I have read so many threads lately here about the falling dollar, economy crashing, trade defecit, etc.

There is a thread right now called The war on the dollar and there is a post on there with a final line of "if you are not preparing to survive, then it is your own fault."

I read that and started thinking. Lets say our economy does take a turn for the worst. How do we as everyday people prepare for this and survive this. Almost like the nucleur blast survival guide someone had on ATS some time ago.

I am probrally lower middle class. What can I do to ensure that I am not starving when and if this goes done?

Learn how to garden, hunt and find clean water.

That's all you need to survive a economic crash.

Easy when you see that the dollar is starting to drop and you think its gonna crash or if Opec moves away from the dollar mortgage your house as many times as you can and buy gold.

I would suggest that if an economic crisis that would force you to leave your normal living area actually happened then the only safe way of survival is to enclave with like minded/similar valued people. This would involve forming a militia and arming up to the teeth, barricading off your food/water sources and guarding them with this militia.

The simple fact is that if there is massive shortages of everything there will be a natural migration out of the city areas into rural regions to find food, if you have a garden then your going to be killed for it plain and simple.

Once law and order has failed to prevent wholesale looting's then its possible within a very short period the weak,old and young people will fall off the perch thus naturally leaving the strong, intelligent and opportunistic people to rebuild the economy of that said country.

So I am guessing there is really no way to safe guard you againts this.
Take up hutning, farming, and join a militia.

Anyone else want to contribute?

I think you should start paying off your debts, stop useing your credit cards, buy stuff like jewelry that has good value, make sure you have guns and enough ammo. and start paying for stuff with cash instead.

Start putting up lots of non-persishable foods, medicines, and other "survival" items.

Even if we don't have have an economic crash, you'll be debt free, well-armed, well-fed, and look good wearing your gold and diamonds.

I wonder if the US would get an idea based off how they got out of the Great Depression by going to war. Because World War II brought us out of the Great Depression.

I have also come to the conclusion that a severe economic meltdown is immanent. My main concern is to preserve the money, in some way, that I have in 403B's iRA that sort of thing. I can't get my hands on them now, but perhaps I could find a safe haven for them. Some form of investment. Or is the whole system goin in the crapper. Does it ever seem that it's just not your lucky life?

The west is collapsing but China, India, Indonesia, & the rest of the Third world now have the majority of factories & industry therefore they will survive by increasing their own wages and allowing their own populations to become consumers of their own products, HOW EVER the West is toast! Especially the U.K. & the U.S.A. Australia & Canada still have lots of raw natural resources but all social programs will go out the window and most people will be unemployed. This is the real reason for the transformation of the Police State & detainment centers.
The economic collapse is really happening. Wake up! The gov't are liars.

A few ideas.

1. Pay off high interest debt (credit cards etc)
   
2. cut out needless expenses, cable subscriptions etc, and start saving some working capital
   
3. start thinking about other things you can do if you lose your job. Business ideas etc. look to the third world for ideas (shops, stalls, taxis, workshops, farming, etc)
   
4. GET FINANICIALLY LITERATE. Learn how to make what moeny you have work for you, and protect you from financial crashes
   

Find a job those industries which must servive: agriculture, chemical, energy and transportation. If you own a panera bread or a starbucks, you are #ed in a crash.

This is coming whether we like it or not! We must be prepared and calm. Make sure you have toliet paper, sugar, chocolate, hard candy, guns, ammunition, hurricane lamps and lots of wicks, kerosene, and lighters (the big kind). Make sure that you have at least... the very minimum... enough food to last your family 3 weeks. Cereals and canned goods are a great idea (just make sure that you have a hand crank can opener because you probably won't be able to afford electricity.) Make sure that you have good winter boots if you live in a cold area, along with a good winter coat and even snow pants. Have lots of blankets on hand and good things to cover your hands, feet and head since they lose the most amount of heat. Start trying to pay your mortgage ahead of time... try and be about 6 months ahead if possible! If you aren't ahead and you miss 3 payments then you lose your house. Work to aquire gold (if you have the money) if not then silver because it is relatively cheap and easy to barter with. The biggest thing is to get mentally prepared! Don't EVER tell yourself that this could never happen to the U.S. Think about the Greeks and the Romans, both collapsed due to financial distress and greed! GET READY!!!! :0)

