Soviet Union and Depression

Being prepared for another great recession or depression can make all the difference between terrible suffering and living a comfortable life of self-reliance. One only has to look to economic collapses from the past to know the best way to get ready. Learning from the Soviet Union and the United States Great Depression survivors is the best way to prepare for whatever may come in the future. Below are recorded suggestions.

BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT

As long as a family has food, shelter and clothing, they can survive. In contemporary times, most people are dependent on others for everything. Taking steps to change the way we live so that a lost job will not completely ruin a family’s ability to survive is a critical step in establishing a workable plan.

Starting a small home garden will eliminate a family’s fear of hunger. If you live in an area that allows you to keep chickens, goats and rabbits, then it is a good idea to buy some and start raising them. With six chickens, two goats and two rabbits, you can provide your family with meat, eggs and milk for a long time. These basics coupled with a garden can feed your family well.

BARTERING BECOMES BIG

When the Soviet Union collapsed, workers continued working even after they stopped getting paid. They received a few benefits that kept them working. Money was so scarce that an alternative way to pay for goods and services surfaced. Barter became a way of life.

When people recount how they survived, they talk about bartering whatever they had on hand for what they need. For this reason it is recommended that people start storing assets that will come in handy for bartering purposes. One hot commodity that is always needed is a truck for hauling equipment and moving people. A truck is golden in a world where barter becomes a way of life.

Any family that becomes self-sufficient and grows more food than they need can always sell or barter some of it for other commodities. History teaches us that even before economies became so dependent on each other, farmers bartered for the goods they needed. Doctors were often paid with chickens and people pitched in to repair homes and barns.

STOP WASTING CASH ON WORTHLESS ITEMS

Wasting money on expensive toys and luxury items will not benefit us in anyway if the economy fails. To prepare for a bad economy, save cash or spend it on assets that will help you survive in an unpredictable world. A wise investment to prepare for the worst would be to purchase a remote parcel of land for farming. If you can afford to buy property for farming on some water for fishing purposes, then that is even better.

Buying tools so that a family can fix things when something breaks is more important than ever as people strive for self-reliance. For people hoping to find a good deal on tools, garage sales are a great way to find quality tools for a fraction of the cost you’d pay in retail stores. Learning how to use a variety of tools to survive in an economic disaster is a smart use of time.

Other useful equipment to buy that will help a family achieve self-sufficiency is to buy food canning and farming equipment so that food can be saved from one season to the next. It only makes sense to stock up on food while times are good. Food items that keep well without refrigeration should be targeted as items to stock up on. Canned beans, rice, peanut butter, dried fruit, canned meat, fish and nuts are a few items to consider stocking up on.

CREATE AND MAINTAIN A COMMUNITY OF FRIENDS AND RESOURCES

It has been said that when things get tough, you definitely know who your friends are. Organizing a way of helping each other is a good way to form alliances that serve everyone well. For example, one family might be stocking up on rice and beans and have a mule and chickens. Another family might have a working tractor they would be willing to lend to the group in exchange for food from another family.

FIND NEW INCOMES

The more income sources you have the better. Self-reliance is important and also knowing what you can do on your own to earn money is important. For instance if you have s great fishing boat and love to fish, then maybe you start fishing for your alliance of friends. Or if you know how to fix things, open a repair service on the side. We all have skills we can offer to the group to bring in second, third and even fourth incomes.

SUMMARY

The global economy is vulnerable, so it never hurts to be prepared for the worst. Becoming your own source for food, shelter and clothing is important for survival. With an eye to what you can trade should the economy collapse, people are empowered for just such an emergency.