Surviving Dystopia: What Does an A.I. Recommend?

By Tim Gamble

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Since this website is Dystopian Survival - surviving in the modern world of technology, technocracy, tyranny, and artificial intelligence - I thought it would be interesting to see what an actual A.I. would recommend. So I asked one to write a guest article on the subject. I present it here without any comments or editing. The A.I. that wrote the article is Gab.AI. 

Surviving the Dystopian Future: A Guide to Navigating the Challenges Ahead 

In a world where society has collapsed, resources are scarce, and danger lurks around every corner, survival becomes the top priority for those who remain. This article explores the essential skills, strategies, and mindset necessary to thrive in a dystopian future.

1- Adaptability: The ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances is crucial in a dystopian world. Embrace flexibility and be prepared to adjust your plans and strategies as needed.

2- Resource management: Scarcity of resources will be a defining characteristic of a dystopian society. Learn to efficiently manage and conserve food, water, shelter, and other essential supplies. Acquire skills in foraging, hunting, and resource allocation.

3- Self-defense: In a lawless environment, the ability to protect oneself and one's resources becomes paramount. Train in hand-to-hand combat, weapons handling, and situational awareness to ensure personal safety.

4- Medical knowledge: Access to healthcare may be limited or non-existent in a dystopian world. Acquire basic medical knowledge and first aid skills to treat injuries and illnesses.

5- Forming alliances: Collaborating with like-minded individuals can increase survival chances. Build a network of trusted allies to share resources, skills, and information.

6- Mental resilience: The psychological toll of living in a dystopian world can be overwhelming. Develop mental resilience through mindfulness, stress management, and maintaining a sense of hope and purpose.

7- Stealth and evasion: When necessary, the ability to avoid detection and move undetected can be a lifesaver. Master the art of camouflage, silent movement, and concealment.

By developing these essential skills and maintaining a proactive, adaptable mindset, you can increase your chances of survival in a dystopian future. Remember, the key to thriving in challenging times is to stay informed, stay prepared, and stay focused on your goals.

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Surviving Dystopia: Free and Low Cost Medical Information

By Tim Gamble

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Here are some resources that I have found in my own search for health and medical knowledge. It is divided into two sections. The first section is free downloads of medical information in .pdf format. The second section is low-cost information available to the general public. 

Free Medical Information 

(available for download, just click the links)

Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook - Hesperian's classic manual, Where There Is No Doctor, is arguably the most widely-used health care manual in the world. The manual provides practical, easily understood information on how to diagnose, treat, and prevent common diseases. Special attention is focused on nutrition, infection and disease prevention, and diagnostic techniques as primary ways to prevent and treat health problems.

Where There Is No Dentist - The companion to Where There Is No Doctor features information on maintaining tooth and gum health, and treating dental problems, including filling cavities and extracting teeth, when there is no professional dentist available. 

Basic Physical Health with Limited Resources - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) have taught/required preparedness and self-reliance of their members for generations, and have accumulated much practical knowledge on the subject. In addition to the well-known LDS Preparedness Manual, they have also published this 76-page guide to Basic Physical Health with Limited Resources. This book gives information covering Disease Prevention, Cleanliness and Sanitation, Family Food Production, and Basic Family Medical Care, even when resources are limited because of poverty, war, or natural disasters. 

US Military Medical and First Aid Manuals - There are more than 20 US Military Medical and First Aid Manuals available for FREE download (and no email required) in .pdf format on the Federation of American Scientists website. Just click the link to go to the webpage for those manuals, and download the ones you want or might need. Or just download all of them, since they are free.

Where There Is No Vet - Part of the same series as Where There Is No Doctor and Where There Is No Dentist, this book is more than first aid for pets and livestock. It covers a wide range of topics to help keep your animals healthy. Both traditional remedies and modern medicine are covered, and special emphasis is given to preventing disease and keeping your animals healthy. Includes advice on the care, feeding, and handling of animals. Just click the link to go to the download page on the Livestocking.net website. 

Low-Cost Medical Information

Please take a basic first aid & CPR course before an emergency hits! These basic courses are typically free or low-cost. Places you may be able to find a basic first aid course include your local YMCA, fire department, rescue squad, or community college. You also may be able to organize a course through your church, scouting organization, or a local community/civic club. 

