I didn't want to interject this into Karl's "The Market Is Discounting The Downgrade" post that has the above title as the last line. I know a lot has been covered on this and I would like some insight from you Ticker folks.

I am fortunate in that I live in the NC mountains, have a garden, water source, generator, guns and ammo, and some food stored (comes with living in the mountains). House is paid for. No debts. I don't have this becasue I saw what was coming, it is just the way I live normally.

My concern is how to protect the purchasing power of what money I have. Many say gold, but I tend to think Karl is right about gold if SHTF the government will confiscate it or try too.

So what to do, buy Swiss Francs or other currency? Keep US dollars in quantity out of the banks (at home)?

been talked about before. best store of wealth is tradeable goods. antibiotics/medical supplies, booz, cigs, ammo, food etc.

Thanks Attil I have all those except cigs.

Zimbabwe dollars got nowhere to go but up...

Also tools of production, particularly hand tools, and supplies: steel, copper, sheet metal, fasteners, etc, in quantity.

Thanks Truth...I am a pack-rat type so I have lots of "stuff I will need one day" :)

In the supply dept: Seed. If you grow OP varieties you're fine, but if you depend on hybrid varieties for your garden, you better stock up and store it right.

Rramuss...good suggestion. I have some seeds, but this year I plan to save a lot more since you pointed it out. Most of my stuff is not hybrid because I reuse seeds from last years crops.

The time to be prepared is now...passed.

I have not done it but I've heard you can open an account with Everbank and they will allow you to hold funds in other currencies.

https://www.everbank.com/personal/curren....

Quote:

I have not done it but I've heard you can open an account with Everbank and they will allow you to hold funds in other currencies.

...or buy Rydex currency ETF's. Click of a mouse.

Thanks for all the great suggestions folks.

Condoms

Google "top 100 things to disappear in a crisis". The list(s) have been out there awhile. While you won't necessarily agree with the priorities, it's still interesting. One category I think is missing is locks/cables/chains for security. When tough times come, a lot more of your belongings will develop legs...

RE: Confiscation of gold. Clearly a possibility. So is consfiscation of pensions and IRA's or anything else of value. Even so, consider: When Roosevelt required people to turn in their gold, the people had gold, and it still circulated as currency. The subsequent revaluation of gold was a de facto devaluation of the dollar. Today, the masses do not have gold; rather, it is concentrated in the instruments of government and the hands of the elite. Other than the ETF's, there is not enough in the possession of the people to matter.

Further, with the elite in possession of the gold, if they have the power that many ascribe to them, they will never allow their wealth to be confiscated. Rest easy, but diversify your wealth...nothing is guaranteed.

You could put some of your savings into foreign accounts (just make sure to follow all applicable Federal laws).

Silver is less likely to get confiscated than gold.

To protect yourself against the possibility of a sharp drop in precious metals (could happen if we go the deflationary route for the next few years), you could buy leap PUTs on GLD and/or SLV in addition to buying metals. That way you have protection against inflation (PMs) that is also hedged against deflation.

CEF is a better way to go than SLV or GLD if you want to buy PMs in an ETF form, IMO.

To guard against bank failures, you could put away a largish stash of FRNs somewhere well hidden. Be sure to save the printout from the bank showing you withdrew the money from your account there and keep a copy stored in a second location if possible. (This is to give you some protection in case somebody in law enforcement decides their budget is too lean and gets designs on your savings with a pretext of it being "drug money.")

If TSHTF the government will have far bigger problems to worry about than taking your gold.

1) No one even owns gold any more. The sheep have been brainwashed against it.

2) They will be protecting themselves.

3) Then they will have to deal with containing the FSA who will quickly riot.

Anybody know how to pull water up a well that has an electric pump (if there was no electricity)?

Bison pump looks good...I installed the Simple Pump last year and am very happy with it. I was even more happy when a tornado skirted through our woods and took out our power for a week...and we still had clean water available.

Simple pump here. Simply amazing.

I don't think there will be a SHTF doomsday scenario. But being prepared is always a good idea.

For a deeper well check out the "slapshot"
I haven't put one together yet, but looks simple and effective
http://www.hydromissions.com/slapshotcon....

Here is a list of the Top 10 Disaster Currencies:

http://www.richardcyoung.com/terrorism/t....

Just for ideas.

Don't forget cordwood. When we can't afford gas/propane/gasoline, there's always wood.

Wood heat, wood cooking and baking.

If nothing else, it's good for when you lose power for a few days due to Mother Nature.

That bison pump looks interesting but my well is about 350 ft deep and the top of the water isn't much above 275'. I need to find one that can pull from 300 ft.