The ability to protect yourself and your family is one of the most important skills that you must have to survive be it when SHTF or any everyday life situation. Let’s face the facts. The world is a dangerous place, and the only way to make sure you’re always safe is to be able to protect yourself without having to rely on local authorities or anyone for the matter.

Now, when you don’t know much about self-defense and weapons in general, it’s not the perfect idea to go out and get any gun you can buy. To own a gun is a responsibility that you must be equipped with to make sure you don’t put anyone around you in danger. This means that you have to know how to use a gun.

This is the greatest obstacle for any beginner. To find the right weapon that your skill level will be able to use and effectively protect yourself and your loved ones. This is why you must absolutely know what weapons are perfect for beginners.

For example, an automatic weapon is too difficult to control and use under a real dangerous situation for someone who knows little. This is why, for the most part, its best to stay away from firearms. Still, there are exceptions to this rule and that is one of the things we’re going to explore in this top 10 self-defense weapons for a beginner.

For now, imagine that you hear a noise in the middle of the night. What do you do? The first thing you’re going to think about is how you’re going to defend not only yourself but the rest of your family. This is the moment you’re going to look for something to protect yourself.

If you don’t have any weapon with you, that’s going to be a problem. Obviously, you’re going to think about getting your phone and calling the police. You should totally do that, but what you do while the police don’t arrive? That’s why you must have a self-defense weapon.

Now that you know why you should have one, it’s time to decide which one is best suited for you. Depending on your personality, physical prowess, and taste you should be able to determine what the best option is.

Remember that having a weapon to protect yourself will make you safer and not the opposite. As long as you know how to use it, you’ll be fine. Since the weapons on our top 10 are, in its vast majority, are not firearms, the time that should take for you to learn how to use them is fairly quickly.

Still, from a gun to a stick, you should do your best to make sure that you control the weapon, so it isn’t taken away from you during a fight or you simply don’t hit anything.

To go straight to the point, below are the top 10 self-defense weapons for beginners. Click this link for self protection gear I personally recommend.

1. Revolvers

Revolvers are the easiest gun for a beginner to learn how to use it. They are reliable and do not take long for you to grasp every aspect necessary to be able to use them correctly.

Obviously, as a beginner’s weapon, there are its disadvantages such as the fact that they’re not automatic and that you take a while to reload them. Still, they’re fairly easy to learn how to aim and use.

The maintenance is another upside of this weapon, requiring nearly none. The reason that is also a great weapon for a beginner is that they’re cheap and perfect for domestic protection.

This is by a long shot the best self-defense firearm. The revolver ranges from .22 millimeter all the way to the 500 Magnum. Here you get a weapon that was made for self-defense since you need nearly zero training to learn how to fire it.

You can choose from a single action revolver that can be manually cocked. This one is better for close shots and if you’re fast. Or you can get a double action one that is more suited for self-defense since you get a little heavy and long trigger pull. The double action is bigger but more reliable for self-defense.

Anyway, the number one reason to get a revolver as a beginner is that apart from the fact that it is easier to learn how to use it, it’s also that it’s more dependable. This gun, when well maintained, doesn’t let you down. It works perfectly for years. All you have to do is clean it, which is quite simple, and make sure that is stored correctly.

Even though this weapon is easy to learn how to use it, you should get some lessons if you’ve never used one before. This ensures that you keep everyone safe and not put them in danger.

2. Knives

Knives are great for self-defense because the variety for you to choose is huge. The secret with knives is that you have to be in complete control of them while in a self-defense situation. When you achieve mastery of such a weapon, it’s like an extension of your arm.

You have so many options to choose from that you may feel a little overwhelmed. The best that you can do is pick something that you feel comfortable with. Another tip is that you can pick a knife that is discrete.

The point is that it shouldn’t feel heavy or too big for you. This is important because, as mentioned earlier, you must have full control of your weapon. The statement is true no matter the weapon you’re using but especially with knives. It’s too easy to make the wrong move and end up disarmed.

If you envision the knife as an extension of your body, you can practice some movements emulating punches, horizontal, and vertical moves. It’s important to remember that knives can be lethal, so you must be aware of your intentions when going for a hit.

You can go for tactical knives more military style or spy knives like lipstick knives and penknives. These are more discrete and are easy to carry inside a purse. Pick more resistant materials for the blade like steel and quality plastic for the handle. These sorts of detail may seem irrelevant right now, but they’re quite important when selecting your self-defense weapon of choice.

