Disasters

If a disaster like the one that hit Japan were to strike the entire world, would any amount of precious metals really matter?

Asking the people who believe silver is for a SHTF senario. How many ounces do you think you'll need for one can of soup or bottle of clean water?

Do you think someone with that can of soup or bottle of clean water will even be interested in your 100 ounces of gold?

 

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I think PM's are only important and relevant if there is a stable financial system in place that uses an actual currency. As soon as you get into a situation where food and tools are traded like you mentioned, we all might as well use our silver as paper weights. In an apocalypitic sort of view, if my fridge is stocked well, it will be much more functional than someone's vault stuffed with gold.

 

Oh well, at least you can melt the silver & gold down to make bullets.

 

If that were to happen in the magnitude you propose , the food in your house would be more precious than anything else you own.

 

Not if the electric grid is down.

 

Howdy,

Very true that a pile of silver and gold coins could be of little use in some major disaster. However, if I was fleeing inland from a tsunami zone, having a roll of eagles in the backpack would give me great comfort. So would a canteen, a handgun, some MREs and good friends.

For my money, you prepare for bad situations in a holistic and broad based way so that you have maximum flexibility and multiple layers of redundency. Think of your preparations as insulation - not just from hot and cold, but from every nasty little surprise you can bring to mind. Fire, famine, power outage, a whole list of natural disasters, workloss, theft, market loss, financial meltdown, anarchy, war, disease and the list goes on for pages. Are their limits to your preparations? Of course. You get to a place of diminishing marginal returns where it's just not worth it.

That's OK. You do what you can to cover the big things to a greater or lesser degree and call it good. Better yet is to structure your life in a manner of preparedness. Establish multiple streams of income, diversify your wealth, constantly update your job skills and knowledge base, be a volunteer in your community and neighborhood, grow some of your own food and shop local, eliminate all debts, stay in shape, eat right, etc.

I recently retired and always knew that in retirement it was important for me to stay productive and continue to add value AND to keep learning so my mind didn't calcify. What I didn't realize was that there is a third leg, and that's to keep my body in good shape. I believe that if I stay in shape, keep learning and remain productive, it may not add a day to my life, but it will guarantee that I'm giving myself the best possible odds of a happy retirement.

peace,

rono

 

Some good stuff there Rono.

 

Well said Rono

 

Yes, Rono, very well said. You have touched on most all of the important facets of "being prepared". Personally, I believe it's the responsible way to live life! Regarding whether or not having a pile of silver and gold coins would or would not be of little use...well, part of being prepared is looking a bit past the beginning of an "event" to what comes later, and in my opinion, having something with you (as you mentioned, a roll of eagles in your backpack) is almost prudent! (If possible.) There is a hierarchy of needs that we may still strive for, even in a catastrophic event. Right at this moment, those folks who have survived the tsunami/earthquake/nuclear reactors... will be right there working of the basic needs; food, water, AIR, warmth, lodging, safety, family if possible, perhaps medical attention.. As time goes by and they go forward there will be other needs, not just the basic first level. So, yep, I think preparedness includes far more than food and water. I also might add, at least from my perspective, to maintain your "faith" (whatever it is made of), always being "ready" in the event of a catastrophic event such as we have all seen this weekend.
I am so sad for all of those people.

Lucy

 

Two ill fated shuttles. Columbia and Challenger disasters.

 

Making a bullet out of gold would effect the ballistic coefficient and make the round unpredictable I would much rather just have copper jacketed lead much more predictable.

 

I think some people here have misunderstood my question. "On a global scale!" There will be no U.S.S. Ronald Reagan to save your sorry A**.

 

http://gizmodo.com/#!5781566/this-is-the-scariest-first+person-video-of-the-japan-tsunami-yet

Besides that I would like to know how exactly are you going to find your gold when your HOUSE or business or where-every you were keeping your gold is not where you left it?

 

All i have to say is P.S. for those that think I am serious, I am not

 

LOL... (rule #1 Cardio) You can't run fast packing a bunch of gold.

 

Funny jokes aside, I have one last point to make and then I shall disappear into the ether from whence I came for some here think that I'm a troll, so I shall make this brief.

If a global disaster did happen and your family were in need, what are the chances that your neighbor would give you his can of soup or his bottle of clean water? How much do you think he'd ask for it? Is it possible it would be free, seeing as you are in need? When was the last time you helped someone who was in need?

We should worry less about our financial investments and a little more in our investments of the heart, in investments of the well being of our fellow man. For in times of great need, only the investments of our heart will truly save us. Have heart, keep the faith, and God Bless.

P.S. and remember, this comes from a self proclaimed whack job.......can you do better.....I think so. Peace.

 

I think the short answer is - it depends. Does your neighbor have enough surplus of food and water that they would be able to spare you the help? Whether they do or not, would they have the heart to help as you say? I think you are spot on with investing in each other first and foremost, we've gotta stick together. I do think that even if monetary systems and society breaks down that PM's will still have a place, but not at the top of the ladder with basic necessities. Can you put a price on water when you're dying of thirst? Probably not, but you are a lot more likely to get water for silver than for a piece of paper.

 

Today's news from Japan , only confirms my initial comment . This is absolutely a worst case scenario playing out in real time. Devastating.

 

Proper Storage

I believe you'll find, as with virtually all commodities, if food is properly packaged/stored with removal of oxidizing/growth components, natural deterioration is minimized, and electricity isn't a necessary requirement for storage of food. I've food that has been stored for decades, periodically opened/tested/consumed/replaced without adverse effects. Agh!! Sorry about the objective interjection to a redirection of the post subject.

 

No investment can really protect against Armageddon. PMs are just another asset class, a tool to be used to improve your standard of living under certain circumstances. I invest because I believe the future will be better than the past, and not because I believe there is no future.