Predicting the collapse of a country is like reading between the lines of history, economics, and politics. Some nations, however, are walking on thin ice, where even a small additional burden could lead to their downfall. In this article, we’ll explore 10 countries facing severe risks that could put them on the brink of collapse by 2027. Some of these might surprise you.

1. Lebanon: A country where nothing works anymore
Once hailed as the “Switzerland of the Middle East,” Lebanon is now in absolute economic chaos. Hyperinflation, currency collapse, and political corruption have brought the state to its knees. Ordinary citizens struggle to secure basic needs like food and fuel. Can Lebanon still be saved, or will it follow the fate of nations that fragmented into smaller entities?

The video below is simply shocking… Because not even Trump or Putin expect such a thing!!!

2. Afghanistan: Taliban isolation and hunger
Since the Taliban regained power, Afghanistan has plunged into international isolation. Its economy is collapsing, people are starving, and humanitarian organizations cannot meet the overwhelming needs. If the situation doesn’t improve, the state risks fragmentation into territories controlled by armed factions.

3. Haiti: From freedom to a nation ruled by gangs
Haiti has been grappling with a crisis for years. With no functioning government, armed gangs dominate cities. Add to that natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, and you have a recipe for complete collapse. Can Haiti ever rise again?

4. Sudan: A nation in perpetual conflict
Sudan’s civil war between the army and militias is spiraling into catastrophe. Thousands are dead, millions are displaced, and famine looms large. If the conflict continues, Sudan could disintegrate into smaller regions controlled by local warlords.

5. Venezuela: From riches to rags
Home to some of the world’s largest oil reserves, Venezuela has been in freefall for years. Hyperinflation, food shortages, and mass emigration have devastated the nation. Could Nicolás Maduro’s regime fall, or will Venezuela remain stuck in this “frozen collapse” for decades?

6. Myanmar: A coup that crushed hope
The 2021 military coup plunged Myanmar into chaos. Protests, uprisings, and ethnic conflicts have become the norm. If the military junta doesn’t relinquish power, the country risks breaking into warring regions.

7. Yemen: A nation where survival is a battle
Yemen is the epitome of disaster. Its civil war between Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government has raged for years. Millions suffer from hunger and disease. If the conflict isn’t resolved, Yemen could vanish as a functioning state altogether.

8. North Korea: Behind the curtain of isolation
Kim Jong Un’s regime appears solid, but what if it isn’t? Economic sanctions, famine, and a possible power struggle after his death could lead to an unexpected collapse. If that happens, the chaos could be unimaginable.

9. Pakistan: Battling economic and political storms
Pakistan is grappling with an economic crisis deepened by debts and political instability. Extremism, corruption, and worsening relations with neighbors could weaken the country to the point of losing control over its regions.

10. Somalia: A collapse that never ended
Somalia has been a failed state for decades. The terrorist group Al-Shabaab still controls large swathes of territory, while the central government remains weak. Without minimal international support, total disintegration seems inevitable.

Why Do Countries Most Of Time Collapse?
Normally, the collapse of a state is always the result of a combination of factors:

• Economic instability: Hyperinflation, overwhelming debts, or resource shortages.
• Political corruption: Weak governments unable to address crises.
• Civil conflicts: Wars, ethnic tensions, or regional uprisings.
• Climate change: Worsening conditions, natural disasters, and resource depletion.
• International isolation: Sanctions or loss of foreign support.

Can Any of These Countries Be Saved?
History shows us that even nations on the brink of collapse can change course with the right leadership, international assistance, or societal unity. While rescue is possible, these cases will require far more than just hope.

Which other countries do you think are at risk? Let’s discuss.

Beyond the most vulnerable states, there are also numerous other countries that could face significant challenges if their situations do not improve.

Here’s a broader look at nations where trouble may deepen:

1. Sri Lanka – Still recovering from its 2022 financial collapse, with inflation and mounting debts remaining major hurdles.
2. Ethiopia – The Tigray conflict has eased, but ethnic tensions and economic woes could destabilize the country again.
3. Libya – Political and military division between the east and west prevents the country from restoring order.
4. Belarus – Lukashenko’s regime relies heavily on Russia, but domestic protests and international isolation are increasing the pressure.
5. Iran – Sanctions, domestic unrest, and regional tensions could severely threaten the regime’s stability.
6. Zimbabwe – Chronic corruption, hyperinflation, and authoritarian governance undermine hope for improving living conditions.
7. Nigeria – Boko Haram violence, economic inequality, and corruption destabilize Africa’s most populous nation.
8. Democratic Republic of Congo – Ongoing conflicts and mismanagement of natural resources deepen poverty and unrest.
9. Bangladesh – Climate change and political unrest could pose major risks to this densely populated country.
10. Eritrea – One of the world’s most closed-off nations, facing poverty, repression, and isolation.
11. Kazakhstan – Political unrest and tensions with neighbours could affect the stability of this oil-rich country.
12. Tunisia – Democratic gains are threatened by political crises and economic struggles.
13. Armenia – Tensions with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh continue to jeopardize regional peace.
14. Papua New Guinea – Violence, poverty, and corruption hinder the country’s potential for economic growth.
15. Mali – Terrorist attacks and military coups threaten the future of this West African nation.
16. Honduras – Criminal gangs and corruption create unbearable conditions for its citizens.
17. Colombia – Despite peace agreements with FARC, violence remains an issue, with new drug cartels gaining strength.
18. El Salvador – President Bukele faces accusations of authoritarianism, while gang violence remains a constant threat.
19. Mozambique – Islamic insurgencies in the north and widespread poverty destabilize this country.
20. Bosnia and Herzegovina – Ethnic tensions and weak political leadership risk undermining the fragile peace.

These countries may not necessarily collapse, but they face serious challenges that could affect their future.

What other nations do you think are at risk? Let’s discuss!

All Americans Will Lose Their Home, Income And Power By August 27, 2025

Watch the video below!

To all those investors looking forward to the Fed dropping rates, the bad news is that lower interest rates do not guarantee economic growth. This is a fact, and what many people fail to consider is that more goes into the economic “stew” than just interest rates. In some ways, easy money policies can impair growth and the quality of growth. An example of this is that they allow zombie companies to continue operating.

While many investors talk about the link between low-interest rates driving the economy and markets ever higher, this correlation is very weak. We only need to look at Japan to understand that low interest rates do not guarantee a booming economy. For decades, Japan has pursued super-low and even negative interest rates while drifting into and out of recession. In short, other factors have been driving Japan’s economy rather than simply keeping rates low.

Yes, there is a big difference between 10% and 5% interest rates, but when you are talking about a quarter of a percent, it has little bearing on the overall economy. It can be argued that the only place where rate cuts make a huge difference is when you get down near two percent. At that point, a 25 or 50 basis drop creates huge sums of “speculative” money. Growth is often more about liquidity and the availability of money than low interest rates. We should question how much a couple of quarter-point drops in interest rates will really make. This is very important considering many consumers are completely disconnected from fed rates and paying well over 20% APR on charge cards.

The Eurodollar University YouTube Channel continues to hone in on slow growth across the world, claiming the global economy is in a synchronized slowdown and recession. He does this in part by repeatedly using the line, “forgot how to grow,” while pointing out that true economic growth has faltered. Part of the problem is that low interest rates tend to pull spending forward, but there is a limit as to how far this can go.

Over the last decade, low interest rates have contributed to increased inequality. Not all people and businesses benefit equally from low-interest policies. The Fed has fueled inequality by feeding money into a system where “the big boys” and Wall Street soak up cheap, easy money, but small businesses saw lending standards rise. This resulted in making it more difficult for many small companies to get loans and resulted in many productive small companies closing their doors forever.

The legacy of Central Banks pursuing “low rate” policies has caused debt and bad debts to explode. By not demanding the right kind of growth and simply throwing money at problems, Central banks and governments have delayed and added to a much larger crisis in the future. This is becoming apparent in central banks’ limited ability to directly determine rates at the long end of the curve. 

Circling back to Japan, for years, many economists claimed that only by letting its zombie banks and industries fail could Japan clean out the system and move forward. Instead, the Government of Japan ran huge deficits and ran up massive debt. The country languished in what has become known as “the lost decades,” during which it avoided disaster only by the fact that for decades it enjoyed a large trade surplus. 

At some point, both investors and the public will realize that central banks can only do so much through printing money and lowering interest rates. America continues to spend far more than it takes in, and such deficits are unsustainable. Most of this money finds its way into the economy as “poorly crafted subsidies” that push data higher, creating the false illusion that all is well. The bottom line is that much of the world may well be looking at a version of the “Japan Syndrome” with stagflation. This translates into years of slow growth coupled with a protracted period of inflation.

