This article was written by Tom Chatham and originally published at his Project Chesapeake blog.
Editor’s Comment: When people hold paper money, they are holding a promise, or the illusion, of value. Tom makes the case clear here that, when you really need it, that paper money won’t be there for you. Ultimately, the money is to be exchanged for physical goods – foods, medicine, necessities, supplies and comfort items.
If ATMs, banks and markets close, or if hyperinflation makes the fiat, Federal Reserve note completely worthless overnight, none of these goods will be exchangeable for the money you have sitting in the bank, or on a credit card. That is why it is vital to stock up, and prep for the worst so that you and yours aren’t desperate just to survive. There are many alarming crises – economic, political and societal – that are headed our way, and it only makes sense to get ready for when they arrive.
Real Goods Are The Real Money
by Tom Chatham
We have seen the massive drop in the Baltic Dry Index over the past few months indicating shipping of bulk materials around the world is slowing down to unprecedented levels. We have seen the shutdown and mothballing of hundreds of locomotive engines in the U.S. just over the past few months indicating goods and raw materials are not being shipped in the normal volume as in years past.
We are seeing hundreds of stores run by major retailers being shut down around the country indicating people are not buying goods at the same rate as in years past. Most of our manufacturing ability has been shipped overseas to lower input costs. It has been reported that as many as 15% of the farmers in the U.S. will go out of business this year.
This all means two things. People no longer have the means to buy at will and the amount of goods available will continue to fall until there are severe shortages in the system. The lack of production and distribution will insure that the standard of living of most Americans will drop in the coming months as supply is outstripped by demand in a collapsing economy. As indicated above, the collapse is not coming soon, it is here now.
When goods become scarce, it does not matter what the cost is if you have no money to get them. The lack of basic goods in the economy will be the straw that breaks the American illusion that everything is just fine. It will happen just as sure as the sun rising every morning. It will be a slow process where you notice more and more empty shelves and certain brands become out of stock for longer and longer periods. No production and no shipping carriers means no product on the shelf in time.
When this happens it will not matter to people if we are in deflation or hyperinflation, they will suffer the same in either case due to lack of goods and lack of a medium of exchange with which to maintain their living standards.
If society has the goods it needs at the local level it does not matter what mechanism people use to trade for those items. The trade will happen and living standards will be maintained. Money can be printed at will but real goods must be made from scratch with labor and raw materials. Real goods determine your standard of living and not necessarily the amount of money that exists in society.
Because of this the ability to store and produce real goods at the local level are the only solution to a collapse in the medium of exchange in a country. It is happening now. Fiat money is becoming more worthless by the day and goods are not being produced and shipped as normal. This can only end one way if nothing is done to curtail the lack of goods that people need.
It does not matter if money is little pieces of paper or plastic cards, if the goods are not available the result is the same. The ability of government entities to control either money or goods is a way to control society and force compliance from the people. This is the reason for calls for a cashless society. The government can control money all they want but if they have no control over real goods in a community they really have no control over society.
Real goods trump money of any kind when it comes to everyday living. If you have a years worth of goods stored in your home or the ability to produce them locally, it does not matter if you have a million dollars or no money at all. It does not matter if the store shelves are full or empty. It does not matter if goods are being produced and transported. If you have access to those goods you have what you actually need and not paper promises to get them at some future date for an unspecified amount.
When people think about economic collapse they almost always think about how they will get the money they need to buy stuff. They do not realize that real goods are the actual key to getting by in those dysfunctional times until it is too late. Economic collapse almost always goes hand in hand with the lack of physical goods. You can do without the money but you cannot do without the goods.
In times of monetary dysfunction, real goods become the actual currency society relies on to survive day to day. Real goods can be traded and sold when fiat money is useless. Real goods are the real currency of the world and now is the time to realize that before the monetary crisis prevents the acquisition of those resources. A pantry full of food is worth more than two million in a frozen bank account.
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Nice to see someone talking straight. No money is worth more than the value of its constituent materials, and their value is determined by their demand.
Many people suggest we should save cash. Others silver or gold. What they don’t realize is that those assets are only assets if others want them, and at the exchange rate others are willing to accept.
Gold and silver are of little worth in a failing global economy. They are of value in a failing regional economy, but that’s not our scenario. OTOH, the tools of sustainable living ARE of value in any economy. A hoe or rake is of greater inherent worth because of its form and function. Seeds, clothing… those are your true assets. They will see you to the other side.
Real goods are the true wealth. Anything else is an impostor.
Sorta what im banking on,,,,
Ha!
His comment that food in hand counts better than money for real living is not quite right. For every “End of the World” there are thousands of just another day. There is no point to living like it’s the end of the world, your whole life. Yes I’m paranoid, but lets get real, people have been forecasting the end for over a thousand years and it hasn’t got here yet. There is no point in living just to survive. Relax, don’t be stupid, but enjoy the day, most likely tomorrow will be like today but with a bit more sunshine in the Northern half of the world.
It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. This concept is not necessarily for the “end of the world”. There will be a lot of pain and suffering for a long time prior to it, that is if it does come. Also, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst but most of all “Live life”.
It’s not “the end of the world” per se that we have to worry about; it’s the months or years leading up to it. Of course, some expect to be airlifted out (raptured) and suffer not a bit. But that’s a long and tedious theological debate I’ll leave to others.
Well said.
Paranoid: I have been hearing/reading about this end of the world disaster since the late 70’s, then again in the mid 80’s and before y2k. Books were publ. and sold on the subject and new ones come out. The older I get the more likely to believe in just another day. Friends who prepped for y2k are refusing to prep for more than several weeks and refuse to think long term disasters. Since the Wilson presidency, the globalists have had hurdles and flip flops, and in 2015 haven’t made an end run yet. And we still have the guns and freedom of speech, etc. Some preppers who really prepped big time, are now in the cemetery, died of ordinary old age diseases over time. All their stuff was tossed or sold by sons and daughters.
“All their stuff was tossed or sold by sons and daughters.”
Hahahaha
That’s why i told my girls, “If I go first, don’t let your daddy sell all this stuff in a yard sale for $10 !!” 🙂
It’s not that I don’t think people should prep, I’ve got a ton of ammo and two tons of food. But 50 years ago when we went off silver coins people said; it was the end. (I suppose they said the same when they went off Gold) Relax, the world didn’t end today, and I’ll bet it doesn’t end tomorrow. I read a comment on the Woodpile Report:=How does it happen that we have the storm of the century about every three years in New England? Yes, when I hear of a big snow coming I look at my supply of: Milk, bread, eggs and Veggies; and NO: I’m not going to plan out an attack on the store ahead of time. Yes, if by some odd chance I get wind of some true EOW goings on early I’ll do a few things I wouldn’t do because of storage issues, but on the whole eh.
Native Americans aren’t native Americans.
They are from Siberia.
Mexican people aren’t Mexican.
The real Mexicans were exterminated long ago.
Aztecs invaded Mexico from El Salvador and killed all the Mexicans.
2% of Amerikan whites and 2% of Amerikan blacks have indian blood (I don’t believe this study. You know motherfucking well whites got a lot of pussy from dem injun squaws…yum).
Blacks have 20% white blood.
You are such a low person, you don’t deserve to eat crow. Why don’t you have any respect for men/women you know nothing of? Is that what you have learned or were taught? I see no aspect in you for the possibility of respect for another person of a different color of you or sex or belief system: why do you hate so much? Arrian bs, I’m better bs, I’m richer bs, I’m smarter bs, I’m stronger bs, what ? What makes you more human than me? Or any other person? Because it’s not your ability to have compassion or forgiveness or sympathy and heaven forbid empathy! When SHTF, you better change young white looking person, because without all allies you can gather, noatter what they look like, you’re gonna have one shallow grave (if you get one at all).
Acid reminds me of Cartman on South Park.
“You must respect my authoritah!”
