Quick Financial Tips for Preppers (and Everyone Else)

Hopefully, financial preparedness is a part of your overall efforts to become a more self-reliant. Regardless of where you are at in your efforts, beginner to advanced, here are some quick tips on financial preparedness to consider:

• Spend less than you make, and make savings a regular part of your life. (Obvious, but many folks fail to do this one, and that leads to debt, stress, and even bankruptcy.)
• Avoid personal debt. Except for perhaps a home mortgage, debt is never a good idea. Especially avoid high-interest consumer debt. The saying that debt makes the debtor slave to the lender is very true. Don't do it, even if it means doing without. 
• Have a well-funded emergency account in a safe, well-established credit union or small bank. How much? At least six-months worth of expenses. Even more is better.
• Keep a smaller amount of cash on hand (in a safe place) in case banks and ATMs are not working when you need it. How much? You'll have to decide for yourself, but I recommend at least $300, maybe more.
• Have some junk silver coins as part of your preparations (but only after addressing other, more important, preparations first).
• Learn to be entertained without having to spend a lot of money.  Have a picnic at a local park instead of eating out. Have a family game night instead of going to the movies.
• Avoid participating in fads and joining in fashionable trends. Trendy clothing is expensive and quickly goes out of style. Trendy technology is VERY expensive and quickly becomes obsolete. 
• Skip the next smart phone upgrade. New smart phones cost hundreds of dollars, and the "improvements" are rarely worth it these days.  Use your smart phone as a tool, not a status symbol.
• Avoid impulse purchases.
• Avoid financial gimmicks and get-rich-quick schemes. Be especially cautious with retirement savings.
• Learn accounting to really understand the language of business.
• A homestead and land may make a great investment, particularly if you are expecting major economic problems in the future. 
• Insurance is a good thing. Make sure you are adequately covered, and make sure your insurance company is sound.

BONUS: Tips for Avoiding Impulse Purchases

• Don't to pay attention to TV, radio, or print ads. Hit the mute button. or simply don't watch or read the ads. 
• Don't watch infomercials or home shopping channels. Leave junk mail unopened. Recycle catalogs, flyers, and leaflets unread. 
• Don't use shopping as a form of entertainment or a means to relax. Don't go to the mall or shopping center just to have something to do.
• Avoid social shopping with friends. People tend to talk each other into things, not out of them.
• Shop only with lists, and stick to them. 
• Don't browse Amazon, eBay, or other Internet shopping sites. Shop them the same way you would a physical store - with a list. 
• Shop with cash only. Spending cash feels more real than using checks or credit cards, so you are apt to spend less. 
• If you do find an item you think you can't do without, wait at least 24 hours before buying it. Chances are the impulse will pass.

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The Three Existential Threats To America and Western Civilization

If you follow me on GAB, you probably already know what I'm going to say because I document these threats on a daily basis. If you don't, you should follow me at https://gab.ai/TimGamble.

There are three interrelated existential threats* to America and Western Civilization. These threats all have the potential to end the world as we know it, replacing it with something far worse. 

1) The Internal Threat - Western Elites (aka Globalists, the Ruling Class, the 1%, the 2%, etc.) want to destroy America and Western Civilization to create their version of utopia (for them). They believe Western Civilization and culture is bad, that America in particular is evil, and that Judeo-Christian values and ethics are too restricting (for them). They hate capitalism, even though they have greatly benefited from it. They look down on the lower and working classes with great disdain (we are uneducated, unsophisticated, vulgar...).   

The Elites want to create a world with no borders (for them), where they are basically global citizens unrestricted by normal laws and ethics. They desire a large underclass (they need workers), only a small middle class (they need a few working professionals), and an upper class made up of themselves and their fellow elites. An elite class who, by virtue of their obvious superiority, have absolute rule over the lesser classes. 

Over the decades, the Elites have already done great damage to traditional Western Civilization. The introduction of centralized banking & fiat currency is one example. Destroying traditional Western education is another. Current attempts to restrict Free Speech and Free Press comes straight out of the Elites desire to control the lesser classes, as does their desire to eliminate the Second Amendment and greatly restrict parental rights. The attempt in recent decades to recast the broad Freedom of Religion our Founders gave us into the much more narrow Freedom of Worship is very much a part of their attempts to overcome traditional Western Civilization (see my article on the difference between Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Worship).

The Deep State, made up of powerful career politicians and bureaucrats, along with their corporate allies, have sold out to and work for the Elites. 

2) The Hijra (Conquest by Immigration) - The active invasion of Western Civilization by Muslims through "peaceful" immigration, along with increasing demands for various accommodations, special legal status, and the acceptance and even imposition of Sharia Law, is both intentional and well-organized. Add to this the much-higher birth rates of Muslims compared to native Westerners, who have been convinced that large-families are a bad idea, and you have a situation where Western civilization is slowly dying. 

This stealth invasion by immigration is being fostered by Western Elites, and political correctness, which have become so anti-Christian, anti-capitalism, and anti-traditional values, that they are willing to allow anything that might bring down traditional Western Civilization, so they might re-make it to their liking. 

See the book Stealth Invasion: Muslim Conquest Through Immigration and Resettlement Jihad, by Leo Hohman, and Modern Day Trojan Horse: Al-Hijra, the Islamic Doctrine of Immigration, by  Sam Solomon and Elias Al Maqdisi, for more on this topic.