Low rates are also supposed to encourage business borrowing and boost employment, but often it also encourages savers to take on more risk than they should, as they search for higher yields. History shows that when rates are held at an artificially low level for too long, capital is often misallocated and flows into speculative investments.The current low rates combined with our massive government deficit are creating a false economy that is also baking in a higher overall cost structure. Want to know where the real cost of things is going? Just look at the replacement cost from recent storms and natural disasters. 

Many of those already concerned about the strength of the economy find little comfort in the argument that conditions remain too fragile to begin a return to historic norms. Lower rates have almost been guaranteed and promised; however, we should never forget that liquidity is far more important. Liquidity is the lifeblood of commerce. It is difficult to envision how the world will handle the additional debt of governments if long-term rates begin to rise. As we look back years from now, the policies of ZIRP and NIRP are likely to be considered major mistakes.  

In these uncertain times, when the world seems to go mad, you can’t help but wonder how long until we will experience a martial law scenario.

One day we might have to live under such a scenario since it seems there are many SHTF events that would impose it. The current pandemic is just an example, and personally, I believe we were lucky so far that things didn’t lead to further chaos and social upheaval.

The United States has a certain history when it comes to martial law, and like many other nations, it will do whatever is necessary to defend its integrity (and protect?) its citizens. I believe we should all have a survival strategy if martial law will be upon us in the near future. 

The video below will shock you because you will be among the first to watching this secret!

What is martial law?

To put it simply, martial law is the imposition of military rule and the occupation of the government over a specific region. It is declared when an imminent threat disturbs peace and order. Martial law can be declared during a state of war when natural disasters are too much to handle for local authorities, when a coup is developing or even when uncontrollable riots and protests affect an entire region.

When martial law is declared, everyone is expected to follow the same rules, no questions asked!

It doesn’t matter if you think what’s happening is right or wrong, and you have to give up certain civil rights for the good of the nation/state.

What Survival Secret We Lost To History

There are certain rights that will be suspended if martial law hits, such as:

• Right of Information
• Freedom of Expression
• Right to privacy
• Right of Habeas Corpus
• Right to make choices

Those that are prepared and organized should be able to survive such a scenario without having their lives turned upside down. However, even for them, there are certain things that become mandatory under martial law.

How to survive martial law:

Being self-reliant

As preppers, we are already prepared to outlast various scenarios that may cut us off from the major supply chains. For most of us, it will be rather easy to survive when the government takes full control of food and supplies and their distribution.

As an average Joe, you should avoid waiting for handouts during a disaster or hope that some military rations will find their ways towards you, and you must have your own supply of food and water. Your supplies should last for at least six months if you don’t want to stay in line for help. Also, all your supplies will become government property if you don’t stockpile smart (more on that in the next paragraphs).

Being self-reliant under martial law means that you must have a method of producing your own electricity, the means to prepare and cook food, ways to sterilize water, and everything else that will assure the same level of comfort you were used to before martial law was declared.

Be ready to bug out

In certain cases, when you see the first signs of an impending scenario when martial law is imminent, you might want to bug out to a safe location, if you have one. If you manage to do so before roadblocks and checkpoints are installed, you might be one of the lucky few. If you’re not so lucky, hunkering down may be the safest choice for you and your family. This will be the norm for most folks living in densely populated areas.

If you plan to bug out, you should have everything ready to make a successful trip. This means that your bug out bag should be properly packed and updated for the season. Also, your bug out vehicles should be in good shape to handle the road ahead and eventual obstacles. I won’t get into details about what to pack in your bug out bag or vehicles since these are distinctive cases from one person to another. What I will stress is the need to have everything updated and make sure they function properly.

Stay safe during martial law

We love our freedom and liberty, and certain folks will not bow down and take it easy when martial law is declared. For some, being stripped of certain civil rights is unthinkable and unacceptable. Most Americans fear that giving someone absolute power will lead to mistreatments against the general public.

That being said, the safest course of action would be to avoid areas that are exposed to social upheaval and other scenarios that may lead to dangerous escalations. You will first need to protect yourself and what’s yours before handling any other thing.  There are various ways to protect your home when civil unrest is developing, and you can find a lot of information on Survivopedia.

Keeping a low profile is also recommended before you will get involved in matters that may not be a priority for you and yours. You will have the time needed to plan and act following your own belief system if you stay out of sight. You have to think before you act and decide on an individual case if you follow the rules or rebel against them. Don’t go with the herd and follow the curfew under martial law. Make sure you have all the means to protect yourself and survive whatever scenario unfolds.

Warning!!! First Signs That U.S. Consumers Are In Very Serious Trouble

30 Million Americans Face Hunger As They Can’t Afford Insane Grocery Prices:Nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population is facing the threat of hunger and about 70 percent of Americans say they are struggling to pay their grocery bills right now.

The following video reveals the secrets of a future crisis, but the government does not want us to know the truth!

Get informed

When martial law is declared, the media and all the information channels will be controlled by the federal government. You might not get all the required information, and the truth may be filtered to avoid creating mass panic. While listening to official broadcasts will provide you with information and updates regarding the imposed rules, you might need to have a backup source of information.

A HAM radio is a great alternative, and the HAM radio community will take care of its own. They will provide all the “unofficial” information, and they will tell you things as they see them. It’s better to know both sides of a story before you decide if its ending is the proper one. We are bombarded by media propaganda on a daily basis, and the last thing you need is to have filtered information being delivered and remain misinformed during martial law. Information is key to your survival during an SHTF event, and you must always be aware of what happens around you.

Always be alert and improve your skills

This is a general rule for us preppers, and staying in shape, constantly learning, and improving our skills proves useful in any type of crisis scenario. Preparedness and our will to survive have to be backed up by proper knowledge and a good set of survival skills.

If you run out of food and water, or if you run out of guns and ammo, what will you do then? What happens if you get hurt by accident, or otherwise?

You need to be able to handle the above scenarios, and these are not things you can learn on the spot. One needs to prepare in advance and challenge his or her skills with every occasion or opportunity provided.

Take a first aid course, learn to cook without your stove, try to fish or hunt and practice any skill that you may think, one day, will come in handy. You will have to survive on your own during martial law, and the skills you have will make your life much easier. Also, consider that all the activities you do will leave you weak and tired if you’re not in good shape. You don’t need to become a couch potato when dealing with martial law, and you need to be ready for anything.

When you are tired and stressed, your judgment will get clouded, and you may end up making mistakes that will leave you injured or worse. You must avoid this at all costs!

Don’t be a lone wolf

Some desperate times require friends and teamwork to push through. Having an alliance may end up being crucial to your survival during martial law. I know a lot of people that have built a support system composed of friends and neighbors. Imagine if the current pandemic will prolong, and truckers fail to deliver their goods, do you think people will wait patiently, or will they do everything in their power to survive?

We’ve seen it before how desperate times create desperate people, and the same people that fought over some toilet paper will do anything to survive another day, including harming you and your loved ones. That’s why having a trustworthy network of people that share the same vision as you become mandatory.  A survival group can keep the neighborhood safe and still standing if they trust each other and if they share the same goal.

Don’t share more than you have to

I don’t like to brag about my preparedness plans, and I don’t show off my stuff on the internet. I can’t comprehend the need some people have to brag about their prepping plans and show off all their supplies. Why would you make yourself a target and why become a “beacon of hope” when desperate people are roaming around. You can’t possibly hold off all the people, and you are putting yourself in danger for no reason.

Be smart and keep it all to yourself and talk about your prepping plans with your friends and family. Only with those people that you know for a fact they won’t report you to the authorities for hoarding tons of supplies. In a time of martial law, you can’t assume how things will play out, and oftentimes you have to be selfish if you want to survive. Be selfish about sharing information and supplies and keep only those that you trust close by.

Prepare your supplies for a home invasion

We’ve seen how a lot of people bought vast quantities of face masks, hand sanitizers, and other products that were in short supplies (and still are) when the COVID-19 hit the US. While these people were trying to get rich and profit from the distress of others, one thing should have been a wakeup call for many.

The fact that the government seized all their supplies should have made you think about what will happen when the situation becomes even more desperate than it currently is. When martial law is declared, hoarding food, guns, and ammo is restricted. It’s almost certain that the military will implement house to house searches without a warrant if things get grim.

They will locate and confiscate supplies, no questions asked, and they won’t think twice, no matter how much you beg them not to take them. As said earlier, you need to plan your storage properly, and it’s important to keep a lot of your stuff out of sight and store it out of reach or hide it on your property.

I’ve often discussed the “bait pantry” or “pantry decoy” method during various occasions, during seminars, on forums, and whenever I had the chance to do so. To explain it briefly, this method requires you to hide a small part of your supplies without much effort. Somewhere that is not obvious, and it requires some kind of effort to be discovered. 

