This article has been generously contributed for your reading pleasure by James Rawles of Survival Blog.
The world is on now on the brink of a global credit crisis that could be far worse than the tumultuous events of 2008. The ongoing sovereign debt crisis in the southern reaches of the Eurozone indicate that bank runs in the region will continue, and that more bank closure “holidays” will be declared. Under a bank holiday, virtually all deposits could be frozen and irredeemable for days, weeks, or even months. The key question is: Will this crisis spread to the rest of Europe and then even to the United States? I urge SurvivalBlog readers–particularly those in Europe–to be proactive, to stay “ahead of the power curve.” While the Generally Dumb Public (GDP) wakes up some morning to hear news of a bank holiday, you will have long hence prepared yourself.
Digits Lost in the Ether–Redeemable Mañana?
Most people don’t realize that printed U.S. currency and minted coins amount to less than $800 billion, worldwide. That is just a small portion of the aggregate Money Zero Maturity (MZM) money supply that now exceeds $7 Trillion. So what is in your bank account is just electronic money, and there is absolutely no way that even a fraction of depositors could get physical cash to redeem the digits in their accounts. If there is a bank holiday declared, there will undoubtedly be severe restrictions on cash withdrawals when banks re-open. Given the precedent of the limits on withdrawals of a few institutions during the Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, I predict that withdrawal restrictions could go on for many months.
Here are 20 Reasons why America’s next bank holiday will be a nightmare:
- A bank holiday will create a virtual blackout of information on not just checking and saving accounts, but also automated mortgage payments, CDs, and more. Our presently quite transparent banking system will suddenly become opaque. Your bank balance will become invisible. Your handy-dandy online banking web page will be replaced by a “Service Temporarily Unavailable” notice. The willingness to accept checks will evaporate in less than a day. The FUD factor (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) will be overwhelming.
- Most businesses will no longer honor personal checks, corporate checks, or bank money orders. Showing a merchant your most recent bank statement isn’t likely to sway him. Again, the FUD factor will rule.
- All checks in the U.S. are cleared through the automated clearinghouse (ACH)network. Most of this network is inside of banking system firewalls. Many Federal, State, and local tax payments are also handled through ACH. (A similar network exists for European banks–the Pan-European Automated Clearing House (PE-ACH), under the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) system).
- Credit cards might not be accepted. The FUD factor will dictate that anything even peripherally related to the banking system will be suspect. (Even though the credit card companies have their own credit clearing mechanisms that are only attached to the banking milieu.)
- Except for a few grandfathered recipients, Social Security payments are now made exclusively via bank direct deposit.
- Military monthly pay, housing allowances, and ration payments are now made exclusively via bank direct deposit, in CONUS. That is true virtually across the board (Active component, Reserve, and National Guard.) Ditto for monthly military retirement payments.
- Many State and Federal employees no longer get physical paychecks. They too, are trapped in the “direct deposit only” world.
- Many Americans are now very dependent on bank debit cards (also known as a bank cards or check cards.) In fact, many people don’t even carry more than a few dollars in their wallets. If our world suddenly goes “cash only” most people will suddenly be out of cash.
- ATMs, debit card transactions, and online banking can be shut down in minutes. This huge vulnerability of banking customers has already been evidenced by a few minor glitches.
- Online payment systems like PayPal will be sharply degraded, because they rely on their ability to move funds to and from banks. More importantly, online payments are inextricably tied to credit card processing. If credit card processing is suspended, then online payments will be “dead in the water.”
- Many regular monthly payments such as mortgages, insurance premiums, and some utilities are automatically debited from checking accounts. These will all come to a screeching halt.
- SWIFT wire transfers will probably be suspended, freezing a good portion of global commerce. Similarly, International ACH transactions (IATs) will also be shut down, since they access the U.S. ACH network.
- The ability to process credit card payments will be dubious, at best. Many merchants will wisely “just say no” to credit cards, even if their countertop POP terminals are still functioning and show available credit. And the fact that many credit cards are now just debit cards in disguise will only add to the reluctance of merchants to take any credit cards.
- Point of purchase (POP) processing of credit and debit cards at gas stations has become ubiquitous. Nearly everyone now uses the “pay at the pump” option. Gas and diesel could become “cash only” transactions.
- Most American families keep less than $300 in cash at home at any given time, including their kids’ piggy banks. For most families, that wouldn’t cover even one month’s rent.
- Formerly distributed as “Food Stamps”, the USDA‘s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), provides benefits to low income families through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card payments. These cards look much like credit cards. And like checks, EBT payments are all routed through the ACH network. Again, this is a network that is inside banking system firewalls. If the banking system goes into holiday mode, then it may take days or even weeks to get EBT processing back on line. If the EBT payments stop, we can expect riots in metropolitan areas in less than a week.
- Gift cards will be “iffy.” There are now two types of gift cards: “open loop” (or “network”) cards and traditional “closed loop” cards. Open loop cards are issued by banks or credit card companies and can be redeemed many places. It is likely that only closed loop cards will be honored by the issuing stores, because merchants will fear that open loop cards might have been zeroed out elsewhere. (If they can’t confirm the available balance, the card will be refused.)
- Most Internet vendors are almost entirely dependent on credit card processing. If that processing system is disrupted, then mailorder firms will either have to cease operations, or have them slow to a snail’s pace, and be restricted to only non-bank money orders.
- Reversion to U.S. Postal Service money orders (commonly called “PMOs“) will only be partially viable solution. This is because many small town and rural post offices don’t keep enough cash in their tills to be able to hand you $1,000 when you go to cash a PMO. You may be thinking, “Oh well, I’ll just ask them to write me a blank PMO, in exchange. Nope. A recent change to postal regulations designed to curtail money laundering banned money order-for-money order issuance. Bummer. And if you are considering using “Forever” postage stamps, hold your horses. Under a hygiene regulation published in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), postal clerks are not allowed to cash out (“buy back”) stamp booklets unless they are still in their sealed clear plastic master packages. So it might take decades to use up your Forever stamps, or you will be forced to liquidate them on the gray market at a slight loss.
- Bank safe deposit boxes will probably be inaccessible. Plan accordingly.
Some Observations and Mitigation Steps:
Because so many pay and retirement benefit systems are now handled via bank direct deposit only, we could easily live through a frustrating “Roach Motel” period of several months when “Dollars check in, but they don’t check out.” Be prepared to ride through that period.
If the European credit spreads to the United States, then immediately visit your company’s payroll office, and ask to be removed from their direct deposit system. This change might take a couple weeks. With a paper paycheck, you can probably cash it elsewhere, even if you own bank closes its doors–perhaps even at your local grocery store.
Keep plenty of well-hidden cash at home. Since it won’t be earning interest, some of this cash might as well be in $2 rolls of nickels. That method will also give you a hedge on inflation, and also serve as insurance against a currency reform. (Where a zero could be lopped off the Dollar, overnight.)
Be prepared for times for when anything other than greenback cash or perhaps silver coins will be eyed with suspicion, or rejected outright. Even USPS PMOs and drug store money orders may be refused. In the era of bank holidays, cash will talk. Keep plenty of it on hand. Oh, and needless to say, don’t store your cash in a bank safe deposit box. You probably won’t have access to it during a bank holiday.
Be wise and circumspect in storing cash at home. Don’t tell anyone other than your spouse about that cash. See the SurvivalBlog archives for suggestions on building secret hiding places, like this one.
A good portion of your “stash of cash” should be in the form of $1 and $5 bills. This is because during a banking crisis, many people will not be able make change for small transactions. And if your local power, water, and phone companies refuse checks, then you will need to be able to pay them the exact amount of your monthly bill. (They probably won’t have much “change”, either.)
Apply for at least one gasoline station chain charge card. In turbulent times when they won’t take your check or your VISA card, they might still take their own chain card.
If you have to pay your utility bills in in cash or by PMO, do you know where their business offices are located? And consider the sort neighborhood where those offices are located. (Unless you live in a free state for open carry or Constitutional Carry, do you have your CCW permit, and plenty of pistol practice?) For safety, it might be wise to form a neighborhood posse to go pay those bills in a group of of six people once a month.
Your local supermarket may declare “cash only.” This is yet another reason why it it is vitally important for every family to have a comprehensive food storage program. By the same token, fuel storage also makes sense, if your local fire code allows it.
At the tail end of a banking crisis–when the bank doors do re-open–the Federal Reserve will certainly have to crank up the printing presses. Even people that never had “mattress money” will want some. All this new cash will increase the velocity of money, locally. This will be inflationary, even at the same time that a the macro level, we will witness a huge dollar deflation. (This is because the multiplier effectof every dollar on deposit will work in reverse, as withdrawals are made.) These will be strange times, indeed. If you start to see any evidence of mass inflation kicking in, then be ready to spend your dollars as quickly as possible to parlay them into practical, barterable tangibles. Don’t be the last one standing in the game of Dollar Musical Chairs.
Conclusion
The threats of credit crunches, bank runs, and bank holidays are not new. No society is immune from them. We’ve been fortunate here in the United States to have not suffered any limits on bank withdrawals since the Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. But don’t expect this stability to be permanent. We live in a dynamic world with rapidly changing threats to our lives and livelihoods. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Good article. Remember however, that your homeowner’s insurer only covers up to $200 loss of cash by theft. You can buy coverage for theft of other personal property like gold and silver bullion, but not cash.
Good points about saving ones and fives. I wonder what percentage of small bills we should keep?
Homeowner’s insurance? Sheesh…that’s only as good as the company has the funding to pay a claim. When the S hits, will you be-in-good-hands-with-Allstate? lol
Unless you are tied with a mortgage and force-placed insurance, use the money more wisely and invest it better!
Well, I’m afraid some of us still have to carry HO insurance if you have a mortgage. There’s no point in blabbing how much cash you may have lost in a burglary if all the carrier will pay is $200. That’s less than the deductible most of the time. Better to keep one’s mouth shut if all that was stolen was cash.
But, umm, what about reimbursement for professionally cleaning the blood-stained carpet and the new .45 ACP-sized hole in the wall I had to put there?
I mean, it’s not like criminals will wait for SHTF before they try to steal your stuff…
Not sure what percentages would be ideal, but I’ve been putting away a wide variety of notes: 5s, 10s, 20s. for now, I will look to get more 1s.
Scout, I’ve read Mr.Rawles articles in the past and they’re helpful. My advice to how much cash; figure your monthly utilities cost, then multilpy by two (inflation) then multiply by 12 months. Then figure property tax for 2-3 years. Then figure odd ball living expenses for 2 years. For my wife and I, we figure short term(6 months, cash on hand is $6,000 and long term(2 years minimum) is between $15-24,000. I have considered we’ll probably loose some utilities and or make changes;i.e. wood burning, solar, and well water. Which we’re in the process of trying to elliminate the utilitiy companies.
Rawles had mentioned way back, to keep rolled coins which we’ve done. How many? I’d wager at least $1,000.
