My mom was a bit of a survivalist. She was a teetotaler but firmly believed in booze. Her plan was to have cases and cases of booze, the stronger the better. If you would have the storage space, there is nothing more barter-able than booze. Name brand stuff would obviously be best, but anything will do in tough times. Recession proof and depression proof, that's a fact.
I like what Weiss said about 90% silver. If things get whacky with silver in demand, every counterfeiter out there will be making their version of 1 ounce rounds stating .999 fineness, etc. I prefer to stick to the 90% US mint product. Maybe for the first few weeks of a crisis you'll have to carry a RedBook with you to show the newbies what a silver coin looks like. They will catch on.
The Weimar situation was a depression, and it was hyper-inflationary. So is Zimbabwe. With most of the people out of work, that's a depression. If you look at the 1930's depression gold did indeed outperform the dollar.....the initial devaluation in 1933 gave gold a 70% boost that left the USD in the dust. The only way to legally speculate in gold as a private citizen was to buy gold stocks. They were one of the best performing sectors during the 1930's. Gold was money back then. And while gold may not be "official" money today, I think most realize it's been playing a semi-monetary role for several years now. At some point it will be considered a fully monetary equivalent.
I finally sat down and read this thread. Good compilation. I've been on two other boards, not CU, aviation and stock boards and when you mention this stuff the responses are straight out of a...well, straight-jacket. It got called a "fear monger" yesterday. And I didn't even get wound up. There is still a big disconnect out there. When TSHF, as rr says, it will not be fun for those who are not prepared. Protection from vandals is utmost. I'm on 3 acres and I'll see 'em comin'. That reminds me, gotta lay out my fields of fire. But if you are in a big city apartment...you are working in close proxy with the crazies.
I was listening to GB. He had some analyst on that is hired by big corps to play "what ifs" and he thought that there are two more years of a downturn regarding stocks. His forecast for the -500 could go as low as 300. There could, however, be a near term rally up and then a spiraling churn and burn. A slow capitulation as I call it. Unemployment at it's low somewhere around 20-25%.
The length of this depression is what will drive people nuts. If you travel for work you will have to dress understated, show no wealth. I can see nice cars being targeted...nice houses too. Not-so-fun times ahead.
<< <i> The length of this depression is what will drive people nuts. If you travel for work you will have to dress understated, show no wealth. I can see nice cars being targeted...nice houses too. Not-so-fun times ahead. >>
Being of the opposite planning in personal investing, with profits up, I see opportunities ahead to buy the large house I want, and the Mercedes I would like too. Needless to say, I never trusted the stock market, and I got out of real estate right at the very tip top of the market in late 2005. Then put the proceeds into metal, and you can guess what happened to metals since then, nearly 95% higher in value.
In memory of my kitty Seryozha 14.2.1996 ~ 13.9.2016 and Shadow 3.4.2015 - 16.4.21
<< <i>Well If I were thinking a major depression was coming stock up on goods to barter, hey booze did great in the last depression
Really a handgun is about the last weapon you'd want as groups of people wander the countryside. It's a last resort weapon for the house and good to carry on your person (with CCW of course). Really you would have to be on watch 24 X 7 even your garden wouldn't be safe from an assult or smoke coming from your fireplace would attract people. Have a generator? Many will take it off your hands. Weapons should be deployed IMO in this order:
1. Rifle (223 or 7.62 X 39 best due to cost of ammo). Your deer rifle won't do you much good with that whole box of ammo you have for it. I can see that this board hasn't tried to purchase ammo lately everyone is selling out quick. This is your long and med. range weapons. If something like this really played out guns would be a dime a dozen but ammo would be gold.
2. Shotgun with slugs or #1 buckshot (best) but everyone will have 00 buck which is okay. This is your medium to short range weapon and nothing at these ranges is better. The Mossberg Mavrick 88 is under $200 and is designed for home defense. Forget the fancy handgrips and cool stuff while they look cool they'll slow you down.
3. Last resort handgun that is kept on the person. If you face someone with the above weapons good luck.
While were on the subject train, train, train. I've had my CCW for 5 years now and have handgun training. I've hunted all my life and I'm best with a shotgun. So my plan if to take a urban rifle course since I've shot a lot of 22 LR but I'm not a rifle guy in general so I'll work on my weakest skill. Here's the class I'll take in the next few months but man trying to find 1500 rounds of 223 and 300 rounds of pistol ammo is not only costly it's scarce.
