If Signs of Imminent Social Collapse Are Near, Exploit the System

I was just thinking what would it take to see the signs of imminent collapse of the social order, but I figure it would be one of those things you had to be either really perceptive of, or just make a really luckly call. As I see it, for years and even decades now people have made the call only for it to be a false alarm. That can be really troublesome if one invested heavy financial resources in preparedness and nothing camme about.

In any case, Ijust though I would discuss what one could do if we definetly knew it was right around the corner. Like a for sure certainty that it would be happening during an approaching timeline.

So what is the best thing you can do?

MAX OUT ALL THE CREDIT CARDS
Theres no better way to stick it to the man than to run up a balance for all the supplies that would be essential that the bankers would have no interest or capability of collecting on. For all we know the very record of it would dissapear in day too weeks.

I have made it a priority to have two empty credit cards with a minimum combined balance of $5000.00 .

I mean if the power is going to go out, might as well exploit the credit while its around , remember this is only assuming if we had definitive absolute certainty that social collapse is right on the verge. I am not saying do this now or in three years or whatnot.

Now five thousand dollars may not seem like much, but it actually can purchase alot of supplies that can be bartered when cash becomes useless.

Obviously number 1 on my list is AMMUNITION!! A real American should already own a firearm, so the end of the world better not be when you decide to get one because it will eat into your "I spit in the face of international bankers" budget.

I would preferably utilize 20% of the budget for my initial ammo stockpile. It will be very important as the capacity to manufacture not just ammo, but anything will be diminshed catastrophicly. So a thousand dollars should be able to get several thousand rounds of any sidearm ammunition, and a little less of rifle ammo. I suggest you mix it up.

#2 on my list is BOOKS!! Thats right, an important part of continuing life in a post apocalyptic society will be education. This should not take up too much on budget. Simple highschool textbooks on physical science, human health and anatomy, algebra, language arts will go a long way. You will also need to acquire specialized books on agriculture, engineering, detailed water purification, and metalurgy as well as chemistry. It is very important to have the knowledge base to start over the basic yet very complicated processes that the bulk of us take for granted which will not be availble freely in the future.

I know some of you may be laughing, but believe it or not education will actually be one f the biggest desires when it all hits the fan. Consider that in todays world of excess, an overwhelming volume of our population, including people in trades like plumbing, welding, mechanics etc have very basic literacy and almost no desire to even read anything of importance. When all the facebook profiles, blogs, tabloid newspapers and gossip columns dissapear, people will understand how hard life is. An education will become a very valuable thing to trade for.

The difference in survivng as a scavenger and as a leader of an organized communtiy may very welll lie in the availability of educational texts.

#3 on this list is all medical. You can get a bounty of disenfecting iodine, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment, bandages and wraps, and even cough medicine. There sure will be a high demmand of this product, and you can fetch a good premium for it.

Number four on my list is ... BATTERIES!!! They come at abut the same price is the ammo, a bit more if you get rechargeables, but you will need to get many sizes and types. I also reccommend getting some portable solar chargers to keep them going for asong as you can. The batteries and chargers can be traded off for other necessities as you see fit. Better be something you need or know someone else wants for something you need though, and not no michael jordan rookie card or first edition of superman.

And number five for now on things too get is, SPICES! Thats right, dry spices can last years in an airtight plastic container and you will be very surprised at how much people will desire them when they realize natural slaughtered and grown food is not nearly as flavorful as the manufactured products you buy in the store. Obviously most people will just be happy to have anything too eat, but there will be people who have something you need that would not mind flavoring their food.

Many probably wonder why I did not have food on the list. Well Food is not something that preserves well. So its not something that you can really hoard for trade. It is a survival essential, and people will be killing and dying for it. But besides that, food exists naturally in our world, unlike all the five things I listed. Food is a renewable resources that can be grown and/or hunted and slaughtered. In fact this is what you will have to do once the manufacturing facilites shut down. That is why it is important to stockpile manufactured supplies because they will no longer be manufactured. Canned goods will be the first thing cleared out aywhere you go, which means you can actually have the heads up because alot of people may actually be foolish enough to trade for it for some batteries and rubbing alcohol. This will give you time to secure a location with your guns and ammo to grow food utilizing your books on agriculture.


Get a few others that are on board to work together, and you will be able to secure a large enough area for a few families to begin prospering as the beginning leadership in a chaotic urban environment. Just give away your education for free and do not be a heartless dictator and you will succeed.

The larger your credit line is at the end of the day the more supplies you can get. Imagine the looks on the bankers faces when they realize millions of people ran up the credit cards to buy everything in inventory all around the world the moment the system collapsed.

This is just my personal rant and supply list though. everyonne will have a different opinion and obviously it will probably nearly impossible to actually execute this plan, but it would sure be great if you could.


Tell me what yall think.

I don't know. I think if you and I can figure out that collapse is imminent, the banks will probably know too. On the other hand, you could risk running up a very large debt based on a false alarm.