When someone discovers those “hidden” supplies, you will need to put out a show and act like your life depends on those supplies. Beg them to let you keep those supplies, cry and be as convincing as possible. This will make them believe that what they’ve got their hands on is your main stash, and they won’t bother into looking for your other supplies.

Act if you feel that’s the right thing to do

Under martial law, when the situation is escalating, and it may reach is peak point, some will have to take a stand. It is your God-given right to pick a side, and no one can take this away from you. However, before doing so, make sure you act calm and rationally upon it and, most importantly, that the action you’re about to make suits your personal beliefs and moral principles.

Remain calm and plan your next steps carefully. It may be difficult to do so, but acting on an impulse may not end well. Panicking and irrational people are seen as a threat in general. During martial law, even the most prepared soldiers will choose to eliminate a threat rather than risking to deal with it and establish if force is justifiable or not. Restrain your emotion since this will make the difference between life and death.

Even more, taking a stand doesn’t necessarily mean you have to join “the resistance” or take your fight to the streets. There are various ways to fight for what you believe in without putting yourself in danger. You first have to figure out ways to make yourself heard without looking like a threat. Also, keep in mind that not everyone will find the courage to act when martial law is declared, and you may end up with no support when things get rough.

A last word

If you keep all the above in mind and act upon when martial law is declared, it will help you survive when the military takes over. Even more, plan things properly and consider the last advice when thinking about taking a stand. It will put things in perspective, and you will figure out your chances of making it out alive.

On December 6th President Trump’s words shook the world.

So pay chose attention because this video will change your life forever for the good!

Back in 1949 the world was still recovering from World War II. The Korean War wouldn’t start for another year, but George Orwell was already focused on the dangers of communism and the totalitarianist government it builds. World War II was started by totalitarian governments; but worse than that was how such governments treat the citizens living under their control.

In his book 1984, the government, encapsulated in the persona of “Big Brother,” knew everything about everyone; where they were, what they were doing and even what they were thinking much of the time. This was used to keep control of people to an extreme that even the now defunct Soviet Union couldn’t reach. Yet with modern technology, the reality of such a government could very well be forming around us and we don’t even see it happening.

As we know, the government is actively spying on every one of us. That’s the essence of Edward Snowden’s message, since he left the employ of the NSA. While that spying is intended to help prevent terrorism, we’ve seen some in government be awfully free in their use of that term. One can quickly find themselves labeled as a terrorist if the political winds blow the wrong way.

The video below will shock you because you will be among the first to watching this secret!

On top of the NSA, big tech is in cahoots with government in a number of ways, most especially with providing information to law enforcement officers, as they seek to solve crimes. But that same information which is being used for the good of tracking down and convicting criminals can very well be used against the rest of us. After all, any of us can become an instant felon, simply by Congress passing a law making something that has been legal, suddenly illegal.

An excellent case in point is the current push by Democrats to restrict our Second Amendment rights. Should they do that, then millions of law-abiding citizens will suddenly be faced with the option of turning in valuable firearms or hiding them from the government. Will the government hunt down those who haven’t turned in their guns, using the same tools they are currently using to track down criminals? Only time will tell.

So, what can we do to keep the government from having an idea where we are and what we are doing? To start with, we need to understand that the government has multiple means of tracking us, not just one or two. That means we’re going to have to defeat them all, if we expect to protect ourselves from electronic spying.

Here are a few places to start.

Use a Burner Phone

The easiest way for the government to track any of us is through our smartphone. We really don’t have a handle on everything that our phones are doing in the background, while we’re not looking.

Yet there’s nearly constant communication between our phones and the local cell phone tower.

It’s clear that the communications we have through our phones is readily available to the NSA and others.

You can even pay online services to do a little spying on family members, seeing their text messages, who they’ve talked to, what they’ve looked at online and where they’ve been. If you and I can do this, then you can be sure the government can do more.

Shut Off GPS Tracking

One of the most common ways our phones help the government keep track of us is through the phone’s GPS. Google and Apple keep track of our every move through that part of the phone.

If you go to Google Maps and click on your timeline in the menu, it will show you everywhere you’ve been, for the last several years.

This feature alone could put you in danger if you just happen to be in the same place that a crime was committed. While that alone wouldn’t be enough to convict you; it would be enough to make you a suspect.

And that’s just one example of how the GPs could be used against you. What if they want to track you down because it has been reported that you said something against the government; they’d have no trouble tracking you down.

Clean Out Internet Browsing Activity and Cookies

One of the big ways that companies use the internet to keep tabs on us is through our browsing history and the cookies downloaded to our computers by the various websites we visit.

A lot can be learned about who we are and what we do by looking at that. That’s why major corporations invest so much in data mining, looking for people to buy their products.

Haven’t you seen how you can look at something online, then find advertisements for the same sort of product showing up in your Facebook feed and just about any online article you read?

That information is also admissible in court as a means of defining your character. Government prosecutors could build a totally false narrative about you as a terrorist or planning mass murder, backed up by no more than the websites you have visited. Simple curiosity can and will be used against you, perhaps even in a court of law.

Attention: The US is Facing The BIGGEST Threat Of The Century!

So pay chose attention because this video will change your life forever for the good!

Get Rid of Alexa, Siri, and other Voice-recognition Assistants

One of the key elements of Orwell’s imaginary society in 1984 was that the government was tracking what everyone was doing through their television sets.

Yet today, rather than the government having to hide that capability in our TV sets, we buy devices and use them in our homes.

Those devices track everything we do, listening in on our conversations, so that they can “serve us” better.

Employees of those companies have come forth, confessing how employees at big tech companies listen in on people’s private lives.

If they’re doing it, then the government has access to it too. Remember, everything that device does goes over the internet and the NSA is tapped into that thoroughly.

Create Alternative e-Mail Accounts for Memberships

Our online identity is largely tied into our e-mail account.

Pretty much everything you sign up for, from buying dog food to looking at different sites, involves creating an account using that e-mail address. That online presence can lead government agents to look into all areas of your online existence.

The solution is to create multiple ‘personas,’ utilizing them for different things.

In order to do this, you’re going to have to provide false information at some point, as pretty much all e-mail services try to verify that you’re a real person and that you’re who you say you are.

Create Site-specific Passwords

Passwords are the bane of modern existence, with more and more websites requiring a membership and password for access. Even those that don’t are likely to require you setting up an account to buy anything.

The information attached to that account Is just one more source for the government to look at.

Most of us pick a password and use it for as much as we can. The problem with that is that once someone figures out your password, they can try it on a variety of different platforms, trying to access your account and see what you’ve been doing.

Four different products, bought from different vendors, could easily become the parts of a bomb in some investigator’s imagination.

Avoid JavaScript

JavaScript abounds throughout the internet, having been created to make it possible for web pages to be interactive.

Unfortunately, it’s full of security holes, having been created many of the more modern modes of hacking were invented. Today, breaking into JavaScript is considered small potatoes by hackers.

Keep in mind that the government employs hackers too; they’re called “white hat hackers,” and while that term was originally coined in regards to people who were trained in hacking in order to play the “red team” in online security simulations, it’s used for any hacker who does their work as part of “legitimate” business.

Of course, as far as the government is concerned, anything they do is legitimate, regardless of what the law says.

Encrypt e-Mail

We’ve already discussed how the NSA is recording and reading every bit of communications that flows across the internet. That includes your e-mail. They know if you’re making an inquiry about buying a new home, having an online affair or discussing business secrets.

According to Snowden, some of those government employees are looking over people’s shoulders, watching their lives as if it were a live soap opera.

The world’s best code breakers work for the NSA and the majority of the world’s supercomputers are housed in their facilities. So the idea that they can’t break into an encrypted e-mail is ridiculous. Nevertheless, encrypting still makes it harder, meaning that they’d have to have a pretty good reason to bother.

While not perfect, encrypting your e-mail at least protects you from casual view.

Avoid Online, Credit Card and Debit Card Purchases

Probably one of the earliest ways that law enforcement used the benefits of the internet to solve crimes is through tracking credit card use. We’ve all seen cop shows where they tracked a suspect by looking at where they were using their credit card. That’s child’s play for the government today.

Of course, the government isn’t the only one tracking our online purchases, although I don’t think that companies have the ability to get into the records of our credit and debit card usage like the government can.

Either way, it can provide the government with a lot of information that you might not want them to know. Better to use cash and keep your transactions anonymous.

If you’ve got to buy things online, then use prepaid Visa and MasterCard gift cards, not associated with any bank account you have.

You can buy these easily at the checkout in many major stores, in denominations up to $500. That makes it possible to make a lot of purchase anonymously.

Then have the item shipped to an address that can’t be readily traced to you, like a PO box that you rented using a false address.

