Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the global debt crisis in general and the U.S. National Debt, in particular.

Precious Metals:

With both world war tensions and a global debt crisis brewing, the precious metals bull market is picking up speed. I took note that spot gold stood at $3,393.60 USD per Troy ounce on Thursday morning. It seems likely that Mr. Bull may be taking another run at $3,500, soon.  The last time that happened was on April 22nd. Meanwhile, spot silver jumped 3.74% to a quite respectable $36.03 per Troy ounce.  I expect the silver-to-gold ratio to continue to narrow, throughout the rest of 2025. Ditto for the platinum-to-gold ratio. – JWR

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Bank of America Eyeballs $4,000 Gold and $40 Silver.

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‘Gold As Collateral For Internationalized Yuan’ Is Agenda For BRICS 2025 Summit.

Economy & Finance:

A very informative video, from Jeff Snider of EuroDollar University: This Is What An Economic Collapse Actually Looks Like. JWR’s Comments: I concur with Snider, generally. A global recession is waiting in the wings and there is a likelihood of deflation in Europe in China. But meanwhile, inflation will re-emerge in the United States. If interest rates spike in the U.S., there could be a debt crisis for the U.S Treasury — and the Federal Reserve banking cartel will not be able to stop it. Plan accordingly. (Especially vis-à-vis your precious metals and crypto portfolios.)

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Brookings: What are the risks of a rising federal debt?

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“Punished For Living Debt Free”: Canadian Man’s Credit Score Wiped By Equifax After He Avoids New Debt.

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Billionaire Ray Dalio warns of ‘economic heart attack’ as debt crisis escalates.

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OECD: Global Debt Report. Here is an excerpt from the report’s opening summary:

“Sovereign bond issuance in OECD countries is projected to reach a record USD 17 trillion in 2025, up from USD 14 trillion in 2023. Emerging markets and developing economies’ (EMDE) borrowing from debt markets has also grown significantly, from around USD 1 trillion in 2007 to over USD 3 trillion in 2024. The outstanding global stock of corporate bond debt reached USD 35 trillion at the end of 2024, resuming a long-term trend of over two decades of consecutive increases in indebtedness that came to a temporary halt in 2022.”

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“They’re murdering us here. Let’s move inland and get murdered.” – Colonel Charles D. Canham, 116th Infantry Regiment commander, on Omaha Beach. June 6, 1944. (Pictured later, as a Major General.)

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — June 5, 2025

On June 5, 1284, Charles of Salerno was captured by Roger of Lauria during a naval battle in the Gulf of Naples. This was part of the Sicilian Vespers uprising, a.k.a. the War of the Vespers. (The outbreak of that war is depicted above.)

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June 5, 1827: Turks captured the Acropolis and took Athens during the Greek War of Independence.

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June 5, 1851: Harriet Beecher Stowe published the first installment of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in The National Era. She was the sister of firebrand abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher.

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I noticed a couple of interesting Idaho listings now posted over at the Jonathan Rawles SurvivalRealty.com site:

Please keep SurvivalRealty.com in mind, whether you are buying or selling.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2,000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

For Want of a Nail: A Preps Inventory System – Part 3, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 2.)

For security reasons, the Obsidian folks are pretty strict about letting you install Community plugins. You first have to go into the ‘Community Plugins’ section in ‘Options’ and turn off ‘Restricted Mode’ before you can install any plugins. Then after you install a plugin you have to verify you want to install it, and after it’s installed you have to click the ‘Enable’ slide switch to enable it.

When a core or community plugin is installed a new button will usually appear for it at the bottom of the left pane of the Options dialog. If you click on the plugin’s name under Options you can change the configuration for that plugin. If you want to learn more about what a plugin does and how to configure it you can search for the plugin’s name on the Obsidian Plugins page and click on the ‘Learn more’ button for that plugin.

I’ll be discussing how I use these plugins throughout the rest of this article.Continue reading“For Want of a Nail: A Preps Inventory System – Part 3, by J.M.”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at the recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian bomber bases.

Details on Ukrainian Attack on Russian Bomber Bases

Operation Spider’s Web: How Russians Were Tricked Into Bombing Themselves. Here is a Fair Use pericope:

“The drones were assembled in Chelyabinsk, inside a rented warehouse. Ukrainian operatives—likely supported by embedded agents or sympathetic locals—built First Person View (FPV) drones using materials sourced from within Russia. These strike platforms were hidden inside wooden modular cabins constructed to look like prefabricated houses. Beneath the roof panels, drone bays were concealed between structural beams, with remotely operated opening mechanisms to allow launch on command.

