Ready cash
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Not trying to start a debate, really. But I wonder sometimes about investing in a bunch of gold. You can't eat it. And is only valuable to someone who wants it. Try taking $50-$100 gold piece to your local McDs, gas station or grocery store. That millennial on his cell phone and face tattoos has no idea what that is and doesn't care and probably isn't going to take it for payment of anything.
I do keep some cash in small bills, on hand. (not $10K). I like to keep a few hundred in 10-20-50 dollar bills and maybe a couple of hundred-dollar bills ...everyone knows what they are and wants them. I prefer to invest in stashes of food, water, gasoline and guns w/ ammo. Also, in a real SHTF situation I have a few guns. w/ ammo I would use as barter with people who might have something I needed. Of course, I would be very careful who I traded with.
I'm not trying to say there's no value in having diverse investments ... maybe some in gold, silver or diamonds if you want. But I guess I'm thinking more short-term survival than long term investments.
I do keep some cash in small bills, on hand. (not $10K). I like to keep a few hundred in 10-20-50 dollar bills and maybe a couple of hundred-dollar bills ...everyone knows what they are and wants them. I prefer to invest in stashes of food, water, gasoline and guns w/ ammo. Also, in a real SHTF situation I have a few guns. w/ ammo I would use as barter with people who might have something I needed. Of course, I would be very careful who I traded with.
I'm not trying to say there's no value in having diverse investments ... maybe some in gold, silver or diamonds if you want. But I guess I'm thinking more short-term survival than long term investments.
Thanks for the thoughts. I'm pretty heavily invested in ammo, ha. I have a little silver in 1 oz. coins, no gold. I have a few hundred $ always on hand, just thinking about how a larger ready emergency fund may make sense - but don't want it tied up in a bank. The other problem is that cash continues to lose value as inflation goes up, so I guess part of my thought process is, is there a way to hedge against inflation but still have instant access to your resources?
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We're talking SHTF/EOTWAWKI scenarios here, not a minor blip like a weather event or earthquake.
Gold has and always will have value. If there ever is a scenario where paper currency is worthless, gold will still have value.
Personally, I would keep BOTH paper currency and gold available.
Paper currency is going to be good for short-term emergencies like flood/hurricane/tornado/earthquake, where the systems for credit card transactions are down.
Gold is going to come into play where the system collapses, and paper money is worthless.
Yeah, I'm seeing there's value (pun intended) to both. Truthfully, I'm just now at a point where I can actually make those kind of provisions for self and family, so I'm late to the party I know. I have thought some about a stock of guns and ammo strictly for trading purposes - like a dozen or so Glock 19s (don't own one myself, or care to) and appropriate ammo.
Depends to what end? SHTF nuclear/zombie war probably tradeable first line necessities of some sort. WWII occupied Soviet territories gold,diamonds etc bought you a lot less food vs medicine, tools, ammo fuel Get out of town fast due to some localized disaster cash will work just fine. SHTF scenario initial stages assume either a) you'd have what you need for self sufficient survival or b) you'd be getting what you need at gun point and you'd have to be comfortable with it from the get go. Predators of all stripes will come out to feed and whatever impractical "valuables" you might have won't last you long be that gold, diamonds or NFT art.
NRA Life Member, Range Safety Officer, Basic Pistol Instructor
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Ammo.
And firearms.
Gold is going to take a big hit at the transaction level when trying to trade on the street.
Insulin would be my go to thing. assuming I can keep it cold and stashed which should be doable with current technology. Might cost me another 10K for portable refrigirated solution but it'll go a long way in zombie apocalypse 
.
Ammo, guns food clothing, personal meds first aid is all given.
. Ammo, guns food clothing, personal meds first aid is all given.
The move to digital currency will make your cash stash obsolete. Assumptions of value of 10k USD is not the wisest move IMO but heck, could work out. Same goes for gold and silver. When it comes I feel it will be a soft roll out over a few years so we all get comfortable and enjoy how easy it will be and slowly govt will tighten it up and eventually tie it to a social score like China. Total control and the ability to allocate a predetermined amount of resources....oops! You already used 100 gallons of fuel this month; no more for you!
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Exactly. Who's going to make change on my 1/4 Oz Gold Canadian Maple Leaf Coin?
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Gold is fine, but how do you buy one loaf of bread with gold? Should I want to have money available should the real SHTF, I'd have some paper currency on hand and in smaller denominations. Gold would be all right if you were salting away a million bucks, but for everyday use, paper is a lot easier to carry and you do not have to find a corner grocery store at accepts and can give you change for gold bullion or coins.
My $0.02
Grumpy
Edit: Bad spelling corrected.
My $0.02
Grumpy
Edit: Bad spelling corrected.
Hard to find anything better for "ready funds" than cash. At least as long as people will accept it for what you need. Going past that it is hard to say.. Are we talking about a late winter storm or a nuclear war?
NRA Life Member, Range Safety Officer, Basic Pistol Instructor
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I'm being crass - replying to my own post.
But I think it's necessary.
The reply - Ammo and arms is superficial.
Yes, we would need those.
Mostly to protect yourself and your property.
But that's only the tip of the iceberg.
Normally we don't barter for individual goods.
Instead we exchange your goods or services for a common medium of exchange—that is, money.
We then use that money to buy what we need from others who also accept the same medium of exchange.
So in the subject scenario, with no commonly accepted means of exchange, we are back to the barter system.
Gold is valuable as an exchange medium.
But I suspect not so handy in bartering.
Better would be supplies that others need (as opposed to want).
Food in easily transportable forms (MREs?), medicines, hygiene products, clothes, tools, batteries, books, etc...
Alcohol, of course, duct tape (of course), water, and means of purifying it, fuel (propane? Butane? Gas? wood?)
Support, in the form of other people who can be trusted behind your back, with your life...
Because nobody survives alone.
And an attitude that I will do what it takes to protect my life and my family.
I'm not rich, so I don't have a lot. But, I do keep a couple of one ounce gold coins and two hundred one ounce silver eagle coins. The silver eagles are face value $1 US coins, though the worth of the 1 ounce of silver is definitely worth a lot more than $1. Silver would be for routine expenses. Gold for something bigger, a more valuable expense. I used to keep $1,000 cash in $100 dollar bills and a few hundred in $5, $10, and $20 dollar bills in the safe. But, in a long term catastrophe, paper money could become as worthless as the linen paper that they are printed on. I also have about a month's supply of MRE's.
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Yeah, I'm sure Mrs. Smith manning the "self-checkout" at Kroger is going to be cutting coins and weighing gold to pay for your milk and bread....lol. But then again if we're facing an EMP none of those self-checkouts are gonna be working anyway.
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