This article has been contributed by Daisy Luther at The Organic Prepper. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter.
SHTF events come in many different flavors. While most of us think of things like natural disasters, economic collapse and pandemics, many occurrences are much more mundane. They are those small personal disasters that can hit any of us, at any time.
Maybe your refrigerator stops making that weird humming noise and gives up the ghost altogether.
Perhaps your car begins leaking colorful fluids in the driveway.
A family emergency could call you away at the last minute, requiring a lengthy drive and hotel stay.
Personally, a medical emergency has occurred with my daughter, resulting in a long drive to see a specialist, some unexpected meals out, and the purchase of a parking pass at the city hospital. It’s a cringe-worthy expense of several hundred dollars, not to mention the possibility of other costs related to the care of the injury itself. My friend Y (*waves at Y*) very graciously offered a bit of help with the fuel expenses.
I said, “Oh, that’s okay. I’ll just take it from my emergency fund.”
Y replied, “Have you ever written on the topic of the emergency fund?”
So, yeah – the emergency fund. What a relief to have one! Having that money, sitting there, takes what would been an enormous worry out of the equations so that I can spend all my mental energy helping my child. Whatever the personal SHTF event may be, having some money set aside to deal with it is every bit as much of a prep as a one year supply of beans and rice.
How much do you need?
One of the first things that money gurus recommend to people trying to get their finances on track is that they set aside an emergency fund. As someone trying to be prepared for any eventuality, it only makes sense to have something put away for a rainy day.
Everyone’s financial situation is different, so instead of a cookie cutter suggestion about how much money to keep on hand, consider your expenses. If you lost your job suddenly, and for some reason, never got another pay check, how much money would you need to survive for 1 month? 3 months? 1 year? While putting aside a year’s worth of expenses would be the penultimate goal for many, being able to cover 1-3 months of expenses will allow you a little bit of breathing room should financial disaster strike. (If you don’t know how much the household expenses cost each month, it’s time to figure that out!)
What currency should you use for your emergency fund?
Although many preppers are not fans of fiat currency, it’s still important to remember that in the world that exists today, government issued currency is most likely to be the unit of trade needed. If your car breaks down or you have to replace the refrigerator, you probably aren’t going to be paying for those items with gold ingots or silver coins.
I suggest that you keep a cash emergency fund of one month of expenses. This money is instantly available for life’s little surprises. Generally speaking, this will be enough for impromptu car repairs, appliance replacements or other small unexpected events.
Once your emergency fund is greater than the amount needed for one month, however, you may want to consider diversifying from simply cash. Precious metals are always a good option. While many people do not consider themselves “liquid” with their savings in PMs, it is nearly always a simple matter to exchange them for fiat currency. You have an added benefit with precious metals, in that they hold their value, unlike the dollar, which is consistently declining in value. I was initially overwhelmed by the idea of investing in gold and silver, thinking that it was for “rich people”. However, that is not the case. You can make a small investment with each paycheck and be secure in the knowledge that if disaster strikes, you have currency that will retain its value.
After you’ve gotten your emergency fund past the 3 month point, you can continue to convert your savings to precious metals, or, if needed, you can increase your tangible goods like seeds, storable food and home defense items.
Where should you keep your emergency fund?
Most folks keep their savings in the bank. It’s just the way things have been for over 100 years. However, some of us have become aware that banks are in precarious straits. Just last summer, we learned that deposit accounts are no longer legally protected. As well, the Federal Reserve passed a policy that in the event of an economic crisis (think “bank run) that accounts can be frozento preserve the liquidity of the banks.
For most of us, banking is a necessary evil. Our paychecks are directly deposited. We pay our bills online. Our mortgage payments are automatically debited. My recommendation is not to leave in any more money than is required to meet these expenses. I personally withdraw everything beyond the bills coming out between pay periods.
For the reasons mentioned above, safety deposit boxes are also not a place you want to keep your savings. If the banks doors are locked, your precious metals and cash are locked in too, and you will have no access until the bank reopens. In the event of a disaster, that might be a very long time, if ever.
Some people consider their credit cards to be an emergency fund. Credit cards are not an emergency fund. Let me repeat that. CREDIT CARDS ARE NOT AN EMERGENCY FUND. You might be able to pay for an unexpected expense using one, but this is not ideal. By the time you pay the interest over the next few months, you will be paying far more than the cost of your purchase, miring yourself deeper into financial problems. And yes, if you have to use a credit card to pay for an emergency, you have financial problems.
Consider investing in one or more fireproof safes. Be creative about where you hide them, and when you’ve selected a spot, bolt them into the floor. Keep your cash and PMs at home. Remember, if you don’t have it, you don’t own it. Some people bury PMs in a cache.
When budgets are tight, how can you bankroll your rainy day fund?
If you don’t have some rainy day money, it is of the utmost importance that you fund this right away It’s time to change your financial lifestyle. This isn’t really fun, but the economy is continuing to freefall (despite with the White House and mainstream media would have you believe). The day is coming soon when these cuts will be mandatory. Isn’t it better to make the cuts now while our dollars will still help us to prepare?
Most of us have some places that we can cut the budget. To put it into perspective, a fancy frozen coffee concoction from Starbucks is about $6. Today, in Canada, the price of silver is $29.67 per ounce. One week without Starbucks =1 ounce of silver. Exercise some “tough love” and strip your budget down to the bare bones until you have a months worth of expenses put aside.
Sell something. Do you have a basement full of unused relics? Exercise equipment, old furniture, unused appliances -all of these things taking up valuable storage real estate can help you to establish your emergency fund. Hang on to things like gold and silver jewelry, though – it will increase in value.
Get a second job. You don’t have to plan to work two jobs indefinitely, but spending one day a week babysitting or taking on a different part time job can help you get your savings into the comfort zone.
What constitutes an “emergency” worthy of dipping in to the fund?
Once you have your emergency fund established, you might wonder, “What can I spend this on?”
Ideally, nothing. The goal is never to spend this money. This little safe full of money squirreled away is there for situations that cannot be addressed with your regular income.
Here are some things that are NOT emergencies:
- Trips to the mall
- Concert tickets
- Vacations
- Your 346th pair of shoes
- A celebratory dinner at a nice restaurant
- Cellphone bill
As yourself a few questions. Will it cost me more money if I do this later rather than sooner? Is the expenditure related to a safety issue? Is the expenditure related to a health issue? When will you have the money to pay for this out of your regular income?
- Refrigerator
- Car Repair
- Medication/Medical Bill
- Washing Machine (not in all situations, but if you have a baby in cloth diapers it’s pretty vital!)
- Utilities that will result in reinstatement charges
Only you can judge whether or not an event constitutes an emergency. If you must use money from your emergency fund, make it a priority to replace that withdrawal as quickly as possible.
*****
If you don’t have an emergency fund, take your preparedness to the next level. Get financially prepped for those unexpected “rainy day” moments.
For those of you with a little bit of money squirreled away, have you ever experienced an event that made you relieved that you had an emergency fund? Your comments can be very inspiring to those who are new to preparedness!
This article has been contributed by Daisy Luther at The Organic Prepper. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter.
I guess I could take a smaller suite on my around the world cruise
Come on now Face…
The rest of us don’t have the silver spoon in our mouths.
We don’t ever have cash laying around. 🙁 But, when the Lil’ SHTF happens (well pump died) we use our small silver stash at the local pawn shop for the emergency loan. Yea… They charge an intrest rate, but the money is there to meet the unplanned events in life.
Enjoy the day. 🙂
Y’all play nice.
hillybilly SC
Furlough.
Mick Jagger: “Furlong…”
500 points for the obscure reference on that one.
Easy there, Mr. Mcandless.
LOL, I just watched it again last week after almost 20 years. I discovered that Mike from Breaking Bad is in it too!
So was Anthony Hopkins.
Interesting that this article came out… I’m having to experience this first-hand.
A little over a week ago, I (and lots of others) got downsized — courtesy of some executive deciding that he needed the stock price of his company to go up.
I’ve laid out the grubby details on my site (click my name up there, go to the “Blather” link…), but the point was driven home solid: fail to prep, and you prep to fail. Success in preparation means success in calamity.
I was fortunate in that my missus and I have some extensive preps (financial and otherwise), plus internalizing all of the principles in the book I had put into action long ago.
BTW – You have no idea how much community and personal networking helps you out, even when the world isn’t collapsing.
As someone who preps, I can actually somewhat enjoy the process of finding a job, take my time, and (given my circumstances) be open to relocation. It makes a difference on the phone as well, as I am more relaxed and calm during those initial phone screenings. I don’t have to worry about the bills (as much), because we have plans in motion that keeps them paid for quite awhile.
Prepping has given me some perspectives that will serve me well in future plans and actions. It evolves right along with life and circumstance… as it should be.
Overall, I think that once I get settled back into work, I’ve a couple changes to make, and bits to replenish (very few though), but I’m seeing first-hand how it has served me well.
Prepping is taking the long view, and taking the long view is a different thing from what many people (and businesses) do. It’s comforting knowing that you’re prepared even for some eventualities that you didn’t anticipate, but prepping for one thing pretty much preps you for most possibilities.
Good luck in your job search, OQ.
Lady,”prepping for one thing pretty much preps you for most possibilities.” is well said and it brings to mind how liberating it is to prep and not panic when unexpected things hit.
I’d like to add; that most of us preppers have learned from not only our own mistakes but others. I listened and learned from those that went through the great depression. And the GD was only a shadow of what is to come.
I love your saying, “Success in preparation means success in calamity.
Before reading this article, only an hour ago I made a statement to my wife. “Can you believe that I have not had a check since December 28th (Laid Off) and we are going on a vacation?”
Although I was laid off through no fault of my own, I have been getting the run around from all 3 states that I worked in last year when filing for unemployment. It’s supposed to be there for us average Joe’s when you lose your job, but the lesson here is don’t be so sure. Just getting through to someone on the phone to file can take the better part of a week because the lines are so jammed. Most states have taken it upon themselves to make the final decision, regardless of Federal Laws.
The system is broken, I am here to tell you. It’s falling apart at the seams very fast now. Having prepped most of last year, my wife and I are getting by just fine. She takes home roughly $180/ week after taxes, 401K and Insurance. We live in the country, raise chickens and buy and sell online for extra income. I do an odd job here and there as well, roofed a house last week, painting one next week. It’s much different than pre 2008 when I booked over a million dollars worth of vacation rentals from a desk a block from the beach in Florida. That’s when I first saw things coming apart, and made the decision that we would abandon the city and find a farm house, 700 miles away. Those people in that office were laid off within months.
Had I not prepped both financially as well as physically, we would be in the EBT line. As of now, I don’t plan on that ever happening. I am too smart for that to happen. I could have filed unemployment last year as well after another lay off, but did not as a matter of principle. My folks worried about my move in 2008. I was not worried much, and told them flat out that we are both independent, and more importantly, ressiliant.
We both landed jobs in a small town and were laid off during cutbacks 3 times between us in the first year. I learned to make do with a LOT less, paid off everything I could while I was working, and tracked every dime that we spent until I had our bills down to $500/mth.
This is info that I have not shared with friends, as it comes off as bragging. I am not bragging here, I am stating as matter of fact. We don’t have cell phones (my wife is now 26 years old, can you imagine?) we have a magic jack. Our home is now paid for. Take 2 jobs if you can, if that’s what it takes. Offer any service you can provide until it is habit. Those that are seeking oppertunities will still find them. The time has come to grab life by the horns, don’t assume that things will be the same old same old tomorrow, because they won’t.