But remember, when the shtf, we’ll all be cutting back on a lot of things.
ScoutMotto: consider, also, what Mr Rawles says about essentials for barter other than cash. I’ve been reading a very good book on the fall of the German mark in 1923. During that time period, Germans, Hungarians, and Austrians would buy commodities, any commodity (example, a number of non music inclined families buying grand pianos)that had some value before currency depreciated more. The thing to consider is when currency dies what then?? This article was very thought provoking and …a little scary: the possibility of things to come.
Homeowners insurance is the corps method of forcing you to buy protection for it’s property while you live in it. Same with the car insurance most feel “obligated” to carry.
These scam insurance companies will shut down with the banks because they are one and the same. They buy legislation making you buy their “insurance” products to protect the banks that established them in the first place, and for that very purpose.
If the People are going to avoid a VERY difficult time they will need to destroy the banks and the fraudulent system BEFORE it destroys them.
I say again, there is NO OTHER FIGHT but that of taking back the power of money creation.
When the banks take a holiday, there will not be a better time to shut them down for good.
GC…I agree. The insurance payment is a windfall for the banking industry and the fines if you don’t have it(in the case of auto ins) is a windfall for your state and local corp gov. In the good old days, when I started driving, you were not required to buy insurance.Hang em all.
Jrs
Unfortunately a nit wit can kill your primary breadwinner and you and yours starve. My wife lost her 1st husband to one of those nit wits and she had the minimum policy of $15,000. That does not go real far to cover the loss at that time of a $35,000 / yr income.
Screw that. Don’t propel a 3000 lb missile down the road unless you can afford to pay for the damage you can cause.
Everything in the “good old days” was not good.
Jrs
That SHE that killed my wife’s hubby had a terrible driving record too.
She should have been required to get more and more insurance coverage (as opposed to paying greater and greater fines filling the governments coffers) as she showed everyone her lack of responsibility behind the wheel with all the tickets she racked up.
Kevin, a LOT in the good old days was not good.
I doubt that your wife’s first husbands value was measured in fiat dollars by her, before or after he died. She replaced the income by finding a new man, which is natures way of getting it done.
I saw a Waltons last night and Grandma got a letter saying she inherited $250. She was very generous in her promises, but in the end, she got a letter saying the relatives debt exceeded the assets and she would not get it. The banks had to be paid first.
Life insurance is just a scam to make you pay for the privilege of “paying off” your nonexistent fiat credit debt to the banks after your body dies and they can no longer collect on your slave labor. After your Attorneys finish taking their cut, there is not much left over in most cases.
If you took the premiums you would piss away on life insurance (or car or home) and used it to buy silver each month, the family would have no problems financially and the fiat debts of your slave life would die with you.
In life, there are many irresponsible people and any one of them could kill you, with or without a car. For those you leave behind, life will never be the same no matter how much “insurance” you have.
If you current wife had a million dollar policy on her first husband, she would have probably never found you. I guess the question is is she better off with you now or a million dollars then?
I don’t pretend to know the answer.
Gods Creation
“I doubt that your wife’s first husbands value was measured in fiat dollars by her, before or after he died. She replaced the income by finding a new man, which is natures way of getting it done.”
I doubt? No kidding the two kids suffered the loss of their father. You feed kids while looking for a good man. Natures way? Well were not animals. You show that your not responsible by being one ticket away from the revoked list and you should kitty up into a fund to provide for the loss in economic damage you are showing everyone your more and more likely to inflict. The life you take can’t be replaced. You can’t settle that. You can’t put a terrible driver that is one more small violation away from being forbidden to drive on the road without insurance, lots of insurance. So a terrible non responsible driver plays bumper cars and lets say just breaks your things damaging your car and it’s a ok?
No everything in the good old days was not great. The problem is civilized rules went way too far.
@ Gods Creation: You are right they are all together, insurance,banks and wall street, they are all sitting pretty, because they play with O P M ( other peoples money) so they can care less. With a bank holiday put a for sale signs out front of them and nobody goes back to them when they reopen. Fed reserve a private company anyway close it down and tell D C your all fired go home the people is taking back this country. When they start talking constitution, hey you pi-sed on it for the last time numbn-t’s so fu-k off. I feel the fat lady is about to sing!!!!!!!!!!
It’s our’s to take back so let us start the party
Live Free
Actually we need more training and cost up front for drivers. Putting children on the road in that “3,000 lb missile” with only a single 1-month or 3-month part-time class is ridiculous. Then that teenager drives all their friends to the game or the beer club on Friday night. See America from the 1940s onwards.
If we had $1,000 license fees like Germany and mandatory accident avoidance and responsibility classes up front, where adolescents and illegal/naturalized aliens had to prove themselves on a test course, then “learning time” accidents might go down. Most children are on their parents’ insurance and illegals just disappear after a wreck.
Getting back to the discussion at hand, do you really think that if all electronic payment systems go down, the insurance companies are going to have fast, reliable service for accidents? How many people are going to get permanently dropped from their insurer during a banking holiday for lack of payment?
Hey moron, have your house burn down with no insurance Then try and conjure the money up to rebuild. Have some one get bitten by your dog or a kid get injured while playing with your kids at your home. Say goodbye to everything you have. have some moron run into you and total your car with no insurance on either side and even though it was their fault you still have to pay their medical bills. Maybe you can just laugh it off you are so wealthy right? Where do some of you people get the garbage that is in your heads.
weinerdog43. One thing to think about bills are the little metal strips, $5’s and higher, in them that the government could somehow keep track of you moving around and about. I believe they use this technique in airports to track anyone travelling with large amounts of cash. One dollar bills don’t have them. It might be wise to have some serious stacks of dollar bills.
Thanks, I did not know they were in $5s too.
Border Patrol check points also monitor the movement of cash. For $10,000 and above, you’ll get stopped under the guise of cash movement for drugs.
That’s down to the intrastate level now. See Tenn and Louisiana.
I have the old 20’s before they had strips in them. I’m afraid I may run into trouble when the pen says they are counterfeit.I have saved several ammo cans of rolled nickles, but I’m not sure if this is a good hedge against the corp gov lopping a zero off the currency. If that was all they were good for you may as well save regular quarters and halves since they would spend at the higher value also. Now the metal content is a whole different story.
Trade ’em out at the bank in small batches? Replace them one-for-one as you get change for $100?
Lots of ways to swap that out.
Bring them to a coin shop here and there. They probably have some collectors value. Regardless if you got nothing above face value the shop owner would probably gladly exchange them one for one. Just don’t freak the guy out with several thousand at one time. Oh take a taxi cab there too.
It’s always better to be under the radar even if the radar is on or not just assume it is.
You people will JUMP on any bit of information, cause “if it’s on the WRB it MUST be true… that is FLASE about tracking strip in cash. There are many places to find that if you know how to type the word GOOGLE, but I will use the infamous scumbags from snopes for now.
http://www.snopes.com/business/money/strip.asp
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1069/were-magnetic-strips-put-in-u-s-currency-so-the-feds-could-track-your-money
Why can’t you pass on information politely, Crap? There’s no need to be a jerk about it. We’re all here to learn. If you read with an open mind, you might find that even with your obviously VAST knowledge you pick up some information of value.
Aside from your scathing tone, thanks for the links.
snopes is not always correct. Google it. THEY decide what the facts are. How is their ‘opinion’ more important than someone else’s opinion?!
@ crap. Thank you for the link, this is very interesting and I like everybody else is ALWAYS looking for new information. It is old, 1994, and 2003 for the other link, but still quite interesting. I admit it that I cannot trust the government, why should anyone? If the government could put some sort of tracking devices into the money they would. I have been suspect of the fibers themselves that are in the cloth that money is made from. I have taken out those strips, and had clerks look at the bills like they are counterfeit.
I still feel that it is possible for the government to somehow track money with the advancements in technology. Perhaps I am wrong, it would not be the first time or the last time. Maybe the feds are just going to stick tracking devices into everyone and forget about the money. What I am not wrong about is putting trust in the government, that is something no one should ever do.
I think crap is saying it with a crappy attitude, kinda giving us crap, because when your name is crap, it’s what you do!
I really hate to see it when places of business start taking CASH ONLY sales because there is not a single cashier within 10 square miles of here that can COUNT CASH BACK!!!!
I guess I better start investing in solar calculators.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! Oh my GOD Tina, thank you…. all the seriously mind bending shit going down, I needed that laugh. Thank you!
Someone I know counted change back to a child after a purchase, and the child said “Don’t you know how to count?”
Does anyone know if Rawles has published the follow on novel to Survivors yet?
I would get your stash money in small bills as much as possible. As our totalitarian government expands their vise grip of capital controls, they will soon want to know where you got that $100 bill your’re spending. Just witness the capitol controls that are going on in europe now. Countries are already banning cash transactions larger than their preset limit. if someone doesn’t think that’s coming here, they are a moron.
The trend is to a cashless society, as this is much easier to control how you spend your money, and how much you have. Do you really want to explain where you got those hundred dollar bills from, that you stashed away for hard times??
I believe small bills will fall under the radar somewhat, and even though they can be cumbersome to store, I’ll put up with the aggrivation. if we fail to pay attention to the trends, the trends will bury us.
it’s all about control, always was, always will be. stay one step ahead. Small bills, and lots of them.
Glad to see this reposted here. This i’s a fine list for those who have not been able to think through just how entwined and entrapped our monetary and e-money system has become.
Just remember, even “money” needs a redundancy plan.
Agree the small bills points are great. I have stocked up on those as having a stash of 100s would be quite limiting.
The bank run point is a critical one in my mind. We wrote about how we are getting a great preview with Greece.
http://www.thehomeforsurvival.com/2012/05/16/pay-close-attention-everyone-shtf-dry-run/
Although the preview is a guide, we could see a variation.
Well….I do agree with keeping some of your cash on hand in smaller bills but I’m thinking that when everything starts to go south we will see an increase in prices even if we do not actually have HYPER-inflation (which I think is very possible). If you choose to keep most of your funds in smaller increments then it will take the proverbial wheelbarrow full of money to buy a loaf of bread.
I was reading this the other day. Got on eBay and look for a decent safe. Pay cash for it, have a good friend help you haul it home and unload it, then let it disappear into nothing in the friend’s cognizance. I happen to be blessed with a basement, so I just keep it in there.
I have been slowly pulling cash out of the bank. Most spare cash goes right into that safe. NOTHING of mine stays in any bank safe deposit box.
you will be rewarded one day for your foward thinking. your actions are probably one of the smartest things you ever did. we know what’s coming, and need to plan now for that day. excellent plan.
More fear mongering. I was just watching CNBC, everything is fine. Greece has voted for more debt. Operation twist will continue, but no qe3. Gold is going down, its an anciant relic with no value and is not backed by anything,at least the dollar is backed by the full faith and credit of the united states government. I am going to max out all my credit cards and go on a trip to western and southern europe.
