Re: Concerns with the future (confiscation, rehypothecation, seizure-redistribution)...
Good topic for discussion.
Here's my .02 cents on the subject...
1. Get a financial allocation/reallocation plan in place now.
As the political environment continues to decline - increase your allocation from paper
(stocks, bank & brokerage accounts) and into physical metals and physical cash, as well as
some barter items.
As far as cash, the main priority here is when/if the banks or ATMs shut down from a cyber attack,
civil unrest, a bank holiday, an EMP, a natural disaster, a government mandated bank holiday, or
what i think may be the most realistic near-term threat...
The next "pandemic' whether naturally occurring or a false-flag event (which may be the most
realistic risk-event of all), because its not as if LockStep 2010 and Event 201 never took place,
and don't forget their "Disease X" prediction (threat) as well.
Whatever the cause, you will need cash to survive. Think groceries, gas, an emergency car repair,
medical or dental emergency, Rx drugs, buying a generator, fixing the roof or the furnace, emergency
plumbing repairs etc. Few merchants are going to accept physical gold & silver for payment in the initial
stages of a crisis (more on that in a minute...) for now - cash is still king in an emergency.
Texas officials reported they were just "hours" away from their grid crashing and being out for
"months." You can't use credit and debit cards when the power is out, so have a stash of cash.
Having at least 30-90 days of cash on hand to cover all your living expenses, plus a couple of thousand
dollars on hand to cover a major emergency (major auto repair, furnace, roof repair, moving or travel
out of the area) in a worst-case scenario is the intention; not converting a half-million dollar+ 401K into
stacks of hundred dollar bills or 100% physical metals buried in the backyard.
Everyone's individual situations are unique - determine what percentage of your assets you want
to convert to cash or allocate to physical metals in hand or vaulted storage, and start doing that now.
Keep in mind currency laws and red flags, you definitely don't want to withdraw $10-$25-$50k in cash
on a single withdrawl. Be smart, follow the law and have a plan in place and start now.
I'll repeat something I said earlier, I don't believe an emergency currency devaluation is going
to happen in the initial stages of an economic or market crisis. I think we'll have some warning
signs before we reach that stage. So I'm not advocating cashing out of your bank and brokerage
accounts entirely.
Taking 10-20%, even 30% out and converting it to physical cash and metals? - absolutely, yes.
2. Become as self-sufficient as you can be...
Secure your home, establish alternate ways to heat, cook and store and access water (install
a well and a frost-proof old style pump or a rainfall catch system for starters). And for food,
get freeze dried packaged food now (before its on a 3 month backorder again), get your pantry
re-stocked with canned goods and long shelf-life food items, and start a garden, maybe even
plant some fruit trees this spring if possible.
And if you have the land and the zoning allows, and you're committed... consider adding chickens,
goats, even a couple cows and start a small "hobby farm" for maximum food self-sufficiency.
3. Barter
I've conducted this informal conversational-survey in two different states, in three different cities
over the last few years,
I've went to 4-5 farm markets and 5 or 6 roadside farm stands over the years and struck up
conversations with the vendors (farmers and service companies). Long-story short, about one
in four - 25% would take physical gold and silver "coins" now (including Gold or Silver Eagles), but
not bullion. Junk silver coins were by far the most readily accepted. Another 30% of them said yes,
if they had more info (a way to establish fair value), or if the banking system was down...
Most all would definitely consider it, and most recognized they may not have any other alternative
one day.
So, one of my goals was both planting the seed and introducing myself - gaining some rapport,
as it's common sense they're much more likely to "trade" with me using barter if we've already
had a couple of conversations and I'm no longer a stranger.
Have these types of conversations in your own community now - talk to the farm market vendors
and stop by the local farm and fruit stands, your auto repair guy, the plumber, electrician, a local
handyman, a roofer, a small convenience or grocery store or independent gas station owner etc.
My main takeaway - junk silver coins are going to be the most readily accepted form of alternate
money in a crisis.
Lately, I've also talked to just a few farm vendors about Matt Bracken's idea - that boxes of ammo,
especially 22LR ammo will become highly barterable. And he's right, most people were very
open to that. Most farmers are, or were hunters and are gun owners - they know the value of
both guns and ammo and are aware prices have soared and ammo is very, very scarce.
You'll have no problem trading a 50 round box of quality 22LR hollow point ammo for a bag of fruits
and vegetables, or a 1,000 round case of high-quality 9mm self-defense ammo for a side of beef
to fill your freezer for the winter.
Scarcity = value. We've already seen how things like toilet paper and simple bleach became
unobtainable during the initial stage of the coronavirus pandemic.