[Better and more advanced first aid courses, including trauma aid, can be obtained through Refuge Medical & Refuge Training (Affiliate link).]

I have all of the following books on my Survivalist Bookshelf. There are no blind recommendations. These are the books I use. 

ACEP First Aid Manual, 5th Edition - Everyone, prepper or not, should learn first aid. This first aid manual of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is much more up-to-date (2014) than the American Red Cross manual, which hasn't been updated since 1992. 

The Survival Medicine Handbook, 4th Edition - In my opinion, this is THE essential guide for when medical help is NOT on the way (which happens also to be its subtitle). Written by Dr. Joseph Alton, MD, and Amy Alton, APRN, this massive handbook (close to 700 pages) is a detailed guide for those who want to be medically prepared for any disaster or austere setting where doctors, nurses, or paramedics are not available. 

Alton's Antibiotics and Infectious Disease, subtitled The Layman's Guide to Available Antibacterials in Austere Settings, is also by the husband-wife team of Dr. Joseph Alton, MD, and Amy Alton, APRN. This book is a simplified guide to using antibacterial and antifungal veterinary medications (such as fish antibiotics) in disaster, survival, and other austere settings where modern medicine is non-existent.  

Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal, is a popular health advice book from the editors of Reader's Digest, that is now in its Third Edition. I have all three editions, which is an indicator of how much I like this book. This book takes the approach of connecting the foods we eat to the ailments that they cause or worsen, or that they help heal. This food-health connection is extremely important, and is a natural way to deal with our health issues. 

Herbal Medic: A Green Beret's Guide to Emergency Medical Preparedness and Natural First Aid - With a focus on herbal medicine and first-aid essentials, former Green Beret medic and clinical herbalist Sam Coffman presents this comprehensive home reference on medical emergency preparedness for times when professional medical care is unavailable.

Wilderness & Travel Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide, 4th Edition - A really good pocket-sized guide. 

When There Is No Doctor: Preventive and Emergency Healthcare in Challenging Times - Full of medical tips and emergency suggestions. 

 Also of Interest: I am a Type II Diabetic. These are the three main books I use in dealing with my diabetes, two of which were recommended by my doctor. One is actually a cookbook.

Of all the books I've read so far, the best and most useful is 60 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar by Dennis Pollock. Pollock's book is an aggressive plan to control your blood sugar by bringing together the best of traditional and alternative medicine. What I appreciate about Pollock's approach is that it is based on solid science, even the "alternative" aspects, and is not some hippy-dippy book that rejects science (avoid those). Also, his ideas are easy to follow.

My doctor recommended the book Life Without Bread by Dr. Christian B. Allan, and Dr. Wolfgang Lutz. This book presents a low-carbohydrate diet (but one not as severe as the Atkin's Diet) as the best healthy diet for everyone, especially people dealing with high blood sugar. Right now, based on my own experiences and everything else I've read, I think they are right about their low-carbohydrate diet. 

My doctor also suggested I try the cookbook Paleo Comfort Foods. Since the Paleo Diet avoids both grains and potatoes, most of the recipes in this cookbook are diabetic-friendly, although you may to substitute stevia for regular sugar in a few of them. I actually use this cookbook often.  (My doctor has told me that he and his family follow a "mostly Paleo" diet.)

Legal Disclaimer: Tim Gamble is not a medical professional and is NOT diagnosing or treating any medical condition. This article only points to health and medical reference materials that are available to the general public.

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City Farming - 8 Ways It Can Be Done

By Tim Gamble

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City Farming - It Can Be Done

Here is some good news: You can grow at least some of your own food, even if you live in the city or suburbs. Yes, farming in the city (and suburbs) is possible! Here are some ideas:

1) Have a small lawn? Learn small plot gardening techniques. If you have even a little bit of land, you can have gardening success. You don't need a huge garden to grow food. Check out my articles Small Plot Gardening Tips and Lasagna Gardening.