Just kidding.
prepare= smart
cnbc=propaganda
debt= cannot be paid off with debt
operation twist= IS QE3 ONCE AGAIN- IT IS QE3
gold= real money
full faith and credit of usa- me and you paying taxes
maxing cards out for vacations= ignorance
“”maxing cards out for vacations= ignorance””
maxing out cards for preps and then hitting the retreat, priceless.
Actually, preps AND my $0 balances are priceless(with perfect credit)
GC, I thought you do not operate within the corps systems.
This is not Gods creation.
Impersonating GC= A$$hole
kevin, to owe no one is priceless. No debt-priceless. Not giving the corp/ptb any reason to track you down for debt-priceless.
Gods Creation
The only credit card I own has a balance of £10, I pay it off then a month or two later, buy something for £10. I do this as here if you do not use the card they take it away. I own this card for one reason only…last minute stock up of my supplies. I know the store I am going to, never packed and need a car to get there but can get there, shop and get home in an hour and a half. I know what I am going to buy, and where it is in the store. If I get the remotest inkling that something is going to happen imminently that card will be used.
To be honest I am seriously thinking of using it anyway, my limit is such that I could pay it off in three months, four at most, and I would rather have extra preps in hand than risk missing the boat.
Take care
Yep, I’ve understood present value of a dollar all my life. Present value of a prep is starting to make much more sense!
Burt: What’s the saying? “better a bird in the hand….” Buy it now. Your money may be worthless next week. Just my “two cents”.
Kevin, the first part was spoken like one of the true sheeple.
The way I see it, we already have precedent in this country for a bank holiday. I would expect this anywhere the central bank charges usury on their fiat money, and that is everywhere except for three nations on this planet.
@motto- I have been watching the comedy channel(cnbc) today, and pretty much that paragraph summed up their view/propaganda. LMAO at the tv today.
Its pretty much “set” in stone(precedent). Holiday is comming to us brother, and(I think) bombs to those 3 nations.
Very good point. I usually don’t watch the Propaganda Channel (whichever that applies to, take your pick), but I occasionally get curious as to whether they actually report world events with even an ounce of truth.
Indeed, the holiday approaches, and it won’t the paid kind. Just waiting for the next shoe to drop.
I remember my parents experiencing a bank holiday of sorts during the Savings & Loan crises in the 1980’s. The S&L was closed on all their savings were in there. Fortunately, the offices reopened and they got their money, but I still remember the worried look on their face.
Absolutley!
A bank holiday will probably begin over a weekend preferably a long weekend. It is probable that we have already begun plans to print the “new” dollar which will be worth 10% of the old dollar. When the banks open again you will probably be limited on how many “new” dollars you can withdraw in a month. Your old dollars will be worthless and illegal to use as currency on Monday morning. You will be allowed to turn in old dollars for new dollars but again a limit will be imposed so if you are storing cash you may become a bigger loser then if you kept it in the bank. PM’s could be very problematic; the government has made it illegal to own gold in the past and it would be easy to do it again and include silver. That means illegal to own, illegal to use/spend and illegal to remove from the country. For those of you living north of or close to the 45th parallel consider a trip up North to buy some Canadian dollars. Canada is uniquely positioned to survive this crash. They have a relatively small population and a very large supply of vital natural resources AND most importantly a very large and hungry for thoe resources country right next door to them. They may suffer “some” of the downside of a worldwide economic crash but will avoid most of the problems. Don’t get me wrong their welfare state policies will hurt them and their citizens but in general they will do better then us for the reasons already listed. A bank account in Canada would be a good idea but there are some “minor” roadblocks to doing that. If you have the space on your property you might consider buying one of those “small” round corrugated steel storage bins intended to store grain on farms and fill it with a truckload of wheat from the Spring harvest. http://www.brockgrain.com/products.php?product_id=211 Lets face it; $10,000 in the bank may become worthless because of impending world events but those same events will make $10,000 worth of wheat quadruple or more in value. Is it more wheat then you or your family could every use? Sure but it would be a great asset to have to sell or trade for something you need. Where I live you can easily see HUGE mounds of wheat (and corn) piled out in the open as harvests exceed the capacity for storage and transport for about a month or two. So there is a window where grain is readily available and the transport trucks are moving it to the buyers and you could be one of them.
Well, there was a tiny war which didn’t even have a name (just after the year 1812) between America and British Canada.
If the New Englanders didn’t play a dirty game, there would be no Canada to speak of.
If the need comes, Canada will probably be ‘forcibly united’ with the USA, along with Mexico (what’s the difference now? Half of Mexico is already in USA), for a North American Union.
The hippy, happy Canada many ill-informed Americans hope for is not the Canada that exists today. Canada was a safe haven up to the early 2000s, but is now led by a prime minister who is basically George W. Bush’s demonic little servant from hell. In a crisis, he will lock Canada tight to the US. In fact, most of the emergency plans say so explicitely.
What does this mean? Definitely military cooperation, jurisdictional cooperation, border control and data sharing cooperation, possible emergency status money and resource sharing would be considered.
The idea Americans can just load up the SUV with gold, guns and dollars and head for the Canadian border to hide, is a myth. You will encounter TSA-trained border nuts just like back home, you will also find the Canadian government happily serving up your tax information to the Internal Revenue Service (check recent cases for examples).
Canada-is-America-is-Mexico
Good, the Americans can stay there as I would assume if anything happened here in Canada they would shut their borders to us faster than a nun closes her legs.
Your assertive comments, (“When the banks open again you will probably be limited on how many “new” dollars you can withdraw in a month. Your old dollars will be worthless and illegal to use as currency on Monday morning. You will be allowed to turn in old dollars for new dollars but again a limit will be imposed so if you are storing cash you may become a bigger loser then if you kept it in the bank”) are highly speculative.
When JWR speaks, people listen.
The Future is sore upon us.
This is yet another really good article that proves just how totally screwed MOST people will be when SHTF. A banking holiday means that stores might not accept ANY credit at all, ONLY cash. I say some brilliant character the other day hold up the line charging a dollar purchase. One dollar! This half wit did not even have chump change to pay for a chump purchase. What are these imbeciles that have less than one day of food in the house going do? One word, RIOT.
I just cannot believe how stupid most people have become. Yes I have seen your common simpleton actually pay for something that was in the range of 50 cents with a credit card. You wonder how these individuals even dress themselves in the morning. The IQ and mosre importaqntly the common sense ratio of people has dropped to the level of chimpanzee. Then they call the prepper dumb and paranoid that stores exactly what they need and is careful with their finances.
A banking holiday is something that banks want to avoid because the nano-second after they reopen there will be a severe nbank run to get cash, something that will have to be limited because there is not that many bills available, period. It would not be that a bunch of people all of a sudden “wised up” to preparation. It would be a mass of people that understand that only cash will buy their needs. Of course being quarter wits they will forget about it and go right back to using their credit cards after a week of two, but the banks don’t want to suffer the intital shock of a bank run.
Many people can safely store cash money in places that theives cannot find. Buried in PVC pipe that is all plastic no criminal is going to find this and it is safe as long as the pipe is watertight. Metal detectors can be used for coins stored in PVC sometime, but cash money, NO, it is safe. To not have some cash money and not have any food, water, and other supplies in someone’s home is unbelivably …………
I read and I personally witness the dumbing down of people and it mystifies me how it has happened. As a kid I can rememeber how people thought about tomorrow and what could happen. Now most people have become blobs of walmart walking zombies. It makes me wonder if intentionally THEY have been putting something in the foods to kill brain cells of people. To even be talking about a banking holiday causing such problems is so disturbing. IF people were prepared, a banking holiday of even 2 weeks would not matter. A banking holiday of 2 days could collapse the country, this is how totally flushed down the cess pool the countries of the world have become.
Thank God for the prepper, they are the ONLY saving grace left of humanity. 🙂
@informed great post brother! Google “ashland woman buried gold stolen”
We all got to remember-
Loose lips sink ships!!
As for cash storage:
Let ol RED list some things I saw when I work in security i.e. things not to do.
Don’t keep cash:
In your mattress.
In baggies under your carpet.
Taped under couch.
These things all burn.
In an easy to find small safe in closet or floor or wall.
I have seen them ripped out of the wall & floor.
In your freezer or fridge.
A lot of thieves will look there and it will burn.
In your laundry hamper…..
And my favorite.
At the bottom of a garbage bag full of rags by your garage fridge.
(the bag caught fire from a faulty fridge cord and burned money & the fellows house.
Any other don’t do suggestions please post.
RED
don’t forget Red, the bank is also a bad place to keep money 😉
I went to the bank just this morning to deposit enough so that I could make an electronic payment for the field telephone I ordered to communicate from the LP/OP to the main retreat house. I used to pay off my credit card every month, but recently I charged the building materials for a new project which I make the minimum payments on. If I hadn’t done this, I would not have thousands of dollars in my cash cushion.
Since missing a steal of a deal on a motor home one Saturday evening several years ago, I always keep a lot of cash. I’ve never had any stolen, but misplaced a $3,000 roll for a while in the laundry which was pretty tense. I simply bundle it up in thousand dollar stacks and hide it in plain sight like behind some envelopes in the box they came in. I also have a metal box that I keep in the heating duct and other similar places.
PP….Where did you say you were located? lol
I’ve got a safe deposit box at local bank. Have it since the branch opened. Took 2 five pound bars of junk lead, stamped “F**K YOU IRS” into them. Wrapped them in news print. Took them to bank in my brief case. Teller knew I dealt with PMs in the past. Opened the box & placed the bars into the drawer. Teller said the drawer is heavy & assumed I put 3 kilos of PMs into box. That’s been 5 years ago. I still go in to do “inspections” yearly. I do know the word has got around about that box. I’ve have had no problem with getting service at that bank. Matter of fact, they attempt to entice me into some of their banking scams. Purpose of this is to blend with the sheep. Most have checking accounts & SD boxes. Keep almost nothing in both.
My favorite hiding money(in motels while traveling)-
Rolled up in underwear in a corner with peanut butter spread on the part of the underwear that is for the nether regions!!.
NO ONE WILL TOUCH IT!!
Forgot- the maids will look at you all crazy. I dont give a $hit(sorry bout the pun) what peole think about me, so if you care(about that) dont use above method.
Excellent ! For decades I always stored valuables (laptop, etc) under dirty clothes while at a motel during each week of traveling. Made it obvious they were dirty. Not once was anything disturbed in that pile.
Never thought of the peanut butter ! GREAT CAMOUFLAGE !
ROFLM (underwear) Off !
I used to rub a chocolate bar on my tighty whiteys and go through customs. I know nobody there so it was my own personal stab at them.
@ redgypsy. Believe it or not many people will keep their cash what they think is secure right in their fireboxes because no crook could ever get in. Some will even keep it in desk doors or even in plain sight. I have to get this one in, knew someone that kept their cash with their relatives because crime was high in their neighborhoods. I can see the IOU’s notes left in place of the twenties and fifties.
