More Preparation Insight on Hyperinflation

So, What is Hyperinflation?

For years, I really didn’t fully understand much about the economy and how it worked. I just got a paycheck, deposited it into my bank, and paid my bills. When prices went up, usually I got a raise at work so I really didn’t notice too much difference with how much money I had left over each month.

Of course, that was before I felt the call to prepare, and began really grasping things that were going on. We’re still learning on the journey but, certainly there is a much-better understanding of some very important difficulties – and why we must prepare.

Over the years, I’ve heard people state they have confidence that our Government leaders will ultimately make the right decisions regarding our economy. While I certainly pray for our leaders and believe most of them serve with good intentions, I simply have lost confidence in the way “politics” is now impacting the decision making process.

It has become obvious to more-and-more people that we are heading for very perilous times. I have started discussing the need to prepare for economic collapse, and especially the potential for hyperinflation.

I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:1-2

In order to really understand how to best prepare (and especially what we will discuss in the days ahead), you need to have a solid grasp on what hyperinflation is. In simple terms it is tied into inflation levels that are extremely high and out of control. They are well beyond the norms of inflation.
As a result of hyperinflation prices increase rapidly. This causes many of complex concerns. There are basic things we all need and those seem to what the price increases hit the hardest.

For example when you go to fill your car up at the gas station you may find that it has jumped by several cents per gallon. Sometimes those jumps are as much as ten cents per gallon overnight too. This can increase the budget in your household for fuel substantially.

We all have to eat and the cost of food continues to increase during hyperinflation too. When you buy food items at the grocery store it is going to be much more than before. Due to the increased costs of supplies it also means you can plan on paying more when you dine out.

One of the other significant areas of the budget where you will see increases are in utilities. Most of us have seen several spikes and increases in the costs of utilities over the past couple of years. It is tough due to the fact that we need water, heat, and cooling available to us. We also need electricity so we feel that we are at the mercy of such companies.

Due to hyperinflation it is very hard for many households to make ends meet. They find their costs for necessities goes up and so they have less disposable income. For those on a fixed income or low income who were just getting by it is now virtually impossible.

Households are cutting out extras and that is why so many businesses are having problems too. When a household can barely meet their required expenses they aren’t spending on items that they consider to be wants or luxuries any more.

The terminology that experts use for hyperinflation is… a period of time when the cycle of inflation continues to grow so rapidly that there isn’t any real balance in sight for it.

When you have an increase in costs that is very fast, there is no controlling it, and prices are continually increasing with large jumps you have more than inflation to deal with – it is hyperinflation. It is very unusual but it does happen and it is something that the US dollar could be heading towards.

In order for hyperinflation to be present without a doubt one of two things must occur:

• If the accumulated inflation rate of the past 3 year period is equal to or more than 100%

OR

• The accumulated rate of inflation is more than 50% over a one month period of time.

Even though there are historical standings of hyperinflation hundreds of years old, no one studied it and gave us solid information about it until 1956. A book by Phillip Cagan called “The Monetary Dynamics of Hyperinflation” was a huge release that showed people some of the reasons why it happens and to give them an understanding of the process.

A great deal of what is found in this book has been given credible backing by economic specialists. They have studied the foundations of the US dollar and the economy. They don’t argue with what Cagan offered in that very enlightening book.

However, that doesn’t mean our Nation now has all of the answers of how to prevent high inflation and hyperinflation from occurring. The good news though is that the government and all citizens have access to information that can help them to identify the signs that may indicate that hyperinflation is going to happen.

It can help use to take action that will change the course of history. Most people don’t think much about economics or the economy of the USA when things are going well. When they turn the other way though people are fun of panic over it and they are ready to place blame.

Taking responsibility for the economy is a role we all need to step into. Too often citizens feel that their hands are tied and they have to make do with what is going on. Yet they have decisions about buying commodities such as gold, reaching out for credit that is offered, and how they will handle their own finances in tough economic times.

Have Faith in God.  Pray for our Leaders.

Prepare for the Collapse of the US Dollar

“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

The economic climate is something that influences each and every one of us.  In the past several years the economy has been in a downward spiral that has caused numerous people to be worried about the future. Fear is widespread in the marketplace, and many individuals have lost their hope and joy.  Those who have placed great trust in the government, capitalism, savings, or even their career, are now struggling to find direction.

