Stoopers

In this time of recession, when 2.2 million Americans' homes are in foreclosure. When last month the inflation rate was double that of the previous month. When unemployment, if the truth were known, is approaching 20%, a new term has come on the scene: “stoopers”. These are people who walk around the racetracks searching garbage cans for parimutuel betting slips, attempting to find a winning ticket. One man admits to making $45,000 a year, just by searching for winning tickets that someone carelessly threw away.

In Raleigh, NC this past weekend, we receive a detailed story of a dead husband found under a flowerbed in the yard. The elder couple did not have children, and evidently did not have anything to do with their neighbors and more importantly, their neighbors had nothing to do with them. The mailman complained to the next-door neighbor that the mailbox was so full of mail that he could not fit anything more in it. The police were called, and a policeman entered the house through a window. The female was dead in the house and had been dead for months. After further investigation, since her husband's checks were still being deposited in the bank, his remains were found in the backyard under a flowerbed. This is the extent to which people are going now, just trying to survive.

Books are being written about economics in the home, people trying to survive rough, tough times. One author interviewed said, “I buy the meats for my family after holidays. The stores are stocked for the holiday and want to get rid of the overstock. I fill my freezers with meats after Thanksgiving, Christmas and the other holidays.” She did not say what she did with the meat in the freezer after a storm with the electricity being off for several days or weeks.

Another said that she bought most of her groceries from a salvage store...dented or otherwise abused cans. Another said that she bought much cereal when it was on sale, and put it in the freezer. “You should always get acquainted with the manager of the store, he will tell you about the items on sale, or when things will come up on sale.” One said that she always finds out if a store will honor other store's sales prices; then, all that is necessary is for her to do is take the sales papers for all the stores to her favorite store, where they will give her the best price for any item. She said that she also spends much time on the computer retrieving coupons, saves 40-50% just with coupons, and that it is best to do your grocery shopping on Monday or Tuesday.

One lady said that when she walks in any type store, the first thing she says to the sales clerk approaching her is “where are your bargains?” She said, “many items have been marked down, or they know will soon be marked down.” “Going shopping is like going to battle; if you are timid, don't get into the fray. If you are afraid to ask about bargains, mark downs, doubling or tripling coupons, you are not prepared for the engagement.”

Only those who know the value of a dollar are interested in saving a dollar. Most Americans have never known what it is like to go without one meal. Most have never known what it is like to be really hungry, to have real want for anything.

A very foolish government, about 20 years ago, started selling homes to people who could not afford a full tank of gas. Expensive homes were sold to people who did not have any money to pay down on the home, did not own anything, and in many cases, did not even have a job. Surprise, surprise, they did not make their mortgage payments. Many times, after having destroyed the home, they just put the keys in an envelope and sent them to a bank (the jingle mail). Now, with millions of houses in foreclosure, blotched urban areas, lawns growing up, houses besieged by addicts and thieves, much real estate being sold is amassed to the pets of the bankers. Real estate fortunes being acquired by those with the knowledge and money to buy these houses at “fire sale” prices. One man's asset is another man's debt, and the taxpayer is the victim of Democrat party largess attempting to make homeowners out of people who could not afford homes.

The people who could not afford these homes are not the savers of this world...those who live frugally, who buy their clothing at thrift shops, who buy their groceries from salvage stores, who clip coupons, who buy online. Those who took advantage of government largess, moving into houses they could not afford, are the same ones who move into government-subsidized housing and destroy it. So much of America's economic decline is simply rot from within, immoral people who are intent to live from the work of others. Almost as bad, the cyber-warfare being taught in communist China, a system whereby hundreds of thousands have been taught the science of hacking, implanting viruses. Americans simply are not prepared to face terrorism...we now know that bedbugs are vectors of the microbiology of MRSA and smallpox.

What is the answer, the solution? One man, when he was young, found a quarter on the sidewalk. He spent the rest of his life looking down. Are those of us who have lived frugally in our shopping, in our lifestyle, fools? Is it better to spend and spree, like the 50% of our fellow citizens who do pay any taxes, the 50% who depend on government subsidies, the 59% who expect to live on government entitlements.

I have admitted in past commentaries that I am probably the most frugal man who has ever lived, conservative in every way (living, giving, believing). Young people who have worked for me have told me that they never price shop, they just buy what they want and pay for it. At least 50% of the population are not stoopers, they never walk around looking for good buys, good finds, they'd probably live much longer, happier lives.