By the author of How to Prep When You’re Broke and Bloom Where You’re Planted course
Yesterday, I wrote about energy lockdowns that are beginning in other parts of the world. I promised another article on the topic that would provide some ideas about how to handle it if it does happen. For what it’s worth, I often write about things that I sincerely hope do not happen, like terror attacks, and this topic is the same.
What to do before any announcement occurs
I’m basing a lot of this on the response to the Covid lockdowns, because they weren’t that long ago. Everyone remembers how bare the shelves got (and how fast it happened). This article is filled with photos from around the country.
That event is fresh in everyone’s mind, so the things Americans ran out of first will likely be the ones they make a run on at stores now.
- Toilet paper (good grief, remember that?)
- Yeast (everyone became a home baker – get yours in bulk, now)
- Hair color (when salons closed, some ladies regretted not stocking up on color to match their roots)
- Bleach
- Rice (every size bag was just GONE)
- Vitamin C (this was probably pandemic-specific)
- Canned tuna
If you have the ability to double up on some of your favorite things on your next trip to the store, you may want to just in case there’s another run on groceries and household products.
It probably goes without saying that you should look over your food supply and fill any gaps as soon as you can.
Don’t forget “work from home” supplies
Make sure you have a way to work from home, should the need arise.
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Computers capable of Zoom meetings were essential the last time around, as both school and work went online. If yours needs a little tune-up, consider getting it done ahead of any work-from-home declarations.
On the bright side, that would mean you would only need to make your upper half presentable and could wear those flamingo jammies you’ve got on the bottom.
Money, money, money.
Also, remember how the lockdowns affected you financially. If you worked retail or in hospitality, you were probably hit very hard. It sounds crazy to talk about saving money in the same article where I’m talking about spending money on preps, but here we are in Crazy Town.
Save what you can and cut expenses where you can. If things go sideways you’ll be glad you have a cushion to help you through it financially.
How this lockdown might be very different
First, for those who say that President Trump would never do that, let me take you back to “two weeks to flatten the curve.” While it’s true that some folks on the left took locking down and masking up as their personal missions, President Trump was in office for the entire lockdown last time, not Biden. Check your history if you don’t believe me.
He is popular with more people this time around (or maybe more people are willing to admit it) but at the same time he is even more unpopular with a noisy faction that dislikes him. While most of the anti-mask, non-fearful folks were on the right previously, I think that there would be a much more blatant rebellion against restrictions if a lockdown were to occur again. I base this solely on the number of folks who loudly decried ICE operations and fought with agents in the streets of America.
It’s pretty difficult to dispute that President Trump began this war and did so without the consent of Congress. Many Americans from both sides of the political aisle are strongly opposed to it. If he then starts piling restrictions on folks here at home, I believe compliance would be a real issue.
In fact, I think one of the only ways to make it hurt not to comply is to make it outrageously expensive to rebel. The price of gas is way up due to the kerfuffles in the Strait of Hormuz, but this rise is artificial. It began well before a drop of fuel trapped in the Middle East was needed. If the price of gas were to skyrocket even further, it would behoove people who have to drive to work and to take the kids to school to do these things from home purely for budgetary reasons.
Of course, there could also be legal ramifications – we’ve already seen federal agents in our cities conducting operations. Who’s to say all those employees might not be called into duty to monitor compliance to whatever rules are put in place for an “energy lockdown?”
Let’s hope this discussion is all for naught.
Hopefully, we’re putting the cart before the horse here, and nothing more will happen. But most of the time, when war has occurred, there have been costs at home. Some of them we can look back on nostalgically, like victory gardens. “Rations” sound terrible but our preps would help us through a situation like that. Other costs were much too high for anyone to pay, like the loss of loved ones fighting in the war.
The President has promised this war will be a very short event, but he also called for a five-day pause, which he proposed for fruitful talks. At the end of the five days, it’s clear he expects the Strait of Hormuz to be open for business again. Tehran rebuts the claim that the talks are that productive (or even happened), and the only ones pausing seem to be Americans. (source) Israel and Iran are going back and forth with attacks, and no pause seems to be in play there.
I only bring up the previous factors to point out that we could be in for the long haul. I want to write positive, actionable articles that really help you, and I felt that not covering this topic would be a disservice. I really hope this conflict comes to a close quickly and that there is no need for us to revisit the dark days of 2020.
I’m curious what you think. Do you expect to see lockdowns here in the US? Do you think the war in Iran will be over in short order? Do you think Americans will be compliant about any lockdowns that occur? What are you stocking up on (or would you advise a loved one to stock up on), just in case?
Let’s discuss it all in the comments section.
About Daisy
21 Responses
This war was not started by president Trump. It was started nearly 50 years ago by Muslims intent on world domination.
The reality is that UK and US corporate and government folks started this war against Persian corporate and government folks during the early 20th century.
