By Leroy Ferrao
Lockdowns are the new normal. With the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic devastating India. How do you prepare for the lockdowns? Here are 5 steps to prepare you for the worst-case scenario.Â
#1.Protect your food supply
The shutdowns bring about food challenges. How will you prepare so that you and your family have your food supply intact?Â
Firstly, stock food for a period of 3 to 12 months at least. What can you stock, as food is perishable? Rice, pulses, dried fruits, nuts, oats, millet, oils, etc. You can google for more information. This will safeguard your family if the food supply runs out. It will also protect you from food riots, inflation and most importantly the risk of getting the virus.
 Secondly, I have already recommended reverse migration to the mountains or fields. The government cannot implement the shutdown in these remote areas. So, you can procure food from the farmers or fields to keep alive during these shutdowns. Â
Thirdly, food shortages will result from the pandemic, man-made disasters, attack by locusts, poverty, unemployment etc. shortly. Therefore, future-proof your food supply now by implementing these prudent steps.
#2.Protect yourself by investing in land
Land is one of the best investment one can make now if you have the resources. All the other so called investments including gold and silver are going to become zero in value if according to experts this pandemic lasts for about 5 years. Only land is indestructible , scare and appreciating in value everyday.
Do not confuse yourself with real estate. Real estate like apartments, condos, commercial real estate e.g shops and offices etc. will also fall in value. I recommend that you buy land as even today, wars are fought because of land. Moreover, you can grow your own food and sell it to others as it will always be in demand. Even cash will lose its value due to hyperinflation. Think long term as land is a lockdown proof investment.
However, invest in land only if you have an emergency fund of at least 2 years and cash flows. Land is an illiquid investment.
#3.Protect your children's education by going online
Education institutions were shut down by the authorities during the current lockdown. However, the authorities couldn’t shutdown the internet. I encourage all parents to adopt the online education route for your children. It is effective, safe, cheap and will save your children precious time. Furthermore, you will save money as it is a fraction of cost compared to traditional education.
Give them the freedom to choose their education. If for example, they choose coding, they can learn the skill in 6 months and start earning. Compare that to formal education. They will have to spend 15 years in their studies and are not even be confident they will get a job after investing their best years learning theory. Moreover, these institutions will shut down in case the authorities decide in the future.Â
Go online and protect your children’s future from lockdowns that have crippled the traditional educational institutions. These institutions have also started launching their online classes now as they have realized they their good days of making money offline are numbered.Â
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#4. Protect your job or business by going online.
If you are not working online either at your job or business, its game over for you. Lockdowns cannot shutdown technology and if you work online then be prepared not only to make money but mint it as well. Majority of the bricks and mortar businesses will go out of business, and with them their jobs. In the years to come only 30% of the surviving population will have jobs according to experts. The remaining 70% will have to depend on government handouts.
Moreover, AI is replacing humans in the job market. Consequently, only those who can do what AI cannot do now or use AI to their advantage will be the survivors in their businesses or jobs. The rest will become history as the world will not return to the pre-Covid period again.Â
#5. Protect yourself from thieves
As more and more people get into poverty due to the continuing lockdowns because of the pandemic, expect more burglaries, robberies, cybercrimes, murders, food riots, rapes, kidnapping etc. to increase during lockdowns and beyond. If you show off that you have the best car, a big bank balance, gold, etc. prepare for your funeral. There will be a war between the haves and have-nots. As a result, I recommend that you immediately downsize your lifestyle and sell anything that gives others the perception you are rich. You are to adopt a new lifestyle during this pandemic and only those who can adapt and pivot to this new lifestyle are going to make it to the future.Â
In conclusion, lockdowns are here to stay in the future . It is better to outsmart the lockdowns or remained locked in the lockdown. The choice is yours.
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Summary/Key Takeaways/ Action Steps.
- Stock up your food supply with provisions that will last you at least a year but not less than three months.
- Migrate to the mountains or villages near to the farm lands to source your food during lockdowns.
- Source food through online deliveries or better still learn on which plants that are easily available can be a source of food to you if the farmers ran out of supply due to natural disasters.
- Invest in land as it can help you cultivate your food as well as rent it to farmers who could either give you money or food or both as land is a pandemic proof investment.
- Keep the remaining cash reserves as an emergency fund for liquidity. The remaining can be invested in yourself. in different baskets and spread risk.
- Take the online education route and equip your children with skills that can be learned in six months so that can earn in the future.
- Take your business or even your job online as lockdowns cannot be imposed on technology.
- Downsize your lifestyle. Become a minimalistic as it will be safer for you in case there are food riots or robbery.
- Sell your expensive cars, or anything that will give the impression that you are rich or well to do. because as more and more people will fall into poverty, they will act irrationally.
In our next post find out strategy No.6 which is how to protect yourself from poverty during the Covid-19
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