SHOP SMART

GOOD GEAR DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO COST A SMALL FORTUNE

- STEVEN PAUL BARLOW

I've wasted lots of money in recent years believing I needed the latest, most specialized gear.

They say you should always keep moving forward in life. In this instance, however, I needed to look back into my personal history and learn from it. Growing up, I always had to "make do," as my mom would say, with the few things I had. Even as a young adult I had to budget every dime because my priorities were my wife and children whom I needed to support.

This critical trip down memory lane led to an eye-opening realization with just a few exceptions, I really wasn't at much of a disadvantage when I had fewer possessions and such a small budget for things such as outdoor gear, personal defense equipment, and emergency preparedness supplies. The truth is that, even with just a modest income, you can live a self-reliant life quite happily and effectively.

LEARN FROM THE PAST

I used to be puzzled about why my parents and grandparents had all the junk squirreled away in their homes. But living through the Great Depression of the 1930s taught them to be frugal and to repurpose whatever they could. They weren't hoarders in the extreme, but they never seemed to throw much away that could be useful. My generation tends to emphasize ditching the old, and getting rid of the clutter. We tend to live by the mantra, "If you don't use it, lose it."

Among a select faction of young folks these days, there seems to be a resurgence of this idea of repurposing things, primarily I believe, to reduce waste for environmental reasons. But in these days of shortages and high prices, making do with what you have might be a good idea economically, too.

"THE TRUTH IS THAT, EVEN WITH JUST A MODEST INCOME, YOU CAN LIVE A SELF-RELIANT LIFE QUITE HAPPILY AND EFFECTIVELY."

IS IT NECESSARY?