Classic Realcent Archives - How far do you go to prepare? - Powered by ForumCo.com

Classic Realcent Archives

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Non-Metals Necessities and Things To Think About

How far do you go to prepare?

Forum Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

jadedragon
Administrator

Canada
3788 Posts

Posted - 05/20/2009 : 01:02:49

I spent some time on Survivalblog and came away confounded. What do you guys think?

I already live in a semi-rural part of a smaller town (75,000 in the city), but not nearly as rural as suggested. My home is on a well traveled road, not hidden.

I've got garden space, but we don't garden much. I don't enjoy it.

I've got land for animals, but I don't think I'd enjoy dealing with them.

I've always stocked a few months worth of food (my grandparents taught me that) but I don't really rotate it properly or focus on having specific items. I just pick up lots when I spot food we eat on sale.

I'm working on my coins and precious metals of course. However the author loves Nickels and dislikes copper pennies (go figure).

Canadians are not as attached to guns as Americans so this really puzzles me. Survivalists sure like A LOT of guns! Why so many differant guns and types of ammo? It's like reading greek to me. How many guns can a person shoot at once? Why 10 or 15 differant calibers. Stocking ammo for trade that does not even fit in your gun?

Communications with neighbors including fixed buried military telephone lines for miles. Does anyone really do this?

How do people feel about paying down debt compared to spending $$ on ammo and night vision googles?

�The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.� � George Bernard Shaw.
Why Copper Bullion ~~~ Interview with Silver Bullion Producer Market Harmony
Passive Income blog

Nickelmeister
Penny Hoarding Member

Canada
588 Posts

Posted - 05/20/2009 : 01:34:07

I might be saying this to the wrong audience, but sometimes it all seems a little over-the-top to me. Everyone will have differing opinions on how far they want to prepare. Obviously some people take this concept to the extreme (and beyond!) Perhaps this tactic will serve them well in the end. I hope not, because that would mean we've had a complete and utter break-down in society.

Personally, I think that having extra food/water/medicine on hand and as much PMs as you can afford will put you in better shape than 99% of the general population. And as much as people tout the idea of everything changing *suddenly* and *immediately*, I'm sure if all hell breaks loose, people such as ourselves with foresight and wits about us will have at least SOME time to react.

I'm sure this post will be argued, but that's my perspective from a medium-sized Canadian city sitting on a small pile of food and silver.

www.WinnipegGoldBuyer.com

Standing offer for sale of quality, second-hand solid gold jewellery:

<$100 USD worth - spot +25%, plus actual shipping
$101-500 worth - spot +20%, plus actual shipping
$501-1,000 worth - spot +15%, plus actual shipping
$1,001+ worth - spot +10%, plus actual shipping

Nickelless
Administrator

USA
5580 Posts

Posted - 05/20/2009 : 04:13:51

I can't speak for everyone else, I can only speak for myself, but the approach I've settled into is to do a few things extensively and well and network with people who have other resources and skills. One thing I think I do quite well is to live on almost no money. My take-home pay last year was about $27K, and I was able to put just over $6K toward preps, PM and other long-term necessities by living off of my preps that I've bought in bulk and constantly replenishing them and adding to them on top of that. I've had to adjust my schedule slightly so that I'm eating at home and THEN going out with friends for coffee, packing sandwiches on road trips instead of hitting drive-thrus or otherwise taking steps not to spend extra money when I don't have to, but the net result is that I've been able to save a lot of money that I otherwise would've spent on relative luxuries and instead use that cash to build up my preps. I also dress like a bum (those of you who were at the Realcent get-together can vouch for me on this

) and only drive when it's absolutely necessary.

It has to start with a mindset--it's so much more than just a checklist of things to do or not do. Make up your mind to do everything you can to save money and resources without starving yourself and your family, with an occasional splurge, and you'd be surprised how much you can really stock up.

Visit my new preparedness site: Preparedness .cc/SurvivalPrep.net
--Latest article: Stocking up on spices to keep food preps lively

---------------

Be prepared...and prepared to help: http://www.survivalblog.com/charity.html

Are you ready spiritually for hard times? http://www.jesus freak.com/rapture.asp

Edited by - Nickelless on 05/20/2009 04:16:43

buyingsilvers
Penny Collector Member

441 Posts

Posted - 05/20/2009 : 06:51:21

Unfortunately, I live in an urban area so if SHTF, I'd be in a less than ideal situation. Since my parents have a house in the suburbs, my plan is to "bug out" and join them. Pool resources and all that. They have a gasoline generator linked to the house. I'm trying to get them to get a propane one instead for easier fuel storage. I'm also toying with the idea of getting a good solar panel + deep cycle battery setup and just store it in the event I'll need it.

This probably means that I'm less prepared than most, as I'm focused more on food/water preps than anything.

Honestly, I'm more worried about natural disaster than a meltdown SHTF disaster for the shorter term. I can easily see our area turning into a katrina type disaster if we got hit.

