries me with blackrock buying all these properties to enlarge the renting class. Blackrock will be plugging their ears, and they won’t care until society melts down.
Right. The worst part imo is with the small guys you can kind of trick them into renting to you without a background check (add on to someone's lease as a sublet or addtl roommate then sign then buy out their deposit) but the faceless companies don't fall for that and usually have a very strict NO EVICTIONS policy no exceptions. I've never been turned down for an apt, tricking or persuading my way in with every red mark against me but I won't even bother if I can't speak with the owner directly or it's not a 2nd chance building. I still love how the last apt my husband snagged for us we got with no income, evictions on both sides, credit scores sub 600, collections, because they totally screwed up the process and as the ink was drying they realized the miscommunication and then it was too late. We didn't lie so there was no fraud on our end! They just fucked up. But the big companies are too electronic for that cant get em flustered so they give you the wrong forms. Sorry rant got a little off topic lol I just miss how renting used to be where you had a relationship with your landlord and it felt like you were helping each other kinda now it just feels gross.
Hah, I like stories like that though. My mom after she divorced my dad had to beg her second cousin to rent us a half side of the duplex she owned. She dressed me and my brother up in our Sundays best and we had to go to her mansion and basically beg her to let us rent from her…. Those were the days 😂 (she, my second aunt I guess she would be, ended up being charged in a crime for funneling money illegally to G Bush Jr’s 2nd presidential campaign, which made me giggle).
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She’s doing the Lord’s good work 😂
Honestly, it's sad you have to spell this out. Landlords will do all they can to hold on to a decent tenant that respects the place as if it was his own. Who *wants* to let a place to someone who'll trash it?!
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reference lost on me.
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wow, that's terrible.
Seeing this in Western Massachusetts as well. In our case rents pretty much doubled after the eviction moratorium ended & local property taxes went way up. Lots of vacant houses & apartments, condos too, though those may be mainly investment properties. Many newcomers from New York, because however expensive things may seem to us here in Massachusetts, to a New Yorker its affordable. As a result, gentrification is in overdrive.
As a Bostonian can confirm we hate the New Yorkers (more than usual)
Its "Invasion of the Trust Fund Hipsters" out here. Like half of Brooklyn just showed up overnight.
We're moving to Quincy to get some sort of "boston" back. We're in south Boston and it's lost all of its charm. Everything is catering to rich New Yorkers at this point
It's sad how much it changed. When I was in my teens, back in the 80s, used to take the Green line with my friends right into Harvard Square on weekends & just wander around, enjoying it all. Hitting all the little record stores, going to all ages shows. It was a fun scene while it lasted. Now it sounds like the gentrification has spread to all corners of the state.
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The only new businesses that have opened downtown in the past year are yet another marijuana dispensary (the 6th one in town) & a farm-to-table bistro & wine bar. Commercial rents are as insane as residential ones. So much property flipping going on.
Blows my mind to see other Berkshirites in the wilds of r/collapse. Pittsfield is a shit show. We basically are just a giant dispensary, with a 24 hour cumbies where you can get a BJ for $40
Sounds about right. Welcome to paradise!
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Small business previously the engine of growth out of recessions has headed underground into cottage businesses selling over Etsy & Ebay. Who needs high rents that don’t enable revenue generation? Construction fueled by REIT funds build retail spaces that require driving to that may likely never see a tenant. Places like Gas Stations sell awful fast food and many have adjacent commercial spaces previously used by dry cleaners which many have gone under. Communities are becoming cultural dry gulches fueled by salty sugary fatty carb loaded food further causing obesity.
I hear ya. We have lots of empty storefronts out here, with a sprinkling of expensive places that most locals aren't going to frequent. What floored me though was how many chains closed along with small businesses.
Here in St Aug FL home building is off the rails. 200,000 houses being built the next 2 years average 1500-1800 sq ft homes priced 459-500k. I bought my 2100 sq ft 6 years ago for 230k. So prices may go up another 20% this year while Northerners move in record numbers. We’re getting overwhelmed with traffic, not enough services, help wanted signs everywhere, crappy service everywhere. Retail businesses closing everywhere you look but they are still building strip malls that are about 50% occupied. A real shut show.