I’ve been at this for a few years but I see stuff like this, believe most of it, but what I still pain over is
WHAT
to stock up on. Food or otherwise.
Yeah, I got ammo covered… 😉
I’ve got extra shovels, hoe’s, etc.
Extra gun parts.
You just can’t go nuts and get everything so there has to be/should be some sort of general list (to be edited by one’s own needs) of stuff that won’t be around when the BDI hit’s the fan.
Mac – got a former article or two on something like a ‘stuff’ list?
Thanks!
Check out JW Rawles SurvivalBlog and look for his “List of Lists” Very good nucleus to start from!
There are 6 zillion lists; from the simple food list of the Mormons, Just look for their site ,to ones that think 50 Million in gold, a small army ,and your own island is a minimum, This sites archive has lists, Survival Blog, The Mormons have several. Search “Shelf life of foods” Bulk food lists, lots of stuff, easy to find.
Here is a list I found a few years ago. Of course, if you don’t already have most of it, you may not have the time or money to get everything. This list is just a starting point, and I haven’t proofread it. I don’t necessarily agree with everything on it. There are some items that I won’t be getting, and there are a few things I have that aren’t on the list. Also, some of the amounts are too conservative. For example, I would want more than one jar of molasses for storage.
TOOLS
Shovel, round point (2)
Shovel, square point
Spade
Hoe (2)
Entrenching tool
Machete
Pick
Mattock
Wheelbarrow
Post hole digger
Axe, double bit
Axe, single bit
Hatchet, framing
Chainsaw, 16″ bar
Chainsaw blades
Hard hat/face shield/ear muffs
Peavey
Log dogs (4)
Froe
Steel wedges (6)
Splitting maul
Block and Tackle (2)
Crowbar, large
Crowbar, small
Pry bar, small
pinch bar
Pulleys, large (6)
Pulleys, medium (6)
Pulleys, small (6)
Chain hoist
Chain, 30′
Come-along
12 lb sledge hammer
8 lb sledge hammer
4 lb engineers hammer
4 lb cross peen hammer
40 oz ball peen hammer
40 oz straight peen hammer
40 oz ball peen hammer
32 oz cross peen hammer
24 oz framing hammer (2)
20 oz bricklayers hammer
16 oz nail hammer (4)
14 oz Mallet
16 oz ball peen hammer
12 oz Warrington hammer
Tack hammer
24″ Jointing plane
12″ Jack plane
9″ Smoothing plane
4″ block plane
Compass plane
Rabbet Plane
Radius plane
Chamfer plane
Adze, large
Adze, small
Broad axe
Draw knife
#80 Scraper holder
Spoke shave (2)
Scrapers (3)
Wood chisels, 2″-1/4″
Corner chisel, 1/2″
Corner chisel, 1/4″
Framing Chisel, 1″
Framing Chisel, 2″
Socket Slick, 2″
10 tooth crosscut saw (2)
8 tooth crosscut saw
5 tooth rip saw
Hack saw (2)
Mini-hacksaw
Dovetail saw
Compass saw
Keyhole saw
Coping saw
Coping saw blades (50)
Back saw
1-man timber saw
12″ Bow/hack saw
12″ blades (20)
30″ bow saw (3)
30″ blades (20)
Bow saw
Bow saw blades, Asst.
Frame saw
Brace, large
Brace, med
Brace, corner
Bits, 2″-1/4″
Twist drill (2)
Twist drills,(2 sets)
Brad point drills
Screw starter bits
Pencils, carpenter (40)
Pencils, regular (40)
Chalk line(2)
Chalk, 1 gal
Marking chisel
Combination square
Compass
Dividers
Framing square
Speed square
Plumb bob, brass (2)
25′ tape (3)
100′ tape
Folding rule
4′ level
2′ level
Torpedo level
Line level (2)
Water level
Pipe clamps, 6′ (8)
C-clamps, Asst. sizes (20)
Wood vise, 12″ (3)
Hold downs (7)
Work bench
Shaving Horse
cat’s claw
nail belt, leather
nail belt, cloth (4)
Wood glue (3 gal)
Wood glue, small bottle
glue brushes, 18
Nail sets, 4
Mason’s trowel
Putty knife (3)
Sandpaper
Sanding block
Peg sizer
Box knife (3)
Straight blades (100)
Hook blades (20)
Saw set
Bicycle tire pump
Traps (Asst.)
Plumbing fittings, valves, pipes, etc
20d nails (100 lbs)
16d nails (100 lbs)
8d nails, box (100 lbs)
Wood screws (50 lbs)
Fence staples (50 lbs)
1-3/4″ Roofing nails (50 lbs)
8d finish nails (40 lbs)
1 3/4″ lead head roofing nails (30 lbs)
4d finish nails (20 lbs)
Concrete cut nails (20 lbs)
16d double headed nails (10 lbs)
Wire brads (3 lb)
Tool box, mechanical
1/2″ drive socket set
3/8″ drive socket
1/4″ drive socket set
Screwdriver set
Asst. bits for 1/4″ drive handle
Extra #2 Phillips
Extra 5/16″ flat screwdriver
3/16″-2″ box end wrench set (2)
4mm-23mm box end wrench set
Pliers, side cutting (3)
Pliers, slip joint
Pliers, linesman
Pliers, needle nose (2)
Pliers, electrical
Vise grips, Asst. (6)
Crescent wrench set (3)
Water pump pliers (3)
Fence pliers (2)
Scissors (2)
Staple gun
T-50 staples (3000)
Glass cutter (2)
Sharpening stones, Asst. (6)
India ink (1 pt)
Anvil
Forge
Stump vise
Manual powered blower
12V DC blower
Hardies/mandrels
Mechanics vise, 8″
Wire brush (3)
Leather work gloves
Leather apron
Coal, 700 lbs
Files, Asst. (20)
Solder irons (2)
solder, 5 lb
Tongs (7)
Pipe wrench (2), 14″
Tin snips (3)
Sheet metal flattener
Swage block
Oil, 2 gal
Shears
Tap and die set
Punches, chisels
Grinding wheel
Hacksaw blades (50)
Oxy-acetylene rig
Propane torch
Propane bottles (50)
TRADING SUPPLIES
Clorox
Disposable lighters
Soap
Salt
Pepper
Candles
Nails, 16d,
Needles/thread
Fish hooks
Coffee
Kerosene
WEAPONS, Long guns (minimum)
Centerfire bolt-action rifle (w/ scope)
12 or 20 Ga. pump shotgun, full stock
.22 rifle
.177 Pellet rifle
WEAPONS, Handguns (minimum)
.357/.38 – 4″ bbl
Ammunition
Centerfire ammo (200)
12 or 20 Ga rifled slugs (50)
12 or 20 Ga #0 buck (100)
12 or 20 Ga #4 (100)
12 or 20 Ga #7-1/2 (100)
.22 LR HP high-vel (1,500)
.177 pellets (1,000)
.357/.38 HP (200)
Other Weapons
8″ knife
Survival knife (1)
Swiss Army Knives (2)
Power pliers (1)
Single recurve bow w/ arrows
Cleaning kit, base
Cleaning kit, field (2)
Solvent, 2 pints
Oil, 4 pint
Grease, 4 med tubes
Eye goggles (2)
Ear protection (5)
Bow strings (2)
Holster
Extra magazines (where required)
Spare parts, springs, sears, pins, etc.
