Your Essential Survival Planning for 2024
If you’re a survival prepper like us, you’re always planning for unforeseen events. Everything we do is based on being ready for anything. In addition, we are mindful of what’s going on in the world so that we can adequately predict what may happen and plan for it. We strongly recommend you do the same.
Not only do you need to make a strategic plan for what you’ll gather and prepare ahead of time, but you also want to know what to watch out for. Being tuned into the news can help you prioritize your plans better.
Each year, there are new issues that become front of mind for you and us as survival preppers. One year it might be civil unrest, another year – the global economy, or it could be the supply chain, a pandemic or something else entirely.
You want to have an overall yearly plan for your survival preparations. But you also want to break your planning process down by month and by task as well as by the supplies you’ll be securing this coming year.
It’s important that you begin by looking at where you are now. What supplies do you already have and when do they expire (if ever)? Know the amount you have and how much is needed for your family.
Are there any skills that you need to learn in the coming year that you haven’t yet mastered? What about major survival gear purchases like a whole home generator or solar panels?
Proper preparations require you to know what you have, what’s needed, what could happen and what money, time and skills you need to make your plans come to fruition for the coming year in 2024.
Let’s take a look at what’s going on and see if there’s anything that us survival-preppers should be worrying about.
War and Peace
For the first time since 2001 the US doesn’t have large troop deployments in a war zone – but that doesn’t mean peace has broken out.
The war in Ukraine has been going on for a long time now, and while US troops aren’t fighting there, we’re one of the defenders’ main backers. We’re not at war, but we’re involved in a war – with a country that has thousands of nuclear weapons.
Would we be safer staying out of it? Probably not; Europe tried appeasing a land-hungry dictator in the 1930s and we got WWII.
Russia has to be stopped in Ukraine, because if they’re not they’ll get the message that the West in general, and the US in particular, aren’t willing to stand up to aggression anymore.
Russia isn’t the only one that will get that message, either. China is watching what we do, and if we show that we won’t defend our fellow democracies Beijing is likely to invade Taiwan. That could get ugly, and not only because Taiwan has been a US ally for decades.
If China seizes its neighbor, every other democracy in the Pacific is going to be seriously alarmed – including Japan, which might have some historical objections to nuclear weapons, but is capable of making its own any time it wants.
In addition, the latest bloody conflict between our close ally Israel and the Hamas terrorists that run Gaza the Middle East is a worrying development. It has the potential to explode into all-out war to get drawn out into a long battle. With US support for Israel we are now again threatened by terrorist attacks of all kinds, both here in the US but also abroad anywhere where Americans live, work or travel.
No, we’re not at war right now, but the world’s two most powerful hostile states are acting aggressively, and we’re an obvious target.
Vital Infrastructure Is At Risk
The US has a lot of infrastructure, but thanks to lack of investment most of it isn’t in great shape. The dangerous and most threatened part of that is the electrical grid – all of it.
The country can generate enough power in mild weather, but when summer heats up and everyone turns on the aircon demand can beat supply. Even worse, the aging and poorly maintained cables that transmit electricity from plants to homes pose significant vulnerabilities.
Preppers often focus on the danger of an EMP attack. The reality is that a Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun, or even just an unusually hot day, could cause widespread failures and leave large areas of the US without power.
If enough of the grid is damaged, it could trigger a social collapse. This is because there’s a limited supply of replacement parts, and it could take a long time to get things repaired.
If you want to be part of the small few who will not be heavily affected by a grid-down event, I strongly recommend you read this article in our Survival Prepping 101 series. It will help you become independent and self-sufficient on your own property before the unforeseen happens.
The Biden administration is spending money on infrastructure, but it’s going on green projects, not fixing the basics. Some of its plans are even making things worse; there’s huge pressure to switch to electric cars, but the grid doesn’t have the capacity to charge them all.
The Economy Is Very Fragile
The White House keeps telling us it’s bringing inflation under control. Most prices are still rising, but the increase is slowing down. Does that mean the economy is in good shape? Well, don’t speak too soon. There are some serious economic threats facing the US right now.
Two years ago, as the country opened up again after the pandemic, economic growth hit 5.9%. Now it’s just 1.1%, and the main reason for that is the rapid rise in interest rates since March 2022.
The Federal Reserve is pushing rates up to control inflation – but with so many Americans already struggling, increasing the cost of borrowing cuts what people can spend and risks knocking us into a recession.
The biggest financial risk of all is the national debt. Biden’s legislative program is built on huge spending bills, and he’s borrowing the money to pay for them.
