How much silver should I have for SHTF?

[50centsaver]

All right my friend, what can be done about this problem we are in? Are there intelligent people who KNOW what needs to done trying to convince our leaders re a solution? In my limited study of the problem, it appears to me that the Fed Reserve must stop ALL money printing NOW! TODAY! YESTERDAY! Is it feasible to slowly transition back to a gold/silver backed system?

How about if the experienced moderators/commentators/posters on Realcent got your/our heads together to come up with a written plan to send leaders? You could get people to sign the petition. My feeling is those in power don't know the solutions as I don't see us going in the right direction! Many problems throughout time have been solved by grass root movements. How about if RealCent, Kitco Forum, etc. starts one!

[shinnosuke]

All right my friend, what can be done about this problem we are in? Are there intelligent people who KNOW what needs to done trying to convince our leaders re a solution? In my limited study of the problem, it appears to me that the Fed Reserve must stop ALL money printing NOW! TODAY! YESTERDAY! Is it feasible to slowly transition back to a gold/silver backed system?

How about if the experienced moderators/commentators/posters on Realcent got your/our heads together to come up with a written plan to send leaders? You could get people to sign the petition. My feeling is those in power don't know the solutions as I don't see us going in the right direction! Many problems throughout time have been solved by grass root movements. How about if RealCent, Kitco Forum, etc. starts one!

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but a few salient points:
1. The "leaders" as you call them have not simply made a mistake by printing too many Federal Reserve Hiney Wipes. They are doing it on purpose to make debt slaves out of the citizens of the country that used to be the shining beacon of liberty to the world.

2. Ron Paul has been pushing for an audit of the Fed for years. The House recently voted on it: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll513.xml
I don't think the Senate version will pass.

3. The will of the American people is not being represented in Washington: http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/jborowski/more-secrets-at-the-federal-reserve-revealed

4. Therefore, as Thomas Jefferson once wrote in a letter in 1787: The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

[50centsaver]

Ron Paul has been pushing for an audit of the Fed for years. The House recently voted on it: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll513.xml
I don't think the Senate version will pass.

Of the 98 people who voted to not pass the audit, 97 were democrat! How could anyone vote no!

[RTPMarine]

Of the 98 people who voted to not pass the audit, 97 were democrat! How could anyone vote no!

My theory is that a full audit of monetary policy made by the Board will reflect poorly on the Obama administration. People will hear bad news about the "people in charge" and immediately associate that with the current President, even though Bernanke was appointed by Bush and approved by Congress twice.

Also, the Fed doesn't really "print" money. They just take actions that increase or decrease the available money supply.

[Mossy]

@RTPM, I think you called it. Whoever is in office when the masses "discovers" the problem, is going to get the blame. Even if he had nothing to do with it.

[Sheba]

Lot's of excellent responses to the question/statement as to 'how much'.

Personally, my favorite answer in a broad overview is the one that was posted that said something like this ... "be debt free". May be hard for folks, but that, to me is a vitally important goal to work for. "Owe no man anything" ... good advice where it can be applied.

[68Camaro]

..Also, the Fed doesn't really "print" money. They just take actions that increase or decrease the available money supply.

Well, the Fed does print money, at least they cause it to be printed - real physical paper money, by the Treasury. They do say "Federal Reserve Notes", after all, and it is the Fed that orders it, and pays for its printing.

But even in the larger context that I think was meant, it is still true that the Fed prints money, in the sense of creating it. I think we all here realize that. Money printing is not limited to creation of a new physical note. The various measures of money supply have recognized that for a great many decades, if not longer. All it takes for the Fed to print money is to authorize larger numbers within a balance sheet. If money supply increases, then what was increased? Well... money, of course. It was created - and creation is printing, within the context of the discussion.

[InfleXion]

How about I rephrase your question. How much cash should you have for SHTF? How much food, water, first aid, fuel, firearms, ammo?

Figure all those out, and put the rest into silver

[50centsaver]

Alright, how much cash?

How long is it going to take until cash will be worthless? I take it there will be a chaotic , maybe lawless time until a new gold/silver backed currency begins to be in place.
When cash is trash, then- how much silver and/or gold?