Spare scope
FISHING GEAR
5′ spinning outfit, med action (2)
Tackle box, med spinning gear
Net
Trot line hooks, 200
SUNDRIES
Cast iron Dutch Oven (2)
Cast iron frying pan (3)
Pots (4)
Cast iron griddle
Bread pans (7)
Coffee pot
Meat grinder
Grain grinder (2)
Metal grate for outside oven
Copper pads
Kitchen knives (7)
Asst. utensils
P-38 can openers (7)
Asst. dishes
Hand water pump
Tripod
Bell
20 yds Cotton cloth
Canning Supplies (300 jars w/ lids)
Wool blankets (12)
4″ foam pad, 84″ x 60″ (6)
Pillow ticking
Pillow (6)
Sleeping bag (6)
Pup tent (2)
Cabin tent
ALICE pack w/ frame (2)
Day pack (4)
Large pack w/ frame
Compass (4)
Area map (6)
Binoculars (2)
BIC lighters (24)
Ball bearings, 50
Stick matches, 30 boxes
Survival Kits (6)
Swiss Army pocketknife
razor blade
bic lighter
magnesium starter
twine
hooks
line
sinkers
container
button compass
space blanket
Water purification tabs (100)
LC-2 belt (2)
LC-H suspenders (2)
Canteen w/ cup w/ holder (4)
Shotgun pouch (4)
LC-2 first aid kit (6)
LC-2 butt pack (2)
Compass pouch (2)
G-3 mag pouch (2)
BAJA waterproof bags (6)
LBE rubber bands (20)
Trioxane bars (100)
Survival cards (2)
Light sticks (48)
Signal mirror (6)
Sewing kit
needles, Asst., 100
thread, Asst., 50 spools
buttons, Asst., 100
pins, 500
Watch
Zip-lock bags
Kerosene Lamps (7)
Kerosene lantern, (3)
Funnels (3)
Gas lantern
Propane lanterns (2)
Propane stove, 2 burner
Propane stove, 1 burner
Propane tanks, 5 gal, 3
Adapter kit for lantern/stove
LP 2 Propane adapter
Candles (70)
Extra wicks/globes/mantles
LED flashlight (3)
Red lenses (3)
D cells, Ni-Cd (12)
AA cells, Ni-Cd (21)
12 volt battery, Storage (2)
Solar charger(s)
Extra bulbs (6)
Radio, shortwave w/ antenna
Radio, AM/FM
Scanner
CB base station SSB
CB handhelds, 3, SSB
Sound powered phones, 6
IR Detectors, 3
Phone cable, 700 ft.
Phone jacks
Asst. coaxial adapters
Hand powered DC generator
Gas powered DC generator, 12V
12/3 Copper Romex wire(500 ft)
Twist connectors (700)
16 Ga stranded wire (700 ft)
Jumper cables (3)
Butane operated soldering iron
Butane canisters (7)
General purpose electronic repair items
transistors
IC’s
Switches, GP
resistors
caps
fuses
CB crystals
solder wick
solder/flux
Soap bars (300)
Soap, liquid, 3 gals
Toothpaste, tubes (12)
Tooth brushes (12)
Floss, dental (20)
Towels, hand (7)
Towels, bath (12)
TP (300 rolls)
Boots, hiking (2 pr ea)
Boots, Shoe-pacs w/ felt liner (1 pr ea)
Shoes (2 pr ea)
Socks (20 pr ea)
Poncho w/ liner (1 ea)
leather gloves (3 pr ea)
Work gloves, (12 pr ea)
Mittens (1 pr ea)
Underwear (12 pr ea)
Pants,(4 pr ea)
Shirts, (4 ea)
T-shirt, (6 ea)
T-shirt, (6 ea)
Shorts, (4 ea)
Parka(1 ea)
Jacket(1 ea)
Travel vest
Hat, floppy
Belts (2 ea)
Paper, 8.5 x 11 (3,000 sheets)
Area Maps
Manila folders (50)
pencils/pens (4 ea) w/ refills
Gum erasers
3X5 cards, 200
Books (many)
Bibles (10)
Coffee cups (6)
Guitar
Strings (3 sets)
case
Wood burning Stove
Leather sewing needles
Tarp, 12’x16′ (1)
Tarps, 12’x10′ (2)
40 gal tub (2)
Washboard
Broom (2)
Mop (2)
Bucket, metal (7)
Bucket, plastic (7)
Gold pan
Figure-8 breaker bar
K1 Kerosene, 25gal
Unleaded gas, 55 gal
White gas, 5 gal
Gasoline can, 5 gal (10)
Water cans, 5 gal (3)
Sta-Bil gas stabilizer (for 55 gals)
55 gal drums, 4
Gasoline pump, manual
Wire mesh
Baling wire, 1000′
Fencing, 100’x 5′, 6 rolls
Chicken wire, 100’x 3′, 6 rolls
Hardware cloth, 1/4″ (20′)
Hardware cloth, 1/2″ (100′)
Rope, 3/4″ braided nylon (200′)
Rope, 1/2″ braided nylon (400′)
Rope, sisal, 1/4″ (1000′)
Rope, Parachute cord (700′)
Mason’s twine (700′)
Heavy-duty Mason’s twine (700′)
Twine (2000′)
Waxed lacing (1000′)
2″ Nylon strap, 20′
Cement, fire clay, (100 lbs)
Portland Cement, (2100 lbs)
Tin roofing, 1000 sq ft
3/4″ Plywood, 3 sheets
1″ plastic pipe, 100 ft
Solid drain pipe
Diverter valve for pipe???
Burlap bags (100)
hose clamps, 25
Stove pipe, 25′
Stove pipe elbows, caps, terminations,
Sheet metal, 4’x4′ (7 pcs)
Asst. nuts, bolts and hardware
Spray bottles, 3
Hydraulic bottle jack, 12T (2)
PVC, 3/4 X 16′, 24 pcs
PVC crossovers, 12
PVC T’s, 12
3/4″ copper pipe, 100′
1″ copper pipe, 20′
Misc copper fittings, 30
30 wt tar paper (10 rolls)
Plastic sheet, 10 mil, 3 rolls
Screen wire (100 ft roll)
Glass panes, 1′ x 1′, 20 pcs
Glazing putty, 2 1 pt cans
Cheese cloth, 1 roll
Clorox, 30 gal
Ammonia, 1 gal
Lye, 3 gal
Iodine, 21 oz
Silicon sealant
RIT dye, earth colors (4 pkgs)
Axle grease (3 lb)
Bar oil for chain saw, 5 gal
10W-40 Motor oil, 24 qt
30W Non-detergent Motor oil, 24 qt
Dextron II Automatic Tran fluid, 4 qt
Mineral spirits, 4 qt
Acetone, 4 qt
Oil to mix w/ gas for saw, 2 qt
WD-40, 2 gal
Locktite
PVC glue, 3 bottles
Boric acid, 2 qt
Sevin dust (100 lbs)
Linseed oil (3 gal)
Turpentine (3 gal)
Electrical tape (12 rolls)
Duct tape (30 rolls)
Dichotomous earth, 50 lbs
FOOD
Hard Red Wheat, 100 lbs
Dent Corn, 100 lbs
Rice, 100 lbs
Spelt, 30 lbs
Barley, 30 lbs
Pinto beans, 60 lbs
Kidney beans, 10 lbs
Millet, 10, lbs
Lentils, 10 lbs
Great Northern beans, 10 lbs
Pasta, 70 lbs
Cheese powder, 10 lbs
Cheese, 10 lbs
Flour, 10 lbs
Dried Potatoes, 5 lbs
Dried Onions, 10 qts
Dried fruit, 20 qts
Dried vegetables, 30 qts
Coffee, 20 lbs
Oil/Crisco, 7 gal
Powdered milk, 30 lbs
Beef stock, 7 lbs
Salt, 20 lbs
Pepper, 2 lbs
Soup, 70 pkgs
Canned tomatoes, 70 cans
Peanut butter, 10 lbs
Sugar, 20 lbs
Kool-Aid, 30 pkgs
Honey, 3 gal
Corn syrup, 1 gal
Powdered butter, 3 lbs
Cocoa, 3 lbs
Yeast, 3 lb
Baking powder, 3 cans
Baking soda, 7 boxes
Vinegar, 1 gal
Chili powder, 3 cans
Garlic powder, 3 cans
Soy sauce, 1 bottles
Italian seasoning, 1 cans
Vanilla extract, 3 bottles
Maple Syrup, 3 bottles
Lemon juice, 1 gal
Ascorbic acid, 2 lbs
Molasses, 1 bottle
Additional canned goods can be substituted for grains above
5 gal plastic food buckets, 25
5 gal lids, 25
1 gal metal food cans, 30
Seed, non-hybrid
Corn
Squash
Tomato
Carrot
Zucchini
Cabbage
Vitamins (300)
Coffee filters, 100
Rennet
Whiskey, 3 gal
MREs, 30
MEDICAL KIT
Bag, main
Bag, surplus
Ace bandages (7)
Large bandages (21)
Burn dressings, (4)
Butterfly sutures (40)
Triangular bandage
Band-aids, Asst. sizes, 300
Wooden cotton swabs, 100