Obviously, with the economic difficulties, there are high rates of unemployment, entrepreneurs are closing their businesses, and new company ideas are being placed on the back burner for now. Numerous people are struggling just to get by financially and a lot of families are heavily in debt.  Even kids and young adults are struggling with discouragement and have doubts about their future opportunities.

The housing market has tanked, and foreclosures on an all time high.  Hard-working individuals are losing their homes and families are struggling just to pay their monthly mortgages.  Shelters for the homeless are over-crowded and even the non-profit charities and ministries that try to serve people are running low on money and supplies that they can offer to help.

So with all of that to deal with, now we hear financial experts share concern about inflation.  Since our Country has had limited exposure with this type of financial peril, some people may not be completely aware of the difficulties presented by inflation – and especially hyper-inflation.

Now, for this article we will not get deep into simple inflation.  Instead, we are talking about a financial shift so massive that we can see prices double in a very short period of time. An impact so strong that price of goods can be drastically altered in a few months, a few weeks, or in some parts of the world less than a day.

Economic studies have typically included the understanding of inflation. What the experts are stating at this point in time is that we are headed down a path that is going to take us into hyperinflation when we certainly want to get into a recession.

Some people accept that throughout history we just have to allow the economic climate to go through these cycles. Occasionally it is good and at other times it isn’t. Nonetheless, there is adequate information and facts now that shows by correctly understanding hyperinflation, what causes it, how to take action, and especially how to recover from it, the US dollar can easily be secured.

As a Nation we are fortunate that there have only been two documented times in history when hyperinflation has occurred in the Country. Yet, many analysts absolutely believe it is on our horizon so we would be wise to prepare and make adjustments to avoid it, or lessen the impact.

All of us out there have been dealing with the tough economic times. These difficult times have been an element for everybody from the top to the bottom of the financial scale. In a time of global economic values and online companies that deal all over the world it is even more significant that the value of the US dollar is maintained.

As you learn more about hyperinflation you can certainly stop feeling like you are at the mercy of the government or society to assist you in getting by. What you will certainly even realize is that numerous individuals blame the government for not being more supportive or helpful to hurting families, however the increased government assistance programs can actually be a catalyst in triggering hyperinflation instead of reducing it.

Gaining a better understanding of the dynamics might help you to diminish panic feelings about what is going on with the economic climate.  It can certainly even help you to see why extending more credit, printing more cash, and even diminishing taxes aren’t solutions that can help our economic difficulties.

There are no simple solutions either to slowing inflation or stopping hyperinflation completely.  Of course, there are many theories and opinions out there and there are likewise those who believe we can easily master from the mistakes of the past in terms of how the economic base of money in the USA is operating.  Unfortunately, with diverse opinion, political gridlock, and global responsibilities, the responses are far from certain.

In future posts, we will continue to discuss preparation strategies and offer tips to help you navigate the difficult times.  For now, a simple strategy we offer is to begin developing a long-term food storage program.  If the dollar does collapse, you certainly don’t want to be paying $25 for a roll of toilet paper.  Get it now, while your dollar has some value.

Some Insight into Financial Emergency Preparedness

Part of emergency preparedness involves having money available during the situation, and having a backup of all your financial data for when the crisis has passed.  Think about how terrible it would be to survive a particularly bad situation, and then find out that all your financial information was lost.  There are different steps that you can take to minimize a financial emergency when things go wrong, and to plan for your future.

Now, while there are certainly potential scenarios and risks of banking collapse and global financial meltdown, this writing will not address that level of preparedness.  This post will make an assumption that current banking and legal tender remains somewhat solvent and available.   We will share more on the potential of massive financial collapse in future posts.

Money is an important part of good emergency preparedness, since banks may not be open and access to funds electronically may not be available.  So this means that cash may be the only form of payment accepted at stores or in other situations.  If that should be the case, then you will need to have a supply of emergency cash that you can access if there is a large-scale problem.  This money should include coins for pay phones and it should be hidden in a safe place in your home.

