If you had to guess on a time table to finish your prep’s based on current local/world, conditions/events what would be your best educated prediction?
If the SHTF to night would you consider your self ready?
I’m more prepared now than I’ve ever been, however I would still like to focus more on certain areas. If “it” were to happen tonight I would be way better off than almost anyone I personally know. My priorities have changed somewhat in the past few months as weapons and ammo have reached satisfactory levels (for me), food stores are increasing, etc. I’m focusing more on medical and hygeine stores now. I will keep at it until it is needed.
I am set for a bug-in situation right now. If I had to bug-out I would be SOL. Other than camping I don’t have many options. I definitely need a better plan.
One of the people I tune into is Investment Analyst Dr. Marc Faber, former Managing Director for Drexel Burnham Lambert, also known as Doctor Doom and produces the Doom & Gloom Report. He’s a contrarian investor and like Gerald Celente, has been predicting all of this for a long time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Faber
Faber says "Forget time lines here and understand that the sheer size and volatility of the system makes it nearly impossible to identify exactly what, when and how. The only thing we need to know is that we are living in the middle of it all right now, and day-by-day, month-by-month, year-by-year it continues to deteriorate.
Faber suggests that with so many monetary, fiscal and political variables at play, the end game of this crisis can be delayed for months or years to come. Faber, who has warned since before the 2008 crisis that entire nations would fail due to high debt levels, that hyperinflation is an inevitable outcome of the Fed’s accounting games, and that war will be the ultimate result.
Eventually the same will happen as in the United States. The ECB (European Central Bank) will print money one way or the other. And, the debts that essentially should be written down to realistic value will continue to be carried on the books of banks at unrealistic values. So, the end crisis will be postponed until the sovereigns go bankrupt.
Read here: http://lewrockwell.com/slavo/slavo75.1.html
Here’s an argument that a strong case can be made sometime after the elections of 2012. http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/they-know-social-unrest-is-a-foregone-conclusion_11222011
Ultimately I agree with Faber, so many variables at play and they will print money as long as they can to avoid the inevitable as long as is possible. …but it’s coming. When the Euro collapses first, American banks it is estimated have about 5% of assets at play. Not good but not as bad as some might think. The U.S. will have some time beyond that. The people uprising could change timelines dramatically though. Events in the Middle East could also with the “Sino-Russian-Iran” alliance. China refusing to buy any more of our debt, sudden departure from the dollar as the worlds reserve currency etc etc. Just so many variables at play.
Since you asked for our best guesses…mine is 6 months to 2 years. My guess is as good as anyone’s! But it’s based on our debt levels /GDP and other factors.
Am I ready…NO! but better than most. I keep working on it. I too need a bug-out retreat. As some of you may remember, the vacant bug-out property I had my eye on and was watching to squat was sold end of July. Plan B took a major dumper. Anyone in Florida feel free to contact me. As Faber suggests, “For all we know the entire system can collapse in the next 30 days, or, the full fallout may not be witnessed for several years.”
Just the fact that we’re on a forum like this I’d say already puts us way ahead of 99% of Americans…
I don’t feel ready, however I don’t think anythings going to happen tomorrow either. If the TS ever does HF, we’ll all wish we’d bought more Im sure. Even having left $5.00 in the bank would be a waste and we’ll wish we spent it, let alone the thousands we all probably have in US dollars…
No, sadly I would not.
More prepared than most, less than some.
As far as my preps this year I added about $3000.00 in gear and storage foods which works out roughly to be 4% of my yearly gross salary.
I spent more this year then others because of the spike in violent events all over the nation and with the fact that high unemployment and lack of credit will push people to more desperate acts to feed their families.
I feel that if the U.S. dollar takes a shit then that will be the match that lights the fuse to the mass SHTF event. The up coming elections will either quicken or delay the dollars collapse depending who gets elected.
My prediction is mid to late 2013
HEY, we are counting on you Utahn’s to hold the “Park City Gap”.
In the same boat here, GTG for a few months maybe more. Once the Ramcharger is done , its back to prepping and finding a BOL.