Since learning how to use a knife for self-defense isn’t the most difficult thing you’re going to learn, it’s still important to assimilate basic movements. Always remember that if you don’t control the weapon, it controls you.

So, choose the style of knife you want, be careful while selecting the material of the blade and the handle, and get familiar with self-defense movements that are important for you to learn.

3. Axes

An ax is a little more difficult to learn how to use than a knife. Obviously, it wouldn’t be on the list if it wasn’t easy for a beginner to learn it. Still, it’s slightly harder than the knife because it’s heavier and bigger.

If you believe that you don’t have to put much thought into picking the best ax, you’re not far from wrong, but it’s a good idea to take your time to learn something about it.

For example, like the katana sword, the ax leaves you exposed and vulnerable if you don’t handle it correctly. Still, it’s a good choice because it’s easy to use it. Just remember that when you attack your opponent and miss it, you leave you back unprotected and exposed if you go “all in” while holding the ax with two hands.

The advantages of an ax are that it’s a powerful weapon for self-defense and other uses. For example, you can get through nearly anything with an ax, so it’s always recommended to have one around the house.

You just have to be careful since one single hit of an ax can be lethal. This is why it’s important to take your time to get familiar with whatever weapon of choice yours is. You want to be fully aware of what you’re doing when you’re in a stressful situation.

Since axes are in their vast majority heavy weapons, they’re more recommended for people with a strong physique. The secret is to find the right spot to hold the weapon and keep the balance to ensure that you’re in control at all times.

Another great thing about axes is that they need very little maintenance. All you have to do is to make sure that it’s always sharp, which you won’t have to do all the time.

4. Baseball Bat

This is a classical home invasion weapon for those who don’t have guns. The baseball bat has its place in the self-defense department because it’s easy to use and to get one. Obviously, even though it is simple, you have to know how to use it. You don’t want to be the guy who hits only the air.

With the baseball bat, you get a variety of materials. The best one for self-defense is the one made of steel. They are reliable because they’ll rarely break and can cause the right amount of damage.

A good tip here is to use both hands to hold it with the bat being placed in front of your body. This helps you not waste time to get ready to use the weapon in a dangerous situation.

This is one of the weapons on the list that the impact of the hit will be determined by your strength. So, it’s important that you learn to use your weight to make the hits stronger. A great strategy is to use momentum and aim on the legs.

As you’re going to realize, any weapon can be lethal. It all depends on how you use it. In the case of the baseball bat, you would have to lose control to make it lethal. This means that it’s hard to perform a lethal action by accident, which makes it even better for beginners.

Just remember that since it’s still a baseball bat, you have to be careful in cases of home invasion. Always keep the bat in front of the body and try to get close enough to your target to be able to hit it.

You can pick a wood made or even hard plastic, but the best choice is the steel ones. This is one of the most affordable, easy to find, and easy to use weapons for beginners.

5. Stun Gun

The stun gun is a great self-defense weapon. It’s one of the first choices, especially for women. It’s easy to carry, to use, and it is effective. Stun guns are devices that work by disabling muscle control through a high-voltage shock. This weapon has two metal prongs that, when touching the aggressor’s skin, transfer the shock.

The main disadvantage of the stun gun is that you have to be really close to the aggressor since you need to touch them with the weapon. Still, it’s a great choice because of how easy it is to use it and because it’s effective. If you use it on someone, they’ll be paralyzed for a while.

In regards to how lethal it is, the stun gun isn’t considered lethal. Of course, there are rare exceptions to this. If you shock someone while they’re wet it can be lethal depending on the circumstances. Also, depending on every person’s physiology, the shock might cause a heart attack.

9 times out of 10, the stun gun will only cause temporary paralyzes. The great thing about this weapon is that there’s nothing else to learn besides activating it and touching the target. There’s nothing else to master here. It’s that easy to learn.

You can carry it in a purse or inside your jacket. The secret is to always have it in an easy-to-reach place so you can grab it fast. Another tip is to always aim for the neck, especially because this area is rarely covered with clothes. So, you can get direct contact with the aggressor’s skin.

About your options, you’ll find many. First, you’ll see that there are different voltages that you can choose from. Then, you can go with more traditional designs or the ones that are disguisable. Like the stun guns that emulate flashlights.

6. Taser

A taser works similarly to the stun gun, but it’s more versatile. Here, you have a weapon that allows you to hit the target 15 feet away from it. You don’t have to touch the aggressor or get extremely close to them. The taser shoots two probe metal darts that are connected to a wire that hits the target and releases a high-voltage shock.

