If you are trying to get out of debt, save up an emergency fund of $1,000 and then apply all of your extra income to your debt. Once your debt is paid off, you can divert more money into your emergency fund. [4] X Research source Keep your emergency fund separate from your checking account so that you are not tempted to use the money. Put it in a low-risk, interest-bearing account such as a savings account, money market account or certificate of deposit (CD). [5] X Research source On the other hand, a complete economic collapse would leave you unable to access your bank account, because of the crash of the financial system. Additionally, your money may become useless or extremely devalued. Consider stocking other commodities that you could barter with in an economic collapse, like alcohol, precious metals (gold and silver), and fuel.
Provide services to people in their homes, such as house cleaning, home organization, meal preparation, or interior decorating. [9] X Research source Sell goods you produce, such as baked goods, custom clothing or jewelry. [10] X Research source
Create a budget in order to track your income and expenses. [12] X Expert Source Trent Larsen, CFP®Certified Financial Planner Expert Interview. 22 July 2020. Make a plan to have a surplus of money left over at the end of the month to apply towards your debt. This means reducing your expenses and possibly finding additional work to supplement your income. [13] X Research source Organize your debt so you can make a plan to pay it off. You can choose from a few different methods for planning how to pay off your debt. Whichever method you choose, it is important to stick with it. [14] X Research source One method is to order your debts from smallest to biggest, regardless of the interest rate, and pay off the smallest debts first. This helps you build momentum. [15] X Research source Another method is laddering, which means paying off the debt with the highest interest rates first. This makes the most sense mathematically because it reduces the amount of interest expense you pay in the long-term. [16] X Research source That said, in a true economic collapse, your creditors would likely have other things to worry about than just finding you and recovering your debts. Additionally, currency may be greatly devalued or completely useless, meaning that the amount stated on your debt balance would be equally depressed or meaningless.
Store at least one gallon of water per person for a minimum of three days or for up to two weeks. Don’t forget to include pets in this equation. If you are storing water in your own containers, wash them first with dish soap and water and sanitize them with a solution of 1 teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach to a quart of water. To make water safe, you can boil it and filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel or coffee filter[18] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Purchase food that does not have to be refrigerated or frozen so you don’t have to worry about power outages. These foods include canned goods, peanut butter and beef or turkey jerky. Include foods highly nutritious foods that are easy to store, such as dried foods, nuts, beans, canned meat and vegetables and powdered milk. For comfort foods, avoid snack foods that will quickly expire. Instead, stock up on spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, soups, sugar and honey for canning and baking, dried fruit, coffee and tea and hard candy. If necessary, stock pile baby food and formula. Don’t forget to include pet food if you have pets. Keep a manual can opener with your stockpile.
If you don’t have a lot of space, consider starting a container garden. If you don’t have good soil, purchase humus soil or top soil. Add peat moss, composted manure and plant fertilizers. Choose vegetables and herbs that are easy to grow, including beans and peas, carrots, greens like lettuce, cabbage, spinach and kale, potatoes and sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, broccoli, berries and melons.
Include an extra set of car keys, blankets, matches, a multi-use tool, maps of the area, a flashlight, a battery-powered or hand-cranked radio, extra batteries, matches and a cell phone and chargers. Have some household liquid bleach on hand for disinfecting. Make copies of all important documents, such as proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates and insurance policies. Have a list of family and emergency contact numbers. Include baby supplies such as baby food, formula, diapers and bottles. Remember pet supplies like food, collars, leashes and food bowls.
Keep a first aid manual with your first aid kit. Include dressings and bandages, such as adhesive bandages in various sizes, sterile gauze pads and a gauze roll, adhesive tape, elastic bandages and sterile cotton balls. Add equipment and other supplies, like latex or non-latex gloves, instant cold packs, a thermometer, safety pins to fasten splints or bandages, tweezers, scissors and hand sanitizer. Have medicines for cuts and injuries, such as antiseptic solution like hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment, calamine lotion for stings or poison ivy, hydrocortisone cream for itching and an eyewash solution. Include contact lens solution if necessary. Other medicines to have include pain and fever medicines like aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, antihistamines for allergies, decongestants for colds, anti-nausea medicine, anti-diarrhea medicine, antacids and laxatives.
If the outdoor temperature is expected to rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you will need to allow the meat to cure in a meat locker. If the outdoor temperature is below freezing, allow an extra day for curing.
Use aromatic woods to add flavor, such as hickory, mesquite, apple, cherry, pear or cranberry-apple. Woods to avoid include all conifers, crape myrtle, hackberry, sycamore and holly.
Line your oven with foil for easy cleanup. Prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon to allow air to circulate. Partially freeze meat before slicing to make it easier to slice.
The lids should not flex up and down when pressed. If they do flex or if you can easily remove the lid, then the jar did not seal properly.
Mace and pepper spray can be sprayed into an attacker’s face to give you time to get away. Hand-held stun guns deliver a large electrical shock to stun the attacker. Taser devices shoot two small probes a distance of up to 15 feet that transmit an electrical charge to the attacker. Sonic alarms create a loud noise to let others know that you are in trouble.
Stockpile appropriate ammunition and arrows for your weapons.
Have a bolt-cutter on hand to cut through fences and wire. Picks, shovels, axes, chain saws and bow saws allow you dig and gather and cut wood. Rope and paracords are essential for assembling simple and complex survival systems. Tarps are necessary as ground covers or for weather-proofing. Stock pile nails and plywood for building and repairs. Keep large trash bags for waste disposal. Have gasoline for fuel or a fire starter. Get a propane stove for cooking. Have a fishing rod for catching fish.