Adhesive tape, 1″ and 2″ (10 rolls)
Alcohol wipes, 100
2×2 gauze pads, 200
4×4 gauze pads, 100
Cotton balls
BP cuff
Stethoscope
Otiscope
Teaspoon
Thermometers, 3
Flashlight, AA x 2
Chemical ice pack
Measuring cup
Snake bite kit
Rubber gloves (24 pr)
Soap, 3 bars
prescription glasses, 2 pr
Hypodermics (3)
100 proof Grain alcohol (3 qts)
Needles
Lidocaine
Hemostats (7)
Needle holders (2)
Scissors (3)
Scalpels (3)
Lancets
Wire cutters
Pliers
Tooth extraction pliers
Dental mirror
Dental pick
Hacksaw blade
Suture materials, Asst. (20 sets)
Surgical tubing, 20 feet
IV sets
Catheters
Plaster of Paris
Space Blankets (3)
Suction device
Urine Test Kits (2)
Pregnancy test kits (3)
Magnifier/30X microscope
AA Batteries (4)
Magnet
eye patches (3)
Cotton bats, 7 boxes
Safety pins, pkg 100
Tweezers (5)
Toenail clippers
Lighter
Zinc oxide
Alcohol, 2 qt
Iodine, 7 oz
Betadine, 4 qt
Liniment, 1 qt
1% hydrocortisone, 3 tubes
Hydrogen peroxide, 2 qt
Tylenol, 250
Aspirin, 700
Nyquil, 1 bottle
Baking soda, 7 box
Salt, 1 box
Calamine lotion, 1 bottle
Activated charcoal, 24 oz
Decongestant, 3 bottles
Imodium AD, 12 pkg
Oil of cloves, 7 bottles
Benadryl, 3 bottles
Benadryl cream, 1 tube
Alka-seltzer, 300 pkgs
Pepcid AC, 100
Vaseline, 1 sm jar
Oral-jel, 3 tubes
Dental filling material, 2 tubes
Lice Rx (Permethrin)
Rehydrating solution
Ammonia inhalant, 7
Epidrine pens, 3
Codeine or Demerol, 100 tabs
Anti-biotic ointment, 21 tubes
Anti-biotic, oral, 300 tabs
Anti-fungal cream, 3 tubes
Moisturizing cream, 3 tube
Bag, personal size (2)
Ace Bandage
Band-Aids, 12
Anti-biotic ointment, 1
Large Bandage, 1
Butterfly Bandage, 3
2X2 gauze, 7
Aspirin, 12
Whiskey, 1/2 pt
I didn’t realize the list was so long until I posted it. If Mr. Mac wants to take it out, he can.
Arch….You left out a couple of 18 wheelers to haul all that around while you are dodging bullets.
Yeah, you forgot the Warehouse, Large, 1 each.
❤
LOL … “Whiskey 1/2 pt.” I know you said it’s the list not the quantities that are of value here, but in any SHTF situation I wonder who would be satisfied knowing that they only have a 1/2 pint?
Thanks for the list Archivist! (and the chuckle!)
I thought about that, but there’s a larger quantity of whiskey a little ways above the medical section. But even that seems a little bit shy of what one might need.
Wow! You list about 20 hammers. This list is larger than most wagon trains had. You need to alphabetize. I think you are missing 20 tons of pig iron, 5 tons of bulk copper and another 5 tons of M&M Peanuts. There is a spare anvil in there? somewhere.
What I want to know is: “Where is your warehouse?” Just asking. 🙂
You must have a huge mansion and lots of out buildings. One man in my area got his outbuildings broke into and stuff was stolen..bee careful, he probably told one too many or was over heard.
Just an old house, but a number of outbuildings. I don’t even lock the outbuilding doors, so to most people it all looks like it’s worthless. A lot of the stuff has been here for 70 or 80 years, tools, hardware, wood, pipes, etc.
Archivist,
Great list! Thank you for posting!
I would add some lice combs, one for each bug out bag.
I would also add some packs of cotton diapers. (They can also be used for bandages, cleaning, etc.) If you have kids, grandkids or young adult kids, these will be needed.
what a great, comprehensive list. Just a couple of comments: it’s diatomaceous earth, not dichotomous earth. Also, I think you should have a lot more flour and sugar than listed. 100 pounds of each at least.
I didn’t create the list and didn’t proofread it. I think a lot of the quantities are too low, especially on some of the tools.
Yep, just like our ancestors had.
I think, perhaps, we could pare that list down a little. 😉
Of course, it’s good to have a large list from which to garner new ideas, so thanks! I might have poked fun at you above, but it’s all good. Different people have different needs, and the list above seems comprehensive enough to cover most of them.
Thanks!!! I have a lot, but more can’t hurt!
I had to laugh in looking down that list. I have virtually all of it and much more and it is just pretty much stuff that we need to operate without having to run to a city all of the time. Hell of a list just the same!
Archivist, I didn’t see a single seed on that list. Plenty of shovels to bury you when you starve to death.
I have been making large seed orders this week. May be the last time I do so since I am shifting to seed saving before Monsanto finishes buying up all the heirloom seed companies. Theyhave about 40 percent of them already.
My neighbor has a huge metal building with unknown stuff in it… is that you? He doesn’t garden either.
I do have plenty of seeds and will continue to buy more every year until I can’t. Whoever created the list originally was not perfect but they did think of a lot of things.
Also, I have been gardening for 40 years. I started with tomatoes, since I really love them and they’re easy to grow in eastern NC.
Theres seeds in there,,,,
Becky needs glasses!
Me too so dont feel bad
What no tampons and silly putty?
Non sequitur; supposedly the air force uses a significant amount of silly putty in an A bomb. Anybody know why?
It might be useful for keeping parts separated that you don’t want to touch? I haven’t built any A bombs lately – I’m a little rusty…LOL
Holy crap!!
Linda makes you feel like your cupboards are bare, huh??
15 different HAMMERS – As a former carpenter, I’m impressed! I got one that’s not on your list. It’s a Schrade multi-tool with a hammer/pliers on it. I use it for those little nails…
If you don’t have food covered and can eat wheat, no gluten allergy or intolerance, stock up on wheat first. It’s fairly cheap per pound and a pound of it gives 1500 calories and most of your amino acids (Protein). Proteins are not created equal. For example if all you at was Rabbit, then you would be missing some important amino acids. Low fat Powdered Milk is a good addition to the wheat. Whey Protein can work, but isn’t as good as the milk nutritionally.