From what I have read, it is highly likely that the war with Iran is going to be a long one. My son told me I should stop reading the news, and I told him I like to stay a “step ahead.” Yes, start a garden and grow what you can; eventually, your life might depend on it. If the war with Iran continues, eventually food will become scarce due to farmers not getting the fertilizer they need to grow food. I am stocking up on dry milk, beans, rice, canned meat, toilet paper, dog food for my two dogs, and anything else I might need. I also have some gas saved “just in case.” If you do save some gas, do it safely, plus do not forget to put Sta-bil in it, or some other preservative, to help preserve the gas. If the war with Iran becomes a long one, it will not only affect gas and food, but everything else. I suggest everyone prepare the best they can. It is best to prepare and have it, than not prepare and then need it.
While energy scarcity and resulting high fuel cost is likely in Europe, I do not see that same result to be much of an issue for the US.
The US is pumping as much oil today as ever before AND we now have expansion of Venezuelan oil to help keep supplies level. Prez Trump has said he might institute export restrictions on US produced oil and LNG if needed to prevent US from suffering shortages.
Repairs and expert management of Venezuelan oil is returning after twenty year absence resulting in ever growing quantities that will only keep expanding. Extra oil production will help those in our hemisphere make up for short supplies of Persian production.
But I still believe each of us must prepare as if we knew there will be “bad times” soon. As I try to tell my family: as a result of creeping inflation, nothing you need to buy will ever be as cheap as it is today. So if you can afford it and store it long term, and know that you will need it….. go ahead and buy it now.
I am more concerned with inflation and a weakening economy than I am by the oil supply issues created by the Persian dust-up now in progress. Inflation, due to our govt ‘s profligate spending, may unite with world wide recession (a result of oil shortages) and ither nations’ inflation. Even with ample petroleum supplies, the US is not immune from being pulled into a world-wide economic recession. Also, bank failures elsewhere will affect our banks due to interlocking nature of banks having bought other nations bonds and derivatives.
So, the oil shortages are not trivial, but are not the wolf at the front door that many think it is.
Folks, keep on prepping….. like your life depends upon it.
Because it does.
Very well written. I believe we are looking at world wide recession/depression because all the governments have such enormous debt. “inflate it away.” Never works, but that’s coming. They will blame Trump of course.
It has been in the making most of my life and I’m old.
Keep an eye on the CME silver contracts. They have to potential to start the ball rolling. CME apparently doesn’t have the actual silver to meed demand if most want to take actual delivery. Forget it if people invested in “paper.” From my previous profession, we would call it fraud, but there it is. That or something else will cause a cascade.
THAT is what I think we should fear. Not downplaying “war,” but I think there is a workable plan for that. Finacial disaster is unfixable because there are no adults in DC.
For anyone unfamiliar with what Caddison is describing, here’s the situation in a nutshell. (Caddison or anyone else who knows more about this subject than I do, kindly correct me if needed.)
For roughly half a century, the U. S. government and the commodities exchanges have been coordinating to suppress the prices of gold and silver. This is part of a campaign to discredit these metals as an alternative to fiat money. The various techniques for this price suppression boil down to selling metal that the seller doesn’t have. (Don’t try this at home.) This has more or less worked so far.
However, a critical mass of buyers has recently been demanding delivery of the physical metal, rather than accepting settlement in cash or simply exiting the arrangement at a profit. If this should result in the inability to deliver the metal promised, why would serious buyers of gold or silver trust these exchanges in the future?
I’m a bit perplexed by the sentence “It’s pretty difficult to argue that President Trump began this war and did so without the consent of Congress.” Did you mean “dispute” rather than “argue”?
Great catch! It sounded right in my head but I can see how it would be confusing!
It’s very easy to dispute because it’s false. It has been within his authority to do what he’s done (do far).
Even so, with this TDS riddled Congress, he has had to be unfortunately scrupulously careful who knows what.
I am concerned…not so much over the rationing of energy, but that the entire world’s economies have been hanging on by the skin of their teeth.
Just the food chain supply disruptions are tipping points when storms, droughts, culling birds and regulations have ham stringed supplies.
In U.S. we are ego centric enough to think our economy is the only one in bad shape. We also have been spoiled with insta-cart, door dash, pre-prepped etc…many clueless people still don’t cook?!?! Now with rising costs those are no longer defensible and simpler meals and cooking at home are necessities.
I fear this will trigger hyper-inflation because transport, cans, packaging etc are all impacted by oil costs or lack.
In 70’s I had just graduated and moved into a poorly insulated, drafty apt…..I was sitting in large open classrooms….mandatory 68 degrees did not always equal 68 degrees…. especially in cold snowy Winter.
I did not own a car, but car pooled with a friend and remember gas lines and the alternate days rationing system well!
Adaption and planning ahead are survival tools that are vital.
