Stocks, bonds, short sales, bear markets, bull markets, 401k’s and mutual funds. So many ways to invest, all of which can be effected quickly in both a positive or negative manner and which are “virtual” investments. A recent example of how quickly the stock market can take a plunge is the hacked Associated Press Twitter account, which posted a false report last week that The White House had been bombed and the President had been injured. The dip in the stock market happened so quickly that there was no way for the average investor to avoid taking a loss. Much of the modern trading practices involve automated computer programs that dictate buying and selling based on real time events. Enter precious metals…
Precious metals are something where many are looking to invest as a way of diversification as well as a hedge against the volatile economy. There are many ways to include precious metals in your investment portfolio. Some of the ways to accomplish this include:
- Precious Metal Investment in a Retirement Plan or Account
- Mining Stocks
- Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s)
- Futures Contracts
- Physical Ownership
There is absolutely no substitute for holding physical precious metals. My personal preference in obtaining precious metals is to buy silver. It can be purchased in small quantities, is easy to convert to other forms of currency, and would likely be a valuable commodity to have on hand to barter with during difficult times,economic collapse, or societal collapse. For a great start or refresher on investing in silver, check out www.buysilvercoins.com.
There are several different ways to invest in physical silver:
- “Junk”* Silver Coins
- Minted Coins
- Foreign Coins
- Silver Bullion
- Jewelry
Locations where physical silver can be purchased include:
- Coin Shops
- Pawn Shops
- Coin Shows
- Online Stores
- Internet Auctions
An alternate means of obtaining physical silver would be to “stumble upon” it. What I mean by this would be to either cull “junk”* silver coins out of spare change that is laying about the house or obtain rolled coins from the bank which can also include “junk”* silver coins. The chances of finding silver coins in rolled change from the bank are best when hand rolled coins are available. The Federal Mints and many financial institutions now have sorting machines that will detect the difference in weight of coins that contain silver and automatically pull them out of circulation.
Historically, silver has been a solid investment. Over time, silver has had some fluctuation in price and there is not nearly the opportunity to get rich quick like some stocks or bonds. However, there is also a much greater chance of actually getting the amount that was invested back out of your investment when talking about silver. This is especially true when considering the additional cost of commissions and fees that are associated with stocks, bonds, ETF’s, mutual funds, etc. The chart below shows the price of silver over the last 20 years.
Now happens to also be a fairly good time to purchase silver. As things in the economy seem to be turning around, silver prices have dipped a little, allowing for the purchase of silver at a lower price point. As soon as the economy finds unstable ground (which it undoubtedly will), the price of silver will increase again.
*The term “junk” silver coins is a reference to previously circulated U.S. coins that contain silver as a component of the base metal that makes up the coin. Most of these coins bear mint marks that are 1964 and sooner and are typically quarters and dimes. There are a few exceptions to this rule and it is recommended that an internet search be completed for junk silver coins if additional information is needed.
Image Credit: WD40.com
You learn something new every day and I am far from being the exception. I was astonished to learn today that WD-40 has over 2,000 uses. Of course, my wife knew that already and immediately put my manhood into question. Not much to be done about that though I guess. What I thought was a handy product, I now view as liquid miracle in a can. With so many uses, WD-40 can do just about everything but set a dislocated shoulder!
I also learned that WD stands for water displacement and the 40 in the name made its way there because it was the 40th attempt that finally got the formula right. So after 40 attempts to develop this secret recipe of lubricants, Water Displacement – 40th Formula (WD-40) was created. This multi-purpose lubricant is safe to use on metal, wood, rubber, and plastic and performs the five functions of lubrication, penetrating, protection of surfaces, removal of dirt and grime, and displacement of moisture.
So the variety of WD-40 uses span the following six major categories and include specific uses like:
Home/Garden
- Keeps blades on outdoor power equipment from rusting.
- Cleans and protects garden tools.
- Spray around the bottom of your garbage cans to prevent animals from getting into them.
Car/Truck
- Keeps vehicle battery terminals clean and rust free.
- Keeps winch cables clean and lubricated.
- Unfreezes car doors.
On The Job
- Cleans magazines for magazine-fed firearms.
- Spray on hands before using heavy adhesives to prevent sticking.
- Improves cutting time for drills.
Garage/Workshop
- Protects tools from corrosion.
- Drives out moisture from flashlights.
- Prevents corrosion on pulley systems.
Sports/Recreation
- Lubricates pump-action firearms.
- Keeps fishing reels rust free.
- Cleans knife blades.
Other
- Loosens tight propane tank handles.
- Spray locking rods of portable fire-proof safes to keep them operating properly.
- Keeps missile silo doors swinging freely.
It seems to me that after stumbling upon the list of 2,000+ uses for WD-40 that it might be a great item to have on hand and potentially even stockpile for barter use in the future. In addition to the over 2K uses for WD-40, it literally has an indefinite shelf life which makes it perfect for your survival stockpile. Don’t forget to print off a copy of the over 2,000 uses for WD-40 to keep in your prep library.
If you know of a great WD-40 use or a story about the uses of WD-40 please leave a comment!