Don’t Fill Out Profile Data

One of the easiest ways for the government, criminals, companies and just about anyone else has of getting information about any of us is through our online profiles.

Social media has encourages people to live an open life, with everything about them becoming common knowledge. But that information can become dangerous if it gets into the wrong hands.

Save that information, so that you can give it to who you want to, rather than whoever wants it.

While it might not be quite as “neighborly” in the online community, holding that information back could help protect you from the government or from criminals.

One Final Thought

Doing the things I’ve mentioned in this article are likely to have unintended consequences. That is, they’re likely to make you look suspicious to anyone investigating you.

But then, if you haven’t done anything wrong, it really doesn’t matter how suspicious they think you look. They still have to find evidence, not suspicion, in order to take any action against you.

Your ready answer to this suspicion should be that you are protecting yourself from criminals. Even government agencies recommend taking precautions for that reason, so by stating that, you’re throwing the onus back on them. If they don’t like that, it’s just too bad.

FEMA Emergency Alert! Hidden Terrible Situations Exposed- Watch the video below to find out the most shocking details!!!

With a whopping 1.03 million home invasions occurring every year in just the U.S. alone, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have a plan of action ready to utilize in case you become one of these unfortunate victims.

So pay chose attention because this video will change your life forever for the good!

by Rich M, From- askaprepper.com

The use of plastic currency is very common in today’s world. In fact, stores that don’t accept debit and credit cards are becoming anomalies.

However, a little cash stash should always be included in everyone’s everyday carry supplies. There are many reasons why cash money could become important, ranging from purely convenience to absolute necessity.

The video below will shock you because you will be among the first to watching this secret!

When might cash matter? Aside from the idea that practicing a cash-only personal finance is a great way to keep from spending more than you can afford, cash can bail you out of sticky situations.

Off-grid establishments still exist. From a remote country gas station to a rustic hiking hostel to a roadside farm stand, you never know when you might need a little cash money to pay for what you want. Encountering a place which lacks the capability to accept plastic payment is still not that uncommon, particularly in rural areas.

Imagine the serendipity of being out for a drive and happening upon a delightful little mom-and-pop diner with the smells of your favorite food wafting from the kitchen—only to discover that they accept cash only and you have none. Sure, you could make the drive to the nearest ATM, some 10 miles of winding country road each way, but you probably would not.

Sometimes even when establishments do accept plastic, it is nice to have a little cash on hand. Paper money can make splitting the check or paying your share of the tip easier, and it is convenient to have a few dollars in your wallet when all you want is a soda or pack of gum.

Bad Stuff Happens

Having cash makes it easier to buy direct from individuals. Transactions such as getting a great deal on a vintage bureau on Craigslist or scooping up a baby stroller at a garage sale are easier with cash for everyone involved. You also might want to avail yourself of a chance to get in on a friend’s bulk purchase by buying just one pair out of a dozen gloves or a small bag of artisan flour out of a 50-pound sack. It also would be a shame to pass up a purchase of fresh delectable produce at a stand beside the road, or to miss an opportunity to donate a few dollars to a good cause because you did not have money handy to do so.

Having cash on hand also can be more than just a matter of convenience. Stuff happens. Stuff like forgetting your purse at a friend’s house—or your wallet in your other jacket pocket—and not realizing it until your gas tank is too low to go back for it. And stuff like searching for a store at midnight when you suddenly realize you are completely out of disposable diapers and finding that the only store open has a broken card machine until the repairperson arrives the next morning. And even stuff like rushing to a meeting and not having cash for a toll highway or parking area and ending up late because of detour.

And those possible situations are just everyday occurrences. If a minor emergency were to happen, the need for cash could become even more important. In the event of something like a power outage, small stores without generators would be able to serve only cash customers. If the precipitating event continued, generators in larger places could eventually fail, as well.

In the event of a major disaster, cash will be vital, at least for a period of time. In a true catastrophe, it is possible that all representative currency could eventually become valueless. But in the interim, having cash could mean the difference between comfort and suffering, and could possibly contribute to your very survival.

The advice to always keep cash on hand is all well and good, but is not easy to do. Probably the biggest barriers to stashing cash are related to how difficult it is to avoid spending the money as fast as you get it. There is no magic bullet, but everyone can do it.

An Easy Way to Do It

As far as pocket money goes, for those little gotchas like emergency gas and unforeseen parking fees and middle-of-the-night baby necessities, it makes sense to keep the stash in your car. One way to do this is to keep a little covered dish—a recycled pint container such as the ones sour cream or cottage cheese come in—in your car. Tuck it away out of sight so thieves cannot see it. Start out by just dropping your coins into it every time you get change in the drive-through or coins back at a toll booth. Add a few bills here and there as you can spare them, never enough so you miss the money but sufficient to add up over time.

If the container-at-your-fingertips idea works for you, great. If, however, you cannot resist frequently dipping into your money dish, try hiding a little money in areas of your car that are less convenient to access. Most cars have places to stow items so that they are not accessible to the driver. Try tucking some money away in the trunk or under the back seat, and when you are faced with the choice of pulling over and digging out a stashed $10 bill versus dipping into your wallet, you will choose the latter.

Once you know you have a solid emergency stash in the back of the car, keep trying to keep a money container within reach. Eventually, you can make it work.

Building up a supply of money at home for true disasters works on the same principle. Start small and move up, with a $5 in a decorative cookie jar and $20 in an empty toothpaste box in the bathroom cabinet and another few bills tucked between the pages of an old book. Choose hiding spots in places you don’t look in often, and in places where would-be thieves may not find, either.

But where does this money come from to begin with if you are in the habit of using exclusively plastic and electronic transactions? You will need to be proactive about it, especially at first. You can get a little cash back every time you use a card at the grocery store, withdraw money from your account at an ATM, or develop a habit of doing more trading in cash.

There is no disputing the fact that we are quickly becoming a cashless society, and I am not suggesting that we can or should resist that trajectory. But I do maintain that everyone needs to have a little cash, on their person, in the car, or at home—and preferably all three—for convenience and emergencies.

WARNING: Watching The Following Video Will Give You Access To Knowledge The Government Does NOT Want You To Know About

Despite what the headlines want you to focus on… celebrity scandals, political drama, faraway international conflicts … there’s a far greater threat quietly building beneath the surface.

As the world looks the other way, this crisis is creeping closer every day…

It’s not being debated in Congress.

The media won’t report on it.

But make no mistake… what’s coming is the largest shift in global power and economic stability since the Great Depression.

It’s the collapse of American dominance and life as we’ve known it for nearly a century.

And unless you begin preparing right now, your savings, your home, your job, your 401k, and everything else you’ve worked your entire life for for may vanish in just days…

That biggest advantage America has had in the world since 1944 will vanish by the end of this year.

Behind this catastrophe are some of our biggest geopolitical enemies, led by China.

They’ve managed to persuade Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. geopolitical partner for decades, to not renew their “petrodollar agreement”. That means that for the first time since 1974 oil will not be sold exclusively in dollars anymore. Instead, the Kingdom will begin selling its most precious resource in yuan, euro, and probably other currencies.

This is something the Saudis have never even considered before.

This will trigger a domino effect that will eventually lead to the dollar losing its status as the world reserve currency.

When that happens, everything changes

Inflation will spike uncontrollably. Interest rates will soar. And the cost of basic essentials like food, gas, electricity, and medicine will skyrocket.

For decades, whenever there was a crisis like the 2008 crash or COVID shutdowns, the Federal Reserve just printed more, because they could do it with little to no consequence.

But once other countries stop buying our debt and stop needing our dollars to store value and trade between them, we’ll have no one to pass the buck to.

And hyperinflation will stop being something that happens in Zimbabwe or Venezuela…

It will come here.

And we are not ready for it in any way, shape or form…

Walk down any street in a major U.S. city, and you might still see signs of the “normal life” in a first world country… people sipping on Starbucks lattes, coming out with shopping carts full of groceries from Target or Walmart and driving home in a Tesla or other expensive car.

But underneath, the cracks are getting deeper…

Homelessness has surged in places like Los Angeles, Austin, New York, and even small midwestern towns once seen as immune to such trends.

Foreclosures are up.

Personal savings are down.

And for the first time in modern history, over 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

Credit card debt has just passed $1.4 trillion, another record.

And the average American household now pays 22% more for groceries than just three years ago.

Wages haven’t kept up. Not even close…

This July, at a certain event in Rio de Janeiro, the biggest threat to the greenback will be unveiled.

It’s been at least a decade in the making.

And unlike the dollar, it won’t be backed by empty promises or intimidation. Instead, it’ll be backed by gold, oil, rare earth minerals, and other tangible commodities.

