Thread: Question: What Does a Dollar Collapse Look Like? Help....

I need some help. I am not the most financially saavy person out there, but for the last 2-3 years I have been reading about how the dollar will collapse either this year or next. It's not a matter of "if", but WHEN.

Can someone who knows finances and history better than I tell me what a dollar collapse looks like? I read about it happening, but not what life will be like afterwards. If the dollar is deemed useless, how will I make car and house payments?

Besides hoarding food, ammo, gold and silver, what else should I be doing? My spouse and I have a modest retirement (that got a whole lot more modest in 200 that is currently in a 401K. Since we started it fairly young, we put most of our funds in a modest, slow, "safe" not risky, but steady earning acct. We also have a college savings for our kids that does not amount to much either. Should we remove this money now? If so, where should we transfer it? I know they will take half of it in taxes so where do I turn to avoid this?

I don't want to make a fear-based decision, but to tell the truth - Im scared to death and to just sit and "let" our money be taken seems crazy too.

Could sure use some advice, your personal experiences, etc. If there is a question that needs addressing that I might have missed, please help me fill in the blanks.

I'm not to the point yet where I have called our financial advisor yet. All of "those" financial type people look at me like I have two heads when I ask questions based on what "could" happen and I'm sick of it. I get the impression that they think I am some chicken little "sky is falling" doomsday type and Lord knows I"ve probably humiliated myself enough with trying to warn people of what is coming. I've made a decision that Im going to shut up about stockpiling, etc. and keep my plans to myself. At least here on the net we have some annonymity. I bet there are others out there in the same place I am who might appreciate some input also.

Thanks so much everyone....

While I'm no official expert I can say a few things. Buying gold and silver won't be of much use either at this point as both have been inflated massively by people thinking its a safe haven around the globe to stand off financial issues all over, not just the US. Buy gold now and likely in a few months the cost of gold will have likely dropped more then the dollar has declined.

The dollar will devalue however staples inside the US will increase but many not drastically least if its locally produced such as food in many aspects. However costs of everything made foreignly will skyrocket.

Prices in the US for US made goods cannot increase to much w/o keeping people from buying them. However prices will increase somewhat to cover raw materials and oil which are usually foreign.

Basically expect to still survive but many many luxuries we consider normal things to become hard to attain.

Lastly it would destroy many business's but also help to bring some jobs back to the US.

Just some basics, a lot more then that to say but I'm no expert... just understand some basics.

Well from the "blue collar" point of view, we just have no choice but to stock up our pantry, have our own garden, chickens and pray for the best. No extra funds for silver and gold.

My son (almost 18 now) works for a guy who's father subs for him when he needs vacation (it's a feed store), and he is stocking up on things that are able to be bartered. As well, stocking up on some "livestock" antibiotics (these can be used by people in different dosages), ammo (I do not do this, we do not have a gun), and bottles of any kind of alcohol.

So I am also not a drinker (never have touched alcohol), and do not own a gun, but stocking up on things we know could be traded for needed items is good. As for the financial, and what the collapse would look like, well, you'll know it when it happens, but get some sound advice on how to deal with it before it all goes south (pray for it not to though), in the meantime, do stock your pantry, and whatever else you think you could do to buffer yourselves from doing without in case of the above and excessive inflation.

Thanks for that. Luckily we cannot afford gold or silver, so concentrating on what we CAN do.

What about the 401K's and college funds? Anyone?

Originally Posted by AmericanElizabeth

Well from the "blue collar" point of view, we just have no choice but to stock up our pantry, have our own garden, chickens and pray for the best. No extra funds for silver and gold.

My son (almost 18 now) works for a guy who's father subs for him when he needs vacation (it's a feed store), and he is stocking up on things that are able to be bartered. As well, stocking up on some "livestock" antibiotics (these can be used by people in different dosages), ammo (I do not do this, we do not have a gun), and bottles of any kind of alcohol.