We will be at our condo in Florida next week, smelling the roses. It’s come time to reward ourselves for our efforts. My biggest question is, how much silver do I want to take, just in case?
What roses are you smelling exactly? You have no job and yet you still going on vacation, you have little prospect of a job because of where you live and yet you feel you are ok with it. You paid off your house, good for you, but you still pay property taxes, you probably don’t have health insurance and as a person in your 20s or your 30s now is the time to save and invest for the future but it seems you have come to terms you can live a bare minimum life. Sorry I don’t see how that is something you should brag about.
Gracias 🙂
You are absolutely correct in that prepping is the act of looking ahead – far, far ahead. It’s been a big relief knowing that I don’t have to do any grocery shopping for quite awhile (short/medium-term food storage handles that). It’s also a good thing that many other things have been prepped for in advance.
The one aspect that I found different though is a huge one – there’s a difference between putting the preps and plans in place, and actually putting them to work. It’s given me a unique view of the minor bits I didn’t think of, but at the same time it has given me an opportunity to correct those once things stabilize.
While I certainly don’t recommend intentionally putting oneself in such a situation, I think that the little/micro/personal SHTF events are an immediate teaching tool. You find out very quickly who your friends really are, and you discover immediately how well-prepped you are.
It’s one thing to do ‘dry runs’ and drills. Quite another thing entirely when you know that you’re actually relying on these resources. At risk of spewing too many metaphors, the rubber is meeting the road, and I have learned a lot in the past week or so.
I found out the hard way too, that to make bread rise, you need more than yeast. I have stored hundreds of pounds of all purpose four, for it’s ability to be stored long term. However, when doing a ‘dry run’, I found out that my bread did not rise much, just a very dense loaf. After a bit of research, I found out why. All purpose flour does not have Wheat Glutten.
Wheat Glutten is the substance that makes the bread kind of like rubber. When the yeast activates, the carbon dioxide is released to blow the bread up like a bubble. With a teaspoon of wheat glutten in your all purpose flour, it will rise. You can order it for long term, add it to your preps. Just be prepared to find out it’s in back order though, like ammo, once the word gets out, it will not stay in stock long.
You may want to do as I did, and print off a couple of pages on making your own yeast. There are a few different approaches, but yeast will not store more than a year or so. Think of me someday, when you are the only one in your county with fresh homemade bread.
Good luck.. I prepped up with many computer books and have lucked out…they keep me around.
Here’s the latest prep.
The chemtrails they are spraying have barium and aluminum in them. To block the sun and slow global warming.
This filter gets all that stuff out of the water.
Also… you need to take apple pectin…gets rid of the metals in your blood.
Get the good one with four filters.
From a taste perspective… in the summer when the city water tastes like a fish tank…this makes is like figi water.
I live in Buffalo, ny…lake erie water here. Everyone upstream of us flushes the toilet…and that’s our water. So this gets rid of all the stuff in it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR GOOD HEALTH. PREVENTATIVE HEALTH IS A PREP!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002RZRJHI/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=glocodgui-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B002RZRJHI&adid=0VAB2YYQH59JANVY51CG&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fglobalcodeguild.com%2FStore%2Ftabid%2F104%2FDefault.aspx
An emergency fund? That’s what my preps are.
But I do keep some green paper around for starting fires after the SHTF.
Good article Daisy. It’s always a good idea to assess what your needs are. We have family that lives a thousand miles away and some of them are getting pretty old. We keep an emergency fund to cover the cost of driving there and back. Also part of that emergency plan is to have a house sitter. We can’t just up and leave, we have dogs, fish, goats and chickens, we also have a couple of house sitters lined up that we trust and neighbors that will help to look out for our property. I think it’s called being prepped.
Why don’t you just go 1/2 way around and come back?
He’s talking about a post up the line and it a very witty and intellectual reply. Sorry if it went over some of your replies. I get it and enjoy the humor.
I am a big fan of both Daisy AND Ann Barnhardt, but Daisy has just doubled down on Ann’s mistake which I pointed out at the time:
Deposit accounts and investment accounts are as different as night and day, or apples and oranges. Know the difference.
Investors placing their money in a managed investment account (like MF Global) gave the management company the right to use their funds as collateral. Its in the contract and that clause is standard in the industry.
I say “funds” rather than “deposit” because the general public interchanges “deposits” as being equal to a demand deposit (checking account) at your bank. These are not the same bird.
Language is important and definitions are specific in any profession. The general public often interchanges “condo” and “townhouse” for example, when these terms are totally different and have distinct meanings.
A “condo” as in “condominium” is a legal form of ownership. While a “townhouse” is usually a condominium because it has common walls, that “condo” is not necessarily a townhouse because it could be an apartment style home in a high rise.
A “condo” may be a “townhouse” but it is not necessarily a “townhouse”. Why? Because a “townhouse” is a distinct architectual style. Unfortunately the general public uses these terms interchangeably to identify a specific space.
Likewise do not become confused, and understand the difference between “deposits” and “funds”. Deposits are usually refundable depending upon the use (as in banks up to $250,000) or not, as in real estate transactions or investment management, depending upon the contract employed. Read the fine print.
Daisy may not know the difference between deposits and funds because she is not a financial professional; but Ann IS a financial professional and knows the difference, thus her characterization of Corzine as a criminal is both unfortunate and slanderous.
If Corzine had done something illegal, he would be in jail. He is only guilty of very bad management, insatiable greed and very poor decision making.
Just saying.
We’ve had to use some of our emergency fund money for car repairs over the years. I’ve always “topped” the fund back up as soon as possible. We currently have approximately 3 months living expenses saved (some in cash), plus a certain amount of PMs. It’s VERY comforting to know that those resources are available should we need them.
I’d like to remind those who are lucky enough to still have full-time employment that vacation time can also be considered a form of emergency fund. I try to use as little of my vacation time as possible and I “bank” the rest. I currently have 2 months worth of paid time off saved up. If I were (God forbid) to become ill or injured I’d have 2 month’s worth of salary still coming in before we needed to dip into savings.
I work in healthcare, so if the society goes pear-shaped I’d feel morally obligated to keep going to work (at least for awhile). However, some folks out there in less “critical” positions might find it advantagous to have vacation time on the books for more than just the monetary benefits. The ability to take a “strategic vacation” to one’s BOL, if you felt things might be becoming unsafe, could be a good thing to have. If nothing happens, then the only thing you’ve lost is a few day’s vaction time.
How much money can a person withdraw or depoist in a bank, with out having to fill out paper work that goes to the Feds. They have socalled Regs. to prevent money laundering. WASP
My wife worked at a bank and she said any CASH transaction over $10,000 in a 24hr period. Gets reported to the IRS if over.
At my local bank anything above 2,995.00 will get you tracked and has been that way for years!
There are 2 sets of protocol, for those that are interested. The 10k rule, everyone is aware of. You can google it if you are interested. Then there’s the 3k cash withdrawel from a personal account that has to be recorded. The teller has to fill out a form, which has more information to be processed than is available in your banking profile database. One of the questions is where you are currently employed. It is supposed to come up naturally, as in conversation as to not alert you to the process, and banks train their tellers to do this as discretely as possible. Google Suspicious Activity Reporting to find this one, or go here.
http://www.ffiec.gov/bsa_aml_infobase/pages_manual/OLM_015.htm
Working at a bank is stressful, so don’t take it out on the teller that is fulfilling their job requirements. It’s one of the rare underpaid positions that has the distinct possibility of being held criminally responsible for a screw up. The training that the tellers go through is more like a law degree than an accounting degree, and they must continually certify. The dumb act is just to keep you off guard, in case they have to ask you one of those pesky, silly questions.
My banker has never asked for any additional info such as where I am employed…
Direct Deposit?
Have heard that the Feds have now dropped the amount to $5K recently, but not positive.
WASP, it has been anything over $10K, but check that figure OR just ask the bank. Regulations change so at this time, it may be just $10.
Just try and withdraw $10K from a bank and watch the freak-out session that begins behind the counter. My bank went batshit when I asked for my tax refund in cash. Took 15 minutes for them to part with the money.
Gilley, Ive done just under $10K several times in the past couple of years. I’ve never had any freak-out sessions.
Now when we didn’t renew our CDs that we had 401K money in them, I got the “investment tip” and was told by the branch manager that I should consider bonds. I was NOT nice about that suggestion. We had the money transferred from a bank to a credit union.
A great deal of money is leaving the banks — there was even a recent article about it and there is more going on than people “needing” their savings, it has to do with a zero confidence level.
Zoltare, Bravo for “zero confidence level”. That is spot on. I encounter numerous young people between the ages of 20-40, and they’re all looking for sound advice concerning banking/investments. Why? They have no confidence in the banks.
Over the past year, I’ve had many military personnel ask me how and where to start prepping. Daisy’s article will be printed for many of them. I have printed many articles on this site for novices with very good results of people engaging in prepping dialog.
Again, thanks Mac.
Zoltanne
I’ve had a bank freak out at $4000. I no longer bank there.
I think another option to consider is having multiple sources of income. I know some people work several part time jobs out of necessity but this can also be a planned strategy. I have several sources of income. If one of them no longer works, I have a stable income while I replace them. On one occasion, it gave me the joy of saying “I quit” to a boss who thought she had everyone hostage in her own private serfdom.
I cashed in my $1,300 CD a couple of years ago. It took 2 hours to get my money out. The clerk said she had never done this before and had to ask for advice/help several times during this transaction.
Then the Bank Manager spent lots of time with me wanting to know what I planned on doing with this money and why I wanted to cash it out? Did I know that I would have to pay taxes on this money?
I finally got it out and put it in an investment that has paid me much higher then CD intersts are. Ha! Ha!
I suspect that the reason has less to do with the IRS, and more to do with the fact that they wanted to keep making interest off of your money. Make the process painful, and most folks give up, keeping the money there. 😉
My bank put a “HOLD” on a check (from another too big to fail bank) I tried to cash.
Federal Reserve Regulations are something like: You get $200 immediately; $5,000 released within 3 days; balance over $5,000 released within 2 weeks.
They act like you are a criminal taking your cash out of their bank.
@WASP- It has been 10k,but I read an article yesterday on survival blog and he said that recently a law enforcement friend told him that deposits of 3 and 5k are sometimes reported. My wife was fortunate enough to get a nice bonus a few months back (WELL under 10k) …..and the bank was questioning her about it. We hit the A.T.M. for our money,the same time every week and avoid going in the bank now. Also,any purchase that is 10k and up,paid for in cash is reported by law to the FEDS. I hope this helps.
I don’t think that the customer has to fill out any paperwork. The bank does, whenever the amount is $10k or more, but they ALSO have to fill out a “suspicious activity report” for smaller amounts if they think something might be fishy. They’re forbidden from telling you they’ve done so.
Bottom line: everything you do is (probably) reported to federal criminal thugs. So, why worry? Just go ahead and take your own money, and if anybody asks you what it’s for, say nothing.
Last I heard it was down to $3,000. You don’t have to fill out any paper work, the bank quietly does it for you. Like Z says it may be different on different days, different for different customers. Just face it they don’t like the 4th amendment.
Anyone in the banking industry is now trained to police ANY cash transaction. You hit the first threshold at $3k-$5k and then a report is submitted for anything over $10 as a currency transaction report but they keep a log of anything over $3k-there are also suspicious activity reports that are avaialable for anything that anyone feels is suspicious and there are hefty fines for those in the industry if they do not file one and it is later found they should have so they are scaring everyone in the industry to police ANY cash transaction. Best thing you can do is get to know your banking staff so they don’t fell uncomfortable with you. They want to extend their unconstitutional police force to ALL banking staff and most go along with it.
