How To Prepare And Survival The Coming Economic Collapse
The economy of the United States is, in theory, a Free Market economy.
This means our financial system follows the rule of Supply and Demand.
Products or services with high demand and low supply are worth more.
Those with low demand and high supplies are worthless or maybe nothing at all.
In our modern society, we trade paper money to indicate value. Many think the paper has no value, but this is not true.
Anything has as much value as someone is willing to trade for it.
I can give my local grocer $3.25 for a gallon of milk because he believes my $3.25 of paper money is tradable for his needs.
The paper reflects the value of the item or service.
There are problems that arise from this system. For example, when Governments decide to print excess paper dollars (inflation).
Or in some cases, not enough paper money (deflation).
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Why Would A Government Print Excess Dollars?
Well, the first reason is simple mistakes.
The Federal Reserve (aka Central Bank) monitors the dollars in circulation. Then it adjusts the Prime Interest rate.
Down to encourage banks to borrow more or up to borrow less from the Federal Reserve System.
If the Fed wants to combat inflation, they raise interest rates.
This then draws money out of circulation as banks pay large interest payments on the loan back to the Fed – thus removing the dollars from circulation.
If the Fed wants to stamp out deflation or stimulate the economy, they can lower interest rates. This creates more demand for borrowing and easy lending which incentives economic activity.
The general assumption is the Fed has the best interest of the US at heart. That they always do what is best for the economy and the people.
But, when political forces are present, the Fed Chairman is appointed by the President, the Fed may drop interest rates for political reasons.
To keep the easy money pumping money into an economy. A process of slowly bleeding it to death.
Many believe that’s whats been happening over the past few decades and today.
In the past, the Treasury sold bonds to pay for government borrowing – to pay the bills for our perpetual deficit spending.
But selling bonds has the effect of a large part of our public debt foreign governments. Governments such as China, Japan, South Korea, Britain, etc.
These countries loan our government money and get paid back interest in return. Large-Scale loaning of this sort has led to an over $20 trillion national debt (and counting)!
Due to this growing debt, these countries are starting to worry about our ability to repay this debt.
Every congressional budget cycle we borrow more to pay off our old debt.
China, Japan, and the others have cut back on their purchases of our treasury bonds. We continue to spend more than we take in.
So Where Is All The Money Coming From?
The procedure currently is Monetization.
Monetization means we are creating dollars with which to pay off our debt. It’s a pretty neat trick.
Our Federal Reserve is loaning money to banks at a very, very low-interest rate. The banks are buying Treasury bonds, which pay a higher interest than the banks are being charged by the Fed.
These bonds are a way for the banks to take money from the Fed and move it to the Federal Treasury. This then gives our Government the dollars they need to continue spending.
And the banks earn some interest with absolutely zero risks.
They essentially act as a money laundering operation for the Federal Government.
Why do they do this? Two reasons:
First off, banks have to make money to exist.
They make their money by loaning money. The Federal Government has never reneged on a Treasury bond yet. So it’s a very safe investment.
In fact, the banks know the Government will go so far as to borrow more money to pay off the bonds. Only failing businesses borrow to pay off debt, and they can only borrow so much.
Secondly, the Government can borrow as long as they have buyers for bonds. And the Federal Government regulates the banks.
So if they’re not cooperative, the Government has tactics for making their lives a living hell.
Today the Fed’s purchases and transfers are all electronic and instantaneous.
The Fed says they will buy a bond and the Treasury prints more money, then moves it into the Government coffers.
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So How Much Does The Federal Reserve Have In Reserve?
No one knows.
By law, the Federal Reserve cannot be audited.
The idea is the Fed is independent of political parties and the Government.
If the Fed could be audited, then political pressures could be placed on it by minority parties.
In desperate times, this could provide an accurate picture of the Fed’s reserves. Which in turn might cause public panic, bank runs, even impact elections.
The irony is the measures put in place to keep the Fed independent, also provide the means to manipulate it by the political party in charge.
Although many would like to see the Fed audited – the result could very well bring down the country.
The whole thing is a financial crisis waiting to happen. A house of cards we as citizens can only hope is being managed correctly. “Hope” being the key descriptor.
One saving grace is that the US dollar is the world reserve currency.
There is a lot of tangible value out there in the world wrapped up in our paper dollars.
If the rest of the world ever drops the dollar as a global reserve – our dollar will go the way of the Russian Ruble.
The good news is that most other national currencies are even less reliable than our own. Although China now has a larger economy than the United States, no one trusts their money.
We are truly the best of the worse.
It’s evident to any free-thinking citizen this system is rife with risk and corruption.
What Happens When The Coming Economic Collapse Finally Occurs?
Simple.
The dollars we each have in our accounts, our 401Ks, our wallets may become worthless, or nearly worthless, due to hyperinflation.
A total economic collapse has happened to dozens of countries in the last thirty years:
- Iceland
- Russia
- Zimbabwe
- Bolivia
- Bosnia
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Peru
- Poland
- Ukraine
- Romania
And to the United States several times since our founding.
