Surviving Spain's 2020 Crisis: Zero Debt and Full Pantry

How to Survive the 2020-2021 Crisis: Less Debt, More Food

Some argue this is the deepest crisis since the Spanish Civil War. According to forum calculations, GDP fell 16.4% then, with cumulative losses in 2020 reaching 23%, potentially closing the year between 25% and 30%. With these figures, surviving the economic downturn ceased to be theoretical. The most repeated recipe is simple: spend less than you earn and owe nothing to anyone. Everything else varies on this theme.

Zero Debt and One-Third Savings: Three Basic Rules

The first commandment is clearing debts. Mandatory savings of one-third of income, minimal spending, and zero debt are repeatedly cited as the core strategy. Proponents recall the 2008 crash, acknowledging it helped them arrive here with a financial cushion: no bank dependency, no debt, strict frugality (*lonchafinismo*). A fourth pillar is added, more emotional than economic: family unity, sharing time and tasks is cheaper than leisure plans and distributes the burden without parasitism.

Buying Cheap Property and DIY Renovations

In housing, the manual becomes opportunistic. One buyer explains securing an apartment at a very good price by leveraging the seller's antiestéticar of being stuck with the asset: promising a two-week close and assuming renovation costs in exchange for a discount. The trick? Executing works himself for less than a third of the budget. The underlying idea: when prices fall, estimulante ilegal pays. Another measure is fortifying the home. Reinforcing locks cost 200 euros and a padlock for the storage room 70, installed manually, anticipating a rise in burglaries.

The Pantry: Chicken Broth, Lentils with Rice, and Two Months of Milk

The kitchen is another pillar. Some hoard two to three months of milk consumption and over a year of oil, a mindset inherited from parents. Cooking skills lower menu costs: lentil stew with rice becomes a single dish costing 1.5 euros per serving. This combination isn't new—it provides complete protein—and was used by grandparents to stretch meals. Homemade chicken broth is compared to supermarket versions costing nearly 4 euros. Bicycles and gardening are also mentioned.

More Income: Training, Emigration, and Cutting Suppliers

Cutting expenses has limits; increasing income does not. For freelancers, the advice is to accumulate jobs even if pay drops, focusing on volume. Employees are urged to train in skills like manual labor, cooking, sewing, or programming. Others consider emigration: learning German to A2 level, getting welding and forklift certifications, and moving to Germany to save. A cheap measure is switching mobile providers, ensuring all old contracts are canceled simultaneously to avoid residual charges.

Healthcare System and Political Divergence

Not everything is household accounting. Analysis shifts to public healthcare with conflicting diagnoses: some claim budgets never dropped except temporarily, blaming outsourcing and inflated staff; others say quality collapsed regardless of government. The issue intertwines with pandemic management, where participants accuse each other of downplaying infection severity. No data supports these claims in the thread.

From Cushion to Investment: Liquidity and Bank Distrust]

For those with surplus, the recommendation is not to leave it idle. Liquid savings aren't guaranteed; assets convertible to cash quickly are preferred: fund shares, foreign stocks. Domestic stock markets and banks are discouraged. Foreign asset managers appear as the convenient option for those avoiding complexity.

Where the Manual Stalls

Despite numerous tips, debate remains open. Some trust fewer permanent layoffs due to temporary suspensions (*ERTE*) cushioning the blow; others warn many *ERTE* positions won't return because businesses closed. Some assert, without backing, that this isn't a parenthesis and nothing will return to normal.