How are YOU preparing for socio-economic collapse?

[osan]

Since I can't build a well I started working on rainwater harvesting. I have a 250 gallon tank (which I'll probably up to 500 gallons).

I think drinkable water is key though.

500 gallons won't cut the mustard. 5000 is more like it. E.g., a few months ago we were looking at houses in WV and one place had no well, but a rain water system with 7200 gallon storage. It "almost" never ran out. Be careful on what you hang your lives on, that's all.

[osan]

My 75 acres can provide for about 30 people easily. We will need a good mechanic, a good machinist, a good tailor, a good tanner, a good weaver, and a good sawyer. I have a glass blower already, enough farmers, a carpenter, and I am a hunter/trapper.

30 people? Are you serious? If you have 75 tillable acres, you should be able to indefinitely support at least 500. That is a lot of ground. We just moved off our 100 onto 13 and we should be able to support the entire mountain on what we can grow here. I am thinking orchards or apples, cherries, pears, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants, walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts. The rest in veggies, maybe an acre of wheat/rye/oats, and a huge herb garden. An acre of corn.

Till 1/10 acre and a household of 2 will be giving the food away for not knowing what else to do with it. But let us be conservative and say you can feed 10 people per acre. With rotation, you are still looking at 375 people EASILY.

If I ever have a job again (looking doubtful at this point), there is 75 acres in Newton WV I have eyes on. About 45 tillable.

Try to put up a greenhouse.

[osan]

No worries. I cant afford a gun. Guess I have to take the other chicken$#@! way out. Starvation.

Find a way. That or give up and die. I may be wrong but I'd be willing to bet the dying part won't be so attractive when the choice is upon you like a shadow.

Thing is, I am totally unprepared. I can barely afford to put gas in my car, and or eat at the same time. A far cry from where I was at 5 years ago, great money, owned my own business, looking at buying a house, and all the money went back into the dying business that went belly up, and Im broke. Financially, Emotionally, Spiritually, etc. Im drained. Im a dried up bloodless turnip. Im exactly what they want me to be. And all I see is the whole situation getting worse and worse and worse. Honestly, I dont think Im gonna make it when the SHTF scenario becomes reality.

Get a job. Any job. Become a prostitute... I dunno... don't just give up.

[Elwar]

500 gallons won't cut the mustard. 5000 is more like it. E.g., a few months ago we were looking at houses in WV and one place had no well, but a rain water system with 7200 gallon storage. It "almost" never ran out. Be careful on what you hang your lives on, that's all.

Ya, I know that 500 gallons wouldn't give us our daily showers and clothes/dish washing.

I'm looking more at survivability. It rains a lot here in Florida so I think the longest we'd have to go on 500 gallons would be a couple of weeks in a dry summer.

The rest I would work toward using dehumidifiers or water distiller for the salt water from the gulf.

[moostraks]

No worries. I cant afford a gun. Guess I have to take the other chicken$#@! way out. Starvation.

Thing is, I am totally unprepared. I can barely afford to put gas in my car, and or eat at the same time. A far cry from where I was at 5 years ago, great money, owned my own business, looking at buying a house, and all the money went back into the dying business that went belly up, and Im broke. Financially, Emotionally, Spiritually, etc. Im drained. Im a dried up bloodless turnip. Im exactly what they want me to be. And all I see is the whole situation getting worse and worse and worse. Honestly, I dont think Im gonna make it when the SHTF scenario becomes reality.

This really breaks my heart. I am sorry you find yourself in this position. We lost everything too but were lucky how it went down in the end. Wish I could hep you out if for nothing else more than moral support.

If you make yourself a wealth of survival knowledge now through utilizing the library system at least it doesn't cost you anything now and might make you feel better about your circumstances. You will be storing up something valuable for a worst case scenario.

Quite frankly your shtf scenario is now so what better time to practice survival skills then when you are down and out? Best thing is you have the internets at your disposal so you can save the fortune I have frittered away on books and learn the same thing!