Originally posted by BattleofBatoche
The west is collapsing but China, India, Indonesia, & the rest of the Third world now have the majority of factories & industry therefore they will survive by increasing their own wages and allowing their own populations to become consumers of their own products, HOW EVER the West is toast! Especially the U.K. & the U.S.A. Australia & Canada still have lots of raw natural resources but all social programs will go out the window and most people will be unemployed. This is the real reason for the transformation of the Police State & detainment centers.
The economic collapse is really happening. Wake up! The gov't are liars.

China, INdia brazil, russia will NOT escape this

Oil prices go down = so does russia

U.S consumption goes down = China and India take a beating

Canada sure does have alot of resources that is why AMERICAN was so eager to create the SPP.GOV/ North american union infrastructure. America is soon to rape the resources from canada when they join the NAU, and mexico will be used for cheap labor. Giddy up

As i have posted before (numerous times) the U.S job market stability will be re-established when Washington Backs a Gov't job program/ alternative energy initiative with hundreds of billions of dollars (provide jobs) and get us off oil independence because (SHHHhhhh we only like the oil as energy gig so long as we have the OIL-DOLLAR) otherwise we would have had green technology implemented a LONG time ago. When the world loses faith in the dollar, and OPEC switches to a basket of currency's (instead of just the $) then you will see washington switch into high gear regarding "alternative energy" JUST WATCH! it didn't take a brain surgeon to figure this out

also should obama be president we get war with Pakistan and prob Russia

If mccain we get war w/ IRAN take your pick but we will have war

war goes with economic crisis like fly's on SH%$

[edit on 29-9-2008 by cpdaman]

Originally posted by nextguyinline
Learn how to garden, hunt and find clean water.

That's all you need to survive a economic crash.

Exactly.

1) Go buy seeds.
2) Get a few gardening books.
3) Learn what grows best in your local climate.
4) Get some reading on Hunting/Fishing.
5) Get some surplus supplies nessisary for Hunting/Fishing/Gardening.
6) Learn how to clean water.

Getting a gun and some ammo, isnt a bad idea either. I personally dont have a gun however, but everyone i know had about 10 guns, so if i need one i know where to borrow it

Nextguyinline good post, very to the point.

Set your morals and ethics aside and learn how to steal,kill rob, whatever. You might not ever actually need these skills, but if you're ever in a situation where you're seriously starving you'll be glad you learned how to snag someones wallet, dumpster dive, rob a house, or even kill and loot their corpse.

Read the survival forum

Search for an underground forum that discusses survival, crime, home gunsmithing, etc.. they aren't THAT hard to find...

[edit on 29-9-2008 by Raverous]

For short term, buy high calorie and easily stored food now while you have the money. Hard candies, high cal survival bars and multi-vitamins are good ideas. Hide them very carefully. Buy weapons and ammo.

Learn to find clean water, it can be done almost anywhere.

Don't bother with a garden unless you are in a good growing climate and are within a cooperative community. You will get killed for your garden eventually and keeping up and protecting a garden is harder than planting a few seeds and sitting around with a shotgun.

Learn to hunt, trap, and gather if you are in a rural or city outskirt area. Stock up on salt and learn to find firewood. Learn to smoke meat. Bagging a deer is great but if you can't preserve the meat, it is mostly a waste.

Buy first aid and essential medicine.

Most importantly, make sure you have friendly relations with neighbors. A good community is key and organizing if there is a government collapse means survival.

Where is health care in all this? What are we going to do when our kids get sick?