Back to the wheat. Here in Northern Middle Tennessee, I go up into Kentucky and get 50 pound bag of VERY clean wheat for $6. 400 pounds is a years supply if you don’t do heavy labor for one person. (I realize people will burn more than 1500 calories a day in TEOTWAWKI. This is just a gauge.) Buy two Corona Corn/Grain mills. You can get them for about $40 a piece. Buy only Corona. You can grind wheat with it, but you will have to do it in three passes. Course, medium and get the plates as close as possible without touching for the last pass. Don’t buy the $200+ ones. (You can, but I’m shooting for cheap here.) So now you have $128 invested. For long term storage, acquire food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids and seals. IF you buy them at Lowes (They have food grade.) $7 for the buck and lid. You can get about 25 pounds of wheat in a bucket, maybe a tad more, so call it 26. So a minimum of 16 bucket/lid combos. $112 pre tax. For longer shelf life you need 5 gallon Mylar bags and oxygen absorbents $30 for a dozen and desiccants (Moister absorbent) $10 for 25. I put the bag in the bucket and pour m y wheat in. Throw in an O2 and moister absorber. I have metal 1/2″ towel bar and a clothes iron set to it hottest with no water in it. I fold the Mylar over the bag and iron a 1/2″ seam all of the way across the width of the bag. I wait a day or so to see if the bags sucks down hard and then seal the lid on. So for about $300 you have a year supply of food for one. Sure it will be boring to eat wheat everyday, but get creative. You won’t starve and will last for a long time that way. IMO 25 plus years. Probably more. Of course your wheat cost will probably be higher. Co-Op has wheat at $10 a bag and of course Walmart has it for a bit over $16 bucks for 26 pounds in a bucket already. Free shipping over $50. That’s $30 more than my way. Don’t know if they have a Mylar bag O2 and moister absorbent or not. Remember the grain mills take $80 of my $300. Drop the O2 and desiccant, plus free buckets somewhere, it would even be cheaper my way. The Walmart way would save a bunch of time though and if you can’t find wheat at the $6 a 50 pound bag would be better.
You mention gluten intolerance. Perhaps it would be useful to know a bit about how that develops, since it could affect your strategy.
If you look at gluten intolerant populations, and the onset of their celiac symptoms, a few key similarities present. Those with leaky gut syndrome are prone to developing celiac disorder. People who take medications known as common digestive irritants likewise fall into this category. Often, the onset of celiac disorder occurs with extreme stress or duress, experiences which often affect digestion and can cause stomach and intestinal ulceration.
Introduced to the blood stream, gluten is a poison to all of mankind. Today’s flours and glutenous grains are much higher in gluten content than those of our ancestors. When the gut or stomach lining is compromised, food content can enter the bloodstream in minute amounts, wherein the immune system detects it as a threat and develops antibodies. When this food contains gluten, you develop antibodies against that gluten. That is a primary origin of gluten intolerance and celiac disorder.
I bring this up because an event or economic degradation sufficient to have one requiring said supplies is likely to be exceptionally stressful. If one’s primary source of food during this period is wheat, one is exposed to increased risk of developing celiac disorder.
There is a secondary concern. A dramatic rise has been seen in the prevalence of celiac disorder over the past ten years. Science suggests that glyphosate (Round Up) is not harmful to humans. Studies confirm it on human tissue. However, we humans are entire systems, not bundles of tissue. If you look at our digestive systems, you find they are reliant on a vast collection of helpful organisms. Flora are the plant organisms and fauna are the animal organisms such as bacteria and parasites. It has been shown that the introduction of glyphosate to these organisms drastically changes their survival rates, and that the resultant mix contains significantly more potentially harmful organisms than is considered normal. This causes intestinal irritation, among other problems. Of course, the intestinal irritation results in inflammation of the gut lining, and an increased probability that the intestinal barrier is compromised, allowing gluten and other agents outside the digestive system.
These days, it is virtually impossible to source wheat that has not been grown using Round Up. About ten years ago, glyphosate content of wheat spiked with a new harvesting method. Instead of waiting for natural crop desiccation before harvest, farmers were encouraged to kill off the Round-Up resistant crops with a heavy dose of Round-Up. The crops died and were left in the field 7 or more days before harvest. This enabled farmers to control the date of their harvests, and increased their production at the cost of introducing additional glyphosate into the food supply.
By now, you probably realize the implications.
1) If gluten containing food moves past the gut barrier, celaic disorder can result.
2) Extreme stress and duress, such as experienced in periods of termoil, increase one’s probability of developing celiac disorder. Likewise for medications that are known stomach or intestinal irritants.
3) Ingesting foods that upset the delicate balance of gut flora and fauna increases the probability of developing celiac disorder.
4) Most wheat contains glyphosate, making #3 an increasing risk to those who store wheat.
There is no cure for celiac disorder. If one develops it, foods containing wheat become poisons. This happened to me during a personal SHTF, and the two years of food I stored proved mostly worthless.
I strongly recommend reconsidering whether wheat should be a primary supply in preps. If you do store it, I suggest isolating it from other foods so that if you develop celiac disorder, you still have something you know to be safe to eat.
Certified organic wheat
I realized several years ago that the whole gluten-intolerance thing is due to people that are allergic, or being made seriously ill, by glyphosate. That crap is sprayed on wheat, days before harvest, as a dessicant. That just made my head spin when I learned about this practice.
Thus if you are not eating organic wheat you are ingesting glyphosate. Is organic wheat too expensive? No. Not for me.
ISHK. That’s some good stuff. I hope everyone doesn’t think that I’m advocating just having Wheat as a supply. This is a start. Wheat should be ground into flour and from there the sky is the limit on what you make with it. Yes some wheat types are better for pasta and others better for bread. As for Celiac, that is a bad deal and I agree, wheat should be isolated as should any wheat products that are pre-made. My Daughter in Law is gluten intolerant and I have to make different plans for her.
I just watched the film “Food Inc” last night (again) and urge everyone here to do the same. I got it from the local library; I’m sure you can do the same, or find it online fairly easily.
This documentary is a stunning eye-opener that reveals how a very few giant international corporations have gained control of the food industry and are filling supermarkets with genetically-manipulated, pesticide-soaked food so they can maximize their profits.
It’s amazing to discover how many products are clever constructions of three crops: soy, wheat, and corn. All of those thousands of colorfully-packaged products are mostly illusion. Everything from ketchup to cereal to soup –and countless more– is made from these three crops.
And meat? The information presented is shocking and sickening. LITERALLY sickening. Manure-soaked carcasses moving along the production line. ‘Downer’ cows being processed along with all the others. Chickens that never in their lives see sunlight, and that are bred to gain so much weight, so quickly, that they are unable to walk. It just gets worse and worse as you learn more about how the giant agribiz companies work.
Farmers that save their own seed to plant are sued into bankruptcy by Monsanto, which has patented thousands of seed DNAs and now literally OWNS the right to grow vegetables. How convenient that the FDA, USDA, and Supreme Court have Monsanto people embedded in them. Their knowledge of the industry is a valuable asset to their jobs…. and only radical malcontents would dare to imply that their decisions might not be completely impartial…!
There is a reason that unhealthy food is so cheap, and healthy food is so expensive. Unhealthy food can be regarded as almost addictive, because it panders to three deep cravings: fat, sugar, and salt. Humans are hard-wired to deeply desire these, because they are rare in nature and represent vital nutrients that we need. Salt and fats are absolutely necessary; and natural sugars are found mostly in fruit, which contains vitamins and micronutrients.
By supplying people with “fake food” containing these three cheaply-manufactured substances, the big corporations make billions of dollars by addicting people to garbage foods that promote obesity, heart disease, diabetes, digestive disorders, etc etc etc.
Although organic, local foods are significantly more expensive, I am paying for them anyway. If you cook wholesome foods from scratch at home, you can have really high quality food for about the same cost as people who are buying loads of chips, soda, snack cakes, fast food, frozen pizza, and other crap. It doesn’t have to cost more to eat well if you are willing to put a little effort into it.
Anyone with even the slightest interest in their own health needs to view this film.
Sprout those wheat berries and you have a green vegetable that even gluten intolerant people can digest. You can also soak wheat then boil it for a cereal, adding nuts, berries, herbs, etc….
KEY to storing ANY bean or grain is keeping vermin (bugs rats etc.) from getting into it, AND keeping things very, very, dry to avoid mold. Buckets are somewhat rat resistant, but they can eventually chew into them. Do NOT rely on mylar bags unless protected with a bucket or metal garbage can with tight lid. He mentions oxygen absorbers, they help by converting atmosphere in bucket to nitrogen, starving bugs of oxygen. Dry ice can also fumigate to replace oxygen with CO2–but be careful lest you seal too soon and bucket burst, throwing wheat all over living room (happened to me). Most corn is not dry enough, use a dessicant before final packing.