[68Camaro]

Not counting copper cents and nickels (not insignificant), I do keep some FRNs safely out of the bank in the event of various emergencies (including storms) that would cause ATMs to go down or a run to be made on cash. How much I keep out of the bank varies depending on what is going on the world, but at a minimum is always enough to get me through a couple of weeks of basics (refills of gas and propane, medicines, emergency repairs or materials, supplemental food (I don't really NEED anything except my wife's meds, but want to be prepared to buy as the situation arises), charitable cash for family in need, etc).

Maybe others can add some examples of cash needs.

But, cash aside, you should already have all your basics stocked. Excepting a few rare perishable supplies - hard to get prescription meds without which you or a family member would die (which you should try to make alternate sources of supply for), you should already have enough stocked to get you through at least a month, if not 6-12 months, without too many trials.

[neilgin1]

a thousands ounces.

before anybody shriek, here's what i believe.

you set goal lines. obviously 100 ounces is the first, and then you can use century marks, 200oz, 300 oz, as subsequent benchmarks.

here's whats going to be your problem, you have two stash choices, a safety deposit box in a bank, which i personally think is folly, or your home, which presents a LOT of challenges, because obviously you have to secure this amount.

there are so many ways to do this, but the overrriding concern is OPSEC, operstional security, which means keeping your mouth shut, absolutely zip lock mouth, you cant be a silver "evangelist".

Now i've been blessed, and this is if you're a prepper....a for real prepper, i've been blessed, that i'm totally bugged out in a rural area with low population density, which i love, coz i've always been country. Its not that i'm hiding out, cringing in fear, awaiting zombie apocalypse. No! quite the contrary, i feel at home, and have made many friends.

Does that mean that my PM's are secured?....absolutely not, because with the exception of my brother, who has a farm 15 miles south of me, and is executor of my estate, a man who is not only my best friend as well, but one of two people i trust with my life, NO ONE knows i have any interest in PM's....much like the sex life of my mother, its not something i talk about or even think about, with anyone.

i dont want to go into HOW i make this place a bank, but suffice to say, i sleep easy.

people will tell you, "beans, bullets and band-aids" are as far as prepping. Many in the prepping community, who should know better eschew PM's, which make prepping a three legged stool. I believe this is unwise, When you add silver to your preps, it becomes a four legged chair, which is sturdier.

my philosphy as WHAT to purchase is simple, rolls of pre-65 90% silver American coinage, 40% Kennedy halves (1965-70) and 40% Silver Ike Dollars (1971 to 74) and American Silver Eagles...combined with bricks of $100 FV nickels, as well as a couple hundred pounds of 95% copper pennies....thats it.

here's the bad news for you, MY preferred market place is Ebay, because when i buy 90% rolls i like ultra clean coins. i dont want to go into an explanation of why, and some guys might disagree with my M.O. but out of hundreds of dealing, Thank God, i have yet to have a bad deal....ready for the bad news?...the bad news is this, on Ebay, today, 30 July, in the next day, there are maybe 4 rolls even worthy to buy, and they have been fully priced, i saw two nice rolls of Franklins, a 54 and 58, already trading at 34-36X's face...THE REST of the offerings have NO silver, they are these bottom feeders, who try and sell modern bank wrapped Kennedy halfs with the words "POSSIBLE silver"....ANYTIME you see on the Ebay silver rolls listings, there two words, "possible" or "unsearched", its BS.

you see, the shelves are getting a little bare, because for a few years now, the news is just getting more nightmarish and skeery.

Now on this forum, there are many good men, who are SERIOUS stackers, and they have not been sitting on their hands. There is an active trade on this forum, and there are men of noble character to trade with, you just have to discern who is who. The reason i've havent traded here, is i dont do business with friends. When i do business i get very cold blooded, and i find it difficult to do that with people i like and have dialogue with, so i stay on impersonal Ebay....but you my friend, seek out these men here, who sell. good guys.

a thousand oz's is a nice goal line to attain for, imho, neil (along with $1000 face value of nickels and a couple hundred pounds of 95% copper pennies)

[neilgin1]

All right my friend, what can be done about this problem we are in? Are there intelligent people who KNOW what needs to done trying to convince our leaders re a solution? In my limited study of the problem, it appears to me that the Fed Reserve must stop ALL money printing NOW! TODAY! YESTERDAY! Is it feasible to slowly transition back to a gold/silver backed system?