3) China - The current trade war with China is only a prelude to what is coming. China is preparing for an inevitable "hot" war with America within the next 5 - 10 years. China is convinced this war must happen because of a concept known as The Thucydides Trap (google the term to learn more).  

The Thucydides Trap isn't some conspiracy theory twaddle, but is a well-studied historical concept heavily discussed in academic and diplomatic circles. Very simply, the Thucydides Trap states that when a rising great power (China, in this instance) threatens to displace an existing great power (America), war that will likely lead to the destruction of one of the great powers is almost always inevitable.

The Chinese are very aware of this concept, and are making policy based on it. It is the basis of their ongoing massive military build-up, as well as their interference in North Korea (the Chinese have always assisted North Korea with their nuclear and missile programs, and are pushing Kim Jong-un to stall in regards to his  promised denuclearization). It is also part of the reasoning behind their aggressiveness in the South China Sea (control over vital trade routes), and economic & diplomatic push into South America and Africa (the later which includes a growing military presence), to obtain various resources. 

Pay Attention to Current Events and Prepare

If you have doubts about any of these three existential threats, just pay close attention to current events for a few weeks. Also, as mentioned above, I do document these threats on a daily basis on my GAB account.  

We can prepare for these threats. Building our self-reliance and removing ourselves from dependence on the current worldly system as much as possible will go a long way in protecting ourselves and our families. But this doesn't mean hiding from the world (please read my short article Being a Prepper Doesn't Mean Hiding From the World) and not fighting the forces threatening us.  

*For those who might not know, an existential threat is something that threatens our very existence. An existential threat, if it becomes reality, would literally be the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI). The Earth being hit by a large asteroid is an obvious existential threat, but one that is highly unlikely in the near future. Besides, there is little we can do to prepare for that threat. However, the existential threats I outline in this article are real, are happening now, and are events we can prepare for and survive. 
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Stealth Invasion: Muslim Conquest Through Immigration and Resettlement Jihad, by veteran investigative journalist Leo Hohmann, documents  a well-defined strategy for conquering America, not necessarily with violent jihadist attacks, although we should expect those to increase, but through more subtle means collectively called "civilization jihad." 





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Small Town and Rural Looting?

We know that big cities and major urban centers will likely experience large-scale riots and looting during and after a political or economic collapse or other major SHTF event. The looting will likely spread to the suburbs  immediately surrounding these areas as people become desperate and attempt to flee the cities. But what about small towns and rural areas well-away from the large cities? Will they be safe from riots and looting? My answer is yes. And no. Let me explain:

Yes. Small towns and rural areas well-away from large cities will be relatively safe from large-scale riots and looting of the big cities. Looters will not spread out of the cities very far. They won't be able to because: 

1. gasoline supplies will disappear within the first 24-hours of a major SHTF event and will not be replenished
2. looters are not preppers, and haven't stored any extra gas or even topped off their tanks, severely limiting how far they can drive away from the city
3. roadways will quickly become undrivable anyway, as vehicles break-down and run out of gas, clogging up the roadways
4. most modern Americans are overweight, unhealthy, and out-of-shape, therefore will be unable to hike out of the cities very far 
5. most who try to leave the cities on foot will die of violence, heart attacks, heat strokes, dehydration, etc.

No. Just because you happen to live in a small town or rural area far away from a big city, and therefore insulated from what is happening in the cities, doesn't mean you will be completely safe. You will still have three areas of concern:
 
A few city folks - Although the vast majority of the rioters and looters will be stuck in the cities for the reasons given above, a handful of particularly lucky or resourceful individuals will make it out, and they will be desperate and dangerous. Fortunately there won't be many of them, so you should be able to defend against them. That is if you and your group or community have planned ahead for such a defense. See the book Retreat Security and Small Unit Tactics by David Kobler (Southern Prepper 1) and Mark Goodwin for more information.

A few local folks -  Yes, a few local folks may become problems for the community. There are always a few bad apples in any community who will try to take advantage of any situation that presents itself. And there will be others - good folks who just aren't prepared - that will eventually turn to looting and other crimes out of desperation. Think ahead about what (if any) help or charity you will be willing to give friends and neighbors, and how best to do so. You may be interested in my article on Post-Collapse Charity.  You also may need to  prepare yourself for the possibility of having to defend yourself and your property from someone you know should things become really desperate. 

Local Government and Law Enforcement - In a true long-term crisis situation, local authorities, well-intentioned or not, may attempt to confiscate food and supplies for re-distribution within the community. They will have a long list of reasonable sounding excuses for doing so, will have the backing for any local media that may still be operating, and will have the overwhelming support of the locals in need because they weren't prepared for a crisis. Having government take other people's stuff and give it to you is very popular these days. You need to decide now to what extent you will cooperate with or resist such efforts.  And if you plan to resist, how?  Options include pretending to be among those in need (are your supplies well-hidden?), turning over a token amount of food and supplies (again, are the rest of your supplies well-hidden?), or physically resisting when they come to your home to inspect it for supplies you have "hoarded." If you choose the last option, are you prepared for a gun-battle with the local authorities, who will be at least as well-armed and well-trained as you and your group, and probably more so?  

Preppers concerned about a major SHTF event need to think through these issues, making plans and preparations now, rather than wait until its too late.
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Retreat Security and Small Unit Tactics by David Kobler (Southern Prepper 1) and Mark Goodwin, "will teach you how to organize your team or neighborhood into a force to be reckoned with. You’ll get tips to harden your home and protect your family, life and property, both now and after the stuff hits the fan."


 
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