Why do you need to stock up for 2012? The economy is in tumultuous times right now, and you never know when you will lose your main source of income. On top of that, money is being printed out left, right and centre as a desperate attempt to combat the ever-growing debt (for more information, please see Raising the Debt Ceiling – August 2, 2011), and prices continue to rise as a result. As these prices rise, there are two possible scenarios which could occur – deflation or inflation. A hyperinflation occurs when there is too much fiat currency and credit being created by the Federal Reserve. Since the money we use isn’t backed by anything and can be issued as much as is required, a hyperinflation is entirely possible. During a deflation, there are severe increases in unemployment, credit is less accessible, prices drop etc. Whatever end sup happening in the economy of 2012 and forward, it’s good to be prepared by having the basics of self-preservation.
Self Preservation Basics for 2012
The two most important commodities in an economic survival crisis are food and water. I have mentioned before how important it is to invest in gold and silver (please read How to Invest in Gold and Silver and What is Happening to the Price of Gold and Silver?), but that being said, you can’t eat silver rounds. In the times of the Great Depression, individuals traded gold and silver for food and history has a way of repeating itself so it’s good to make plans to protect yourself while you still have the chance.
Food and Water
The two things you should be stocking up on are food and water. If hyperinflation occurs, food will become too expensive and everyone will be rushing to the supermarket to use up their money now since it will be worth less tomorrow. Supermarkets will be sold out so quickly because people will want to hold onto what’s left of their purchasing power. In a recession or a depression, prices will go down but few people will have a job left to buy food with anyway. Many businesses will declare bankruptcy making food not always readily available. In the times of the Great Depression, many people starved to death. And that was when the majority of people lived in the countryside and got much of their food themselves. Nowadays, most people live in the city so all we have to rely on are stores. If stores go out of business or are sold out, you should have enough food in your home from your previous self-preservation preparations.
So what do you need to stock up on? Non-perishable food items and the best; you can stock up on pastas, rice, instant noodles, many different types of nuts and assorted dry fruits, canned soup, beans, cereals, oatmeal, canned meats (tuna, chicken, oysters etc), broths, peanut butter, jellies etc. You also want to stock up on baked goods so that if push comes to shove you can make some of your own breads to sustain yourself, or use it to trade for other goods. These types of dry baking goods include flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, vanilla extract, vinegar, apple cider vinegar, honey, oils (olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil etc), yeast as well as an assortment of spices. There are many places available online to purchase emergency food, wisefoodstorage.com for example, sells meals with a shelf life of 25 years.
When it comes to quenching your thirst, you should have an extensive supply of bottled water, tea, coffee, juice etc. Water is absolutely essential for keeping your body hydrated and healthy so be sure to have plenty of water lying around. You can also put water in jars and throw in a few silver coins as they will prevent the water from mildewing. It is also important to keep extra jugs around (from large juice containers perhaps) in case there is a water shortage and you are forced to carry your water, at least you’ll have something to keep it in.
Toiletries and Cleaning Supplies
It is also very important to stock up on your basic hygiene items such as soap (buy both the bar and the liquid kind, you never know what you’ll be able to use), extra shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving creams, razors as well as feminine products. Men, it might be a good idea for you to grab a pack or two of feminine products as well because you never know if you’ll have a woman at your place in this time of crisis. Difficult times cause people to bond together and you may very well be sharing space with your sister, lover or friend so it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Your toiletries stock pile should also include lots of toilet paper, Kleenex, wet wipes and paper towels.
Cleaning supplies are also important to keep because you never know when you’ll have access to it again and you don’t want to be living in your own filth (especially if the economic crisis lasts for years). Keep a well stocked pile of various cleaning supplies such as disinfectant, dish liquid, laundry detergent, window cleaner, all purpose cleaner, heavy duty cleaner, magic erasers, sponges, cloths, etc.
Prepare for Heat Loss
Since we are preparing for the worst, you never know when the electricity will be cut off or when the heat will be gone. Now is the time to stock up on warm clothes, extra blankets, comforters, sweaters etc. It’s also a good idea to keep a couple automatic propane heaters at your place, along with propane cans to keep you warm if this should happen. These will also come in handy if you want to heat up some food in case the electricity is cut off because they don’t require to be plugged in.
Emergency Kit
Having an emergency kit on hand is essential because you never know what type of injury you will encounter but a safe bet is to have several bottles of rubbing alcohol, plenty of cotton swabs, peroxide, bandaids, aspirin, any prescription medication you might need etc. You might also want to get some bandages, cloths, gauze etc. If you don’t want to set up this emergency kit by yourself, you can order one from emergencyfirstaid.com. They have an extensive variety that can fit your needs.
Household and Plastic Goods
Other items to keep well in stock include batteries, flashlight, light bulbs, candles, matches, wax paper, various sizes of plastic bags (freezer bags, garbage bags, sandwich bags) napkins, plastic wrap etc. It is also important to keep plastic cups, plates and utensils handy in case there is a water shortage, you don’t want to be in a position of constantly washing your dishes just to be able to eat. By keeping disposable dishes around, you’ll be able to throw them out after eating to save you the trouble later on.
It is also important to keep extra items in your house if they apply to you. For example, if you have a dog, perhaps stock up now on dog food and bone chews, anything else they might need in the future. If you have a baby or are planning to have a baby in the near future, you should probably be stocing up on formula, diapers, baby food, wipes and other baby necessities.
Gold and Silver
In times of economic crises, gold and silver are the only things which retain their value. By having lots of rounds stacked, in a best case scenario you can make wild profits and in a worst case scenario you will be able to use these to trade for food, water and whatever else you may need. When paper money reverts back to the value of the paper it’s printed on, people rush back into gold and silver because they know this has value that can’t be created out of thin air. It’s important to stack on this now (if you haven’t been doing so already), before the price skyrockets out of control.
Conclusion
Ideally, you would want to move away to the countryside away from large cities. When hungry people begin rioting and if mobs should mobs begin, you want to be as far away from civilization as possible. The safest thing you can do is stock up for you and your family until it all blows over.
What if I’m wrong? Many of you may be skeptical about stockpiling your house with food and water and wonder if this will really happen. Think of it like insurance – you don’t want it to happen, but you’ll feel safer knowing that you are prepared should it end up happening. And with all the fiat currency and most countries running on debt, there is little room for avoiding a global economic meltdown anyway. Be prepared today to protect yourself tomorrow.
The image used in this post is taken from Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
