With a recession looming due to Trump's tariff (tax increases) what are you doing to prepare?

[OrlandoDem2]

I’ve cut spending. I’m paying off all debt, saving money by eliminating impulse buys and unnecessary shopping, and trying to see where I can cut bills (wifi, streaming, etc) moving forward.

I’m trying to use less gas by walking, bike riding, or consolidating errands. I’m using less energy by fanatically turning off lights.

Anything else I could be doing? What about you?

[Vinca]

1. I found myself reverting to Trump-era Covid hoarding when I went grocery shopping last week.

Toilet paper, paper towels, etc. The paper products might be made in this country, but the stuff to make them comes from other countries. Worst case scenario I have enough Cottonelle for the rest of my life.

[WmChris]

3. Bales

Costco has bale sized packages of toilet paper. We have 3 in the basement.

[True Dough]

2. We've cashed out on some bank stock

It wasn't life-changing money, but it's enough that if it tanks because of Trump's mismanagement of the economy, well, we don't want to have to wait around for the recovery. Better safe than sorry.

[Ferrets are Cool]

4. I removed all investments and paid my home off.

We are stocking up on non perishables and have FILLED our freezers with meat.
Trying not to buy anything expensive.
It's going to get worse than covid.

[Keepthesoulalive]

5. Do you have hurricane supplies?

Refillable 5 gallon bottles, canned goods, rechargeable batteries, ice chest, fans and something to power them, rain barrels to flush toilet and anything you need to survive for a couple of weeks without any support.

[EverHopeful]

6. Afraid I might be officially a hoarder now

I've stocked up on most of the things I use instead of replacing things when I'm running out.

Actually, I'd started keeping a backup of things after the Bush/Cheney crash because so often stores didn't have fully stocked shelves so I'd have the item I was using, 1 unopened, and I'd pick up replacements when I opened the backup. But now I might have gone overboard by having 2 or even 3 backups.

I've now put myself on a spending freeze and I'm looking at which subscriptions to cancel.

[surfered]

7. We're stocking up on the premium cat food before the price goes up.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. I plant 2 string beans each week.

I've stocked up on food, but need to do more. It's possible we won't see some items for years.

[H2O Man]

11. Right!

I am still stocking up on food etc. Also expanding my garden, and keeping track of other food sources that grow on this land.

[DET]

9. Not a Whole Lot

We’ve been through recessions before and survived. My husband and I are retired, and we don’t have a lot of expenses. Houses and cars are paid off. As long as Trump doesn’t blunder us into a depression, we’ll be OK. I’m more concerned about our tenants. They all work and have good jobs, but the employment situation in the DC area is unstable. It would be hard to go without rental income, and we certainly don’t want to evict anyone.

[anciano]

10. Nothing special....

I have been rolling with the punches for the past 77 years in all sorts of economic scenarios and doing just fine.

[GenThePerservering]

12. I already do this

I’m trying to use less gas by walking, bike riding, or consolidating errands. I’m using less energy by fanatically turning off lights.



This is basic living for us. You'll be healthier for it, as well as have more money.

As for the rest - not hoarding, not buying prepper chow, nothing like that. Just carrying on as usual. A garden is the one thing I WOULD plant, but our climate and living in the woods makes it tough to grow a lot of things, so we try as much as possible to buy locally. Fortunately, farmer's markets are starting up again.

Also, there's all kinds of stuff to do that doesn't cost a lot, or really anything at all.

[yankee87]

13. Stocking Up

Freezers are full of on sale meat, tuna fish, rice and beans, potatoes, dry milk. and this week toilet paper.

[Bluestocking]

14. What can you do

Prices are going to go up and I might end up losing my job. Deal with things as they happen. Was going to retire in ‘27 but think I will wait if I can.

[sakabatou]

15. Not a lot, as I'm on disability

It's just going to be a bitch to get anything needed or get anything done.

[Johnny2X2X]

16. Save save save

Joblessness is the risk, right now could go a year without working and not miss a bill. To be fair a few months of that would be severance. And then my state has 6 months of unemployment which would pay my bills for another 3 months. So I have 6 months in an emergency fund.

[moonscape]

17. I'm not sure how to.prepare honestly. Folks

talking about food but that’s something we hqve a lot of in this country, esp since our exports will collapse. I have however been getting myself in the mindset that there will be food even if it’s not quite what I want. Early pandemic I went nuts trying to store and replicate what I tend to eat. This time I’ll eat what’s available. Well, except for coffee. I do have about 50 lbs of green beans which will last me a good while.

Last week I went to Walmart to shop for things to stock up on. Got in a riding cart (mobility issues that are being sorted out, hopefully) and must’ve gone up and down all those aisles looking for things to hoard. After an hour of my eyes glazing over and wondering what the hell I was doing, I checked out with 2 items: 3 Oxo wooden utensils and a container of hair conditioner.

Not able to outguess where shortages will be most acute so gave up.

Plus right now I need nothing except for Kamala to be our President.

[OrlandoDem2]

20. Yeah, I'm nit stocking food. I'm just paying bills and slashing my spending.

Save, save, save!

[roamer65]

18. Crucified my discretionary spending.

Literally.

[OrlandoDem2]

19. Thank you everyone! I loved the suggestions.

The only silver lining to a recession is that maybe it kills off MAGA in 2026 and 2028.