So I am also not a drinker (never have touched alcohol), and do not own a gun, but stocking up on things we know could be traded for needed items is good. As for the financial, and what the collapse would look like, well, you'll know it when it happens, but get some sound advice on how to deal with it before it all goes south (pray for it not to though), in the meantime, do stock your pantry, and whatever else you think you could do to buffer yourselves from doing without in case of the above and excessive inflation.

Thanks AE. I think we are on the right track as far as stocking the pantry although not near there as far as having enough. Can't have alchohol around because I'll end up drinking it all.

I own a horse and stocking up on food for her (when we get our house out in the country) was another concern also. I know from past experience that it takes a LOT of space to store all that hay/pellets.

I've even heard that we should start stocking up on things like jeans and socks since cotton has gone so sky high.

My main concern now tho is what to do about the 401K and college fund money....

own a horse and stocking up on food for her (when we get our house out in the country) was another concern also. I know from past experience that it takes a LOT of space to store all that hay/pellets.

I've even heard that we should start stocking up on things like jeans and socks since cotton has gone so sky high.

Sickntired, my son works in the "feed" industry, and has said the distributors have warned them about the increasing feed grain prices, which will affect alcohol, and anything related to or made of grains (wheat, bread...), this means all meat prices, eggs and dairy prices will eventually rise.

As for the cotton prices, yes, my husband works for a major fabric distributor, and those have been creeping up, not sure why, only explanation would be China buying up more and this raises the price of cotton?....

Fuel is already rising, more so with the problems in Egypt (Suez Canal), and this affects EVERYTHING so far as in the price just to ship it.

Look into stocking whole wheat, but learn how to store it to avoid weevils and mites. You would have to have a powerful machine to grind it, mainly a mill, but a good strong processor could work as well. Baking your own bread may become necessary if prices increase this much and major bakeries have to raise their prices.

If CA, I worry for you all with water.....Up here, water is just everywhere, and ours comes from the mountains (straight down and untreated, although the EPA is pressuring our government to start treating it although there are no reasons to). Our place has a well, which most out of town properties do (protects us from future problems with infrastructure causing interrupted supply). So maybe store up some sealed gallons of water (it is advised to rotate them by date).

I've been stocking water up also - although again, not nearly enough saved up yet.

I hear you on the water issue here in CA. It is a concern that has been building up for years and it pisses me off to see all the new office buildings and houses surrounded by lush green sod. It's like tra-la-la ....nothing to worry about.

Here is SD county we are at the crux of a giant 'L'. Our water comes from N. Ca and also the Colorado river to the east of us. San Diego is at the farthest point the water needs to go. Soon it will be that we have drinking water only, but none to flush, shower or water our plants with. Really scary stuff!

One more thing - I DO have a breadmachine that I love and if I have to make our own on a regular basis, then it might be better all around anyway. Who needs all those preservatives?

My father was a journeyman baker (there are almost none of those left), and you'd think I would have known how to bake bread all along, but it is a science, and it took me a while before I got it down to where it would rise up right for me (just think, the bakers daughter who could not bake a loaf of bread....LOL). I found out that just plain old all-purpose flour does not rise well by itself, you have to have some high gluten flour (bread machine mixes include this).

If I were in So. CA, well I would leave just because of the lack of water, and the problems that could arise if the infrastructure was hurt....up here, water is a commodity, and there are tons of springs where aquifer water spills out of the mountainsides, and it is pure and needs no chemical treatment. This is one thing I am so thankful for here, especially when you realize that so many places, people have to drink insect and bacteria infested waters to stay alive.

"This is nice, honest hard working Americans being scared that they will wind up homeless and starving, luckily for me I've been homeless a few times in my life. SicNTiredInSoCal don't worry your self sick over this "We Americans will not Stand Down!" We will not lay down for no dictator at no time in history! You just be yourself, and you will be just fine!
"The Awaking of Americans is upon us, We will not lose!
Hoarding water, ammo, silver, and gold will only weigh you down if you have to "Run Forrest Run!" And if it does get that bad, Please tell Obama to "Eat Me!"