Even though the USA has access to a lot of oil state-side, my understanding is that most of our oil is shipped to the Middle East to be refined and then shipped back to us. So even though we may have the natural resource, we no longer have the ability to convert the resource into something we can actually use: gas, diesel, fertilizer, and the multitude of other petroleum products we take for granted.
One should ALWAYS follow the Boy Scout motto. Even if no world or national SHTF, there are personal crises like getting fired.
You don’t have to go full-on prepper with 2 years of TP, etc. But there’s no reason EVER to have less than a couple of months, either. Many things keep for years, and this can be taken into account when you consider inflation and the savings from buying it early.
Thanks for the great heads-up, Daisy. You were ahead of everyone else regarding Covid lock-downs too! I’m wondering your thoughts on how the rising gas prices will affect electricity—obviously electricity prices will rise, but it’s going to be interesting what else it could affect. I remember the late, great Rush Limbaugh joking about the radical environmentalists and their move to mandate electric cars—they didn’t understand it takes gas to make electricity. I’m guessing electric car charging could one day be cost prohibitive? A rechargeable or gasoline powered bike might be a good means of alternative local travel, but could still be expensive to operate. I hope it doesn’t go that far, but of course, thinking ahead is better than being caught in a bind.
I’m from Canada and I see this war as part of a much larger plan towards the objectives of the 2050 UN Agenda. Those of us still thinking in terms of being American, or being Canadian, right vs. left, etc. need to look at the larger picture – we are being globally moved into a new, fully digital monetary system tied to digital ID, 15 minutes cities, zero property ownership, etc.
The issue is that they can’t make those changes all in one swoop, it has to be done in stages.
Remember, all developed countries went full in on the covid plandemic + the arm ticket. That alone should tell you that at the very top levels, there is no one country vs. another – they are all on the same page and work for the same people. Covid was phase one.
This war, which will become a global war, is phase two. Energy rationing, famine and freezing to death will depopulate and demoralize us nicely towards those 2050 goals.
I see the next few years and decade as a decimation of the middle class and their wealth/rights. We must come together in our communities and resist this at all costs. We must build food/energy/water sovereignty both within our families and most importantly, with our neighbours. Only together can we beat what’s coming.
I agree with you regarding the drive toward globalist rule. I’m just not sure that it’s the motive for this war. Another possible motive might be that Iran has the audacity to price her oil in currencies other than the US dollar. The need to obtain US dollars in order to buy oil (for example, from many countries in the Middle East) helps prop up that currency’s value. Without this artificially created demand for the US dollar, the cost of living in the US would rise substantially.
Catherine Austin Fitts has stated that Iran is the only remaining country in the world that does not have a Rothschild central banking system in place. (Venezuela was the second last) They can’t do digital ID/currency without the entire world on this banking system. Iran has to fall. They are the last piece of the planned control grid. Without Iran, there is too much of a leak, according to Fitts.
All wars are bankers wars. Everything else we see is window dressing.
>> Iran is the only remaining country in the world that does not have a Rothschild central banking system in place.
That’s very interesting. If it’s accurate, then I wonder why China and Russia have been so supportive of Iran–not only diplomatically but militarily. One or both countries have supposedly been providing Iran intelligence about strategic sites such as US radar installations in the Middle East. I seem to recall that the three countries have also held joint military drills within the last year.
Incidentally, if you’d prefer to continue this discussion privately (or if Daisy were to request it), feel free to contact me using one of the email addresses at my website.
Re: why China and Russia have been so supportive of Iran–not only diplomatically but militarily.
That I can only speculate on. One idea is that some of the oligarchs aren’t all on the same page and want a BRICS, gold-backed, trade currency thus creating a fair market trading system with no one country able to dominate the markets by having the reserve currency status. Russia and China are part of the BRICS initiative, so is Iran.
As for continuing this discussion, for sure, I can try and find you off site, however, it’s planting season here in zone 8a and I’m spending much of my waking hours either working or with my hands in the dirt.
I’ll try to navigate this site to find your contacts. 🙂
Sounds good. I’ll be on the lookout for your email correspondence.
BRICS is certainly an unusual organization. Last I heard about it, which was probably more than a year ago, it was up to about 10 voting members, with a slew of associate members (which can participate in many of the discussions but don’t get to vote). And for a measure to pass required unanimity. Although this might mean that not as much “gets done” as it would under majority rule, the process of discussion can itself be highly beneficial (such as in building trust), and every voting member can be assured that its concerns will be taken seriously.
And what he has done so far is within his authority.
And it’s been extremely effective.
I agree with you. Iran started this in 1979 when they held our embassy officials hostage for over a year and our government has facilitated their bad behavior ever since (remember obama sending them over $1,000,000,000?). The 1970s were extremely dispiriting times for Americans and I believe that most of us who lived through that as adults don’t want to go back. The same side that brought us those miserable years are rioting to bring them back. Well, a lot of us aren’t going back.