The immediate implications for the US will be massive and irreversible:

• Demand for our dollars will collapse…
• Nations will dump U.S. debt and currency…
• Inflation will skyrocket…
• Most Imported goods will become unaffordable…
• Our ability to fund our military, government and public services through cheap borrowing will vanish almost overnight…

America is standing at a crossroads

We’ve lived beyond our means for decades.

We’ve built a house of cards out of debt, trust, and the global dominance of the US dollar.

Now, that house is starting to shake.

And soon, it will collapse.

This event is probably months away at this point.

The steps you take now may determine whether you’ll be able to protect your family as a new Great Depression sweeps across our country.

We’ve all heard that we’re moving towards cashless societies, but we’ve all probably brushed it off as doomsaying or too-far-into-the-future technology.

Except now we’re getting closer to that reality.

According to an article from January 2024, some banking experts are predicting that Sweden will eliminate cash as a payment method by the year 2027 and that all of their transactions will use a digital payment method, such as credit and debit cards, RFID signals, digital wallets, and so on.

Should this happen, this would make Sweden the first cashless country in the world.

In this article, we are going to take look at the various countries that are aiming towards cashless societies in the near future as well as what this means for merchants moving forward.

Merchants need to have a greater understanding of what payment solutions are going to look like in the future.

It is important to note, that while some predictions indicate the United States will go cashless, it still remains a distant reality.

Let’s take a look at what a cashless society and cashless countries would entail for merchants, as well as for individuals.

What Is A Cashless Society?

A cashless society in its simplest terms is a society in which purchases of services and or goods are made by credit cards/electronic funds rather than cash or check.

You might be thinking, “well aren’t a vast majority of purchases made electronically already?” You would be correct, as it is impossible to deny the convenience of electronic transfers and purchases.

This being said, just because countries are taking tremendous steps to go cashless, that doesn’t mean that it will be enforced by the government.

It is also important to remember that there are individuals who still prefer cash, as they feel there is less government control.

A cashless society doesn’t mean just a major shift from cash to electronic payments, it means a complete shift in that cash is no longer used for anything.

To better understand what going cashless means, let’s take a look at the pros and cons below.

Pros

There are many benefits to going cashless. Those who are able to take advantage of ever-growing technology will find that one of the main benefits is convenience.

With apps like Venmo, Paypal, and Zelle, it is hard to deny the convenience that technology has provided us with.

Should countries decide to go cashless, this would greatly decrease illegal activity such as money laundering, illegal transactions, illegal gambling, and drug operations.

Here are the main benefits that you could expect from a cashless country.

• Convenience: Far more convenient for consumers and for merchants, especially when those are traveling and dealing with currency exchange.
• Lower Crime Rates: Going cashless would mean there would be no tangible money to steal, reducing crime.
• Decreased Money Laundering: It is harder for people to launder money without cash as it is much easier to track electronic payments/spending with digital paper trails.
• Time: A lot of time will be saved from not managing cash for both businesses and consumers.
• Health Benefits: In general, cash is dirty. The spread of viruses and other illnesses can be greatly halted when germs aren’t being spread through cash.

While a lot of these points may seem like common sense, they are extremely valid points of discussion.

In general, many individuals probably would agree that all of these things are positives.

This being said, let’s take a look at some of the cons with a cashless society.

Cons

From what we’ve gathered, the main downfalls of going totally cashless are security breaches and personal spending habits. To combat this, over the years, the banking and credit card processing industries have seen drastic increases in security.

While hacking can certainly be a concern, digital paper trails could end up being the reason why you’re able to get back $2,000 that was stolen from you. If this was cash, it would be much harder to prove it wasn’t you who spent the funds or that you were robbed.

• Security: Should your bank account get hacked, you wouldn’t have any additional funds until it’s cleared up.
• Spending Habits: Some may have trouble saving money when physical cash isn’t leaving their wallets.
• Tech Problems/Glitches: Should there be glitches or outages, merchants may have trouble accepting payments, leaving you without the ability to purchase goods when needed.
• Digital Paper Trails: All transactions would be easy to track and this could be something that frequent cash users won’t like.

Overview Of A Cashless Society

So, what would a cashless society look like? In a way, similar to what we’re seeing today with electronic transfers, and more and more businesses accepting different forms of electronic payments.

This is one of the major reasons why merchants need to make sure they are working with reliable and up-to-date payment processing companies.

Without cash and coins, all payments would be handled electronically. Rather than using cash to exchange value, you would be authorizing transfers of funds from one bank account to the next.

While credit cards and debit cards are definitely seeing a heavy uptick in overall users, they may not be the only thing to contribute to a totally cashless society.

In addition to the traditional Visa, MasterCard, and American Express cards, as well as Discover, JCB (Japan Credit Bank), there are other options you need to be prepared for.

There are apps like PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, and Cash apps. There’s WeChat Pay and AliPay mobile chat and payment apps, which have 800 million users around the world.

And lastly, there’s Brazil’s Boleto Bancário, which is organized by the Brazilian Federation of Banks, which makes up 25% of the country’s total payments with 3.7 billion transactions per year.

Mobile wallets would also likely be heavily prevalent with services like Apple Pay. Countries that are starting to stray from cash and have seen a steady rise in mobile payments.

The last thing to touch on is cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies are already being used for transfers and they also bring new technology and innovation.

This being said, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are still considered to be extremely high-risk for merchants and consumers.

To sum this all up, we would likely see an increase in security and an increase in mobile apps focusing on convenience for consumers and merchants.

Cashless Cities

Smarter Travel predicts that cities like Stockholm, Reykjavik, Seoul, Singapore, and several cities in China will go cashless. So what does this mean for retail and online merchants, and their merchant service providers?

While these cities going cashless will only affect a fraction of the globe, merchants who accept all forms of payment may need to get used to more and more alternative forms of payment to crop up.

Cashless Countries

There are currently no cashless countries. This being said, there’s a growing number of countries seeking to go cashless in the coming years.

Let’s take a look below at some of the countries that are closest to going cashless:

• Sweden
• Finland
• China
• South Korea
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Netherlands
• Canada

Sweden

With a date set in 2025 to go completely cashless, Sweden is arguably the closest country to achieve this. It is currently not uncommon to see signs that say “No Cash Accepted” in various shops in Sweden.

A recent study from the European Payments Council showed that cash transactions accounted for only 1% of Sweden’s GDP in 2019 with cash withdrawals steadily declining by about 10% a year.

While consumers are generally happy, those struggling financially or technologically still continue to rely on cash.

Recent reports show that mobile payments are accelerating very sharply in Sweden. One of the main reasons for this is that Swedes are tech-savvy.

For example, Swish, which is a mobile app, had over 7.8 million users in July of 2020 and also performs close to 50 million transactions a month.

Should Sweden achieve a truly cashless economy, visitors will want to be sure that they have forms of electronic payments.

Finland

Finland has a smaller population of around 5.5 million. This being said, cash in Finland is becoming irrelevant through rural and urban areas.

So, what is Finland doing differently than Sweden? Finland is not taking as aggressive measures as Sweden in going towards a fully digital economy, however, it is reported that Finland is currently more capable of going fully cashless this moment.

Finland currently ranks second to just Ireland in terms of frequency of use of cards, and fifth in e-commerce spending, and second in smartphone penetration.

China

While China is a bit behind both Finland and Sweden, the growth in electronic payments is far more significant, given its massive population size.

Like other countries that have been aiming towards going cashless, China has shown a rapid adoption of mobile payments. Currently, one of the most popular ways to pay by phone is through QR code scanning.

China is leading the charge in eCommerce and is the biggest eCommerce market in the world. With annual online sales of $672 billion and an annual growth rate of 27.3%, China doesn’t show signs of slowing.

South Korea

South Korea is currently more cashless than China, however, there are far fewer people.

More and more South Koreans are starting to rely on credit cards and various digital payment tools. South Korea already has most of the infrastructure in place nationwide to go cashless.

It was reported that roughly 6% of South Korea’s GDP being eCommerce spending and more than 100 transactions on every credit card per year.

This should keep South Korea in the conversation in the coming years when it comes to the idea of going cashless or even just relying more on electronic solutions.

United Kingdom

The UK has embraced technology, including the digitization of money. London, specifically, has done so the most so far and continues down this path.

The UK has a strong presence in online banking and it is currently in second place to just the United States when it comes to financial tech areas. There has also been a strong increase in merchants accepting more card and mobile payments.

In 2020, the UK was 3rd to just the United States and China in eCommerce GDP, and they sit well above 4th place, Japan.

Australia

Australia is a bit behind the other countries mentioned in this list, however, it is definitely worth the mention. We are currently seeing Australia start to digitize most of its economy. It is predicted that most individuals in Australia will own a smartphone by 2020.

This is a major advancement as a lot of payments are done via mobile transactions nowadays.