Most notably just after the Revolutionary War, during the Civil War and the Great Depression. And the Federal Reserve didn’t even exist at those times.
So what happens when paper money becomes worth just that—worthless paper? What is your economic collapse survival plan? What will we use for money?
Remember, goods and services are tangible. Many will still exist when the after the coming economic collapse.
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How To Prepare For Economic Collapse
One fundamental principle to remember: don’t mistake cash dollars for value.
Cash dollars only have value if they can be traded for something with real value – items such as food, tools, hardware, fuel, etc.
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But what if no one will take dollars in trade? What becomes the new collapsed economy’s currency?
What will the coming economic collapse look like?
The new economy will still operate under the rules of supply and demand – no getting around this. It’s a law of nature.
The more in demand something is, the more value it has, the more people will pay to get it. But what will people use as currency if dollars are useless?
The Barter Economy
The Barter Economy is the natural evolution of supply and demand when the dollar fails. This simply means people will trade tangible assets, rather than paper money.
Not all tangible assets will hold the same value.
For instance, fish holds a certain value as a food source. But a fishing pole will be hundreds of times more valuable.
So what are valuable tangible assets to help survive in a post-apocalyptic economy?
Survival food will have value, while heirloom seeds may have more for the long term.
Eggs hold value, but chickens have more.
Water always has value and will keep climbing in value as droughts and contamination continue to deplete supplies.
The assets value depends on whether they represent short-term or long-term value.
Food is immediate. Durable goods are long term. Some common durable goods that will hold value include:
Hand tools, such as saws, drills, hammers, axes, knives, etc.
Rope, wire, paracord, fasteners, nails, building materials, generators, solar panels, survival stoves, batteries.
Some durable goods are hybrids – both short and long-term. Cars, for instance, have long-term value. But they are only as valuable as the availability of fuel, which is a short-term value.
There Are A Few Exceptions Though…
Firearms have long-term value. However, the availability of ammunition, a short-term value. This should limit the overall firearms value, right?
Not exactly, firearms represent an anomaly.
A loaded firearm can mean the difference between life and death. This gives it ultimate value to the individual possessing it. More value than food, water or any other worldly possession.
In the case of a less altruistic individual, a loaded firearm can serve as a coercive force.
One to gain tangible assets belonging to someone else. Giving the firearm value equal to whatever it can gain in this less-than-moral fashion.
This is something to keep in mind when trading with someone with an AR-15 slung over his shoulder.
Even if you don’t own a firearm, ammunition represents an important tangible asset. So you could start storing lots of it to prepare for the coming economic collapse.
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Even A Single Cartridge Can Be Bartered
A single .30-06 rifle cartridge can be a difference maker. The difference between a family eating or moving a week closer to starvation.
A $25 box of 525 .22 Long Rifle cartridges, represents months of small game on the dinner table. Providing essential proteins such as squirrels, rabbits, snake, rat, etc.
One key point to remember: the rifle cartridges still represent months of food, even if you don’t own a rifle. The trick is to find someone who does and trade them for something of equal value.
Ammunition is a great way to prep for a post-apocalyptic world. Rifle and pistol cartridges will always have value if you store them right.
One strategy to use is to arm yourself with firearms using very common cartridges. The more common, the better.
The most common pistol cartridges are 9mm, 38 Special and .45 ACP. The most common rifle cartridges are .22 Long Rifle, 7.62x39mm, and 5.56x45mm.
Another important category with significant value is difficult to get medications (like survival antibiotics) and medical supplies.
When civilization’s economy collapses, our access to medications will dwindle. However, people will continue to fall ill, perhaps in even larger numbers than before.
Even over the counter drugs will become incredibly valuable.
Some common medications and medical supplies to stock up on include:
- aspirin
- acetaminophen
- antibiotic creams
- antihistamines
- cough syrup
- cold and flu medications
- Band-aids
- bandages
- alcohol
- hydrogen peroxide
- oral thermometers
Or invest in a couple of good survival kits, and you’ll be good to go.
What About Vices For Economic Collapse Preparation?
People’s addictions don’t stop just because civilization has collapsed.
Here are a few that can be used for barter: cigarettes, beer, hard liquor and if your post-apocalyptic address is in Colorado, well, you know…
How About Gold After The Coming Economic Collapse?
Precious metals have been used as investments and currency for thousands of years. How do these fare in a post-apocalyptic world?
These assets represent a very different animal.
People will still value gold even in a post-apocalyptic world. However, this value is very, very long-term and somewhat theoretical.
It’s based on the notion the world will return to a normal state at some point in the future.
At that point, the gold can be exchanged for cash.
Survival Gold has no immediate value.
- You can’t eat it
- It can’t catch a fish or kill a deer
- It can’t protect you or your family
However, there are people who will take it in trade.
Supreme caution must be exercised if you advertise the fact you possess gold. More than likely if you try to trade with it, you will find someone with an AK-47 following you home.
Once there, to relieve you of the rest of your gold by force if necessary.
Gold and silver are great investments as a hedge against inflation, but only as a hedge.