Yes and No.
Up until a week ago, I worked in that industry.
I can tell you that *all* transactions are quietly recorded by the bank. You can even pull your own history up reaching back 18 months.
However, the IRS (and DEA) doesn’t see it until the individual transaction (for individual/personal accounts) either hit $10k for deposits/withdrawals, or for any amount over $1,000 or so that gets wired overseas. The latter part is why you see popularity with wire services outside the bank when it comes to illegal immigrants shipping money back home.
Note that corporate/small-biz accounts are excluded from this, but only because companies ship money of this size on a very regular basis.
A small tip: If you want to keep your transactions to yourself, open a small business account at the bank or credit union, and suddenly most of these rules disappear. Just note that (depending on state) you do have to have an incorporation or business license to do it.
In reality, every banking transaction is logged by date and time since you opened the account. Payments are logged “to” and “from”.
EVERYTHING you do with your account is fully annotated. Everything. How you you think they know that there is more porn viewed in Utah than anywhere else?
LMAO! 🙂
Sure glad I am on a first name basis with everyone at the bank, from the president to the tellers.
Legally, I think it is still $10K, but banks may have their own set of rules. One thing to be careful of is making large deposits of cash while you are trying to buy property or a house. We got into this when taking a mortgage for our current house. They looked at every deposit over $500 as you possibly were taking other loans to meet the down payment. Even though we had more than enough in saving to cover the down payment, we had to explain every cash deposit we made. Makes it hard when you do most of your business with cash and the loan manager told us it could keep us from getting a loan. Banks just don’t like people dealing in cash anymore period.
I had a similar problem when getting our first morgage. Why all the cash transactions, where did this money come from. Its easy to tell but not easy for them to understand when I tell them.. “I dont trust the banks.. I keep my money in cash. I only use you when I have to.”
Funny thing was most of our transactions we had to account for were from uncle sam. Uncle sam was checking up on uncle sam.. Its a stupid system that only harasses innocent people.
Now again we are thinking of moving and I wonder how Im going to have to explain it all to the bank again.
Unless you are laundering drug money, you do not need to explain cash deposits. You don’t need to explain yourself when making withdrawals either, it’s none of their business what you intend to spend your cash on. You only need to positively identify yourself to the bank as the rightful account holder.
I know they don’t like us to think so, but legal transactions are still none of their business.
WASP, the correct answer is ZERO. Everything is “reported” to the feds because the banks own everything involved in the transaction, including the feds.
As for money laundering regulations, they are in place only to dispose of any competition that may want to try to cut in on corp cartel drug profits.
Actually it’s $5,000 in one lump, or multiple $2500 transactions in one day.
Thanks to all, for your response. The reason for my question, was, just suppose you had 100k in the bank at 1/10th of 1% which is what passbook now pays, you would make $100 a year in interest. Why would we let anyone hold our money for that amount? Not that I have 100k in the bank. But my main concern is, if I draw all my money out, and then I decide to make a PM purchase, and I have to put a large sum back in my checking account, there goes the redflags.If you have money in a savings account, I think you can transfer it to your checking without drawing to much attention. It’s very hard not to leave a paper trail, unless you deal in cash,hand to hand. Credit Card, Check, Money Order, Cashiers Check they all leave a paper trail, and usually unless you live in a big city your going to have to deal with a broker to get PM’s. Seems they have us cornered! Sting Like A.WASP
If you have an extra $100k and you want to invest in PM’s, open a Foreign Corporation in Panama, open a bank account in the name of the corporation, and buy PM’s offshore.
You can also get a higher rate of return on your money in safe offshore locations, if you know what you are doing. Its not for everyone.
Or so I have heard.
Which is why if you are self-employed, most everything is paid in cash.
Many others have mentioned it already, but the limit is usually at or just under $10k… if you just do a straight withdrawal.
If you close your account, you can take it all w/o paperwork, but this is a guess, and likely varies by financial institution.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend doing that now if your dough is already tied up in a bank/CU account. The best point in time to do it would be when things are just before the point of a ‘bank holiday’. Given the way retail works nowadays, debit cards and checks still work just fine, and are generally accepted.
All that said, a huge wad of money could come in handy, as most businesses would still accept it, even during a crash. What I’m saying is, build up a wad and keep it safe at home in addition to whatever you have invested/stored/whatever. People were born and raised to view those little green slips of paper as something valuable, and shaking that ingrained habit is going to be impossible for most. This means you can waltz into a store during a hard panic, get whatever is there that you find useful (hopefully you already have what you really need at home), and wave that wad of money under the cashier/manager’s nose on your way out. Odds are very good that they’ll take the cash… while simultaneously turning down everyone else that is waving around useless plastic cards or checks.
To be honest, I daresay that before and during the final crash, most merchant types will accept cash as opposed to gold or silver. Why? because pre-collapse, PMs represent an unknown to most folks, so they have no clue as to how it is valued. They do however know that it can be faked. Cash on the other hand represents a numbered value to them that they can immediately recognize and act on. Also consider that people (including most of us) set values and prices on PMs as dollars per unit of measurement, no? This should tell you that cash has value right up until the government backing it up disappears. I also daresay that it may retain some value afterwards, depending on the public at large… it has that strong of a psychological hold. May as well use that to your advantage, no?
Could a credit card be good if you have the silver coins to sell to pay it off? Honestly in today’s world leaving 3-5 grand in cash laying around getting up to 200 bucks eaten away a
year makes me cringe, plus the possibility of losing it during shtf. Not saying a grand in a coffe can is a bad idea… You can have a lot of issues for under that, but honestly if it’s that big of a deal ( you lose your job) a line of credit is your best bet, as well as having as many things as possible payed off. Maybe I’m wrong ( I’m sure someone will say I am) but to me having a little house payed off with some food, my own power, water, and septic with a couple hundreds bucks in a sock drawer sounds like a way better bet.
That said, good article. Thank you for your time and your thoughtfullness.
A better idea: pay down the CC balance to zero, so you don’t have that ugly rape-worthy interest rate to pay down.
Originally, credit cards were a means to pay for something w/o cash until you could get hold of the cash. Say you’re traveling, come across an emergency, or see something big you want to buy. Instead of going to the bank, you let the merchant/doctor/repairman/whatever run the card, and ostensibly you pay the CC company within 30 days or so from your existing cash in the bank.
However… credit card companies (and retailers, etc) have pushed the idea that credit cards are “free money”, and the myth that you can just ‘charge it’ with some minimal balance to pay each month. Problem is, the interest rates are horrendous, the compound faster than the federal debt, and that $10k you spent on your card now takes around $20k to pay off (if you do it in six months or less), $200k to pay down long-term (if you do it within two years), or ${massive number} if you stick with the so-called ‘minimum payments’.
It gets even worse with promises of “airline miles” (whatever those are), “cash back” (O RLY? 5% of what is spent while paying 26% compounded interest? Oh how nice of you…), and other gimmicks.
The best way to win that game is to not play it.
I have a debit card, and that’s it. That debit card is backed by money in the account, automatically withdrawn as I spend on it. If I cannot afford it, I don’t buy it, or I save up for it. If it is an emergency, I make whatever arrangements I can according to my existing medical/home/auto insurance policies. If/when I get around to buying a home (the one and only exception I can think of to the whole credit avoidance), I’ll put the saved-up 25% down (guaranteeing approval) and arrange the rest on a sane amortization/mortgage schedule, paying it off as early/fast as I am humanly able to.
Sure – it makes the credit rating suck. Agencies don’t like it when you don’t use credit. OTOH, having no massive outstanding unsecured debt to speak of has made me a much freer man. 🙂
Mind you, I’m not preaching – I learned this the hard way… I just hope others don’t have to.
Daisy your right and there is no way to get around it. However, I cant stand looking at FRNs that could be beans bullets or band aids. Selfish, perhaps but thats just the way I function these days. I have been thinking about getting a slush fund together but I think I would hate myself if the shtf and I have a wallet full o cash that is worthless for trade. I may be obsessed with prepping because in my mind Im allready spending every cent on prepps. Another inverter, another solar panel, more cases of dry goods, bullets bullets bullets, another seed vault, and so it goes. Me knowing me if I had such a fund would be looking at night vision or thermal. Do I need help?
Boss, one of the oddest yet most worthwhile things I’ve thrown a little money at in the past year is a pair of kids’ night vision binoculars. They’re first generation night vision and have a distance limit of about 50 yards, maybe 70 on a good clear night, but that’s plenty to check out my yard and just beyond into the treeline. They were only $35 at Walmart. I do want a good night vision scope ultimately, but these binoculars have come in handy more than once.
@ Lady Of the Lake
Night vision scope. Gen 1 plus. Paladin MK390. Cost 2Yrs ago $650. Heavy. Collects and amps light very well.
When using IR be very careful of reflective surfaces. Auto/flash shutdown recommended.
Thanks for the information, slingshot. Looks like a good scope for the money ($496.88 at amazon). Christmas may come early this year.
@ Lady, sling…
Howdy Y’all,
Been pre-occupied for a couple of days…just got back. FINE Article our very own Daisy gives us here I think. For some few of US timely as well!
Here’s an interesting datum:
Almost any 800 nm (or larger wavelegth) emitter makes even Gen1 spectacularly effective…easily extending the range of same by several MULTIPLES of whatever range you get without it. In this category are simple infrared ‘floods’ ranging all the way to actual laser based units (which usually allow for the beam to be spread or focused variably. IF stealth is mandated then the object is to obtain something in the 940 nm range/wavelength as these are utterly invisible to the naked eye…even animals. Bear in mind that all such ARE readily visible to anything which is designed for IR reception…ATN’s ‘THOR’ series as an example. The military uses the IR based units today almost exclusively. Also, no…those are simply WAY to far out of the range of any but the uber-wealthy…upwards of 6-20 thousands of dollars PER unit.
In practice, one would want to have the emitter flooding a predifined area…and NOT be handheld inasmuch as same would instantly indentify YOUR location to anyone so equipped. Just a few thoughts here for Y’all.
JOG
JOG, thanks for the expertise and advice! I’ve been giving thought to a laser kit, anyway, but infrared floods would be a quick and easy installation.
By the time all is said and done, we’re all going to be building our own laser-equipped, night vision-enabled, water balloon-dropping drones.
Well, something will be in those balloons, anyway….
And if I’d typed my own name correctly, I wouldn’t be in moderation, haha
@ Lady,
“Numue” in the Arthurian cycle,yes? Well-Met!
“Something will be in those ballons anyway…”
Indeed….absolutely. 🙂
JOG
Our emergancy fund was wiped out. Now we are rebuilding it, we save all of our change. When a friends mother was dying we were able to cash the change in and finance the trip. I have also used it for other things that could absolutely not wait.
Now we are cutting spending, and moving into a cheaper house to save more money every month. My husband has a harder time, but I have put him on a budget. We each get a little mad money, mine is used however I want and so is his.
A few years ago my emergency fund kept me from falling into perpetual debt. I was at a point where I spent without keeping track of it and I would use my home equity loan to cover overdrafts. One day I was $500 in the red, the next paycheck was 2 weeks away, empty tank of gas, and the home equity loan was maxxed out. The daily overdraft fee would’ve added up to more than my next paycheck, and that’s without having any money for food or gas. It was a bad situation, and even worse that it was a situation I put myself into. Luckily I had some cash in the same. Between that and a bank funded payday advance, I was able to get $33 into the black. If that emergency fund had not been there, I don’t know how I would have made it.
