Posted: 10/6/2008 8:16:15 AM EDT
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for an economic meltdown the likes of the Great Depression? I am a newb to the survival forum so this has probably been beat to death. Beyond a couple months supply of cash, and family/property protection weapons and ammo I am not prepared or educated enough to know what I will need. Just a little FYI, I have a pregnant wife, a 9 yo daughter and a 19 month old daughter. Is cash going to be any good during these times anyways or will it take truck loads to purchase everyday items? I probably only have a couple weeks worth of food and bottled water available at any given time. Power and water was still available during the great depression, correct? Is it just a matter of being able to afford to keep the utilities on? Here in WV we don't necessarily have to worry about weather related emergencies like tornados and hurricanes. We do have some chemical plants in the valley where I live that could make life miserable if there were a major explosion but with the cash I can evacuate and afford to live a few months in a safe area. I am going to up the amount of bottled water, canned food, propane, charcoal that I have to be able to last at least two months at any given time. I have plenty of small things like lighters, matches, decent pile of wood, several thousand 5.56, 9mm, .45, .22 and a couple hundred rounds of .270. There is a nice river with pretty good fishing a few hundred yards from the house and several hundred acres of woods with abundent wildlife if it ever got that bad. I was thinking of getting a freezer chest and maybe a decent generator as well. Of course I want to be prepared for other things that are plausible as well but it seems like the financial crisis could be within reach. I am sure I have left out things that I may already have and am not thinking about and I know I have not scratched the surface of things that I don't even know I probably need. What steps would you take that are realistic to survive and protect yourself and family during these times? P.S. Please don't flame me for being ignorant to preparedness, I am trying to learn and I have to start somewhere. |
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Personaly, I wouldn't go putting my self in debt for SHTF senorios. Also, cash will be king for a short period. So I suggest having enough cash on hand to pay a month or two of bills. Then I would think about how long you want to be set up for during the SHTF....a week, two weeks and month etc. Then make sure you have enough food and water for it. Anyhow this is what I have going on right now: -Food and water for a month -two months worth of cash for bills -communications ( 2 meter and CB set up) -generator w/10 gals of fuel at all times (I'll get more when the SHTF) -candles -mixed battery stash -Coleman propane grill -propane for a month -Metals Gold and Silver -4x4 Tahoe -2 ARs 1000rds each -2 AKs 1000rds each -22 rifle 10,000rds -misc hand guns -Pellet gun (air rifle) w/1000rds |
I will be debt free on December 31st of this year.  I shouldn't say debt free because I have a 07 Explorer that I still owe on, my 97 Ford F150 is paid for though and I have two rental properties and my current home that I owe on. But my cc debt, medical bills for the wife and babies and other stupid purchases along the way will be $0 in a few months. This will free up about $1400 extra dollars a month. I plan to put half that away and put the rest to paying down the principles on the properties. I am not sure what the future holds but when times were better my plan was to get the rental properties paid for in the next 8-10 years and sell them to purchase land and build a nice home. I have a nice lot on a lake in a subdivision that is worth a nice amount of money as well. It would be perfect for a home but then I would be in a subdivision so I have decided to try and sell it. WV home market is the same as it always has been because the banks are very conservative in lending and didn't fall into the bubble. We may have bounced off of it a few times but never really saw the ballooning of property values. Back to topic though. What are the worst case scenarios for a large economic melt down? |
| My boy scout leader back in the 1960s told me about living through the depression after his father lost his job at ford motor company. they had a bit of land fully paid off in northern michigan where they moved and built a three room shack with no running water and a pot belly stove inside. Stayed alive by cuting firewood, hunting, and gardening. The only cash they needed each year was for a few seeds, a box of 30-30s, some flour and suger, some 22LRS, shoes, sewing supplies, and property taxes. They generated cash by odd jobs,\cutting fire wood, selling garden output and the like. Meeting property taxes was the biggest worry. |
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Well, Crodeo, congrats on getting ready while there is still time left! Lets not worry about if cash is going to be worth anything right now, lets focus on some good things to get while you can still get them. In any situation you will need Shelter, water or a way to purify a water supply, and food. At this point, it sounds like you have a roof over your head, and you are doing everything you can to keep it, like working to pay off your debt, and limit your spending, so I'd say you are in good shape. As winter is coming you might want to get a Big Buddy Portable Propane heater, and a bunch of those one pound propane bottles for it. Its what I decided on as a safe and AFFORDABLE (hey I'm not rich) back up heat source. You can pick one up for about $85 and it will keep at least one room warm if utilities go down for ANY reason. Also a few military surplus wool blankets are great! Water! Trust me, we all UNDERESTIMATE just how much water we really need, so continue getting bottled water by all means, but please invest in a GOOD, Durable water purifier. Again after doing all the research, I went with a Berkey Light, you can get one on EBAY right now for $209.00 with free shipping. That will allow you to use stream water, pond water, rain water etc. There is some confusion about how long the filters last, as they are cleanable (scrub w/toothbrush under running water) mine have lasted 2 years now, and they still purify just fine, although I have a spare set just incase. As far as food goes, you have many choices, limited only by personal preference and price. I shop at www.beprepared.com as I have found them to clearly let you know what is in stock, the prices are fair, and they have quick delivery. I went primarily with dehydrated "staples" such as flour, grains, mixes, etc. so I have the basics on hand to prepare what I normally eat. Also I added some freeze dried because the shelf life is so long, and primarily use canned goods. Normally can goods are safe well after the use by date, as long as the can is in good shape, and you hear the vacuum release when you open it. Once you have your shelter/warmth, food and water, then start getting health and comfort items... Toilet paper, sewing supplies, meds, shoes, stockings, underwear, tampons/pads, soap, bleach, vinigar, gardening seeds, books on family medicine, etc... It may seem overwhelming at times, but just take one thing at a time, and you'll get it done. |
