Preparing for the worst

Economies around the world are tanking and the US economy is right at the front of the pack. What will you do when you don't have a job and can't get one. Typically, in the good ole' US of A, people turn to self-reliance. It's a good idea to set the stage now if you have a good marketable idea for invention. Getting a patent is a long, expensive process but getting a provisional patent is not. Unless you do it entirely by yourself and study the myriad of forms at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (which does have all the forms needed, guaranteed, just try to figure out which ones to use). Trust me, this is time consuming and you may or may not get it right. There are several options you can use. If you have more money than time, you can hire a lawyer for several hundred dollars and get it done. Or, you can use an online service for a little less money. There are kits available online which reduce the cost to an acceptable level. Search for the best price as there are some really inexpensive kits that are really good. Whatever you do, get a provisional patent on your idea so you can negotiate securely with someone for a royalty agreement without worrying that your idea will be stolen. That is the purpose of a provisional patent. Good luck!