In my last post I either riled you up and made you mad, or I made you really think about that PM purchase a little harder. Either way, at least I had an impact right? Isn't that what we're all trying to do; make an impact on the people and the world around us? Anyway, in this post I'll try an explore some other options for SHTF investing that are less a risk.
I'd also like to take a minute to give some perspective before I get into the nuts and bolts. To those that consider themselves preppers or to those that just like to be self reliant and ready for (almost) anything; What is preparing if not investing for the future? Unless you are 100% certain that the world is going to fall apart, society is going to Hell in a bucket, or an EMP will strike in your lifetime, why not invest in the future and prepare for disaster at the same time? Why not look at your preparations for SHTF and invest in the future as the same thing? Plan around both things happening and you will be much less wasteful.
Ok, back to the task at hand. Ways for the rest of us to inflation proof and gather some barter material. My first move would be to stop using cards to purchase things. I know it seems like a major pain to have the cash around to make purchases, but in all reality you should have some cash on hand anyway just in case. No matter what, money talks. More importantly though is change. When you use a debit card to make a purchase you don't get any change back. How are you going to slowly and steadily fill that jar with coins if you aren't getting change back? I was amazed at the amount of money I saved when I started using cash again.
When you start using cash and getting change back you would be well advised to periodically sort your change. I don't mean nickles, dimes, quarters, etc. Well, separate out the nickles yes, they are worth more in metal value than they are in face value. While it is (I believe) illegal to melt down coins for scrap value, there is no law against holding them for the future. If TSHTF those nickles suddenly become a more valuable commodity. The same applies to pre-1982 pennies. They have more copper in them than their face value. In fact, pre-'82 pennies are worth .025 cents. That's over doube face value! Don't believe me? Take a look here.
&re we've made one small change in the way we operate and it's paying pretty big dividends. By simply switching to cash you are collecting nickle, copper, and some silver. You're also setting money aside that was otherwise in the checking account. That $4-5 a week adds up. In a few short months you'll have a few extra bucks to invest in something with some real value to it like open pollinated (heirloom) seeds, or a hand crank flashlight (power failures do happen, and batteries always fail when you need them), or a small water purifier. Or if you're really really sneaky like me... rolls of nickles and pennies.
I'm going to slip in a little unsolicited plug here for My Patriot Supply where I suggest you purchase these items. No, I don't get anything for sending him traffic, if this tiny site even sends him any traffic.
Now most of the folks reading this should already have this stuff. I know most of you are from HT and Cheap Homesteading so if you are lacking in the above mentioned. For shame!
If you already have those bases covered don't worry, I have something even more mundane you can do with those extra couple of bucks you've set aside. Go to yard sales, flee markets, and other places you can find old used crap. There is a lot of value in old used crap so long as you buy the right old used crap. Some examples include old tools, bolts of fabric, cheap knock off clothes (oh I do love those knock off dealers even though I know it's so wrong), and my favorite... cast iron cookware!
My take on cast iron is pretty straight forward. Inflation is ever present, so buying something like cheap used cast iron today to clean up and sell later will work ok. If it's older cast iron it will be an antique sooner or later and worth more. If TSHTF people will NEED that cast iron. When they can't nuke up a hot pocket and eat some chips on the side they'll be forced to cook. It won't take long before those cheap Wal Mart non-stick pans turn into a warped mass of scrap. Cast Iron will be looking pretty good at that point, and you'll have it. The laws of supply and demand kick in then right? One silver eagle for a decent frying pan seems about right. Oh, we're investing in metal twice!
Another metal that should not be over looked is copper. Simple things like copper pipe are likely to gain in value I believe. Mind you, there is the possibility that demand for copper pipe disappears forever, or dries up enough to lower the price, but I'm thinking it's not likely. The beauty of copper pipe is you can store it on a wall in the basement or under the crawl space without seeming too odd. At some point in the future when you need some cash you simply put an ad on craiglslist or the like and beat the Lowe Depots price. Or, at some point in the future when a pipe bursts or you want to build a new barn with water, or... I really like the copper fittings by the way. Those damned things keep getting more and more expensive, and while I can salvage pipe I always have trouble getting the fittings off in good shape. Maybe you have better luck than me.
I've been asked before about PVC and PEX pipe. I'm not really sure I want to stock pile any of that stuff. While I'm sure the price is just as likely to increase as anything else, I like copper because I get double duty out of it. If for some reason I'm unable to sell the pipe as pipe but I REALLY need money, I can sell the copper as scrap. Yes, unless I've held it long enough I'm taking a loss. But in an emergency at least I'm sitting on something of value. Not so much with PVC.
Spools of wire are not bad either. They tend to be higher priced but they are also more in demand and of higher quality. I'm not sure about the price in the future though. If housing doesn't start back up, or at least some kind of construct find those deals anymore, but you can find a Mauser for a cool severl hundred bucks.
I personally find I'm partial to the old commie guns. SKS, AK, Mosin Nagant. All fine guns that do what they were designed to do, kill stuff every time you pull the trigger. They also tend to require less TLC which suits me very well. I like to shoot my guns but I don't really want to be a slave to maintaining them. More important to me though is they are priced better. A fella can get two AK's for the price of one AR-15. Even better, a fella can get 5 Mosins, a spam can of ammo, and sill have money left over for the price of an AR-15.
That means if TS does hit the fan and you're family and friends show up to be saved by you, you can arm them. While an old bolt gun isn't the ideal, when there are five of you firing big honkin rounds it'll be ok. LOL The investment side of this of course is that Mosins are cheap now like Mausers were back when. In ten or twenty years I do believe those old Mosins will be the new Mausers.
The last things I'll mention in detail are debt and yourself.
You should be working on owning your home, preferably a home with some land. It doesn't have to be a huge thousand acre tract, even one acre of paid for land is better than almost anything you can rent. Having your home paid for is worth more to me than anything else I could buy. The reality is that your SHTF moment isn't likely going to be the end of the world. It's going to be much more personal and the rest of the world can get bent during that time. Knowing that you own your home, knowing the bank won't be calling to foreclose, that's an investment that's hard to beat.
If you have credit card debt, a car note, or any debt really; you really have no business investing in metals or anything of the sort. You really need to go listen to Dave Ramsey and get that taken care of.
The most important advice of all though? Invest in yourself. You need to find a niche, your niche, and work it. Learn all about it and get good at it. Become a producer. Don't quit your job and run after some hair brained scheme, but learn a new skill, something that can and hopefully will earn you a living should the world fall apart. More importantly something you would like to do today. Don't wait for the end of the world to come to do what you want to do, go get it now! Do you like to bake? Do it on the side, sell some stuff at flee markets, farmers markets, whatever. Can you knit but live in the 'burbs? Raise a few angora rabbits and learn to spin the fiber. Use the waste to grow a garden, or sell it to others that garden. Hell, become a scrapper or a prospector, whatever it is you feel something about. Go out there on the weekends and do it, and learn how to make it profitable. The best place to invest money is in yourself. You will never find a better return, so long as you're willing to put in the effort. Just sayin.
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