I’m in this boat too. Most of my online friends I only really get to talk to via discord. Not sure what I’m gonna do, because they won’t end up budging.

I love pineapple on pizza and I almost reflexively down voted this… I should probably look at that in myself.

Wait - that’s a monthly cost? Are you in the US? $35/month is definitely not possible in any US state unless you’re supplementing with another food source. Even if all you eat is a box of pasta and can of sauce a day I’d be shocked if you could stay at $35 and definitely that’s nutritionally questionable.

Pretty sure it’s in P2025. At least the need to make it so employers don’t pay for it.

They already stopped people from buying it, I guess.

I started learning violin almost 3 years ago. I take lessons. I still suck a lot but I keep going because I do enjoy learning, even if it’s often frustrating. I have absolutely no musical background and was actively encouraged not to pursue an instrument when I was young because of the expense, so I guess it’s also a way to reclaim my childhood.

Several people mentioned chickens but I think bees are also a good choice, especially if you are growing food. Honey is already an expensive item, and I feel like you could barter with it pretty easily since everyone else will have chickens. Sweet treats during a depression are hard to come by.

Community is definitely the correct answer. Realistically, the end of the world won’t be the end of the world forever. Get to know your neighbors and diversify what you can provide based on what they can provide. If they’ve got chickens, focus on something else you can provide, like veggies or woodworking. Rugged individualism isn’t all it’s cut out to be.

This is also good advice for non-end of the world stuff. Maybe a tornado leaves you without power for a week. Interconnected communities recover faster.