[edit on 7/28/2010 by darkelf]

reply to post by darkelf

Cash advances? Tucked away. Assuming cash is still worth anything after TSHTF.

reply to post by ~Lucidity


Of course it will be worth something,
We buy 4 packs of it in rolls at the supermarket currently under another name.
Charmin.
I don't know about maxing the cards out.
I say just cut em up and make that the big stick it to em.

You have a partial and somewhat good list for stuff and equipment to keep, but you need to trade things. So, make a still and stockpile alcohol and buy a lot cigarettes. Nothing takes the edge of apocalyptic doom and gloom like a smoke and drink.

That still will also come in real handy if you want to make low grade fuel, you can double or triple column the output to make 99% plus pure ethanol. Energy is an excellent and trad-able commodity, plus you'll need some yourself for those wall mounted flame throwers (just mix the ethanol with Palmolive Dish Detergent, it sticks ;-).

And FFS learn basic chemistry, you never know when you might need to make a little party favor from chemicals under the sink! Or to make other things to keep the crazies at bay, hmmm... Sudafed, Fuel Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Methanol, Lye, Water, Sieve filter... hmmmm.

Cheers - Dave

Um - Just Curious - what are you going to eat on your purchasing list? Bullets or Batteries?

reply to post by Bonified Ween

You can always barter for food or whatever you need. No supplies are going to last forever, but having a large supply of any (any) one item (in my case a very small thing that I can easily carry and store) that you know will be in high demand will be as good as money.

[edit on 7/28/2010 by ~Lucidity]

reply to post by Bonified Ween


Silly!
You cannot eat bullets or batteries.
However I find when I feed bullets to the boomstick, food magically appears in front of it.
But both bullets and batteries could be in demand in a shtf situation.

Interesting to see so many folk posting various survival methods.
Along with the "Survival" reality shows on TV. It appears that subliminally
the movement is gaining momentum. The Nike and Exxon commercials
just don't cut it anymore now do they?

All preparations duly noted, yet how would we handle 10 or 12 dollar a gallon
gasoline or home heating oil.

I figure that is when ALL HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE. Utmost mass Chaos for
sure. Buy a cabin with a wood stove and be prepared to live like Abe Lincoln.
I hope to heaven that it doesn't devolve to that, but rest assured that the speculators don't give a damn about this country or any other for that matter.

It appears that the lobbyest special interest groups are having a Benedict Arnold party down in D.C. Kinda like a venture capitalist bought the USA
and is now in the process off chopping it up,spinning it off, and cashing in.
Add a bicycle to your credit card.

reply to post by DYepes


I think you nailed everything you said. I would have said almost exactly the same thing.

My only question is, you're going to get your ass out of flat Florida, right? And up into some mountains? If you haven't considered it yet you should for a number of extra safety features, including making it more difficult to find you or to contaminate your food or water sources if you used high-up natural mountain springs (just follow creeks back to their sources up the mountains -- always easier said than done I know).


"S" might "HTF" in different parts of the US at different times. Some areas may be apparently unaffected at all, like poor rural Appalachia and isolated and independent communities out West. While places like NYC and San Diego probably haven't seen anything near the worst of what's to come.

Good idea...its hard very hard though to figure out the correct moment to hit on your credit card.

I think another very important item to trade with will be gold, silver other precious metals and valuable stones such as rubies, diamonds...probably the only currency accepted after a meltdown.

Originally posted by Bonified Ween
Um - Just Curious - what are you going to eat on your purchasing list? Bullets or Batteries?

Man, I feel pity for you. Have you never ate anything straight from a field or forest? Don't tell me you'll only eat something if it's at least 2 weeks old, stuffed full of preservatives, and in a can at your local Wal Mart.

Originally posted by DYepes
#2 on my list is BOOKS!! Thats right, an important part of continuing life in a post apocalyptic society will be education. This should not take up too much on budget.

Simpler and cheaper strategy...hole up in a library!

reply to post by citizen smith


Only if I was young and single and it had one of those atomic HAWT librarians, you know what I’m talking about.
Now on the main topic, if you did max out your cards.
I think the best things to buy would be foods, weaponry, booze, tobacco, power sources, Etc.
Things that will assist you in living or that can be bartered for.
Now here is the plan.
On August 1 and we need everyone in the US to participate, we all max out our cards buy fuel with your gas cards too.
But in about 4 months before any proceedings could be brought against individuals we should be able to shut down the system.
Meanwhile we all file bankruptcy and pay our lawyers with same said cards.

When the market is about to go south, it will be to late, they may just come out and say everything is toast, and at that point the credit card machines won't work, and people will be RAIDING the stores and markets..

Guns and ammo should be pre-purchased. canned food, guns and ammo are the first things to go when TSHTF.

I'd make a semi-logical comment here, of on top of having such books, pre-read them, especially the agriculture book, because the longer it takes you to figure out how to get seeds in the ground, the longer it's going to take for you to get food in your mouth.

Items:
Medical: Suture, needle, bandages, ace bandage, scissors, zacto-style knife, pain killers, cold/hot water bag, iodine, isoprop-alcohol, bandages, tape.