Cash in the safe, not same. Autocorrecting smart phones…
Crisp ten-dollar bills in No. 10 cans— Mushroom.
Ah ‘ol Mushroom. Thanks OutWest for the reminder.
I opened one of my cans of peas from the bottom, with an opener that leaves the rim on the can. I cleaned it out and dried the inside without disturbing the label. I’ve placed a big roll of bills in plastic. I put it inside the can and filled the rest of the space with a round, tight-fitting foam rubber plug. I put this somewhere in the middle of my extensive canned peas collection. You can’t tell it from the can next to it by looking, yet there is a whole lot of cash in that one.
I plan on updating the plug by pouring a lead one, that fits tightly and weighs about the same as a can of peas.
…then, on to the canned carrots…
Umm, may want to let the missus know, so she doesn’t accidentally donate your wad to the next food drive… 😉
China has enough currency reserves to buy the ALL of the worlds gold TWICE!
We really are a pathetic nation in ruin. Most, if not all elected members of congress should be jailed 25 years for allowing this to happen. Remember the commercial depicting chinese college students in a classroom laughing at our demise over this very issue? Right now there practically ROTFLTAO.
Howdy tys,
Yeah, me too. From the DAY I first saw that commercial on tv my blood ran cold with the thought of what has been done to this country by those who are so thoroughly ‘above the law’. BTW, my blood hasn’t warmed back up yet nor does it look like it will…
JOG
It’s also a good idea to keep all denominations, ones, fives, tens, twenties, etc. If the banking system should collapse you’ll want to have smaller bills to pay for smaller items. It might be hard to make change from a fifty dollar bill when purchasing a small item. Also a good idea to have a few rolls of coins available, for the same reason.
One technique for (sorta) painless saving is at the end of the day all coins are sorted and stashed. Keep pre ’82 copper and post ’82 zinc cents seperate. You want to hang on to the copper and all nickels if you ever have to dip into the ‘coin collection’.
Also every one dollar bill is also stashed. If you can afford it include a fiver every now and then. You can ‘buy’ tens and a few twenties with your most grungy singles. You want a variety of ones, fives, tens and twenties, but more ones and fives than tens or twenties. It’s all about making change.
This is not my idea, just something I picked up from various authors. However most recommend saving notes/coins on every transaction where I say ante up at the end of the day. I do ones from time to time but I sure as heck don’t do fives.
I often pick up rolls of nickels ($2 each) at the bank. You hardly miss $2 and those rolls add up quickly.
Where has everyone’s favorite fungus been?
I saw a post once that said; “RIP Mushroom)??
I seen mushroom on a poster at the post office before it’s hours were shortened…then shut down.
“colorful fluids in the driveway”?
Hoarding money and supplies will do you no good. Nothing is going to happen. No end of the world. No y2k 2.0. No martial law. What you people need to do to build wealth is be in the stock market or invest in a 401k. The stock market has given more people economic wealth faster than any other system in america.
You people spending untold amounts of money on ammo, guns, food and other stupid provisions incase of something happening have to take off your tin foil hat one day and join the rest of the civilized population. I hope not before any gun bans come in. I guess insanity and retardation go hand in hand with this preppers. I hope they at least pass legislation that bans mentally ill people from owning guns and deems preppers unfit for society and locks them up with the murderers. Might as well be a murderer if you have a collection of guns.
It’s also funny when I see people hoarding gold. Who are you? King Midas? whats the gold good for? Cant use it as money. Ben Bernanke even said the gold standard is dead when that crazy loon Ron Paul was questioning him. Seriously people grow up and stop living in a dream world.
Ahh yea, another ‘you people are all crazy, go with the status quo’ troll.
You do realize that the govt was out of money a decade ago and even Forbes says the feds are eyeballing YOUR 401K?
“The stock market has given more people economic wealth faster than any other system in america”
It’s also ruined people faster than any other system. I love your line of logic. Preppers are stupid for buying thing in bulk that they can use and can eat and they’re stupid for buying things they cant eat.
LMAO. Good luck with that. May and yours never have to put someone’s dick in your mouth just so you can feed yourselves.
Uugh,
may you and yours never …
hhmmmmm.
comin’ after your IRA too.
http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2012/12/how-government-is-coming-after-your-ira.html
“May and yours never have to put someone’s dick in your mouth just so you can feed yourselves’
…at a nickel a throw, they might take a while for a can of beans…oh well finx, it’s good to break a sweat once in a while.
LMAO!
Joe Biden?
Is that you?
You’re a funny guy. Hopefully you are never caught up is a natural disaster waiting on FEMA & Red Cross to come to your aid. I’ve seen your civilized types begging for assistance because you live in a dream and believe someone else will rescue your sorry ass because you did not prepare.
but that would make the best learning experience for finx, but he should save the bend-over routine for someone who has something to trade.
And in the last ten years which would you have rather had Metals or Stock? BEEP
@finx
The stock market has provided an avenue to a certain few to economic success. Most have no idea what the stock market is or how it functions. Most can not balance a check book or bank account. Says alot about where we are headed. Why would you care as to where and how we spend our money? As to joining back up with are so called civilization, read the papers.
We may have to accept the fact that we are both living in our own little Dream Worlds. Not to condemn, but reality will prove one of us wrong.
finx,
You live your life the way you see fit and let others live theirs. Remember, everything one day must end, regardless of what you think or I think, there will be an end. There is not enough money in the till to carry on much farther unless their are major changes in this government. The money is ending, the entitlement crowd is going to face the cold hard truth eventually; the free stuff will no longer be available to them.
To believe that things will never change and live your life that way in complete denial, is not very smart. To be prepared in case of an emergency whether it be man made or the wrath of mother nature, is intelligent and resourceful. You seem to have your head stuck in the sand and I do fear that you will be left to blow in the wind like so many others. Having guns is essential for protection, it should be mandatory.
You want a government that tells you what you can own, what you can say, what you can eat and what you may think, you would be quite happy in North Korea.
I am not a psycho, nor am I an extremist but I am a person who believes in running my own life with no interference from a government that is so inept and corrupt that they would be tried and hung, if they lived outside of their bubble of protection.
Even an idiot knows when the train is running out of steam half way up the hill; should they just say don’t worry, the steam fairy will bring more steam or get off the damn train and start choosing their own path.
If you are one of those on the dole then you may want to start stocking a few of the free cans of food, you never know when they may save your life.
finx
well you dummy noone on here i dont think is stealing weapons,,ammo,,beans,,bullets,,gold or silver so we are boosting the economy,,if you doubt it just ask obummer also known as the best gun salesman EVER
snake
To the knowledgeable investor…
Do not listen to this finx character.
The stock market is a sham run by the bankers trying to suck you in to their game.
If I had left my money in the stock market in 2005, I would maybe be at break even now, 8 years later…while inflation has gone up what percent?
I went all in on gold eagles priced at $425.
My little ‘coin collection’ has gone up 4X.
My junk silver, collected over 20 years, has gone up 10X.
So who’s the idiot here?
oops.. should have been UNknowledgeable investor/saver…
Joe? Joe Biden? Should I sell all of my so-called “assault weapons” and buy double barreled shotguns, too?
I’m sure glad you stopped in. You know, these people really are nuts! I mean, you sound just like my broker in July of 2008 when I told him “Sell it! SELL IT ALL! Its gonna crash!” He said, “Oh, thats not how we do business. Panic selling will bite you ever time. You can’t time the market!”
When it was all over my 150K plus portfolio was about 60K.
Look, you idiot, moronic delusions keep pushing you to tell us the same old thing and causing people to be poor. Oh, sure, you point to a couple success cases and say, “THIS CAN BE YOU!!!” Shut your lying piehole.
At the same time my 401k was losing money like a cheesecloth bag loses water, I was buying silver bullion at $15 and $18 an ounce. I told my broker. He thought “that’s just dumb.” because it will “never make you any money”. I sure wish I would have had that 120K in silver at that point. DAMN! I’d be really happy by now.
No, I’ve listened to lying bastards like you before.
You can pucker up and kiss my ass whilst I pucker up and kiss my bullion.
Americans don’t understand value. We’ve been brainwashed by the Fiat Thieves to think our debt based currency is “money”. It is not. It is slavery. The “price” of silver hasn’t gone up or down. Its always the same. Its the dollar that maneuvers. …and when it maneuvers, it maneuvers so that it can flatten your ASS TO THE PAVEMENT! As it did mine in 2008. …and when the US Government decides to use the 19 trillion in retirement funds to fund their dirty little secrets, what will you say then? There are rumblings of it. They want it, they just can’t figure out how to get it without getting shot. OH YEAH! Thats why they are trying to disarm us! They want to STEAL our money just like they have only on a grander, faster and bigger scale.
1. Register the guns.
2. Take the guns.
3. Take the money.
4. Democide.
It has happened at least 10 times in the history of the world. Only a idiot would think the criminal bastard fiat thieves wouldn’t do it here, too.
They can’t get 1 and 2 done. They’re going to skip to #3. You’ll be glad you bought the silver, the gold and THE LEAD.
Prepare for war. Don’t worry, you won’t have to fire the first shot and you won’t have to fret about who the enemy is.
Keeping a change jar is a must in our house. We have one of those large pretzel jars from Sam’s that is half full. Some people I know keep cash in the freezer in an empty veggie bag, mixed in with the other frozen veggies.
Green peas and rice are very filling. Eating these a couple times a week for a meal can help you save a little cash for the emergency fund. Turning the A/C or heat up/down by a couple of degrees can also give you a few extra dollars for your stash. But I think by far, your greatest savings will be from taking care of your health. Healthcare costs worry me more than any other costs.
I do the change thing as well.
Esp in Canada a person would be very suprised how quickly loonies and toonies add up. For those who do not know they are 1 nd 2 dollar coins. Of course now I have thousands of pennies to add to this fund. So much time to roll them all up lol. But even for a tightwad like myself it is very difficult to do this esp when inflation keeps going up and the paycheck does not match. The coffee was a biggie, I limit myself to only one coffee out per week. this really does add up quickly.
I’ve got a crossbow and a compound bow and have been making my own bolts and arrows for a fair while, and as part of my prepping I’ve learned to knap flint for arrowheads. I’ve also learned that a penny is just the right size for hammering out and making into an arrowhead or a bolthead. That’s the most cost-effective use for pennies I’ve ever found.
nice idea in a pinch. thanks
LotL,
A lady after my own heart…
Have you tried to make a Chu-ko-nu?
a semi automatic crossbow…
Piper Michael, I haven’t, but I can shoot a spread of bolts (or arrows, when using my bow) that will usually hit four frontal attackers (six bolts or arrows at a time, in a fan arrangement, with the bow held sideways). I give myself enough leeway for two either to miss or to cause a little extra pain to a couple of lucky fellows.
Now that’s something I’ve never tried…
kudos!
Lady of the Lake,
That is the most outstanding use of a penny I have ever heard of. Im an archer both traditional English Longbow and compound. Never in a million years would I have thought of that. A gazillion thumbs up. Are you familiar with The Slingshot Channel : Jorge Spavre on youtube? If you can make arrows and broadheads I think you will love the genius of this guy. He takes the slingshot to levels previously unheard of. Like the Gatling gun slingshot a weaponized black n decker drill the man is from another planet.