You're right about certain forms of ammo being tough to get, I bought a .223 AR-15 this spring and have accumulated 1,000 V-max ballistic rounds along with 400 full metal jacket rounds. I've only got 100 hollow points for my .45 Glock so maybe I should get some more for it, I've also got 200 shotgun shells for my Mossberg though I don't have any 00 or slugs so maybe I should get some of each.
In my opinion being prepared requires some silver, perhaps some small gold, and plenty of backup.
And yes, I have plenty of ammo to go with them, bought last summer when prices were still reasonable. Actually I think my ammo has been my best investment in quite a long time, assuming I wanted to sell or trade it.
<< <i>In my opinion being prepared requires some silver, perhaps some small gold, and plenty of backup.
And yes, I have plenty of ammo to go with them, bought last summer when prices were still reasonable. Actually I think my ammo has been my best investment in quite a long time, assuming I wanted to sell or trade it. >>
That's a nice cache of firearms, one thing I'd like to get for my sweet 16 bull barrel AR-15 is a silencer or sound deadener man alive that thing sounds like a cannon when I fire it!!!
I am informed that silencers have been legal in Missouri for over a year now. You might want to check your own state law.
As to the liquor for barter idea, it reminds me of a book that I read long ago and re-read about a year ago, "Alas Babylon". Liquor was more useful than metal coins or jewelry, and the metal had the hazardous possibility of having been gathered up from one of the radioactive sites.
If the rules all change, the bad guys count on you being the one who doesn't adapt to the new protocol. The element of surprise is always used to their advantage, and firepower may not always bail you out. Be a difficult target, if you must risk being one at all.
I live 8 miles out of town. About a week ago, the cops were chasing a guy who had been breaking into houses along a side road where I live. He had to have run through the back of my property on his way to getting apprehended. Now, my dogs have a perimeter fence, and all of the gates are usually locked. The house has an alarm, and we have guns handy. I never thought any of this would be necessary, but here we are.
Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally
food, energy and shelter. The Mormans suggested 6 months of supplies...I believe.
7.62x 39 is AK47 isn't it? It's in the Wally World stores in SoCal because AK's are not allowed (alledgedly) in CAL. How many boxes do you need? I'm just darn happy I was able to gets me some 357. ------38spl......forgetaboutit. Haven't seen it in +/-6 months.
Comments
The Weimar situation was a depression, and it was hyper-inflationary. So is Zimbabwe. With most of the people out of work, that's a depression. If you look at the 1930's depression gold did indeed outperform the dollar.....the initial devaluation in 1933 gave gold a 70% boost that left the USD in the dust. The only way to legally speculate in gold as a private citizen was to buy gold stocks. They were one of the best performing sectors during the 1930's. Gold was money back then. And while gold may not be "official" money today, I think most realize it's been playing a semi-monetary role for several years now. At some point it will be considered a fully monetary equivalent.
roadrunner
Did the gold stocks do so well because they were the only game in town? Or were they sound companies with increasing earnings?
Knowledge is the enemy of fear
I was listening to GB. He had some analyst on that is hired by big corps to play "what ifs" and he thought that there are two more years of a downturn regarding stocks. His forecast for the -500 could go as low as 300. There could, however, be a near term rally up and then a spiraling churn and burn. A slow capitulation as I call it. Unemployment at it's low somewhere around 20-25%.
The length of this depression is what will drive people nuts. If you travel for work you will have to dress understated, show no wealth. I can see nice cars being targeted...nice houses too. Not-so-fun times ahead.
<< <i>
The length of this depression is what will drive people nuts. If you travel for work you will have to dress understated, show no wealth. I can see nice cars being targeted...nice houses too. Not-so-fun times ahead. >>
Being of the opposite planning in personal investing, with profits up, I see opportunities ahead to buy the large house I want, and the Mercedes I would like too. Needless to say, I never trusted the stock market, and I got out of real estate right at the very tip top of the market in late 2005. Then put the proceeds into metal, and you can guess what happened to metals since then, nearly 95% higher in value.
1. A quantity of U.S. Silver coinage
in dimes, quarters and halves.
2. A reserve of cash in a safe place
in the event it retains any value at all.
3. Lead. Is always the king of metals
especially with a powder charge behind it.
