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How to Survive the Pre-Currency Collapse World

Currency collapse chart

In the last 20 years, I have seen middle-class and wealthy towns in the United States turn into little more than slum areas filled with abandoned houses in which drug addicts and homeless people compete with rats and roaches for a place to live.   As I have mentioned in other articles, I have also survived with very little money and in situations that mimic what will happen in a large-scale currency collapse. This article is designed to show you how to manage the “grey area” prior to a major currency collapse and up to the time when inflation reaches critical mass and creates a de facto “bank holiday”, or the government openly devalues the currency.

Let me start off by saying that even if you see the signs, there are not always concrete lines between recession, depression, and complete economic failure.  Gun control, increased government regulations, increased taxes, increased debt, and crumbling social/family values all point to a major collapse right along with key economic indicators such as falling oil prices, closing stores, housing market failure, increases in subprime lending, and increased bond activity.

SCENARIO CASE STUDY: WILL GUN CONTROL EFFORTS CREATE CURRENCY COLLAPSE?

Gun control policies

Have you been watching the way gasoline prices shift several times a day?  When a vital resource for daily living shifts that much in price, it is a sure sign that something very serious is happening with the currency used to buy that merchandise.  If you have never been homeless or survived a “bank holiday” in which the banks close and currencies are devalued, then you may not have an appreciation for just how deadly that situation can be when combined with natural disasters, martial law in order to confiscate “assault weapons”, and anything else that leads to social collapse and massive civil unrest.   Before you decide whether or not you need to know how to survive a currency collapse consider the following:

  • Democrat members of the Congress are seriously advocating for using “watch lists” to determine who can and who cannot have a gun despite the fact that these lists can be based on opinions about who does and who does not present a danger.  This is a two-edged sword determined by the political thinking of the times, and not the true risk associated with any particular person having a gun. For example, today’s Pro-abortion activist can as easily become a “terrorist” and put on these lists if we have a Republican landslide.  By the same token, gun advocates will most assuredly be placed on these lists if Democrats succeed in taking control of the government.
  • Democrats are also pushing, again, for an “assault weapons ban”, and the Supreme Court has refused to hear a case that would have enabled them to strike down existing bans in California and New York.
  • Gun owners legal, illegal, peaceable and otherwise are not likely to simply turn over their guns just because the government says so.  As a result, the government will be forced to put into effect gun confiscation measures.  Since they know going from house to house, etc will spark massive civil riots, it is logical (to me) that they would be more  likely to use gas and other bioweapons to subdue entire towns and cities so that removing the weapons can be done in a “sanitary” way.
  • It should be noted that there are unconfirmed stories that FEMA has activated its Citizen Corps and they will be prepared to deploy on June 30, 2016; a  full 2 years ahead of schedule. It is unknown what the Citizen Corps actually do, however, it would be no surprise if gassing cities to prevent civil unrest is well within their charter.
  • It is confirmed in the news that Attorney General  Janet Lynch has signed up several towns and cities in the United States to partner with the Strong Cites Network.  This is a private organization founded in the UK for the purpose of “stemming extremism” across the globe.  Such a vague term could easily include gun confiscation even from people that have owned guns peaceably for decades simply because of manipulation for the sake of political agendas.
  • Regardless of how the government decides to put down unrest (even if that unrest stems from gun confiscation, a massive strike from ISIS, meltdowns at political conventions, or natural disaster), rest assured that currency devaluation will be used as a means to limit food, water, sanitation, medical, power, and transportation services.  Therefore, if you are only minimally prepared to manage every area of life without money, or you are still in debt, you must know how to prepare for currency collapse and use those plans starting from now.

You might also find interesting our article about prepping on a budget.

WHY OUR NATION REBUILD LIKE BEFORE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT

The process to rebuild the nation
Image by Mark Goebel

Regardless of why or how a major currency collapse occurs, our nation will have a difficult, if not impossible time rebuilding.  My grandfather often said that American prosperity after the Great Depression came because we went to war and had more manufacturing jobs than we knew what to do with.  Since that formula worked so well before, why can’t it work again?  Let’s have a look at how the next economic collapse will differ from previous ones, and why individuals won’t be able to use “tried and true” ways to recover and grow the economy.

