# Okay, so how long do you survive when the whole financial system goes blooey? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 10, 2026, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536 "2026-01-10T16:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536/21 "2026-01-12T00:51:59Z")
Earthquakes and wildfires here, but yeah. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536/22 "2026-01-12T18:33:27Z")
Hmmm, I have a grand or so on hand, but it’s all in change. I need to roll up all the coins in that water bottle. Total collapse of the financial system? I don’t have high hopes for how long I’ll live. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536/23 "2026-01-12T18:51:31Z")
I’m Argentinian, I have already survived that and can survive it again easily. (It helps if you don’t trust banks, the government, or anything other than the almighty dollar (but only the ones with the big Benjamin Franklin face)). What’s currently worrying me is that the dollar may not be so sure for long, giving (gestures around) everything that’s happening. I’m torn between selling my dollars to accelerate the pace I’m fixing up my house (“Investing in bricks” we call it) or use them to buy Euros, Renminbi, Yens or some other more reliable currency. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536/24 "2026-01-12T19:02:50Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > One would hope that if the financial system crashed so completely that would include the ability of banks to demand your monthly payments (although I am sure they would try). If one person stops paying their rent/mortgage, it’s relatively easy for the banks/landlords to evict them. But if everyone was unable to pay their rent, all at the same time? There aren’t enough bailiffs in the world to evict _everyone_. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536/25 "2026-01-13T01:03:56Z")
I usually have few hundred dollars lying around, but I don’t think we would survive very long. IF the power stayed on, we likely have enough food in the freezer to go for a month or so. If the power fails, we are toast. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536/26 "2026-01-13T04:25:35Z")
I’m assuming more than a temporary glitch, so long-term ability to contribute to a local community in exchange for goods you need is important. As I mentioned earlier, old age and infirmity would limit what I could do, but unless I completely lose my physical mobility and my marbles, I could contribute. I can babysit children, teach them to read, cook for large groups (or teach cooking), do light gardening, perform any kind of administrative/record-keeping tasks that the local society decides is important, take care of livestock/pets, clean houses … I’m not saying I’d enjoy all of those tasks, but I could do them in exchange for being part of a tight-knit local community that took care of its own. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536/27 "2026-06-21T22:29:37Z")
For a fascinating and rather thorough exploration on exactly what happens when the power goes out and does not come back on, I’d recommend the streaming series [rEvolution](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2070791/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_Revolution). I found it to be riveting. Yeah, it’s dystopian sci fi. But the underpinnings- what happens when power shuts down to society- that’s pretty scary and amazing stuff… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-how-long-do-you-survive-when-the-whole-financial-system-goes-blooey/1026536.md?page=1)