On top of this, internet banking penetration is now over 75% of the total population.

Over the last 5 years, the use of debit cards has increased by over 90% and online banking transactions have increased by over 43%.

Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of the leaders in Europe when it comes to electronic transactions. A striking statistic is that 99% of the population currently owns a debit card.

Over half of payment transactions in 2020 were contactless and via debit card. This is a huge step towards the potentiality of going cashless.

With this being said, cash still remains to be an important payment type.

Canada

While Canada is nowhere near going cashless, they have some very interesting statistics regarding electronic transactions.

83% of Canadians no have a smartphone. This is huge as consumers use smartphones to pay bills, shop online, and transfer funds. A study even suggested that nearly 80% of Canadians wouldn’t leave home without their phones.

We’re also seeing that over 70% of personal purchases in Canada are now card-based. While it’s hard to deny this boom, going completely cashless in Canada seems to still be far away.

Will The U.S. Become A Cashless Country?

With a disparate level of technology and a wide span between rich and poor people, it is hard to see the United States going completely cashless in the near future.

When a significant number of our population are poor, refuse to use smartphones, or are severely unbanked/underbanked, one could guess that cash will be around for a long time.

Not to mention the various laws that require that anyone who sells something must accept cash as a form of payment, as well as several cities that have also passed ordinances to prevent businesses from going completely cashless.

While many believe the United States won’t be going cashless anytime soon, countries with lower levels of economic inequality and greater trust in government seem to be pushing the envelope.

This being said, the United States, like most countries, is making some major moves when it comes to electronic payments and transactions.

What Can Merchants Do?

Now, more than ever, merchants should be doubling down and making sure that they are able to accept various payment methods.

As certain cities and countries around the world continue pushing electronic transactions, it will be more important than ever that your business is able to process various payments.

Even if countries don’t go completely cashless, tourists may be reluctant to travel with cash and may resort to different forms of payment.

Wrapping Up

While we still have a few years before Sweden goes totally cashless and the other countries begin to follow suit, take this opportunity to look at accepting different payment methods and forms of currency.

Should you be a merchant, it is extremely important to make sure that you are working with a merchant services provider that is ready to adapt to an ever-changing industry. Not only does Corepay do this, but we also offer solutions to all types of industries including high-risk.

If things go sideways in a really bad way and I’m talking about the kind of bad that a region or country doesn’t quickly or ever bounce back from, more than likely you and your family will die if you’re not prepared.  Are you prepared enough to ensure your family can weather a major catastrophe?

I tend to try and be as optimistic as I can when I consider possibilities involving an SHTF scenario.  I consider myself a practical, pragmatic prepper of sorts and I tend to focus on the most probable of disaster scenarios that I’ll probably face in my area, like fires or earthquakes.  I’d like to believe that most catastrophic problems in my region can be resolved within 2 to 4 weeks assuming help comes.  But I know as a prepper it’d be foolish to not consider the possibility that things may not bounce back or help may not arrive.  If this were to happen, would I be ready to take care of myself and my family?  Many experts predict that if our power grid were to go down in the U.S., by the end of the first month, ½ of all Americans would die.  Can you live 30 days without power, water or food being available to you?

The video below will shock you because you will be among the first to watching this secret!

In this article, we’ll discuss the 10 most common ways people will die in the first month if there were an extended catastrophe.  While this topic could be perceived as discouraging, the good news is we’ll present solutions to ensure you and your family will be prepared to face these challenges.

By the way, if you haven’t read the book “1 Second After”, I encourage you to purchase it today…after reading this article of course. While it’s fiction, it’s a great read and covers many of these items we’ll be discussing in this article.

So let’s jump in discussing the top 10 things that will likely kill you or your family in the first 30 days after a catastrophe in which help doesn’t come.

1. The lack of water or even safe water to drink.

I put this intentionally first as you can only live 3 days without water.  The biggest killer at the beginning of a catastrophe will be people dying from either a lack of water or the inability to gain access to sanitary water.  If you’ve ever watched the news after a major catastrophe hits an area, you’ll see that lethal diseases will quickly run rampant through individuals that have been displaced.  The lack of sanitary water leads to diarrhea and other problems that can quickly kill people due to pathogens contaminating the water supply due to unsanitary conditions.

How do you protect against this?  Easy.  Having gravity fed water filtration or other water filtration systems that do not require power to operate will allow you to make your water safe.  In my family’s bug out bags, I have a few different water filters: a sawyer water filter, a life straw, and a pure sip personal water filter.  While these small filters are good for handling bacteria, they’re not really equipped to handle contaminants in water.  In our home, we have a Berkey water filter as well which we use on a daily basis.  These filters can make contaminated water safe to drink.  If you do not have water stored and a way to filter water, you need to focus on this first.  In addition, have bleach, iodine tablets, or pool shock to kill viruses if your filter doesn’t filter at this level.

2. Starving to death

The average person can only last 21 days without food.  Most Americans only have enough food for a few days as they’re used to visiting the grocery store every few days.  If a catastrophe prevents food deliveries to your local grocery store which typically carries enough supplies for 3 days, then what?  Malnutrition, food poisoning, and starvation will wipe out a large percentage of individuals in the first 30 days.

This problem can be easily remedied by building a short-term food plan.  In my home, I have stocked up on foods that we already use on a daily basis.  We pull the food from this inventory as we need it…things like spaghetti, rice, honey, beans, coffee, canned meats, canned food, etc.  This setup is by no means a long term food storage plan which we’ll cover in a future article, but rather this is food that is already used in our daily life.  Here’s what I did.  We started setting aside a little extra money in our budget each month to grab additional food we already used and added it to our inventory.  When we pull the food from our extra inventory supply we built up, we have a clipboard in our storage area where we write down what was taken and on our next trip we simply replace that food.  Many people focus on storing canned foods which are fine for short term, but having a balance of other foods that can easily sit on the shelf is a good idea as well.  Remember: begin stocking staple foods that are easy to store and prepare and have a balance of fat, carbs and proteins.

3. Your medication runs out

This one is a bit of a challenge as you can’t necessarily stock up on medications if your doctor only gives you enough of a supply until your next appointment.  After many catastrophes hit an area, apart from people making a run on their local grocery store to grab as much food and water as they can, you can expect people will make a run on their local pharmacy to secure the drugs they need to survive.  In addition, you need to consider the effect it will have in your local area when people come off meds.  Many people rely upon medications to not only deal with health issues but to keep them mentally stable.  Without their meds, there could severe side effects.  People will get desperate and potentially dangerous.  There will be those that need their meds to survive.  Without the meds, they won’t last long.  If your health condition can be managed with changes in your lifestyle (for example getting in shape and losing weight), you need to give serious consideration to this which leads us to our next point.

4. People will die because they’re out of shape

A few months ago I had a tree in my backyard which began dying and it was time to cut it down.  I don’t own a chainsaw and so I used an ax to cut it down.  Growing up we cut trees down all the time on our property and split wood…that was back when I was 18 years old.  Now that I’m over 40, that same task is more difficult.  Cutting down that tree was a bit of a challenge.  While I spend 3 days in the gym and try to do cardio activities on the other days, when cutting the tree down I began to realize I was no longer a spring chicken.  I was winded quickly and found myself wishing I had a chainsaw.  I got sloppy as well due to getting tired and nearly injured myself when I tried to cut the tree at an angle and nearly caused the ax blade to bounce into my leg (which I’ll talk about in the next point).  But the fact that I had been keeping myself in decent shape made the job possible.  In a grid down situation where things are not bouncing back, you’ll probably be required to perform physical activities to survive.

If you’re used to sitting in an office chair all day and not performing daily activities which push your body, you might be surprised how little your body will be up for strenuous labor.  Please don’t underestimate this point as something you can put off.  You have the opportunity to get your body in shape.  If you don’t push yourself, your body will naturally atrophy.  Also, consider things like how much extra weight you are currently carrying on your body.  Being obese can be a huge liability in a grid down situation.  With a modification to your diet, getting off your behind and begin moving on a daily basis, you can steer yourself in the right direction. The older I get, the more I realize the limitations of my body and the less I want to exert myself.  There may come a time when my family relies on me to have to work physically hard for them in order to survive and I don’t want to be unable because I had simply allowed my body to atrophy.

5. Individuals will die due to trauma, small injuries or simply get sick

As I mentioned earlier while chopping down the tree, I nearly had the ax blade slam into my leg.  While it’s easy to laugh this off as someone not being safe, think about how many people will get injured performing a lot of physical activities that carry the risk of injury.  Not only will major trauma potentially injure individuals, but think about how many have a minor injury that could lead to a severe infection.  If you’ve ever had a small cut that has turned into an infection that needed attention, you could simply visit your physician to get the proper medications to treat the problem.  But now imagine individuals getting small cuts and nicks that they neglect only have it turn into something worse and no one can help.  Not only do injuries carry a large risk of death, but getting sick can as well.