  • Reduced Reliance on Human Work.  WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam all required massive numbers of soldiers and supporting manpower.  On the home front, if we wanted anything from food to refrigerators and cars, people had to physically assemble goods for sale.  By contrast, our modern military uses drones in place of soldiers while factories are run by robots.    The military, like any other business,  has mechanized extensively in order to cut costs associated with employing human beings.
  • Reduced Reliance on American Workers.  To add insult to injury, even fast food restaurants and supermarkets are adding automated teller services in order to reduce reliance on human employees.  As Obamacare costs increase, taxes increase, and government regulation increases, more companies will turn to automation, go out of business, or try to do business overseas with business friendly governments.  When was the last time you weren’t transferred to an outsourced tech support person in India or some other foreign country.  Aside from call centers, data processing and many other “office jobs” that should be held by American workers have been shipped overseas.

Survivors have a unique opportunity to build groups that are relatively insulated from the currency collapse.  Make it a point to start a business that does not rely on mechanization and then focus on bartering for goods instead of using currency.  If you are already a member of the survivor community, the entire group should already be using barter more than currency as a means of exchange within the group, and limit currency exchanges to selling outside the group.  Never be intimidated by cheaper goods from other areas.  Do your research on what interests people in the local areas and cities, and then develop designs and marketing strategies that appeal to them.  It may take time to find a “trendy” product, but once you do, there will be enough money and employees to keep the business growing.

  • Lack of American Born Scientists and Doctors.  Have you been noticing that most doctors and technical support people in the United States were not born in this country?  What you may not realize is that universities prefer foreign students because the foreign government pays for their tuition plus any payroll the student gets for working on internships or employment through the college.  Even if an American student has the money to pay for tuition in the Masters, PhD and MD levels, it is impossible to compete financially with all the money universities get from foreign governments. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that we now have doctors and scientists exclusively licensed by the government.  As such, they are more than happy to do what the government says instead of what is best.
Education in a currency collapse is important

This is truly a difficult problem to overcome because the vast majority of Americans do not have the educational background that they had when we first put a man on the moon. If you are going to insulate yourself from currency collapse, you need to drill in math, core sciences, languages (English, Latin, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic).  Investigate all medical care plans, all drugs you may be taking or asked to take, and all sources of commercial food.  Make it your business to speak the language of science so that you know the truth and how to act on it.  Not only will you have a better chance of improving your health and well-being, you will also reduce the amount of money you spend on foods, devices, and gadgets that may be harming your health to begin with.

During a currency collapse or massive civil unrest, it is likely that the government will call upon the UN to place foreign troops on our soil to police the people.  The more languages you know, the better chance you have of translating what is being said, keeping your communities safe, and gaining access to important currencies. In the long run, the more capable you are of speaking to others, the better chance you have of indoctrinating them about the value of freedom and what our Constitution means.  Never forget that sugar catches more flies than vinegar!

  • Militaries Worldwide Have Too Many Weapons.  Not so long ago, the United States and Russia were in a huge race to sell fighter planes, guns, and other weapons to nations in Europe and the Middle East.  The expected shopping spree from up and coming China and India never came because both of these countries are more than willing (and capable) of building their own weapons.  As a result, our biggest export is no longer of value in a market with brand new players that already outrank us in technological innovation.

Being able to defend yourself is a key to long-term survival.  Quite frankly, I love guns (and gun fashions/accessories!!) and am always awed by the genuine goodness and kindness of those who are members of the gun culture.  Sadly, we are living in a nation where a few people have decided to slander and libel gun owners as part of a psychological scheme to undermine a legitimate culture and way of life.  In my estimation, gun owners are fighting a losing battle that has been played out all over the world already.  Every argument has been heard and the government already has dozens of predictive models to rely on for successful gun confiscation.