Knew someone that pretty well had their cash secure though, they buried it under the mounds of their dogs’ crap. Another clever place was in a secret place behind the bathtub that you had to remove the wall to get at. Another unusual spot I have heard is that someone hide their money was inside the hollow point of their old chairs in the garage. I guess they rolled up the money and stuck them in deep enough that they were not visible and then used some special gadget to remove it when they needed the money. Different to say the least.
Still crooks will never bypass your “friend” and mine the government at taking away your money quicker and with more stealth than any common thief. Then waste your tax dollars on paying off the interest on a mammouth debt. Still better to keep your money where you can get it quickly when you need it, and like what Aaron says, banks are not the place for security.
Don’t leave all your eggs in one bank, buy physical gold & silver! I can’t say it enough buy, buy, buy!
But, most of all maker sure that you cover your other priorities first. I’m not going to cover that cause I think most of you have already done that by now or should have.
if this happens people will start going into walmarts with carts and just walk out without paying, after a few people do it everyone else is going to do it too is what i think would happen. whos gonna stop all these people you know. not saying its right at all but just think what would happen like in new orleans but on a grand scale. could be wrong.
I think so too. That will happen in small town America too when people are hungry and don’t have any money. Once that happens somewhere all the stores will close.
Not just WalMart either my friend…think about it, if theres a banking holiday and there are NO working ATMs and NO working credit cards and NO online banking, how the hell will TPTB be able to enforce their rules on you paying for anything? For example, when I first read this article I was very concerned about paying for my car… I need to buy PREPS, not save up hundreds in cash for car payments. Then it hit me: how the HELL will the finance company be able to enforce payments? By hiring repo men? And what pray tell will they pay them with, produce and toilet paper? How much cash on hand do THEY have? And how will they get it here to pay the repo men…wire it? They won’t be able to…no one will!
Ditto for rent payments: in normal times it can take months to evict someone whos behind on their payments, and EVERYONE involved in the process–rental companies, police, court officials, etc — gets paid a SALARY, most of them are direct deposited, and in a banking holiday will be frozen solid as an iceberg. Mark me, everyone of those people will be sweating it out providing for their own families and wondering how the hell THEY will get paid and how THEY will be able to buy what they need.
I count myself as an honest man, and I would never cheat anyone out of a payment that I freely consented to for items that I decided to buy. But in an extreme case, I’d be telling them all they will just have to friggin wait until I get MY money, then they will get theirs. And not a moment sooner.
The stores will simply not open, and the employees there will have the first cut of whatever remaining in there.
I think your’re right on the store closings. as soon as the banks close, people will be running to stores, just as they do in any crisis, and getting the essentials, after the fact. But after people start to just leave without paying, stores will have no choice but close.
Human nature never changes—remember that.
After the third or fourth thief, Chinamart will shut the doors; or call LEO for secutity.
Again, just of curiousity, how will members of the police department be paid for their services? I mean, I understand that in an emergency they themselves can just darned well requisition anything they need — gasoline for their cars, food, tools, ammo, etc etc — but then again, they will be asked to put their lives on the line for a gigantic corporation and they aren’t going to do that for free …no sane human being would! So again, how are they going to be paid? Seriously, if was LEO, and I was worried about taking care of MY family, the last damned thing I’m thinking about is protecting someone else’s bottom line…especially if Im not getting paid!
when things get really desperate, which won’t take long, who in their right mind will go to work for very long, with no guarantee of ever getting paid.??
after working policemen respond to enough calls in their own neighborhoods’, do you think they’ll show up for work? I got the feeling we’re going to get the chance to find out.
End Of The Road Film – Full Version Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx4xogHI-kQ&list=UUThv5tYUVaG4ZPA3p6EXZbQ&index=1&feature=plcp
when the bank run happens, Are you really going to worry about Home owners insurance? Cash out your savings,invest in gold and silver ,and keep a minimum balance in your checking account,”to pay your bills”until they quit billing you! Just be glad your prepared,Stay safe,and enjoy the freak show!
If you live on the grid learn how to turn your utilities back on if they get shut off for non-payment. Yes, it is against the law and hopefully you will never have to do it, but better to know how just in case even if only temporarily.
I moved into a new home a few years ago and they told me it was going to take three days to get out to turn the water on. I paid the fee then did it myself. I got no complaints.
Water companies are starting to install a valve that can be turned on and off remotely from down town(they say its for the “bad” neighborhoods. Not sure if it can even be turned on locally or if you would have to cut out the valve. Might want to have the tools around to cut that sucker out if they are installing them in your area.
@everyone-Have you gone out and looked at your water meter lately?
I am going to go out and look at mine right now.
what a liability…someone will have a senario that will warrent a wrongful death suit over this..
yah..it will more than likely come from some cocoa puffer..or welfare coat rider.. but either way we tax payers will be paying for the litigation, and award..
its a bit difficult to put out fires without a water source, and when some “check of the month recipient” loses their brat over it..it will be hell to pay..or should I say tax payers to the rescue.
In another city(Detroit) there were legal battles over shutting off gas and electricity in the inner (non paying) city dwellers…guess who won?
VRF, Betcha the situation in Detroit ended when the race-card was used, too.
I don’t know how to turn the service back on, but in my younger days I pulled the meter and put it in upside down so it ran backwards.Had to know when they came out to read the meter so you could put it in the right way before that.And carefully cut the seal so they couldn’t tell.
Gotta watch these “smart meters”. Ones we have here got sensors that tell when there’s physical tampering happening. Fought the installation for a year, with no avail. Just wondering what microwave energy would do to these POS.
JRS
Bwhahahahahaha love it
Take care
say there Gman, just out of curiousity, how do you go about learning this? Do I just call up the utility company and ask them? Seriously, I want to know this… I will always pay my debts — unlike our no good government — but I’m not going to freeze to death in the dark while I’m waiting for the damned fools who cause this problem to unfuck themselves and get everything sorted out
Good information!
I was listening to JWR’s most recent interview with Alex Jones and he recommended a different online payment program than Paypal, but I missed the name of it. Does anyone know what the name of that *more secure*
money transfer service is?
Bit coin. I listened to that this morning also. I myself have not, and never will believe in that bit coin bull!!(sorry James)
Thanks, Kev. 🙂
I am not so sure about it either but I thought it might be worth checking out. I do a fair bit of business through Pay-pal so I am interested in a back up. I can’t see how this would be up and running if Pay-pal is not, though. It sounds like a virtually identical system.
Oh, I watched the video – EW. I was totally mistaken in comparing it to Pay-pal.
That sounds very risky! No way!
Daisy, it’s “Bitcoin”
http://bitcoin.org/
Thanks for the link, Gwen! 🙂
D
I cannot see our politicians allowing a situation like this to go very far, given their propensity for profiteering.
I wouldn’t consider using my cash to pay mortgage, utilities, taxes, etc. Those without cash sure won’t be paying bills if the system is down. Who is going to be enforcing payments when everyone is in the same boat?
if the system collapses as bad as the article descirbes i dont think many stores would be open. hardly any of our customers pay with cash anymore it wouldnt pay to keep the doors open and be a target for flash mobs or a armed robbery where they would just take inventory.
as far as his sugestion to get out of direct deposit and a store may cash your check i would have to wonder why a merchant would cash a payroll check knowing they porbably wouldnt get thier money.personally i think i wouldnt be at work i’d be home guarding the preps
PVC or metal waterproof tube, buried in backyard under a bush-tree, with a samll landscape plant in a separate pot that is removeable on top. Place small piece of metal between pot and tube, with metal detector will be hard to find since the tube is 24″+ underground, remulch area.
Good idea. You could also take a junk alternator (copper in it) and bury about a foot above your cache. If their detector hits on it they will most likely stop when they dig up the alternator.
Actually I have better methods, but why reveal them all?
It was just an basic idea…
If the Feds are after my stash, well may they out think my methods.
Doubt that will ever happen.
the cops and feds stop digging after 6 feet..
After a few years using that method your money rots, even if dry from all the mold on it. So do paper coin rollers. To bury for any length of time you must vacuum seal it. First get new money, Vacuum seal in the nylon pouches, them put in quart jars and vac them, Spray paint the lids or use plastic lids. Then put in Water proof pipe.
If new currency is going to be issued making the old currency worthless why bother burying it? It won’t matter if you have any money or not as there will be nothing to buy. Not to mention the forced relocations which will make all prepping and cacheing useless. Don’t worry they have thought of everything and probably have a list of those to be dealt with.
How much of this shit are we expected to believe? Case and point.
March 2nd, the 5th fleet was to be attacked in the straits of hormuz. Nothing happened!
March 8th, an internet kill switch was going to go off. Nothing happened!
March 10th, prison system notified, of a big Government event. Nothing happened!
March 11th, Moody’s says Greece defaults and Portugal next. Nothing happened!
March 20th, Greece faces a $19B bond payment, nothing happened!
March 20th, Greece defaults, nothing happened!
April 7th, Sainsbury & associates, oil to drop back to $70 in 2012. Close!
April 20th, gold drops to a $1000. Not even close!
We are getting gang blasted by so much bullshit (by design) we can’t make heads or tails of it. Me, I think I have pretty much given up and retreated. We are being played for a bunch of suckers. The bunch of Obama supporting puddingheads, I hope you love the shit policies he has in store for you. Vote him back for another term and you will deserve everything you get. Good luck! But that being said; elections are rigged anyway. As for me and mine, I will deal with what gets close to me and not be concerned with what that is not. Point blank. All of this “sky is falling” gloom and doom fear mongering bullshit is just that. Ignore it, deal with what you know, stay informed but make dictions with your gut. Deal with what is close to you. That is the only thing that matters!
Yep. You nailed it.
just keep packing it man. Peace is a full safe, pantry and ammo box.
A contrarian view:
If they do a twist or a straight-up QE3, then there is money in the system. Electronic money will work. If cash is changed, old cash will be subjected to counterfeiting protocols and may not pass the first time or may subject you to unwanted scrutiny.
Europe has bought itself some time. The currencies are all improving, including the USD. PMs are up/down a few cents the past few days.
The outcome in Greece shows that, no matter what, no one is willing to crash the system. Even the Syriza party is talking about a combo of cuts and loans. Likely, the no austerity, tear up the contracts talk was just to get votes and it did not work. Greeks appear unhappy with the results, but they were seemingly more unhappy with the alternatives.
Now:
The electronic systems will fail in a solar EMP or a successful cyber attack. In those instances, Rawles’ advice would be valuable.
OTOH:
This simply is the new normal, like it or not. Governments, especially when they act as one, can and will keep the system going as long as it benefits them. It makes the markets rise to inject liquidity. A strong dollar causes commodities to fall in terms of domestic prices. Using those strong USDs to buy gas/propane for storage would be smarter. Excess USDs could be kept in a local credit union where you are known. You probably even know board members or could attempt to be nominated to become one.