Congress is now balking at letting him borrow anymore. Right now, the House is fighting a vicious battle over whether to authorize spending to continue at last year’s level, or force the administration to cut spending to pre-pandemic levels.
Conservatives are worried that if the White House doesn’t rein in its addiction to debt, we’ll soon reach the point where all our taxes go to paying off the interest. If that happens, the government won’t be able to pay its employees – and social collapse will be just days away.
The Imminent Threat of Social Disorder
Not that our society needs much to push it over the edge these days. Civil unrest is becoming more common. There are various theories, including the way social media can spread rumors or misinformation quickly, and let troublemakers quickly organize protests – which often degenerate into riots and looting.
It’s now almost routine for unrest to break out whenever someone’s shot in a confrontation with police, and it can take days for order to be restored. State and local government can’t always be relied on to prioritize law and order, either.
For example, a crime-infested six-block “autonomous zone” was allowed to exist in Seattle for three weeks of June 2020. If you’re stuck in an area like that, you’re on your own.
Natural Disasters Are Inevitable – You Better Prepare For It
Our government and fellow citizens aren’t the only threats, either. Natural disasters are still a hazard, too. From wildfires to storms, earthquakes to flooding, nature can throw a lot at us – and it can happen at any time.
The aftermath of 2005’s Hurricane Katrina showed us just how bad things can get following a disaster, and how long it can take for order to be restored.
Where Are We Now?
So, is the world in good shape and all our prepping was unnecessary? Or is this the calm before the storm?
Personally, I don’t even think it’s all that calm; the Ukraine war is the most dangerous conflict the world has seen since the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, and it could encourage China to do something even more destabilizing. The risk of a larger war is very real.
We’re also facing the danger of collapsing infrastructure, either because of misguided government policies, a natural disaster or things simply wearing out.
We can’t take reliable power for granted anymore, and without it society is going to collapse very quickly. We’re seeing more and more local disorder, and it wouldn’t take much for it to spread across much of the country.
Our economy has calmed down for the moment, but the foundations it stands on are built of massive debt, and they’re shaky. Opposing factions in Congress aren’t willing to compromise anymore, and that could plunge us into a financial crisis at any moment.
The world is a dangerous and unstable place right now, and a crisis could hit with very little warning. Being prepared to survive is more important than ever.
Therefore, let’s look at the specific dangers to you and your family and what you can do to prepare for them.
Be Aware of the Economic Outlook
“The government’s not going to save them,” was a warning recently issued by financial expert Suze Orman who was speaking of the fact that Americans are suffering from a financial pandemic, many hoping the government will do something to help.
This is one misconception many (especially younger generations) who hear the political hype and assume they’ll be bailed out of harrowing events that affect their finances. What’s most people are discovering is that they’ve been over-spending and under-saving, putting them at risk for a very real personal struggle.
Debt is at an all-time high (both for the nation and its individual citizens), but eventually living on borrowed money will make everything come crashing down. You want to check yourself if you’re living on a paycheck-to-paycheck basis and try to get ahead with money saved for a emergency event if needed.
There will be continued inflation squeezing you and your family out of every last cent they earn. You have to pay attention to what’s going on financially – not just in your own life, but in your city, state, country and even globally.
You need to know if property taxes or income tax is rising in your area. You have to stay aware of changing rules the Internal Revenue Service might impose. And globally, you want to know if there’s anything to worry about, too.
For example, many survival-preppers – including us – are paying very close attention to the BRICS block, which is an alliance of countries now willing to ditch the American dollar. You may want to fortify your financial outlook with backup means of stability in case of a crash.
When analyzing your own financial well-being, don’t just take a quick glance at your bank account to see if you have money in your checking and savings. Evaluate your job security, too. What would happen if tomorrow, your boss brought you into his office and told you they no longer had a position for you?
You want to diversify your finances so that you have a backup plan in several different ways. That might be investing in gold or silver, having a savings account at different banks in case certain ones fold, having sufficient cash on hand if banks run out or ATM machines don’t work for a week – or even a month, and having a variety of investments.
This will help to mitigate any risk that you are absorbing and keep you financially stable through the most uncertain times. Make sure that going into 2024, you have an emergency fund that can take care of you and your family when needed.
Look to the coming 12 months and set a plan in action to finally get all of your debt paid off, or at least make a significant dent in it. This may mean you have to stop spending on unnecessary subscriptions like Disney, Netflix or AMC or stop frivolous purchases. You also may plan to get a side hustle to supplement your income and attack it that way.