The effectiveness of the taser is that it disrupts muscle control of the aggressor without the need of you having to be close to them. This can be a real advantage during an altercation, especially in dangerous situations.

The only downside of the taser when in comparison with the stun gun is that you have a learning curve. Even though it’s easy to learn, you have to learn how to aim and hit the target. Still, this weapon is great for beginners because it’s really that easy to master it.

The skills required to properly use the taser are the same as a firearm in the sense of aiming for the target. The advantage here is that it is non-lethal and that you can learn how to use it faster. You can really learn how to use it within an hour or so.

Another great thing about the taser is how portable it is. You can carry it within your jacket pocket or a purse. It’s easy to use and great for both women and men. The investment is a little bigger when in comparison with a pepper spray or some other options on the list.

Since the maintenance, the use, and the price are all easy and good, the taser is one of the best self-defense weapons for a beginner. It’s good even for more advanced users. The secret is to pick the one that works best for you.

7. Shotgun

The shotgun is like a classic when it comes to self-defense weapons. It is reliable and effective. Still, there are some problems with it such as the time that it takes to reload it. This gun is widely used in farms and by people who live in isolated areas.

Besides the time that it takes to reload, the shotgun doesn’t take too long to learn the basics of how to use it. You only need to learn how to reload and aim it.

Your options are not great when it comes to the shotgun, but it isn’t necessary anyway. Here you can vary a little with the size of the gun and the style. Whatever you choose, it won’t affect the efficiency of this weapon.

The weapon is not as good as a semiautomatic or automatic one, but for a beginner, it works perfectly. The only problem is that you have to do regular maintenance to make sure it doesn’t get rusty or simply doesn’t work when you need it.

Another great thing about the shotgun is that this sort of weapon, obviously, doesn’t require physical strength to determine its power like the baseball bat or ax. As long as you can carry its weight, you’ll be good to go.

Now, you have to remember that this is a lethal weapon and as such it not only requires a different kind of care but also some thought before using it. Of course, this depends on what kind of self-defense situation you find yourself in. This is why it’s a great idea to have more than one type of self-defense weapon. For example, you can opt both for a shotgun and a taser. Whatever your choice is, it’s good to keep in mind that you should go for the weapons that fit your profile and not just what looks cooler.

8. Pepper Spray

Even though pepper sprays are widely known as a woman’s self-defense weapon, this very efficient weapon can work for everyone. The great thing about it is that there’s no learning curve necessary to learn it. You can pretty much start using it immediately.

The pepper spray is non-lethal but still super effective. You can hit targets from up to 10 feet away. The best thing is that just because it is non-lethal it doesn’t mean that it’s harmless. You not only will cause a lot of pain that will stop the aggressor dead in their track, but it also makes them temporarily blind, giving you enough time to do something about the situation.

Those sprays are cheap, easy to use, efficient, and non-lethal. That’s why it’s a great choice for beginners that want a self-defense weapon for multiple occasions. You can get a few bottles of pepper spray to have at your disposable at all times. Besides, it’s super discrete to carry it.

Again, the pepper spray is easy to use, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to know the basics. First of all, you have to aim for the eyes. Second of all, it’s a good idea to test it before you actually have to use it. Just to make sure that you know how it works. Do it in an open space since the pepper can make your eyes and throat burn.

Your options here will be more in regards to brands. You can also choose different styles of containers but that it’s not at all relevant to the effectiveness of the spray. Just pick a reliable manufacturer and that’s all you need.

The pepper spray works in various situations, but it’s more suited for urban problems. It’s not as common to utilize it in home invasions situations for the matter.

9. Stun Baton

If you would love to get a crossover between the stun gun and a baseball bat, the stun baton is the one for you. You can use it as a stun gun in the sense of giving someone an electric shock. You can also use it to hit someone while you swing it.

Depending on the stun baton that you get, it can have a flashlight feature that temporarily blinds your aggressor. The features will be dependent on the model, but all of them will be able to stun and hit someone pretty hard.

The other great thing is that this weapon is easy to learn how to use it. It’s also way more efficient than a normal baseball bat. If you consider the versatility, it can be even better than a stun gun.

Here you can choose models with special additional features, or just the traditional ones. Either way, you get a solid self-defense weapon to protect your home.

The secret with all the weapons that involve electrical shock is to aim for the parts of the body where the skin is uncovered. This way your attack will be more efficient.