Why in the world would any government risk riots by not honoring EBTs or other entitlements that utilize direct deposit/ACH? States/local governments make sales tax on consumer spending. Feds use direct deposit to keep costs down. The EBT cards are what are keeping the entire food sector afloat. Via the Ag Department, meal and food programs keep farmers afloat.
As for homeowners insurance: a weather event or a fire could destroy your house, buildings and life savings, if it is all cash kept even in a fire box. The premiums are small. Yes, they could all go out of business in an area if there are too many claims, but those cases do go to arbitration, eventually. Yes, I’ve dealt with them. Frankly, the adjuster was more than fair, in our case.
We own a service business in an area full of preppers. Not once, yet, has anyone offered even a 1/10 oz gold or an oz silver for services that are priced about where those coins would be in USD right now. No bank will exchange your PMS for currency. No bank will take pre-64 coins for spot value. They are exchanged at face value.
No one has even tried to barter for services, BTW. Money flows. Even when Schumer tried, we haven’t had a bank run of the scope Rawles envisions. He harmed one bank.
Is all this complacency because everyone is stupid or asleep? I don’t believe so. I speak to a lot of people every week. They are aware. They are preparing. But, for now, the system is holding and it is the obvious intention of the global PTB to keep it that way.
Does Rawles make a living from his hysteria? Yes, he does. Did anyone follow Gary North’s advice before Y2K? Then you know what I mean.
For those old enough to remember, these same predictions were rife in the 1970s. All those books are now quaint antiques.
Love him or hate him, Romney has said no money will go to Europe for a bail out. Believe him or not, but equity firms are backing him. YMMV.
Agree. You should know your messenger before you you heed the message.
The reason for all the gloom, and doom(and sometimes boom) talk since the 1970’s is one simple answer-
1971 closing of the gold window(coupled with the 1933 theft of gold, and the 1964 theft of our silver in circulation).
ALL fiat currencies through ALL of human history have ALL failed. These banksters think they got it all figured out, fighting inflation with the futures markets, funding unlimited treasury demand(fake) and purchases with interest rate swaps, and the biggest is raising generations of people ignorant of what money really is supposed to be.
They have digitaly and physicaly printed trillions and trillions upon trillions and trillion.
This is how big(in dollars)the derivatives market is right now-
$650,000,000,000,000
and one day it will look like this-
$650,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
How do I know this?
because it once looked like this-
$6,500
Some recent examples of hyperinflation/currency crisis-
Yugoslavia –1993
Zaire –1992
Venezuela –2002
Ukraine –1995
Turkey –1997
Russia –1992
Romania –2001
China –1947
Peru –1989
Nicaragua –1990
Hungary –1945
Greece –1943
Germany –1923
Georgia –1994
Brazil –1993
Bosnia –1993
Bolivia –1985
Belarus –1996
Argentina –1985
Angola –1995
Zimbabwe –2006
To not be concerned about the money situation,of what could(WILL) happen would be foolish(if you are not ignorant of the history of civilizations and money)
Yes the messenger has flaws and some motives,but we ALL have flaws, and if someone can make a living right now warning/helping people thats fine by me.
I visit survival blog almost everyday I am on the net,I have learned much over the years going to his site, and I don’t pay a dime. Its provided to the public for FREE.
He has been active in the patriot movement for a very,very long time(longer then some reading this have been alive). I have exchanged e-mails with Mr. Rawls, and I believe he is sincere in his beliefs.
Mr. Rawles is NOT hysterical, With what he saw when he was an intel officer, and the effects of such events on countries, he is rational(with a bit of paranoyia)
I will cover his 6 anytime, anywhere.
@ Kevin. Nice post, and nice to show examples of hyperinflation. 99%, not the wise 1%, have not a clue what it is like to actually have a fair amount of money in one’s savings account, enough to purchase say a new car, turn into just enough to buy a loaf of day old bread. It is FRIGHTENING. When someone think all the hours they worked to accumulate their nest egg to be scrambled in a matter of days or even hours. The common person that even worked at minimum wage all of a sudden has their paycheck be reduced to less than one penny a hour.
The real issue is that ANY fiat currency can be dumped and become worthless when it has nothing to back it up. Now someone that went out and transferred their dollars into silver, gold, platinum, or yes even copper will have something that will not lose value on the open market that is still using currency. Better yet the really smart individual that transferred their dollars into ammunition, alcohol, honey, cigarettes, and anything else that people want and need and that has an indefinite shelf life pretty much also has REAL money that should never lose value as long as there are people still left alive to exchange what you need for it.
What is the reason for a bank holiday, when the govt has given every indication that they will print money endlessly? This author assumes there will be a mega bank run across the nation. Americans have proven themselves to be very trusting of “the system”, so I doubt there will be a mass bank run.
I believe money will be “safe” in the banking system, and credit cards will continue to work fine, checks will be written, etc. However, there will be so much money in circulation that a loaf of bread will be $300, gas $400/gallon, used cars $50k, etc.
The big question for me is will my mortgage be revalued in some way, because after hyperinflation it will be possible to pay back my mortgage with just a few months of work.
A bank holiday will be used to cause fear and uncertainty in the population which will make them easier to control. Except for that there is no reason for a bank holiday especially since most banking is now electronic.
That scenario you speak of is why I stay out of debt and keep a very high credit score.
The value of the house deal you speak of, is the big question. Will house values skyrocket?
Will they “revalue” the house mortgage because it was bought with “old” dollars?(that is what I THINK they will do, you “owe” them, they want “their” money, is my reasoning)
But then I think of detroit(buying a house for $1)
Its just another figure 8( to infinity, with really no finish line) a virtual race track for the mind to drive on, with no clear answer.
I would say(not that I am anyone important)- it would be wise to put thought into, and to prepare a little bit for ALL scenarios above.
The authors, yours, and other peoples on this blog.
Get out of the banks now don’t wait. Look if nothing happens then go back into banking. Invest in some precious metals- copper, lead and brass. then invest in tech stuff- primers and powder. You can hide your stuff where it can not be found, use your head to do it,I know you will. I look for a reopenning with new money to exchange your greenbacks for, and maybe receive .25 cents on the dollar. If a bank holiday does happen look for the shtf and the big party will start. Prep all you can now, because it is at the door right now! I don’t see any stores to be open at all who will show up for work, not me I’m guarding the homestead. Thats just me-do as you like.
Live Free
I hope everyone realizes that if currency is recalled and replaced that they probably won’t recall coins because it would be too much trouble and most people don’t have much change anyway. So magically your stash of coins will become more valuable. I am now keeping all my change, of course keeping the nickels, copper pennies, and old silver coins separate. I think even buying rolls of new change will eventually pay off.
UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE ONLY DEBT.. AND KEEP ALL MY CASH AND SAVINGS IN GOLD- SILVER AND TRADE TOOLS.. IF THE BANKING SYSTEM COMES TO A HALT.. I AM 100% PREPARED..
ITS THE BANKS THAN THEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ME!!!!
I CAN USE THE REST..STOP WORKING FOR THE MAN.. SIT BACK..AND GO WORK ON MY FULLY STOCKED FARM..
Is your Caps-Lock key STILL broken?
When the banks close and all electronic transactions cease. That will be the end of society as we know it.
The truckers will be stranded when their gas cards stop working. Grocery stores will be emptied in a day or two just like before a hurricane or blizzard. BUT, there won’t be any more deliveries for days if ever.
Search youtube, 1977 New York City Power outage. Con Ed lost power for 24 hours. In the entitlement neighborhoods. It was chaos. When all was said and done, widespread looting, 650 fires, thousands arrested.
ALSO, consider this. The not so good Americans went apechit with just a power outage. Imagine if they think it’s the end of the world as we know it. They will riot over what they perceive as the last goods in the store.
Forward to today. We have this magical long distance communication device called a Cell Phone. Somewhere a food riot will happen. And then word will spread cross country instantaneously. It won’t be chaos everywhere. The nicer communities will have people who behave. But the downfall will have begun.
The society we live in has evolved over time. And when money disappears, all economic activity will come to a grinding halt. Just because they open the banks after a few days or a week doesn’t mean it’s going to take off like nothing happened. The distribution channels will consist of hundreds of thousands of stranded truckers all across the country. Or them sitting on their cargo at home.
Prepare NOW. Keep some money for a last grocery store run. For a little while, many will not realize the ramifications of banks shutting down for an undetermined time.
I just don’t see the country restarting if the banks are closed for 3 days or more.
And what happens to all the produce in the transfer trucks that are out of gas to run the refers?? It rots Even if they get gas in a few days they’ll have to dump the load they’re carrying and find new ones. It will take more than a couple of days for things to even begin rolling again
I think millions of veteran and active-duty military folks would have some say and influence in a situation like this. After all, when the SHTF, the people with the guns are in charge, not the onles with the pens an pencils.
Too true. There is so much information being put out to us from so many forums that who in the world can keep up? I think it is being done on purpose so that the important information may not be noticed. Look at the three main street news stations. One half hour of fluff and good news stories. Major stories of the upmost importance are not covered because who likes bad news and ratings are what matter. It can make a prepper doubt his or her sanity. But just when I think I am wrong some piece of news regarding how frail our life styles are comes through and I get re-commited and ignore those around me who have thier heads buriied in the sand and believe that everything will be fine.
Well it’s not going to be fine and there is no way any politician from any party is going to change what is coming and or convince me they can. Keep on prepping the best you can and be prepared for the recovery if and when it ever comes in our time.
As for keeping cash, sure some should be put away but it will be next to worthless due to inflation. You need to have bartering material and a way to produce a needed item that people will need and trade for. I love my country but don’t believe in my government anymore.
Keep your head down and your powder dry.
Brian/Hammerun
Of course it is being done on purpose, why would they tell us their plans and risk us being prepared for it whatever it may be? This is why I prepare for my worst case scenario, total ongoing grid failure. If I am as ready as I can be for that, and all that comes with it, I can cope with lesser events.
Take care
if this goes down..it will develop into WROL..and possibly Revolution
are you ready?
also if this goes down..why G.A.F. if any insurance, mortgage..bills etc are paid? if the banks are shut down and there is no system put in place to pay..than it is they who will suffer not any of us preppers. Fuck their fiat money bull shit scam
it deffinetly wont be time to go stand in line wishing they will give you any of your money..it will be time to be sitting at home filling magazines, and seeing if the batteries in your laser sight are still good since the last time you changed it
VRF
Showing my ignorance here, what is WROL?
Take care
Without Rule of Law
Unconstructed SR
Thank you
Take care
What kind of law are we referring to? The shit-and-piss brand of Unconstitutional pseudo-law we have now or Constitutionally legitimate law? If you flushed the whole current justice system, courts, prisons, and everything thing down the toilet, natural law, much closer to what is Constitutioally permissible, would rush in to fill the void.