Put yourself on a budget for 2024, and stick to it so that you know how much money is going out and how much money is coming in. You also want to have some goals for your savings and retirement plans – and that includes some short-term goals for things that you know you’ll need, such as planning a birthday for your child or some presents for Christmas.
You Must Watch Out for Political Unrest in an Election Year
Whenever there is a major political election year, typically presidential but sometimes congressional, there will be civil unrest situations that can be a troublesome and potentially dangerous event for many survival preppers.
Many of the hotly debated topics that are simmering beneath the surface bubble up and ignite a storm between opposite supporters. This can sometimes boil over into the lives of ordinary citizens like us who don’t want to be part of the conflict.
You may get caught up in the middle of a protest or find yourself trapped in a car on a street where a violent mob goes on a rampage looting shops. You want to pay attention to any kind of demonstrations and protests that are taking place, even if they are public rallies that have permission to take place.
Because of the heightened tensions between different political groups, these can often snowball into something dangerous. Before you go places, you want to know if there’s any type of political movement that is planning to be in your path so that you can take a different route.
Other problems can show up in political years. In 2020 we saw many lockdowns happening during the pandemic, and there was suspicion about why they were happening, and if they were intended to affect elections in some way.
Whenever there is an election year, regardless of which side wins or loses, there’s bound to be a backlash that can often result in protests and instability in your local area. You want to be prepared for this not only in terms of where you travel, but also how you might deal with it at home, because we saw many past instances where these violent crowds went into neighborhoods.
Another thing you want to watch out for with politics is not just the social unrest, but the policy changes that might take place if government changes. You want to know how your own life is going to be affected, depending of which party wins an election.
This could have an impact on your taxes, laws concerning firearms or pandemic guidelines, and more. You want to be informed about both sides of the coin so that you know how to adjust your survival plans when the election is over.
Keep an Eye Out for News of a Health Crisis
In the past three years, health concerns have been more of an issue for those around the globe when it comes to survival preparations. In the past, we’ve had mentions in the news about various bird flus, the West Nile virus, the Zika virus, Ebola, and Mad Cow Disease to name a few.
More recently, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that turned everyone’s world upside down. Many families lost loved ones – in some states more so than others. The pandemic caused brands to go out of business, people to lose their jobs, horrible isolation and a lot of devastation.
A lot of this was caused by various regulations that were put in place, the supply chain issues that were a result, and a lot of fear being propagated by the media and various government outlets.
Sometimes, the unknown is more dangerous than the known in terms of health issues. There was a lot of controversy surrounding this particular pandemic, and it doesn’t matter which side of the fence you are on, you still want to always be prepared for various health issues that may arise and affect your life in the future. There are a number of well-respected scientists that warn that the next pandemic is inevitable because humans encroach more onto wildlife areas and consume more and more exotic animals – therefore increasing the likelihood of contamination and another outbreak of a new variant that could prove to be far more deadly.
With luck there are early warning signs that may alert us of new outbreaks in other parts of the world that are expected to spread to America. You want to stay informed about these and about any preventative measures that are at your disposal, including medication and gear that may help so that you can get stocked up ahead of time.
For example, during the early days of the pandemic, it was hard to find any N-95 masks, but if you had been paying attention to the global news, you would have seen this coming, and you could have stocked up beforehand.
Another thing you have to be prepared for is how much of a strain a health crisis is going to have on your local community. As we saw during the pandemic, hospitals were overwhelmed in some areas, and empty in others.
It also may affect things like where you can travel or how many people can even be in your home, depending on what state and laws you live under. The key in planning for a health issue is to be prepared well ahead of time, and to stay informed so that you can protect yourself and your family without having to go into panic mode.
You Must Pay Attention to the Weather Warnings
Weather events are a common survival situation that can noy only cause severe damage but put you and your family’s lives at risk. The good news is, you often get advanced warning about any dangerous weather event that is approaching your geographic location.
But that means you have to pay attention to this early on so that you can either leave the location temporarily, or fortify your home and belongings to withstand the event. Weather forecasts are not always accurate, but you do get enough information to make an informed decision.
For example, you want to know if you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes in the coming year. If so, make preparations for your evacuation plans and for securing your belongings as well as having some sort of emergency kit or bug out bag ready to go when this occurs.
Severe weather events can cause flooding, but there may not even be a hurricane that is the result of a flood situation. You may live in an area where a dam or levy breaks, and you have to be prepared for any type of flood issues by paying attention to news about this type of emergency.