I need the mills. otherwise if my one breaks, I could be smashing my wheat on a rock, with a rock. It would get the job done, though and hungry is hungry.
Really??? The best advice I can give about what food to store is “store what you eat and eat what you store”. Yeah, I know it’s one of those hokey little prepper sayings, but it’s true. If you store food that you’ve never tried, when the chips are down and you have to eat your stores, unfamiliar food is not the way to go. It will be a stressful time. No need making it more so with strange food. It’s also best to store components like sugar, salt, corn for corn meal, wheat berries for flour. The reason I didn’t say store flour is because it will go rancid easily. I learned the hard way and lost over 50 pounds of flour when I first started prepping. Wheat berries can be ground as needed and don’t go rancid, if properly stored. For corn, I store pop corn. That can be made into corn meal as well as for popping. Oat groats can be made into oatmeal or flour. Look for things that can be used in more than one way. Don’t forget a really good grinder for it all. Learn to cook from scratch or near-scratch if you don’t already do so. Tomato products do not store well much passed about 6 months in cans. The acid in tomatoes tends to eat through any coating the interior may have. Tetra-packed tomato products last longer. I could go on but I’m sure you get the idea. There is a pdf available called Gone Before You Get There (www.preparedforcrisis.com/orderform.pdf) that has lists of things to store. That should give you a starting point.
Your above link didn’t work for me. Did a search and I think this link is the one you wanted to get out. And, I like it and thank you for getting me interested!
ht tp://smartearthservices.com.au/SURVIVAL/Gone_before_you_get_there.pdf
That’s one of the better ones, thanks. I guess I’d better double up on the cat food!
That’s why I store a lot of Hershey bars. I know they keep pretty well, because I just finished my Y2K stash just a few years ago.
I keep the bulk chunks of milk chocolate and dark chocolate too. Keep a few marshmallows around and it makes good fudge. You can do something similar with powdered cocoa, which stores a lot longer.
For us it’s about 650 gallons of water stored, 10 gallons of white rice, 10 gallons of pure cane sugar, 5 gallons of white flour, about 2 square feet of various types of pasta, several gallons of tomato sauces/canned fruits and veggies, beans etc., 15 pounds of coffee, several gallons of vodka, 2 cases of pedialite, and one of the most important things in my opinion… egg laying CHICKENS! Our 4 birds are all currently laying nearly an egg a day even in the dead of winter. It was 29 degrees f this morning. I love my birds!
I’ve got about a half ton of wood pellets left for my pellet stove so it’s time to re-up ($350.00 a tonne will last me 3 years of normal use). I’ve got 50 gallons of diesel stored and only about 15 gallons of gasoline. I have 3 generators totaling 6500 watts. I have a garden which I’m still learning but getting better at, along with lemon, orange, apple and fig trees. I plan to get some rabbits this month. The rabbits are mostly for the instant fertilizer but also if things keep going down hill I’ll breed them for meat and pelts. If things get REALLY bad, I’ve also got about 6 cords of various woods (mostly euks, but some oak and pine and birch) in my back yard mostly cured, and a half dozen 200-plus-year-old oaks in my back yard that provide a metric shit-tonne of acorns, leaves for mulch and wood if I need it.
I’ve also got a full machine shop in my garage, most of a wood shop in the shed including a 3 axis CNC router (which is big enough to machine AR lowers, just sayin’), and a considerable inventory of raw stock and tooling that I’ve picked up for next to nothing over the years, including alum, steel and several kinds of plastics including engineering grade plastics like ultem and peek.
I’m expanding my kiln to do more than melt gold, silver, aluminum and lead. (I’m a hobby jeweler). I like melting things.
Oh heck, I’m in moderation because I used the j-word as part of the word J€-W€LRY…okay Mac, the paranoia has to end somewhere.
I’ll try it again: I’m expanding my kiln to do more than melt gold, silver, aluminum and lead. (I’m a hobby J€-W€L€R). I like melting things.
For Really???, there are a lot of lists around, but you need to hone each to match what you and your family will need and eat. I ran across grandpappy.org several years back and he had some awesome info that made sense and shows how to do things on a reasonable budget. I would check it out and compare it to all the others. It is so overwhelming to start but think about what you would need if you had one week to prepare for one week without any additions to your home and you will find your most urgent gaps. Get rid of what you don’t need and bring in what you do by prioritizing.
I know over at Ready Nutrition they had their 52 weeks piece running, good info there,
Pretty much if you know what you use you know what you need, biggest thing is to be flexible, and i dont mean like yoga, just know your going to have to do without a lot of stuff, im not too worried personally, if everything is falling apart i wont be alone, so if theres no lights because electric costs too much, or water is contaminated because people are stupid, or whatever, just got to be able to adapt, reality is that any or all of us could wind up buzzard food anyway.
Write down a list of everything you eat , ingredients, what have you, that you normally eat over a month…then buy 12 months worth.Don’t go buy stuff you don’t eat or don’t like. Same with tools, or expendables…2 stroke oil, garden seeds, gloves that sort of thing.Write down what you use day to day throughout the year and have extras and replacements.
Was WD-40 on the list?
In the early ’70s I was living on Oahu and a shipping strike came about. Many necessities fetched incredible prices. FWIW, toilet paper was like gold.
On the big island lots of stuff just plain ran out,
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have not been reauthorized by Congress since 2009. The State Department hasn’t been reauthorized since 2003. For the Federal Trade Commission and National Weather Service, it’s 1998 and 1993, respectively. The Federal Election Commission has been operating with an expired authorization since way back in 1981. Meet your unauthorized government. Every federal agency is supposed to operate under congressional authorization
Rand Paul has dropped out of the presidential race. Just as in the past, I won’t have a choice in the NC Republican primary this year.
Speaking about the “race” for potus, I will interject here for the T Cruz supporters.
I have stated several times that T Cruz is the NWO’s neo Con answer to the flip side of the Billery coin.
The billionaires like Soros that “handle” politicians for their one world gov scam, always have both sides covered.
I said he/Cruz, would eventually be exposed as billery was many years ago. Here is just one article that says it all….
ht —-tp://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/21764-ted-cruz-s-closest-counsellors-are-neocon-cfr-vips
Why would a Cruz representative give the voters the lie that Carson was already pulling out of the race?
Because, they are crooks.
Speaking of crooks, I would like to borrow that coin that the dems used to flip, to give billery those delegates. Every time in favor of her.
I bet ole Bern would like to see it as well
they’re all liars and crooks or they’d stay in private business. name 1 congressperson that didn’t come out of office richer or in jail.
it’s disgusting that DC just keeps rolling on.
you are right. There is too much been done in “dumbing down” of the sheeple to turn back now.
progressives (a more pc term for liberals) have taken over.
The whole political mess is rigged and the implosion will begin soon.
I think former Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin — wasn’t big money going in or coming out.
Ron Paul.
According to the Baltic Dry Index, It looks to me like Global Commerce has come to a stand still.
Ships are not delivering goods, unless this changes quickly; sooner or later there will be shortages.
Take a real time peek with this web site – http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-145/centery:38/zoom:3
You’re right about the BDI. Some places already have shortages.
Trying to keep all your shit working during the reset will drive you fucking crazy.
Your car needs 5w-30 oil but your truck takes 20w-50 and your generator takes 10w-30
Two cycle is even better fits of rag with the dam corn gas with mixtures of 40 and 50 to one ratio. Then you need gas stabilizer and the eythenol inhibitor crap. Watch out on the octane on regular gas as 87. Higher octane may burn the piston head.
Why I bring this up is because I had to go to four different places to get an Oil and Air Filter for my car.