If you are truly interested in protecting yourself in the event of currency collapse, don’t count on guns being there, because they will all be confiscated (or the owners dead or driven underground) or ammo will be unavailable within 2 years of a complete monetary collapse. Look to making your own devices and make sure they are 10x or more deadly than a gun could ever be.  When it comes to weapons innovation, there is no such thing as laws that can move fast enough to outmaneuver the human mind and will to self-defense.

  • Unhealthy Americans that are Worse than Dumbed Down.  Did you know that most people are on some kind of medication, overweight, or disabled for some other reason?  The sad fact is the vast majority of people in the United  States cannot work efficiently, and would not be of no use if the military required more soldiers.  In addition, the average reading comprehension level in the United States ranges around 5th grade.

People that are in bad health or do not have a decent education are going to find themselves at a major disadvantage in a currency collapse scenario.  Take the time now to exercise, improve your diet, and transit all medical needs to herbs that you can grow for yourself.   If you have children, use homeschooling and older textbooks that teach facts instead of common core garbage.  You can do science fair projects and learn along with them instead of wasting time on cell phone game apps or other useless things you do to “unwind”.

  • National and Personal Debt.  It is no secret that if China, Japan, and other countries foreclosed on the national debt, we would most likely be hoisting other flags instead of the American flag.  Since the government guarantees student loans, small business loans, and many other forms of consumer and business debt, you never really know if a foreign investor secretly holds the title to your land, business, or other assets.  Even if our government cannot manage its own debt, you can make it your business to get rid of your own debt and not get back into it.  Once again, barter, trade, and community structures can help you meet basic needs while you use a reduced currency base to meet tax and debt burdens.   Quite by coincidence, it should also be noted that the United States is being increasingly drawn into UN plans to disarm the global civilian population. How convenient and “coincidental” is it that our nation is deeper in debt than ever and increasingly dependent on money from foreign nationals that have a vested interest in a “bloodless” takeover of citizens that are “foreign” to them?

KEY PREPPER ASSET TYPES AND HOW TO HANDLE THEM

Invest in precious metals

As a prepper, you may have decided to build a homestead, create a stockpile, invest in precious gems/metals, or amass other items that are worth quite a bit of money.  While these items can be used for daily survival, they can also be seized if you do not have the correct currency to pay taxes and other fees now and during increasingly difficult economic times.  Here are some ways to shelter your most important assets and build your currency reserves at the same time:

  • if you own land or property, it is likely that you still have a mortgage.  A spare room can be turned into a sublet or private rental to friends, family members, or other trusted people that will pay to rent the room. Your goal will be to undercut the going rent prices in the local area and limit your risk by taking in people that you know and trust.  The money you get from the rental should go exclusively to paying down the mortgage so that you get out of it and the killer interest associated with it as quickly as possible.
  • Homeowners and apartment renters should get insurance to cover major appliances.  Your policy should cover heating and cooling systems as well as other major appliances.  Read the contracts carefully so that you get a policy that will replace or repair regardless of the age or condition of the appliance.  This will cut down on your expenses if appliances break down before a major collapse.
  • Offload or refuse to buy new vehicles.  Go for older models and second-hand models that you can fix yourself or obtain suitable vehicle repair insurance.
  • Keep gems and precious metals out of the banks or other off-site “safety” storage locations. You should be able to get to your cache easily without it being detected.  Don’t forget that metal detectors and other devices can find these caches underground, however, they are not perfect. When building a storage cache on your property,  make sure that you test it out and see if it remains hidden from different kinds of equipment.
  • Tools, equipment, and other stockpile assets can also be seized from your private property by the government or looters that take advantage of civil unrest.  If you have these assets, make sure you can protect them or rebuild them if needed.
  • Avoid traveling with money and other valuables.  In these times before a major collapse, do not forget that assets can also be seized by the police if you are pulled over for a “traffic violation”. It should also be noted that scanners exist now that also allow police to seize money on certain debit cards even if these cards are just sitting in your wallet. Given all the problems associated with the role of political agendas and opinions in relation to watch lists, it should be very easy to see why you should avoid traveling with items of value as much as possible.
  • Get out of stocks, bonds, retirement funds and other “interest bearing” investments. If you had any money invested in 2007, then you already know how much you lost.  Don’t make the same mistake twice – get out now while you still can and put your money into tangible assets that can be liquidated in time of need.

