For those who regularly visit my website, Off Grid Survival, it’s probably not going to be a huge surprise that I devoted an entire chapter to financial preparedness. I believe that the economy is one of the most immediate and dangerous problems facing the United States and many other countries worldwide. In my opinion, economic problems should be on the top of everyone’s list of most likely disasters.
Of all the situations discussed in this book, financial disaster is probably one of the most likely emergencies you’ll face. From extreme examples like the collapse of a country’s economy to everyday financial problems like job losses or unexpected medical issues that can quickly push a family into economic ruin, the fact is, financial problems are something that will, at some point, affect every single one of us.
While preparing for economic problems might not be sexy—how many Hollywood disaster movies focus on someone who just lost his job and now has to worry about feeding his family?—the fact is, the world is heading toward some major economic problems. If you want to survive what’s coming, now is the time to start taking these problems seriously.
The three financial preparedness principles outlined in this section—setting a budget, prepping on a budget, and developing a plan for long-term financial security—are critical to self-reliance. They also provide a foundation for surviving the financial emergencies covered in this section—surviving a job loss, a recession, and total economic collapse.