what has more importance to you . . .
 

quite awhile ago, i came to the realization that " you can't eat PM's "
and decided that i had enough SILVER for SHTF after-purposes

and have been buying food/supply preps because of what i know about the possible financial collapse or Israel/Iran war coming

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

You are right--forewarned is forearmed.

Its better to be prepared than be caught flat-footed and have no preps at all.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Without the knowledge of SHTF, you wouldn't pursue acquisition of the needed things to survive it.

Knowledge of SHTF every single time.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

knowing would be great ... but i am seeing this game being play out for many many more years .. there holding cards we dont see in the hand

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Your two options are interrelated. It's BECAUSE I know that SHTF is a likely outcome of this mess that I've been buying PMs AND stockpiling food and other necessities. If I thought that those "green shoots" Obama keeps harping about were going to grow into an apple orchard, I wouldn't need stockpiled food and goods. If I thought those apples could be swapped for frns that were worth more than the paper they're printed on, I wouldn't need gold OR silver.

As it is, I've got gold, I've got silver, I've got a year's worth of groceries and toiletries and food and medicines and garden seeds and pet supplies, AND I've got the guns to protect all of the above. Personally, I think those people who have metals will protect their wealth going forward, while those who have stockpiles will protect their lives. What good is one without the other?

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

I went the exact opposite route.....working on prep supplies for many years before I ever got around to PM. In fact, I only came to PM as a means to hold a little real money to pay the property taxes on my place so I wouldn't loose it like so many did in the last depression.

I haven't even bought much in the way of PM's in a long time, but continue to add to the prep pile on a regular basis.

Never HAVE gotten a can of popcorn from APMEX, either.....ahahhaaaaaa

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

I once thought PM's plus some limited stockpiles of the essentials was good enough. The idea being that you'd trade the PMs for food and other things.

Then a couple years ago I was talking to a German family that had been through all the crazy stuff that happened there (I have a relative that went through it too, but from the perspective of a wealthy and important guy who didn't have the same experiences.) Anyway, I asked them about the times when no one had any money, and yes, they did trade PMs for food. The only problem is, it wasn't 1 silver dollar for a week's worth of bread... it was 1 gold watch or 1 gold coin or 1 gold anything for 1/2 a loaf of bread.

It was gold they were trading but the farmers didn't know the value, or even if it was real gold. It was a largely symbolic gesture, that people would give something they considered of value, for food.

There is a huge network of information and equipment available to us right now. I can put a gold ring on my little electronic scale and figure out the gold weight to 1/100th gram at whatever purity is stamped on it, then go get the spot price in whatever currency I want. I can also look up the purity of a coin given the year, denomination, and country. If something does go bad, that network could disappear overnight. I will still have my scale and some books, but 95% of people will not have that, or access to any gold price, or any information about coins. Without those things, we're no better off for trading PM's then they were in Germany, and PMs will take the value of "whatever someone will give you for them". I am fully anticipating them being effectively worthless immediatly after some SHTF scenarios.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

KNOWLEDGE always more valuable than STUFF .. even PM's :wink:

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Knowledge of SHTF is what motivated me to buy PM

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

I voted for PM's because I don't think TSHTF is just around the corner. I think things will slowly get worse and worse for many years and then TS will HTF

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

After first discovering the Peak Oil theory in late 2003 and immediately thereafter, GIM, I first stockpiled food, sleeping bags, solar ovens, canning jars, water filters and then precious metals. It was only a couple of years later that I realized that the thing I valued most was not all the stuff I had accumulated, but the way of living I had adopted in the process: things like gardening in the summer, riding my bicycle around town for light-weight errands, buying things we use all the time only when they're on sale and always in quantity. Upgrading the seals on my thermopane casement windows, adding additional insulation to my attic, and installing a new, high-efficiency furnace happened too. All of these preps lowered my current cost of living. Some of them yielded exercise and high quality food. If TS never HTF, I'm still way better off because of the changes to my life and the preps I have made.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

With all due respect, all the knoledge in the world isn't going to help without a strategy or a plan, and the means to execute it.

Even then, the plan better actually work, and given the vast array of very different future scenarios that might unfold - that's far from certain.

Unless you're a billionaire and own a remote island stocked with 100 yrs of supplies both on the island and on the getaway yacht, I'm not sure if a fool-proof plan even exists.


I think GIM members have vastly understimated what is likely to come their way.

People seem to ignore the fact that basically only the USA has employed the right described in the 2nd amendment.

TPTB know this, and will have something "very special" in store for the mainland and possibly the entire north american region, the rest of the world has long since lost the battle and will be easy pickin's at the desired time.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

There is no such thing as a fool proof plan, even if you're a billionaire, the best laid plans of mice and men comes to mind.

