Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse (And Other Disasters)

[hank213 1,823]

Why I decided to buy some PMs (that just don't look right).

 

I think a major and catastrophic financial upheaval is the single most likely of the national or international SHTF events we face as responsible earners and as preppers. So here, as much as I can recall, is some of the history and some of the items from my thought process behind buying gold and silver. BTW, I placed an order today through libertycpm.

 

A couple years ago I got part of an inheritance from a property sale. With that money I got completely debt free and had some left over. I took a portion of that leftover (a few k) to open a scottrade account and learn some about trading in individual options as opposed to mutual funds etc. It's been 1 year and 11 months since I got in and the first year was rough but the remaining 11 mos. I did pretty well. I decided that I no longer wanted to devote the time and energy in monitoring/researching individual options and had to make a decision what to do with the cash. Toward the end of the 11 month stretch is when I started getting into reading about prepping in a more earnest fashion and came across a first hand account of the Argentinian financial crisis in 2000 and it really struck a chord with me (I believe I linked it here, if not let me know and I will). With that in mind I decided to get that money completely out of the standard financial industry options. I wasn't going to simply add it to my savings account, or my CD, or any other "electronic" vehicle for storing/accumulating wealth. I wanted first and foremost to put it in something that I could touch so that if something does happen I don't have to rely on some dickhead in a suit to decide if I'm going to have access to MY money. This was re-enforced by some of the moves I saw the EU try to impose on Cyprus. "You're going to take 10% of my money to bailout a bunch of Gordon Gecko wannabes that overleveraged their instituion in what amounts to casino games? Sounds like a good way to get shot." But I digress.

 

So aside from wanting a vehicle that was tangible, I also wanted something that is, and historically always has been, inherently valuable. Something that would hold it's value better than paper currency but is still fairly fungible. Basically, my motivation was that if the dollar takes a complete and total shit, I don't want the federal reserve or some other entity telling me that my net worth is now suddenly 1/1000th of what it once was. Now, if TSHTF I realize a 1 oz silver coin won't be as useful for barter as say a 1.5L bottle of vodka but that isn't why I'm buying metals. I'm preparing for what comes after the collapse, when civilization and the "new" financial system begins to emerge. I want something that will take this designated portion of my net worth and protect it the best I could. For the interim trading period I'm putting together some barter items but also looking at the junk silver that would still most likely be of some use in black/gray market scenario.

 

Now, with all the options out there what specific vehicles was I going to purchase?

 

I decided on 1 oz gold bars and 10 oz silver bars for a good portion of this cash (~70%). The problem with bars in a SHTF situation is they are not easily authenticated, therefore not as fungible unless you happen across someone bartering that has access to testing materials etc. But, again, I'm not planning on using this for trading so if I'm selling the bars that means a certain level of normalcy has begun to assert itself and I won't be too worried about a need for "amateurs" to autenticate these. Basically I'm using the largest portion to buy back into whatever the new financial system or currency may be. However, if I do need a more immediate and large scale cash infusion, I've got the mapleleaf silver coins which are largely "self authenticating" or at least much more so than bars. I will probably expand on this initial investment periodically as my traditional cash storage (i.e. savings account) hits certain benchmarks in relation to spot price.

 

There were a lot of other factors considered I'm sure but this is the storyboard version of the book that went into my decision.

[hank213 1,823]

How much time do you think would have to pass before bartering of any kind happens or even partial-trust contact between people is acceptable in a honest to dog SHTF scenario?

 

I think that largely depends on the nature of the scenario. In a financial collapse, it will be almost immediate. People of enterprise with access to goods/services will seek to capitalize on current conditions. In a plague-like event, it will vary largely dependent on casualty rate but with any "big" die off, it will take more time but it'll still happen.

 

Why would anyone be interested in trading something useful for gold and silver vs other metals like brass, lead and tin?

 

Again, it's going to be more event specific. But, for the sake of argument, let's say it's an event akin to that horrible Revolution show, and civilization/technology has stepped back a couple centuries. Yes, metals that are malleable and useful in low-tech goods will be in high demand. But they will also be highly scroungeable.

 

What products do you think would be better suited for barter in your scenario that won't be appreciably larger in scale and costs less than current PM's prices?

 

Vices

Tobacco

Alcohol

Hard candy

Coffee / tea

Medical/Hygiene

Toilet paper

Chapstick

Feminine hygiene

Vitamins

Pain relievers

Caffeine pills

Condoms

Yeast infection creams

Consumables

Garden surplus

Honey

Sugar

Powdered milk

Drink mixes

Vegetable oil

Salt

Seeds

Toiletries

Soap

Shampoo

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Dental floss

Miscellaneous

Cheap folding knives

Can openers

Butane lighters

Strike anywhere matches

Nails, screws

Hand tools

Cloth, patches

Needles, thread

Safety pins

Socks, underwear

 

 

What's more important 3 months into a pandemic that wipes out 80% of humans where social chaos/lack of infrastructure wipes out an additional 5%; 1oz bar of gold or one roll of Charmin? How about 10 months after a hard winter/spring which along with attrition and the disease created by living circumstances takes out another 5%? What value would any PM have?