The video below will shock you because you will be among the first to watching this secret!

So what can you do?  Begin gaining medical knowledge and the proper medical supplies now.  In addition, make sure you don’t neglect basic sanitation.  Not that a long ago I took training through my local fire department named C.E.R.T.  Part of the training taught us how to stabilize individuals with major trauma.  I encourage you to begin researching courses like this in your local area.  My degree in college was Microbiology and during this time I spent a lot of time volunteering in hospitals.  While I am by no means a physician, while being in this environment I learned the basics in sanitation and treating minor injuries.  I have been working on stocking medical supplies and am working on expanding that out at this time.  There’s a lot of great channels on Youtube like the Patriot Nurse or Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy which are great for someone looking for help getting up to speed on the basics of medicine. At a minimum have a book in your inventory like The Survival Medicine Handbook.

In addition, do yourself a favor and pick up a good pair of work gloves and safety goggles.

6. Lack of sanitation

In the previous point, I pointed out that individuals getting sick can result in death without medical attention.  If things go bad in your area, proper sanitation will be critical.  Have you considered how you will dispose of the waste your family produces?  By waste I am referring to your urine and excrement, in addition, leftover food or dirty dishes.  We’re so used to simply flushing our toilets and taking the trash out to the curb and the problem is gone.  But what happens when the sewage stops running and the trash man doesn’t come to pick up your trash.  Then what?

A lack of sanitation can lead to illness which can spread through your home and kill your family.  Began researching options to dispose of your waste.  Essential things like washing your hands thoroughly will be more important than ever.  Having a decent supply of hand sanitizer will be helpful as well.  When I lived in Afghanistan in 2003, I was fortunate that I never really got sick even though sanitation was a foreign concept in the general population.  I was OCD about sanitation and during my time working with an NGO and living with 24 other people in our house, fortunately, I didn’t have many of the health issues that our team members had.  I attribute my good fortune to staying on top of being careful to make sure I kept my hands clean, I sterilized my water bottle daily and made sure the dishes I used had been properly cleaned.  Not only can getting sick be a problem in your family, but consider the damage it can do to morale having sick family members or being sick yourself.

7. You die when looters come for your stuff

Many people envision the looters they’ll have to face will be gangs or some group of people displaced coming to take their supplies.  While marauders like this can potentially be a big threat, the reality is you may have neighbors or other family members which can turn on you if you’ve prepared and they haven’t.

When I first got serious about prepping, I thought sharing my excitement about prepping with friends and family would excite them to get serious about prepping.  It pretty much had the opposite effect: they looked at me strangely and later they brought up that if things were to go bad, they’d come to my house immediately to seek help.  Remember earlier we mentioned that only about 1% of Americans are “Preppers”?  Well, what do you think the other 99% of Americans are going to do when they can’t find water or food?  Thinking about this does concern me greatly because I’d never want to harm someone if they were hungry and coming for my stuff, especially if they were someone I knew and loved.  And by “coming for my stuff”, I don’t mean just asking or pleading.  When people get desperate, they will do anything it takes to survive.  And by “anything”, I mean “a-ny-thing”.  If you only have enough supplies to keep your family alive, what will do if that neighbor that hasn’t prepared goes past demanding help and decides they will take from you even if they have to hurt you or your family?

So what are you to do?  If gangs or looters are bent on hurting you for what you have then the answer is obvious, but what are we to do regarding friends or family?  This is a moral dilemma that goes through my head a lot and I see it often discussed in this community as well.  If you want to open your supplies to help others, remember you are lessening the probability your family will live that much longer and the probability those people you helped with keep coming back.  In my mind, there’s only 3 answers which I’ll run through quickly (and if you have other views please share them in the comment section below):  1.  Keep your mouth shut.  The less information you provide to others about what you have, the better.  2. Help others now and educate them.  While this might seem to be the exact opposite piece of advice from my point #1, you don’t have to disclose all your preps and show off everything you have to them.  Just help educate them that they should prepare.  I need to create a separate video for this, but I’ve slowly been introducing neighbors to prepping and they’ve begun taking steps to prepare.  Remember, the less desperate they are, the less of a threat they are to you.  3. Arm yourself.  If it comes down to it, you may have to be forced to protect your family.  While I have no desire to harm someone, if it comes down to me and my family and a person bent on hurting us, I’ll do what I have to do.  Side note: I don’t advocate violence and I greatly value human life.  Remember, if you harm or kill someone, you will ultimately be held accountable for your actions.  But when the social niceties that we enjoy in our society go out the window when people get desperate and they pose a threat to me or my family, I won’t hesitate for a moment to do whatever it takes to stop them.

8. You aren’t prepared for reality

So your plan is if things hit the fan is to grab that awesome bug out bag and run to the mountains and live off the land.  In your mind, you dream of picking berries, drinking from streams, trapping rabbits and hunting deer.  You’ll live in a tent with your family and survive in that national forest near you.  OK, so I don’t have time in this article to break this entire fantasy down, but good luck with that.

The reality is that all that cool tactical gear you bought with the molle, the 5000 rounds of ammo you’re storing up, those seeds you purchased online to build a big crop that you’ve never planted won’t save you.  If you’ve got a family, think you can run them into the mountains to live off the land?  If you’re not practicing this lifestyle now, you’re probably not going to suddenly transition overnight to this and suddenly thrive or even survive.  What am I saying here?  Live in reality on this issue.  The fantasy of becoming some amazing survivalist with several family members in tow isn’t going to last long.  I live in a suburban environment and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my 7000 square foot suburban home will not support my family long-term unless I prepare and think ahead now.  I know we can definitely survive for an extended period of time if we’re able to bug-in and don’t have any major conflicts as mentioned in the previous point.

So what can you do?  Network.  Build relationships with other like-minded preppers.  I’ve been fortunate to find a solid network in my area.  In the past, I have used the website meetup.com to find a local prepper group in my area.  You’ll definitely meet some oddballs but overall I’ve been able to meet some solid people.  While it’s beyond the scope of this article, the lone wolf mentality will only get you so far.  Live in reality and take an honest assessment of what you and your family can do and do yourself a favor and connect with other preppers that can help where you are deficient.

9. You freeze to death

I’m fortunate to live in a part of the U.S. that doesn’t get terribly cold during the winter.  But in many parts of the US, temperatures can drop to very dangerous levels that can kill.  So what will you do?  Gonna start that fireplace you have never used before?  OK, do you have firewood already cut and prepared?  If not do you have the tools to do so and do you have places around you to cut down firewood?  For many that can not get a fuel source in time before the temperature drops to dangerous levels, they’ll try burning things that they shouldn’t and stand the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning or possibly burning their home down.

If you have a fireplace, start by making sure the chimney is cleaned out and have firewood on hand that is already cut up.  Find methods that others use in your area to heat their home that is not dependent on the electrical grid functioning.  Each region is unique and different in how they handle heating homes and be sure to have a backup plan.

10. You give up

Last but not least, many people will simply give up.  Even those that have prepared to cover the points above, some will simply lose the will to move forward or to keep fighting.  Things may not go according to plans.  Bad things may happen.  Your supplies may get looted, someone in your home may die.  The list of what could happen could go on and on.  The key is this: do not give up.  Especially if you have a family or others depending on you.  You may have to dig deep inside to find the strength and fortitude that come hell or high water, you will not back down and you will not give up.  If you have dependents, giving up is not an option.  Remember this: a negative, defeated attitude can be like cancer and spread to others around you.  As we discussed earlier, morale in times like this is critical.  If you’ve ever read accounts from those that have had to survive extended periods of time in impossible situations, the will to survive and the morale required to do so was the only thing that enabled them to continue living when others around them gave up and simply died.  This goes beyond having the right tools or supplies.  If you are prepping now for yourself and your family, remember, they will be looking to you to lead not only in your preps but in those dark moments when all hope seems lost.  Don’t give up.  Determine now that will dig in your heels and align your mind to that end.  You may be the only beacon of hope others have.

While writing this article, it challenged me to reconsider a few things I need to focus on a little more and I hope it will do the same for you.  Again, please feel free to provide your feedback in the comment section below.

As always, be safe out there.

WARNING: Watching The Following Video Will Give You Access To Knowledge The Government Does NOT Want You To Know About

When you engage in bartering, you directly trade your goods, services, or skills with another person who has goods, services, or skills that you want to own or make use of.   There are bartering structures you can use now, as well as in a time of economic collapse.

The most shocking article can be found below.

Liberal’s hidden agenda: more than just your guns…

Watch this video below to find out the great secrets hidden by the government.

