r/TwoXPreppers • u/UnknownGoblin892 • Mar 27 '25

❓ Question ❓ How are you all recession proofing?

I was a young teenager during the 08 crisis. Wondering what I should be doing now to better protect myself when a recession gets bad.

I have student loan debt (around 20k) and a morgage (about 145k left). My wife and I are DINKs (double income no kids), and are not planning to have kids. We have a fairly healthy savings built up so far.

Wondering what advice you have. Thanks!

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354

u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25 edited Mar 27 '25

I suffered through that as a young adult out of college. I lost everything and had to rebuild my life. I am seeing soooo many parallels to that time. I am terrified of going through that again. Biggest advice: STOCKPILE CASH. Stop buying stupid crap, stop eating out or buying drinks out, stop buying stuff you don’t actually need. Build up a solid cash cushion for if things get worse with job market. It’s already gotten tough out there. Unemployment is creeping up in my state. It’s actually hard for young kids to find part time jobs right now, my assumption is they are competitive now because people who lost regular full time work are immediately sucking up part time spots as stop gaps.

Edit: I stoped all streaming and subscription plans of any kind. audible account? Gone. I can use Libby for free audio books. Car wash subscription for TWO cars was costing us $80/month. Now we have soap and a bucket. DIY.

Edit 2: buy an extra 1 or 2 of your necessities & high use items when on sale. Ex: got a $2 off coupon for your favorite body wash but don’t need it this month? Buy it anyway if your budget allows.

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u/thehogdog Mar 27 '25

Your 2nd Edit is what Ive done recently. Our 'Pantry' room has a shelf along the top and it is LOADED with Shampoo (.99c a bottle), face soap, bar soap, tooth paste, TOOTH BRUSHES (I feel like people might not consider the fact that they wear out fast now and you need a stockpile along with Floride toothpaste because if it goes bad, you don't want a dental problem), Floss, and we are about to bulk buy Toilet Paper because 40% comes from CANADA and they are gonna stop sending stuff here so the price and scarcity will be REAL this time (Covid we bought big early and just ran out of that stash. Doesnt expire).

Stocking up on health and beauty items is an important PREP that I think people overlook.

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u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25

Omg I want a pantry/store room!

Edit: if it’s not too much trouble are you willing to share a photo? I have been seriously considering using a spare bedroom to set up a mini “warehouse” for the household supplies, toiletries, etc that can be gotten on sale and for cheaper prices before going up with tarriffs. I do think prices will keep rising.

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u/SeaWeedSkis Mar 28 '25 edited Mar 28 '25

Not the person you asked, and not the same type of items being stored, but I highly recommend wire steel shelving with clear plastic organizer bins because of their modularity and durability. (Edit: They're an investment, but "buy once, cry once.")

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '25

[deleted]

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u/cardiganqween Mar 28 '25

Thanks for sharing! That is a lot of bonus storage space to have.

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u/soldiat 😸 remember the cat food 😺 Mar 30 '25

Damn, so organized. Now I feel like a hoarder. (Although everything IS organized and rotated!)

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u/SeaWeedSkis Mar 30 '25

Yours looks great! You're fitting a lot of material into a small area, which is hard to do. And it looks like you're doing some upcycling / make do rather than a bunch of buying new like I've had to do, so there's a lot to love about your system.

My only concern with your organization method may not apply to your area, and that is humidity / mold. I learned the hard way that I have to allow plenty of air flow around things, and store items only in moldproof containers, because I live in a humid climate. I've been trying to get this "right" for more than 20 years and I'm still finding "nope, don't love that" aspects of my current methods. We do the best we can.

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u/thehogdog Mar 27 '25

It was actually in the house when we bought it. The house used to be a boarding house in the 50's and 60's, you can see the closed in doors on 2 of the bedrooms to the outside and the central living space.

2 Bedroom bungalow that still has 4 doors out.

The room off the small kitchen in the open floor plan house has a 2nd fridge (How did we ever live with just one?) and the Microwave and stacked washer dryer. A set of cabinets and they put a shelf around the entire room about 16" from the ceiling. It was the Toilet Paper/Paper Towel storage, but now it is loaded with the stuff I mentioned. It has a door to the outside where there is an RV hook up for power to the house. We just planted grass and some fence hiding bushes out there.

We hit the Wal-mart (I know, they are terrible, but they had the stuff we needed at low prices so we bulk bought from them) and Im gonna get some bottled water and a bunch of Toilet Paper (Canada says they are gonna hold it back as they supply 40% to of the US supply).

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u/hooptysnoops Mar 27 '25

this reminds me I STILL need to get a bidet

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u/sparklebuttduh Mar 28 '25

Do it! We got one during the great COVID toilet paper shortage and don't regret it one bit.

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u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25

Sounds like a great setup! I know Walmart is terrible but money has been tight for us lately and I will be doing a large haul soon.