Once sealed, the cabins were loaded onto civilian trucks. The vehicles were then handed over to unwitting Russian drivers, recruited by Artyom, a 37-year-old ethnic Ukrainian who coordinated logistics under the cover of a private construction job.

The drivers were told they were transporting portable homes to regions like Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ryazan, and Ivanovo. Each was given a delivery plan, a route, and a schedule. During transit, a mysterious intermediary would call and issue final location instructions—always near military infrastructure.“

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.” Translated: Let him who desires peace, prepare for war.” – Publius Vegetius Renatus, commonly known as Vegetius, a Roman writer of the 4th Century, A.D.. (This quote is usually cited in the form: Si vis pacem, para bellum — “If you want peace, prepare for war”)  From: ‘De Rei Militari’ 3, prologue.

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — June 4, 2025

Today is the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, in 1989.

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Today is the anniversary of the June 4, 2004, Granby, Colorado armored bulldozer incident, where Marvin Heemeyer knocked down several buildings in the town. A documentary titled Tread details what happened that day, and the events leading to the rampage. Though often called the “Killdozer” incident, the only one who died that day was Marvin Heemeyer, from a self-inflicted gunshot.

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A Reminder: We are running a two-week-long sale on all of the pre-1899 Mauser rifles in our inventory at Elk Creek Company.  There is no paperwork required to order these, in most States.  They are mailed right to your door or your P.O. Box address. The sale ends on Monday, June 16th. Take a look!  Also, take note with the recent spike in spot and futures silver prices, we have dropped our silver divisor to an unprecedented 25.5! (Take the listed price and divide by 25.5, if you want to pay in pre-1965 U.S. “junk” silver.)

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2,000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

For Want of a Nail: A Preps Inventory System – Part 2, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 1,)

The Obsidian UI

The User Interface (UI) for Obsidian can appear somewhat complicated, but it’s actually laid out pretty well. Here’s a picture of the basic interface:

 

 

 

 

Starting on the left is the Ribbon, which contains a series of icon buttons that you can press to perform different actions. There are a couple of different core functions, and many of the additional capabilities you can add via Plugins (more on that later) will add additional action buttons here.

Next is the Left Sidebar, which can display a number of different views, but for the purposes of the inventory we’re only concerned with the default vault folder hierarchy view. As you can see in the image above it looks a lot like the file explorer on your desktop and shows the folder hierarchy in the vault and all the notes in each folder. You can expand and collapse folders and click on notes to view them in the main window. Above the Left Sidebar is the Command Bar for the sidebar, which lets you change between different views in the sidebar. The icon of a folder on the Command Bar brings up the folder hierarchy view, which is what we’re using.Continue reading“For Want of a Nail: A Preps Inventory System – Part 2, by J.M.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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Reader Tim J. sent this news: Army To Retire All Of Its Turboprop Surveillance Planes By The End Of The Year. JWR’s Comments: I predict that the Army will be forced to extend the life of its existing Guardrail turboprop (Beechcraft Super King Air) platforms, until a significant number of the new Bombardier Global 6500 jets are delivered, and all of the SEMA bugs are worked out. I worked live missions at the Integrated Processing Facility (IPF) ground segment of a Guardrail unit, back in the late 1980s. That was the 2nd M.I. Brigade in Stuttgart, West Germany. We had mission tasking at both the tactical and strategic levels. More than half of our aircraft were the Improved Guardrail V (IGR-V, a.k.a. RC-12D) iteration of Guardrail (similar to the plane pictured above), when Guardrail Common Sensor was still in the planning stages. These are very complex systems, and their delivery and acceptance schedules are notorious for slipping. The trusty Beechcraft turboprop birds will probably have to soldier on for a few more years. It would be a huge mistake to leave a gap in our nation’s air-breathing platform SIGINT/ELINT capabilities.

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SurvivalBlog reader C.B. sent this: How California’s National Park Item Ban Is Impacting Visitor Safety. JWR’s Comment:  We visit our nearby National Parks (Yellowstone and Glacier), and both have plenty of grizzlies. When we do, we usually carry both pepper spray and lead spray.  Pity the poor disarmed Californians. They now have nary but harsh language available, to discourage the bears.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though for but one year, can never willingly abandon it.” – Edmund Burke (1729-1797), from ‘Letter to a Member of the National Assembly’ (1791)

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — June 3, 2025

On June 3, 1781, Jack Jouett (pictured, in a later imagining) rode to warn Thomas Jefferson of an impending British attack.

