4 ms·

Not to sound like a doomsday prepper but my dad instilled in me growing up in south Florida to “be the bank” in case I was ever in a scenario like this. I keep

Not to sound like a doomsday prepper but my dad instilled in me growing up in south Florida to “be the bank” in case I was ever in a scenario like this. I keep a months worth of pay on hand in small bills and a months worth of pay in 1/10th ounce gold coins. Nothing like needing a bottle of water and only having $20s.

korzun 9y ago
Where do you live? I would love to hear all about it.
mlevental 9y ago
what is the point of the gold coins? if we get to the point where people start asking for gold there will be absolutely no fixed exchange rate
- odammit 9y ago
  Just in case US currency becomes worthless :D I also keep the spot price and a copy of global exchange rates from each purchase of my gold so I can back it out to what it’s worth. You know, just in case. You never know until you know.
  - mlevental 9y ago
    i can't fathom the fundamental misunderstanding that leads to thinking like this: >I also keep the spot price and a copy of global exchange rates from each purchase of my gold so I can back it out to what it’s worth. You know, just in case. do you think you'll present your certificates to marauders and they'll just say "i guess you're right 1 oz is the fair market value for this water"? i had a similar argument with someone about gold as a store of value years ago: the value is market determined. no one in the apocalypse is going to care about any price you have a record of because there will be no markets.
    - odammit 9y ago
      More so to keep track of my own gains/losses if I sold it for another currency, not to buy a tricked out armored 4 wheeler from a man dressed like a steam punk named Mr Pain-x. Edit: Fuck I hope google sheets is still up when the time comes. I should probably print them.
    - rtx 9y ago
      Things settle down after marauders. Then you bring out the coins.
chiph 9y ago
I also grew up in hurricane country. You always wanted to have several hundred in cash at the house. The point about small bills is a good one. I was without power for 10 days after Hugo, so now I keep a week's worth of freeze-dried food and bottled water, plus a backpacking stove to heat the water. The small backpacker sized solar cells are fairly worthless for charging a modern smartphone - the difference between the current they put out and power draw by the phone is too great, even with a supplemental LiOn battery pack.
- odammit 9y ago
  I don’t have a way to recharge my phone besides a few backup batteries, which is embarrassing. I do also keep some food and water. I have about 30 days of stored chlorinated water in BPA free containers and a weeks worth of MREs and about two big laundry basket sized tubs of canned food. I backpack a lot so I’ve got tons of random “survival supplies” but two key things are: - little gas stove(1) - can opener (1) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4FY8YO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_oKNwFLmLvFi4J https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4FY8YO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_oKN...
  - odammit 9y ago
    I just went through my “chaos closet” to look for anything else that is an “overlooked necessity”: - ziplock bags (to poop in) - whiskey. I have 10L of whiskey in there
  - chiph 9y ago
    That is indeed a little gas stove. :) Purchasers should be aware that the fuel cylinders can have either threaded or non-threaded connectors. Buy the one that matches the stove. MREs are fine (the new ones are far tastier than the ones we had in the 80's), but the Mountain House "bucket" of freeze-dried food has a 30 year shelf-life, as long as you don't open the bucket and keep it out of the sun. It's a higher cost up front, but essentially never has to be replaced until you use it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00955DUHQ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00955DUHQ
- odammit 9y ago

korzun 9y ago

Where do you live? I would love to hear all about it.

mlevental 9y ago

what is the point of the gold coins? if we get to the point where people start asking for gold there will be absolutely no fixed exchange rate

odammit 9y ago
Just in case US currency becomes worthless :D I also keep the spot price and a copy of global exchange rates from each purchase of my gold so I can back it out to what it’s worth. You know, just in case. You never know until you know.
- mlevental 9y ago
  i can't fathom the fundamental misunderstanding that leads to thinking like this: >I also keep the spot price and a copy of global exchange rates from each purchase of my gold so I can back it out to what it’s worth. You know, just in case. do you think you'll present your certificates to marauders and they'll just say "i guess you're right 1 oz is the fair market value for this water"? i had a similar argument with someone about gold as a store of value years ago: the value is market determined. no one in the apocalypse is going to care about any price you have a record of because there will be no markets.
  - odammit 9y ago
    More so to keep track of my own gains/losses if I sold it for another currency, not to buy a tricked out armored 4 wheeler from a man dressed like a steam punk named Mr Pain-x. Edit: Fuck I hope google sheets is still up when the time comes. I should probably print them.
  - rtx 9y ago
    Things settle down after marauders. Then you bring out the coins.

chiph 9y ago

I also grew up in hurricane country. You always wanted to have several hundred in cash at the house. The point about small bills is a good one. I was without power for 10 days after Hugo, so now I keep a week's worth of freeze-dried food and bottled water, plus a backpacking stove to heat the water. The small backpacker sized solar cells are fairly worthless for charging a modern smartphone - the difference between the current they put out and power draw by the phone is too great, even with a supplemental LiOn battery pack.

odammit 9y ago
I don’t have a way to recharge my phone besides a few backup batteries, which is embarrassing. I do also keep some food and water. I have about 30 days of stored chlorinated water in BPA free containers and a weeks worth of MREs and about two big laundry basket sized tubs of canned food. I backpack a lot so I’ve got tons of random “survival supplies” but two key things are: - little gas stove(1) - can opener (1) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4FY8YO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_oKNwFLmLvFi4J https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4FY8YO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_oKN...
- odammit 9y ago
  I just went through my “chaos closet” to look for anything else that is an “overlooked necessity”: - ziplock bags (to poop in) - whiskey. I have 10L of whiskey in there
- chiph 9y ago
  That is indeed a little gas stove. :) Purchasers should be aware that the fuel cylinders can have either threaded or non-threaded connectors. Buy the one that matches the stove. MREs are fine (the new ones are far tastier than the ones we had in the 80's), but the Mountain House "bucket" of freeze-dried food has a 30 year shelf-life, as long as you don't open the bucket and keep it out of the sun. It's a higher cost up front, but essentially never has to be replaced until you use it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00955DUHQ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00955DUHQ
odammit 9y ago