25 Things To Do Before SHTF

I found this article, published earlier across the prepper network, but I think it was updated due to the reference to Cyprus,...anyway it is now posted on the Activist Post, by Michael Snyder. 


Do you think that you know how to prepare for the collapse of the economy? If so, are you putting that knowledge into action? In America today, people are more concerned about the possibility of an economic collapse than ever before. It has been estimated that there are now three million preppers in the United States. But the truth that nobody really knows the actual number, because a lot of preppers keep their "prepping" to themselves. So what are all of those people preparing for exactly?

Well, survey after survey has shown that "economic collapse" is the number one potential disaster that preppers are most concerned about. Of course that shouldn't be surprising because we truly are facing economic problems that are absolutely unprecedented. We are living in the greatest debt bubble in the history of the world, the global banking system has been transformed into a high-risk pyramid scheme of debt, risk and leverage that could collapse at any time, and wealthy countries such as the United States have been living way above their means for decades.

Meanwhile, the United States is being deindustrialized at a blinding pace and poverty in this country is absolutely exploding. Anyone that is not concerned about the economy should have their head examined. Fortunately, I have found that an increasing number of Americans are becoming convinced that we are heading for a horrific economic crisis. Once they come to that realization, they want to know what they should do.

And the reality is that "getting prepared" is going to look different for each family based on their own unique circumstances. Some people have a lot of resources, while others have very little. Some people are very independent of the system and can move wherever they want, while others are totally dependent on their jobs and must stay near the cities at least for now.

In addition, it is important to distinguish between the "short-term" and the "long-term" when talking about economic collapse. As I have written about previously, our economic collapse is not going to happen all at once. It is going to unfold over time. In the "short-term", many are moving money around and are building up "emergency funds" to prepare for the next recession. For the "long-term", many are storing up food and huge stockpiles of survival supplies in order to be prepared for the total collapse of society. Both approaches are wise, but it is important to keep in mind that different approaches will be needed at different times.

The strategies posted below are a mix of both short-term and long-term strategies. Some will be important for our immediate future, while others may not be needed for a number of years. But in the end, you will be very thankful for the time and the effort that you spent getting prepared while you still could.

The following are 25 things that you should do to get prepared for the coming economic collapse...

#1 An Emergency Fund 
Do you remember what happened when the financial system almost collapsed back in 2008? Millions of Americans suddenly lost their jobs, and because many of them were living paycheck to paycheck, many of them also got behind on their mortgages and lost their homes. You don't want to lose everything that you have worked for during this next major economic downturn. It is imperative that you have an emergency fund. It should be enough to cover all of your expenses for at least six months, but I would encourage you to have an emergency fund that is even larger than that.

#2 Don't Put All Of Your Eggs Into One Basket 
If the wealth confiscation in Cyprus has taught us anything, it is that we should not put all of our eggs in one basket. If all of your money is in one single bank account, it would be easy to wipe out. But if you have your money scattered around a number of different places it will give you a little bit more security.

#3 Keep Some Cash At Home 
This goes along with the previous point. While it is not wise to keep all of your money at home, you do want to keep some cash on hand. If there is an extended bank holiday or if a giant burst from the sun causes the ATM machines to go down, you want to be able to have enough cash to buy the things that your family needs. Just ask the people of Cyprus how crippling a bank holiday can be. One way to keep your cash secure at home is by storing it in a concealed safe.

#4 Get Out Of Debt
A lot of people seem to assume that an economic collapse would wipe out all debts, but that will probably not be the case. In fact, if you are in a tremendous amount of debt you will be very vulnerable if the economy collapses and you are not able to find a job. Just ask the people who were overextended and lost their jobs during the last recession. So please get out of debt. Many debt collectors are becoming increasingly ruthless. In many areas of the country they are now routinely putting debtors into prison. You do not want to be a slave to debt when the next wave of the economic collapse strikes.