Without Rule Of Law
VRF
Doh…of course
Thanks
Take care
😉
bye bye fukushima-
European times reporting japan is requesting islands captured duringww2 be returned for evacuation of 40 millin people!
returned from russia(forgot that)
Is that online anywhere? Got a link? I’d like to see that. (the report, not the evacuation…)
Its on the Docs site(silverdocters)
sorry,Silver doctors.
http://www.silverdoctors.com/russia-stunned-after-japanese-plan-to-evacuate-40-million-revealed/
I try a avoid banks at all costs but as a business owner I don’t have a choice much. I do all I can.
At least we have some great police working for us…
http://cryptogon.com/?p=30074
as if worring about the regular citizen isnt bad enough..we have this shit to deal with also..
this attitude is being fostered in this small group.the feeling of “I can do what ever I want..Im a cop” shit needs to stop..hell at this rate the police are going to be the start of a riot..especially with their terrorist tactics.
Im very hard of hearing..so I talk a bit loud in areas with many noises, and dont hear well what others say to me..i could see this happing to me, completely out of asking “What”..i didnt hear you //as they fill my pie hole with a fist
Yea. Why do most cops just seem so angry? Maybe it’s just the way I view them….
Because every day they always see people at their worst and the worst people, they get to feeling everyone is a crook and out to get them. They have become almost a closed group, with Them vs US. In the large cities they feel no one is supporting them. For every complaint about the legal system you have they have a hundred, They see the crooks get lose and back on the streets. They have become almost an occupying military power and the hatred spreads. It must be stopped, they must rejoin the community; but it’s not going to happen, I could go on but what’s the use?
I’d be forcing to have that jackass tested immediately after this altercation for all drugs..mostly steroid use.
dam cops these days are as big as Lou Ferrigno
its just not natural,, and when they go into a roid rage over the simple of matters as this..it leans me toward this assumption..normal pople with a position of responsibility dont just fly off the handle because someone is talking too loud.
Who is paying the utility workers that are accepting your payment? What bank will foreclose on anyone under these conditions? Who is working if no one is getting paid? What makes anyone believe there will be anything in the grocery store when the workers in that cycle are not being paid?
My friends wife was from Belarus and when the USSR so did they. She said money was not worth anything. Things had value. Gold rings and the like became currency.
I agree. If things get to that point I don’t believe I’ll be tracking down anyone to pay them a payment. I’ll be focused on other things. And if anyone else on here is still trying to make a payment during a bank holiday or financial shutdown shame on you. Save your cash for the things your family will need.
IF someone seen it coming it MIGHT pay to pre pay the utility several months. I say MIGHT because are they really going to keep things on because your one of the 5% (or less) paying?
If it comes down to the above there will be kayos. Leaving home will be quite dangerous and staying home only slightly less so.
Be able to shelter in place for a few months.
Toilet paper, motor oil, light bulbs, over the counter medicines, ammunition in popular calibers, canned food especially meats, batteries, commonly used home repair parts like toilet tank and faucet valves, on these you can build an empire whne things go to crap. Gold and silver will not be much use.
“roll of nickels” Reminded me of an old McGyver episode where he took jumper cables hooked to car battery with a nickel in one of the clamps to make an emergency weld.Thought it was neat at the time and never forgot it.Save nickels for more than one use!
McGuyver is my hero! 🙂
McGyver’s great! McGruber too!
I really dont think this will happen ( i could be wrong)
but the reason I say I dont think this will happen..is this
it will be the end of the elites plan too, and the fear they have of all of us will come to light, and they will never see the day their plan takes full circle..
I think they will try to keep it a float as long as possible..but only for their own purposes..not for our benifit.
than and only than will they pull the plug
its too soon still
but than again they sure know how to fuck up really big
thats why we prep..cant trust em..dont need um..and this would be the end of them too
I don’t worry about a shortage of money. I’m concerned about the value of money. Uncle Sam for all practical purposes makes his own. The strategy so far has been make more. I don’t see that changing.
yup , and thats the part that sucks so much for us
You might be able to pay your debts with cheep money.
i.e. sell some silver dimes for $100. each and pay off your car or house. In 1923 one of the biggest life insurance Co. in Gemany did not pay clames becuase the postage was more then the pay-offs… If they make trillion dollar bills and a beer costs a million a silver dime would still buy it.
A bank holiday is often declared when the government is going to devalue its currency. Bank balances are reduced by a certain percentage. Old currency is now illegal. They’ll give you a certain percentage in new money for your old money.
$2 rolls of nickels are pretty useless. It costs you money to get coins in rolls. If you want to get a hedge against inflation get junk silver dimes. 1000 silver dimes are worth about $2000 and weigh about 7 1/2 pounds. $2000 worth of nickels weigh about 400 pounds. You can buy junk silver for as little as 6% over the spot price including the credit card surcharge at providentmetals.com.
I buy from that company, Barn Cat, and yesterday they were out of stock on a lot of their junk silver coins and had a limited selection on Silver Eagles. I’ve been ordering from them for a few months now and had never seen that before. It made me nervous enough to order some dimes on eBay from a reliable seller. Providentmetals had gold fractionals in stock, though.
The government probably won’t trade in coins when devaluing currency, so your $2000 worth of nickels might suddenly be worth $20,000 or $200,000.
If truckers cannot buy fuel what difference does anything make? After three days there will be nothing of value left to buy if the trucks don’t deliver. People are worrying about something that if it happens there is really not much that can be done to avoid the bad effects. Just be glad about the 800,000 new job seekers and students that Obama has blessed us with.
I must be missing a fundamental point to the article. In a situation where physical cash becomes scarce (as in a bank run), why would the electronic system be shuttered? Why would it become “cash-only” and not “electronic-only”?
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Troll nearby the bank of england said the slave.
Long time no see gang, here is something to think about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6172Sx0YW0&feature=player_embedded#!
DPS
Look at chaos theory. Complex systems function but they gain more and more vulnerabilities no matter how efforts are made to reduce risk. Then some insignificant weak point is hit and everything cascades out of control.
We keep accumulating weak points and patching them over. It gives me a sinking feeling. I am hoping for more time to prep but each little crack in the system makes it seem more shaky than ever. Anyone for a game of Jenga! ?
Mac;
I think we need a side bar with an ongoing updated explaination of the abbreviations used on this site, as a permanant way of letting everyone know what is posted.
Example: Fubar: f@%ked up beyond repair.
Wrol: without rule of law.
There are soooo many, it’s hard to keep up, (you know us old people are just trying to keep up. lmof: laughing my arse off….
Just a suggestion
Survivalblog has a glossary.
I think Fubar is Fkd Up Beyond All Recognition.
It would fall apart in minutes if the EBT/CREDIT stopped.
Not days
Not weeks
I don’t know if a bank holiday will have the chaotic effect some think it will. What I do know, is in 16 years of trucking I have seen diesel fuel bought with cash exactly TWO times. So if some part of that electronic funds transfer mechanism is not functioning, you can bet the trucks will stop. My guess would be more like an emp frying the whole system to have that effect. A bank holiday would put a kink in the hose but not shut down all the necessary transactions. Hey, these rigs have to roll, otherwise the millionaires we work for aint makin’ a profit!
In my opinion, a terrorist hacking event of our financial and power grid systems is much more likely and warned of by our CIA. It would take days, weeks, or months to get them back up and this is something even “the elites” would not be able to control. This is the scenario I envision when I am stocking up.
Ok I am eally stupid but if the bank goes on holiday and all systems are sshut down how do we even pay for anything in cash? Everything is electronic and I doubt theywill be keeping papre records. I am confused. I know they will want money but they cqn not collect and have a real reciept to give you as proof until the bank holiday is over correct? Just wondering as I am truely not understanding how this will work. I sure have no way of putting 1 years worth of mortgag3e aside, I will be the homeless prepper I guess.
If a banking holiday actually happens, things will deteriorate so fast that having money round the house will not be a big thing. When people are told they cannot have their own money by a bank, instant anger/rage will occur and all bets are off as to what venue that rage will take. Multiply that by hundreds, even thousands. Police, Sheriff’s and State Troopers can be counted on to side with the banks. (Watch and see, as it is coming!) We already know what side the Feds will come down on. As usual, the unwashed masses will be cleansed with official approval. That is the new American dynamic. The Elite and their praetorian guard vs. the serfs. Buy more ammo!
The quickest LEO response in the little town nearby me is for bank alarms. NOT shootings, not knifings or multiple injury car crashes. Second quickest is a alarm at the liquor store. Third is domestic violence. Go figure.
Well, if they devalue the FRNs that just makes our PMs worth that much more in their worthless fiat ponzi scheme.
1. All my deposits are in the basement and can be eaten, imbibed, smoked, or fired at various welocities. 2. Bank holidays in the U.S.? Are you kidding? The whole thing is about to be nipped in by bud with the MASS ARRESTS and the virtual dissolution of the federal government. 3. Brenanke, Obama, and the whole lot of them in chains before s-election time, or I’m going full-bore bunker and will reqisgn myself to expecting a future like Warsaw in the fall of 1944.
LOL.
One of the people killed along with the Polish president on 2010 was a Katyn survivor. He somehow escaped his fate at there, and ended up at London.
Ironically the Polish president was going to commemorate the Katyn event and the plane crashed near it, so it can be said that the guy in question died at Katyn.
You can’t escape your fate. It took about 70 years, but Katyn finally got him.
after all the posts and and topics on this website, when is every body going to realize,that nomatter what, the bottom line is we had millions of soldiers and civilians, sacrifice their lives to a country that is right now very unappreciative for their sacrifices. When are we going to take care of our own first, then if there
is anything left help other people or nations.
We as a country can make and produce anything and can survive on our own. Enough about financal problems in europe, did any country come to our aid for 9/11 or katrina? We are self sufficient and should act that way. When you have a goverment that appologizes for freeing europe in two world wars, WE ARE DONE!!
P.S. http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/
IS DOWN AT THE MOMENT….
In this post, Rawles is saying the “dollar” money supply is a mere $800 billion? I don’t know where that is published so where does he get this? Now to be critical of Rawles for if this were true and his assertions correct he is professing a deflationary state not an inflationary one. Hyper inflation occurs when they start “printing” to keep up with the demand at the bank; and if the demand is not met then consumable goods will decline in price as the “dollar” becomes the desired commodity because you can’t get at the bank.
So my question to the famous author who penned two books about dramatic hyper inflation – what are you professing? Are you saying your fiction was just that and deflation is around the corner, or what?
you can get amazing amounts of money data at the St.Louis Fed. Look at BOGNONBR while you are there.
JWR means actual physical paper currency. Deposits in banks total many, many times that amount. That’s why bank runs are a bad thing. There’s not enough paper currently in existence to allow everyone to cash out simultaneously.
Understand the statement in the post here in that our total money supply is probably 7 Trillion and the printed version is probably 800 billion. I’ll have to look at the St.Louis Fed and see if there is any data to support that. All I’m saying is that a “run on banks” due to a shortage of cash is a deflationary state (the short on cash means everyone wants cash and thus its value will grow and commodity values will decline = deflation). The thing I find odd is that Rawles would “suggest” this while writing of “hyper inflationary” failures in his books.