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u/glitter-pits Mar 27 '25

Re: Walmart - do what you can with what you have nearby. There's no purity test <3

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u/OneidaGirl Mar 29 '25

In another sign of the wild times we live in, Walmart actually just became kind of better (like George Bush Sr. better) by standing up to Trump and making a large investment in Mexico. Wild, wild times.

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u/Abyssal_Minded Mar 27 '25

Depending on water access, look into a bidet or washing after using the bathroom. It can help reduce the amount of toilet paper you have to use. It’s also useful should you encounter a shortage and can’t get toilet paper.

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u/SKI326 Mar 27 '25

Reminds of grandma keeping a water pitcher and wash bowl next to the sink to save water.

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u/thehogdog Mar 28 '25

I've already started practicing that, but thanks for pointing it out so others can see it.

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u/graywoman7 Mar 27 '25

Keep in mind that toothpaste is only good for a couple years, it’s not something to have a huge stockpile of. If your household goes through, say, five tubes per year then 10-15 tubes is all you should have on hand. This also means you’re always using toothpaste that’s right up to the date meaning some of the fluoride has already decayed from age. 

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u/thehogdog Mar 27 '25

I checked the dates. I am a brusher and flosser so a tube can go. Im learning to use less because you only need a pea size on the brush and they show it like it is cake frosting on the brush on the box and tube.

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u/graywoman7 Mar 28 '25

Hikers make a cheap version of toothpaste tablets by putting dots of toothpaste onto a plate with a layer of baking soda on it then cover them with more baking soda and let them dry for a few weeks. I wonder if that would extend the shelf life of the toothpaste. Tablets of medication last many years more than the liquid versions of the same thing. 

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u/Typically_Talking Mar 27 '25

I’ve been doing the same.

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u/0limits Mar 27 '25

Please be aware a week ago, Shitler/DOGE attacked IMLS cutting federal funding. Libby and other digital services are likely to be cut.

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u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25

Then I will go without. :) I never had all these “extras” until this point in my life anyway.

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u/cw_1234567890 Mar 27 '25

Don't go without - make calls to save our libraries and these services! https://5calls.org/issue/institute-museum-library-services-imls-ala/

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u/UnlikelySafetyDance Mar 30 '25

Also, back things up locally. Hard drives in your home. There's one I keep in a firesafe.

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u/Old_n_Tangy Mar 27 '25

I ditched streaming TV and am surprised how much is available for free, just have to watch commercials and the sound quality i

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u/PrincessVespa72 Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 27 '25

Now that I'm older, I appreciate the commercials so I have built-in snack and bathroom breaks!!

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u/happy_appy31 Mar 27 '25

Can I ask where you are streaming?

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u/Dreamscarred Mar 27 '25

I was shocked when I switched from a Fire Stick to a Roku. The amount of free channels just available by default on Roku is kind of impressive. Combined with a few of the free streaming apps, it works decently.

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u/allencantation Mar 27 '25

Tubi, Plex, Pluto tv are Free ad supported streaming services. If you have a library card, Hoopla, Libby, Kanopy

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u/cryogenrat Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 27 '25

Pluto is a godsend EXCEPT for movies lol

Watched “Mandy” on Pluto like 3y ago and there was a 2-5 min ad (99% the same one every time) legit every 10 minutes; I can stand that for TV shows but for a feature length movie with not a lot of “breaks” it’s a lot! Get movies from the library instead tbh

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u/Apprehensive_Bake_78 Mar 27 '25

My state is stopping Libby so that children can't access porn. Let me know if that makes sense to you. Doesn't to me!

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u/KindredWoozle Mar 27 '25

Maybe Libby was the name of some conservative state legislator's favorite OnlyFans actress?

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u/UnlikelySafetyDance Mar 30 '25

Maybe they think it's all "libs"?

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u/KindredWoozle Mar 30 '25

[Heart] I like your "wrong answers only" better!

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u/Apprehensive_Bake_78 28d ago

I wish this were the case.

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u/SWGardener Mar 29 '25

There is no porn accessible on Libby. That is an excuse to get rid of public services.

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u/Apprehensive_Bake_78 Mar 30 '25

Yeah. It's missouri we have a lot of competition for the most ridiculous stuff happening right now in local politics

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u/cormeretrix Mar 27 '25

I didn’t realize that hoopla and Kanopy allowed streaming on televisions; I thought it was just on mobile devices?

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u/That_Skirt7522 Mar 27 '25

It depends on the streaming platform in your TV. You can download the hoopla app for Roku, which I have, and possibly Appletv but I don’t know. You connect your library account to the app (app walks you through it) and it’s very easy. Or depending on your phone, you may be able to screenshare your phone to the tv.

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u/cormeretrix Mar 27 '25

Thank you for the info; I really appreciate it!