General utility:
wood axe or hatchet, shovel, Matches/lighter (magnifying glass for when you run out of those), twine, Pocket knife.

Food:
Add fishing pole, lines, lures, hooks, etc.
Seeds, have some saved in air-tight container ahead of time.
Pre-packaged foods will be handy to have some around. to keep you going and supplement hunting/fishing and farming.
SALT.. lots and lots of SALT!

Water is easy, especially if you can make a fire, and have two containers, and are able to setup a system to boil water, and capture the steam and let it turn back into water. I forgot the correct name at the moment for this system.

Basically, the more prepared you are ahead of time, the better off your going to be, rather then running around like the rest of the idiots at the end when TSHTF.

Just my $0.02.

1. Find power. Generators, lights, etc. Any kind is great.

2. Canned and dry foods are second only to water. You can survive without eating for awhile, but dehydration will always get you first.

3. Weapons are great, but the ability to light a fire in end-times is more important. I suggest grabbing metal brillo pads and Batteries. They are somewhat waterproof and can light a fire if rubbed together, along with their other normal uses.

4. Hide. Keep hidden. Stay hidden. The farther from people you are in End-times, the better. If lighting a fire, make sure it's in a corner somewhere. Solitude is it's own item.

5. Rope. NEVER underestimate this item. If traveling to a safer area, you'll downright need one of these.

6. Lastly, a very strong knife. Bullets run out, and guns will be taken/stolen. Matter of fact, it could lead you to your doom. People will want your gun, but are less likely to go after you for a knife.


I agree with the OP though. If you have knowledge that the world is fixing to go belly-up, using the hell out of the creditcards is a very wise move. If you don't have the ability to do that, and are caught off-guard, the next best thing to to hunker down in a safe place and let everyone else kill eachother for awhile. Once you leave though, keep moving.

I have two thoughts on the matter. I agree that books and information will be valuable, but books are bulky, prone to mildew, and costly. An ebook or even a Blackberry can hold hundreds of books, and can fit in a pocket. Both can be equally product tracked by satellite with nanotech in ink or componants, so the problem with that is mutual. The second thought revolves around mountains. While that may be the ideal thought for some, does it automatically beat a rocky cliff wall in hills, or a large tract of remote plains or light woods? A shelter could be built, and concealed, almost anywhere.

reply to post by Cygnis


Distilling, you boil the water till it is steam it travels into a copper tube at the top and becomes a liquid on its way down.

reply to post by Benchwarmer


Starting a fire would be a nice thing, but I would not put any importance on anything other than water.
Dehydration will kill quickly, but after that I would say all of the other are dependant on each other. It wouldn’t matter how much food, gold, water, Etc. you have if you cannot protect it and the same way around the other all of the shelter in the world means nothing to a hungry tummy, and bullets do not cook well.
So water yes after that they are all walls in the house otherwise the house falls.
But in any case if you’re prepped and the world has gone to hell, yeah build your tribe if you can and let everyone else kill themselves off.
Simple bullet wounds kill when you cant just go to the hospital, hell sometimes they do when you can.

reply to post by Northwarden


Redundancy, Redundancy, Redundancy,
USB Ipods and all off that are great but all things can suffer damage take books and disks
If you cannot take them with you, bury them in an airtight case with silica gel.
But more than one source would be best.

OP, you rock! I am not a hard core prepper like some I have seen but I am above the curve.
These shtf topics help because they generally help me find an angle I had'nt explored before.

Originally posted by DYepes
Number four on my list is ... BATTERIES!!! They come at abut the same price is the ammo, a bit more if you get rechargeables, but you will need to get many sizes and types.

Again, look at what there is available to be scavenged that most folk will overlook.

Locations such as cellphone masts will likely have a backup power-supply powered by a bank of deep-cycle batteries. Deep-cycles are first choice, but a battery-bank built up from auto-batteries will work just as well

Another is gym equipment...the DC motors in treadmills make excellent generators for wind/hydro power

The most important components for power self-sufficiency that will be worth purchasing are:

1) A charge-controller to regulate power input to the battery bank
2) A decent (1000watt-ish) DC-to-AC inverter

Originally posted by citizen smith

Originally posted by DYepes
Number four on my list is ... BATTERIES!!! They come at abut the same price is the ammo, a bit more if you get rechargeables, but you will need to get many sizes and types.

Again, look at what there is available to be scavenged that most folk will overlook.

Locations such as cellphone masts will likely have a backup power-supply powered by a bank of deep-cycle batteries. Deep-cycles are first choice, but a battery-bank built up from auto-batteries will work just as well

Another is gym equipment...the DC motors in treadmills make excellent generators for wind/hydro power

The most important components for power self-sufficiency that will be worth purchasing are:

1) A charge-controller to regulate power input to the battery bank
2) A decent (1000watt-ish) DC-to-AC inverter

Good call, I'd also say give some thought to tools as well!
Good, craft tools and not the imported crp from China.