After the situation has been resolved, then the next step is fixing the problems and confusion that occurred.  Your emergency preparation should have involved making backup copies of all relevant data related to your finances.  On an external drive, you should regularly backup any recent transactions made online, and your credit card information.  The idea here is that even if there is a massive power surge that fries your computer, followed by a power failure, once things have been restored to normal you should be able to hook your external drive to an unaffected computer and recover all your data.

Another important step to being prepared for an emergency is having financial records and important contact numbers and names of people in a safe place. In fact, this information should ideally be stored in more than one place, in the event that the first location is compromised. Safe locations could involve an external hard drive, a safety deposit box, a home safe, or some other hidden location.  Once the situation has been resolved, these records can be accessed and used to make a quick transition back to normal, and they can often suffice as evidence in case the original data has been lost or damaged.

To be successful with your emergency preparedness, you need to anticipate a great deal. It is hard to predict exactly what will happen in a major crisis, but basic steps you take should involve setting aside some cash and making a backup of your financial information. So much can be lost in such a short period of time that it is well worth it to invest a bit of effort in making sure that should the worst occur, you will be more likely to walk away from it unscathed.

Prepare Your Family for Home Emergencies

Right now is the time to prepare your family for emergencies and difficulties.  Times are getting much more difficult, and will continue to see an increasing intensity.

The fact is, no-one knows exactly what specific problems or challenges that could eventually result during a major and over-all emergency event.  The best thing right now if to prepare for situations that could cause disruption to your normal lifestyle.

Certainly we do not want to operate in fear, so preparing will help us get our families ready when stressful times approach – and will enable us to help others who may struggle with the difficulties.  The reality is, we do not know when something may disrupt our lives, or exactly what the turmoil may look like.

 ³⁶ “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.  Only the Father knows.  Matthew 24:36 (NLT)

To help us prepare, let’s do some planning.  The following are some simple tips and recommendations to help us prepare for an emergency.  These are very simple action tips that you might find from various preparation and disaster support agencies like the Red Cross.  Certainly, most are obvious suggestions, but it never hurts to revisit our preparation plans.

Get an “escape bag” ready
There are other names for the bag, such as:  72-hour kit, bug-out bag, battle box, and GOOD bag (Get Out Of Dodge).  The focus of the bag is to get you items ready for a quick evacuation.  It is not intended to be an all-out long-term survival kit.  Basically, it is a portable kit that is ready to go in an emergency, and contains the items that would be needed to survive for seventy-two hours when evacuating from a disaster.

Water is life, and critical for our survival
Obviously, our bodies require water for survival.   Years ago, I lived in South Florida when a major hurricane hit.  I took for granted that water would flow into our home.  Unfortunately, I was sadly mistaken.  A State that was surrounded by water was thrust into a water crisis.

So, make sure to prepare for what you do not know.  As much as possible, try to keep a water supply of a gallon for every person each day and one that would be enough for seven to ten days.

Water should be kept in appropriate safe chemical-free containers.  Also, make sure that you also have filters and tablets for the purposes of purification ready and available when needed. Read more

A World War is Upon us

WARNING!

I believe a World War is fast approaching and it is becoming increasingly essential that we are getting prepared.

Before I share some thoughts, let me start by saying that I post this with a very heavy heart. I struggle that many people may find the comments I will share to be disturbing or painful. Certainly, it is not my intent to discourage anyone or bring fear. On the contrary, I know we have a Redeemer – and in Him we have Life Everlasting. The purpose of this writing (and the blog in its entirety) is to hopefully provoke actions in preparation.

As I begin sharing a few things, I encourage the reader to pray.  Draw close to God and ask Him to carefully prepare you and open your heart to what He wishes to change and establish in you.  Ask Him to give you wisdom and discernment.

The things I share here are only my opinions – based on what I believe God has laid on my heart.  I suspect that many of my comments will be viewed as controversial and perhaps even a bit alarmist. I am fine with that, as I am only sharing what I believe I am supposed to share.

Years ago, I received a “Preparation Call”.  I am not a theologian and in Sunday School had never heard of a “Preparation calling” being something that was available or desired.  So, my preparation call was somewhat bizarre.  In fact, the calling came at a time when things were very prosperous in America – and long before anyone even heard of terrorism.  Our economy was robust, and outlook was encouraging.   To get a preparation call during that time was just weird.  But… I just felt that God laid on my heart to begin getting prepared, and be ready to help others get prepared.  So whatever that meant, I have since tried to live in full surrender to it.

