Thank you so much! It's so fun to be meeting such great new people. I really appreciate your encouragement and new friendship!

Thank you Mickey FC. I've been in both situations and definitely prefer having resources when needed.

Excellent point and well said!

Hi @suen5006! Thank you so much for letting me know. I'll see if I can fix the sound and watch for that in the future. Everything on here is new to me, so right now, it all feels difficult. I appreciate your comment very much! Thank you!

Hi Lucy from Siberia! I love your perspective. I agree with you about driving the old car and wearing the t-shirt until it has holes in it (I do that!). I think Americans aren't necessarily afraid to buy houses, but they are waiting for the market to improve. Some are waiting because they have a very low interest rate of 3% and don't want to buy at 6-7%. 6-7% was considered a good rate in the 1990s. Also, news keeps telling us that rates will go down. If that happens, house prices should go up. Then, I think overall savings would be neutral or negative because demand would increase so much. Another concern is the ability to rent the property at all. Renters who don't pay are often being given more protection than the homeowners. That's one of my concerns in renting my property. There's also an issue with "squatter's rights" laws. These laws were made many years ago for the settlement and cultivation of land for survival. These laws are being wrongly applied today. Now, if someone breaks into an American home, in many circumstances, the homeowner can't do anything and must take the criminal to court to get their home back. Florida has made laws against this now. Another consideration is something called "homeowner's associations" (HOA's). These are made to make sure homeowners are taking care of their homes to a high standard. The HOA's often have more rights than the first mortgage company to foreclose upon the house for even minor unpaid fees. These laws need to change. Many Americans who are still very hardworking and very productive. I do see many people paying for more services vs. doing for themselves. People in the USSR are very resourceful and talented. My most recent friend is from the USSR and she is very resourceful, hardworking, intelligent, and frugal. My clothes are old. I only have a few pairs of shoes. We make our own bread, sew, and do all repairs that we can ourselves. We tried to grow vegetables, but failed. We will try again. I'm so impressed and thrilled to hear from you.

@@LaurenTGage Hi! I think you should have a good crop of vegetables. Even in Wisconsin, the climate is warmer than in Central Siberia. But in Central Siberia people grow not only vegetables, but also several varieties of apples, pears, and even one kind of grapes (they are sour, but edible). Cucumbers and tomatoes grow in greenhouses. It is important to choose seed varieties that are suitable for your state. I think people in your state can tell you which varieties of vegetables are suitable for your climate. And every climate has its own secrets to growing vegetables. In the north, people use cover crops and warm beds, and in the south, people struggle with drought. That's why you need advice from local people. I wish you good luck with growing vegetables.😀

Thank you Lucy!😀🥔🥦 The people in Central Siberia are impressively resourceful! No excuses now. We'll find a way. Your encouragement and advice is greatly appreciated and joyful!