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I think everyone's priorities are, and should be, very different. I had to start life over again at age 26 after an accident left me completely broke and unable to ever work in the occupations I'd known (construction and farming). So I went back to school with 4 kids (two at the beginning, ended school with 4) and ended up as a Civil Engineer. And a student loan debtor, which was my only choice unfortunately. So with a single income, mortgage, 4 young kids and student loans to pay, my priorities are to feed the kids and pay the bills. The most likely source of problems will be economic and I'll be the first to admit I live much too close to the wire finacially, but when you get a 12% pay raise during 15% inflation it's hard to keep up. So we have altered our lifestyles some, we eat a lot of bulk (read cheap) foods, we don't have much social life, cheap camping vacations, etc. As a result, the grain we store is part of our diets and we are getting more familiar with cooking from scratch, canning/freezing veggies, etc. We also get some experience taking the kids camping, they have hunted with me (with 4 mulies last year I haven't had to purchase meat for over a year now, but I'm so sick of venison I could cry) and our 'survial' gear gets a full-blown kid-tested workout a few times a year. On the 'tacticool' side, I have an AR (just one) and I've gotten pretty good with it. I can't afford to shoot a ton, but reloading has allwed me to consume about 3000 rounds this year, mostly in the first 4 months before I started getting geared up for bow hunting. I'd like to have a lot more reloading components, but I'd much rather have a lot more food. For the price of two 8# jugs of data powdere, I can buy and package over 100# of dried potatoes for the family. My point is that as long as I can feed the kids, I'm ok. I might not have much to spare but my life is a lot less stressful knowing that almost whatever happened, we could eat. That takes care of a lot of the stresses of this financial boondoggle. I don't know what else will happen, but we can still eat. BTW, I figure each adult will require a full 55gal drum of wheat, and another of rice for a year. Kids are a lot less, but have other requirements too. Then you have to plan on all the stuff that makes the bulk goods into edible meals. It's a lot different than most modern cooking, time consuming too. |
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Some good advice in this thread and in this forum. Lots of people who've been living the preparedness lifestyle for many years. Just make a list of some items that you feel you need to address first. Then pick a few of those items and start checking them off the list as you are able to afford them. For years, I've been saying to anyone who'd listen to just buy 2-6 extra cans of food EVERYTIME you go to the store. I started with 2 cans a few years back and I just ramped that up over time to where it's usually 6-8 cans every time now. You really shouldn't notice that $5-10 extra cost if it becomes part of your weekly routine. And now I have cans overflowing out of cupboards all over the house. We do rotate what we get as well. I just write a four-digit date code (1008 this month) on top of every can with a Sharpie to denote when I bought it. After a while I branched out and started buying bulk rice, beans, flour, etc at Coscto. And then it just snowballs from there as it becomes party of the way you think. Start small and stick with it... it'll start to add-up and you'll see some progress. Eat this elephant one bite at a time. But START NOW. The events that are unfolding before us should be serving notice that "business as usual" should be a thing of the past. |
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Take the advise posted above, and as I have a 9 month old son I know. Formula/diapers/wipes/bottled water. You HAVE to be able to feed the baby if the wife cannot breast feed. IF the SHTF a healthy diet for mom will be hard, so breast feeding might be as well. Formula is costly. If you can stock up. Diapers gotta have them. Figure AT LEAST 5-6 diapers a day, and 2-5 wipes per change. Do the math. We can eat our preps, and maybe puree veggies for JR., but he still needs formula. We started with a special formula, but now we use the Wal-MArt brand made for milk sensitivity. |
My usual contribution to these threads  This list has a lot of good things to consider, plus you can branch off of it into categories. 100 Items to Disappear First 1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.) 2. Water Filters/Purifiers 3. Portable Toilets 4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses. 5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!) 6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much. 7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots. 8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks. 9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar 10. Rice - Beans - Wheat 11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,) 12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly) 13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking. 14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.) 15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric) 16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur. 17. Survival Guide Book. 18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.) 19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc. 20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry) 21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene) 22. Vitamins 23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item) 24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products. 25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms) 26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil) 27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item) 28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal) 29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many). 30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels 31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months) 32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST) 33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST) 34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit 35. Tuna Fish (in oil) 36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room) 37. First aid kits 38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates) 39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies 40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food) 41. Flour, yeast & salt 42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first 43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators 44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.) 45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts 46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns 47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times) 48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels) 49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc 50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient) 51. Fishing supplies/tools 52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams 53. Duct Tape 54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes 55. Candles 56. Laundry Detergent (liquid) 57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags 58. Garden tools & supplies 59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies 60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc. 61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) 62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax) 63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel 64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc 65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats 66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered) 67. Board Games, Cards, Dice 68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer 69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets 70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks) 71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water) 72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc. 73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave) 74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels) 75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase 76. Reading glasses 77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers) 78. "Survival-in-a-Can" 79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens 80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog 81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO) 82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky 83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts 84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras) 85. Lumber (all types) 86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from) 87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's 88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc. 89. Lantern Hangers 90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts 91. Teas 92. Coffee 93. Cigarettes 94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,) 95. Paraffin wax 96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc. 97. Chewing gum/candies 98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing) 99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs 100. Goats/chickens |