Not Just Soccer Moms And Bargain Hunters – Prepare For The Real Black Friday
Every year, the Friday after Thanksgiving millions of people rush out before dawn in order to get the best deals, and find the perfect gifts for Christmas for their friends and loved ones. They trample each other, bursting through the doors of the store hoping to be the first one to the best deals the store has to offer. There is pushing, pulling, rude behavior, and everyone is out for themselves. They are not thinking about the mother they just stepped on to get to the top requested item on every child’s Christmas list. A frenzy ensues as there is only so many of the one thing that everyone wants.
It Just Got Real
Now put a twist on the above scenario, only this is not black Friday, this is a few minutes after the local news reports the inevitable has finally happened, and the dollar has collapsed. Panic sets in, and everyone rushes to the grocery store or local Wal-Mart to gather food and the supplies they will need to get their family through the now hard times.
If you are brave enough to go to the store, you will see the ultimate frenzy that would rival even the largest black Friday sale. People will be buying everything in the store, EVERYTHING will be gone. The shelves will be empty, and people’s carts will be full. The lines will be long, and there may even be people outside of the store ready to take everything that was just bought. People will get desperate, and do desperate things.
And It Just Gets Worse
Three days later, the stores are empty, and those who have not planned will try to hunker down, and make do with what they have, maybe. True desperation will not have truly set in yet, but it is getting worse. There is a mood of despair and anger thick in the air as people try to figure out their next step.
A week later, people will probably start to get a little more desperate. They will be hungry, and their families are hungry. Lines of people wait at the grocery store, hoping they will open their doors soon, so they can hopefully get enough food to last another week. But what they aren’t expecting is the cost on everything has tripled. Supply and demand and greed is now in full force, and the masses can’t afford food, so now they will try to take it. Riots will happen, shootings will become more prevalent as will home invasions. There will still be the thugs who try to steal things like TV’s and video games, but more likely will be those who are simply trying to survive, and put their children to bed with a full belly.
The above scenario may or may not come true, but if we have learned anything from history we know it has before. This may be a worst case scenario of what will happen, or it could be a very mild version, only time will tell. But what you need to be thinking about now is what you should be doing to prepare and take yourself and your family out of this equation and avoid the chaos.
When the dollar collapses, notice I say when, not if, people will still have jobs, business will remain open to some extent, and there will still be utilities. Most likely a complete SHTF where everything stops working and people stop going to work won’t happen. There may be huge cuts to business with thousands of jobs cut, and prices will increase, but society will still continue in some form or another. This is what you should be planning for now.
Will Work For Food
You will still get up and go to “work” or will you need to go out and find “work”? Will your kids still go to school? And will the lights will still be on in your home? How you go about your average day may drastically change. Instead of focusing on what type of emergency could happen, you should be thinking ok, something catastrophic has just happened, how am I going to handle it? You should be planning for this now. Start with recognizing where you are now in your planning, and where you would like to be. Stop thinking of what if, and start planning for it now.
In an economic or partial economic collapse, tangible goods will be difficult if not impossible to get. So start purchasing extras now. Buy extra every time you go to the grocery store. Instead of buying one box of instant mashed potatoes, buy two. Do the same with canned goods, cereals and pasta. Stock up on these pantry items until you have enough food for your family for at least three months. You can do the same with freezer foods, however if your power is interrupted, you may lose what you have stored in the freezer. You can plan for this by having a generator, or learn how to can things like meat and meals. Canning is a very good option if done properly.
Being Prepared
By having a well-stocked pantry, if things take a turn for the worst, you won’t find yourself running to the grocery store with the masses. Hopefully you will be able to ride out the economic down turn with what you have on hand. By having a well-stocked pantry, you won’t have to face that last ditch effort of getting everything you can. You can stay at home, and maybe consider hiding some of your stores. If it gets bad, you don’t want stranger to come in and take what you have been working so hard to stockpile. It may be a little “zombie apocalypse” so to speak, but do you really want to take that chance? If someone were to break into your home when you weren’t there, hiding your cache throughout your home may give you enough food to get through the tough times. So stock up on items you use and hide them in plain sight throughout your home. Going through your kitchen cabinets will be the first place people will search, but what about creating a hidden pantry in a closet, or under your bed? Those that have been prepping will know areas of where to look in your home, but the odds are in your favor that some random looter isn’t going to search under your bed for canned goods.
Building Community
However, when things change, and people start to become desperate, you should plan for them to want what you have. One of the best was to deal with this is to have a good relationship with those who live around you. A small community of like minded individuals will fare better than those who are only out for themselves. Talk to your neighbors. Make it a point to say hi, and strike up a conversation. Does your next door neighbor have a great garden? Go ask them what they are doing to have such a bountiful harvest. Become an active participant in your community. This will keep you aware of what is going on around you, as well as meet your neighbors and learn what their concerns are. Everyone has something useful to offer and will have some sort of skills. By working together, and having a same general goal, a community is better than trying to get through this on your own. Safety in numbers is very appropriate for this type of scenario, and if your neighbors are looking out for you and vice versa, you have just increased your odds that your family will get through this. And being able to discuss and plan with likeminded individuals will help your general sense of well being.
Your Most Important Tool Is Sitting On Your Shoulders
Perhaps the most important aspect of survival is your mindset. In any type of crisis situation, keeping a level head can mean the difference between life and death. Ok, that may be a little dramatic, but it’s true. By really accepting that something can happen that will change the way you live your life, and doing things now to prepare you have taken the very important step of preparing yourself and your family for the inevitable. Realize that this will happen, and have a plan in place. Start living that way now, don’t wait to start tomorrow. Keep a level head, and don’t get sucked into what the mass media is feeding you. When something does happen, remain calm, and go forward with your day in the same way you have been, in a prepared frame of mind.
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