These ‘Year in review’ posts are sort of the low-hanging fruit of the blogging world. But, I’m not proud..so you here you go.
Last year I figured that 2021 would be mostly consequences of 2020, and it appears I was right. Everyone walked out of 2020 saying that 2021 would be better (although they never explained exactly why) and, IMHO, they were dead wrong. Pandemic variations, mandatory vaccine orders, inflation, etc, etc….if there’s anything better in 2021 than 2020 I can’t imagine what it was.
From a survivalist standpoint, which is why youre here, it was another year of confirmation bias. Maybe I do cherry pick the events of the previous year in order to support my position, but even if thats the case it only results in me erring on the side of caution…and whats wrong with that?
I had a few goals and I pretty much nailed ’em all. Pay off the house? Yup. Double the Roth? Yup. More gold and silver? Yup. Vehicle upgrade? Yup. Career advancement? Yup. More guns and ammo? Oh yeah.
What’s still to be done? Well, there’s a nice chunk of Montana somewhere just waiting for me to plunk down a bunch of cash but thats gotta wait until the end of 2022. Things that didn’t go according to plan? Well things were going awesome until the markets got wonky in December but I’m still ahead for the year, so even though it was one step back that one step back came after several steps forward…so, net gain.
Goals for 2022? The absolute biggest is: keep what I have. That which I’ve worked for and acquired in 2022 needs to stay right where it is, thank you very much. Every year I say I don’t plan on buying more guns and thats true..I don’t plan on it, but it happens. An estate pops up and the next thing I know I’ve got mounds of .223 and stacks of Glocks. :::SMH::: It happens. But more than anything else I want to get enough money into my Bunker Fund so that at the end of the year I can close on a nice chunk of nowhere and start mixing concrete.
Careerwise, I wouldn’t mind a bit of a raise and I expect that’ll happen. My other revenue sources, for now, seem like they aren’t going anywhere so while I won’t be able to reach my goals just on the strength of savings I think I should be able to hit them with a combination of savings and trading.
Forecast for 2023? Inflation continues and blame for it goes everywhere except where it should. Wuhan Flu continues to be an issue until finally we develop natural immunities and it becomes a seasonal nuisance like the regular flu. China continues to a) duck the blame for the Wuhan Flu, b) continues its incremental imperialism, and c) keeps feinting at Taiwan. The Russians continue their low-key war against the rest of the world in the form of cyberattacks and state-sponsorship. On the domestic front, I think we’ll see the whole BLM/Antifa/Woke nonsense hit a nadir as people start getting tired of paying high taxes just to have ‘marginalized groups’ threaten to kill them and burn down their neighborhoods. Gun and ammo availability? Guns up, ammo down. “Supply chain issues” becomes the catch-all phrase and excuse for people and businesses not living up to expectations. Cubs do not win the Series.
You know, after thirty-some years of being a survivalist, I never thought I would be somewhat vindicated in this particular manner. I mean, on a long enough timeline, sure, something is going to happen. But I would not have thought that global pandemic and craptacular economy were going to be the leading causes. But…still weathering it pretty well nonetheless, so I’ve got that going for me…which is nice.
Ammo is plentiful again, but only because they are still pricing in a manner in which people are not buying or would have to take out a home equity loan to buy a case of 5.56! This overpricing may very will cause a glut on the market and we will hopefully see some pre 2020 prices by Black Friday of 2022. I know hope is not a plan!!!
Dontcha think we should get through 2020(too) before prognosticating 2023?
I think the covid scare is going away. It has served it’s purpose.
I think gunz as well as ammo and other self defense essentials are going to become unobtanium.
The market is gonna self-correct and it’s gonna be a doozy.
Just a couple of predicktions.
cubs are +10,000 to win the series. Maybe I should throw a hundo at it?
https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/11/3/22761162/world-series-odds-2022-favorites-sleepers-dodgers-yankees-astros-mlb-free-agency
Before the outbreak of wuflu I often pointed people to the CDC’s website for Business Continuity, and Pandemic Preparedness. They were good solid references for general “big disaster” prepping.
