[12fretter]

First, BKT, I'm a little confused. You said it's not smart to prepare for a SHTF scenario, but then you list a bunch of great suggestions. What am I reading wrong? Or are you saying that prepping should be a way of life, not just for the SHTF scenario, but every day life in general?

Second, thanks for all the responses. I know I was a bit vague at first but let me clarify a couple things.

Yes, I have some firearms. A Thunder 380, a 1911 45, a 10/22 and a 7.65x54 rifle that kills my shoulder after about 6 shots. I have 1000 rounds for each pistol, a couple thousand .22lr's, and about 500 for the bad boy. I am also taking delivery on a .22 magnum rifle from a friend who owes me and is paying me back with a never used rifle.

I have also started food storage and probably have about 4-6 months worth. Water, not as much because it's so hard to store, but I do have a pressure cooker and some copper line and am planning on fashioning up a distiller.

I have some junk silver. I don't want to mention how much, but it's not a lot for sure.

So, I'm on my way, and I have some money to spend right now. I didn't want to be too specific, but I was just wondering what everyones goals were. My idea was that, as far as firearms go, my next weapon might want to be a tactical shotgun. On the other hand, I do not have a good carry weapon, as the Thunder 380 has fallen into the hands of my wife. So I was thinking of a short .45.

However, the economy is not doing well, and there are a bunch of mindless morons trying to shut down the system all over the country, and indeed the world. Sooner or later, a big collapse is coming, I think. I would rather get stuck with junk silver than useless currency.

So now, with all the details, what do you think? I'm leaning toward metals, maybe even my first bit of gold. (OK, I have a bit more than $1000 right now.) I was thinking I am doing well on food, water and arms and ammo, but maybe a bit short on metals.

[bkt]

Originally Posted by 12fretter

First, BKT, I'm a little confused. You said it's not smart to prepare for a SHTF scenario, but then you list a bunch of great suggestions. What am I reading wrong? Or are you saying that prepping should be a way of life, not just for the SHTF scenario, but every day life in general?

What is your SHTF scenario? If you're waiting for a zombie apocalypse it may never come. It is far more likely that you or your spouse could lose a job or you could have an unexpected medical or other expense. Storms can knock out power, gas and water for a week or more. Having what you need on hand to live comfortably for at least a few months covers a lot of scenarios.

Many people flipped out over Y2K and bought water barrels, MREs and a bunch of other stuff. When nothing went wrong, you could get some amazing deals on ebay for prepper supplies. People figured "Meh. The worry has passed and I won't ever need this stuff." That was short-sighted.

Prepping also lets you eat better and at less cost - the food in my garden is superior to anything I can buy at the store and costs me almost nothing. Venison, fish, fowl and other critters are tasty, very inexpensive and are better for you than most meat you can buy at the store.

Canning your own food is cheap and easy too.

It's a lifestyle change that might sound nuts to some people early on but it makes sense and is surprisingly easy to do once you get into it.

Originally Posted by 12fretter

I have also started food storage and probably have about 4-6 months worth. Water, not as much because it's so hard to store, but I do have a pressure cooker and some copper line and am planning on fashioning up a distiller.

Distilling is certainly one option, but it requires fuel and it takes a while to get pure water. A Berkey or other filtration system is quick. If you live near a freshwater source, get a filter or at least purification tablets or drops.

Originally Posted by 12fretter

So, I'm on my way, and I have some money to spend right now. I didn't want to be too specific, but I was just wondering what everyones goals were.

My goal is to keep my family comfortable in as many situations as we may come across and to save money where possible.

Originally Posted by 12fretter

My idea was that, as far as firearms go, my next weapon might want to be a tactical shotgun.

A shotgun is the most versatile firearm going. It's great for defense, and hunting large and small game. And they're relatively cheap.

Originally Posted by 12fretter

However, the economy is not doing well, and there are a bunch of mindless morons trying to shut down the system all over the country, and indeed the world. Sooner or later, a big collapse is coming, I think. I would rather get stuck with junk silver than useless currency.

I hear that! Having a store of wealth in precious metals is a hedge against exactly what you describe and it will come in handy once the economy gets back on its feet.

But being as self-sufficient as possible is just as important as having a store of wealth. Pay off as much debt as you can as quickly as you can. Learn useful skills - engine repair, electrical, plumbing - that kind of knowledge could be extremely useful during some bad event and it will save you money (or even help you to earn money) if nothing bad ever happens.

Originally Posted by 12fretter

So now, with all the details, what do you think? I'm leaning toward metals, maybe even my first bit of gold. (OK, I have a bit more than $1000 right now.) I was thinking I am doing well on food, water and arms and ammo, but maybe a bit short on metals.

I have dealt with apmex.com before and they've been great. I got what I wanted for a good, fair price and it arrived quickly. Check around at local coin dealers and ask what they charge over spot. Before you buy, check the spot price of whatever metal you're planning on getting and compare the asking price with spot price. Most places charge a few bucks over spot per ounce of silver. Expect to pay a lot more over spot for a 1/10th ounce gold round than you would for a 1 ounce gold round.

Junk silver at apmex is actually more expensive than it should be. People go after it thinking it's the less expensive way to get silver. Someone posted another site (providentmetals.com I think it was) a few days ago where junk silver was a lot cheaper.

