Be Prepared

In earlier posts I have referred to tough times coming. I firmly believe we face serious challenges ahead. We must be prepared emotionally, physically, and spiritually. See my earlier posts on this subject.

What I didn’t address in earlier posts is how to be physically prepared. By “physically” I am referring to materially and financially. I have a few thoughts on this, which you can take or leave. I’m no financial expert, but you can judge for yourself whether this is good advice given your situation.

Financially

Since the stock market will be volatile and may lose significant value over time as the economy get worse (as I suspect it will), I’d put my money in more conservative and safe investments. You could be super-safe and put your money in insured certificates of deposit. They may not even keep up with inflation but at least they won’t lose value. I depends on how much risk you want to take, and how old you are.

Reduce your debt now, because you will have even less money to pay down your debt as the cost of all forms of energy continues to rise. Reduce your debt, even if it requires significant sacrifice. If you can, put more into savings to hold you over in case you lose your job. If you don’t lose your job, then you have an emergency fund, a college fund, or a retirement fund. You can’t lose!

Materially

Much of our food comes by truck, and there could very well be disruptions in deliveries because of fuel shortages, trucker protests, or other reasons. I would stock up on non-perishables. If you have young children, stock up on powdered milk and things they can eat. Stockpile dried beans, canned goods, packaged rice, and other foods to last you at least a couple of weeks. Also make sure you don’t get low on toilet paper, disposable diapers (if you use them), paper towels, detergent, and other things you need on a daily basis. Buying in bulk at one of the price clubs almost guarantees you’ve got a good supply, just replenish before they get too low.

Finally, continue to pray for our country, that these things won’t happen. Pray for God’s protection for this country, your community, and your family.