For city folks and suburbanites fortunate enough to have a small yard (many do), I recommend the books Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre and The Mini Farming Bible: The Complete Guide to Self-Sufficiency on ¼ Acre, both by Brett Markham. You'll be surprised how much you can grow on a small plot of land, even if its less than a quarter acre!

2) No lawn at all? Consider container gardening indoors, and on windowsills, porches, and balconies. A lot food can be grown in containers, including all herbs, all lettuce varieties, all greens (spinach, collards, turnip, mustard, Swiss chard, etc.), tomatoes (both regular size and the mini ones), carrots, beets, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, and zucchini. In fact, almost everything can be grown in containers, even some dwarf fruit trees. The only drawbacks are that container gardens need more frequent watering than regular gardens, and plant size may be limited by the size of the containers you are using.

There are a number of books available on container gardening. One that I think is particularly good is The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible: How to Grow a Bounty of Food in Pots, Tubs, and Other Containers. 

3) Have a strict HOA? Hide your garden with guerilla gardening! Your home owners association doesn't allow gardening. Best option: move the hell away from there. Second best option: Hide your garden. Survival Lily did a great video "10 Best Survival Crops for Guerilla Gardening!" (YouTube link) giving some great food crops that can be "hidden" amongst your normal landscaping and flower beds, keeping them out of sight of nosy neighbors. To her suggestions, I would add that most loose-leaf lettuces, spinach, and herbs can be similarly incorporated into your flower beds without drawing too much notice. Finally, you can hide your garden indoors or on your back patio with container gardening.

4) Consider joining a community garden. Community gardens are plots of land that are gardened collectively by a group of people. Each person or family may be assigned a particular plot within the larger piece of land, or the whole garden may be worked collectively. Rules vary. You can find more information and locations of community gardens in your area on the American Community Gardening Association website.

5) Start your own community garden. If there is not a community garden in your area, that would make a perfect project for your church, synagogue, YMCA, or other civic organization. The idea of community gardens became popular with the push for "Victory Gardens" during WWI, the Great Depression, and WWII, then fell out of favor. It is time to bring back that concept in a big way.

6) Try Forest Gardening. If you have even a small yard, forest gardening techniques might prove useful in urban areas. Forest gardening is a type of permaculture in which mimics a woodland ecosystem or forest edge. The advantages of forest gardening include: 1) extremely productive, 2) does not require man-made fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals, 3) more efficient use of water, and 5) can be grown and maintained by anyone with even a very small plot of land. Search the archives of this website for a number of articles on forest gardening (several were posted in November 2019). 

7) Try Rooftop Gardening. Like its name sounds, rooftop gardening is simply gardening on rooftops, using containers (which can be quite large if the structure can support the weight). Rooftop gardening has become quite popular in recent years. You can find out more by searching "Rooftop Gardening" in Duck-Duck-Go, Brave, or some other privacy-respecting search engine (please tell me you're not still using google, bing, or yahoo). 

8) Get involved with vertical farming. Dr. Josh Axe explains vertical gardening this way: "Vertical farming is a method of producing crops that’s quite different from what we normally think of as farming. Instead of crops being grown on vast fields, they’re grown in vertically, or into the air. This normally means that the “farms” occupy much less space than traditional farms: think farming in tall, urban buildings vs. farming outdoors in the countryside.  

Vertical farming is credited to Dickson Despommier, a professor of ecology at Columbia University, who came up with the idea of taking urban rooftop gardens a step further, and creating vertical farming “towers” in buildings, that would allow all of a building’s floors, not just the rooftop, to be used for producing crops." -- Dr. Josh Axe, Vertical Farming: Farms of the Future? The Pros & Cons, June 5, 2017

There is even an association for vertical farming. Check out their website at www.vertical-farming.net.

The Bottom Line: The point of this article is that there are things you can do to raise at least some of your own food, even in the cities and suburbs. But, you have to get started now, not wait until things "get bad."

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Surviving Dystopia: Alternative Systems: Replacing the Modern Woke Church

By Tim Gamble

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Surviving the emerging dystopia requires, among other things, developing alternative systems. This includes developing an alternative to the modern woke church. I don't suggest creating any new religion, but simply returning to the old paths of the earliest Church. 