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June 3rd can also be considered the “birthday” of the U.S. Army. (It was established by Congress on June 3rd, 1784.)

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A fan of SurvivalBlog is one of the organizers of a real estate raffle for a 32-acre parcel of waterfront land in northwest Montana that looks quite retreat-worthy.  I generally shy away from raffles and any sort of games of chance.  But because this raffle will benefit a good cause (an animal shelter in that part of Montana), and because the property would be quite suitable for building a retreat, I decided to give this fundraiser some publicity in SurvivalBlog. The raffle ends on July 31, 2025. For details, see: DreamPropertyRaffle.org.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2,000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

For Want of a Nail: A Preps Inventory System – Part 1, by J.M.

If you’re a regular reader of SurvivalBlog.com you’ve probably collected at least a few things as part of your preps – canned food, radios, firearms, ammunition, medical supplies, etc. When you first start prepping, knowing what you have and where it’s located isn’t that difficult – you can probably remember the contents of your bug-out bag, the canned food in the basement, a medical kit, etc. But as your preps continue to expand it becomes harder and harder to keep track of what you have, where it is and what you need to do to take care of it. Not knowing exactly where things are can slow you down in an emergency such as having to evacuate during a major disaster, and not regularly reviewing and maintaining your preps can mean something critical isn’t available or working correctly when you need it most.

Like many folks I started keeping track of my preps using paper in a three-ring binder. As my preps grew this method became really cumbersome, so I switched to a Rolodex-style system, with each item written on a separate card and organized by storage location. The issues I ran into with any hardcopy system was that they lacked the ability to search for specific items, and when I re-organized my prep storage I had to spend hours updating the inventory documentation. Next I moved to a spreadsheet inventory system, which also eventually became a mess. I’ve also tried various databases and other software inventory tools, but nothing really worked well for me.Continue reading“For Want of a Nail: A Preps Inventory System – Part 1, by J.M.”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, a round-up of fence, corral, cattle guard, and gate installation companies in the American Redoubt.

Idaho

In North Idaho: American Fence Company.

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In Boise: Anvil Fence Company.

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In Bonners Ferry:  T&L Fencing.

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In Lewiston: Clearwater Fence Company.

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In the Coeur d’Alene area:  Lake City Fence & Fabrication.

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And in Rexburg: Western Fence.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

Preparedness Notes for Monday — June 2, 2025

Please keep the pressure on your state’s two U.S. Senators, starting today (the Senate recess just ended) with at least two phone calls and an e-mail each week, insisting that they vote in favor of both the Hearing Protection Act (HPA) and the SHORT Act, as part of the Continuing Resolution budget bill.  Please phone the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. Also, remind both your Senator and Elizabeth MacDonough (the unelected Senate Parliamentarian) that The Byrd Rule (limiting Continuing Resolution amendments to only budget-related and tax-related bills) DOES NOT apply. This is because the previously expected $1.7 Billion in suppressor registrations (at $200 per suppressor) over the next 10 years are taxes that will directly impact the Federal budget.  Ditto, for about $500,000 worth of SBR/SBS $200 tax stamp registrations. After all, the NFA is a tax scheme that is codified in the Tax Code regulations. The HPA bill — already passed in the House — will remove suppressors from the National Firearms Act.  The SHORT Act (if added in the Senate version) will remove the SBR and SBS categories from the National Firearms Act. Please keep calling and e-mailing your state’s U.S. Senators! Thanks! – JWR

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On June 2, 1774, Parliament renewed the Quartering Act, allowing British military to stay in private homes if necessary, completing the Coercive Acts. The Quartering Act, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Government Act, the Administration of Justice Act, and the Boston Port Act, were known as The Coercive Acts. These Acts were Parliament’s way of asserting their control over the colonists after the Boston Tea Party. The wicked Quartering Act was the main motivation for the 3rd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

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June 2, 1986: Regular television coverage of US Senate sessions began.

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Take note that Ready Made Resources is running a special bonus offer for purchasers of LifeSaver Jerrycan 20,000-gallon filters. (All colors In stock.) If you mention “SurvivalBlog” in the comment section of your order, you will get a free replacement filter. The jerrycan filter systems themselves are already discounted, and you’ll be getting a spare filter that is normally priced at $129.

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We’ve just started a two-week-long sale on all of the pre-1899 Mauser rifles in our inventory at Elk Creek Company.  There is no paperwork required to order these, in most States.  They are mailed right to your door or P.O. Box address. Take a look!

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Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.  But first, the results of the writing contest judging.