I would also recommend finding a skill or stockpiling items for bartering.
(Edited to add: I'm not speaking solely/specifically to you, OP, who has already said you are developing/using important skills like gardening. This is just me speaking to anyone reading this.
I'm a very sloppy writer, sorry.)
In a TEOTWAWKI event, I personally don't see people using silver/gold much for everyday use. And in that, I see things like old gold/silver jewelry and old silver coins (old circulated silver dimes/quarters, NOT collectible stuff) being used, and not the silver/gold bars many people are investing in.
The gold/silver bars will come in much later, to re-establish wealth, when society starts to rebuild. How long "later" is, is debatable. I personally think it will be years.
In the meantime, instead of fiat money, I think people will fall back on skills and consumables. Obviously basic nursing skills will be useful. As well as mechanical and engineering skills.
But don't underestimate practical life skills like cooking and gardening and canning and sewing and knowing which wild plants are safe/useful and which are not. Being able to do and teach these skills will be useful. Even small things like knowing how to give a decent haircut will be handy.
These types of basic skills are easy and free to learn by pretty much anyone. And a much better use of time than watching reruns of The Bachelor or whatever it is people do to waste time. And can be used now, before anything life changing happens. And even in the case that nothing we expect to happen comes to be, they will still enrich your life (and save money doing it).
Also stockpiling items people will want/need in order to barter will be important. In that, I think things like booze, smokes, OTC medications (advil/tylenol/pepto/exlax,etc...) would be good to have. Seeds for food gardening. Fishing hooks,lures,line,etc....
Anything you see that is cheap and useful, maybe buy a few extra and put them away strictly for barter.
From what I read around here, I'm getting the impression that many people are leaning hard on the silver/gold they're investing in, and I worry that many anons are going to have a rough go in the time it takes society to get back to the point where large(ish) amounts of silver/gold will be important.
100% agree.
I would also recommend finding a skill or stockpiling items for bartering.
(Edited to add: I'm not speaking solely/specifically to you, OP, who has already said you are developing/using important skills like gardening. This is just me speaking to anyone reading this. I'm a very sloppy writer, sorry.)
In a TEOTWAWKI event, I personally don't see people using silver/gold much for everyday use. And in that, I see things like old gold/silver jewelry and old silver coins (old circulated silver dimes/quarters, NOT collectible stuff) being used, and not the silver/gold bars many people are investing in.
The gold/silver bars will come in much later, to re-establish wealth, when society starts to rebuild. How long "later" is, is debatable. I personally think it will be years.
In the meantime, instead of fiat money, I think people will fall back on skills and consumables. Obviously basic nursing skills will be useful. As well as mechanical and engineering skills.
But don't underestimate practical life skills like cooking and gardening and canning and sewing and knowing which wild plants are safe/useful and which are not. Being able to do and teach these skills will be useful. Even small things like knowing how to give a decent haircut will be handy.
These types of basic skills are easy and free to learn by pretty much anyone. And a much better use of time than watching reruns of The Bachelor or whatever it is people do to waste time. And can be used now, before anything life changing happens. And even in the case that nothing we expect to happen comes to be, they will still enrich your life (and save money doing it).
Also stockpiling items people will want/need in order to barter will be important. In that, I think things like booze, smokes, OTC medications (advil/tylenol/pepto/exlax,etc...) would be good to have. Seeds for food gardening. Fishing hooks,lures,line,etc.... Anything you see that is cheap and useful, maybe buy a few extra and put them away strictly for barter.
From what I read around here, I'm getting the impression that many people are leaning hard on the silver/gold they're investing in, and I worry that many anons are going to have a rough go in the time it takes society to get back to the point where large(ish) amounts of silver/gold will be important.
Just my two cents worth.