How about if the experienced moderators/commentators/posters on Realcent got your/our heads together to come up with a written plan to send leaders? You could get people to sign the petition. My feeling is those in power don't know the solutions as I don't see us going in the right direction! Many problems throughout time have been solved by grass root movements. How about if RealCent, Kitco Forum, etc. starts one!

we have no national leaders, only small gray drab dreary men whose lust for power is only exceeded by their lust for wealth,therefore any attempt to reason with such men is futile.

mistake me not, i do not speak of sedition, rebellion, i only speak truth. Duty and service to the nation, the Constitution is not something that figures into their reasoning, therefore they are wholly unreasonable, which means any attempt to reson with these small men is a fool's errand. One's energies, imo, should be placed into how to navigate treacherous seas...or to learn to be like a coyote, rarely seen, always fed.....

and beware of those who DO preach sedition, rebellion and violence, for they are not what they seem to be, they are wolves dressed as lambs. These are dark times, so be Light, and dont give into fear or hatred.

Many preppers or "patriots' have taken the road of fear hate and loathing, that is folly as well.

[neilgin1]

We're already in a decade long depression which has been mitigated by massive borrowing to support heretofore unheard of unemployment benefits combined with food and housing subsidies that have kept the pain to a minimum (so far). I believe most of that must end within a year or three at most, and government support will be limited to emergency rations. The pain and suffering will lead to riots, then to martial law. I believe these things are inevitable at this point no matter who is elected this fall. Beyond that, it does depend on who is in power as to the course taken.

not meaning to go "off topic"....but pay heed to this drought. We know have a perfect storm as wll major grain exporting regions are in some form of stress.

imo, one should immediately ramp up non perishable food supplys, i have been buying a lot of rice, beans, 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes, cooking oils, spices, etc....a LOT. Walmart has good deal, buy online and they ship free. i also bought another deep freezer to handle what will be the last big meat sales as livestock guys liquidate herds.....you might ask, what happens if the power goes out? well i had an LP 8kw automatic generator installed that feeds off a 1000 gallon tank....i wanted it anyway, because our grid is so vulnerable and my well is 440 feet deep into a sweet artesian formation.

[68Camaro]

We're already in a decade long depression which has been mitigated by massive borrowing to support heretofore unheard of unemployment benefits combined with food and housing subsidies that have kept the pain to a minimum (so far). I believe most of that must end within a year or three at most, and government support will be limited to emergency rations. The pain and suffering will lead to riots, then to martial law. I believe these things are inevitable at this point no matter who is elected this fall. Beyond that, it does depend on who is in power as to the course taken.

not meaning to go "off topic"....but pay heed to this drought. We know have a perfect storm as wll major grain exporting regions are in some form of stress.

imo, one should immediately ramp up non perishable food supplys, i have been buying a lot of rice, beans, 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes, cooking oils, spices, etc....a LOT. Walmart has good deal, buy online and they ship free. i also bought another deep freezer to handle what will be the last big meat sales as livestock guys liquidate herds.....you might ask, what happens if the power goes out? well i had an LP 8kw automatic generator installed that feeds off a 1000 gallon tank....i wanted it anyway, because our grid is so vulnerable and my well is 440 feet deep into a sweet artesian formation.

Good to hear from you again bud! - a few of us grey-beards try to keep some of this focused and serious, but it gets stale around here without your thoughts! To my thinking your post is perfectly on topic, for the amount of silver one should have needs to depend on circumstances, and the circumstances change as a function of the world around us - war, economy, market, unemployment, debt, as well as natural disasters, which includes drought.

Yep folks, if you're not in fly-over country and have never been on a farm, the 2012 drought may not mean much to you, but come 2013 it will, when prices double just due to the crop failures (not including larger economic issues). I'm thinking of getting a larger LP tank - I'm only at 250...

[Good grief - need a spell-checker!]