#5 Gold And Silver 
In the long-term, the U.S. dollar is going to lose a tremendous amount of value and inflation is going to absolutely skyrocket. That is one reason why so many people are investing very heavily in gold, silver and other precious metals. All over the globe, the central banks of the world are recklessly printing money. Everyone knows that this is going to end very badly. In fact, there is already a push in more than a dozen U.S. states to allow gold and silver coins to be used as legal tender. Someday you will be glad that you invested in gold and silver now while their prices were still low.

#6 Reduce Your Expenses 
A lot of people claim that they can't put any money toward prepping, but the truth is that we all have room to reduce our expenses. We all spend money on things that we do not really need. Those that are "lean and mean" will tend to do much better during the times that are coming.

#7 Start A Side Business 
If you do not have much money, a great way to increase your income is by starting a side business. And it does not take a lot of money - there are many side businesses that you can start for next to nothing.

And starting a side business will allow you to become less dependent on your job.

In this economic environment, a job could disappear at literally any time.

#8 Move Away From The Big Cities If Possible 
For many people, this is simply not possible. Many Americans are still completely and totally dependent on their jobs. But if you are able, now is a good time to move away from the big cities. When the next major economic downturn strikes, there will be rioting and a dramatic rise in crime in the major cities. If you are able to move to a more rural area you will probably be in much better shape.

#9 Store Food 
Global food reserves have reached their lowest level in nearly 40 years. As the economy gets even worse and global weather patterns become even more unstable, the price of food will go much higher and global food supplies will become much tighter. In the long run, you will be glad for the money that you put into long-term food storage now.

#10 Learn To Grow Your Own Food 
This is a skill that most Americans possessed in the past, but that most Americans today have forgotten. Growing your own food is a way to become more independent of the system, and it is a way to get prepared for what is ahead.

#11 Nobody Can Survive Without Water
Without water, you would not even make it a few days in an emergency situation. It is imperative that you have a plan to provide clean drinking water for your family when disaster strikes.

#12 Have A Plan For When The Grid Goes Down
What would you do if the grid went down and you suddenly did not have power for an extended period of time? Anyone that has spent more than a few hours without power knows how frustrating this can be. You need to have a plan for how you are going to provide power to your home that is independent of the power company.

#13 Have Blankets And Warm Clothing On Hand
This is more for emergency situations or for a complete meltdown of society. During any major crisis, blankets and warm clothing are in great demand. They also could potentially make great barter items.

#14 Store Personal Hygiene Supplies 
A lot of preppers store up huge amounts of food, but they forget all about personal hygiene supplies. During a long crisis, these are items that you would greatly miss if you do not have them stored up. These types of supplies would also be great for barter.

#15 Store Medicine And Medical Supplies
You will also want to store up medical supplies and any medicine that you may need. In an emergency situation, you definitely would not want to be without bandages and a first-aid kit. Over the course of a long crisis, you do not want to run out of any medicines that are critical for your health.

#16 Stock Up On Vitamins 
A lot of preppers do not think about this either, but it is very important. These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get adequate nutrition from the foods that we eat. That is why it is very important to have an adequate store of vitamins and other supplements.

#17 Make A List Of Other Supplies
That You Will Need During any crisis, there will be a lot of other things that you will need in addition to food and water. The following are just a few basic things that it would be wise to have on hand... - an axe - a can opener - flashlights - battery-powered radio - extra batteries - lighters or matches - fire extinguisher - sewing kit - tools This list could be much, much longer, but hopefully this will get you started.

#18 Don't Forget The Special Needs Of Your Babies And Your Pets 
Young children and pets have special needs. As you store supplies, don't forget about the things that they will need as well.

#19 Entertainment 
This may sound trivial, but the truth is that our entertainment-addicted society would become very bored and very frustrated if the grid suddenly went down for an extended period of time. Card games and other basic forms of entertainment can make enduring a crisis much easier.

#20 Self-Defense 
In the years ahead, being able to defend your home and your family is going to become increasingly important. When the economy crashes, people are going to start to become very desperate. And desperate people do desperate things.