Jim,
On Friday the Bank of England created 140 billion pounds on a computer screen. The money is now available to banks, but only a fraction of that sum will be printed (around 10 – 12%).
Most people get paid directly into bank accounts and make payments electronically without touching physical cash.
If the money from the Feds QE1, QE2, etc was ever printed I think that we would see hyperinflation shortly afterwards.
whats the hold-up?
I still think that the powers to be will see a mild riot and at that time obama the bitch will get on and say for the safety of you and your lives please drop off all firearms to the nearest national guard until my presidental order will be fixed and our economy rebounds and at that point they will outlaw them and only allow to people with certain needs or law inforcement. what do you think, plausable?
Why do we have to read this shit on here, if you want to read Rawles then go to his website. This website usually has good information information and good discussions but Rawles is just one person who has an opinion just like any other person. Give me a break.
you morons need to stop with the bank holiday bullshit…….i have been hearing that crap since 2008……GIVE IT UP !!
Got a good story for ya Rich 99 over on the Daily Sheeple, “Last chance to prepare”……
Seriously though, I do appreciate your comments. They keep us balanced. Take care.
I was getting gas the other day and some black dude(brand new car, nice clothing,bluetooth in ear, smart phone in hand)was getting all mad at the cashier because he would not except his EBT card for gas(he finally did, the owner came out, knew the guy and the card was used)
Question- how do people with shinny new cars,brand new clothing, bluetooths, and smart phones get EBT cards?
Didn’t you say he was black? And I wonder whose name the car and phone were in. I am not racist, but I have never in my life seen a single white person buy a cartload of groceries with food stamps.
Well I have family ( white ) who buy with EBT and they are proud scammers of the system. $700 a mont society gives them, $900 more in disability because the 43 year old wife got addicted to pain killers after her boob job and nose redo. No they will never be invited to my bug out property….but white food stamp scammers exist in droves.
Just getting some of the money back that was stolen by them VIA taxes back. You call it a scam, I call it getting even.
I’ve seen a white guy buy a cartful of staple, sensible, foods with food stamps. We’re talking stuff like oatmeal, bulk Jimmy Dean sausage on sale to make many meals, etc.
I know because I was that white guy.
And I was on food stamps because after losing everything in the economic crash, I went out to a friend’s in AZ and food stamps are a way of life out there. I could stay there, but signing up for food stamps was mandatory.
I got the hell back out here to California as soon as I could.
WOW DT, a white man going BACK to california, thats a first.
Question- Did you take the constitution and the flag back also?
I think so cal is wasted. Hope you live in no cal.
If the state ever does the right thing(splits into north and south into 2 states) you will want to be up north.
Have to agree with Kevin about north and south for CA. Maybe they could draw a line and include so NV with so CA. Thought I was the only one who felt that way. LOL.
Well, OUR California neighbors just keep us in stitches—latest caper??
$2200 for concrete curbs around their flower beds to KEEP THEM FROM WEED-EATING!!
Now, if you don’t get it yet—go to your window, look at your sidewalk.What’s growing???
Do you weed-eat it???
They walk among us!!!LOL..LOL…LOL…
Can’t wait till about 3 weeks and watch him weed-eat those curbs!!!
My point??? $2200 will buy 2 years of food when TSHTF.
Got that same question posed to me just the other day at the local grocery when several people were observing how a customer there was using a State Welfare Card to purchase several racks of beer & tobacco. He then proceeds to haul his load out to a new temp stickered mini van. And the fella did have one of those fancy cell phones. I was told that those cards were only for food items. I guess I missed that part in school about beer & cigs being part of the major food groups.
I see alot of people, black, white, and hispanic, checking out with EBT cards in front of me at the grocery store. The thing they all have in common? They only buy name brand items. No store brands for them. And lots of expensive convenience foods. Me and the elderly white folks are the only ones I see buying the store and generic brands to make our $ stretch a little farther.
fancy car and using EBT cards, get used to it. There is no shame in it, and millions are milking the system. In my line of work we sell very expensive luxury food items and ship them at fairly expensive rates. I have one customer, a really rough-talking black lady from NC. One word she opens her mouth you know she’s black. She pays $85 each shipment for what amounts to, in calorie terms, the equivalent of about 18 eggs. She asks to pay via EBT (we don’t take it). I was thinking, yo **itch why aren’t you using the EBT to buy ground beef and potatoes rather than this luxury shit.
If the calamity described in this header comes to pass, you do NOT want to be one of teh few who has cash going to a store to buy things that nobody else can buy, including the employees of said store, because they did not plan accordingly by having sufficient cash to purchase things when the system goes down. What is MUCH more likely to happen is continued inflation (particularly food and energy inflation) that has the secondary effect of killing the middle class.
Okay, this comment makes me tell the incident where I needed help getting the best buy macaroni(cheap) from the top shelf…the manager knew I was prepping with the number of boxes in the cart..one thing led to another and he said QUOTE, MY WIFE SAYS WE SHOULD STORE FOOD AT THE HOUSE, BUT I TELL HER ‘WHY?’, I HAVE THE KEY.
True story…I just stared, speechless!!!
They are among us.
Many people do not have any cash. watch at Starbucks or elsewhere when people charge their 4.00 drinks.
“A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain.” — Robert Frost
Just found your site through a link on another site (Collapsenet). What a great site and what great comments. I’m going to spend the next several days looking through everything.
It’s time for bed now. I’ve been sitting next to the campfire for the last few hours, drinking beer with my Lab, waiting to shot some gophers who’ve been eating me garden. No luck today, but I’ll try again tomorrow. I’ll be reading this site as I do.
hahaha. Just as I hit send, the dog took off after one of those suckers.
Hey folks obviously from my name i am black or afro am. I visit this site multiple times daily and i truly enjoy reading the articles and especially the comments. Ive dubbed this site B.I.B.L.E basic instructions before leaving earth. I must tell you that i am as fully prepared as i can be for now. I add little things here and there. Ive be prepping for a family of five for about two years now. And i love it. But i must say im all alone in it. Ive managed to reach one friend and he’s started to prep but hes somewhat hindered due to a lack of finances. I mentioned my race because i feel there are few in my overall community that prep. I was a bit reassured to find that a search for the black survivalist may yield a few more aware black folk. I see talk a lot on here about some preppers banding together during shtf and rebuilding afterwards. I must say that as a black man it scares the crap out of me sometimes when i think of how many white people prep and how few blacks prep. Im 33 yrs old and have assumed all responsibility for my family during shtf. Im military trained locked cocked and ready to rock.
I guess the bottom line to my post is basically were does a brother fit in to all of this? Sadly i admit that my people are lost in the hot sauce pun intended lol. My family about 8 immediate members in all are totally oblivious. They don’t know it yet but when the shtf i will be assuming the role of company commander and my first order is to establish a chain of command starting with the military and law enforcement trained. Second establish a perimeter and security. Third sit their asses down in a half circle and break down everything that has been going down leading up to that point while they had their heads in the sand, what to expect and how to get through it. Fortunately they already live on semi farm land with a few animals, wild game and two natural springs. I have enough firearms and ammo per for each abled body member. Food? We’ll just have to see about that. My little ones and i are all good. I hope i can help them to pull their resources together. Thanks for listening y’all. And thanks for being a sanctuary were a minority can feel welcome. I really appreciate how whenever race is brought up here it is quickly dispatched.
Welcome to the site. I live in North Carolina, am white, but I know a few black preppers in my area. Most live in a rural area and have always been pretty self-sufficient.
One guy I know works for a big bank and can’t wait to get home in the evenings to work his garden and tend his animals. You sound to me like you have a good plan. Your family will be grateful.
‘Prepping’ has no barriers.
You are more than WELCOME here.
Welcome. non-grata.
I got news for you, ALL preppers are a “minority”(we all get that funny vibe) and ALL of us are surrounded by loved ones,co-workers and neighbors that are “totaly oblivious”!!!
I have been called a racist(I HATE al sharpton and his ilk,he is a race baitor and is going to get alot of people killed(and already has gotten some killed)) and anti-semite plenty of times on this blog (I love america and her people and service men more then isreal). I just call (sh)it as I see it.
Time is getting short, everyone- ALL of us,need to convert as many people to the side of liberty,self reliance, and personel responsabilty as we can, and away from the race baitors and propagandists that just want to divide us(to rule over us)
Wake people up, help them.Tell them the farce of the money system and how it enslaves us ALL. Let them know whites(and blacks, and hispanics) are right now whipping out on laws passed after the civil war (to defend blacks right to vote) to fight the vote fraud(from the republicans(this time))in the courts, and the first black president sits and does nothing. Let them know WHO brings the drugs into america(If you were in afganistan, you know what the F^ck going on(or atleast heard)), Tell them their rights are being destroyed now more then ever in their life times, ( all under the disguise of the skin color of a president)
A black dude has a blog called “live the motto”, he is just a regular guy (he has not posted in a while,(which sucks)but he has an archive).
I feel that if whites and blacks(and everyone else) don’t get their heads out of their a$$es and pretty quick, we are ALL going to be in a world of $hit!!
Hey you (and your family) belong where the rest of us do. Struggling to survive and it don’t matter what race/ethnicity a person is, we are in the same boat together! The MAN has got those chains and they plan to use them!
In the event we have to buy goods with cash, the chaos is going to be beyond fathom. Not one of us is going to be able to go to the store and purchase goods, pay for it, and walk out with our stuff. It will take two or three vehicles, six armed persons on security, and six more getting the stuff off the shelves. Even the pickers are going to have to run interference for each other. At home, there will need to be more folks on security there, and communication between groups, and a reaction group to rescue the shoppers. We’re not going to have to be concerned about dealing with a clerk, we have to be concerned about dealing with hundreds of others who have no preparations and are desparate to get some at the last minute. That’s going to take teamwork, compassion, toughness, and forethought.
To All, If the annual “Black Friday’ events are any indication, your comment should be a situation we should plan and prepare for. (MM)
Don Q. says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
June 20, 2012 at 6:01 pm You might be able to pay your debts with cheep money.
i.e. sell some silver dimes for $100. each and pay off your car or house. In 1923 one of the biggest life insurance Co. in Gemany did not pay clames becuase the postage was more then the pay-offs… If they make trillion dollar bills and a beer costs a million a silver dime would still buy it.
AKA Wyoming Willy
The Bank of England to release 140 billion pounds.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9332570/Osborne-unveils-140bn-scheme-to-kick-start-stagnant-economy.html
In a nutsheel the BoE to swap banks mortgage books for cash at face value – does this shit sound familiar?
Yeah, like an episode of 1/2 Men, only this time it feels sexual but it ain’t!
Greetings Everyone!