Now… wherever you go, it seems that more-and-more people are getting prepared.  People “feel” something is coming, and they are trying to find answers on how to prepare.  Unfortunately, there are people who are now using this new heightened sense of concern to spread fear and worry.  Some are even using fear to profit.   They call themselves “modern day prophets”, when in fact they are only after modern day profits.  God will bring them to task.

So, back to the point of this post.  Again, let me emphasize that I firmly believe a World War is coming, and it is vitally important that we are preparing ourselves and our families.  I believe it will be quite an intense time for everyone.  For those who have ignored the call to prepare, it could get frightening.

There are many, many people out there who believe a battle in the Middle East is brewing.  I not only think it is brewing, I believe it is imminent.  The Bible alerts us of the importance of this are in the final days, and it is becoming more obvious by the moment that we are seeing the stage being prepared for war. Read more

Whole Wheat as Part of Your Preparation Food Supply

As a whole grain, dark hard winter or spring wheats store very well.  Dried wheat pastas and pre-ground wheat flours can also be purchased, but individuals purchasing these items from a supermarket should be aware their shelf life will not be near as long as that of properly stored and prepared whole wheat grains.

Obviously, whole wheat products are easily acquired both in supermarkets and through preparation specialty websites and whole grain stores.  The biggest difference you will find is that items sold in most supermarkets have typically been processed and are stored in such a way that they have a much shorter shelf life.  Also, purchasing wheat pasta means your storage will only allow for eating wheat pasta.  Buying wheat whole grains means preppers with grain mills can make just about anything they would like out of the whole wheat grains they have stored.  A plethora of breads, pancakes and even wheat gluten meat substitutes can be fashioned from simple buckets of whole grain wheat.

Many highly-intense preppers recommend storing enough supplies (including wheat) to last your family a year.  Less hardcore individuals suggest two weeks is enough.  In the event of a serious disaster where infrastructure is compromised and food is not easily acquired, a supply of food that is enough to last a few months is probably a good goal. Whole wheat grains, when properly stored, can last for well over a year.  An excellent grain storage bucket we recommend can be found at www.grainbuckets.com

We all are aware that we live in very difficult times.  There is no longer a question about the need to be prepared.  Like many people, perhaps you have decided that long-term food storage is a necessary, and you are now working to get prepared in the case of a world or national crisis.

A great place to begin your food storage is with storing whole wheat and grains.  Whole Wheat and Grains can be easily stored for long periods of time, and will offer a variety of food options during a time of crisis.  You will need preparation food, so it makes good sense to start with grains.

 

Are you Prepared for the Collapse?

Okay, here it goes – I’m certain I’ll be labeled (again) as some crazy conspiracy theorist, or perhaps a gloom and doom preacher. Feel free to label me whatever you feel is appropriate. I’ve been called lots of things before .

First of all, let me state that I do believe we are heading toward a collapse. In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that I would say that and be completely alone in my statement. Today, however, there are many people who now seem to agree with me.

This is not intended to be “gloom and doom” but a reminder that we must be preparing. I can not fathom how anyone can go through a day without the Faith in knowing the coming Messiah.

So why do I think there will be a collapse? Well, everything I’m seeing tells me so. You see, for a long time America has been the greatest financial powerhouse on the planet. Today, not so much. We are about to lose our lunch. Those who have held to a faith in the government structure will soon be very disappointed.

At this very moment the government wrestles with this issue of raising our debt ceiling. Basically, we have to borrow more money to keep us floating. At some point (which I believe is now), you simply can not continue borrowing above your ability to repay.

I certainly pray for our leaders and appreciate their hard work on this matter. It’s a very, very, difficult decision and one that will create major issues regardless of which way it goes. I recognize the difficulty. You see, I contend that regardless of the vote – we are heading for a collapse. Heed the call to prepare!

The US government likes to borrow money rather than make the tough choices of which programs to cut. We have become a Country of Entitlements and have continually fed the animal until it is very difficult to wean. The more we feed it, the closer we come to our own demise.

Read more

Economic Collapse and our rush to war

Preparation is now taking on a new and vital importance. For those doubters who have scoffed at the need or call for preparation, I hope you will soon arise from your sleep.

