Originally published January 9 2015
These 10 tips will help you prepare for the imminent economic collapse
by J. D. Heyes
(NaturalNews) The Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared." That is eminently sound advice, especially in this day and age when the global economy continues to teeter on the edge of the abyss.
Though it is good advice, it can also be a bit overwhelming, too, especially if you're not sure how to even begin being prepared. What, specifically, does "being prepared" mean? That differs from person to person, but in terms of "being prepared" for an economic collapse and the chaos it will bring about, a number of experts have offered up their advice, condensed into a "top 10" that makes it much easier to understand and digest. With all due credit to Robert Richardson of OffGridSurvival.com, we have compiled them here for Natural News readers:
1. Identify your threats: This may seem pretty basic but you'd be surprised how many folks skip this step. They seem to think that waiting for threats to present themselves is a better alternative, and while it's not likely you can think of every threat, there are some that are universal.
Do you live in a suburb? Urban center? Out in the sticks? This matters; the more people around you, the more potential threats (potential allies, too, but mostly potential threats).
2. Prepare realistically. Yes, there have been stories of late suggesting that a foreign power or terrorist organization could cause some sort of electromagnetic pulse event that would collapse the country's power grid (or do something similar with a cyber attack), but there are more realistic (and more likely) scenarios that are far less spectacular that you should prepare for.
Think social unrest, as in protests over police or other political actions, massive inflation, dollar devaluation, etc. In these instances, your access to basics like food and water could be greatly diminished. Keep extra on hand (just as you would for an earthquake or tornado).
3. Do a SWOT analysis: What is a "SWOT" analysis? The acronym stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. What are your strong suits (shooting, craftsmanship, coming up with solutions on the fly)? What are your weaknesses? What opportunities are available to you now (training, exercising, etc.) and what opportunities will be available to you when SHTF? And, threats, we have already covered.
4. Get out of debt: This seems obvious but, again, you'd be surprised at how many people overlook it. And granted, saying, "Get out of debt" is easier than actually doing it sometimes. But it's a goal you should work toward at all times anyway. Debt-free = freedom.
5. Get off the couch: Exercise is crucial, because when SHTF, you may have to bug out, live off the land or exist in a world that is much harder on you physically. And again, so what if nothing ever happens? You will be prepared for it either way, and you will add years to your life.
6. Train -- to become an expert: Figure out what you're not as good at as you'd like to be, and then train to become better. You will have figured out, through SWOT and other assessments, what threats you will likely have to deal with, so that should guide your training.
7. Train -- your mind: Surviving in a world devoid of creature comforts, a working economy and a civil society won't be easy. Start thinking about how you'll deal with such scenarios mentally now, so that you can train your mind to handle it.
8. Intelligence will be key: Information is power, and you'll need as much information as possible -- about what is going on around you, what opportunities and threats exist, etc. -- in order to better protect yourself and your family. Intelligence collection will be key; learning how to dissect and use intelligence will be key.
9. You can't stay there: You may be able to "bug in" -- that is, stay where you're at -- if the SHTF. But you also may have to "bug out," because the situation around you is untenable and dangerous. Be prepared to do that; start now getting bug-out bags ready for you and your loved ones (there are lots of different bug-out bag articles online, but here is a great basic bag to consider: SurvivalCache.com).
10. Bugging out with kids: Wow, right? When you had kids, you probably never considered that you would have to someday escape to safety with them. But you just might, so make sure you include them in any preparations. Here's a good primer for that:
Sources:
http://offgridsurvival.com
http://survivalcache.com
http://absoluterights.com
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