 Pros and Cons of Bartering

• Disadvantage – Bartering often involves haggling because there is no centralized value for goods and services pegged to a medium of exchange. If you are good at haggling and negotiating, then you will do well with bartering.   If you don’t have these skills, then you might lose out even if what you have is of greater value than what you get in return.
• Disadvantage – Bartering is considered inefficient when compared to using a medium of exchange. Let’s say you want to obtain a dozen eggs.   If you don’t have anything of interest to the owner of the eggs, you won’t be able to make the deal. In order to obtain the eggs, you may have to go through several transactions to obtain something of use to the owner of the eggs.

• Advantage – When you rely on a centralized medium of exchange, the value can change in harmful ways without you having any say in the matter. Inflation and currency devaluation are examples of things that impact currencies and cryptocurrencies, but not bartering.
• Advantage – No third person or other agency can step in and enforce a ration or other mechanism to limit or prevent you from trading one or more items.

Consider how merchant category codes and other tools are now being used to prevent you from buying certain items or in various quantities.   Even though you have the money in your bank account, or available through your credit cards, you won’t be able to make the deal because there is a hold marker preventing the exchange.

By contrast, with bartering, if you approach a farmer and want to trade 8 dozen eggs for a harness, the deal will go through as long as both parties have the items in question and are willing to make the deal.

Bartering Methods to Consider

Person to Person bartering

Historically speaking, trading person to person is the oldest method.   These deals are usually carried out quickly unless haggling is a cultural point that demands more lengthy negotiations.

Depending on the items exchanged, repeat transactions may occur over time.   For example, if a baker requires eggs for certain pastries, he might routinely trade several rolls of bread per dozen eggs.

Group Bartering

You can also barter as a group.   This usually works best for large-scale or bulk items.   Let’s say someone has 100 loaves of bread to barter.   One person won’t need all of that bread, but several families getting together to trade would.   In this case, each group member might offer something as part of the trade to make up the full value of the exchange.

As in one-to-one bartering, some haggling might go on as individuals try to get the most from their offerings.   The pressure of the group interest, however, can limit this as the owner of the large-scale item will be more eager to make the deal and not waste time or effort looking for more people.

Barter Banks and Clubs

The third method involves the use of bartering banks and clubs.   Bartering banks were especially popular during the Great Depression when money was scarce.   One of the most important things about barter banks is they can make trade more efficient without the use of money or debt.

Bartering banks bring buyers and sellers together in a single market.   If you have a good, service, or skill to trade, the barter bank adds it to the list of items available to others.   Next, the bank owner matches up traders.   Once both sides agree on the deal, the bank owner charges a small fee for bringing the traders together.   Depending on the bank owner’s interest, this fee can also be paid in the form of a barter.

From soaring interest rates to outright monetary depreciation, bartering banks and clubs can offer relief when purchasing many consumer items.

There are two tricks to optimizing how a barter bank or club works:

• Local Diversification – Let’s say you want to reduce the cost of fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat. If you live in a small town surrounded by farms, a bartering club will be fairly easy to set up.   As long as each bank member has something of interest to offer the farmers, the club and members will do fine.
• Optimizing Travel – People that live in a city will always have a harder time reducing food costs. This situation is likely to be even worse with bartering because the tangible goods and services required in each area are different.

A barter bank can still generate multiple transactions, enabling people and groups to trade effectively.   The key to this is the trade needs in the areas between the farms and cities.   Co-ops and other group structures can still work within the bank to trade in bulk with the farms, and then generate another trade at the city level with individual bank members.

5 Things to Keep in Mind When Founding a Bartering Club

# 1 Research who has tangible goods and services that will be of interest in a time of need.   Talk to them now and see if you can get them to take advantage of a free membership or other incentive even if they don’t immediately start using the service.

# 2 Cultivate people that wouldn’t usually look for bartering opportunities.   This includes medical professionals and others who may not know what to do during a major economic crash but still need things like food, clothing, and other tangible goods.

# 3 Form a business structure, such as a corporation, that shields you and your personal assets from liability.   Keep a competent accountant and lawyer on hand for advice.

# 4 Get a professional marketing plan.   Few things in business are worse than having a great idea, people with valuable products, and no way to expand the network to critical mass.   Professional marketers can help you reach a wider audience and ensure you adhere to your theme.

# 5 Pay attention to business infrastructure.   You will most likely use cloud hosting services that enable transactions to occur securely in real-time.

Economic crashes have happened overnight, leaving people with no place to turn.   Your barter club will be what they are looking for.   That may mean upgrading at a moment’s notice to take on all the new activity.   Make sure you know exactly how long the upgrades will take and the up-front cost.

You should also be able to run the barter club without using computers.   Ham radios for you and club members and paper ledgers are tedious but valuable backups.

Fair Market Value – What it is and How it Works

Even though you aren’t using money or credit to purchase goods and services, the government still looks at your labor and everything you own from a monetary perspective – or “Fair Market Value”.   Therefore, when you make a trade, the value of the transaction is considered in terms of monetary profit or loss for tax purposes.

Arriving at fair market value can be complicated, however the government uses a range of metrics to determine the value.   This includes consumer price indexes based on past performance of any given item and assessments of current trends.

These pricing indexes and forecasts are available from national to locality levels.   To get started, look to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) for information at the national level.   Some of it is free, while you will need to pay a subscription for other items.   If you have a library nearby, they may have subscriptions to this information that they allow patrons to access for free.

Even with all of this data, arriving at fair market value of goods or services can be difficult.   Adding to the challenge, if both parties have agreed ahead of time on the value of the goods or services, this value will be accepted as a fair market value unless you can prove another value is more accurate.

Bartering and Your Tax Burden

When you barter in a club or group, you may wind up with an accumulation of credits until you find something you want to use them on.   These credits are taxable, just like any other asset, and are considered income.

Any income or profit that you make as a result of bartering must be reported on your tax returns.   Bartering clubs, like any other business, must file a 1099-B that shows all of your transactions, plus the Fair Market Value profit or loss.

If you make a business out of bartering, then the forms you file will be different from those used for individuals.   In addition to federal filings, you will need to know what forms to use for the state and the city if it levies taxes independently of the state.

Most people don’t think about bartering as something to engage in before a major social collapse.   There are different kinds of bartering you can make use of, even in these times.   Bartering clubs, in particular, can be an ideal business opportunity that will be of use to you and others in a time of need.

This Shocking Video Will Completely Change Our World

The Great Depression was caused by much more than Black Tuesday, the day the stock market crashed. From what I understand, the biggest thing that caused the depression was the loss of confidence in the banking system. There was a run on the banks, destroying their financial base, which in turn forced them to liquify assets. That had the net result of turning what had been good investments into bad, putting the banks in worse conditions.

The following video reveals the secrets of a future crisis, but the government does not want us to know the truth!

There are a number of very serious differences between the economy of the 1920s and the economy today. I could talk about a lot of different things that fall into this, but the main point is that the government is meddling in the economy much more today, than they were back then. Giving Congress the benefit of the doubt, that meddling has largely been done with the intent of making things better; but Congress seems incapable of learning the lesson that there are always unintended consequences to their actions. Some of those actions include:

• Not allowing banks to fail. While nobody wants to see banks fail, buying up their debt and/or assets to prevent failure or to pass those assets on to other banks at a reduced cost, merely puts off the financial impact, while increasing the national debt.
• Not allowing major corporations to fail. Instead, the government props them up with taxpayer dollars.
• The trillion-plus-dollar spending packages due to COVID relief and the “infrastructure bill” have jacked up the national debt to previously unheard of levels.
• Increased dependence on the protection provided by Welfare and other related programs adds to the national debt, while training people to depend on the government to take care of them, rather than taking care of themselves. In the case of a recession or depression, more people would be receiving that aid, driving the national debt rise even faster.
• The FDIC, which exists to guarantee depositor’s funds, was in its infancy, with only the largest banks as members, before the Great Depression. Today, pretty much every bank is a member of FDIC, which is backed by the US government. Should the FDIC be unable to pay, the government would be forced to, increasing the national debt.

Each of these things has been done to help protect our economy, “cushioning” any impact from a negative turn in the economy. But the unintended consequence is that they all have the net effect of increasing the national debt, one of the major things that is driving us closer to a financial collapse. In other words, what they are really doing is kicking the collapse down the road, hoping that in doing so, they can make it disappear. That just means that when the collapse does finally come, it will be worse.

There’s another hidden consequence of these actions. That is, as the Federal Reserve keeps “printing” more money to meet all these government “obligations,” the value of our money on the international stage keeps going down. In other words, we get inflation. Eventually, Chinese products won’t be cheaper, but we’ll still be forced to pay for them, because we won’t be manufacturing competitive products here at home.

Watching this news can change your life…