Ammo or precious metals?

[irishfan]

Food, water, and shelter are priority with guns and ammo close behind. Now, a few arms for protection is vital but a large amount is an option and would be a choice only after a respectable supply of other products for health and barter are gathered. Silver and gold would be nice in many situations but I would think items such as coffee, toothpaste, and cleaning supplies would be better barter between individuals.

 

[Expat]

Here is the spending money of our future:

 

[Greenmonsta79]

I will die before I accept that currency! Ammo ammo and more ammo! I have bought water purification systems, I will just go down to the lake and drink that! and shoot the game have plenty of .22! and I think bow hunting is very very smart idea especially in a "mad max" society where they hear the shot and come runnin' looking for your kill, bow hunting is much quieter and you only have to worry about breaking/ loosing arrow, you can have all that gold you want its not going to buy you food when the world turns to

 

[Indiana_Dave]

I think we all get it - in the case of absolute shtf, durable goods will be better than metals.

However, absolute shtf is only one scenario. There are many other scenarios in which, if a person has extra money AFTER getting the basics (food, ammo, etc.), gold or silver would come in handy.

Example - WWII Europe - about as close as the modern world has gotten to a shtf situation. Many people with stockpiles of ammo were killed by the authorities for having ammo, but other people with gold were able to use it to get to safety.

I think the metals will pay off in any interim period of hyperinflation. If you have $100,000 in cash today, and we see a 50% loss in the dollar's value, one could avoid that by moving from cash to gold today. Under these facts, that 50% loss in the value of the dollar will mean that today's $100k worth of gold will be worth $200k in tomorrow-dollars, and the holder has essentially used the gold as a time machine, to take today's wealth through the inflationary period to the other side of it. Gold used to be $30/oz only 100 years ago, and is now $1100/oz. This "increase" is largely due to the decrease in the spending power of the dollar during this time.

 

[Indiana_Dave]

Silver and gold would be nice in many situations but I would think items such as coffee, toothpaste, and cleaning supplies would be better barter between individuals.

To use this as an example, if a fellow has $100,000, it would simply take to much space for him to buy $100,000 worth of these things for use in future barter. If his concern is that the dollar may be worthless at some point, buying gold would be an efficient alternative for moving out of cash. $100,000 would buy him about 8lbs of gold which could be easily stored, and even transported in a bug out situation.

 

[Expat]

To use this as an example, if a fellow has $100,000, it would simply take to much space for him to buy $100,000 worth of these things for use in future barter. If his concern is that the dollar may be worthless at some point, buying gold would be an efficient alternative for moving out of cash. $100,000 would buy him about 8lbs of gold which could be easily stored, and even transported in a bug out situation.

But if food is in extremely short supply (read: people starving), the gold will likely be worthless.

 

[Scutter01]

Just buy silver bullets. Then you'll have both.

 

[Expat]

Just buy silver bullets. Then you'll have both.

+! just in case there is a werewolf outbreak you would be good to go.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Just buy silver bullets. Then you'll have both.

Naaw, Stoker & Graham disproved that effectiveness in their were-goat tests in the 80s.

 

[Indiana_Dave]

But if food is in extremely short supply (read: people starving), the gold will likely be worthless.

But, like I've been saying, if we're talking about what to do with your extra money (in my example, $100,000) AFTER you have your food, gold and silver are good choices. You wouldn't buy $100,000 worth of food.

Gold and silver have been valued by various societies for thousands of years, so I don't agree with the "worthless" label.

 

[NathanJefferson]

#1. safe drinkable water

#2. non perishable food (canned goods)

#3. shelter making equiptment (assuming houses are unsafe, etc)

#4. fire

#5. never sell your ammo or guns period.

Good list. Make sure you have YOUR guns and ammo, and extras for friends/family, but it would be a very stupid proposition to trade away guns and ammo as barter!

If it came to barter, I wouldn't trade ANYONE a gun or ammo, but might give them to friends and family.

Last thing you need to do is give someone the tools to take back what they just traded you! As well as everything else you have!

 

[mike8170]

Ammo for the battle rifles and defensive arms, insure that you have enough for your group. In the SHTF event, there is slim possibility of making it without others unless you are truly a loner. Next will be the supplies needed to last until there is a growing cycle, and then you will need storage for it, plus shelter for your little clan. Only after these are complete would I be buying barter items. Not only precious metals, but maybe a still (at least the components), building materials, oils and fuels, etc. In case you haven't figured it out by now, there is a lot to prepare for, and I never have enough

 

[ddenny5]

But, like I've been saying, if we're talking about what to do with your extra money (in my example, $100,000) AFTER you have your food, gold and silver are good choices. You wouldn't buy $100,000 worth of food.

Gold and silver have been valued by various societies for thousands of years, so I don't agree with the "worthless" label.

Gold and silver will aways have value even in the worst of economic times. Gold and silver were used as currency in ancient times during the first egyptian dynasties. Our counties early history used spanish coins and the term "pieces of eight because american money was considered worthless. The U.S. should have never gave up the gold standard.

 

[50apiguy]

agreed gold is good but you need plenty of guns and ammo to protect it

 

[jbombelli]

There are varying levels of SHTF. In most of them, gold would be a good thing to have. Actually, in ALL of them gold is a good thing to have.

Gold and silver have always had value. Throughout man's entire history, we have been more than willing to kill die over it. People bought their way out of the holocaust with gold.

Ammo is good too. So do what I do.

Get both.

 

[glock2010]

im sticking with unclemike on this one lol

 

[GSquared]

At least in Patriots, gold coins were too high a denomination. If I remember correctly, there was a comment about a gold coin buying a car. I would think that silver would be a much better choice of precious metals.

 

[djl02]

What did the smart people do in the Great Depression? That would be a good hint

 

[UncleMike]

What did the smart people do in the Great Depression? That would be a good hint

There were no "smart" people during The Depression. I have been told stories, by the people who were there, that entire blocks of homes owned by millionaires before The Crash were sold for taxes due during The Depression. Entire family fortunes were wiped out overnight and the formerly rich were in the same boat as the "Average Joe".
Kinda like what Obama wants to do by "redistributing" the wealth.
Mike

 

[djl02]

There were no "smart" people during The Depression. I have been told stories, by the people who were there, that entire blocks of homes owned by millionaires before The Crash were sold for taxes due during The Depression. Entire family fortunes were wiped out overnight and the formerly rich were in the same boat as the "Average Joe".
Kinda like what Obama wants to do by "redistributing" the wealth.
Mike

Well the dumb people in my family didnt loose their farm,never had any money to loose, they only went to do their trading to get salt pepper,sugar. they were pretty well self sufficent. Shame they werent smart, just think what they could have done.