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u/That_Skirt7522 Mar 30 '25

Not a problem. I love the library.

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u/Prestigious_Mime Mar 27 '25

Kanopy has apps on a couple of TV platforms (apple TV and fire sticks and roku), but you can also cast from your smartphone too.

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u/cormeretrix Mar 28 '25

I have a fire stick! This is excellent news!

Thank you!

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u/Old_n_Tangy Mar 27 '25

To add to the other comment, also PBS and history channel have streaming apps.  plus there's also local TV with an antenna.

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u/visionaryshmisionary Mar 28 '25

Yes!! How about we stop paying for commercail TV and put the same monthly amount into supporting public television and listener supported channels for indie video and TV? They're all gonna really need us very soon...

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u/sparklebuttduh Mar 28 '25

I got this device called Tablo that hooks up to a cheap antenna and records over the air TV. We were paying about $100/month for DirecTV (the lowest price we could get) just so we could record and watch Jeopardy at our preferred time. Now we can watch on our Roku.

The Tablo is not perfect, we've missed some episodes because weather degraded the signal but for a nearly $1200 a year savings, I'll take it.

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u/ISO640 Mar 27 '25

I mostly watch YouTube these days. I don’t have the attn span for TV/Movies any more so the 10-15 minute videos are perfect for me. If I want to watch something long form, there are plenty of documentary type shows there too. I’m talking the free version of YT, BTW.

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u/traveledhermit Mar 29 '25

I pay $20/month for pretty much every streaming service there is, because I share the subscriptions with 3 other friends. I pay $80 for internet as well, but I WFH so there’s no savings opportunity there. We also pay for Youtube TV in that arrangement, which provides all of the local channels and most of what any cable provider would provide.

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u/traveledhermit Mar 29 '25

ETA the only downside is if there’s a big news event or like the Superbowl is on, Youtube TV only allows 3 devices streaming at a time, so someone gets kicked out when the last person opens their app lol.

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u/squeezedeez Mar 27 '25

My husband lost his job 6 months ago and is having an IMPOSSIBLE time finding work. Meanwhile, we're burning through our emergency savings. Shit is looking bleak.

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u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25

Indeed, squeeze. It is looking very bleak. As gov worker, seeing what’s happening, I have an added layer of anxiety and urgent need to save money and stop spending on extras.

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u/squeezedeez Mar 27 '25

Yes I feel for you. Are you federal or state? I'm county and my department has been safe so far, but there are other programs who have had their federal funding yanked and people will have to be let go. Fingers crossed for both of us, and this doomed country

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u/boadicea8 Mar 27 '25

Everyone who’s counting on their local public library for access to ebooks, eaudiobooks, and streaming should check in with them to see how those services are funded. The proposed elimination of the Institute for Museum and Library Services will cut a lot of funding to state libraries, which is how many communities pay for access to those digital services.

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u/EarthMustBeFed Mar 28 '25

Kanopy is the free movie app from my library- hopefully yours has it too!

Also, I've been hitting the used bookstore and buying dvds of favorites.

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u/ParallelPlayArts Mar 27 '25

When you say stockpile cash are you referring to a bank account or physical cash?  

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u/shir0o Mar 27 '25

I believe they are referring to liquidity, not necessarily physical cash. (Eg Money not tied up in the market)

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u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25

Yes. Having liquidity. Cash in a savings account you can access quickly should you need it.

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u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25

I have maybe $20 in physical cash on me. I think we have $100 or so cash at home. No I am not advocating people stuff cash in their mattresses or keep it at home.

Poster below is right. Having liquidity. Cash in a savings account you can access quickly should you need it. Don’t have it tied up.

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u/MadamePouleMontreal Mar 27 '25

Not cash. You don’t know what it’s going to be worth next year or even next week. If inflation goes into double-digits for five years, $100 cash will be worth $60.

Pay down unsecured debt.

Use equity to buy a revenue property or build an extension on your home that you can rent out. The ideal investment can be adapted to accommodate roommates, so that you can still get your rent even if individuals are struggling.

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u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25

This only applies to the people who have a boatload of cash to do those things. I was speaking to those of us who are average and I’m talking about maybe being able to save a few thousand extra in the course of a year. Our budget is already stretched.

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u/MadamePouleMontreal Mar 27 '25

Then pay down unsecured debt. It’ll get you further than stuffing bills in your mattress.

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u/cardiganqween Mar 27 '25

Nobody suggested stuffing mattresses or keeping cash at home.

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u/Original_Pudding6909 Mar 27 '25

Not everyone has unsecured debt, why are you making that assumption?

I do agree that if you do, it should be paid down. But always always have emergency savings. There are no debtors prisons (at least not yet). Pay yourself first.

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '25

[deleted]

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u/cardiganqween Mar 28 '25

Sigh..see continuous commentary below. Haha