#21 Get Your Ammunition While You Still Can 
Your firearms will not do you much good if you do not have ammunition for them. Already there are widespread reports of huge ammunition shortages. The following is from a recent CNS News article...

"The run on ammunition has manufacturers scrambling to accommodate demand and reassure customers, as many new and seasoned gun owners stock up over fears of new firearms regulations at both the state and federal levels."

Don't just assume that you will always be able to purchase large amounts of ammunition whenever you want. Get it now while you still can.

#22 If You Have To Go... 
Have a plan for what you and your family will do if you are forced to leave your home. If you do have to go, the following are some items that you will want to have on hand...

- a map of the area - a compass - backpacks for every member of the family - sleeping bags - warm clothing - comfortable shoes or hiking boots

#23 Community 
One of the most important assets in any crisis situation is community. If you have friends or neighbors that you can depend upon, that is invaluable. The time spent building those bonds now will pay off greatly during a major crisis.

#24 Have A Back-Up Plan And Be Flexible

Mike Tyson once said the following...

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

No plan ever unfolds perfectly. When your plan is disrupted, what will you do?

It will be imperative for all of us to have a back-up plan and to be flexible during the years ahead.

#25 Keep Your Prepping To Yourself
Do not go around and tell everyone in the area where you live about your prepping. If you do, then you may find yourself overwhelmed with "visitors" when everything falls apart.

And please do not go on television and brag about your prepping to a national audience.

Prepping is something that you want to keep to yourself, unless you want hordes of desperate people banging on your door in the future.

For much more on prepping, please check out some of my previous articles...

- "Should You Move To Another Country To Escape The Collapse Of America? 10 Questions To Ask Yourself First"

- "14 Questions People Ask About How To Prepare For The Collapse Of The Economy" - "Rise Of The Preppers: 50 Of The Best Prepper Websites And Blogs On The Internet" - "120 Powerful Pieces Of Advice For Preppers"

Sadly, most Americans still have blind faith that our "leaders" actually know what they are doing and will be able to fix things.

Most Americans still are convinced that everything is going to be just fine.

And of course the mainstream media does all they can to reinforce faith in the system. Day after day, we see mindless news headlines such as this: "Californians Champing at the Bit Over Powerball Debut".

But if you are reading this article that means that you are probably much more awake than the average American is.

Please get prepared while you still can.

A great storm is coming, and time is quickly running out.

So do you have any points that you would add to the list above? Please feel free to (go to Mike Snyder's site) and post a comment with your thoughts below...

This article first appeared here at the Economic Collapse. Michael Snyder is a writer, speaker and activist who writes and edits his own blogs The American Dream and Economic Collapse Blog.

Government on Alert for Radical Extremism

Received this from a reader: "UrbanSurvivalSkills, be aware that the Federal Government is moving to put the Military, most likely the Army, into a martial law posture to respond to civil disturbance, food riots, population control and weapons-food confiscation. The Army is briefing their leaders on radical extremism of Citizens. My son is a Military policeman and is concerned about what he says is rampant misunderstanding of the Army's role inside the United States. He says that many of his fellow soldiers believe that not only can the Army be deployed against the civilian population but should be deployed against citizens. My son is going to get out of the service this fall and he sent me a flyer that say's, verbatim: There is no way to be 100% certain that an individual is becoming radicalized to the point that they may be considering violent action. However, recent experiences show that there are certain warning signs, or early indicators, worth review. The indicators that if observed would be a pre-disposition to radicalization and violence:"

Complains about bias

Advocates violence beyond what is “normal”

Exhibits abrupt behavioral shifts

Needs empowerment

Is socially withdrawn

Believes in government conspiracies to the point of paranoia

Is frustrated with mainstream ideologies

Experiences personal crisis and does not properly recover

Demonizes others freely

Lacks positive identity with country, unit, family, or friends

Exhibits sudden reclusiveness

"My son is a college grad and level headed. If he is concerned, so am I. Just as soon as I can manage a week off I am heading to my hunting cabin in (state deleted) just in case something stupid happens." (name removed)."

