How much do we waste.... 'just in case'

[daveza]

I heard an ad for a storage firm last night and it got me wondering.

All over the world are large warehouses where stuff is stored - archived if you will.
Money is paid to buy the property, to build the warehouse, to advertise, to maintain, staff etc.. all with the aim of storing 'stuff' ... 'just in case' we need to access it at some time or other.

How much space in your home is filled with 'stuff' that you won't throw away - ' just in case ' you might need it one day.

How much do we spend on insurance, medical aid, 'just in case '.

How many hard drives, tape streamers, databanks , cd & dvd's are produced , sold, bought, written to, stored and forgotten ...'just in case'.

How many weapons are purchased - private and government, 'just in case'.

I could go on, but let's presume 10% is a reasonable figure of all the times that the 'stuff' done 'just in case' pays off. That means that 90% of everything we do 'just in case' is of no benefit at all.

How much money does the world spend, how much space is used, how many resources are being wasted - because we are a 'just in case' society?

[Soulsnatcher]

I drink beer quite often, "just in case" SAB decides to stop all operations. Iwould say 90%of the time. 10% i waste time staying sober.

[Devill]

Yeah its true

Im a bit of a pack rat when it comes to books and other things i invested time in. I also thing we could do with "storing" less

But on medical aid and insurance its a must...

Who (regular folk) can affort buying a new house and car and paying for a big operation all in 18 months?

Very conservative bill.
house - 600k
car - 60k
Oprt - 60k - R150k

[milomak]

My stance now is that if I find something and home and my first reaction "oh i still have this". Out it goes.

It's especially true with documents. Although I'll likely make a PDF copy of them first.

[Tux]

I store lots of ammo just incase the hippies start spawning again

[bwana]

Medical Aid & Insurance - only a waste until you actually need them - I did one night and would have been financially ruined if I hadnt had both.

[Nerfherder]

Got medical and insurance.... but still need to get Retirement fund and workmans comp.

Oh and I keep loads of old stuff, but now that I live in a town house i cant... so changing my ways

[milomak]

Medical Aid & Insurance - only a waste until you actually need them - I did one night and would have been financially ruined if I hadnt had both.

esp med aid. a private hospital stay without med aid is near impossible. unless you recently won the lotto jackpot. and then that's your lotta cash gone.