LOTL: Do you have a scope on that crossbow? And if so, can you hit a ping pong ball at 100 yards? 🙂
An Self Personal Emergency Fund should Consist of a basket of different things …
Self Adjust for Fiat Money Inflation , local COLA cost of living allowance .
1.) Active current Credit Card or two – clean green / in the black positive balance .
2.) 3 months of Estimated Self Household Expenses in local currency cash $$$ stored physically near home hidden safe secured .
3.) A Emergency Medical Fund of local currency Cash to pay for Emergency Room / Doctor Visit Basic Fee and Immediate Meds , est. $1000. cash .
4.) 1 Ounce Silver coins / bars to cover a estimated 3 months of Self Household expenses (junk silver pre-1965 is exceptable also) , stored physically securely near home locally . Find trustworthy local businesses who honor precious metal transactions fairly .
5.) Carry on yourself hidden creatively a Small stash of local currency cash or hide it in your veicle enough cash to buy a tank of gas , fix a flat tire and feed yourself a decent meal . estimate: $300. cash .
note: The most commonly collected junk-silver U.S. coins were minted before 1965 and include Morgan and Peace dollars; Liberty Head “Barber,” Walking Liberty, Franklin and Kennedy half dollars; Liberty Head “Barber,” Standing Liberty and Washington quarters; Liberty Head “Barber,” Winged Liberty Head “Mercury” and Roosevelt dimes; and Jefferson “Wartime” nickels.
;0P
Your $ est.. are to low.
Cash…a must have. My property taxes are low but I have a stash back that will pay for 5 years worth. Tax man only accepts FRNs and not real money. We also put $50 a week in an envelope for things like emergencies, insurances,coal delivery and miscellaneous. Last year the dog bit a stranger (to him) walking along the property line. The doctor bill was smaller than my homeowners deductible so we were glad to have our emergency fund to pay that bill. Make sure your dog has a rabies shot.
“””Tax man only accepts FRNs and not real money.”””
Then the tax man is collecting FRNs to discharge an UNLAWFUL “tax”.
Secure yourself a land patent and have the property removed from the tax rolls through the sheriffs office. Otherwise, you own nothing but a “tax” bill.
GC,
Alot of your comments about the military piss me off, 😉 but you are correct here. We abstract for a living and are currently working on doing this. THe other thing to think about is after 1914 patents did not include the minerals and my wife has even seen them state the words “tenant” after 1914. Aslo, it must be a federal patent, not state. They work different. We just printed ours out this morning and are going to abstract it.
check out landpatent dot us for more info
Bulldog…your link doesn’t give much info. Is this the guy you went through to get the land patent? I know Texas and Nevada(?)recognize allodial title but I don’t know if other states do.I looked into this before but could never find anyone that had done this in my state.
You can print your own patent at the BLM (bureau of land managment) website if you know the description of the land. Here in louisiana, we use s/t/r, Texas uses abstracts. Most of the time it started as a patent of a larger tract and over the years with selloffs it has shrunk down to what we the pesants can afford now. If you can locate that on the BLM website, you can print it. You will still need to abstract the property (run complete title research) and have a title opinion done on it to prove title. I can do my own, but you would probably need a title company to do it unless you have experience in these matters.
Thanks Bulldog…I will check into this. Let us know if this works out for you.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Individual Needs for Basic Survival , Healthy Mental Growth of the Spirit and Mind .
Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs motivational model
1. Biological and Physiological needs – air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc.
2. Safety needs – protection from elements, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc.
3. Belongingness and Love needs – work group, family, affection, relationships, etc.
4. Esteem needs – self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial responsibility, etc.
5. Self-Actualization needs – realising personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.
;0P
http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm
Maslow’s Pyramid gets a Renovation
;0P
https://asunews.asu.edu/20100819_maslowspyramid
The defence of the greenback has shifted into high gear i see. seems uncle helicopter ben has friends all over defending the indefencible.
@ wasp
i have looked into how much cash at one time you can take out of the bank. and it aint pretty. it USED to be 10 thousand(and still is, kinda’). google it and you will find out the bank is supposed to monitor it and if you take more than 10k in one MONTH they are required to notify the IRS. If you even ASK SOMEONE at the bank, this is suspicious behavior…..you guessed it….IRS gets notified. They HAVE TO send the notice if you even ASK what the limits are. checking is exempt from these rules….it’s only cash. i was buying silver from a guy a few months ago and he wanted to know from the cashier at bank what the limits are(he was getting CASH for a check i wrote him). i realized AFTER he did this that they were REQUIRED to notify the feds. welcome to 1984 america.
One way around this is to have multiple bank accounts. When I was commuting, I had several accounts for convenience. I could shift funds between accounts and by pass individual account limits. Now I just avoid banks.
butt, thanks for that info. Merree as for the mutiple accounts, I was just forced to do direct deposit as of March 1st. I do my banking with a Independent State Bank, so when I was forced, to direct deposit. I opened a checking account with one of these big International Banks. And when my direct deposit goes into that account, I write a check and put it in my local bank, which is the one I do all my transaction with. You can’t hide from the Feds, but at least they don’t have direct access to my main account. Don’t float like a butterfly, but do stay nimble on my feet, and sting like a.WASP
One more thing that you might need absolutely your rainy day fund, IN CASH: posting a bail. Things happen.
Very true! My father (RIP), always kept 2 crisp $100 bills in his wallet for bail. Never needed it but he knew also that things happen.
I noticed you had concert tickets as no emergency funds. Have you priced tickets to the Rolling Stones?
I have some cash and silver hidden. But most cash I have is in the Bank and is about 1-2 years worth if I were to lose my job.
The money that I am worried about is stuff I have in Mutual Funds and Life Insurance. Those might be difficult to get if things start to go south. Thus, I have been slowly cashing those in and paying off debt.
I had 4 mutual funds, now only 2. I had 4 whole-life cash value life insurance, now only 2. In 2014, I will cash in and have just one of each to simplify.
“”” But most cash I have is in the Bank and is about 1-2 years worth if I were to lose my job.”””
You still don’t have a clue yet do you? Not trying to be mean, but GET YOUR MONEY OUT OF THE BANK TODAY. There is not less secure place for your money anywhere in the world.
I’m with GC on this one. We receive 3 checks.
One DD is used for internet, mortgage, utilities, phone, and when the water and electricity bills are low, any balance is withdrawn and placed in my hidey place with the other two DD checks saved after withdrawn immediately opon deposit.
I only leave $17 in for Netflix.
@Gods Creation….A bit ridiculous if you think about it for a moment. I have over $3,000 per month in bills. So should I walk in and pay mortgage with silver? How about gold coins for my truck payment? Wally World?
We still live in a dollar system.
If the banks have a holiday, trust me so will cash.
I am buying food stuff and some silver. I am buying prepping stuff each month. But I must pay my notes in dollars and not with bags of beans and a few silver coins. Someday that system may be accepted.
Good luck and keep prepping and preaching the good word.
@Ugly…I do have approx. 1-2 months cash on hand but like you, most is still in bank and RRSP”s/mutual funds.
I have been faithfully drawing 5-10k out each year, but sure get hit by the tax-man……but would hurt MUCH more if I were to take everything out at once.
I know most of you would say get it all out now, regardless of tax implications…..but I just can’t get my head around that….I am 67 now, and think by the age of 70 or 71 yrs of age, I have to turn all into annuities anyhow….(have to look into that soon)
I’m sure it won’t last all that long as I am helping with the cost of putting my oldest grandson through a 2yr College course….just think when he gets that big job with a huge games development company, he can look after gramma!!LOL…take care, CC P.S….4 more grandkids to go on to college some day!
@Canada Canuk….Sounds like you are on the right track. I am in same boat, thus am diversifying at a snails pace but doing so. You know better what to do so just trust your heart and instincts. Good luck.
Cash is king during economic collapse.
That’s what Ferfal said happened in Argentina. Cash was king.
Eisen. You moron, during a collapse cash is either almost or entirely worthless. Try silver and retake Econ.
Grip,
Before calling Eisen down over his post, consider that what he describes is what happened in Argentina. According to Fernando Aguirre (who is from Argentina), cash was king when the checks and credit cards were declined by everyone. What happens in Argentina is not necessarily a given rule everywhere else, but since they use the same fractional reserve banking system as the US, it is likely to be the same scenario.
@SM
I believe there will be a window of opportunity in which one can divest themselves of FIAT and into other medias of wealth. Since Americans have only dealth with paper and plastic they will continue to use them till they can not. The learning curve will be met with resistance but other forms of transactions, like coinage and barter, will be force on them to survive.
Figuring out “FAIR MARKET VALUE” is going to be the trick.
I would use my credit card as well, until I could no longer. I figure it won’t take long for businesses to begin declining credit cards and debit cards en masse. As banks start taking hits, they will come back with a decline on all credit card transactions.
For “market value” to be determined, that will be interesting. Against the paper money, that will always be in flux. Against silver or gold, I expect less flux since a 1-ounce silver coin today would still be a 1-ounce silver coin tomorrow. Goods pegged against the weight of the coin won’t change as long as the coin does not change. Pegging against paper like we do today is senseless.
I see you point. I also agree that cash will work for a short time after a crash. Silver will too and will be worth something as the collapse continues.
@Grippentrog:
I mentioned all the reasons why I believe you’re wrong further up, but to summarize? Most people will happily take cash even when things have completely gone to Hell.
My suggestion is that you retake Psych 101, because most folks aren’t economists. 😉
You need to understand that inflation causes deflation.
6K in a safe in the house, in 1s, 5s, 10s and 20s.
In Debt We Trust America Before the Bubble Bursts- Full movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TVr813HkEjM
I don’t read your stuff, but I give you THUMBS UP for the names you use.
Silver & Gold – Debt Collapse – Mike Maloney http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj2s6vzErqY
Greg Mannarino Interview: People Are Going to Suffer on A Biblical Scale http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZXevniVRPw&feature=player_embedded
Pilot reports spotting ‘drone’ over Brooklyn
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a report from a pilot of an Alitalia passenger jet who says he saw an unmanned aircraft while landing at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
Daisy:
Thank you for the article. It is a reminder that we all have some personal SHTF moments and that we need to be prepared.
I have to travel for my job. About a year ago, I was in the airport and waiting at the luggage carousel for my luggage. I leaned over to get my bag and heard a “POP” in my back and then major pain. I almost ruptured a disk in my lower back. I had to go home immediately and had to have emergency surgery. I was off from work for 6 weeks. I only had 2 weeks of vacation time, so I had to take unpaid leave for the other four weeks.
Had I not had some emergency money stashed away, I would not have been able to pay my bills. Anything can happen at any time. I would have never thought that I would have a back problem and need emergency surgery!!! Life throws you a few curve balls and you have to be ready for them.
Thanks for sharing your story and reminding us how important it is to have a little fiat currency stashed away.
Great article Daisy! The first thing you should do when you decide to prepare, is to start preparing for the small emergencies in life.
Great reminder! THANKS
* BECOME YOUR OWN BANK *
Buy REAL physical silver / pm’s .
FOCUS ON SILVER .
;0p
Mom’s “titty-bank’ is my answer to this issue. Over the years, every time that I ‘scored’ some extra cash, my wife has been right there with here hand stuck out at me. I give it all to her and she divides it up into three piles. The largest pile goes to current living expenses, the next largest is “Mom’s titty-bank money” and the smallest pile is allocated as MadMarkie’s discretionary funds. (She knows that it is already spent and that I have already pissed the money away in my mind before she puts it into my hand)
The “titty-bank” money is our emergency fund. Surprising how much it has added up to over the last 35 years. Keep on doing what you can to get prepared, God Bless & good luck. STASH SOME CASH!!!!!
