What do I need for the depression.

[Smallmaniac]

So it's not final yet, but all signs point to going down and fast instead of gradual. What do you recommend when preparing for a depression. I know there is only so much you can prepare for, but what are the basics

 

[MsDoodahs]

Here's the list I made for a friend who wanted to stock her pantry, I post it here every now and then...

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Some general storage info from Making the Best of Basics that I thought might help with your planning. I've found that a LOT of products do not list their "expiration date" anymore. This book gives the general "use by" for ... damn near everything, lol.

I'm only doing the most common grocery store stuff because that's easiest to get.

Estimated shelf life for various stuff in months:

Commercial ground cornmeal: 60

Commercial ground wheat flour: 6 - 12 (if you buy the wheat berries and grind it yourself, the berries themselves have an indefinite storage life)

White enriched rice: 24 - 48

noodles (mac/lasagna/spag) 18 - 24

oatmeal 12

Nonfat instant powdered milk 24 - 48

dehydrated butter 60 - 96

dehydrated cheese 60 - 96

buttermilk powder 24 - 36

non dairy creamer 24 - 36

dehydrated eggs 60 - 96

evaporated milk 24 - 36

condensed sweetened milk 24 - 36

white, brown, powdered sugar indefinite

corn and maple syrup indefinite

iodized, pickling, ice cream salt indefinite

vegetable shortening 12

liquid vegetable oil 12 - 24

olive oil 12 - 24

baking soda 18 - 24

baking powder 6 - 9

baking chips 18 - 24

cocoa powder 18 - 24

cornstarch 12 - 24

arrowroot 12 - 24

hominy/hominy grits 12

ready to eat dry cereal (corn, rice, shredded wheat) 12

Fruit, canned - all EXCEPT citrus 12 - 18; citrus 6 - 12

Fruit cocktail 12 - 18

Dried potatoes 36 - 48

Dried beans: 60+

Canned veggies:

Beans (green/pinto/kidney/red/yellow/peas) 24 - 36

Beets 12 - 24

Carrots 24 - 36

Corn (whole kernel or creamed) 24 - 36

Potatoes 24 - 36

Canned soups/chili 24 - 36

Canned spag/sauce 12 - 24

Peanut butter 12 -24

unshelled raw nuts 12 - 24

roasted canned shelled nuts 12 - 24

crackers 6 - 12

graham crackers 12 - 24

black pepper indefinite

vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce indefinite

flavorings/extracts 12 - 24

Mixed Italian, Mexican blended herbs 12 - 18

Jerky 6 - 9

canned corned beef 12 - 24

canned deviled meats, vienna sausage 12 - 24

canned chicken/turkey 12 - 24

canned shrimp/tuna/mackerel/halibut 12 - 24

canned salmon/sardines 24 - 36

canned and bottled fruit juices, all 12 - 24

cake mixes 12 - 24

candy bars 12

Chips 12 - 18

Pudding mixes 24 - 36

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That's just a general guide to help you get some food laid in, not meant to be exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination.

Hope it helps you.

MsD

 

[Truth Warrior]

Prozac, booze ( not in combination ), etc.

 

[slacker921]

http://thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm

 

[MsDoodahs]

Booze will be good for barter if it gets that bad, I guess.

Old silver coins?

Other barter ideas....tobacco of course....rolling papers?

Sewing needles, thread, fishing gear...

Non hybrid seeds (heirloom seeds)

Preparing kinda depends on your current situation and location, I think...

 

[phill4paul]

Prozac, booze ( not in combination ), etc.

Damn, ya beat me to the first smart-ass post. Welcome to the boards smallmaniac.

 

[raiha]

The powerhouse list said its impossible to have too many garbage bags. But will the garbage be collected? Something to be said for digging a big hole for rubbish like my daddy used to do.
Move to the country. Might be hard to dig a hole in the city.

 

[Truth Warrior]

Damn, ya beat me to the first smart-ass post. Welcome to the boards smallmaniac.

You can have the next one.

 

[Allen72289]

1 year supply of essentials (soap, first aid and food) per person in the house, 6 months of cash on hand, as much silver you can buy, guns, ammo and a great stock portfolio.

A farm wouldn't hurt.

 

[FreedomFighter8008]

Best bet is to talk to your grandparents or someone old enough to have lived through the last depression or who remembers stories from their parents who lived through it. Times are different now, but I'm sure quite a bit of their information will be useful.

 

[gls]

Buy what you normally buy except in larger quantities. Other than that I'd say a little knowledge and planning goes a long way.

 

[2young2vote]

Bread and Water..

But everyone is forgetting Entertainment. If we get into a depression, and you get laid off, you will be doing a whole lot of nothing for a long time. My great granfather bought a pool table from a pub for $90 right in the middle of the great depression and my great grandmother said that that was one of the best investments they made because it kept him out of trouble (he was a drunk but never lost his job).

 

[Allen72289]

Best bet is to talk to your grandparents or someone old enough to have lived through the last depression or who remembers stories from their parents who lived through it. Times are different now, but I'm sure quite a bit of their information will be useful.

My grandmother lived on a farm and through fdr's rule they didn't experience one lick of rationing.

Enough fuel to get out of dodge wouldn't hurt.

A camper to head for the hills is a good idea.

Preferably in the northwest united states where gold can be mined on public mine claims.

A simple suction dredge will work.

http://www.blm.gov

http://www.geocommunicator.gov

 

[MsDoodahs]

Google "FerFal" and read what he recommends.

 

[Michigan11]

Buy an AR-15 rifle with several hundred rounds of ammo. Get a small backpack and fill it with a knife, first-aid kit, compass, flashlight, batteries, radio, mosquito net, poncho, gloves, socks, and you can forget about the storm coming for a while. When it's time to go, you're ready.

 

[Truth Warrior]

Go to prison and let the state feed, house and clothe you till it's all over. Just a thought.

 

[ihsv]

To my mind, this depression is going to be significantly more violent than the last one. People are far more materialistic, the family is broken, and we live in an instant-gratification society. Arm yourself and focus on essentials.

 

[Smallmaniac]

Buy an AR-15 rifle with several hundred rounds of ammo. Get a small backpack and fill it with a knife, first-aid kit, compass, flashlight, batteries, radio, mosquito net, poncho, gloves, socks, and you can forget about the storm coming for a while. When it's time to go, you're ready.

Can i substitute the AR-15 for an SKS or AK-47. AR-15's are expensive to buy with the gun itself, taxes, and ammo.

 

[Michigan11]

Can i substitute the AR-15 for an SKS or AK-47. AR-15's are expensive to buy with the gun itself, taxes, and ammo.

lol. hell yeah, whatever works.

 

[moostraks]

Go to prison and let the state feed, house and clothe you till it's all over. Just a thought.

LOL! Pretty good idea, excepting the fact we are all on that government list that will put us in the concentration camps for merely posting at this forum, no?