Many people live in tornado locations, and for those we often don’t get as much advanced warning, but you do have the ability to stay tuned into immediate developments and know when and if there is a sever storm heading your way, so that you can take cover and protect you and your family.
If you live in an area that has a lot of tornadoes each and every year, you might want to plan for a tornado safe shelter that you can build on your property or have installed in a room in the coming year.
Sometimes, there are events that happen due to recent weather, even if they’re not weather related directly. For example, wildfires can occur based on the fact that there has been no rainfall and that everything is dry in your area.
There are also situations in the coming year that you have to watch out for where there will be extreme cold or extreme heat, without necessarily being categorized as a blizzard, etc.
When you are dealing with an area that has extreme temperatures, you never know if the grid is going to hold up to the demand, and leave you exposed to a situation that feels crippling.
Pay attention to warnings about extreme temperatures and prepare early on. For example, we are in the year coming up of El Niño, which means it could be wetter than normal, bringing more snowfall.
You don’t want to have to be one of the people who rushes out hours before a storm to stock up on things you might need. Instead, you want to make plans for the upcoming 2024 seasons according to what kind of weather your area typically has.
Don’t forget to also pay attention to whether that goes beyond Earth’s atmosphere. There is what is known as space weather that can affect you if there is a solar flare that knocks out communications and the grid, and you want to be aware of these threats, too. Read more about this threat HERE
You Must Learn About Geographical Events
Geographical events like earthquakes and volcano eruptions can also be something you need to track in the upcoming year. You can stay tuned into seismic activity alerts that predict whether or not there may be a tremor or eruption in the near future.
It’s always good to have this information, whether it’s in an area where you live or one you plan to visit. It could impact your activities and whether you stay or go from a location.
There are typically patterns and smaller levels of activity leading up to a big one. This gives you time to put your evacuation plans in place. For preparations ahead of time, make sure you asses the risk in your area.
You also need to monitor seismic activity and ensure that your home is built to withstand any event. Your plans should not only include what you’ll do leading up and during an event, but afterwards if it’s unsafe for you to return home.
Track Various Cyber Threats
One survival topic that has grown over the recent years is cyber security. There are more threats now that not only result in scams of individuals for monetary reasons, but threats that affect an entire nation, industry or globe.
Awareness is key. You want to protect your family from scams. There are some being made where they call your phone and mimic the voice of a loved one, sounding like they’re in danger unless you pay them a ransom. With the recent advancements in technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) it is now possible to ‘clone’ your voice from a 10 second clip and make a recording that sounds exactly like you. This has already been used to scam family out of money because their thought a child was in dire straits and need to be helped financially.
There are other threats where some evil criminals will entice children and teenagers into something where they can blackmail them – for example send photos of them naked. This often leads to a tragic ending for the person who was compromised – some children have taken their own lives because of the fear of being humiliated.
These may not sound like “survival” threats but anything that can threaten your loved ones or your financial security is just as worthy as watching for a global economic disaster – and probably more likely.
If hackers have compromised your information on a platform that you use, you’ll be notified by the company as soon as they are aware. Make sure you’re taking precautions to alter passwords and warn your family about what to do (or to alert you) if they get a notice of something like this so you can verify its validity.
The year 2024 is poised to have more of the same survival events, but from year to year, things change slightly. Technology improves, which can be used to help or hurt us all, wherever we are in the world.
Weather patterns change, the political climate shifts and you don’t want to be caught off-guard because you weren’t paying attention. It’s tempting to tune out of the news in today’s world – especially if you feel the news media are selective in what they are telling you. Conspiracy theories aside for a moment – we know that most media outlets are aligned to political parties and big money- interests and often their programming is skewed a certain way.
But when it comes to reporting about severe weather events, civil unrest or serious cyber-threats it is still better to tune in rather than ignore all traditional news and only exist in a small bubble of your own reality and perception. Your survival and that of your loved ones depends on you being informed – even if that info comes from a station you normally wouldn’t tune into.
Nobody wants to live a life mired in a depressed state of doomscrolling. But at the same time, you don’t want to put your head in the sand and remain ignorant of things that could have a small or dire impact on your family and their ability to weather any type of storm.
Make a plan for preparations and supplies for the coming year, evaluate threats on a consistent basis and then adjust your measures accordingly. You’ll be one of the people who isn’t panicking and worried when the 2024 survival events happen.