This “Bank holiday” mess has happened before.Mexico had the same thing back in the ’70’s I believe.Forty years later,you see what a wonderful place it has become.What happened here was no joy ride either in the 1930’s.Banks “lost” peoples money but not the I.O.U.’s they held.As deflation hits Japan,they became the largest exporter(read sellers) of gold(and are still doing so!).Banks WILL fail.Just when,is any-body’s guess.Even when they do,all those mtg.’s will stay alive and needing to be paid.Personally,I expect about 10 cents on the dollar after the UBER RICH have converted their holdings to what ever form of “security” they have decided will be the new “norm”.The U.R. almost never lose.They have more than enough “assistance” from the “hallowed” halls of Congress,Wall Street,etc…by lackeys who want to be “in on the money party”.Nuts to the smaller customers,the people who voted for them,just try to get redress from the “courts”.All these folks want is the money!Just how long things can continue in this fashion is the question.Even the U.R. cannot prevent some things.
The amoral,self-centered and decadent(sound familiar?) French aristocracy(the top 1%ers of their time) in the 1700’s found that out in a large way.Can you say “The starving masses have NO BREAD? let them eat cake!”.What happened next makes for exciting reading.
Just a few thoughts of mine,I’m sure there will be others
LTR,
GFG
P.S.
I just had a “plumbing situation” happen.It has ruined hardwood floors in two rooms,and they plus one other will need to replaced/refinished.W\O homeowners insurance it would cost me several tens of thousands to pay for out my own pocket.So far only $1000 in deductible needs covering.
You don’t buy car,or homeowners Ins. for what you can fix\pay for,you buy it for the “events” you cannot….
It’s a choice,whatever level of risk you feel you can handle on your own.
Sound a little like having “prepps” NO?
Still LTR
GFG
Exactly…GFG..we could save about $900 a year..big deal!!!one incident like yours makes it worth it.
It isn’t insurance; it’s gambling..which is why Amish and Mennonites don’t have it!
I’m okay with gambling.
GFG I get the feelin’ you’re tryin’ to tell us sumthin’
OK, WHAT IS IT???
The author did not go far enough with this article , point one: He is assumeing that the power grid will continue to function , I don’t think so , how is that guy going to get to work if he can’t buy gas ? Or his neighborhood is rioting ? Point two: Stores only have a two to three day supply on hand , what happens when it runs out and people are in full riot ? Point three: Police , Fire , Para medics and hospitals how will they function if after a few days no one shows up because thay are busy protecting their own kin ? The National Guard ? Same story, Not to mention that a few thousand troops up against a few million hungry angry fearfull Armed citizens are not good odds . The key to all of this is the power grid, and I will bet that it will go down and then all of us will be in a real mess . I do have trouble spelling and I can’t get spell check to work right and so if you grammer experts wamt to poke holes in what I haven written go ahead , I don’t give a rap , I am doing my best to convey ideas not win a grammer essay contest!!!
@airborn- You miss-spelled ONE word, according to the trolls that makes EVERYTHING you just said BULL$HIT!!!
A flood took out some railroad tracks to a powerplant that is a coal plant(a few years ago, in my neck of the woods).
If memory serves me correctly, it took about a week for the RR to fix the track(and another day or 2 to get to the plant,unload, and get the coal threw the distribution system of conveyors), and the loaders at the plant were scraping dirt, they barelly got the train with the coal there in time.
By the way, that plant is about 30(+) miles outside of town, so the employees(90% live in town) would run out of gas before the plant would run out of coal.
Good points.
Since I am the WORST spelling on this blog-
Good spelling!!
I like to have some cash saved for my property tax “rent”. During the Great Depression many people lost their homes because they couldn’t pay their taxes. When the current depression deepens and the unemployment rate gets close to 50% you may be able to survive off grid and with sustainable prepping, but if you can’t pay your property tax “rent” you will still be on the street.
JRS
That is a good point. While those in the private sector may not be working because they’re not being paid government employees collecting revenues will be working and getting paid.
@kev- you got that right.
They are pissed off in greece for just that reason(one of them I should say)
Manos(in the private sector) got a 22% pay cut around october, and another 28% was supposed to take effect last month(I don’t know if that happened he has not posted in a while)
And the government keeps taxing and feeing them guys to death.
Hopefully manos post again soon.
Don’t worry it can’t happen in America!! Even if the digital money stops they still have the printing press. We could stamp coins out of Al. or Le.
Besides no one is starving in Greece, Italy or Spain, so how bad could it be?
I think JWR nailed it in The Patriot and I believe he wrote that back in the 90’s.
The collapse has already begun it is just a slow grind. This year bank failures are just over 1 per week, yet you never hear anything about it. Last week one of our local banks, Putnam State Bank was shut down and it didn’t even make the local news.
This is what popped up on line. Non-interest accounts, but take special notice of Attorney’s accounts. Interesting!
NOTICE OF CHANGES IN TEMPORARY FDIC INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TRANSACTION ACCOUNTS
All funds in a “noninterest-bearing transaction account” are insured in full by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from December 31, 2010, through December 31, 2012. This temporary unlimited coverage is in addition to, and separate from, the coverage of at least $250,000 available to depositors under the FDIC’s general deposit insurance rules.
The term “noninterest-bearing transaction account” includes a traditional checking account or demand deposit account on which the insured depository institution pays no interest. It also includes Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (“IOLTAs”). It does not include other accounts, such as traditional checking or demand deposit accounts that may earn interest, NOW accounts, and money-market deposit accounts.
For more information about temporary FDIC insurance coverage of transaction accounts, visit http://www.fdic.gov.
Patriot 1….I saw that notice posted in the window of my bank too. I call BS on the FDIC. They are just trying to prevent a bank run. They are very underfunded and a couple of decent sized banks folding will take out the majority of their funds. The interest bearing accounts were already FDIC insured. I cashed my CDs and savings out a few years ago and keep very little in my free checking.Another empty promise they will never be able to fulfill.
Lots of strange earthquake activity going on the past 4 days. No real pattern seems to be emerging though. What is bothersome are the earthquakes in the Azores, souther Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean regions. It seems like the African plate is on the move as would be the reason why Australia had 5.2 about 6 miles from some place called Moe, Australia. Why could this matter to everything?
The African plate is big enough to affect the Pacific plate and the Australian plate. The more the Pacific plate is compressed, yes the Pacific Ocean is strinking and the Atlantic Ocean is growing in size, the more pressure on potential economic collapsing earthquakes that can occur. It is also interesting to note that there was also a 5.1 2 hours ago in Oregon. A 8.0+ in Toyko will cause the financial markets to go into spasms. A 9.0+ on the Cascadia faultzone in the Pacific Northwest will cause the financial markets to almost collapse. A 8.0+ on the San Andreas will cause the finanical sectors to go belly up and all sorts of banking holidays and other chaos would come.
Plates move very slowly, but when you have this compressional factor playing in from the African plate on the Pacific plate, it means something. Whether it is enough to trigger the mega earthquakes that are overdue is the question. This needs to be watched as when someone looks at what is going on a 3 dimensional perspective on a globe, rather than on a flat 2 dimensional surface, you can see the additional pressure building as the plates drift into each other.
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?s%5B1%5D%5Bid%5D=BASE
This is the Federal Reserver Monetary base. They don’t report everything anymore…so you know it’s far worse.
To make matters worse, we’re having a big drought. Crop failure coming.
Take action accordingly.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/greece/index.html
Greece News…. bad economy there. Better stock up on Greek Olives!
Good luck Manos our friend in Greece.
Other news…. American farmland drought in 2012.
Next time you go to the store check out the price of olive oil sir , its expensive as all get out !!
According to the January 2012 drop in the Baltic Dry Index (Baltic Dry Index Signals Renewed Market Collapse: http://alt-market.com/articles/540-baltic-dry-index-signals-renewed-market-collapse), we could be looking at August, September, 2012, as the timeframe for the next economic ‘downturn’ (in the on-going ECONOMIC DEPRESSION, that started in 2007/8). There’s been no ‘recovery’. They – the Central Bankers – keep thinking they can print their way out of the collapse – which, does nothing more than hasten its arrival. The time to prepare was 1-2 years ago. However, it is never too late. Get prepared. Do it now. More to follow.
NOW, is the time to get prepared: 1) WATER, vital, essential to LIFE – get a high-quality water purification/filtration system, and a way to collect, transport, & store water – 2) FOOD, another essential to LIFE – have 8 months to 1 year, of store-able, NON-GMO, ORGANIC FOOD, 3) SEEDS, NON-GMO, NON-HYBRID, for next Spring, 4) MEDICINES, ASPIRIN, MULTI-VITAMINS – have an extra supply on-hand, to weather at least 1 YEAR, of economic collapse conditions, 5) Have a way to COOK your food – get a SMOKEY JOE Weber grill ($30), or a “ROCKET-STOVE” (http://www.rocketstove.org/), or, dig a ‘fire-pit’, place rocks around the edge, to contain the fire, use wood to burn, and put a metal grate over it! (All you’d need, additionally, is cast-iron cookware, a lighter, matches, or magnesium firestarter, or a magnifying glass, and sunlight)! 6) PICK UP A GOOD BOOK ON EDIBLE PLANTS! 7) PERSONAL HYGIENE products – have an additional 1 year to 2 year supply on-hand, 8) FIRST AID KIT, 9) CLOTHING – DURABLE, LONG-LASTING, especially work boots, shoes, pants, shirts (buy Made in USA!), 10) SELF-DEFENSE, 11) PMs – SILVER & a little gold BULLION (coins, rounds, bars), 12) BARTER ITEMS – alcohol, liquor, cigarettes, chocolate – anything that you can think of, that you personally would want or need, or that others would want or need, and that may be in short supply, during a prolonged economic collapse. Hope the above information helps someone get prepared. Do it now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLr8ZvgURg0&feature=related
I have some credit card debt. I’m using the set it and forget it. Figure out how much you need each month. Then set your payments and cut up your cards. Go cash basis only. ZERO DEBT. Starve the Bankers. Fuck them all. Make sure your kids do not get hooked on credit.
They dup the kids into thinking they need to “build credit”. It’s just aligning up new debt slaves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6nOkttjImQ&feature=related
TIME TO CANCEL YOUR CREDIT CARDS….OR BETTER YET….KEEP THE ACCOUNTS, NEVER USE THE CARDS AND CALL THE 1-800 LINES TO ASK QUESTIONS… FUCKING CROOKS.
I never missed a payment and they fuck me for 16%.
Fuck you Jewish bankers. I hope the Arabs blow the Jews off the map.
Many feel this way! Beyond hate!
I believe we will first be heading into a Weimar republic situation. Keep printing money, hyper inflation, money worthless, Govt credit system introduced. Everyone bar coded. The end. While cash exists they still can’t control you completely. Remove cash and they control everything. The bar code will be on your hand or forehead. Accept this code at your extreme peril.
There is already a bank holiday happening in the UK for over 7 million people. Two banks have seized up and are not allowing withdrawals. Many people are running out of money for food, rent etc. It is already underway.