You're probably right though, the situation has been underestimated, no doubt about it. Being able to think on the fly and improvise will be crucial as there are a million different scenario's that no one could ever fully prepare for.

But ya do the best ya can and go from there. We have a choice, roll over or fight. I choose to fight, win, lose or draw. If the Republic falls it will not be because we did nothing.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Tangibles all the way!

Personally I would rather have more supplies than I need. If the SHTF I don't believe the market would be stable enough to trade PMs at FAIR values for things you need.

That being said, I will be one of the first stores with valuable supplies for sale POST-SHTF when things stabilize. I will make sure to have enough PMs to stock a change drawer. Then I will bank on my supplies for a significant gain in PMs on the up-sale. For an example a $40 bucket of wheat for an half ounce of gold or whatever the market would bare - assuming of course PMs become the future value store.

Don't be the guy needing life saving supplies and just a couple gold coins in your pocket - be the guy with the overstock of necessary supplies for sale.

One last point.... Who is to say PMs WILL be the method of value exchange in the future? Maybe local communities establish commodity backed currencies based on locally available resources?

Either way, too much to risk to heavily invest in PMs. Buy supplies now and find a way to sell your excess in to whatever means of currency / value exchange exists in POST-SHTF society.

Dave

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Well, there is knowledge and then there is knowledge. It's remarkable how some people's concept of prepping resembles their hobbies; gardeners assume they will need seeds, shooters collect guns and ammo, campers save camping supplies, weekend warriors think about sneaking through the bushes, etc.

What's needed is a bit of common sense along with your knowledge. By definition, you are not in an emergency until you have lost all your supplies. By definition, if you are the only one on your block with guns and an attitude it's not time yet for your guns and attitude. You should also consider that if you get into a shootout the enemy has an endless supply of people, armaments, and vehicles to carry them: you're going to lose that battle. By definition, if you can't carry your camping supplies you are just another hobo. There is a strong tendency to assume that TSHTF is going to be some sort of exercise where you do something unusual while everything else remains normal. Get a grip on reality: if everything else is normal, you're on vacation (to put it politely).

As for gold, you should have a reason for your investment. It doesn't have to be a good reason, but you should know what it is. If you plan to swap gold for food, you really need more knowledge. Get it here. It would be a shame to swap your gold for food when there is a supermarket at your feet. Gold is for rebuilding AFTER the collapse, not daily expenses during it.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

.................................................. .................

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Who as Gold or Silver?
Not I!
Maybe 5 in 100 have it. Most don't so what are you going to buy?

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

tshtf is just another game played by a different set of rules. Consider all the corruption in politics and the finance world then tell me we are not already living a shtf situation. Knowledge is of no benefit unless it is applied, PM's and preps are temporary and self defeating in that they are only of benefit for as long as you hold them. Your brain and your attitude are the most valuable assets now and when tshtf. Since the dawn of time when mankind first walked upright the adapted to their environment using just their brain and attitude. Gold AK47's and a truck load of camping gear are not essentials for surviving the harshest environments in the world. Consider the Australian Aborigine; they will cross thousands of miles of the most inhospitable and arid terrain in the world on foot with the simplest of tools. The overcame their shtf situation millennia ago, and were dropped into another in the 1700's when the European arrived...they are still adapting to that with varying degrees of success. My brain and attitude will determine how well I will adapt when tshtf. Knowledge, PM's and preps are secondary.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Exactly. Money is an item with perceived value. PMs do not have value simply by existing. They have whatever value people place on them. If people don't want silver than it has no value. It is that simple.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

I agree. PMs don't help at all unless you've got the brains and means to survive.

You can stockpile food, PMs, comic books. But if you don't have the knowledge (and bollocks) to use and protect them, it's worthless.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Imo, PMs might be able to get you somewhere else, i.e. out of the country at the beginning of a worst case scenario.

But knowledge helps prevent many mistakes in any event.

R.

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Real Money

http://www.coincommunity.info/coin/0...se_reverse.jpg

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

Do you normally think of finance before your own survival ?

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

My Brother and I had 76 calfs this spring. I have a triple beam scale marked by the gram. I'm sure I could be a "Farmer" that could perceive to see the value of trading silver and gold for beef or wheat or lentils or peas:yes: Heck I could even make change if you had to break a 1000 ounce bar! :banana:

Re: what has more importance to you . . .
 

You are an exception to the rule. That makes you an exceptional person.

Unfortunately, I would starve to death looking for exceptional people to purchase food from after SHTF.