Sorry ….. that should have been her hand.
Good Stuff, Daisy.
Newbies should first set a reasonable goal for emergency expenditures. Pay your fund first at payday. When you reach your goal, rethink it. Expand the fund and continue on.
Only one comment about securing a safe. If you bolt it to the floor, a criminal can rock the safe back and forth by pushing on the top of the safe and use the weight of the safe to pull the bolts out of the floor. I suggest also bolting it to the studs in the wall. That way you have two anchor points to secure the safe. Of course, the best deterrent is the weight of the safe itself. 550 lbs would be a minimum weight I would buy. This is the normal size of a standard closet fireproof safe. By the time you fill it up with the items you want to secure it will weight 1000 lbs. If you cannot afford a fire proof safe, then use fireproof drywall and insulate it yourself. Standard drywall will also work if you cannot find the fireproof drywall. This will give about 30min’s of protection up to 1250 F.
If the safe is bolted to the floor so tight that there is no wiggle room, then there is no chance of it being rocked back and forth.
Our safe is bolted to 2.5 feet thick concrete 2 feet by 3 foot in the crawl space accessible from the inside of the house. It is not going anywhere and it would take a multi-hour search to find it.
Daisy,
Your article is a good reminder. A ‘financial cushion’ is something every household should have. Our family recently had some SHTF situations. Thankfully, we had emergency money saved.
The worst part now is knowing that money is no longer there. But, we will rebuild the emergency fund.
Take care!
KY Mom
bank reports cash withdrawls over 3k. It used to be 5k last year.
Thank you all so much for the prayers and good wishes for my little girl. I’m updating with good news.
We saw the specialist yesterday regarding her wrist, and thankfully, he believes the nerve-related symptoms are only because of the inflammation from her injury. He expects no long-term issues.
She has a torn ligament in her wrist. The doctor does not expect it to require surgery. We will know for sure at our follow up visit next month. They made a custom fiberglass splint to immobilize her arm, which is far more comfortable for her. It is to be removed for physical therapy exercise 4x per day for 5 minutes, with the amount of time increasing after 2 weeks. She is to wear the splint for 4-6 weeks, depending on her rate of recovery.
We have a lot to be thankful for, including the wonderful people here. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts.
Daisy
This is great news, glad to hear things on a more positive note.
Daisy, not that a torn ligament is a good thing, but I’m glad it’s not worse than that.
Thanks for this article!
Wonderful news Ms Daisy…!
😉
Saving is good! Smart saving is better. In 1994, going through tough times, I put a hundred dollar bill in a jar in the cabinet as an emergency fund. I crawled back from the brink and forgot about that hundred. Just this past summer, I ran across that small Ben hundred and thought how much it would buy when I put it away and how little it would buy now.
Had I saved it in silver, at $5.00 in ’94, that 20 ounces would translate to nearly $600.00 worth today.
I agree that fiat currency has a place in everyday commerce and we need it. If you keep your long term emergency fund in dollars, however, it is like storing your getaway car with slow leaks in the oil pan, gas tank and all four tires. When you really need it, it won’t take you where it would when you parked it.
I agree: for long-term wealth storage, fiat currencies are not a good option. They are, however, what you need short and medium term.
I keep a collection of fiat currencies from the many countries I have travelled to and worked in. Just fistfulls of the crap, and most of them are either utterly worthless in less than five years after I first got them, or they are completely worthless because the country re-booted their fiat currency system and added a few zeros to the values. Most of them stink to high hell, so I can’t even use them as toilet paper. Just keep them so I can donate them to a museum maybe in 40 years time.
“Scream and Shout”: A Video About Britney Spears Being Under Mind Control http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/scream-and-shout-a-video-about-britney-spears-being-under-mind-control/
Good article ms Daisy…
Live like nobody else… so that when the personal SHTF, you can live like nobody else.
SHTF, ultimately, is a personal event. It is happening every day.
Murphy lives.
Another form of emergency fund can be jewelry. Read up on your stones and buy no gold setting below 14Kt. In the past I have used a loop to check out the piece. If you are going to pay money why not buy the best one. Most stores had duplicates and I looped them and purchased the better of the group. Man, I am going to tell you what crap they sell. Lots of inclusions and carbon and poor cut/polish. I told one salesman it was a poor piece and after the discussion of “Why”, he said. Doesn’t matter cause you can’t see it by the naked eye. Walked out of the store. If I was to sell a piece of jewelry the first thing the buyer does is loop it.
Ladies, Get smart! Especially you young ones with boyfriends who give you poor jewelry. Look at it as a dowry like in other cultures. None of that stainless steel or Titanium crap. Get a loop and Look at It.
In matters of desparation I see young women exchanging their gold at these gold sites. They call it broken gold or bad gold. If it’s so bad and broken why do they want it.
@ Slingshot –
Right on amigo. Worked gold jewelry of 18k, or higher, has a much larger ‘premium’ than gold Eagles or Maple Leafs. It really doesn’t need to have stones either, just weight and a good k quality. In many parts of the world it is illegal to trade in any jewelry less than 18k.
Jewelry is “portable wealth without the bank” in many parts of the world. Sort of a grab it and go kind of a deal. Just look at the arms of any Indian or Pakistani ladies that you see; many could buy a very nice car with the price of what they are wearing in gold bracelets. These are folks who have had hard experience of having to bag it into the night with what they could quickly grab up. Their entire life stuffed into, at most, one small bag.
If you can, purchase nice pieces that are marked either 18k or .750 (European markings for 18k); these will be accepted, usually “as is” by most people who know jewelry.
If you don’t know what you are doing and who you are dealing with ….. then you probably shouldn’t be doing the deal. Just saying, it’s very easy to get burned. God Bless & good luck.
@MadMarkie
Americans are good people but for the most part ignorant and would be lucky to see sights outside our own country. Yes, I have seen those exquisit braclets and coin jewelry. A different king of yellow gold, Eh?
@ Slingshot –
I get an almost instant hard-on whenever I see one of those exquisite coin bracelets or necklaces that has been handed down over the generations. The old gold coins from wherever were almost always held in worked gold holders that held them securely and protected the coins. Most of the coins were in pristine, as issued condition.
I went a bit different direction. Colombia, South America called out to me in the mid 70’s and I responded in the ‘affirmative’. They mine the gold and some exquisite rubies and emeralds right there. Most of it goes to Italy. They are known to be some of the best chain makers in the world. The Italians trade the raw material for finished product and return an agreed upon portion back to the Colombians. Some of the semi-precious stones that they mine are pretty bodacious also.
You’re right about Americans needing to get off the couch, perhaps learn a bit of a foreign language and see some of how the other parts of our world live. Broaden your horizons and expand your prospective while enhancing your soul. Worked for me all those years ago.
great artical, so many people get caught with their pants down when an emergency happens because the try to keep up with jones! being a little tight with your money is not a crime folks and I for one am happy to have an emergency fund, we very seldom eat out,we spend a lot of time working the farm and the time we do have off we spend on the river front of our property!we do a lot of potluck suppers with friends, have dances,and games for the kids on wednesday and saturday! life is good and you don’t need to spend a fortune to have a good time while saving money at the same time!
Posession is 9/10ths of the law…it works both ways…If I cannot stand in front of it and guard it with a weapon of my choice – it is not mine!
Great article!
Frozen to preserve liquidity? Sounds like an oxymoron to me. Most things are no longer liquid when frozen.
Good write up Daisy
having a back up fund is very important, I have had to dip into ours a time or two..It feels good when you have one, and bad as hell when you dont. Having kids, homes, cars and pets can find you in situations where cash in hand will only work.
I have a safe in my home where all the important paperwork, a 40 cal and 3 mags, and cash are kept
If you do not want to have or hide a safe. Go to Goodwill, Sal Army and buy an old reefer or freezer. Put locks on the doors. If some one ask, Why the locks, it is to keep kids out. They will not burn. Keep in a basement or gararge.
Daisy, this is one of your best articles yet. plus, i’m happy to hear your daughter is recovering. I have always been prepped for personal SHTF even before I married. Only 2 months after my wife died, I had a 1969 Chevy Malibu which my dad had given me as a graduation present and the reverse gear had gone out in the transmission, plus the engine was giving me trouble. Fortunately, I had enough money to buy a 1972 Dodge cargo van from a neighbor who was an electrician. It was one of the old short wheelbase vans with only a 6-cylinder engine and standard transmission. He had just boutght himself a bigger van for his work and made me a helluva deal on it. It only took half of my savings at the time to get it. However, the neighbor told me the clutch was wearinbg out on it, so I had to go ahead and get a clutch job done on it plus a tuneup to get it ready to take me back to TN. from FL. I had about 30% savings left when all was said and done, so I was still in fair shape. I’ve had other personal SHTFs since then, but I had money to handle them each and every time; my parents taught me to save what ever i could for a “rainy day”. I’ve had a lot of “rainy days” in life and got through every one of them just fine. I don’t keep all my money in the bank anymore; I do keep half of it in a safe at home, but I may just go ahead and get the rest out the way things are looking these days. Everybody, keep an emergency fund AT ALL TIMES! You never know when a personal SHTF will happen and you’ll be glad you did.
My SHTF “black swan”? I was working as a nurse at a local Catholic hospital (Penrose Hospital, Colorado Springs) when my gall bladder went South. The hospital’s surgeon botched the operation and I became perminantly disabled. The loving Catholics FIRED me “because I could no longer do the work”! My health insurance went away a month later. I had been saving for many years. That is the ONLY reason my wife and I did not end up homeless…..
Evil People….
Well, a while back, it was determined on this blog that Catholics aren’t Christian…
Dont you just despise people that think they hold the keys to determining who/what someone else is/isnt.
Timothy,
While I know a lot of good, decent Catholics, I agree with the stance that they are not Christians. The two are not synonymous terms. While Catholicism carries many Christian-like beliefs and ideas, they also carry a lot of non-Christian ideas.
yes, like child molestation and sodomy.
FRN burn. I like stuff that melts. We try and keep some FRN’s in a “quote” fire proof safe, but our insurance agent said that most of the stuff in most safes melts/burns in a house fire. Makes me think about that old line about “putting all your eggs in one basket”.
Daisy, I forgot to add I always used cash for my ‘rainy days”, NEVER HAD A CREDIT CARD IN MY WHOLE LIFE AND REFUSE TO HAVE ONE. Nobody needs a credit card to live. Credit card debt is LONGLASTING PERSONAL SHTF in my mind. Anyone who uses plastic to cover a temporary personal SHTF will end up with LONG-TERM SHTF when you get that credit card bill in the mail. I’m still debt-free to this day so I have a good ‘rainy day’ fund AND can buy more preps at one time than i normally would’ve been able to. If you’re in debt, get out of debt if possible. just cut up the credit cards and close those accounts; they’re not worth it.
a couple things about safes…..first thing is fires. most people living in a city or even a suburb will have firetrucks very shortly after the fire starts, so i personally don’t think my cash burning up in the safe is to much of a problem….unless it’s a SHTF situation, of course. the other thing is that if you ever get robbed/home invasioned….that’s where the crooks are going to get the money unless you got it HIDDEN somewhere else….i suggest putting a token amount in the safe and hide most elsewhere.