I suggest leaving modern woke churches, and finding a small Bible-believing, Bible-teaching congregation to join instead. Or find a home church or private Bible-study group to meet with on a weekly basis. Or start one of your own with family and friends who also believe in the Bible. 

How The Modern Church Went Woke

In the 1960s and1970s, modern feminism (anti-male, anti-family, anti-traditional values) began infecting many Christian Churches. Many pastors and other leaders did nothing, or even embraced modern feminism, often out of fear of losing members, donations, or even their jobs, if they didn't fit in with modern times.

In more recent decades, the concept of "social justice" (which is absolutely not the same as Biblical justice, see the book Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice) has infected many Christian Churches. Likewise, "environmental justice" - another non-Biblical concept - has also gained traction in many Churches, in some cases to such an extreme that it is bordering on creation worship. 

The desire to "fit in with the world" is condemned in Scripture many, many times. Yet, many modern Christians try to adopt worldly ways, thinking it is okay because they are giving it a supposedly "Christian" spin. It is not okay. We are followers of The Way, not followers of The World. We are called to be set-apart, not to fit in.

God Decides

God, and God alone, decides what is right and what is wrong, what is sin and what is not, what is good and what is evil. What God has decided is never "out dated" or "old fashioned." We have not "out grown" what God has revealed to us. We do not become relevant or authentic by rejecting God's Laws. The world may praise us for doing so, but God won't. 

Let me be clear on this: God decides what love is, not us. God decides how we are to love Him. God decides how we are to love others. We don't decide this for ourselves. God tells us exactly how we are to love Him, and how we are to Love others. It is NOT up to us to decide how we will love Him, or how we will love others. God has already decided this for us. Read the scriptures. Its all laid out right there. 

Worldly ways are not God's ways, and slapping a Christian bumper sticker on it won't change that fact. Follow God, not the World. Reject modern "Christianity" that tries to fit in with the World. Reject churches, pastors, and teachers that worry more about being seen as relevant than about pleasing God.

The Bottom Line 

Here is the bottom line: A Church should be unapologetically Bible-believing and Bible-teaching - and that means ALL of the Bible, from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21. 

No cherry-picking the "acceptable" passages. No avoiding the uncomfortable ones. No trying to "fit in" with the modern world. No denying the existence of Evil. No redefining sin to appease certain special interest groups. No trying to be a "safe space" for modern folks who get offended at every little thing they don't like. 

If your church is woke, drop it. Find one that isn't. If you can't, then find or start a home church or private Bible-study. You do not need a licensed minister with a theology degree in order to have a church. All you need, Biblically-speaking, is our high priest (Jesus the Messiah), the Holy Spirit, and two or more believers. 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." --John 14:6

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Surviving Dystopia: Biblical Agrarianism / Agrarianism

By Tim Gamble
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Bottom Line: As best chance to survive dystopia is to return to the old paths of self-reliance and local economies built around agrarian communities and Biblical values. 

Benefits of Biblical Agrarianism 

• Supports Local Economy & Businesses
• Supports Local Agriculture
• Supports Local & Regional Supply Chains
• Supports Local Jobs
• Local Accountability / You Know Your "Leaders" and They Know You - They Live and Work in Your Community
• Less Dependence on China 
• Less Dependence on Middle East / Islamic Countries
• Less Dependence on Fragile Global Supply Chains
• Less "Foreign Entanglements" / Foreign Wars
• More Sustainable Lifestyle On Many Levels
• More Sustainable Energy, Natural Resources
• Physically Healthier Lifestyle
• Emotionally Healthier Lifestyle
• More Conducive To Living God's Way / Following His Will
• Less Control Over "We The People" By The Elites
• Smaller, Less Costly and Less Powerful Government

The only real path forward to our multitude of problems is a return to the old paths of self-reliance and local economies built around agrarian communities. This is far more than just stockpiling a lot of food to ride out a short-term event. 

The time we have left before things get much worse, and any additional time that our food storage buys us, needs to be spent preparing for what happens when the food stockpile runs out. Preparing for what happens when the supply chains break permanently. Preparing for when the dollar finally collapses and the economy tanks with no coming back. 