BC in particular turned out to be prophetic. It asked people questions like “what would you do if 80% of your workforce couldn’t come to work?” And “if there is a pandemic or epidemic, even if your workers aren’t sick, what do you do when they stay home to take care of kids who are out of school?” It talked about remote work plans, what’s become known as ‘social distancing’, PPE plans, etc. It really helped me get my plans shaped up after ebola, and before chinkyflu. The guys in the trenches over at CDC often do really good work. The political hacks in charge, not so much. I don’t know how much the site has changed since we’ve lived thru it, but I still recommend taking a look at it if you are just kind of drifting along with your preps (not the Cmdr, obviously.)
They even spelled out their more extreme plans, which I commented on back in 2018… https://www.ttgnet.com/journal/2018/02/16/fri-feb-16-2018-pandemic-flu-preparedness/ and a whole bunch of that list was actually done during the initial attack on the wuflu, and subsequent follow up.
It’s my firm belief that EVERYONE can be in pretty good shape for SHTF, just by paying a bit of attention, and ACTING on the info presented by so many people out there, like Commander Zero.
Whatever is coming there is still time to improve your position. Get busy and next year, you’ll be able to look back in satisfaction too.
nick
I for one am thankful I just made it through with my skin intact.Nothing else but at least I still got my hide. As for next year, I’m hoping for a repeat, cause the forecast is continuing to look like used toast. Paddle along with efforts one my projects, and surviving while staying grey. Happy & Productive New Year to all. May you all find inner peace in our troubled times. You all know who you have to answer to!
Relative to any possible return to either pre-COVID prices or quantity of ammo, just consider what would happen if everyone who bought a new firearm in this year bought 100 rounds of ammo in 2022. Then add in any number from the last several years and the potential results will be obvious.
As a hand loader, I often have to wait a month or more for a used brass supplier to have even minimum quantities to sell of common calibers, not even hoping for less common brass to be found. Bullets of the correct size and weight, useable (rather than optimum) powder and primers are even more scarce and may cost twice as much as two years ago.
From a survivalist standpoint, if I am successful in obtaining the raw materials to assemble needed ammo, I’m sure not going let anyone other than a very trusted person know it. We all should know what OPSEC means, but what are you exposing if you go to a public range and show off several firearms and plentiful ammo to shoot in them? Might want to check the rearview mirror on the way home.
Best of luck to all in this coming year for meeting as many of your goals as possible. Gray Fox
Grey Fox- I too am a hand loader and have to say I welcome trips to the range in my area ( SE WI ) as I pick up mounds of brass thang everyone leaves. So for instance the public outdoor range I frequent ( when I am not up at my own range at my retreat property ) costs 21.00 for an all day pass. Last trip 2 weeks ago netted me 168 .308 cases, 114 .223 cases and numerous other pistol calibers and oddball rifle brass. This windfall more than offset my range cost as you know the cost of even once fired brass on the internet. This is my most common method of getting brass. As far as guys following my out when I leave I have never had that happen, but just in case as always I have a couple loaded ready weapons at hand to deter such possibilities.
Commander Zero you might want to look around to older folks struggling to pay their land taxes this quarter.
An offer to pay their taxes (so they don’t lose the property) for the “Rights” to install a Hunting Camp (all on paper but you already knew that) might give you a quick “OUT” if thing get stupidly spicy suddenly.
Personally, I’d rather have a large insulated well-made storage-shed-camp with some maybe cached under the structure supplies than having my suburban home well stuffed with ALL my nice stuff. A rainwater collection system and/or sand point well setup and some solar (gotta let go of some of that swag dude) might be worth more than a Frozen Bank Account due to a Banking Holiday.
In the scenario you describe, it would make more sense, to me, to simply let wait until their land comes up at the assessor’s auction and acquire the rights that way.
Commander Zero there are PLENTY of folks awaiting JUST that.
That maybe why you’ve not found a good deal?
It’s called a fairly inexpensive bolt hole for spicy times and FOOT in the Door if they think of you as not a predator awaiting their financial ruin.
Over my decades I’ve had many Hunting Camps (and a lot of fine hunting) and three of those deals gave me 1st Refusal to buy the property at a decent price. I thus far came out ahead in money Just saying.
one bonus to this strategy is not looking like a dick to the neighbors. Always better to be on good terms with the neighbors.
n
My hunt camp was under 20 grand 7 years ago for six acres and a 12’x24′ cabin. You just have to be patient and be ready with cash when they come available.