Opposite to the stun gun and the pepper spray, the stun baton fits better during home invasion situations instead of urban ones. You can, but it’s a little complicated to carry one of those batons around. Still, you have to remember that if you want to use it inside of your house as a baseball bat, you can’t be afraid of hitting things and even breaking them. If that’s your case, a taser may be a better option. The point is to always know your style before making a choice.

If you live anywhere in America, chances are that you have already held a baseball bat in your hands so the stun baton won’t be that different. You just have to learn about the voltage to make sure that you always know what you’re doing.

10. Real Brass Knuckles

The real brass knuckles are a classic of personal defense. Even though they end up being associated with street fights, you can make great use of them for your self-defense purposes. This weapon potentializes the power of your punch making it extra strong.

Obviously, you have to know how to punch if you’re going to use one of those. There is a right way to reduce your chances of hurting your knuckles and hands. After all, it wouldn’t make sense to use them and also get hurt as the target of your punches.

Most of the models of real brass knuckles are made of common metals, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t hard and durable.

The variety here isn’t great as with other weapons, but you get an interesting variation on the colors.

Since the most important thing with a self-defense weapon is its efficiency to protect you, that isn’t as relevant.

This weapon is cheap, easy to use, and reliable for hand-to-hand combats. It doesn’t require any learning curve as long as you already know how to punch.

It isn’t the best option if this is the only weapon you’re going to get, or if your goals are home security. Still, it can be an interesting and reliable choice to have in your selection. A lot of people even collect real brass knuckles.

Again, they are great for beginners because they are easy to use and cheap, but it shouldn’t be your only option. Especially for home security situations. In this case, have the real brass knuckles alongside another weapon of choice. You can pick one that has a far range such as the revolver or the taser. For those interested in finding highly recommended self protection gear, click here.

 

If you’re beginner prepper and started reading on the subject recently, you may have noticed that a lot is talked about storing food and water, and how to protect your resources from the government or your neighbors. While all this is very important, there are a lot of things that are left out. The truth is that you’re not going to make it if you don’t have a strategy for SHTF (Sh@$t hits the fan).

So, if you’ve been looking for the perfect strategy, you just found it. Here you’re going to finally get the checklist to make sure you survive for as long as you want. So, how to prep for SHTF? According to expert survivalists, you’re going to need to apply basic survival knowledge. Simple is always better. You’re going to need the following:

• Shelter
• Water
• Food
• Equipment
• People
• Maybe a Plan B

This all may sound like a lot, but if you take your time and plan everything right, you’ll never need to worry anymore. You’ll know that no matter what happens in the world, you’re going to be alright.

Below, it is a detailed explanation of how to set everything up and why you need all these things in the first place.

Make an Essential’s list

When you’re going to prep for SHTF, it’s essential that you make a list of what you’re going to need. This list involves mostly resources and skills that you’re going to need when it happens but that you won’t be able to acquire afterward.

For example, all the tools, food, equipment, skills you’re going to need but you don’t have right now. Obviously, more often than not you’ll find yourself needing a lot, which can be overwhelming. Also, you have to make a budget since some stuff can be expensive and you don’t want to go broke and create your own catastrophe instead of surviving one.

So, think about first-aid skills that you might need. Some medical knowledge can save your life and many others. Basic stuff such as starting a fire and even hunting. These are skills that you’re going to need. Also, if things are really bad chances are that you’re going to need a gun. You don’t want to be the only imbecile who has no clue how to use a gun.

Learning those things can help you a lot. Mostly, focus on survival skills and first-aid. Then, it may help if you know how to pilot a helicopter or a boat. These are more difficult skills to acquire, but if you have the means, it might be a good idea. Even learning a language can help.

Once you have the skills jotted down, it is a great idea to make a sort of inventory to know the items that you don’t have. Guns, tools, equipment, and everything that you can think that would keep you alive. At this point, you don’t need to focus on water and food since they’ll be better explained below.

So, make your essential’s list and begin tackling every item in order of importance. After all, you don’t want to be the guy who never prepped and now depends on people’s goodwill to survive.

Bug In Bug Out

This is one of the most important things when prepping. You have to have a plan in case you need to leave your house and a plan in case you have to stay. The most detailed your plan gets, the more chances you’ll have.

So, come up with a plan in case you have to leave. It’s also important that other members of your family know about this place in case you get separated. This way everyone knows where to go to get reunited. Pick a place that is safe, perhaps on the mountains or in the woods, that has clean rivers and animals to hunt if you don’t have food.

If you can afford, you may even have two places to bug out. This is because different situations require different plans. The important thing is that you have at least one safe place to go if you need to. Also, whoever is with you must know about it just in case.