The Elites are preparing, so we need to prepare, too. Otherwise, they win. It will be the Elites who get to decide What Next, not us. And the Way Forward, for the Elites, is a world with them permanently at the top, and the rest of us as little more than serfs completely controlled by them. 

It begins with raising much of our own food - through gardening or raising livestock (chickens, goats, etc.), and through planting fruit and nut trees, and berry bushes. This may seem easy for country folks with a bit of land, but city folk and suburbanites can do it, too. You'll be surprised how much you can grow on a small plot of land, even if its less than a quarter acre! (See my articles on City Farming and on Small Plot Gardening.) You don't have to raise all your food, but every little bit you do raise will help, even if it is just a few tomatoes and peppers. 

Find a community garden in your area if you need more space. An Internet search and your local Ag Extension Office should be able to help. Can'' find one? Talk to your Church or community civic club about starting one. 

I also recommend the books Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre and The Mini Farming Bible: The Complete Guide to Self-Sufficiency on ¼ Acre, both by Brett Markham.

I could mention hunting, fishing, and foraging, but really this is only a supplement to your food production at best. Game will quickly become scarce once the grid goes down, like it did during the Great Depression (deer and turkey were almost completely wiped out in the lower 48).   

We also need to develop personal relationships with the local farmers. Learn where the farms are in your area. Visit the local farmers' markets and produce stands. Actually shake hands with a farmer and learn his name. 

Don't stop with getting to know the farmers in your area. You need to know other people, too. Do you know an honest mechanic? A good and dependable plumber? A babysitter you can trust with your kids? Do you know your neighbors?

Know your locally-owned small businesses. Chances are you know where the Wal-Marts, Targets, Sam's Clubs, and Home Depots are in your area.  But what about smaller stores, and Mom-and-Pop operations? Over the years, I've found many things at these places that I couldn't find at the Big Box stores, sometimes at real bargain prices. And I've met some wonderful people.

If, like me you are on a shoestring budget, it is a good idea to learn the locations of the various flea markets, salvage stores, thrift shops, and pawn shops in your community. It may also be a good idea to find all your local antique stores, coin and stamp dealers, gun stores. used bookstores, small hardware stores, feed stores, and gardening centers. I'm putting together a notebook of all these places near me, along with notes on what I can find where, owner's names, and so forth. Start building your post-collapse networks, now. 

Yes, you are going to have to get out and meet people. And not everyone is going to be friendly towards you, or open to your ideas. Thanks okay. Just smile, wish them a nice day, and go find someone else to meet. This is the first step to building an agrarian community. 

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Surviving Dystopia: Building Alternative Systems (part 2)

By Tim Gamble

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The Elites have spent the last 100+ years building the current world-system, one that highly favors them at the expense of us ordinary folks. They are using a combination of modern technology, artificial intelligence, psychological manipulation (PSYOPs), and technocracy (basically, a scientific dictatorship controlled by them) to force us even more into their version of utopia (for them - dystopia for the rest of us). The only way to stop them at this point is to build an alternative world system to theirs. 

What would such an alternative world system look like? I have an idea: "A return to the old paths of self-reliance and local economies built around agrarian communities." I call this concept Biblical Agrarianism*, but those uncomfortable with talk of God and the Bible, you can just call it Agrarianism. It's much the same thing. 

Agrarianism is philosophy and an economic system which places primary importance on agriculture and related fields, as well as in rural and small town living, as opposed to industrialized, urban living. 

Agrarianism does not  mean everyone must be a farmer or homesteader - after all, there are plenty of support functions and other necessary jobs that must be done - but rather that our lives, culture, economy, and political structure should reflect the primary importance of agriculture and related fields, including other natural resources (energy, timber, mining, and so forth). 

It also doesn't mean abandoning modern technology and scientific advances. I am not suggesting we all become Amish (although there are some things to learn from them) Instead, we would use those modern tools to our advantage, rather than letting those tools be used to control us. 

