By Jeff Clark, Senior Analyst, GoldSilver, and Adviser for Strategic Wealth Preservation
They say to buy straw hats in winter, and stack your firewood in summer. That advice is based on the simple fact that seasons change, and preparing for the next season is easier and cheaper and more useful before it begins to switch.
Similarly, we know winter is coming for the economy and markets. It may not feel that way at the moment, but nothing goes up indefinitely. And when things shift, it will likely kick-start the next surge in gold and silver.
It may be winter right now for our two favorite metals, but spring and summer are coming (and winter for non-gold holders).
Are you fully prepared for it?
The worst feeling in the world—worse than how you may feel now about lagging prices—would be to find yourself with too little metal and too much risk. You’d hate to be scrambling to figure out what to do in the middle of an economic or market breakdown.
Here’s a checklist I’ve used myself that you might find useful.
Here are five questions to ask yourself to make sure you’re ready for the coming change in season…
#1. Do I Own PHYSICAL Metal?
We live in a world of paper assets, obscene government spending, and watered-down currency. Physical gold and silver are none of these things. They stand alone as real money, in a world where nothing else is.
That’s been the case for many years, but the financial condition of the U.S. and many other advanced economies put us all on a path eerily similar to the Fall of the Roman Empire.
When things start to break down, the world won’t end but it just may feel like it.
The upheaval could be so rocky that you’ll need more than just exposure to the gold price; you may need the actual metal.
Gold ETFs and other vehicles may offer some protection for your portfolio, but they may not offer protection for your lifestyle. Only physical bullion can withstand the worst the economy and market can throw at you.
How much is enough? It’s a personal decision, but the tables in this article (see #3) have been helpful to many investors.
#2. How Well Prepared am I for Persistent Inflation?
Many still believe the Fed when they say inflation will be transitory. But even some in the mainstream community are starting to doubt that, based on the fact that the CPI remains stubbornly high.
There aren’t many episodes in history where inflation spiked and then suddenly fell back down to where it was within a few months. It usually sticks around for a while. And sometimes gets out of control. This article details how it could reach double digits in the near future. And this video shows it could hit 9% this year alone.
Here’s the point:
The higher and longer you think inflation goes, the more gold and silver you need.
If your household becomes compromised in any way, having a healthy stash of bullion can help you get through it.
#3. Do You Own Some Gold, Not Just Silver?
Our readership knows that physical gold and silver share many of the same characteristics. They’re money, are tangible and portable, and can be sold almost anywhere in the world.
But they don’t necessarily react to every event the same. Gold usually rises in recessions, but silver usually falls… gold usually rises in stock market crashes while silver struggles… and central banks buy gold for their Reserves, lending support to its price, but they don’t buy silver.
Each metal has distinct advantages over the other. Yes, we stand to earn more profit on silver than gold, but…
The best advice is to have exposure to both silver and gold, not just one, in order to withstand ALL events.
The easiest and cheapest way to do that is with Mike’s InstaVault program—in fact, it’s now our #1 selling product at GoldSilver.
#4. How Safe is My Bullion?
We got hit with an earthquake last month. It was a tad scary, because the house was literally shaking and swaying. My wife and I ran to the dining room table and were prepared to jump under it, even after it stopped, in case aftershocks came.
I don’t keep any bullion in the house, partly because I’m in the public eye and partly because I’ve had gold stolen before. And now I have a third reason; I wouldn’t be very happy if my metal fell into middle earth during an earthquake. Physical gold and silver don’t come with a return-receipt.
It’s a good idea to keep some bullion close, in case you need it in an emergency. But as your stack grows, it’s only prudent to keep most of it out of the house. Remember, as gold and silver prices increase, you become a greater target.
I see a lot of pictures on twitter of people posting their stacks of bullion. While most are good at not showing clues of where they live, all it takes is someone who follows you to figure it out. Social media is an increasingly common way to communicate, but it’s not good for displays of wealth.
I encourage you to diversify where you store your bullion, especially as your stash grows, the reason being you don’t want your physical fortune wiped out in one tragic mishap.
Also, here’s a money-saving trick you can use for storage: buy bars, because they have lower premiums. It’s also true that gold bars are cheaper than gold coins.
#5. What’s My Exit Plan?
It may feel odd to discuss this topic when gold and silver prices are going nowhere. But you need to formulate your plan now, so that you’re not scrambling to figure it out when an economic or market emergency strikes.
If you don’t know, Mike will share with Insiders when he begins to exit. He’ll have numerous indicators that he’ll use, some of which will be proprietary, but his exit plan will be solidly rooted in research. As current Insiders know, he also shares what and when he buys.
Whatever your plan might be, I encourage you to formulate it now. Even if it has to be modified due to circumstances at the time, you’ll be operating from a position of strength instead of floundering about and wondering what to do.
Are You Ready for the Next Surge?
History says the next upsurge in gold and silver is coming. The research clearly shows it is a when question, not if.
I want all of our readership to be fully prepared to capitalize on the opportunity, regardless of how bad things might get in the economy and markets.
Becoming part of the new wealthy is likely to happen only for holders of physical gold and silver.
Together, let’s all be ready for it.
Jeff Clark
Senior Precious Metals Analyst
This article was originally posted in the Strategic Wealth Preservation Blog and copied here with the permission of the author.