Our countries financial stability, government overspending,

high taxes, and the national debt are major issues for many people. This is

especially true for preppers and anyone involved in preparedness and

self-sufficiency.

People have been talking about an economic collapse for

decades, and we’ve had a couple of close calls in recent history, yet we always

seem to pull through. With that being said, is an economic collapse in our

future? Or is it something we worry too much about?

While it’s true that a full-blown Economic collapse that

thrusts us into a Mad Max type situation is highly unlikely, an economic crisis

is much more likely. Hyperinflation, a recession, a depression or a Venezuela

type situation are very real possibilities.

SPP275 The Impending Economic Collapse

Our national debt is the number many people reach for to prove their point for a financial collapse. But truthfully that is only one piece of the puzzle, and the number isn’t as bad as you might think.

The United States GDP to Debt ratio is about 106% meaning the government is spending 6% more than we are producing. it’s also interesting that 6% of government spending goes to paying the interest alone on our 20 trillion dollar debt.

If we bring this down to a personal level we can see why this alone does not mean we are on the brink of a collapse. The average US household makes around $59,000 per year. For the average household to have the same 106% debt to income ratio, they’d need to be in debt $62,500.

Considering most people have a mortgage, student loans, personal loans, and credit card debt, that $62,500 number is less than what some people actually owe.

We owe about $200,000 on our home loan, does that mean we are on the brink of financial collapse? Not likely, but that could all change for a number of reasons. 

Irresponsible Spending & the Unexpected 

Even though I don’t think I am personally on the brink of financial collapse, that could all change with a job loss, medical emergencies or unexpected expenses. This is why a financial collapse (or crisis) on a national scale concerns me.

The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the way we measure a country’s economy. GDP is the total value of everything produced by all the people and companies in the country. 

This means that the GDP is OUR money. The government is banking on the fact OUR economy is good enough to keep paying off THEIR debt and irresponsible spending. 

Again on a personal level, we may be able to pay a monthly mortgage, but that get’s much tougher when we add in our other monthly and unexpected expenses. 

When you add in expenses for children, unexpected repairs, unnecessary spending, and interest charges, paying the mortgage get’s a lot tougher. In the government these are social programs, natural disaster relief, frivolous spending, and unfunded liabilities.

In short, I don’t believe that our national debt alone means we are on the brink of a financial collapse, but it is a good indicator of how we are digging a hole that’s getting deeper and deeper. If the economy doesn’t stay status quo we are in big trouble.

Why the Debt Matters

I found an article that lists 10 reasons why regardless what some people say,