Lets say that the American economy totally crashes in the next 12 - 18 months and leaves half a zillion people out of work for a few years.

Now, what kind of business, using limited finances, could a person or a family start to "cash in" on this problem? Or to rephrase the question, what can anybody do to survive and generate some sort of income, even if it is meager?

Remember, the above is a hypothetical scenario, so please don't flame for for trying to take advantage of other peoples bad luck. I'm not, but we all have to eat. The answers to the above just may help YOU if this ever happens.

 

The best solution to devistation is preparation. Not sure if you could make money at it, but if you can survive and be healthy at the other end of the tunnel you will be in a lot better situation.

If this does happen, there will be no 'money' so to speak you will have to depend on a barter system.

As far as business prior too. dried food preparation and sale, ammunition and arms sales, disaster preparedness training, survival training, fire making for dummies book, water sanitation, gardening for survival, hunting and game preparation training ...

Is that what you were looking for????

 

No, was not looking for how to prepare for such a scenario, but rather what to do once it starts. You are totally correct that money may not exist, so the barter system will automatically fall into place. OK then, what to type of items to barter and make a profit. Hmmm, wonder if it is even possible to 'make a profit' with bartering?

 

The most advantage one can have is knowledge. Some people think Doctors will be in the most demand, and therefore have the most advantage in a barter system.

A doctor's profit would be a well and continually stocked pantry.

 

I don't even want to think about this. Let's just hope it does get better and soon....

 

You will always need food. Growing crops would get you a good hand at the table.

 

That's what I was going to say. Be self sustaining with some left over. With a good fence and some armed guards on the payroll...

 

Funeral director

 

I agree.. Gonna be alot of blood shed if this country goes into a castastophic economy crash.

 

Yea. Wait for the disaster to happen, then plant some crops. Don't eat for 9 months until harvest time comes around. That's my plan.

 

Laying in ammo, silver for barter, Chickens are going well, rabbit pens are next.

To have a business you need customers, in the scenario you propose, customers would not be who is coming.........

 

I can see where one person or one family is going to need to merge with others with the same goals in mind. Within that larger family/group there would need to be several differently skilled individuals in order to sustain life and protect it.

UP HERE I/we are in the midst of some preparations that would or should benefit if something catastrophic would occur. Self sustaining with several back up plans. If nothing where to happen, we will still reap the benefits of what we are doing.

A network of skilled folks not necessarily all in one small area is what I would prefer in order to survive. Off the grid is a good start.

 

good thought.

you can learn a lot from a convict:

in prison, cigarettes are money. so any needed commodity (food, batteries).
protection is second obviously for what you have. third is location. fresh water may or may not be available. (next ten year's crisis actually) and the advantage of being under the radar. word of mouth to get there, just like the drug dealers; pass system for protection of being overrrun. to thrive takes networking. your value is only as good as your ability to provide. history is a good teacher: I remember personal fallout shelters from the sixties. so I would guess to thrive from business would be a cache system of goods.

my practical advice? buy a water processor like the sail boats have.
solar roll up panels the military has for power, easy to use and relocate.
book of edible plants, carry flint and learn how to flint nap a arrowhead.

This was a game in the seventies. surviving a nuclear event. I rescued people and then ended up with them overtaking me for supplies and killing me when I refused to tell them how to survive on their own. hope I do better at this game, LOL.
Stan you are THE MAN!

 

some of the Dr's I know of couldn't find their Edit from a hole in the wall....zero common sense. CS should be a mandatory class for them.

 

And when you grow your garden and have all your plans in order, how long would it take for people like today want what you have for nothing. Today it's called welfare then it would be done with a gun. Hope it never happens, cause there would be mass caous in this country. Think of the people you know and think about who is ready for what.