Agree about hiding valuables. Also note that burgulars are both fast and lazy. They’ll bypass the safe and go instead for Aunt Jenny’s pearls that your spouse inadvertently left on the dresser. If they do break into your house, they want to get out as quick as they can…and lugging around heavy items makes them slow.
Regarding home invasions – train others in your house to practice situational awareness when entering or egressing your home. That means never opening the front door unless you can positively identify who pushed the doorbell. Your head should be on a swivel when pulling into the garage, with a plan in place if the worst happens.
My wife and daughter think I’m paranoid. I needed to remind them what happened to that family in Connecticut when their home was invaded a couple years back, where the husband was beaten and tied up, and the wife and daughters were raped and murdered.
Emergency Fund?
I’m still saving up for last month’s mortgage payment.
I have read that placing the safe in the corner of the struture on a outside will enhance the surviablity of the contents of the safe.
$267 dollars in the envelope.
6
Farrakhan says 2013 = 6
666
One more shoe and it all drops.
Stay thirsty my friends.
And one for the road.
666. Four years ago TODAY the S&P bottomed out at 666. Coincidence it sets a new all time record high on the very same day?
@ Daisy. This is real good news about your daughter, reall good news. This is really a nice article you wrote and has much truth to it. I also encourage people to have ready cash available for a quick spending spree before the stores close after a SHTF event. One other thing I highly advice is to get out of the loop of not being in control of your money. Many people use the convenience of paying bills on line and/or have money directly taken out of your paycheck or your bank account.
Number one is when you are aware of how much you are spending you are much more aware of what you actually have. The phantom zone of credit cards is extremely dangerous as people don’t see what they are purchasing anymore. They don’t really have a limit when they go to the store like they would if they have just cash money. Also utility bills paid on line is crazy because you don’t see how much water you are using or electricity. It doesn’t help being frugal and planning for times will become lean and there won’t be much around.
Another issue will allowing others to trust your bank account or paycheck are mistakes. Yes your entire bank account could be siphoned out by error or by design by a criminal. I know someone that TRUSTED having their checking account have funds withdrawn each month for their cell phone and one stupid error and the person found that they were bouncing checks all over the place because the idiot phone company SAID they have several thousand dollars worth of calls that never happened. Getting out of this loop is well worth the SLIGHT inconvenience of paying your bills yourself and seeing just what is going out each month.
Again, I am glad your daughter didn’t have a true SHTF event on her poor wrist, good news.
Very well written, bravo!
U
Tube this
Reagan Warned Us About Obama
I keep mine in silver. What was $3k in cash was transformed into silver coin…
Now worth over $7k.
See..that’s the thing…. You never know when you need it.
So you need a few stashes…
1. Sugar bowl…about $300
2. Keep in cash locked in your safe.. About$2k cash
3. Also, long-term…silver coin…if all goes well..what you leave to your kids if you never need it.
4. A buffer in the checking account.
5. HERE’S THE BIG ONE… YOUR RESUME. Keep honing your skills….keep your resume up to date…then if you need to seek a new job for better cash… you can.
We just has some asshole cowboy promoted…. First sign of him being an ass… I emailed the bosses and told them I was going to walk…to reign the ass in. I’ve been at my place over 20 years.
I’m that guy with no real mgt. title..but I really run the place via “Technical Debt”.
“Technical Debt”.. Where you build out our own shit that nobody else knows how it works. You don’t document it. I’m in IT.
In the age of companies tossing out older workers…you need to get them by the balls.
So in a way… “Technical Debt” is a prep.
To preserve your paycheck.
Also… you try and build your crew up….your own team…
But often this fails….so you keep your head phones on..and keep banging out crazy code that automates the shit out of much.
At my own place.. They called me an “Analyst” for years.. but they kept coming to me to do jobs IT was too busy for….so here I am doing IT’s job with software toys and they pay me $25k less.
Later, they bring in an affirmative action hire…who was to replace me I later found out.
SO… out comes all the crazy code….when they want me to show this bitch what I do…
We dig into crazy api calls and extreme technology.
HA… later she got wacked. Yeah, good luck with that.
So there you go..
Saving and job preservation…and if the worst goes down…
You just keep smiling..
YOU ARE A PREPPER…A PATRIOT…A SURVIVOR….YOU HAVE THE NUMBER OF THE NWO BASTARDS AND THEY KNOW IT. YOU CANNOT BE SCAMMED. YOU GET THEM BY THE BALLS.
Regads all.
Be proud of who you are.
If the world will not play fair, decent and good….THEN GET REAL WITH THEM.
In the end.. Mgt. are my bitches.
There you go.
ps. They tried to outsource our jobs….we fubared their project all up.
One thing about money that is related is the stock market “broke” all time highs today. This mirage has got all those in the imbecile news media all aroused. If gold was $700 or less, silver was floating around $10, and there was not nearly a $17 trillion dollar debt, THEN I would say that the economy was on the rebound and a strong dollar was there. This illusion shows how really stupid anyone is to ever believe the numbers in the stock market. To break all time highs in REAL money, the Dow Jones would have to be well above 20,000 in CURRENT precious metal prices. Irritating to see such deception going on all over the place isn’t it?
Stopped back to the house to grab some lunch and saw the news about the Dow. One youngster (wet behing the ears trader) commented that Bernanke has more than QE in his magic bag of tricks. Shouldn’t be long now……….
Howdy PO’d,
Yep, beginning to look like the ‘top’ is about in doesn’t it? Oh, they might well be able to schmooge it a bit yet but Biderman is reporting that the insider sell-buy ratio has hit an all-time high as of yesterday of 50-1. Worse, it does seem that a percentage of the ‘mom and pop’ crowd are beyond patience and are starting to filter cash back into equities…EXACTLY the trap that was set by those at the top when they began this run-up a while back. Before this the ‘EXITS’ were too small, the momnet the bulk of those hung with thier own stocks tried to head for the ‘out’ door the market would have instantly tanked…IF ‘mom and pop’ come back in to the market those who have been in it and waiting WILL exit broadly and IT will begin. Hmmm, DOW @ 5100, aww, just give it a couple of more weeks…
JOG
I guess that’s the signal to go get more 50 cent viennas from IGA.
Yep, and more beenie weenies(generic)from SavALot!!!
Six years ago (2007) was the last time the market was at this level. Two months later in crashed. Hmmmmm!
Suckers rally…
and on Fox Cavuto today, some money honey said it was “time for you little guys to jump back in!”
hahaha…
Don’t DO IT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3hY1eagq88
Above…someone listed this link…nice.
In my own life…
I’m creating .com companies.
Full automation… zero employees.
I will NOT be a slave to my employees via Obmacare.
So my savings account is me sitting nightly at the kitchen table after working a 10 hour day… and pounding code late into the night.
That’s capitalism.
I tried to involve others in a team approach…yet all are too lazy. Too stupid, to enslaved to the TV.
Hence… your skills you build are a savings account for the future.
Sorry Obama.. in the years ahead…I will NOT be employing one of your “jobs” folks to enslave me with payroll and healthcare taxes.
The private sector is responding with ZERO jobs. I take care of one job… MINE.
YOUR SKILLS ARE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO EARN THEM DAILY AND APPLY THEM.
Neato…just curious..what happens to your dot com, when the government shuts down the web?
or, when a CME blows the lectric grid to shit?
or..when TPAB decide we dont need either the internet or electricity?
just wondering
Folks, the world will keep turning…don’t thing TSHTF is a permanent state…like barter town. You just have to be ready to live in disruption.
This is like the argument that you “Cannot eat gold”.
But it’s dang handy to get your kidnapped loved ones back.
Balance folks.
You plan and prep for bad times…but continue to live your life.
Ever see Saturday night live and DEBBIE DOWNER?
ha.
Lastly.. we are nearing a time of great change.
Be ready for it with many new skills.
Right on!
We have 2 companies plus a farm. One employee. Me. We play “The Game” and expense almost everything. I feel for the W2 wage earner.
TGS,
I like the way you think.
Chuuga, I can agree with all you said in #1233488 EXCEPT for #1 about the credit cards. I’ve never had one and refuse to get one. I’ve seen all too often what happens to people when they get out of hand with them. I personally know someone who was sacrificing groceries and other things just to pay the minimum amount on her credit card bill every month. That was before Obama. She’s managed to become debt-free and cut up her credit cards since then and is even now prepping. I talked her into that. If you’re in debt, try to get OUT of debt. If you’re already debt-free, like I am, then remain that way. This is no time to go into debt on anything if it can be avoided.
A credit cards is simply a tool…..like a chainsaw, you can use it right, or cut your leg off.
Some people shouldn’t handle credit cards OR chainsaws.
The downside of credit cards are quite apparent…the whole purpose of the CC company is to suck you into paying interest and fees.
But as long as you realize, and avoid, the inherent dangers ( like a chainsaw ), you can use them in a way that benefits YOU, not them.
For example: We have a BP Visa. No annual fee. We get 5% off gas purchased at BP, and 1-2% off all other purchases (depends on category of purchase). Last week, we filled up for 65 cents/gal ($0.65) based on the “rewards” accumulated from the previous month, and “double reward” special they ran.
In the 10 years we’ve had the card, we’ve paid exactly “0” interest.
Credit cards are safer to use than debit cards. A debit card allows direct access to your bank account. Yes, they will replace money taken by fraud, but only if you prove it was fraud.
Somebody gets your CC number and goes on a buying spree…call the CC company ( or THEY may call you to see if YOU actually made the purchase..had them do that when I bought several different things off the net on the same day ) as soon as you get your monthly statement and there is “0” liability.
Ordering things over the internet is a breeze with a credit card….virtually every website is set up to take them.
With our credit card ( 20k limit ), should we HAVE to jump on a plane to go to a sick relative, or have to go to an ER for an emergency, I can whip out the plastic, cover it ( get 1% back in gasoline later ) and then pay the balance off with savings out of the bank in a few weeks.
No, I’ll take my CC over a debit card any day.
I don’t have a credit card either and got an invitation yesterday for a Walmart credit card—now, if you can’t use cash at chinamart, aren’t you already in a world of hurt??
But CC theft is unlimited, or the limit of the card–debit card theft is only what is in the bank..which is usually only $17 for Netflix.
Absolutely wrong JayJay.
By law, your liability on a credit card is ZERO if you report fraud when you get your statement, and a MAX of $50 if you wait until after the pay date of the statement to report it.
SO, ZERO if you simply look at your bill and call, and 50 bucks if you don’t.
Most people ( including you I’d bet ) keep more than $17 in their bank account at SOME point in the month…..meaning a debit card theft could take it all.
YES, you will get it back IF you prove it was a fraudulent withdrawal….but the burden of proof then falls on YOU….the bank looks at it like “not our problem”.
The credit card companies have just the opposite view….It IS our problem, because the cardholder isn’t gonna pay us if the cardholder didn’t buy this stuff….so WE ( the CC Co ) have to stay on top of any suspected fraud.
They can only steal it before 8:00 AM after deposited that day @ 12:01 AM.
It is withdrawn that day of deposit.
Yes, they have 8 hrs to steal.
Recently, we had a series of situations arise around the same time. We’d been stacking for some time, and my folks had the fiat we needed. 34 rounds = collateral for $1,000, at that time. Pop likes holding the metal, and I appreciate the repayment terms: whenever I get him his $1k back, I get my rounds back. That was how our emergency fund worked.