Now, in a lot of situations, it may not be safe to go outside. For example, a nuclear attack may be months before it’s safe to even leave the house. So, the best you can do is to have a plan to bug in.

This sounds easier than it actually is. Just think about it. If things are really bad, there’ll probably be people knocking on your door. Are you going to let them in? Are you going to share your 3 months’ worth of food supply with more people than you planned for? These are hard but important questions to think about it.

Especially if the answer is no, you need to know how you’re going to keep these people out. Just because you’re not going to answer or let them in, it doesn’t mean they won’t try to. You must have a plan to secure the entrances and make sure no one comes in unannounced and unwanted.

Besides that, you also have to know how you’re going to continue leaving in the house. You may be without electricity and gas for a while. You have to plan for these things as well. Your communication devices may not be working, so you have to prepare for those scenarios.

Have a Water Storage Plan

Water doesn’t expire. The only problem is that this is not entirely true. When you store water, it may, with time, develop microorganisms that will make the water unsafe to drink. Besides, you also have to have a water storage plan for the sole reason that without it, you die in 3 days. For those reasons, you have to have a water storage plan that works.

The first step here should be that you get containers that maintain the water clean for a long time. Another solution is to change the water every 3-6 months. You should also have some stock of bottled water, although this one actually expires. Still, they’re easier to carry in case you need to bug out. The secret is to have water stored for 3 months to 1 year, and that you have a mix of bottled water and water in containers. Here are some highly recommended water filtration gear.

You need water to survive, to cook, to clean yourself, and other basic survival necessities. For these reasons, you should treat it like gold. It may become even more valuable when SHTF. This is why you also have to do the maintenance of the water. For example, if you bought bottled water, drink it before it expires, and replace what you took. This way no matter when things go bad, you’ll have your water supply ready for you.

So, the best you can do is start with the principle that you need 1 gallon of water a day to drink and hygiene. Then you multiply by the number of people and the number of days.

Once you come up with a number, you store it in sterile containers and away from the Sun. This will make sure the water remains potable for longer. Then, you find a place to store all the gallons and create a plan to carry as much as you can if you need to bug out to another place.

Stockpile Food

You can survive up to 3 months if you don’t have food, but let’s be honest. No one wants to go 1 day without it. In a world, with so much abundance of food, no one wants to go days without eating. You can prevent that if you prep the right way. You have to stockpile food.

Now, it is simple to do this, but it still requires some thought. First, you’re going to make a list of foods that have long expiration dates such as canned food. They also have to have a lot of protein and some fat to give you energy. Then, you make a list and reserve some space to store it in your house.

With the list in your hands, it’s time to go shopping. A crucial tip, to do this the right way, is to not let the whole world know what you’re doing. After all, do you think your neighbor will want to go to the supermarket where everybody is when SHTF or try to steal it from you? It’s important to remember that people can be horrible. You don’t want to have all this trouble to have someone taking everything from you.

To make things easier and safer, you should buy things incrementally and not everything right away. Get some items every month until you have everything. Then, all you have to do is keep checking your supply to replace expired items or thing that you use.

Besides food, it may be a good idea to store seeds. You can not only create your own supply of food for the years to come, but they may also become extremely valuable depending on how bad things are.

So, to recap, make a list of all the food you’re going to need (ideally a minimum of 3 months). Buy things incrementally to not raise suspicions. It’s better if no one knows that you’re a prepper. Then, store some seed if you can. For a great alternative, you might consider a highly nutritious, compact, ‘SuperFood” that has a long shelf-life. Click here for more details.

Pick The Right Equipment

Your tools and your weapons will keep you safe from everyone else. The body needs the food, the water, and the shelter. Now, your safety depends on your tools and your weapons, so choose carefully.

First, you should think of the most basic stuff such as flashlights, lighters, knives, can openers, ropes, and everything that helps you to cook. You should also think about first-aid kits and medicine. These are the kind of things that you never think about, but you always end up needing them.

Then progress to more complex stuff such as weapons. You should have firearms but also machetes or axes. Big knives that open the ways into the wood are also fine. You have to make sure you have the right amount of ammo and that you maintain everything in perfect conditions.

Once you’re done checking your weapons, you may want to make sure your car is always working and have enough gas to travel long distances. If you can, having more than one car may be a good idea.

Here’s the thing when it comes to equipment. You have to get the necessary ones, and you have to do maintenance to make sure that everything works when you need the most.

