When economies collapse, what becomes valuable?

Factual Questions
21

Food and weapons to protect said food. Knowledge is power, and the ability to foresee troubles and make moves when necessary will be especially valuable.

I wouldn’t invest in gold, unless you actually own the physical gold instead of the piece of paper saying some firm owes you some. Those people with IOU’s will most definitely get screwed out of their gold when a major collapse occurs. Also, like the guy above me said, you can’t eat gold. I think it’s a big bubble that’s about to pop.

Food, weapons, tools and any other essential items that a poor man can’t live without. Small luxuries will be sought after by those who can afford them, and even by those who can’t. There will be a lot of thieves running around, so stay safe.

22

Aside from all the joking, Grimpen provides the best actual answer.

23

Prescription drugs and cat food.

24

From what I can tell bottle caps and purified water seem good choices, with iguana on a stick and a sniper rifle also making the list.

‘Talk to you late CCHHHILLLLDDDRRREEENN!’ (to paraphrase 3 Dog)

-XT

p.s. To the op…relax.

25

Toilet paper.

26

Don’t forget the assless chaps. People in post-apocalyptic settings dig on assless chaps.

27

Milk. Whenever a storm threatens, everybody goes out and buys milk. Even people who don’t drink milk go out and stock on milk. It is a mistery to me.

28

I f you’re talking about a scenario where the stores are closed and the electricity is off, then cigarette lighters (or matches) and candles.

29

Thanks all, jokers included. I’m not really worried, just looking to get rid of some things I don’t want/need anymore and thinking maybe it would be a good idea to convert some of the cash to tangible goods, just in case things get really bad. Meaning, basically, the US dollar becomes essentially worthless. I don’t really know what that would be, technically (economic collapse?).

30

All chaps are assless, that’s what makes them chaps. If your chaps have an ass you’ve got pants.

31

This is very sensible…

…but I like this one better :smiley: (and I can do without the blow in a pinch;))

32

Well I’m set. You guys have fun!

33

Land - residential and arable. People still need somewhere to live and they still need to eat.

34

Nahhh… I can get all that useful stuff if I start out with Hookers and Blow!

People are always going to want to enjoy themselves :smiley:

35

Beg pardon, but there is such a thing as an assless chap. I did not believe it either until I saw this thread.

36

You could also hoard 1940s and 1950s music, take over a radio station, give yourself a snappy name like “Three Dog”, and broadcast 24/7 with shout-outs to random people in the Wasteland depending what they get up to… :smiley:

37

They should be crotchless too. :slight_smile:

38

All joking aside, if the US economy really does collapse completely we are all fucked…as in most of us are going to die horrible deaths. In which case what is going to be valuable is mainly luck…luck to be in the right place (i.e. somewhere with access to food, shelter, clean water and lack of folks with guns trying to take those things away from you). And not just here in the US but world wide…the US economy is the 800 lb gorilla, much as a lot of folks don’t want to acknowledge that fact. If WE go down everyone goes down and most likely we give up this whole civilization thingy and relearn the pleasures of a pastoral hunter and gatherer existence.

Now, if we are talking about something like another Great Depression…well, that’s something else again. In that case as others have said look to precious metals or gems or other things people THINK have value, as those are going to always be in demand.

-XT