2012-2013 tops. :eek:
Negative. I’m more prepared than I have ever been, but there is no such thing as being totally prepared. 
My next endeavor needs to be body armor. . .
My answer is, HELL NO. i am in the middle of a move and living in a hotel. In about 3 months I will be completely set, back in TX near my land. Until then I am screwed with what gear and supplies I have in my truck.
I will not be bugging out. My entire family, farm, and anything I care about is within 3 miles of my house. I would rather bug in and die at home then leave everything.
Unless you live walking distance from a big city, you are better off bugging in anyway.
Quote: like Gerald Celente, has been predicting all of this for a long time.
Did you hear on coastotcoast am that Celente got raped for all the money he had in the fund headed by Corzine? The bankruptcy people took all he had and hit him with a margin call. Ouch
When, not if things collapse, we will all be taken by surprise. I will be at work 40 miles from my home without any weapons( the Feds frown on weapons where I work) and minimum food and water, I will drive as best I can, but walking is not a option.
I can bug in place where I live now, it would be better if it waited until I retire and move to a smaller town.
does a city of 150,000 count? cause thats 20 miles away… and a city of 10,000 is 6 miles away.
Like I said, my entire immediate family lives within 3 miles of me(been here on the same ground since 1834). I’m not leaving.
Welcome back! Stop by for a tasty beverage and some BBQ! 
And to answer the OP, my economic preps are almost complete. I’ve almost got any interest-bearing debt paid off. The food, water, medical, and other stuff is coming along.
Give me 12 more months, and I will be in very good shape. Fingers crossed.
While paying off/down debt is always a good idea, does debt really matter in a situation that’s bad enough that you figure society has collapsed?
Yea I read about it. Shame.
Here’s how I look at it. You’re correct in your thinking if it’s TEOTWAWKI. However, none of us have a crystal ball to know what the end game and how severe the collapse will ultimately be. Personally I think it’s going to be disastrous, but none of us know for certain.
Yes, credit card debt is technically unsecured debt. And an argument can be made to not pay off that debt and buy supplies instead with the money. However, if it is not TEOTWAWKI and just a deep depression, and you lose your job, or for whatever reason you default on your credit cards, those credit card penalties and interest rack up real fast.
A $10,000 default can turn into a $100,000 obligation in no time. At some point you’ll have to file bankruptcy to get rid of that monkey. In Florida where I am, your home can not be touched in a bankruptcy, however in some states it can. You can be forced to liquidate to satisfy credit card obligations. So defaulting on unsecured debt can still come back to bite you.
However, with 60% of homes being underwater today, there’s nothing to liquidate. If you’re not underwater it’s more of a concern and depends on your states individual bankruptcy laws regarding your home. If you owe more on your mortgage than your house is worth like I am, and you don’t see that situation changing in the next 10 years, (which it will probably be for most) I’d say don’t worry about paying off the credit card or other unsecured debts. Just make monthly payments for now. Buy supplies & get prepared. Work on paying it off once you’re comfortable with your preparedness level, within reason. Or save the money (or buy gold or other commodities that you can sell easily should things simmer down) you would use to pay off or down the debt, as long as you’re able to meet the monthly payments, and in a few years time when we see what the shake out was you’ll be in a position to apply it toward the debt. If things get worse you say screw the debt & use the money you saved accordingly to survive.
Interesting topic…always pretty interesting to see other like-minded people’s POV…
I think that IF we make it past the 2012 elections, then we will hold up for however long the economy can stand being propped up (through bailouts, printing money, QE, ect.)…your guess is as good as mine here…
I have my own thoughts on what “could” happen just before the elections that would send the country down the road that we are talking about here.
Yes, Blatant imo. Here it is for those whom have not.
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/user/LanceHarris007?feature=mhee#p/f/9/J5OxXGjJBnM
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/user/LanceHarris007?feature=mhee#p/f/8/5DLtHLSWMX0
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/user/LanceHarris007?feature=mhee#p/f/7/Sf9HIo8NJBg