[12fretter]

Originally Posted by bkt

Junk silver at apmex is actually more expensive than it should be. People go after it thinking it's the less expensive way to get silver. Someone posted another site (providentmetals.com I think it was) a few days ago where junk silver was a lot cheaper.

Actually, that was me. And I think you supported what I thought before I posted this. Thanks for all your great suggestions. I might just see what my pawn shops have today, in silver and arms. I find that they lag in changing their silver prices so coins may be had at older, lower prices...sometimes.

Thanks again.

[Caoimhin]

Watching the market yesterday and getting the overnight updates I am more convinced we are about to see something big in the world financial market this month. It always happens in October. That being said the more I think about silver and gold, the more convinced I am that it is about how much we pay for the PM and not how much we can sell it for. We have PM because we are preparing for the paper money to be worthless. So the saying will now be "Buy Low and Trade High". It's not how much paper you get for your PM's but ?? Could be tools, guns, Boots, food, bullets, medicine or anything you will value. It's no longer about how many dollars you have but how many dollars you convert to PM's, pennies, nickles and I am stocking quarters, A dollar may soon equal a penny but 4 quarters will still be a dollar.

[12fretter]

Originally Posted by Caoimhin

Watching the market yesterday and getting the overnight updates I am more convinced we are about to see something big in the world financial market this month. It always happens in October. That being said the more I think about silver and gold, the more convinced I am that it is about how much we pay for the PM and not how much we can sell it for. We have PM because we are preparing for the paper money to be worthless. So the saying will now be "Buy Low and Trade High". It's not how much paper you get for your PM's but ?? Could be tools, guns, Boots, food, bullets, medicine or anything you will value. It's no longer about how many dollars you have but how many dollars you convert to PM's, pennies, nickles and I am stocking quarters, A dollar may soon equal a penny but 4 quarters will still be a dollar.

Funny, I was just talking to my wife and telling her how paranoid I felt about what was coming, and when. I don't want to get stuck with worthless paper either. I think we decided that if we have the extra money right now, and it's not earmarked for anything in any way, we should convert it.

[widowmaker]

If I was a young man with a family and had an extra $1000.00 to "invest" in preps. I would most definitely get the 12 gauge pump and plenty of ammo. I would also buy a couple of hundred dollars of so called junk silver.
You seem to already have a handle on your firearms needs but seem a little behind in your water needs. By all means, but the best water filtration system you can afford.
Food you can get but water is something you don't want to be without at any time.
Im in agreement with Caoimhin as far as something happening soon.
I'm about as prepared as I can get at this stage of life. I just spent a couple hundred today on durable foodstuffs. I wll pick up another water filter later this month and maybe some barter material too. (sugar, salt, wheat, whiskey.) NEVER trade guns or ammo.
Well thats all I cansay about this for now.

[Rex in OTZ]

Take that $1000 and learn somthing like a skill or keep the money and read a library book and learn to do somthing for yourself, learn to make foot wear, hats, weave baskets, dry meat, use natural medicinal herbs.
Having all that stuff robbs you of mobility that you may not have time or ways to pack all that **** around when a minuet is all the forwarning you have (Earthquake/fire/flood)

Boil or filter your water so need to figure that out for local fuel (Electric/Propane/petro fuels/wood/coal), will it last? can you get more?, will flooding be a problem, how about cold temps?
Sanitation for waste, Lime in seal'd 5 gallon buckets, outhouse? Cess pit? Female personal hygene items, stock pile soap or make your own? How you gonna wash?
Shelf life of perscription meds (heart/ diabetic/ seizures/depression/ADD)

Buy SPAM & Beans, powderd milk & egg and bisquick, Krusteze pancake mix, laying in bags of wheat flower, corn meal and such beggs for meal bugs to infest your hoard, Pemmican?
hard tack?
Lay in a lot of selected garden seed, learn to dry food, jerk meat and dig root cellar like the plains indians, Corn, squash and beans, they harvested the wild rice in the slews along the Niobrara River useing Canoes, they'd paddle next to some rice pull over the tops over the center the canoe and wack it a few times with a willow switch to get the grain to collect on tarp coverd bottom.

having stuff to barter is one thing till you run out, But having skills sombody can use is even better, if your swept away and hang on and walk ashore with nothing but whats in your head and semi sound body.


All the silver and gold and shotguns in the world wont get you the meds you need to survive if you sitting up in branches of a tree wondering if the water is gonna rise more of drop in the next couple days.

[XR750]

Rent utility's and food. My dream is not to be homeless till after Christmas.
Joe-R

[trip286]

Originally Posted by XR750

Rent utility's and food. My dream is not to be homeless till after Christmas.
Joe-R

I second this.

[12fretter]

Wow, that Berkey is a cool thing. Got mine on order today. That'll go a long ways.

I also have Mainstay Emergency Rations on order at the suggestion of a military friend of mine who has stocked up on them. Has anyone tried them? He says they're quite good and he could easily use them to survive.

I've also decided that the shotgun is probably the best thing I could do right now. So with that plus ammo, and the water filter, my $1000 is gone.

Oh, and by the way, I found 16oz soy candles for $4 per...bought a case.