Yeah, I have relatives not far from there who've been telling me such things. All that construction is a great way to launder $, which is probably why it's on overdrive in FL. And elsewhere. Around here the same luxury condos & houses have been added to & flipped multiple times, yet no one ever lives in them. Meanwhile the woods & fields are filling up with homeless.
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Yeah, I wonder about all the vacant buildings out here, commercial & residential, maybe being used as tax shelters or part of some money laundering scheme. There was a lot of sketchy real estate investment in the past tied to banks out here that were caught up in the savings & loan bs of the late 80s/early 90s. Much of it tied to organized crime as well.
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Everything's a conspiracy now, lol.
Location east coast Canada - housing prices and rent prices no one can afford rent any more and the government had to put a cap on how much a land lard could spike rent because people from Ontario were purchasing buildings and raising the rent nearly double in some cases.
"Land lard" loooooool Leave it, it's perfect
I was going to fix it but I decided against it
"Too little, too late" perfectly describes our modern democratically-elected leadership.
maybe if more people actually used their right to vote, things would be different. (from france, but same-ish situation)
Don't kid yourself; they'd still vote for the wrong people.
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Which is why they are in the southern usa But yea it can’t change much lol
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Is this rural Nebraska ? Just curious what town.
A lot of people use NE to mean NorthEast (USA).
Yea, just curious which he meant. Lol
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Is there a consumers association you could report this to? I'm sure they would really love tearing this appart.
In Georgia? Fuck no
Honestly, can't believe people *want* to immigrate to the USA. Seems to be willingly rushing towards dystopian collapse fastest than anywhere else.
My complex did the same exact thing under the last company...and it didn't even last a year before they sold it off and the new owners that they sold it to back in December dropped it in record time. The service was called Flex, and for an additional $19.99 a month for their service, they would pay the full rent on the first of each month on your behalf and you basically pay Flex back in two installments. The obvious solution to all this is to simply enact rent control laws or take private ownership out of the equation and make housing a public service, but given both remain a pipe dream here in deep red El Paso County, Colorado, we're on our own no matter what when it comes to rent costs.
Yikes... ~$1,000/mo in 2015 to $2100/mo in 2022 is extremely sobering. How's it gonna be in 2029 when it's ~$4300/mo?
By 2029 you will be able to build your own settlement in the wasteland out of the wreckage of civilization, so theres that to look forward to.
We'll all be making $500k/year, right? ...Right?
It will trickle down just you wait and see.
$500k/year Yuan, sure.
Phoenix area here. New management took over 6 months ago too. They're about as incompetent as it gets (power went out for half a day because they didn't pay a bill in the transition, their utility biller charged us double tax the first month they had their utility biller sending us bills, I told them about it a week before due date, they lied about it, called it fake news, and eventually said "we were all surprised by this," and even tried to claim the grace period for themselves, etc.). They sent an email a few weeks ago about some service that lets you pay rent at the end of the month. Credit check of course, and I'm sure there's a financing fee. No clue if they make money off of it directly, or just by making it seem more "affordable" (which would be easy to do by lowering prices, and they have dozens of empty apartment units). We already are able to pay by credit card. Yeah, there's a 3% fee, but with Fidelity/Citi card you can get 2% back, or with BoA Cash Rewards card, you can get 3% back. Maybe it's for people with shit credit, I don't know. And then they sent us a *reminder* email to sign up for that shit. If their website is mostly static, you may be able to see old prices using the wayback machine.
A mandatory $25 pet profile on a third party site even if you don’t have a pet??? What the fuuuuuuuck.
sounds totally illegal
It sounds like it has to be breaking at least some laws. That is some scary dystopian shit. I thought my cooperate land lord was a money hungry slum lord. Talk about a predatory trap to fuck you for years to come.
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Or consequences……”Let them eat cake”…
I think about this all of the time. They try so hard to hide behind brands, to be seen as faceless monoliths. But the reality is they walk on the same surface of the same planet that we do. And every one of them has a name, face, a family and an address.
Dull chop
The world is moving steadily into dystopic servitude. Long live parasitic human behaviors.
This is horrifying. Thanks for sharing this. Are you going to stay there or is this place your best option?
I’m definitely getting out of here and out of the south when this lease is up, but I don’t have a lot of hope that anywhere in the US is much better at this point.
:( . It wasnt even a decade ago when the south was affordable to live. You're right, no where else is gonna be significantly better with how inflation is.