Am I crazy? What would you do??
Posted: Wed 04 Jun 2008, 01:14:56
Ok, so we have a big decision to make and I'd like some advice.
We have a work at home business with fairly significant storage needs (we manufacture and sell a product), and it is taking over a significant portion of our 2700 sq/ft house. We'll be soon be buying a 2nd home business that will have even larger storage needs. We could of course rent a warehouse, but that could easily cost $2000-$3000/month and we'd very much like to continue to work from home.
In order to run both of these businesses from home, we'll definitely need a 3-4 car garage, and perhaps a 1700-2000 sq/ft open basement. The homes with these attributes in the area we're moving to are 5500-7000 sq/ft McMansions in the suburbs 15-25 miles from the city center.
I've been aware of the peak oil idea for a couple years and I'm convinced that serious problems are coming. I've read some of the books, watched "the end of suburbia" and several other documentaries on the subject. On the one hand, buying a huge house in the suburbs seems like a terrible idea, but honestly it's the best idea I've been able to come up with.
Everyone has their own ideas for the best ways to prepare for peak oil. Some have already bought a plot of land and are preparing by stocking up on supplies, starting a garden, planting fruit trees, and living a simpler life. Like many of these people, I have a family I'm trying to provide for. I suppose my approach to preparing is the polar opposite of those who have moved to the country to raise chicken and grow they own food. My approach is to try to earn every last damn cent I can before TSHTF. Who's with me???
We would never in a million years buy one of these ridiculous homes under normal circumstances. We don't give a rats ass about status, or keeping up with the joneses or any of that nonsense. Really, truly. But between these 2 businesses, they might (at least for awhile at least) take in $60,000-$70,000 revenue each month (and perhaps $14,000/month profit). My wife will run the businesses (with hired help), and I'll hopefully will be getting another job outside the home where I hope to earn another 80k/yr. I mention the numbers not to brag, but rather to emphasize that it's potentially a good opportunity that could work out well for us as long as the economy keeps chugging along.
Can you understand our dilemna? I'm sure that many of you would argue that buying such a home is a extraordinarily bad idea, especially now with the price of gas where it is and the grim headlines we've been seeing lately. But put yourself in my shoes. If the money is pouring in (relatively speaking) why shouldn't we buy the home and enjoy the jetted tub and granite counter-tops as long as we're able to? I suppose some here would brand us as capitalist pigs, "part of the problem", and I'll admit that our petroleum and carbon footprints will certainly be going up. But on the other hand, my wife at least will be working at home which is pretty "green", and we'll actually be manufacturing a product in the U.S. which is rare these days and something this country will need more of in the future.
I'd love to hear your thoughts because I'm struggling to know what to do. I suppose I could end up as one of those poor saps Kunstler speaks about with a home too far from the city that no one wants to buy and is too expensive to heat etc, etc. But if the economic meltdown/doomsday scenarios arrive in full effect, then I think most of us are pretty well f*cked no matter how we've tried to prepare. My thinking is that major energy problems will be relentless and almost certainly neverending, but will also be gradual and will happen slowly over time. As long as the economy is still somewhat in tact, hopefully I can continue to earn a buck and will have some time to build up various kinds of assets that will have at least some kind of value. When things truly unravel, I'd like to think I'll have some time to change gears and make whatever move is needed in order to do what is best for my family.
If you think the big home is a bad idea, do you have any better alternatives to suggest? Thanks in advance
We have a work at home business with fairly significant storage needs (we manufacture and sell a product), and it is taking over a significant portion of our 2700 sq/ft house. We'll be soon be buying a 2nd home business that will have even larger storage needs. We could of course rent a warehouse, but that could easily cost $2000-$3000/month and we'd very much like to continue to work from home.
In order to run both of these businesses from home, we'll definitely need a 3-4 car garage, and perhaps a 1700-2000 sq/ft open basement. The homes with these attributes in the area we're moving to are 5500-7000 sq/ft McMansions in the suburbs 15-25 miles from the city center.
I've been aware of the peak oil idea for a couple years and I'm convinced that serious problems are coming. I've read some of the books, watched "the end of suburbia" and several other documentaries on the subject. On the one hand, buying a huge house in the suburbs seems like a terrible idea, but honestly it's the best idea I've been able to come up with.
Everyone has their own ideas for the best ways to prepare for peak oil. Some have already bought a plot of land and are preparing by stocking up on supplies, starting a garden, planting fruit trees, and living a simpler life. Like many of these people, I have a family I'm trying to provide for. I suppose my approach to preparing is the polar opposite of those who have moved to the country to raise chicken and grow they own food. My approach is to try to earn every last damn cent I can before TSHTF. Who's with me???
We would never in a million years buy one of these ridiculous homes under normal circumstances. We don't give a rats ass about status, or keeping up with the joneses or any of that nonsense. Really, truly. But between these 2 businesses, they might (at least for awhile at least) take in $60,000-$70,000 revenue each month (and perhaps $14,000/month profit). My wife will run the businesses (with hired help), and I'll hopefully will be getting another job outside the home where I hope to earn another 80k/yr. I mention the numbers not to brag, but rather to emphasize that it's potentially a good opportunity that could work out well for us as long as the economy keeps chugging along.
Can you understand our dilemna? I'm sure that many of you would argue that buying such a home is a extraordinarily bad idea, especially now with the price of gas where it is and the grim headlines we've been seeing lately. But put yourself in my shoes. If the money is pouring in (relatively speaking) why shouldn't we buy the home and enjoy the jetted tub and granite counter-tops as long as we're able to? I suppose some here would brand us as capitalist pigs, "part of the problem", and I'll admit that our petroleum and carbon footprints will certainly be going up. But on the other hand, my wife at least will be working at home which is pretty "green", and we'll actually be manufacturing a product in the U.S. which is rare these days and something this country will need more of in the future.
I'd love to hear your thoughts because I'm struggling to know what to do. I suppose I could end up as one of those poor saps Kunstler speaks about with a home too far from the city that no one wants to buy and is too expensive to heat etc, etc. But if the economic meltdown/doomsday scenarios arrive in full effect, then I think most of us are pretty well f*cked no matter how we've tried to prepare. My thinking is that major energy problems will be relentless and almost certainly neverending, but will also be gradual and will happen slowly over time. As long as the economy is still somewhat in tact, hopefully I can continue to earn a buck and will have some time to build up various kinds of assets that will have at least some kind of value. When things truly unravel, I'd like to think I'll have some time to change gears and make whatever move is needed in order to do what is best for my family.
If you think the big home is a bad idea, do you have any better alternatives to suggest? Thanks in advance