Many people never thought that the world and domestic events would push things to the point of where we now find ourselves.  It is an amazing time to be alive!  Prepare to meet thy God!

World events are changing very quickly with daily reports of wars and upheaval all over the globe.  Everything is becoming more intense and will continue to intensify as we draw ever closer to the end of the age.

As I look over the events of the day, there are some amazing things that are happening – yet, most people do not seem to take notice (or perhaps prefer to ignore them).

Economies all over the world are failing (especially in the West) and people are taking to the streets in protest.  Countries are selling their assets just to stay afloat and perhaps survive a few more months.  Are we so ignorant to believe that a few changes will suddenly and effectively change the ultimate outcome?  I am not an economist, but I just believe it is folly to assume we can continue “economy kiting” with more bailouts.

The more I see that is happening, the more I am convinced that people must expedite preparations.  The world economy is in peril, and many leaders believe the best way to stimulate the economy is for war to emerge.  When you look at the events all over the globe, it’s not a stretch to see that the US and other Countries are positioning and preparing for war.

Within the next six months it will likely not shock many people to see the US expanding operations and engaged in Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, or Pakistan.  In addition, it seems highly likely that Israel will be pressed on its borders, with significant new rocket terror from all fronts. Read more

Financial Emergency Preparedness Plan

Emergency preparedness is an important part of taking care of your family. In addition to preparing for a possible natural or man-made disaster, by taking care of water and food storage, and having a first aid kit, you should also take steps to ensure that your finances will not be overtly affected by a wide scale situation, and that you will have enough funds on hand that will allow you to be mobile if needed. There are many different things that can be done to make you sleep easier at night, but the following are a few basic steps that should not be overlooked.

A big part of emergency preparedness is having cash available. This doesn’t mean funds in a savings account, money that in a normal situation would be easy to withdraw; it means actual cash that is hidden somewhere in your home that you can access if there is an emergency situation. If the power goes out throughout a large urban area, and for a long period of time, then credit card transactions and direct debit from your account may not be possible. If that is the case, then your foresight to have emergency cash on hand will serve you well, as it will probably be the only form of payment accepted.

After the situation has been resolved, then the next step is fixing the problems and confusion that occurred. Your emergency preparation should have involved making backup copies of all relevant data related to your finances. On an external drive, you should regularly backup any recent transactions made online, and your credit card information. The idea here is that even if there is a massive power surge that fries your computer, followed by a power failure, once things have been restored to normal you should be able to hook your external drive to an unaffected computer and recover all your data.

Another important step to being prepared for an emergency is having financial records and important contact numbers and names of people in a safe place. In fact, this information should ideally be stored in more than one place, in the event that the first location is compromised. Safe locations could involve an external hard drive, a safety deposit box, a home safe, or some other hidden location. Once the situation has been resolved, these records can be accessed and used to make a quick transition back to normal, and they can often suffice as evidence in case the original data has been lost or damaged.

It is hard to anticipate every eventuality, but one major part of emergency preparedness will always involve money. Make sure you have cash available for buying things even when there is no power, and make sure that you have a backup of financial records stored somewhere safe. It is not just the crisis that you need to prepare for. You need to make sure that when it is over that you and your family will be able to successfully survive the aftermath.

Prepare for Disaster

Every day it seems more-and-more people are concerned and are beginning to prepare. Some are not quite sure what they are preparing for, but I hear most say they are preparing for disaster.

I heard a preparation call more than 30 years ago.  At the time, I didn’t quite understand what it meant to “prepare”, but I tried to just step on Faith.  As it turns out, what I assumed was preparation is far more intense than I ever imagined.

The urgency and importance of preparation has never been more critical.  As I hear comments from US Government leaders and see the direction we are headed as a Country, I realize that we are racing toward difficulties and disasters that we have never encountered before.  The arrogance and audacity of hope founded on intellectual ascent may soon unleash peril upon us – if there is not repentance.

The stunning developments that are now unfolding impress upon me the urgent need for people to prepare.  I believe there is an increasing intensity coming that will shake the foundations, especially if our leaders abandon Israel.

On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations.  All who try to move it will injure themselves.  New International Version

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.  Prepare, because the day of the Lord is upon us.

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