Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

Four steps to take after you realize preparedness is for you

During the Great Depression, the vast majority of American citizens were rural, farm-oriented people with survival skills far beyond the modern American.

"Prepping" in those days was ingrained in our society, rather than marginalized and labeled "fringe." Today, the numbers are reversed, with a dwindling number of farm-experienced Americans and a vast wasteland of urban and suburban citizens — many with few, if any, skill sets that would benefit them in a time of societal breakdown.

During the Great Depression, millions of people died of starvation and general poverty, despite the incredible number of people with rural survival knowledge. Today, an incredible subsection of Americans do not know how to feed themselves; they do not know how to hunt; they do not know how to grow crops; they do not know how to repair any necessary items used for subsistence; they do not know how to build anything useful; they do not know how to shoot; they do not know how to defend themselves; they don't even know how to cook a pot of rice properly.

I have often closed my letters to you with a simple reminder to store water, food, guns, ammo and gold, without mentioning the above deficiencies in society in general. Yet, inevitably, that remark will spark a rejoinder or emails pointing out the folly of preparedness.

Some people just don't get it, and apparently, no amount of "preaching" to them on the subject will get through. Boy Scouts, apparently, they aren't. For them, either normalcy bias — the belief that things will always be just like they are — or the belief that society is too "advanced" for anything to go wrong is just too tough to overcome.

Perhaps now, after the Coronavirus casedemic frenzy that locked down the entire country, they begin to understand that being a prepper does not mean you believe a "zombie apocalypse" is imminent. It just means that you are preparing for whatever might come along: be it a vehicle breakdown in a remote location, a storm that knocks out power for several days or something much more catastrophic.

I used to use the example of New Orleans after Katrina to provide an example of how quickly society can break down into anarchy once basic services are lost.

But one need look no further than the effects and panic during the coronavirus scare.

What's foolish about having a backup survival plan and enough water, food and medical supplies — and the means to protect them — to get you through at least a month in a situation in which you are on your own?

Nothing, considering the original "orders" coming from government were to lock down everything for a month.

Those in New Orleans who were unprepared for the chaos found themselves dependent on nonexistent or ineffectual government services. Many died or suffered greatly as a result.

Those among the 17 million who lost their jobs immediately following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic found themselves lining up, for miles, trying to get free food at locations around the country, from California to Pittsburgh.

I believe the immense amount of borrowing by the Federal Reserve will cause hyperinflation. It is unclear exactly how that is going to affect basic services (including those we depend upon government to provide), plus the banking system and the supply chain of food and other goods to stores. I know we have historical precedent to study; and I'm certain that when it happens, there is going to be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I believe that when that occurs, a barter system will develop in which tradable commodities along with gold and silver become the monetary system, if even for a short time. So-called "junk silver" (pre-1965 silver coins) could easily become the currency of choice. The coins look like the money we see every day but have the value of their silver content. Besides, both silver and gold have had value as "money" throughout every society in our history.

When disaster occurs, if you find yourself without the means to barter something of value, you will have to sell your labor or skill set to others or resort to scrounging or theft to survive.

So, is it foolish for me to have enough essentials stored away that your family will be well-set if (when) something catastrophic occurs? I think it's foolish not to.

So, whether you feel you already are a "prepper," or if you would like to be, or if you simply want to be prepared for anything that comes our way and you don't need a label for yourself, get started today.

The noted philosopher Winnie the Pooh once said, "Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up."

Four steps

As my friend Thomas Miller once wrote, "'The Alpha Strategy: The Ultimate Plan of Financial Self-Defense,' a book that was written in 1980 by John Pugsley, outlines how the economy really works and provides an investing strategy that could be a very viable solution for the prepper as well ... it is also an ideal way to accumulate the beans, bullets, and bandages that are paramount to being prepared for an uncertain future.

"It is also conceivable that if there were to be a disaster (regardless of whether it is natural or man-made) that the traditional system of three classes; the upper, middle, and lower, could easily become a two-class system of the haves and have-nots. If this were to become the case, having invested in physical holding that will support survival will turn you into the wealthy for all intents and purposes.

"The Alpha Strategy breaks investments down into four levels. This is the real takeaway for the prepper.

Level one is investment in production which is essentially education, a second trade, and tools with which to produce (emphasis can be placed on skills that are especially useful in a post-collapse society).
Level two is to save consumables such as items to maintain your home or shelter, foods, beverages, first aid supplies, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, clothing, etc.
The third level of The Alpha Strategy is to save real money, this includes manufactured goods for the purpose of resale or barter, raw commodities, and precious metals.
The fourth and final level is to protect against theft."

I will reiterate that I always consider it prudent to grow at least some of your own food if you can and to store food and water for emergencies. We even set up a website so you can purchase food and water purification at a discount. Everyone should have at the barest minimum of three days of food and water on hand. But even better is at least three weeks of food and water and other essentials at your disposal at all times. More is better.

Gold American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, African Krugerrands and Australian Kangaroos, because they are stamped in English with their weight and gold content clearly marked, are the preferred forms of gold.

Purchase a gun if you can before it's too late. Once you have one, become familiar with its use. Get trained and practice.

Yours for the truth,

Bob Livingston

SIDEBAR:

Many take advantage of the natural bounty that summer has to offer and try their hands at forging and learning to trap outdoors. While fishing and snare traps for small game are popular, there are a few other food sources to consider.
While many would turn their nose up to these 7 survival food sources, in a dire emergency, where there is no food, you have to take it where you can get it.

Low Cost Home Security Tactics

Just because you cannot afford a home security system does not mean you can't take steps to protect your home. If you're financially strapped, these cost-efficient safety tactics should help deter intruders from entering your home.

How to Make a Solar Still: The Ultimate Purification Device

A simple, non-high-tech water purifier can be a life saver in emergency situations at places where there is no means to access potable water.

https://worldwaterreserve.com/potable-water/purification/how-to-make-a-solar-still/

https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/how-build-your-own-solar-still

I spend more time watching Youtube than regular television. There wasn't much quality content on Youtube at first, but over the past few years some very experienced preppers have started some fantastic channels.

Since a lot of people I talk to aren't aware of this, I decided to compile a list of the 100 best prepper and survivalist Youtube channels (in my opinion). It would take days, maybe even weeks to check all these out, so I encourage you to bookmark this page.

I could have included over 100, but I decided to exclude channels that haven't been adding new videos lately (as of this writing). That means I had to leave out great channels such as Analytical Survival, P.A.W. Productions, and The Survival Doctor, to name a few. But if I had included every good survival channel the list would have been ridiculously long...

100 Best Prepper and Survivalist Youtube Channels