If you’re bugging in, it might also be a good idea to have cameras and a full security system. This prevents unwelcomed people from getting in and gives you more security to control all the entrances. In case you live by yourself, this also allows you to be able to give a pass on forming a team.

So, make sure you select the right tools and that you do proper maintenance. This way you increase your safety, thus your chances of making it. This way you can protect your family and team if you have one. I have a few top recommended gear articles that will help you gather many of your survival gear needs. Click here for my recommendations.

Have A Team

Human-beings are social creatures, and as such, our chances at survival are increased by a large scale when we’re in a group. This is why you should consider having a team. Unless you’re married and have kids, you can pick every single person on your team.

You should consider the skills and character above everything else. You want people who know first-aid, perhaps even a nurse or a doctor, but you want someone you can trust. For example, a special forces guy may be quite useful, but you have to be able to trust him.

So, select people that can be on your team. If you find folks that are into prepping as well, you may even form your team before SHTF. Now, you may also have to do it afterward, which makes having a criterion even more important.

You should also consider mental toughness in your evaluation. People can get crazy in certain situations. You don’t want someone who would create a situation that could scale. Like someone who drinks too much and wants to fight everybody or someone that wouldn’t handle the pressure and try to shoot everyone.

The team, if you choose to have one, should also be aware of your hideout place. This way everyone can get to it in case the worst happens. Here are a few items that you may consider to evaluate people.

• Survival skills
• Character
• General skills
• Leadership skills
• Cooperation to the group
• General knowledge
• Expert knowledge (someone who knows the woods or medicinal plants)

These are just a few guidelines that you can use to rate possible candidates. Remember, if you have the resources, you have the right to pick whomever you want. If you select the right team, you increase your chances of surviving and staying sane.

Have Different Plans for Different Situations

A hurricane is very different from a nuclear weapon attack. An EMP is also very different from an earthquake. You must have different strategies, different plans for different situations. The same way that you’d need different firepower to take down an army than you’d need to take down a drunk old man. Having a different plan for every situation is crucial for survival. Here’s the thing, a nuclear weapon may cause a situation in which it’s unsafe to leave your house. This would force you to stay in for a long time. You need to have everything inside your house to not risk contamination.

Now, when it comes to a hurricane, it may be better to leave your house. You can’t use the same plan for the same situations. It’s just not smart. So, how do you do? Pretty much every catastrophe would require you to make the decision between leaving the house or staying in. From that point, you have to decide if you have enough resources and if you have to carry them with you.

To make sure everything ends well, think about both situations and consider upfront, which strategy is better for every SHTF situation you can think about. Even zombie apocalypse.

So, come up with an exit strategy and the strategy of having to live in your house for even a full year without going outside. This is how you survive and make sure that everyone will be okay. For a great overall survival plan for you and your family, click here.

Final Thoughts

This is how you prep for SHTF situations. If you take your time to think about every step in this article, you’ll increase your chances of surviving. Don’t be the person who doesn’t take the right measurements to make it.

Learn about

• storage of food and water
• get your equipment and team right
• make sure everything works well (including people)
• and have strategies for every situation you can think about

Now, go ahead and make your list. Then execute. This is the best way to start prepping. Surviving is not a matter of luck but a matter of prepping. You decide which person you’re going to be when it happens.

Have you ever thought about the repercussions of an economic collapse? With the very increasing global debt, a total economic collapse doesn’t sound like a fantasy but just an inevitable near future. This is why this the most important not talked about subject when it comes to possible SHTF scenarios. People are just not really preparing for the possibility. You need a bug out strategy for this and maybe even more than that.

First, you have to secure resources and a vehicle to move from one place to another. Then, you need to assess the security of the road and the destination. Most preppers have a safe house to go in a bug out scenario. Still, depending on the situation, an economic collapse, for example, you may need to have to go to a completely different destination.

My research concluded that there are a few things that you need to consider when choosing the best place to live in case of economic collapse. This works both if you’re going to a different country or if you’re just going to a different city/state. Since most preppers would rather stay in the country and see what happens, even if the ship sinks, you’ll need to look for:

• social stability
• fewer enemies
• economic freedom and opportunity
• freedom of self-expression
• self-sufficiency
• cost of living
• residency
• language
• prepper friendly

With this list, you can begin to sort out the best candidates for your final destination. Obviously, if you decide to stay in the country, the visa and residency do not need to be a concern. Now, if you do, you should also consider the language since some countries have virtually no ESL (English as a second language) speakers. There is an extensive guide you can use that will help you make the right choice and place to relocate. This book can be found on Amazon.