 

Yep, not much good then. But if that situation happens all bets, in terms of law/order/social norms, are off the table pretty early and it will be those who scrounge best that will have the longest lasting supply. I'm not going to dump $10,000 into toilet paper and since I consider that type of scenario a lower probability than financial collapse I'm allocating resources accordingly.

 

Change the scenario to a perfect storm of social unrest, wars, civil protests, massive natural disaster and an international run on the dollar that creates world wide hyper inflation and a completely breaks down the trust we put into our monetary systems and you still have better options for barter materials than PM's.

 

Correct, for straight barter during the event. But what comes next? Historically, things will normalize and someone that doesn't have their entire net worth in cash is going to be in a much better position. Furthermore, as the process of normalization continues barter goods also begin to lose value as fewer trade opportunites present themselves and the goods only hold value for personal use.

[hank213 1,823]

well purchases are going to go on hold for quite some time.

 

i've decided to buy a house so the money is going to be squirreled away for down pmt/closing costs etc etc

 

oh, bought a lamenation machine and have printed, lamenated, and added to binder the army field medicine guide. will be adding survival manual and emergency dentistry next. that's the plan for now, focus on free or extremely low cost items.

[Theraflu 1,035]

that's the plan for now, focus on free or extremely low cost items.

 

Like a house?

[hank213 1,823]

Like a house?

 

precisely. what's a house, a couple hundred k? pssh, a mere pittance me lad.

[GWCGWC 83]

You sold me on PM hoarding but only because it should have real world value instead of just SHTF value but buying a house to turn into a bug in fortress sounds like a much better use of financial resources. GL on the house shopping.

 

 

 

 

I've been looking for an EDC flashlight that could work as a tactical light for awhile and i just pulled the trigger on the Fenix PD32ue. I just couldn't justify the money for the Elzetta m-60.

 

I stumbled on this forum/thread while doing research on different lights http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?347357-**NEW**-Fenix-PD32-Ultimate-Edition-(XM-L-T6-NW-740-lumen)

What the heck? Who knew there were this many people with serious flashlight knowledge?

[hank213 1,823]

I win!

 

I'd be lying if I didn't say that played a small factor in my decision to buy a house. The primary reason is a couple months ago I was looking over my checkbook and I just got pissed. I might as well be seeting 700/mo on fire because it was only servicing the right now. Decided it was time to put that money toward something that should be redeemable when I retire.

 

there's a fetish for everything nowadays I tell ya.

[ajs510 122]

I win!

 

I'd be lying if I didn't say that played a small factor in my decision to buy a house.

 

Yeah, that was part of my decision last year as well...I don't want to hit the road with a backpack...I want to shore up and bug in.

[ShakeZuma 585]

so are you freaking lunatics still doing this prepping stuff? god damn weirdos.

 

 

so anyways I just subscribed to a few new subreddits this weekend (survival, homesteading, camping, DIY, and a few others) and it feels like christmas. so many new things to look at! so many new crazy people to hear stories from!

 

 

 

so here's a question: long term water storage. what's the best way to do it? I've bought some of those storebought 2-3 gallon plastic things but they, and even the jugs, always end up leaking. walmart has those water cooler jugs for a decent price but it looks like it would be a pain in the ass to get the water out, plus I'm not sure about that plastic for long term. anybody have any ideas?

[GWCGWC 83]

This is why you keep your glock....to get water.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

As long as the plastic is polyethylene (i.e. PET, HDPE, etc...generally the "P" is for polyethylene), you're safe, vessel-wise.

 

The only thing to worry about is the bacteria that's already in there. I don't really understand what's done to municipal drinking water in the first place, but I'd look up safe concentrations of bleach and treat it toward the upper end of that. And don't leave it in the sun.

 

Edit: Also, WTF? Why?

 

Edit 2: Apparently I'm somewhat wrong about the plastic, and some polyethylenes will leak over time. It apparently has to be "foodgrade."

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GOV8Or0xTg

 

That's what I get for thinking something before I google it.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

How about those Firehouse pickle buckets? $0.40/gallon,

[hank213 1,823]

first i bought a few of these:

http://www.amazon.co...ASIN=B0002IW6JS

 

They're ok but the cardboard box is pretty weak so stacking gets iffy. also, getting the spout to pop out like the picture is pretty much impossible. However, the bladder inside is fairly rugged so still usable overall.

 

Most recently I bought a few of these to try out but haven't messed with them yet:

http://www.amazon.co...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

there is some debate as to water preserver vs bleach for storage. http://zombiehunters...php?f=6&t=41520

 

supposedly there is a stabilizer in the preserver concentrate that can give you a 5 year storage life in an airtight container properly stored. I'll let you know how that holds up to scrutiny in about 4 years 9 months.

 

you can use household bleach at 8 drops/gallon and you're good for about 6 months in a clean container in a cool dark place. the dude (sounds like jimmy kimmel) in that video is gonna be drinking pool water. 16 drops per gallon is to purify questionable water which is different than preserving already clean water.

[mrfritz 885]

you guys are fucked up