Agrarianism is the way forward. It has many advantages:

• It is a much more sustainable system.
• It is certainly a much less corrupt system.
• It is a much healthier lifestyle, both physically and emotionally.
• We will be much less dependent on China and other foreign powers.
• Less dependence on fragile global supply chains
• Supports local & regional supply chains.
• Supports local economies, businesses, and agriculture.
• Supports local jobs.
• Smaller, less costly and less powerful government.
• Less powerful mega-corporations.
• Less control over "We The People" by the Elites

I believe the agrarian lifestyle is much more conducive to living God's way rather than worldly ways. Hence, my use of the term "Biblical Agrarianism," and why I think Christians especially should seek a return to these old paths. 

There are lots of possibilities for how each of us can pursue this way forward. I have several articles planned that will go into much more detail, so watch for those. In the meantime, check out these past articles I written:

• Precepts of Biblical Survivalism (Biblical Agrarianism is Precept #4) 
• Biblical Agrarianism - A Way Forward?
• Embracing Biblical Agrarianism

* Tim's Note: I am aware of some others using the term "Biblical Agrarianism." For the sake of clarity, I am not a part of those groups and am not familiar with their teachings. My use of that term is coincidental, and is limited to what I have written or stated here and elsewhere.

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Surviving Dystopia: Building Alternative Systems

By Tim Gamble

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"We have to build alternate systems.  I don't think we can stop them, but we can chose not buy their food, take their drugs or mRNA vaccines. We can chose to not use their "health care providers."  We can be our own - independent people outside of their hellscape." -- Dr. Robert W. Malone, MD, in a post on X, dated Jan. 11, 2023

In a discussion on X last year regarding mRNA vaccines in livestock and companion animals, Dr. Robert Malone made a brilliant suggestion. "We have to build alternative systems" (full quote above).  

YES! I could not agree more with Dr. Malone. Because, frankly, I have been saying that for at least the last ten years. In fact, I have gone far beyond Dr. Malone's advice to build alternative agricultural and healthcare systems. I have been saying we need to get out of the worldly system altogether. Not just get out of the world's agricultural and healthcare systems, but out of its education, entertainment, financial, news media and every other worldly system. This includes the modern worldly Church. 

This starts with developing self-reliance through preparedness, as I pointed out in my article Preparedness - More Important Than You Think. Basically, the more prepared and self-reliant we are as individuals, families, tribes and communities, the less we need government and the world's elites. This is the start of removing their power and control.

The elites have spent decades, actually over 100 years, building a worldly system that is rigged in their favor. And they seem determined to maintain their system, and even increase its control over us common folk. Dr. Malone's idea of alternative systems is our only real hope for Resisting the Elites. I'm glad I thought of it first. 😎 

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GOA National Convention in Knoxville, TN

By Tim Gamble

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The Gun Owners of America (GOA) is holding their annual National Convention on August 17 and 18 in Knoxville, TN, at the Knoxville Convention Center. The Convention is known as Gun Owners Advocacy and Leadership Summit (or GOALS). Unfortunately, I will not make it this year due to my health issues, but if you are in the area there is still time to get your tickets and attend. Go to https://goals.gunowners.org/ for more information. 

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Surviving Dystopia: The NEW Financial Tips for Survival

By Tim Gamble

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Dystopia is rising, and we need to prepare ourselves and our families to survive it. There will be no quick collapse followed by a quick reset. Dystopia will last for decades. But we and our families can survive dystopia if we prepare for it. One important area to prepare is our personal and family economics. Here is my list of financial tips for success in the emerging dystopia. Some may prove controversial. Investigate and think for yourself.

