Collect books in general. Pre-2008. Information books, histories, great works of Western literature, philosophy, books written and published during contemporary periods before they were edited and re-written for the 2nd edition.
Other Pieces of Advice:
Learn how to repair analog mechanical devices that can be repaired with a screw, some mending, or a hammer. If you have a secure, settled home you can start collecting like a scrapman, that could be your living one day, bartering egg beaters and fixed blenders and hand cranks.
Basic gardening, of course, but consider herb and spice gardens. These will be valuable commodities and take up less space and resources to garden.
Gather tools for yourself. And learn basic carpentry. Make sure you know how to repair and build and do all the things you'll have to do yourself.
Learn as much as you can about anything you can do by your own hands with simple tools and materials. You'd be surprised how much you can learn by being observational and do a little research. Get these basic ideas in your mind so you can use them without having to rely on a phone to figure it out. Even observe the world around you: notice patterns that maybe you have never noticed before. How public spaces are laid out, where exits usually are, back doors that most buildings have. Note places around you that wouldn't be obvious spots for looting for food potentially, dry goods stores that aren't known for foodstuffs. Be more mindful of the world around you than ever and take note.
Also: leave cities now. Now, not next year. Once things kick off major metro areas are going to be gridlock and it'll be literal hell in the cities. Even the entirety of, say, Northeastern New Jersey that surrounds Manhattan will be an urban deathscape with literally millions of people all trying to survive in inhospitable conditions.
The most important is to build somewhere deep inside an incredibly hard shell. One that can withstand the idea of smashing someone in the head to kill because they'll kill you first if not. Losing loved ones in violent horrifying manners in front of your eyes. Fighting, constant fighting, for years. Fighting because if this is where it goes the only way out is through, and we have to win. And when we do we will have that glorious future we were supposed to have before the evil tried to take it away.
The beginning will wipe a lot of people out because most aren't going to make the first month without this modern world. The rest are going to give up or be round up like cattle for god knows what by stronger roving gangs. If the people around you are strong enough, you can band together and form a militia and hold at least your town or small city.
Additional information to stockpile would be archery materials, books about design of the bow/crossbow and arrows, electronics and capacitors concerning producing a Gauss gun or rail gun, plan for gunpowder to be impossible to come by and even when you make your own, even repacking your own brass you still need a primer for those shells. Being able to hunt or defend yourself with a very quiet crossbow or any longer range with an electric Gauss gun that you can recharge with your energy source of choice can be a better plan than relying on conventional rifles.
Agree completely with having a stockpile of scrap and tools, being able to reuse something either in its original purpose or a new one is invaluable. “Redneck ingenuity” can be a slur and a godsend at the same time.
Collect books in general. Pre-2008. Information books, histories, great works of Western literature, philosophy, books written and published during contemporary periods before they were edited and re-written for the 2nd edition.
Other Pieces of Advice:
Learn how to repair analog mechanical devices that can be repaired with a screw, some mending, or a hammer. If you have a secure, settled home you can start collecting like a scrapman, that could be your living one day, bartering egg beaters and fixed blenders and hand cranks.
Basic gardening, of course, but consider herb and spice gardens. These will be valuable commodities and take up less space and resources to garden.
Gather tools for yourself. And learn basic carpentry. Make sure you know how to repair and build and do all the things you'll have to do yourself.
Learn as much as you can about anything you can do by your own hands with simple tools and materials. You'd be surprised how much you can learn by being observational and do a little research. Get these basic ideas in your mind so you can use them without having to rely on a phone to figure it out. Even observe the world around you: notice patterns that maybe you have never noticed before. How public spaces are laid out, where exits usually are, back doors that most buildings have. Note places around you that wouldn't be obvious spots for looting for food potentially, dry goods stores that aren't known for foodstuffs. Be more mindful of the world around you than ever and take note.
Also: leave cities now. Now, not next year. Once things kick off major metro areas are going to be gridlock and it'll be literal hell in the cities. Even the entirety of, say, Northeastern New Jersey that surrounds Manhattan will be an urban deathscape with literally millions of people all trying to survive in inhospitable conditions.
The most important is to build somewhere deep inside an incredibly hard shell. One that can withstand the idea of smashing someone in the head to kill because they'll kill you first if not. Losing loved ones in violent horrifying manners in front of your eyes. Fighting, constant fighting, for years. Fighting because if this is where it goes the only way out is through, and we have to win. And when we do we will have that glorious future we were supposed to have before the evil tried to take it away.
The beginning will wipe a lot of people out because most aren't going to make the first month without this modern world. The rest are going to give up or be round up like cattle for god knows what by stronger roving gangs. If the people around you are strong enough, you can band together and form a militia and hold at least your town or small city.
Additional information to stockpile would be archery materials, books about design of the bow/crossbow and arrows, electronics and capacitors concerning producing a Gauss gun or rail gun, plan for gunpowder to be impossible to come by and even when you make your own, even repacking your own brass you still need a primer for those shells. Being able to hunt or defend yourself with a very quiet crossbow or any longer range with an electric Gauss gun that you can recharge with your energy source of choice can be a better plan than relying on conventional rifles. Agree completely with having a stockpile of scrap and tools, being able to reuse something either in its original purpose or a new one is invaluable. “Redneck ingenuity” can be a slur and a godsend at the same time.