Camelot
<< <i>Well If I were thinking a major depression was coming stock up on goods to barter, hey booze did great in the last depression
Really a handgun is about the last weapon you'd want as groups of people wander the countryside. It's a last resort weapon for the house and good to carry on your person (with CCW of course). Really you would have to be on watch 24 X 7 even your garden wouldn't be safe from an assult or smoke coming from your fireplace would attract people. Have a generator? Many will take it off your hands. Weapons should be deployed IMO in this order:
1. Rifle (223 or 7.62 X 39 best due to cost of ammo). Your deer rifle won't do you much good with that whole box of ammo you have for it. I can see that this board hasn't tried to purchase ammo lately everyone is selling out quick. This is your long and med. range weapons. If something like this really played out guns would be a dime a dozen but ammo would be gold.
2. Shotgun with slugs or #1 buckshot (best) but everyone will have 00 buck which is okay. This is your medium to short range weapon and nothing at these ranges is better. The Mossberg Mavrick 88 is under $200 and is designed for home defense. Forget the fancy handgrips and cool stuff while they look cool they'll slow you down.
3. Last resort handgun that is kept on the person. If you face someone with the above weapons good luck.
While were on the subject train, train, train. I've had my CCW for 5 years now and have handgun training. I've hunted all my life and I'm best with a shotgun. So my plan if to take a urban rifle course since I've shot a lot of 22 LR but I'm not a rifle guy in general so I'll work on my weakest skill. Here's the class I'll take in the next few months but man trying to find 1500 rounds of 223 and 300 rounds of pistol ammo is not only costly it's scarce.
USSA Tactical Rifle >>
You're right about certain forms of ammo being tough to get, I bought a .223 AR-15 this spring and have accumulated 1,000 V-max ballistic rounds along with 400 full metal jacket rounds. I've only got 100 hollow points for my .45 Glock so maybe I should get some more for it, I've also got 200 shotgun shells for my Mossberg though I don't have any 00 or slugs so maybe I should get some of each.
<< <i>Does Silver Barbed Wire stop werewolves and vampires.....
You travel to another dimension........
And yes, I have plenty of ammo to go with them, bought last summer when prices were still reasonable. Actually I think my ammo has been my best investment in quite a long time, assuming I wanted to sell or trade it.
World Collection
British Collection
German States Collection
<< <i>In my opinion being prepared requires some silver, perhaps some small gold, and plenty of backup.
And yes, I have plenty of ammo to go with them, bought last summer when prices were still reasonable. Actually I think my ammo has been my best investment in quite a long time, assuming I wanted to sell or trade it. >>
That's a nice cache of firearms, one thing I'd like to get for my sweet 16 bull barrel AR-15 is a silencer or sound deadener man alive that thing sounds like a cannon when I fire it!!!
As to the liquor for barter idea, it reminds me of a book that I read long ago and re-read about a year ago, "Alas Babylon". Liquor was more useful than metal coins or jewelry, and the metal had the hazardous possibility of having been gathered up from one of the radioactive sites.
If the rules all change, the bad guys count on you being the one who doesn't adapt to the new protocol. The element of surprise is always used to their advantage, and firepower may not always bail you out. Be a difficult target, if you must risk being one at all.
I live 8 miles out of town. About a week ago, the cops were chasing a guy who had been breaking into houses along a side road where I live. He had to have run through the back of my property on his way to getting apprehended. Now, my dogs have a perimeter fence, and all of the gates are usually locked. The house has an alarm, and we have guns handy. I never thought any of this would be necessary, but here we are.
I knew it would happen.
<< <i>My personal thoughts are
1. A quantity of U.S. Silver coinage
in dimes, quarters and halves.
2. A reserve of cash in a safe place
in the event it retains any value at all.
3. Lead. Is always the king of metals
especially with a powder charge behind it. >>
this post came out of hibernation
food, energy and shelter. The Mormans suggested 6 months of supplies...I believe.
7.62x 39 is AK47 isn't it? It's in the Wally World stores in SoCal because AK's are not allowed (alledgedly) in CAL. How many boxes do you need? I'm just darn happy I was able to gets me some 357. ------38spl......forgetaboutit. Haven't seen it in +/-6 months.
<< <i>If we head into a depression, plain old cash will do just fine.
Keep the PMs for a period of inflation. Which is not what we're seeing now. >>
I suspect we will not have to wait long for the "I" word to show up, strap yourself in as it will be a long bumpy ride.
Fred, Las Vegas, NV