5 CRITICAL THINGS YOU MUST DO NOW

Critical things to do to prepare for a currency collapse
  • Don’t Let Others Control You Through Money.  Start off by looking at your budget and identifying how “mandatory” each item is on your list.  Are you forced to buy car insurance, health insurance, rubbish removal services, water, food, electricity, and phone services? Even though it is true that all of these items are important for survival and well-being, you do not have to be hog-tied to those bills and forced to use currency or else do without.  Make “reduce, recycle, reuse, and innovate”, your mantras.  From personal experience, I can tell you it takes about 5 years to sustainably live virtually without money.   Each time you identify an area in your budget that someone else dictates, take note of your stress levels around these budget items. Use prepper’s psychology to get control of yourself and make it easier to figure out how to master the situation.
  • Don’t be Intimidated by Failure or Hard Work.  I have spent decades looking for ways to grow food indoors, unlock the secrets of herbal remedies, create an energy free home, generate electricity by harnessing solar/wind power, and cutting my reliance on motor vehicles.  It is no secret that for each of my successes, there are dozens of failures, mishaps, and other assorted mischief.  Never allow the difficulty of self-sufficiency to scare you off.  Just start with small goals and keep moving forward.  Even if you fail, don’t give up – keep researching and remind yourself that as hard as this may be, not being able to buy your way out of a monetary collapse scenario will be much worse for you and your family.
  • Invest in “Obscure” Foreign Currencies – Look for countries that do very little foreign trading and have a trade surplus.  Ideally, these countries should be rich in minerals,  land assets or basic materials that might be necessary for rebuilding society here and abroad. Even though these countries may not have currency worth flipping on the FOREX markets, their currency may be worth a lot more once the US dollar collapses and takes other key currencies with it.   Currencies from these “obscure” countries are also ideal because the governments will be less likely to collapse as a result of warfare or internal strife.  Just make sure that each country is also at least somewhat isolated from other countries where refugees from collapsing countries can easily reach the border.
  • Build a Global Network – As long as internet banking and computer services remain open, it may still be possible obtain currency from overseas.  By building a global network of friends and business associates, you can find ways to get your hands on just about any currency that you need.  In addition, extended location networks are very helpful if you need to bug out. Not only will you have a place to go, but it will be harder to trace through an extensive list of peers than a small one.
  • Get Information from the Source – the worst thing you can do before an economic collapse is to rely on the local news, mainstream media, or even smaller computer based news sources for information.  Make friends with people from around the country and around the world.  Join groups where you can watch and listen to gain vital information about what is really going on. For example, instead of watching the news about Orlando, make friends online from diverse communities in that area.  What are they saying about the events that happened there?  What is the general mood of the people?  What are the speculations about what will happen next?  It may take time for you to identify key patterns, but eventually, you will be able to spot information and fit into larger trends so that you can better predict what will happen next.

CONCLUSION

According to Robert Richardson in an article at Offgrid Survival, “Both J.P. Morgan Chase and Citigroup are calling for a ban on paper currency. In fact, Chase took the unprecedented step of restricting cash in certain markets and recently started banning the storage of cash or coins in its safe-deposit boxes. They also put policies in place that will ban using cash as an acceptable payment for credit cards, mortgages and auto loans.”  This is just one of many troubling indicators that the US currency is about to collapse.  What are you doing to prepare for a time when you will need money, but none will be available? I have lived through these kinds of situations. What would you like me to write about on this situation?  Please also feel free to share your experiences so that we can all fine tune our plans and make useful steps to solving these problems.

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