It presumes the cash dollar still has some value. If the dollar fails completely, gold is nearly useless. The people who do want it are the same people you don’t want to meet.
The barter economy will begin on Day One of the coming economic collapse. What are you going to use on Day Two to provide for your families?
Better to begin stocking up today before it’s too late.
Remember: Prepare, Adapt and Overcome,
“Just In Case” Jack
p.s. - A friend of mine was living in Lousiana when Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.
AND he was visiting his family in Houston during Hurricane Harvey!
Can you image? What bad luck...
Anyways, he learned a ton about survival and shared it all with me, but there was one thing, in particular, that stood out the most..
It's not something I thought it would be that's for sure...
Click here discover what that one most important thing is.
Photo Credits: Bank / Garage Sale / Ammo / Cigs / Gold
Nancy says
Our president is bankrupting our country to cause all this. He is guilty of financial treason.
Kevin Klein says
No he’s not. He tries to slow down the costs the government has to make. But not everybody is cooperative. He’s not the only person who runs this country.
Fed up American says
We are living in a world where wealthy people and government like to act like nothings going on and distract us with Facebook, apps, cars , makeup and like to convince us to get 20_30 yrs loans/Mortgages like if nothing were ever going to happen . Where they dont believe in the Bible or God, they think they can outsmart fate, prophecies and and see technology as their God. Technology they can manipulate to their own benefits and make us think it’s to make our lives easier when in reality it’s to have control over us such as our money soon we will have a cashless society. If we have our money in the bank the gov can deplete accounts at any time. Before people may not have had an easy life but I know my grandparents would not pay rent for a small cottage they build. Wood and fire was their heat, the sun their light and go for water at a river to bathe . Maybe it wasnt the most sanitary way of life but think about what were paying for basic necessities such as light and water. And then “owning” a house, you pay it cash you think it’s yours until you dont pay yearly taxes. You “think” you own your car but you cant use it without paying registration fees, inspection fees, and most importantly car insurance. Right now most of us are living pay check to paycheck sustaining homes were barey at, making enough only for the bills. were away from our children and spend only 2 days a week if were lucky. If I make a mediocre 2,000 a month app 50,000 annually )get paid semi monthly and my rent is 600 and childcare 400 a month thats already 1000. Then the utilities and car insurance another $500 roughly which leaves me with what $500 A MONTH for ME???? Not including gas for transportation, food that I but with money not food stamps , diapers and clothes . Are we really going to have enough to ” save” to “put aside” Give me a. Break
Bjorn says
So, I read a lot of these articles and Guns and Ammo are in a lot of them but what about a Bow and Arrows? You can hunt with it, defend yourself with it and it is a lot more long term than a gun.. The gun is for short term the Bow is for long term get both use both..
Just In Case Jack says
For bow related articles check out the following:
Survival Bow
How To Make A Long Bow
How To Make Arrows
Raymond says
I was reading your article and I have a question, I am to some degree a preppier and am calling into question your thought that cash/ money will become useless ??? I agree this may be true at the very end of human exsistance, but before then how are people to pay for there mortgages and their electric bills and internet bills and so on ??? My electric company is not going to except a goat and two chickens ??? I need cash to pay them, Even in Venezuela there are still your monthly bills, and these need to be paid in cash. Please correct me if I am wrong, but only if you can explain it.
Just In Case Jack says
Cash has very little inherent value, it is a piece of paper. You can burn it for some heat or use it to wipe or write on. You can’t eat it, you can’t drink it, you can’t shoot it.
The only thing that keeps it valuable in our minds is the fact that people trust it has worth. They have confidence in the federal government and that fact that other people will continue to accept and trade dollars for goods.
In post world war I Germany, their “marks” become worthless due to hyperinflation.
So if you have all your money in dollars and they become worthless in an epic collapse, the utilities and mortgage companies won’t accept them anymore. Maybe they’ll accept gold or silver? It’s hard to know exactly how it would all shake out in this sort of epic collapse but we would all be in a world of hurt.
In an all-out worst-case world wide collapse, banks and utilities would fail. No payment necessary – but we would then be living in a lawless society. We’d have more serious things to worry about, like starvation.
Peter Lukasch says
There will be no electricity, no internet, and no mortgages to worry about. What would you personally have to offer your fellow man? That is the question you must ask yourself. You must have knowledge or a viable skill to offer. Material assets of questionable use will be worthless. Can you fix or repair things, are you strong, able to offer protection, do you have survival skills? These are the important “assets” of the future
Ed says
Bush doubled our national debt. Not to be outdone, Obama doubled the new national debt, I.e. now 4 times more than when Bush took office. With Trump, the debt buildup continues. At least our economy is getting heated now, but what if that changes, perhaps by world events?
Realist says
All this preparation in hopes of surviving to what exactly? There will be no recovery from the next sh*tstorm. It will be the very end. a poison pill and an Awesome Last Supper is a cheaper alternative and best preparation. A few hundred bucks and a 10grams of cyanide.
Just In Case Jack says
I agree that survival in a SHTF scenario is not for the faint of heart.