[crushingstep7]

Hey, so guys!
I found someone here in NY that's willing (I think) to finance property for me even though I'm only 19 and have no credit. I'll be contacting a lawyer for the paperwork...

anyway lol
Do you all think it would be smart to start making payments on a 26 or 60 acre (35k or 60k) right now? I'm concerned that I could be spending that money on more valuable commodities in the mean time... just in case things do collapse in on themselves and I have no rights to the property whatsoever.

[JCF]

Not sure if anyone has posted but:

1-year Food Supply For 1 Person
5,011 Total Servings
84 #10 Cans

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11487214

1 year of food for $800
---

Joining the military to learn some "skills". I want to get a mechanic-like job in the Marines which I also think will help. While in I will read books about self sufficient living, hunting, farming, skinning, fishing etc. I'll also be buying guns and ammo of course, maybe some nice knives and other survival gear.

I plan to move somewhere fairly "rural", here in Southern California my only option is Big Bear, I may move up to Oregon which isn't bad in some areas. My aunt may be giving me some land, about 1 acre in Alaska... I doubt I will move there though, I'm too close to my family.

I may invest in certain things that if there was a collapse would be of high value, but I'm not sure what exactly; but to be honest I'd do this stuff even if I wasn't worried about anything happening to the country since I've always wanted to be more self sufficient.

---

If anyone's interested here's a cool guy on youtube who does reviews for all kinds of things. Guns, knives, gloves, backpacks, boots etc... All wilderness related. He also goes out camping and tests knives.

Very informative, hundreds of videos most being 20-30minutes in length :

http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy?blend=1&ob=4

He's also pro 2nd amendment, other than that he's not very political.

[crushingstep7]

$800 for a year? Damn... I need to look at the nutritional content of that stuff lol Sounds fishy..

And yeah, I think everyone has heard of NutnFancy. Liked his Sheepdog vids a lot.

EDIT: Ohhh, just one person. Ok. Makes sense.

[Krugerrand]

Not sure if anyone has posted but:

1-year Food Supply For 1 Person
5,011 Total Servings
84 #10 Cans

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11487214

1 year of food for $800

I didn't look too closely ... but two cans of sugar sure doesn't sound like a years supply to me.

[Elwar]

Hey, so guys!
I found someone here in NY that's willing (I think) to finance property for me even though I'm only 19 and have no credit. I'll be contacting a lawyer for the paperwork...

anyway lol
Do you all think it would be smart to start making payments on a 26 or 60 acre (35k or 60k) right now? I'm concerned that I could be spending that money on more valuable commodities in the mean time... just in case things do collapse in on themselves and I have no rights to the property whatsoever.

Be sure it's something you can put 20% down on and keep your monthly payments to less than 25% of your monthly take home pay on a 15 year loan.

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/ho...ey_realestate/

[MelissaWV]

If you're making payments on it, it's not yours.

[osan]

Yeah, this is awesome!

I was planning on buying a rifle and about 1,000 rds of ammo with the $2,300

Don't be foolish with your funds. If you are that strapped, go find a good, old, inexpensive 22 rifle. I know where you can get a 1940s vintage Mossberg 41M in 22, semi-auto for $250. This is a bit high priced, but the gun and 4 more like it are in very good shape. Then, go buy 10,000 rounds of good ammunition like Fiocchi. Do not buy Remington ammunition. It is the worst and it is UNRELIABLE, which is as bad as having no ammo to speak of.

I picked up an old Stevens Model 34 for $90. I reworked the stock to my specs and can drive tacks anywhere under 100 yards, which is all I am likely to need. Yes, I have my larger toys and several handguns, but the 22 is probably the most valuable weapon I own in terms of ultimate practicality.

Unless you are expecting to have to fight off large gangs of roving criminals, you will not require the services of a long distance rifle. And if you do, chances are you will be killed long before you ever get to make much use of it. Them's just the averages for Johnny Q. in such situations. Barring this, your biggest concern will be feeding yourself, which a good 22 rifle will help you with most admirably.

[crushingstep7]

I didn't look too closely ... but two cans of sugar sure doesn't sound like a years supply to me.

And this is why I just store bulk/wholesale dried foods myself... people are always tryin' to rip you off!

If you're making payments on it, it's not yours.