Finx, F#$% you! Whose fantasy world have you been living in? Go to the MSM if you want propaganda. Mac, and everyone else goes to all the effort to try to educate you and all you want to do is insult everyone’s intelligence. We all live in the real world. Don’t know whose world you’re from and don’t care. Get away from SHTFPlan.com and find an MSM site where you’ll feel more comfortable. It’s impossible to teach trolls anything.
Trolls serve their purpose. Trolls serve as a much needed break from the monotony and repetitive rants of the know it all’s.
you know, when the time comes, what is the best way to sell or cash in some of the pm’s? with all of these people of tv with their smiling faces willing to buy your pm’s, with a hefty cut for themselves, of course, what is the most profitable way to unload my pm’s?
All I can tell you, from experience, is be prepared to take a $5 the ounce haircut from the spot price of silver if you try to sell when the markets are volatile. Make it $50 the ounce haircut on gold.
I was called a paranoid crazy (silly) old man for saying that THIS is what it would lead to with the drones.
I think THIS was what they were intended for in the first place but “Now” they are what I guess you call “battle proven.”
A friend worked for a Government contracted co. that was converting Civilian Bell Helicopters to carry 2.75″ rocket pods and a 30 mm chain gun! Told me they had a lot of problems with the chain gun and recoil tearing the rivets out of the chopper frame but conquered that with a hydraulic recoil system.
I ask him since he thought it was such a COOL project just “What do you think the plans are for those things?”
Hmm, Pale Rider; Never gave it much thought it’s just been such a cool project to work on.
OK Bud, you KNOW they sure aren’t going to be sending them to Iraq or Afghanistan so WHERE do you THINK they might use a CIVILIAN chopper like that???
That’s Right Bud = To CONTROL the People right here when the time comes for their time to, as the old RUSH Song said at the end of it=”We Have Assumed Control, We Have Assumed Control, We Have Assumed Control!”
Let THAT sink in Bud!
NOMI- MOLON LABE
PR
Harvard Law littered with Communists
VRF, I’m a mainly retired professor — I’ve always been dismayed by the amount of Marxism in the academy, and over the years it’s really set me apart from many of my colleagues. Most of them consider themselves among the elite who will be spared and highly valued by a Marxist government. I remind them of Mao’s and the Bolsheviks’ purges of the intellectual class, but even the modern historians among them invent reason after reason of why that will never happen to them — and it is sheerly rationalized invention. I remind them that in a fascist pseudo-socialist state their knowledge is of little value to the ruling class, whereas my knowledge as a medievalist is of great value to free people when the SHTF, because I know how to make and do so many things without electricity and how to fly under the radar.
Most academics will be among the harder-hit when the current system comes crashing down, and their blindness will make it even harder for them.
@ Lady of the Lake
Your first project, should you accept, is to construct a half scale trebuchet. Can you do it?
Slingshot, I’ve made dozens of trebuchets. It’s a project that students feel compelled to ask me to do, so I’ve left a trail of smallish trebuchets and broken pumpkins behind me over the years.
And I fantasize daily about making a larger one and watching old Volkswagens go sailing towards the Capitol, haha
I will bring my Roman Balista mounted in the truckbed.
Quick! Anyone have a catapult?
Slingshot, I want to be in your tribe when the SHTF. We’ll do things the old-fashioned way. No one expects boulders and bolts!
I will bring a chu-ko-nu…
😉
(semi automatic crossbow…)
Too many Ivy League think tank “fellow” war machine bought and paid for Zionist shills. Purge the government, get rid of the Federal Reserve and hang the bankers.
When SHTF and credit/debit cards don’t work, cash will be king. It may later get deposed by gold/silver, but cash will rule for awhile. To NOT have cash at home AND some always on you is basic 101 preps. Ignore that fundamental at your own risk.
It will be a VERY short while before people realize paper notes are just about as useless as plastic, should the SHTF that bad.
@ Everybody, I know how difficult it is not to feed the troll cockroach finx, but Norse Prepper is right, just try to red thumb the cockroach and other internet trolls and forget about it. I myself had to really hold back not saying something to such utter stupidity. In respect to Daisy and a really nice article, I just held back and red thumbed the creep. This is what these trolls do, they take someone’s really good article that help many people and try to ruin it for everyone. They are not only parasites, but disease ridden vermin deserving only silence so they go somewhere else and spread their filth.
Please do not let the trolls win one single step and not gain one inch. I know how hard it is not to say something to such ridiculous gibberish, but let’s all try for the benefit of this site and all those that do contribute and all those that read our comments to just red thumb the slime and collapse what they said and hopefully collapse them to boot.
I READ EVERY COLLAPSED NOTE to see what it said to get collapsed.
@ HumanNature. At least when someone reads a collapsed comment it is their personal choice to tkae that extra effort. When someone is scrolling down and has to see that cockroach’s comments or Joker’s comments, it is upsetting. Then people comment on these troll’s and it takes away comments that can really and trul help us all to what is coming. Some of the comments are funny, but it really is counterproductive that any of us spend our time blasting away at a troll that WANTS this. Trolls need attention to thrive and spread their manure. Don’t feed them and they don’t have much manure to spread. 😉
These Obama trolls are trying to break up the cohesiveness of all the communities of decent folks who see through their lies.
Mac’s Community First.
TD the trolls.
(BI, and JOG, its getting easier to ignore them away …. )
It may not be as thoughtful as doing Obama’s work. They may just simply be assholes
@ Be informed. In accordance with the last line of your note — the best course of action for trolls would be no thumbs. NONE. No thumbs up. No thumbs down. Nothing is more disheartening than to simply be ignored to a troll. Trust me on this. I know what I am talking about.
BUT, you can’t do that. Because you are like the hall monitor that thinks he is on some kind of power trip. The sheepdog protecting everyone. All I can say to you, because I know how you will continue to respond to trolls is…
BITE ME!
me too, then I USUALLY thumb it down again for good measure.
BI, I gave you a thumb-up just to compensate from finx’s inevitable thumb-down, ha
Make that “compensate for” — I’m triple-tasking right now, and am clearly not cut out for the task, ha
The Invisible Hole in Bank of America’s Balance Sheet
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/03/05/the-invisible-hole-in-bank-of-americas-balance-she.aspx
Glad I keep a rainy day fund otherwise I would be in jail. If I hadn’t been able to pay off the 2000.00 bond they would have caught me with their warrant when I got my last speeding ticket.
Mac – in light of the atmosphere in which we now live and for shits and giggles may we have a “Troll” Button?
I will look into this — I don’t have the skills to code it, but perhaps there is an existing plugin or something our web pro can do… we’ve got some updates coming to the site soon, and i will see about making this one of them 🙂
thanks!
Great article Daisy !!! 🙂 🙂
HEY daisy, you are such a caring person for taking your time to put this together for everyone to read. And you do it with such eloquence. My prayers go out to you and your family.
And a big thanks to you, Mac, for keeping everyone informed, and giving a platform to showcase people like Daisy, who actually have some concern for their fellow human beings.
If I had not had some savings when i lost my job of 12 years, my family would have been in bad shape.
I owe that mentality to sites like this, and TF Metals, that really got me prepping for all sorts of possibilities.
You never know what is around the corner, and it boggles my mind that there are so many folks that live with no plan in case of emergency.
I wish that the MSM would give a voice to common sense like this.
My opinion on precious metals is that everyone should have a big stack of silver dimes… small denomination, highly recognized, officially minted, works as fiat or silver, and a great way to teach children about the true value and history of money (as long as they know enough not to use it in candy machines).
Take care all… best of luck
J
Daisy, I read this article at your site yesterday. Loved it.
I live in the “Gold Coast” part of Connecticut. Never felt more alone. I’m surrounded by people who have not only drank the Kool Aid, they bathed in it to, and it entered every pore.
You have to know it’s bad when people around you have the city garbage pick up memorized so they can go through people’s garbage to find recyclables or something they can sell. It’s so depressing to watch.
Anyway, Daisy, I love your site. It reminds me of times with my parents where we would work the farm, can food, eat whatever the farm would provide.You and Mac provide a great service. Please ignore the haters.
I don’t post much, but I read this site and Daisy’s every day. Thanks to both of you for caring enough to do it.
Daisy, I just finished watching your interview on You Tube with unleashindependence.com. Very interesting interview. Plus, I had no idea you’re so attractive.
A one month emergency fund? I would consider a six month emergency fund necessary these days. Some have suggested 9-12 months. I like the six month fund. Much more attainable. Enough for emergency expenditures as well as a period of unemployment. All bases covered. I have PMs, but I acknowledge that dollars, pounds, euro, etc., will continue to be the preferred means of exchange. Face it… that’s what most of the population still wants and the banks and gov’t will continue to reinforce that the paper bills are the real deal because it is backed by their word. I love their reassurance. I don’t expect to wake up one day and see silver the preferred money. It will be a slow, laborious process, or slow collapse of the dollar and other paper currencies. I’ll still continue to hoard my real money hoping to never use it… and I’ll continue to save my dollars because that’s what people have been conditioned to accept.
I just came back from a 10 day trip in the island of Cuba.. (A Socialist – Democracy)
What a experience.. A land and a society lost in time.
If you really want to understand what “long term socialism” is and the effects it has on the residents just go there.. It’s unreal..
There isn’t enough you could possibly do to prep .. Once socialism takes center stage – nothing is yours not even your own soul.. You breathe, think , eat and live what you are instructed to..
Divide and Conquer .. Disarm the people.. all major principles in what happened in that county..Just like its happening here in the USA..
Once the seed of socialism germinates – game is over..
I pray that I or any of my family have to ever endure life without freedom.. Because Cuba has for over 50 years.. And from what I witnessed first hand.. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
i dont have a fund per se but i have set a little aside for silver and the rest goes to my preps. i’m too poor to have a real fund 🙁
I think Michelle Obama is really in charge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smtjRgcrAoo
Bacon in 2007 about $3.50 a full 16 oz pound. 22 cents per oz.
Today… $6.00 for 12 oz. 50 cents per oz.
I blame the chemtrails…. caused a global drought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryQR4bTkNZM
How to make your meat go further….
Safety deposit boxes are not a trustworthy place to store your wealth. Here in the UK, there have been well-publicised incidents where the police raid the bank and hold all the boxes for investigation, claiming they are chasing down criminal proceeds. Another incident involved a senior who had her safety deposit box ‘lost’ by the bank, with over £20,000 in life savings in it.
Rule number one is not to trust any institution or anyone. People lie when they are desperate in a crisis; institutions will scam and rip-off when they can’t balance the books.
Tax authorities will hunt you down, with endless requests for more cheques to pay extra taxes.
You need to work outside the normal paradigm of wealth. Cash is something banks and tax authorities can snatch at anytime. Gold/silver are also at risk (governments have confiscated in the past, and you will find most people will not risk getting a criminal record and will hand over the bullion). Real wealth is found elsewhere: the government can’t take your brains and skills, your family and friend connections, there are digital currencies such as Bitcoin, build your reputation and body of work. All these things will bring you through a crisis.
” By the time you pay the interest over the next few months, you will be paying far more than the cost of your purchase, miring yourself deeper into financial problems. ”
Not trying to be too critical, but this simply is not true. If you charge $100 onto a credit card with a 15% interest rate it, will only cost you a little more than $15/yr.
I think most everyone would suggest using cash instead of credit if you can. But if you have to take the hit selling something quick such as PM’s at a pawn shop, they will not give you near what it’s worth. In this case it would make more sense to use a credit card and pay the 1-3% interest per month