• Avoid personal debt at all costs. Except for perhaps a home mortgage, debt is never a good idea. Especially consumer debt like credit cards, car loans, student loans, and payday loans. The saying that debt makes the debtor slave to the lender is very true. Don't do it, even if it means doing without. If you already have a debt problem, see my two debt busting ideas at the bottom of this article.
• Do not go into debt to buy your prepper supplies and cool gear.  Some folks seem to have the idea that they can go into debt now, and not have to pay off that debt after a collapse. What if the collapse doesn't happen as soon as you expect? 
• Spend less than you make, and make savings a regular part of your life. This will mean making some personal sacrifices.
• Have a well-funded emergency account in a safe, well-established credit union or small bank. How much? You'll have to decide that for yourself based on your own circumstances and concerns. 
• Reduce your home energy use. The progressives are dead set on fighting "climate change" by raising energy taxes, taxing carbon emissions, banning coal and oil, and other measures that will dramatically raise energy costs and disproportionately hurt the poor and middle class (the wealthy elites will always be able to afford their energy). 
• Learn to be entertained without having to spend a lot of money.
• Avoid participating in fads and joining in fashionable trends. Don't worry bout what your family, friends or colleagues think. 
• Avoid impulse purchases.
• Be cautious about investing in the stock market. If you do so, be a value investor, and only invest in well-established, well-managed companies for the long-term. Short-term investing is called speculation, and is akin to gambling. Both speculators and gamblers are convinced that they can beat the system that is rigged against them. They can't, not over the long-run. 
• Do invest in precious metals. Within reason, of course. Never put all your eggs in one basket, even if those eggs are golden. Also, I am talking about physical gold and silver, not paper certificates saying you own x-amount of gold or silver. Those certificates will likely be unenforceable and worthless in and after a collapse. See my article Prepper's Guide to Junk Silver.
• Avoid financial gimmicks and get-rich-quick schemes. Avoid any investment you cannot fully understand.
• Avoid Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.  I know cryptocurrencies are very popular with many because they see it as a non-government controlled currency. But there are some things that should concern folks.  First, governments can and are starting to regulate cryptocurrencies. These regulations will only increase in the future. Governments also have the power to ban financial transactions that use any cryptocurrency they don't like or can't control. Never underestimate the government's desire to control everything. Second, cryptocurrencies have proved vulnerable to hacking and other forms of fraud & manipulation. Third, cryptocurrencies are not backed by physical assets. They can fall permanently to zero in value. Fourth, in a grid-down scenario (such as an EMP event), the use of cryptocurrencies will be problematic at best. The Average Joe will not be able to trade or use cryptocurrencies, even if it is still trading in a remote area of the world unaffected by the event. No working computers = no crypto. 
• Learn accounting to really understand the language of business.
• Learn some basic economics. I highly recommend Richard J. Maybury's book Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? and Gary Wolfram's A Capitalist Manifesto as good, short introductions to economics. 
• A homestead and productive land is a great investment. It doesn't have to be in a remote location far away from civilization. My personal preference is on the outskirts of a small town in a rural part of the country, in a red state, away from mega-cities. There is no "perfect" location, but there are better and worse locations. Strive to find a better location. 
  
• Insurance is a good thing. Have enough, and make sure your insurance company is sound. There are a variety of rating services that you can check with to discover the financial soundness of insurance companies, banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions. Pay attention to the news and to the financial reports of your institutions. Again, learning accounting will help.
• Get and stay employable. You may have to change jobs, even industries, several times in the coming years as dystopia unfolds. Don't wait around until you get fired to prepare for that fact. Be proactive. 
• College is no longer a good idea for many people. "If you want to get ahead in life, you have to go to college" is old advice that is no longer valid in many cases. Its simply is not worth going into tens of thousands of dollars of debt to get a degree in gender studies or 18th century French poetry. Education is a good thing. Massive debt is not. Besides, colleges and universities are cesspools of wokeness, anti-capitalism, and anti-Americanism. Instead, consider vocational training at a local community college (much more affordable and useful) while working a real job. If you do have your heart set on a career requiring a college degree, make sure it is a good-paying career (accountant, doctor, lawyer, veterinarian, etc.) and get your degree as cheaply as possible without going into debt. This probably means going to a local community college to get the general curriculum courses, then transferring to a relatively affordable state university to finish your major. It may even mean taking some time of from your studies to work a real job and save money to pay for your studies.

Debt Busting Idea #1 - Making payments on your vehicle? Sell it and buy a more affordable vehicle with cash. Downsizing your vehicle to get out from under the loan is an idea Dave Ramsey often suggests to his listeners. If you can't get enough for your vehicle to pay off the entire loan, you will need to raise some extra cash using other ideas from this article.

Debt Busting Idea #2 - If you own any "adult toys" such as ATVs, boats, sports cars, RVs, pool tables, dune buggies, hot tubs, motorcycles, or other big ticket items that you use only for recreation and entertainment, consider selling them and dedicating the proceeds to debt repayment. Same goes for any home gyms and exercise equipment that you don't really use. Depending on what you have to sell, you may be able to raise anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. That's a lot of debt you can pay off.

