SHTF business ideas?

[usmcveteran]

In a Peshitta hit the fan scenario how could you make yourself useful and have people coming to you do something?

An idea I have had is buy solar panels and a bunch of rechargeable batteries. Everyone will have use and need for batteries and if you have way to recharge them then you have a way to keep getting things in trade for doing so.

What ideas do you have?

[Robin'son]

There are sooooooo many varieties of that scenario its hard to tell. I think worst case, I don't wan't ANY strangers coming around for any reason and even people I know might be welcome, but I would have eyes on for the duration of the visit. Desperate times breed desperate people and you never know what you might have that others, even some that you thought you knew, think they need more than you do. All bonding would have to happen on neutral ground till a level of mutual trust and respect is achieved and a mutual defense understanding has been sworn to.
Robin

[WARFAB]

The last thing I'd want in a SHTF situation is for everyone to know that I have one of the only sources for something they need. I really haven't given it much thought, but I'd play it close to the vest. Only revealing what I'm willing to provide on an as needed basis. A previous discussion talked about easily concealed and transported items that would be of value and could be used for barter locations away from your home. Lighters, batteries, toilet paper, soap, candles..... stuff like that.

[Meketrefe]

exactly right. In a shtf I am gone! good luck finding me. LOL

[RayKnobs]

I am going to go into business stealing solar panels and rechargeable batteries.

[GUNSICK]

Pimp!

[FCG LLC]

Let me preface all of the below by saying I am just thinking out loud, and reflecting on my experiences in other parts of the world when it looked like the world was coming to an end.



On what scale are we talking USMCVet?
The most important resources to humans are oxygen, shelter, water - almost in that order, depending on the elements.
Desperate times will call for desperate measures. I've lived thru a couple of seriously silly hurricanes, where there were no roads, water or electricity for weeks, and survived two full blown riots. The lack of ice in the tropics after the hurricane, and appearance of an "ice truck" was 10x scarier than either riot, and the "gas" truck could not show up without 1/2 doz soldiers to instill order in the immediate vicinity of the truck, and a LOT of "warning shots" were used often to no avail in an attempt to restore order.

The simple truth is, some of us on this very same forum, maybe even me, would open your throat from jugular to jugular to keep a wife or baby or ourselves alive if social fabric has deteriorated to where there is no long term rule of law. Remember that. Most of us will willingly and gladly pay the first two times to get what we need, but resentment sets in pretty fast, and everyone has to sleep as sometime.

In a SHTF scenario I am probably going to torch my own house first to discourage anyone foraging for stuff, while battening down in the basement and keep a very small footprint (no smoke, electric, sounds) until we can figure out how indefensible our position is, and how long we can survive the madness.

[Meketrefe]

I think there are many levels. In an initial level like huge economic and social crisis, preferably away from large cities
the folks with any sort of plan for off the grid living are going be ahead of the game.
But eventually people will move out from the cities and some might work as organized armed bands looking for resources and targets.
So in a true SHTF / WROL type of scenario the best way to avoid big trouble is not being there, where trouble is, in the first place.
No fight can be lost if that fight is not fought. So the plan should consider going into hiding, underground, whatever it takes. The whole plan should be around survival while we literally disappear from the face of the planet.

[WARFAB]

My guess is living out in the country is going to look like a really smart move if the S truly HTF. Urban areas are going to be no-man's land, but then those in the urban areas are going to be hitting suburbia first in their search for supplies.

Then there will also be the clueless suburbanites who are going to get smacked pretty hard by reality if it happens.

[usmcveteran]

Like where this is headed....
Everyone is going to run for the country or the woods. I think they key to survival is first and foremost to get to your bug out location within 24 hours of incident. After 24 hours people will probably start to become dangerous or more dangerous in most situations.

Don't pick a place that is along main roads or secondary roads. You probably want a place that is a huge pain to get too.

Another thing to consider is that if you have go cross small bridges you probably don't want to destroy them rather fall a lot of trees to prevent motorized traffic.

[Robin'son]

There is a book the describes one mans living through The Argentine melt down, SHTF! I can't remember the title but it is very informative as to what happens. One thing I remember specifically was that he was an urban dweller and noted that the isolated folks in the rural areas were the most vulnerable to the lawless environment that existed. Outlaw gangs, often headed up by law enforcement personnel would prey on these people, families, taking everything they had, torturing them for their own entertainment and murdering them. Not too different from what took place in the Balkans when what we consider, the collapse of civilization. I live out in a rural area and will stand my ground. I have no place to bug to and as I have said before, If it comes to that, I will die in place, knee deep in brass! Things certainly don't look good these days, and it never hurts to be prepared, just pray it never happens.
Robin

[thughes]

Like where this is headed....
Everyone is going to run for the country or the woods. I think they key to survival is first and foremost to get to your bug out location within 24 hours of incident. After 24 hours people will probably start to become dangerous or more dangerous in most situations.

Don't pick a place that is along main roads or secondary roads. You probably want a place that is a huge pain to get too.

Another thing to consider is that if you have go cross small bridges you probably don't want to destroy them rather fall a lot of trees to prevent motorized traffic.

I live in an urban area. I believe I would hunker down and hold out at home as long as I can. I know the area very well having spent my whole life here and feel I would be better off from the perspective of knowing where to forage for supplies, etc. There is also a decent amount of wooded area within blocks of my home and a means to escape if need be (major waterway). In addition, there are dozens of guns and thousands of rounds of ammo available to me at home, how much could I actually carry if I decided to head for the country?

[usmcveteran]

If someone has something I want and won't give it to me and hold up in their home then I will come at night with friends and light your place on fire and if you run out your easy pickings. Just saying lol. I think in reality there probably is no way to really be prepared, you just have to make good decisions and get lucky.

[Meketrefe]

I think finding a place where you are naturally protected makes a lot of sense. It is what animals do and humans we should follow that instinct.
Even if one is in an urban environment you will be surprised how many places you can find where one could safely survive.
Essentially you have to think about places where nobody would think anyone could survive or it would be safe to go there. It could be a waste
land or a dreadful basemen on an abaondoned old building yet smart people could find an entire ecosystem to live there and remain undetected.
If you have netflix watch this documentary called "no place on earth". These were Jews that went into hiding in caves from the Nazis and in the
process they beat the world record of human cave habitation with little to none preparation nor many resources available.
And this were people who survived when others were actively looking for them to exterminate them.

http://www.noplaceonearthfilm.com/

[24Pink14Stink]

I'm gonna set up an Olde tyme saloon. Booze, smokes and hookers.