Social Stability

This is at the top because in the case of an economic collapse, or any SHTF situation really, you want to go to a place with minimum social stability. This is usually the number one reason someone would leave their house in the first place. It is important to find a place that has basic laws and security.

You can start by assessing the number of riots or chaotic situation that the place has both historically and currently. Also, the murder ratio is another important data that you should look at. Look for states that have laws that would facilitate your lifestyle.

Here the best criteria would be places that allow you to have a firearm, not too much populated, far from the borders, natural resources available. This is a good list of boxes to check when looking for the perfect place to live in case of economic collapse.

Choose carefully. When it comes to social stability since depending on what happens, everything may change. The truth is that in the case of an economic collapse, if it’s global is likely to have an impact on everyone, and if it’s mainly the U.S, everyone is still likely to feel. So, it may be a good idea to stay in the country no matter how bad things get.

Anyway, a good rule of thumb is to go to places that have a small population since big cities tend to have riots and chaos in situations like that. Also, look for places where you can have access to natural resources so you don’t need to depend on the government and companies to provide that for you.

Fewer Enemies

This is especially true if you’re going abroad. Choose a place that is friendlier towards Americans. This may be more difficult than you think. First, eliminate any country that has a bad relationship with the American government. Those places will not only be unpleasant to live in, but they may also be dangerous.

Then, you have third-world countries. Some of them have a high-numbers of kidnaps of foreigners. During an economic collapse, that will get even worse since everyone will be looking for ways to make money. Still, that it’s not the case with every single one of them so it might be worth considering.

Now, you’re still looking for social stability, which a lot of these countries don’t have. So, it may be a good option to look for shelter in allies from developed countries. This may be the best option if you must go abroad, but it still presents some hardships.

You have to find a place that you’re able to speak the language, get a visa, and probably own a gun. This task is proven rather difficult once you start doing your research. The truth is that you probably will have to compromise. If you don’t want to, under any circumstances, then it might be the case of staying in the U.S and head for the country.

Fewer enemies should also be considered even if you’re going to stay in the country. In the case of an economic collapse even your neighbor may be a threat. So, the most remote places are better. There’s less fight for resources.

Economic Freedom and Opportunity

This applies both for people that will leave the country and for those that will stay. During any sort of economic collapse, most jobs will disappear. People won’t spend money either because they don’t have it or because they’re afraid of being left with nothing.

So, it’s best to have a plan of what you’re going to do in this department. A good idea might be to learn a skill that is crucial, especially in situations like this. It may be easier to figure out if you think about it in terms of supply and demand. Think about the things that people will need during those times and how you can solve that problem. Great fortunes were made in moments of crisis.

You should make a list of possible destinations for you in this scenario. Once you have around 3-5 possible locations, you can start ruling out the ones that do not meet the criteria. This way, you can make sure that you have a surefire way to start all over and succeed.

To recap, economic freedom is important but to be practical, it is best to think about opportunities for you to make a living. Make a list of your skills and see what places are a good match.

As long as you abide by this rule, you won’t have problems to settle. For example, if you’re going to a different country, you should know how you’re going to make money and pretty much live there. Way too often people just think about what country they want to go to if they have to but don’t think about whether or not is a viable option when it comes to working opportunities.

Freedom of Self—Expression

I’m pretty sure that you’re a big fan of freedom of speech. Unfortunately, it’s not the case everywhere in the world. Especially for destinations abroad, freedom of speech is something important to do your research on. For example, in some countries, you can get arrest for complaining about the government. That’s something that we take for granted until we notice that not everyone has that.

Places with a strong democracy are usually the safest when it comes to freedom of speech. Maybe that’s another reason to stay in America. Now, even in American, freedom of speech may be an issue at times. The point is that if you’re starting over it matters. Especially in the long run.

Freedom ensures a strong democracy and that ensures that you will be safer than in other places. Places with not much freedom of speech also tend to have a tight government, which usually means more taxes, no gun permits, and all sorts of stuff that is bad for a prepper lifestyle.

A good criterion is to go to places that you can get freedom of speech, the whole country will do, and places that also are more isolated so no one will meddle in your business. Also, remember that in case of an economic collapse your money might lose value or you may even lose whatever it is that you have in the bank. This is a very extreme situation. Still, that’s why you prep.

Self-sufficiency

In SHTF situation, the whole point of prepping is to rely on yourself as much as possible. So, if you’re going abroad you should choose countries that have isolated economies and are also friendly to Americans. This combination is hard to find.