Totally true. But I figure if sh*t REALLY hits the fan, I would at least have some claim to the land... maybe? Haha
In any case, paying property taxes is, in essence, making payments to the State.. so you really don't own any property - including your car, your children, etc. You have the privilege of managing those things. But anyway.

I figure I would at least have a place to go, depending on the attitude of the creditor during a "SHTF scenario". Whatever that might be.

And Elwar, solid advice. I'll have to look into what I'm capable of doing. Thanks!

[crushingstep7]

Don't be foolish with your funds. If you are that strapped, go find a good, old, inexpensive 22 rifle. I know where you can get a 1940s vintage Mossberg 41M in 22, semi-auto for $250. This is a bit high priced, but the gun and 4 more like it are in very good shape. Then, go buy 10,000 rounds of good ammunition like Fiocchi. Do not buy Remington ammunition. It is the worst and it is UNRELIABLE, which is as bad as having no ammo to speak of.

I picked up an old Stevens Model 34 for $90. I reworked the stock to my specs and can drive tacks anywhere under 100 yards, which is all I am likely to need. Yes, I have my larger toys and several handguns, but the 22 is probably the most valuable weapon I own in terms of ultimate practicality.

Unless you are expecting to have to fight off large gangs of roving criminals, you will not require the services of a long distance rifle. And if you do, chances are you will be killed long before you ever get to make much use of it. Them's just the averages for Johnny Q. in such situations. Barring this, your biggest concern will be feeding yourself, which a good 22 rifle will help you with most admirably.

Well, too late for foolishness! haha
I already have my Scout, and I think it was a good investment...
I bought a Ruger 10/22 a while back, and I'm up to about 1,000 rounds of .22.
I agree %100 that a .22 is a do-or-die necessity.

And yes, I kind of do expect to fight off large gangs of roving criminals/looters.. assuming I can get out of the shallow mass grave that I grew up in - and have a rural area to go without being bothered. If I can't get out of the city, yes - I'll die via starvation or murder or some other atrocity. But all is well; God is great.

Thank you for the input once again, Osan.

[osan]

I got some breakin news for yall and there aint gonna be no collapse. Ya know its all about money, and no one with money gonna let the world fall to $#@! so they can lose.

Some news for you: nobody knows for certain what is going to happen. Collapse may not be intended... or it may be. Either way, it could come. I doubt with severity that you are privy to the intentions and capabilities of those who toss the dice with the world.

They will prop everything up as long as possible and prolong the agony for decades, 10+ yrs of stagflation.

Now here we agree. But we still have no idea for sure how it will all turn out.

And if people cant take it anymore, they will gladly come in and take over all means of production.

Presuming that they would be able to or that people would allow it. These are very big presumptions and are anything but proven true.

Those in power know if there is a collapse, there is a vacuum of power and a change in power. They own the media, have the money to spin this as 10 years of "slow growth" while securing their own financial positions, transfer our money to their accounts.

Um, no. A stratified collapse would be different. We collapse while they do not.

We need an intervention, like an addict does. Can't wait for rock bottom cause their wont be one. Like an intervention, we create a "false bottom".

While your assumption is anything but proven, the "intervention" notion is sound.

Let's say this is our bottom, this is our collapse and start NOW diggin out.

The $#@! ain't deep enough still for lots of people. Those who are aboard with digging out now are already working on it. The rest may never come around. Forget them.

Dismissing a grave collapse is rank foolishness, particularly one that is engineered to hit the lower strata of the financial pyramid. What, pray tell, do you think installations such as Mt. Weather and The Greenbrier are for? Hint: they are not for you or me. They are readily defensible installations wherein those at the top can hole-up for years as the rest of us kill each other off when the party suddenly ends. That is the assumption that is built into the very reason such places exist. Whether those assumptions hold in truth remains to be seen.

Personally, I am about 50-50 on whether the current collapse (yes, there has been a collapse, so your assertion to the contrary is already demonstrably wrong) will go much further. It depends on what the intentions of those wielding power are and just how strong their grip is on the reins of this thing. Therefore, it is anyone's guess at this point. With some small luck, we will sink not much further. Without it... well, best to be a little prepared, which is always a good idea in any event because $#@! does happen... like earthquakes and fires, etc.