Nickelless
Administrator

USA
5580 Posts

Posted - 05/20/2009 : 07:10:11

Buyingsilvers, if you're focused on food/water preps, you're still probably ahead of 85 percent of Americans. Just keep adding little by little to your stash on a regular basis. I know a lot of us here on the board are Dave Ramsey fans, so I'll offer this piece of advice that Dave often gives: Pay yourself first. Whether it's setting aside a little money each pay period for an emergency fund or for buying more preps, do that first. If you don't have a cushion to fall back on whether it's cash or extra food and other provisions, remember that first and foremost you've gotta eat and live! So take care of that cushion in your preps and emergency cash first, and if you're doing that, it won't be a big deal that you're lacking in specific areas of your preps--that's not to say you shouldn't fill in gaps as time goes on (I've got eight months worth of food but almost no cash at the moment--a problem I'm working on), but making a plan and sticking with it will help you build up your preps and tools and other necessary items. Bottom line, just keep on slowly but steadily stocking up and you'll get there soon.

Edited by - Nickelless on 05/20/2009 07:12:08

Country
1000+ Penny Miser Member

USA
3121 Posts

Posted - 05/20/2009 : 07:49:10

After working for many years in the IT business, I'm retired. The SHTF scenario, if it happens, will be a disaster for older folks. My wife and I have done some preparation though, just like we did in the late '70s, when it the world seemed to be unraveling like today. Armageddon did not happen then, and probably won't happen in the near future too. However, everyone can do some preparation, just in case.

I do live in the country, in a brick house in the woods; off the beaten path with long dirt driveway to the road. In the SHTF scenario, it won't matter where you live - danger will be everywhere. A good store of food, a garden, a good water purifier, a whole house propane generator - I've got these things. But, I think the most important preparation you can do, is make sure your family, especially if you have children at home, learns the skills and knowledge you may have. Having solid local community relationships with your neighbors will be very important for everyone to survive. I think the preparations and relationships you have made with your loved ones and your neighbors will be the most important ones if the SHTF comes to pass.

---> Come to the new and improved realcent: http://realcent.org

The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life.
� Theodore Roosevelt

Delawhere Jack
1000+ Penny Miser Member

USA
1680 Posts

Posted - 05/23/2009 : 15:02:54

quote:
Originally posted by jadedragon

I spent some time on Survivalblog and came away confounded. What do you guys think?

You think the site is extreme, read his book! I'm about half way through it now. The thing reminds me of the tee-vee show Seinfeld, when Elaine worked for the J. Peterman catalog, writing ridiculous ad copy for items in the catalog. Every other page has at least one paragraph describing the virtues of a Bianchi shoulder holster, or a Colt Gold Cup .45ACP, or some particular fighting knife or bulk food vendor. It's kind of comical, but hey, that's how he makes a living. I'm sure he gets some sort of kick back from the tacti-cool vendors he endorses.

All in all, I think that he goes a little over the top (but not much). But I must admit, I look at the site daily, usually to see if the Economatrix found something I missed.

I do think he's got a point about getting out of dodge WTSHTF. I can see things getting very ugly. Given that most people under 80 years old in this country have no morals besides I-ME-MINE, I-ME-MINE! Don't look for them to support each other in any way when things get really tough.

"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." Thomas Jefferson

Kurr
1000+ Penny Miser Member

2906 Posts

Posted - 05/23/2009 : 16:02:46

The firarms aspect boils down to this: Differant firearms were meant to serve differant purposes.

It would be less than efficiant to try and bring down a goose with a .22 rifle. Or ducks on the wing. To carry a large bore single shot pistol, very suitable for large game, would be less than desirable if needing a concealable self defence weapon. Differant calibers and configurations are simply suited to differant tasks.

Ammo doesn't get cheaper. And recently it has only gotten harder to get. And more exspensive. It's kinda like buying the forever stamps now and selling or trading in the future. You make a profit, they get a discount. People have favorite calibers for their selected activities, and that is what you are banking on. People are VERY fond of their firearms, and without ammo, they are useless.

People WILL pay for bullets! If they can not get or find them, the gun being useless, many will sell. If you have the ammo, you always have a reason to aquire the gun, If you have the gun, you may not be able to get the ammo.

Hope that helps some.

The silver [is] mine, and the gold [is] mine, saith the LORD of hosts. Hag 2:8 [/b]
He created it. He controls it. He gave it to us for His use. Why did we turn from sound scriptural currency that PROTECTS us?

KJV Bible w/ Strong's Concordance: http://www.blueletterbible.org/
The book of The Hundreds: http://www.land.netonecom.net/tlp/ref/boh/bookOfTheHundreds_v4.1.pdf
The Two Republics: http://www.whitehorsemedia.com/docs/THE_TWO_REPUBLICS.pdf
Good reading: http://ecclesia.org/truth/government.html

A number of people are educated beyond, sometimes way beyond, their intelligence. - Tenbears

Edited by - Kurr on 05/23/2009 16:05:29

caridad
Penny Pincher Member

USA
227 Posts

Posted - 05/24/2009 : 17:27:35

I spent some time on survival blog too and came away wanting to run the other way.

ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU SELF SUFFICIENT? ARE YOU GREEN????

Nickelless
Administrator

USA
5580 Posts

Posted - 05/24/2009 : 18:38:31

quote:
Originally posted by caridad

I spent some time on survival blog too and came away wanting to run the other way.

Just curious, why did you feel that way? Any specific things on there that made you want to run away?

I've gleaned a lot of useful information from Survivalblog despite some of the more paranoid types who write in. I think seeing as wide a range of ideas and perspectives is good so that even if a lot of paranoid nutjobs are posting, you can at least understand why they are preparing in the way that they are. These people ARE going to be around, so I'd rather understand them and know how to deal with them and maybe even work with them in some aspects than to avoid them and maybe not have as many tools in my kit, so to speak.