The reason to do this is that countries with more isolated economies will not feel the impact of a U.S economic collapse as much EU countries for instance. Still, you don’t want to go to a country and have to worry about being kidnapped or anything.  So, it’s better to check on how much they like or dislike America.

Now, if you’re staying in the country, congratulations. Anyway, you should choose places where you can be self-sufficient. For example, can you have access to natural sources of water? Can you hunt or fish? Do you have a way to make financial transactions even if the banks aren’t working anymore? Those are basic questions that you must consider.

Heading to the mid-west might be the best option, but again many people may think the same, so you must be careful. Still, I’d bet a lot of people would still try to stay on both coasts, so I believe you will be good to go.

Since you want to be self-sufficient, you should also consider gun permit laws and isolation. A good spot is usually one that you don’t need to see anyone if you don’t want to but you can see someone in 5-10 minutes by car if you have to.

Cost of Living

Obviously, the cost of living not only varies from place to place but it may change completely once the economic collapse takes place. If a place that has almost no one living there suddenly gets people from all sorts of places, the cost of living there might skyrocket. It’s just supply and demand.

Besides going to more isolated places, you should consider how likely people are to go there, once the collapse happens. For example, when something like this takes place, people will try to find common ground. They’ll go to cities of medium size or anything that is able to be more isolated than the big cities, but that it’s still a city. This is not only a coping mechanism but also the fact that most people learned to rely too much on the city life. This makes them vulnerable to situations like this one because they have no idea how to survive.

It’s like throwing a tiger raised in captivity in the jungle. It won’t survive long on its own. So, the cost of living should be a factor but you should also evaluate the chances of everyone heading toward the same place. If local business notice that there are suddenly a lot of people arriving, they’ll increase the prices of goods and rent. This all assuming we still have a currency unit.

If you avoid the obvious locations and the touristic ones as well, you avoid 90% of the places people are going to go. Remember, they’ll always try to find common ground and go somewhere familiar. Do it differently.

Residency

This, again, applies to both foreign countries and other places in the country. Before deciding where to go, you must be aware of visas and places to live if you are going abroad. A lot of places that would fit most of the criteria are actually expensive and difficult to get a visa. Especially on short notice.

When it comes to other states, you have to first decide if you’re buying or renting. Either way, you have to look for the availability of houses in the place. If you do have the money, it’s usually not a problem to find a place. During a crisis, you’re also more likely to get a better deal. People will be desperate to get money and leave.

Good properties give you options. This means that you can be both isolated and near other people. You can have space to plant but, perhaps, not so much land that you can’t protect and control everything. Now, make a list so you can rule out the first options that come to mind.

Once you do find a town and a house, the best thing is to set up everything you’re going to need. Equipment, food, water. Have everything always ready for you. This way, in whatever scenario that is presented to you, you have a plan to execute and be safe.

Honestly, the secret is to always be prepared, so you never panic or find yourself in a situation that you don’t have options to choose from. If you take the right measures and prep, you can actually relax even during those times.

Language

This is the most overlooked item when other preppers are talking about foreign places to go. Maybe because some people assume that everyone in the world knows some English or just pure ignorance. The point is that some countries speak better English than others, and if you don’t speak the local language, you should check that out first.

Imagine that you’re in a foreign place where people don’t understand English and you don’t understand them. How are you going to function in a place like that? That’s why you can’t be reckless and pick a country out of the blue.

If you must insist in going abroad, you should give preference for English-speaking countries and the ones that you either speak the local language or that have a high percentage of ESL (English as a second language) speakers.

Prepper friendly

Ultimately and, perhaps, the most important, you have to go to places that are prepper friendly. This means that they don’t have strict gun regulations in place and that you can also store water and stockpile food. If abroad, the government also has to be the least controlling possible.

Another thing that people tend to neglect is the fact that every country has their own laws. Obviously, the more Western a country is the more similar their laws are to the U.S. Still, there is always some difference that you should be aware of.

If you’re staying in the country, you should also check important laws in regards to guns, storage of resources and things of that nature since some of those may change from state to state.

Final Thoughts

So, this is the best way for you to pick a place to go when the economic collapse happens. Use these criteria as filters to help you find the best place for you. I believe that the conclusion is that the best thing is to go to more isolated areas of the country and not just abandon the sinking ship as many people think.

More often than not, going abroad would just be the worst decision you would make. It’s better to stay in the territory you know than take an adventure in the worse moment possible. With this information, now you can make the best decision for yourself. For a great guide for relocating, click here.