Note: One of my degrees is in accounting. However, I am not employed as a financial professional. The tips presented in this article are not meant as professional advice, but are intended as "food for thought" and a starting point for your further investigation and consideration. I don't expect everyone to agree with every tip, and in fact expect several of these tips will be "controversial." Please carefully consider each tip and its applicability to your own particular circumstances and concerns.  

 

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Surviving Dystopia: What To Do BEFORE Losing Your Job

By Tim Gamble

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The good times never last forever. I don't know exactly when the next recession will hit (more likely sooner than later), or exactly how bad it will get, but I do know one thing: There will be another recession at some point. Of course, we know what that means: Lay offs. Here's what to do now, BEFORE receiving your down-size notice:

1. Realize that unless you own the company, you are not indispensable to it. No matter how great you think you are at your job, you can lose your job to downsizing during a recession. No one is immune. You need to do these next four steps, now.
   
2. Prepare financially to the extent you can. This means getting on a strict budget, living well within your means, paying off debt, and building savings. Building up an extra supply of food and other needed items could also come in handy.
3. Get ready to look for a new job now, don't wait until you are fired. Update your resume today, and keep it up to date. Make sure you have updated contact info for all your references (try to have at least six references instead of the standard three, as companies are demanding more these days). Start networking. Stay in touch with your friends and business contacts - you will need them one day.
4. Take steps to protect your current job. Check out Fifteen Commandments of Keeping Your Job. Don't give your employer a reason to fire you.
5. Learn new skills. Take some classes at a local community college. Take a marketing or public relations class (surprisingly useful to most jobs/careers). Learn to sell (read the book SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham - considered a business classic). Learn bookkeeping and accounting. Learn Spanish for the workplace. Brush up on your computer skills. Learn coding. The more you know, the more employable you will be.

You're Fired. Now What?

Okay, you've been downsized, laid-off, restructured, or whatever euphemism for being fired that your company choose to use. Now what? How do you find a job during the middle of an economic crisis? Your job-hunting strategies will be much the same as during the good times.

1. You are much more likely to find a job through a friend or colleague than through the classifieds. This is why networking is so important, so get out there and work your network. Call or email all your friends, family, former co-workers, fellow church members, old college roommates, neighbors, industry colleagues and anyone else you know. Tell them you are out of work and ask them if they know if their company or industry is hiring. Ask them to let you know if they hear of any openings. Some folks try to hide their unemployment out of embarrassment. This is a mistake. 
2. Step away from your computer. Job hunting websites are useful job hunting tools, and you should use them. However, you are still more likely to find a job through your network of personal contacts than though the Internet. Don't let your Internet search consume all of your job hunting time.
3. Take advantage of any job-hunting help that may be offered by your former employer or your local government.  Local governments, and occasionally the companies themselves, will often try to help people left unemployed by large-scale lay offs by conducting job fairs, holding job-hunting seminars, or even offering special training.
4. If you are a college graduate, get your college to help. Most colleges and universities have a career development office to help both current students and alumni. These offices offer everything from aptitude testing and resume help, to job boards listing openings provided by other alumni.
5. Check out the resources of you local community college. Many have career development centers that offer everything from free and low-cost training courses to aptitude testing and skills assessment to help writing your resume. Best of all, these resources are available to the community as a whole, not just current or former students.
6. Consider temporary or part-time work while continuing your job hunt. The extra income will help. Be aware of how this may or may not effect any unemployment benefits you might be receiving.
7. Consider learning a trade. There is an actual shortage of qualified trades people. Training can be had for low cost at your local community college, and you may even qualify for reduced rates (or even free) if you have been recently laid off or are currently unemployed. For more information of the trades, see the wikipedia article Tradesman and the mikeroweWORKS Foundation.
8. Don't be a "Job Snob." Be willing to settle for less until you can find more. You may have to take a job making less money, or with less prestige, than your old job. Be willing to work outside your preferred industry. Don't despair, you can always find a new, better paying job once the economy turns around.

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