So I don’t want to have things get fucked up in the reset because the Print was Too Small and located in the very back of the instruction booklet.
Oh I forgot to tell you and I thought we told you already, replies will piss you off for sure.
And I not even started on the electronic crap.
your over thinking it. I use 15w40 rotellat in everything. I have stored up LP. LP doesn’t go bad and most all gas engines can run on it if you know how.
Old Guy
I completely forgot about conversion kits. Thanks. I am going to check it out.
You are right about the shelf life of LPG. The problem for me is that engines run on the stuff use copious amounts. Take a look at slow turning, 650 to 1800 rpm water cooled diesels for generator sets. They last for ages and you can make oil to burn from various seeds. We can power our home during outages for about 1/4 gallon of diesel or other oil per hour with an engine that will last for years. I have a portable gasoline gen set to be able to power remote things up or weld away from the house and it uses 1 to 1.5 gallons per hour to work and it will not last a long time. Also, shelf life on diesel is amazing.
My wheels are so old they need Lucas oil conditioner straight up just to keep it from all leaking out!
I had an old Ford once that only leaked when it wasn’t running. It usually leaked about 2 qts or so each night. I started putting an oil pan under it when I parked it, then dumped the oil back in it after it started. I did that for 2 weeks until I could afford a new oil pan drain plug.
I am curious; What if one holds coinage instead of paper money? Is that a better idea? If so, are here certain coins of no real value or of lesser than face value because of their metal content?
My belief is that the last of any form of exchange to hold value is junk silver.
pre ’64 junk…not collectible coinage, will always have some value.
We are counting on face value if nothing else, right up until they pull the plug on everything but digital exchange only.
Everyone should have a good amount of junk silver coins in storage.
I agree with the junk silver and if you have larger silver coins like Morgans and Eagles, you can also barter with them, just do not cut the with a hack saw, it wastes silver, cut them with a cold chisel, links of silver chains can also be used to buy or trade with
I have a crucible for turning chains and small scrap into bars of specific weights.
You can find the melt value of most US coins, past and present, at:
ht tp://www.coinflation.com/
The only coin in wide circulation that’s worth more than face value is the copper penny (pre-1982). Nickels are second best at about half face value, although they were up to 7 cents at one time.
Silver coins are worth about 10 times face value, but they have been much more in the past. I sold some of my junk silver in 1982 at 20 times face value.
I would keep any coins, but separate out the copper pennies and the nickels. If we were to have hyperinflation and a revaluation of currency, the paper money would be replaced, but the coinage wouldn’t. So if the paper money were devalued by 10 times, your coins would be worth 10 times more, relatively.
I just found a 1964 penny when I cleaned out my tackle box.
Interesting question: Some coin is a good idea; quite often when a countries money goes tits up they introduce new paper at a new higher value but just revalue the coins upward. Costs to much and takes to long to remake coins. And the total value of the coin isn’t worth their efforts to shaft you out of.
Ammo ammo all else can be had as long as you have ammo if not you have a club and aint no baby seals around here
nope, nope, nope.
food, water, silver, ammo and some cash.
you want to wait out the first couple of weeks or month and let the unprepared go out however they are going to go out; no need to be out among them unless you have your own personal tank.
I believe that Lena. Staying put and laying low is plan A. There are plans B,C, D,… so on down the road.
I’m not on board with all this gradual decline in availability of stuff on the shelves.
I can see less of a variety as bigger corporations gobble up smaller ones or the big guys just root the smaller companies out of the markets all together.
Many will eventually go belly up when supplies get hard to acquire, and regulations and taxes cause them to bankrupt.
Too many corporations are depending on the consumer to continue to consume until the day “they” pull the financial plug or, the day that a major catastrophic calamity causes the disruption of food supplies. Then, and only then, will the market shelves become bare. Martial law, because of nationwide rioting or a jihad in the streets could be another scenario, and the more likely one.
The prediction window for the “big one” on the west coast of N America is closing. What was given as divine revelations to a few last summer, has been repeated by many, including yours truly. I believe in divine revelations and spiritual visitations, but when I am skeptical, I usually use the words “may..might..if… or, maybe”.
In this major earthquake prediction by a black woman prophetess/preacher, I remained skeptical but left the door of possibility open. Time will tell, but a disruption of normal flow of produce from the west coast could clear out a lot of shelve space…especially at Walmarkets.
We will not change our prepping habits and schedules until an actual event happens. Our limited resources causes us to budget so much for food stuffs and so much for back up additions to our supply chain of solar chargers and batteries, etc.
We just added another portable solar charger to our array, and will save for another deep cell AGM battery next.
Waiting and shopping for sales/discounts, saved us a whopping 70 bucks off our latest 30 watt portable solar unit purchase. It is for the batteries we will use at the spring head source, to pump water to our holding tanks in the barn loft that will feed by gravity into the bug out shack.
Keep stacking and adding preps. The days till something happens is getting closer one day at a time. Maybe another year, or maybe another decade, it doesn’t really matter at this point.
How can any country, any company, or any household continue to be viable if all they do is pass around money making nothing of added value (ala manufacturing) while the government siphons off a sizable portion? Where is ANY growth coming from if all we do in this country is service and consumption?
Did our politicians design this outcome with all the Free Trade Agreements?
Yep. Kinda makes you wonder why they;re doing everything they can to break us – while simultaneously trying to stoke a war with Russia. doesn’t it? I think the war with Russia is a distraction, meant to distract us as our Chinese and Saudi owners take what they already paid for.
I think it’s kinda stupid to fight for our public lands, when the federal govt, as well as people like Harry Reid have ALREADY SOLD THEM! That’s why the feds couldn’t return the lands to the state, even if they wanted to. Then We’d find out the real truth – that there is no public lands anymore.
To be honest with you I am doubting ammo will have much importance in a collapse. I can’t even give away 22LR at the moment, tried 3 times to post an ad on craigslist to have an ObuttLips fan delete it.
All I know is that I want to get it over with. What ever comes our way.
Did anyone else recognize the author of this aricle’s name? This is the guy that wrote “Civil War II” which is worth reading.
Wrong guy. Thomas Chittum wrote “Civil War II” the names are close though!
having all the items listed don’t help you one bit if you don’t have the Know How to use them. Many couldn’t cook anything without a microwave. And trying to prepare something from scratch and cook it on a wood fire? Or build or repair something? Face it most are really lost when it comes down to working with their hands. Know How And Self Reliance are the two preps you must have. Without those two things the rest of the stuff is worthless. and the mental fortitude you will need is a side benefit of being Self Reliant and having Know How.
I agree. Many people don’t know how to cook so why have wheat berries when you don’t have a clue on what to do with them?
I have been practicing cooking on wood stoves and over an open fire for years. It takes a lot of practice. Key is to have some cast iron skillets and a cast iron Dutch oven otherwise everything ends up burnt.
I grew up sewing, crocheting, and making clothes and quilts. Since the age of about 4 or 5. It would be hard for me to teach an adult how to crochet or tat. I don’t know anyone my age that can crochet and most have never heard of tatting. (It is a needle art that is a cross between crocheting and macrame using very fine thread or crochet cotton).
Most women my age only know how to do one thing: shop.
Philosopher, I don’t know how old you are but you sound about my age – old enough to know better yet young enough to not care. Anyway, I am a woman and I HATE shopping. If I can’t go in a store and quickly find what I want, I leave. I can usually find what I want on the internet in less time than it takes me to drive to a store. I grew up doing embroidery and needlepoint. Was just starting to learn how to make clothes when I left home for the Air Force. Now, here I am retired and having to learn all these things all over again. Plus I’m trying to learn crocheting. Would love to learn tatting but these arthritic fingers don’t like that little shuttle and fine thread. I look at these skills as part of prepping and learning how to be more self-sufficient. If you can make something out of seemingly nothing, you’re way ahead of the game. It doesn’t matter if the beginning items are flour, yarn or wood. Knowing what to do with them is invaluable. You’re right, most people don’t have a clue not only about wheat berries but about anything these days. The prevailing attitude is why make it when you can buy it. Little do they know that one day very soon, they won’t be able to buy it! I, for one, prefer to be in the group that knows how to make things and do stuff to survive.