UrbanMan replies: While I do not like the belief in the Army, institutional or individual, that the Army has a role on policing or enforcement in the United States, I have a tendency to believe that what your son sent you was a pretty routine brief about violent bent people that are a part of every organization,..from the military, to law enforcement, to common businesses, and of course the Post Office.

I'm not trying to drag the military down, but the doors are not being busted down with people trying to enlist. The military's back ground checks for enlistment probably leave a lot ot be desired, therefore with 600,000 people in uniform you are bound to get some type of "radicals" be they gang bangers, white supremists, or just plain haters,......not to mention some devoid of the capacity for basic reasoning.

Again, I think this is a routine effort to "protect the force", to educate military personnel to keep an eye out for high potential violence doers. However, I am somewhat skittish about today's military especially their key leaders and the road our Federal government has taken with disregard for individual rights and vastly increased regulation across all commodity and business lines. Therefore, I'll remain one of those who are waiting to be convincned one way or the other that this may be preparation for martial law.

Thank your son for his service to the nation. And regarding your cabin,.....it may be a a good idea to make it your Bug Out location, so preparing it so could be a wise decision.

And so I thought it ended,...until reports out of Colorado where a DHS sponsored law enforcement threat briefing brought to light more Government oriented targeting of "radicals".  From PersonalLiberty.com

"The Department of Homeland Security and the military have, in reports published over the past
several years, equated a large segment of the U.S. population with terrorists for simply expressing
displeasure of the nation’s course, preparing for disaster or even paying in cash. DHS and the Barack Obama regime are aided in this endeavor by government propaganda arm mainstream media and organizations like the Southern Preposterous Lie Center (aka Southern Poverty Law Center)."

Their belief coming from a report from a letter from Undersheriff Ron Trowbridge of Prowers County Sheriff’s Office:

"On April 1, 2013 I attended training in La Junta, Colorado hosted by the Colorado State Patrol (CSP).  The training was from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm and covered two topics, Sovereign Citizens, and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.  I was pretty familiar with motorcycle gangs but since we often deal with the so-called sovereign citizen groups I was interested to see what they had to say.  The group consisted of police officers, deputies, and CSP troopers.  There were about 20 people in attendance.

Trooper Joe Kluczynski taught a 2-hour section on sovereign citizens.  Kluczynski spent most of his
two hours focusing on how, in his view and apparently the view of Homeland Security, people turn
to the sovereign citizen movement.  Kluczynski started off by saying there are probably some
sovereign citizens in this room and gave a generalized list of those groups that have sovereign
citizen views.  Among those groups, Kluczynski had listed, were those who believe America was
founded on godly principles, Christians who take the Bible literally, and “fundamentalists”. 
Kluczynski did not explain what he meant by “fundamentalists” but from the context it was clear he
was referring again to those who took the Bible literally or “too seriously.”

While Kluczynski emphasized that sovereign citizens have a right to their beliefs, he was clearly
teaching that the groups he had listed should be watched by law enforcement and should be treated
with caution because of their potential to assault law enforcement.  Kluczynski explained why he
believed these groups were dangerous saying they were angry over the election of a black president.

When someone in the group suggested the failing economy was probably much more to blame,
Kluczynski intimated that those who are not going along with the changes in America will need to
be controlled by law enforcement.  Kluczynski even later questioned some of the troopers present if
they were willing and prepared to confiscate “illegal” weapons if ordered to.

Kluczynski’s assignment with the CSP was an Analyst for the Colorado Information Analysis Center,
(CIAC).  CIAC is funded by Homeland Security funds and run by the CSP.  Kluczynski said he gets
his information from the Department of Homeland Security.  Kluczynski said he was leaving the CSP
at the end of that week (March 29, 2013) to begin his new career with Homeland Security.  I thought
he was perfect for the job.