What's a good barter item? That could take 5 pages, the short-take is gold & silver coinage,
guns & ammo, booze (fine wine, liquor, a couple of cases of Jack Daniels), cigarettes, coffee,
bic lighters, propane tanks, hard-use tools and household items from toilet paper to tampons.
Having some barter items on hand shouldn't be over-looked. Think long shelf life and everyday use.
Sadly, given the non-stop censorship, deplatforming and vilification of conservatives, Christians,
gun owners and patriots from the left - this type of thinking, planning and preparation is no
longer just for the hard-core preppers and patriots - it's Mainstream and Main Street.
A recent wake up call for me that told me we've entered another level of "depersoning" and a literal
Chinese style of social credit punishment (actually beyond that) is what has happened recently
to Gab's founder Andrew Torba - a devout Christian family man, absolutely in no way, shape or form,
a radical (not even close) and he literally can't open a bank account - he's been banned by everyone...
It started with mainstream banks here:
nationalfile.com
And now, after thinking he solved the problem, he was banned by a small "Evangelical Christian" based
credit union as well (because of outside pressure, possibly even from government regulators)...
nationalfile.com
For those who cite the free enterprise and capitalist systems and say if you don't like Facebook,
Google, You Tube, or Twitters policies - go somewhere else or start your own service...
That's exactly what Andrew Torba did with starting Gab, but now he's literally blacklisted
from the entire banking and financial system.
We've also seen Christian conservative Curt Schilling the former Phillies & Red Sox baseball
star having had his personal insurance coverage for himself and his family cancelled for
his Christian conservative writings and views expressed on social media and his own
web site. Schillings courage will most likely cost him a spot in the Hall of Fame.
And nothing he ever wrote or said was even remotely hate speech or extreme - This is all because
they can not allow any athlete with a major following to contradict the social engineering talking
points and values espoused by the likes of Colin Kappernick, Lebron James and spineless
virtue signaling phonies like Drew Brees...
Why do you think they attacked Trump supporter Tom Brady before, during and after the
Super Bowl?
Also, we're already starting to see Antifa and BLM ratchet up street violence. With the George Floyd
trial getting ready to start prepare for the flames of race baiting and violence to be fanned by the left
all summer.
Sadly, it is not only rational to think and plan for the once unthinkable, it may soon become a matter
of survival.
We ain't in Kansas anymore people...
SOTB
PS: When I talk to friends and family about prepping the one thing I consistently see people
skimping on is a safe. There's a world of difference between a low-level Liberty, Cannon,
or Browning gun safe and a "real" safe.
One of the best overall investments anyone can make without spending insane money
is a high quality gun safe that has a high level fire proof rating and has a high enough
security rating and is large enough and heavy enough that either to break into it, let alone
move it - would require a professional with professional tools. Even a professional burglar
with normal tools, is not going to break into, or move these safes. And the way to eliminate
a "professional thief" with professional tools from ever breaking in is very simple... keep
your mouth shut about what you have (this also goes for you kids if you still have them at home)
and keep the safe is a discreet area of your home - not on proud display in your family room.
These are NOT the safe's you're going to find at Farm & Fleet, Tractor Supply or probably
even your local gun dealer. They will weigh 1,000 lbs+ and will require a professional
safe mover to install and remove if you ever change locations. Anything less than this,
and you're subject to a crack head with an average set of tools being able to break in,
and/or a couple of professional burglars with standard moving equipment and enough time,
being able to remove it, load it on a truck and take it.
I've moved a few times over the years - the safe move will run from $150 to $500 depending
on access, stairs, turns, degree of difficulty etc. The professionals have incredible high-tech
equipment to navigate stairs, disperse weight and they won't harm your wood or tile floors,
nor crack your subfloor etc. I never regretted spending the money.
I could write 20 pages on this, but won't because you need to learn and understand all the
misconceptions about the different security levels and fire resistance levels etc.
Expect to spend $3,500 to $5,000 for a 60-72" ht x 30-36" w safe. You really don't need to spend
more than that unless your storing a very large firearms collection and or significant wealth, if so,
then you're going to need a professional "jewelers" level safe which isn't practical in some residential
applications and is another subject completely where you get into multiple layers of professional security.
Brand-wise - I highly recommend the AmSec line of safes. Sturdy is another solid line.
residential.amsecusa.com
sturdysafe.com
Yeah, I know your physical metals won't burn, but cash and other items will, and while creatively
cacheing "some" physical may have its place, not putting all your eggs in one basket is also
something to consider.
Bottom line: my investment in high-quality "real" safes over the years is the one investment that
has given me the most peace of mind and is the one investment I've NEVER regretted and is the
one item I would NEVER go without. |