I am 50ish.
I am also blessed to still have nimble fingers. Tatting was the last lesson my grandmother gave to me when I was on leave for Christmas. She taught me very well, from the age of 4 or 5, I don’t remember the first time I had a needle or crochet hook in hand. Grammy always had a bit of fancy work in hand so I just copied her and my mother was the same.
I grew up white trash in an old trailer that was burned or bulldozed long ago. The skills I learned were how to make do. I remember making a matching maxi skirt and blouse out of an old sheet and when I wore that outfit to school everyone laughed. It was made from a polka-dot sheet pattern that was common. I never wore that outfit again. Children can be cruel.
As far as crochet it is easier than knitting and you can make mistakes. I never did learn how to knit even though my mother, aunt, and grandmother all knitted. I never got the hang of it so don’t feel bad! Just do what you enjoy!
How are you learning to crochet? From a class? Or the internet? My granny made sure I learned how to read the notes too. I have some Italian crochet patterns and I can still read them even though I don’t speak Italian.
My granny had all of her pillowcases filled with embroidery and she did crochet on the edges! She could do everything. I am ashamed at how little I know compared to her. I am pathetic, as far as my skill set. She was an amazing woman though. I will never be as good as her.
You sound like me, but I was the oldest of four. Dad didn’t get a first-born son, he got me. So I learned to turn a wrench and hammer nails. I loaded hay and ran all kinds of farm equipment. I learned to shoot and find things to eat, when it didn’t look like anything was there. I also learned to “make do.”
I can sew and crochet and other similar things, but I learned them as a hobby. I grew up to be a carpenter, rather than a seamstress.
Life is funny, huh.
You made me smile! Thank you! I hate shopping too! I can’t stand it and if I can have it delivered that makes me happy!
I am always learning new things. I have goal on how to make beer and how to grow mushrooms. Cooking mushrooms not the wacky ones.
I always have a stack of books to read, both paper and Kindle and some as PDFs.
I am always trying new recipes and and experimenting with them and seeing what else I can come up with or what I can modify!
I had a Grandmother much like yours. She could do just about anything. We moved two states away from her due to Dad’s job when I was 5. She passed away when I was 8 so I never got to learn anything from her. Having grown up during the Depression, Mom and Dad knew how to make do and do just about anything. Other than needlework, Mom didn’t have patience to teach me much. She expected me to as fast as she was doing something when I was just learning. She would even run me out of the kitchen when she was canning. I finally learned to can from a neighbor who also taught me and my then-husband how to garden.
My former mother-in-law showed me the basic crochet stitches but when it came to reading a pattern, she said that if I could read at all, I could read a pattern. You and I both know it’s not that easy unless you know the shorthand. I have a couple of really good books that show how to do the stitches with both diagrams and photographs, how to gauge your stitches, etc and explain about reading patterns. I am currently trying to make a shawl but my hands have gotten too sore so I’ve had to put it away for a little while. Darn arthritis! I also have a couple of different loom sets. They are easy to use and I’ve made some hats without too much trouble. Those looms produce items that look knitted.
Sorry to hear about the experience you had with the outfit you made. You’re right, children can be cruel. I see nothing wrong with using sheets, even blankets. I made a robe for my son out of an old blanket when he was young. I have a lot of old sheets that I plan on making clothes from. From the scraps, I’ll make some dog toys. The only hold up is that my machine is two hours away at my brother’s house and he uses it.
My son lives with me. When he doesn’t have yard work or gardening, he gets very antsy, so he’s been learning some of the old skills. He makes some awesome lye soap and some of the best laundry soap I’ve ever used. When it comes to cooking, I stay with tried and true, with the exception of learning to make bread and butter. My son is the experimenter. He can cook anything and has created some pretty darn good recipes. We started canning again to save not only what his garden produces but what we may find at the farmer’s market or on sale. He’s learned how to dehydrate and freeze as well. All that he does really helps me. I’m blessed to have a son like him.
You’re right, though about all of us. We’ll never be as good as our grandparents were. They knew more as children that we can ever learn. Even as a child, I knew more things like how to forage wild foods. When my friends and I would be outside during the summer, we wouldn’t bother going in for lunch when we had nature’s banquet available. We’d forage in the fields and woods for our lunch or snack. It was probably a lot healthier too. Today, I don’t know queen anne’s lace from yarrow or hemlock from burdock!
You cannot learn everything, so get your “training” now on things that you know you will need – perhaps how to grow basic food crops, or cooking with alternate methods using basic food stores that you have put back (wheat berries, rice, beans, pasta, honey, salt), or making your own clothing. Healing with herbs, welding or mechanical repair. These will see you through in tough times whether it hits the fan or not and you will be in a better place financially and health-wise. It brings a peace of mind. Solid friends with complimentary skills will fill the gaps.
You should consider storing backup copies of your pdfs and kindle books on a CD. I keep copies of my most important digital files in more than one place.
I have copies on CDs, Flash drives and also on SD cards, which take up almost NO space. An SD card is no bigger than a postage stamp. I also keep copies of these files on a server that is not under US control, on the other side of the world.
Documents like birth certificates, insurance papers, scanned copies of credit or other cards, family photos and ebooks, music and videos/movies, you can save thousands of kindle books on a single 8 or 16 gig SD card or thumb drive. Thousands. I have about 200 now. On one 64 gig thumb drive, I have over a thousand single music videos, 200 full albums and misc.
Keep buying what you use and rotating your stocks. Do you really want to run out of toilet paper or sanitary napkins if you have women in the house? I damn sure don’t. And they will be great barter items down the road, even if you don’t need them.
What? The women ? Or the TP? I think Id trade the women before the TP,,,,
Just kidding,,,im gonna get it for that but just couldnt help myself!
My wife and I have ample food, canned,freeze,mre,etc. ammo aplenty. But if you have to bug out, you better have a backup source of food suitable for travel cause we are not going to be able to carry a 2nd bedroom worth of food and gear on our backs. Think efficiency, pemmican, life straws,multivitamins.good camping gear and a Bible.
This is the time of year when I frequent sales racks to stock up on winter clothing, shoes, hunting gear, etc for the whole family. Especially for my growing kiddos to put back for next season. I know that these goods will be invaluable if a SHTF situation happens. If it doesn’t….I’ve just saved some major money vs paying full price at the beginning of the season.
I’ve been in major stores the last few weeks, and have been astonished at how EMPTY major retailers are. Gap, Target, Dicks, Macy’s, etc. To me, the empty stores, combined with inventory NOT moving is very telling to me that a collapse is imminent. I’ve been in the same store (In a very busy part of Kansas City) on different days in the last three weeks, and have observed the following:
1) sales associates standing around in groups with literally nothing to do.
2) three different sales/markdowns on the same display of items, which seemed untouched from week to week
3) the handful (less than 5) of shoppers I encountered on 3 separate trips were either buying exclusively off the clerance racks, or buying basics such as socks and underwear.
4) prices of a large amount of children’s clothing marked down as low as $1.50-2.00, with an additional % discount. I even watched this inventory NOT move from week to week.
I’m thankful for setting aside my pepper budget specifically so that I can take advantage of buying inexpensive shoes, clothing, other basics for my family. Either way, it’s a win win situation for me, Because based on what I’m seeing at major retailers….our days in this false sense of a positive economic outlook are sorely numbered.
You may be right, but it’s always bad in retail for several weeks after Xmass. Wait 2-3 more weeks and see.
KCG: thanks for the news! I don’t shop that often for clothes. Good to get a report from your part of the country too! Appreciate that very much 🙂
You’re most welcome Philosopher!
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