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Today’s inflation numbers were shocking for many, far worse than even the gloomiest projections. We seem to be in for much worse and it could turn into an economic collapse. We cannot rely on feckless politicians to fix it and if you think you can wait until the midterms or even 2024, think again. We need to act now. On today’s episode of The JD Rucker Show, I discussed seven things we should be doing to fight back.
Consider this a stage of growth in our self-sufficiency. Many Americans have become complacent and, frankly, spoiled. We don’t need to do nearly as much for ourselves as generations of the past. If something is broken, we can have it fixed or order a new one. But what if we can’t afford a new one? What if we can’t just run down and get it fixed?
We need to try to fix the economy, at least in ways that it affects our families. Elections aren’t enough. Republicans will say all we need to do is vote out the Democrats and it will all be suddenly better. But Kamala Harris or Joe Biden will still be in the White House. Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy will still be leading the GOP. At the rate we’re going, we may not even make it to the midterms, let alone the 2024 elections. We need to take this economic turmoil into our own hands and fix it as Americans.
That means taking care of ourselves and our families first. A strong economy as a nation is derived from strong financial standing among individuals. We cannot focus on the collective the way the left wants us to because, as always, doing so would fail miserably. There’s a reason that Neo-Marxism is a broken system, which happens to be why the powers-that-be among the globalist elites are pushing it so hard.
No, we need to help ourselves, our families, and our communities. IF we can get all of that stabilized we can extend out if we choose, but let’s not delude ourselves with thoughts that Donald Trump or Elon Musk or Ron DeSantis or Santa Claus can get things fixed. We’re not going to make it as a nation if we’re waiting around for heroes to save us.
Here are the seven things I recommend everyone starts doing today:
Buy Local
Economic strength can be localized through revenue and tax dollars. That’s a top priority today because if things continue to get worse, it will be felt the hardest in cities and communities that are weak economically. And this isn’t just about buying produce at the local farmers’ market. We should strive to buy everything we can from locally owned businesses that employ our neighbors.
You want everyone around you to be as financially secure as possible. It will reduce crime and increase the likelihood that your area will be less affected or at least better prepared to recover quickly if inflation turns into full-blown economic collapse.
Encourage others to do the same. Doing it yourself is good, but getting your family and friends to do it as well is even better. Again, we must not operate as a collective. We need to work as individuals and family units to bring strength to ourselves and those around us.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
Trust Nobody and Do the Math Yourself
Electric cars are the obvious culprit here. For some reason, people are dismissing the higher price they’re paying for electric versions of vehicles because gas prices are so high. It’s understandable until you do the math. Even with higher gas prices, how long will it take before you’re actually saving money?
Then, there’s the time issue. For many people who don’t drive often or who only go short distance, the pain of charging electric vehicles for much longer than it takes to fill up a tank is probably not a major issue. Then again, if someone isn’t driving much, are they ever going to realize savings against buying gas?
The point is this: Do your own math. Don’t just listen to people who say this or that works in today’s economy. Research and test it out for yourself. It often just takes a calculator to realize “great” ideas are actually very bad.
Diversify
No, I’m not reaching into the woke world of diversity. In this situation, I’m referring to financial diversity. For most of us, we’re not too concerned about diversifying our portfolio as much as how we’re going to pay bills next month. But for those with substantial retirement or wealth to preserve, it behooves them to take their investments and divide them up among various asset classes because the turmoil in markets can bring any of them crashing down at any moment.
Precious metals are clearly a great option for many and we have two companies we recommend depending on the goals of the individual. Another newer sponsor we picked up is Mass Tort Financing. This investment class does not correlate with the stock market and is available to accredited investors looking to move $50,000 or more in a different direction.
Learn New Skills
With the risk that an economic collapse could lead to delayed or even unavailable services, it is a best practice for everyone to start picking up new skills. Some of it can be survival-oriented; everyone should know basic first aid, for example.
Sometimes it just comes down to fixing things yourself. As noted earlier, we have become very spoiled as a nation. In my generation, at least half of the young men leaving high school or college could change the oil in their vehicle. Today, that’s just not the case. We all need to have better skillsets, just in case we can’t run our dishwasher down to the repair shop or order a new one to be delivered.
Grow and Store Food
This is the no-brainer. With food highlighted as one of the biggest risks to inflation and shortages having been predicted or months, every American household should be enacting a plan to store, grow, or otherwise produce their own food. They want us in breadlines. Eventually they’ll want us in cricketlines. It doesn’t make sense to rely on what we can easily get at the grocery store today because tomorrow the shelves might truly be empty.
- Concerned about your life’s savings as the multiple challenges decimate retirement accounts? You’re not alone. Find out how Genesis Precious Metals can help you secure your wealth with a proper self-directed IRA backed by physical precious metals.
Growing your own food and possibly even raising your own livestock is the ideal way to establish food security. It obviously isn’t for everyone and many of us aren’t in the type of situation that would allow it. If we can change our situations, great! If we cannot, we must figure out other ways to make sure we can feed ourselves and our families through whatever challenges may be coming.
We recommend three long-term storage food providers based on price and quality. There are plenty of others out there, but the three we recommend cover the spectrum from inexpensive but good quality all the way up to top-tier. Pick the best one (or two, or three) for you and your family.
Make a plan
The first step in any prepper guide is to make and practice a plan. Or, to be more accurate, make multiple plans for different situations. Just having some extra supplies is not enough. We need to think situationally.
As I noted on the show, the most likely scenario that I see is a continuous creep of inflation and other economic turmoil that leads to a sudden catastrophic collapse. They are easing us in before pulling the carper out from under us. In a future article I will go into much more detail about how to make a plan, but in the meantime there is plenty available online for those who don’t want to wait.
Make new friends
Along with buying locally comes the need for some to establish relationships within the local community. I relayed a story during the show about someone who was buying from their local farmers’ market when they met someone who told him of a group that would come together if the crap hits the fan. Such relationships will be invaluable if everything continues to go south.
The bad guys will form their own groups, also known as roving marauders bent on taking what you have. It’s good to have support and number of like-minded people in the area who can help you, and also who you can help.
This isn’t all doom and gloom. We really can make it through this, Lord willing. We just have to recognize the challenges we face and address them accordingly.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
