I know there's already a preparedness thread active but I want to talk more specifically about being "self-sufficient with your posessions" in the event of economic meltdown or at the very least hyper-inflation to the point where individual tradesmen/shop keepers cease their trust in bank notes and coin at which point bartering and precious metals will once again become the means of payment. Even if this does not happen in the future, I still think it's great to know you have the spare parts and knowledge needed to repair your own posessions.
What do I mean by being self-sufficient with your posessions?
Well allow me to explain by giving an example of my bicycle.
6 months ago I did not know how to change a chain or even fix a puncture and after years of relying on my local bicycle shop to do everything for me I decided to become as self-sufficient as possible with my bicycle. The way I went about achieving this was firstly research and learning. Noting down all the part names on my bicycle and downloading their schemetics from Shimano's website and learning how to repair and maintain bicycles via online videos, forums, articles and such like.
When I was at a stage where I had a good all-round theoretical comprehension of bicycle repair and maintenance I then moved on to the subject of bicycle repair tools/grease/oil and set about armed only with my discerning mind to trawl through hours of opinions and reviews in an effort to determine what brands of tools and grease/lubricants are A)properly made and going to do their job properly and B)quality-made and will last me a lifetime
I then made a shopping list of all the tools I needed to be able to completely strip down every part of my bicycle (approx £200 in total).
Then I purchased, in bulk, items that routinely need replacing on a bicycle i.e expendables such as chains, inner tubes, lubricants, oils, grease and puncture repair kits.
I am now happy to say that I have been repairing and cleaning my own bicycle as well as my friends/neighbours and family bicycles and short of advanced wheel-truing I am completely self-sufficient with my bicycle and will be riding a smooth, clean well oiled bicycle no matter what the economic climate is like.
Other posessions I have become self-sufficient with is by buying dozens of filter candles for my Berkefeld water filter so will last for decades to come. A spare tap might be wise incase it cracks or snaps from overuse.
My air rifle is a HW80 which they say will outlive it's owner but I'd still like to be able to have peace of mind brough about by knowing I have a box of spares for the individual parts that are most likely to be in need of replacing (cocking arm rivet, cocking arm shoe, ect?). A spare scope might be going too far, but I would defiately reccomend you have your iron sights for your gun stored away incase your scope ever breaks.
And if any of you think you need to be rich to be able to afford all this let me tell you I make an absolute pittance being self-employed as a PC technitian, but 3 years ago when I found out about the coming global economic meltdown and the agenda of the cashless society I made a hell of alot of sacrifices to my social life and lifestyle in general to be able to save up quickly for all stuff I mention above.
What do I mean by being self-sufficient with your posessions?
Well allow me to explain by giving an example of my bicycle.
6 months ago I did not know how to change a chain or even fix a puncture and after years of relying on my local bicycle shop to do everything for me I decided to become as self-sufficient as possible with my bicycle. The way I went about achieving this was firstly research and learning. Noting down all the part names on my bicycle and downloading their schemetics from Shimano's website and learning how to repair and maintain bicycles via online videos, forums, articles and such like.
When I was at a stage where I had a good all-round theoretical comprehension of bicycle repair and maintenance I then moved on to the subject of bicycle repair tools/grease/oil and set about armed only with my discerning mind to trawl through hours of opinions and reviews in an effort to determine what brands of tools and grease/lubricants are A)properly made and going to do their job properly and B)quality-made and will last me a lifetime
I then made a shopping list of all the tools I needed to be able to completely strip down every part of my bicycle (approx £200 in total).
Then I purchased, in bulk, items that routinely need replacing on a bicycle i.e expendables such as chains, inner tubes, lubricants, oils, grease and puncture repair kits.
I am now happy to say that I have been repairing and cleaning my own bicycle as well as my friends/neighbours and family bicycles and short of advanced wheel-truing I am completely self-sufficient with my bicycle and will be riding a smooth, clean well oiled bicycle no matter what the economic climate is like.
Other posessions I have become self-sufficient with is by buying dozens of filter candles for my Berkefeld water filter so will last for decades to come. A spare tap might be wise incase it cracks or snaps from overuse.
My air rifle is a HW80 which they say will outlive it's owner but I'd still like to be able to have peace of mind brough about by knowing I have a box of spares for the individual parts that are most likely to be in need of replacing (cocking arm rivet, cocking arm shoe, ect?). A spare scope might be going too far, but I would defiately reccomend you have your iron sights for your gun stored away incase your scope ever breaks.
And if any of you think you need to be rich to be able to afford all this let me tell you I make an absolute pittance being self-employed as a PC technitian, but 3 years ago when I found out about the coming global economic meltdown and the agenda of the cashless society I made a hell of alot of sacrifices to my social life and lifestyle in general to be able to save up quickly for all stuff I mention above.