Ron Trowbridge
Undersheriff
Prowers County Sheriff’s Office
April 5, 2013

Okay, another thing to list as indicators,...lets keep our eyes out for anymore nonsense like this and any reason to think it may be Government directed or sponsored as opposed to some individual's perspective.  I would be concerned if this ass clown Kluczynski does not get counseled by his management if for nothing more than this statement "those who are not going along with the changes in America will need to
be controlled by law enforcement:........pretty damn scary thought pattern here. 

Unemployed Man's Preps

BillT4 sent this to me: "Thanks for your site. I really like the craft and skills stuff. I lost my job five months ago. My girlfriend who lives with me is still working, so basically I'm a stay at home Dad for our five year old son who won't be starting school until the fall. I have started prepping two years ago. If we had to we could live without my girlfriends job for at least nine months. That would eat up all our savings and food supply. My goal is not to use our preps now and to even expand our food stocks. We have been eating a lot of stuff I have been growing in my green house which I built. I just traded some tomatoes and squash to a neighbor for some cinder blocks he had stacked up. He asked me how I was growing (vegetables) in winter. So I told him about my green house. Now he has contracted me to build him one. Then he called and gave me a phone number to another man who wants a greenhouse built. He is also going to place an ad at the American Legion Hall for me. So now I have some income coming in. I think the custom greenhouse thing will be better in the fall going into winter and hopefully this will also lead to some other carpentry or repair jobs. sincerely, Bill."  

UrbanMan replies: Bill, I could not use the pictures you sent as when I tried to enlarge them, the pixilation made them just a blur. But good for you finding a way to make a living your way. I read a book about building businesses and it talked about doing a Personal Asset Inventory to determine what skills a person has across the business spectrum of providing services, products or information in order to grow a business and make a living. It appears you are doing that. Again good for you. Better yet, it is aligned with preparing for bad times and helping others do the same.

You may want to consider the physical location for your green houses or advise others in this thought. Imagine a collapse, hyper-inflation, greatly reduced access to food and wandering hungry people - who then see a green house.....well you get the picture.

You may also want to consider a blog where you discuss green houses, soil prep, composting, watering systems, growing vegetables, canning or preserving the fruit of your labors, etc.  Lots of different ways to take this concept forward, but one thing is for sure,...you can't describe yourself as unemployed anymore,.....you are small business man.  

The second e-mail you sent where you traded some vegetables to an older woman for a bunch of hand tools which you plan on saving for future barter or for the flea market is also a great example of barter and prepping but also of expanding your rapport with the neighbors which will be important in a collapse as it will give you a leg up for team building.

Unless a person has a hardened and prepared site with a dedicated water source, you will be stuck like alot of us relying on our urban or suburban neighbors, and them on us, when the collapse comes. Building those relationships now will help you, helping your neighbors grow some of their own food goes along way. But be advised that being prepared for other threats besides starvation are important as well. Consider your security and protection requirements as well as shelter. Given today's ammunition shortages, it would be great if you could barter for ammunition that you could use!   Anyway, good luck and prepare well. 

Cyprus and the World financial conspiracy,

We do not advocate taking all of your money out of the bank at this time.  We have however written about having some cash always on hand on hand if the banks close for whatever reason.  Imagine a major event occuring on Friday then the Federal Government mandating banks and ATM's to close on the following Monday and/or Tuesday.   The bank lines on Wednesday would be terrible, even if it was worth it to try and withdraw some of your funds.

The cash on hand, as well as some Silver and Gold would give you some purchase power and help reduce, howeer slightly, the effects of what is happening in Cyprus.  
   
Who would have thought a western government would confiscate the private wealth of it's citizens?  It seems like our world is turning upside down.  Some think that the Cyprus deal is a test case for a much larger plot.
I'll let everyone else decide, but one source published this video and narrative as a lead in. 


The Cyprus Template Your Money AND Your Life As the story of the Cyprus Template for world financial reorganization unfolds, it is now becoming totally clear that British Empire's policy is "your money and your life." Dennis Small of EIR reviews recent intelligence tracing the now infamous Cyprus "bail-in" policy back to a December 2012 BoE/FDIC report, and all the way to Dodd-Frank.