“Think about the implications of your money not buying anything of value. How would you live? You are urban. You are dependent on a complex system of computerized production and distribution. It is all governed by profit and loss.” –Gary North
As stated in the quote above, everything in our system is “governed by profit and loss.” When an existing system for measuring profit and loss breaks down (when a currency goes bad), it takes time for another system to emerge and replace it. During the transition period, products and services that we take for granted can become temporarily unavailable.
Obviously, those who have certain “items of value” in their homes will be in far better shape during a monetary collapse than those who don’t. For this reason, I’m not going to belabor the point. Nor will I get into detailing the risk of not protecting you and your family against other problems that can destabilize the “complex system” that we all depend on…problems like mass unemployment, war, weather, terrorism, pandemics, civil unrest, etc. Instead, I will put forward a simple idea: If too much dependence on our system is a problem, a greater degree of independence is our solution.
With that in mind, the least we should have in our possession is: Storable food, water filters, gold and / or silver bullion and something for self-defense.
Food and water: If you don’t have access to food and water, you’re in big trouble. You will have no choice but go where you’re told to go and eat / drink what you’re given. (For a visual of how that might turn out, think: “Hurricane Katrina / Superdome.”) If this sounds like something you’d rather avoid, then buy some storable foods. Many storable foods have a shelf life of 15 to 30 years and, believe it or not, they actually taste good. Just add clean water and you will eat well. (Regarding “clean water,” you’ll want to have a good water filtration system.)
Any amount of storable food is better than nothing. If you can only afford a 2-week supply, then start there. But make it a goal to get at least a 3-month supply stored away as soon as you can. And if you can work your way up to a 6-month or 1-year supply, go for it. (Try to get your close friends and relatives to do the same.)
- I have purchased most of my storable food (and other preparedness items) from Nitro-Pak. If you're looking for an excellent "one-stop" place to shop, click here.
- I personally use a Berkey water filtration system. It will purify water from lakes, streams, wells and even stagnant ponds. Additionally, if you have "city water" that is fluoridated, Berkey offers "PF-2" filters that will remove the fluoride. (Not sure why you'd want to remove fluoride from your water? Visit AvoidFluoride.com for a quick overview.) The following Berkey dealer offers excellent prices: http://www.directive21.com
Gold and silver bullion: I am not aware of any case in history where a paper currency collapsed and gold / silver was NOT accepted in its place. If there are products and services for sale, gold and silver are virtually guaranteed to buy them. Just like your storable food, you should only “break out the gold / silver coins” when they're necessary. Think of your coins as “storable money” that will increase in value as the collapsing currency loses its value. I recommend that you stick with bullion coins for your “storable-money” fund. [1]
- Midas Resources offers competitive prices on gold and silver coins. The company is “A” rated with the Better Business Bureau and actively educates people about corruption in government. When you’re ready to purchase some “real money” (gold and silver), I recommend giving Midas a chance to earn your business. You can reach them at 1-800-686-2237 or you can visit them online at MidasResources.com.
Self-defense: It doesn’t make any sense to gather items for you and your family only so, when those items are needed the most, somebody can come along and take them from you. The most effective “self-defense” tool you can own is a gun. If you are afraid of guns, or if you are simply unfamiliar with them, I highly recommend you sign up for a basic firearms training course. Any fear you have now will decrease by about 90% once you gain a few hours of “hands on” experience. If you want to start with something very simple, begin with a revolver.
Of course, you do have other choices for self-defense. A stun gun, stun baton, taser, pepper spray (or bear spray if you want major “pepper power”) will greatly improve your ability to defend yourself. They all lack the reach of a firearm, but they are definitely much better than nothing and will help in many situations.
These four essentials (food and water, real money, and a way to defend yourself) will help you through nearly any instability that temporarily disrupts the “complex system” we all depend on. Your choice to be prepared will not only benefit you and your family, it will also benefit those who chose not to be… (You, and millions of others like you, will not take up space in government-run “Superdomes,” nor will you need to be fed, watered, and “protected.”) In short: The better prepared you are, the better it will be for the nation as a whole.
(1) The value of bullion coins is based solely on their gold or silver content, not on other variables like age, rarity, or condition.
