1) Have your Standard Preparedness Supplies in Order: You’ll need food, water, means of self defense, medical care and shelter for a multitude of events and this is no different. Having food means you wont have to worry about running to the store to buy food for the next few days just when people’s accounts get frozen, credit cards are no longer accepted and cash is becoming scarce. Same goes for medicines you may need or fuel to move around.

2) Have Cash. We’ve gone through this before. While a fiat currency can lose value very fast its unlikely that the Dollar or Euro will become worthless overnight. When banks close and ATM go empty, cash is king. Suppliers are scared and go for cash only, at times forcing retailers to do the same. This happens often with fuel during economic crisis. I recommend a minimum of one month worth of expenses in cash at hand.

3) Have Precious Metals. Gold and silver in well recognized coins. This is your insurance in case the fiat currency does go belly up eventually. Even if it doesn’t, while the currency loses value because of whatever is going on, your PM are safe from that devaluation. While the price of PM goes up and down, it always retains a somewhat similar purchasing value throughout history.

4) Buy a safe, then buy another one. If you think of it, its cheap insurance so as to keep your money safe in case of a break in, no pun intended.Most petty thieves looking for quick cash, cellphones or prescription drugs wont even know what to do and will leave the safe alone but as criminals notice that people keep more cash at home because of the distrust of banks, break ins and home invasions will become more common. A determined criminal will either steal the safe entirely or manage to open it using power tools. A second, very well hidden safe is the best way to increase the chances of keeping most of your savings safe. Do keep a bit of cash, cheap jewelry and other typical safe stuff just in case in your first “decoy” safe.

SentrySafe SFW123DSB 1.23 Cubic Feet Combination Fire-Safe, Medium Grey $155.99

SentrySafe 7250 Waterproof Floor Safe, 540 Cubic Inches, Gray $120.59



5) Off Shore Banking. No, you’re not Jason Bourne or 007, but even if you just have a couple hundred bucks in it, an account in another country gives you the choice of moving the money out of the local banking system. Maybe you don’t get the chance to transfer it, but what if you do? If you do see something fishy going on you can transfer it and maybe save your money. Nothing happens? No harm done, you just lose a couple bucks on the transfer fee. What you wont be able to do is open an account in just a day or two when you need it in a hurry. What country you ask ? Google up to find where the big fish keep theirs. Hopefully you have it and rarely move money to it. But having it gives you options, and options are always good to have.