Money plays such an important role in our lives that most of us could not imagine surviving without it. Yet that is exactly what you need to do if you want to prepare for an economic condition called deflation.
The Day All Cash Disappeared
Deflation
is the term economists use to describe a “general decline in prices, often caused by a reduction in the supply of money or credit.”[1]A good way to think of deflation is as the opposite of inflation.
Inflation occurs when there is too much money in circulation, which destroys its value and raises prices. When deflation occurs, there is too little money available, which often causes prices to collapse and the economy to shut down.
In severe cases of deflation, there can be no money available at all not — even at the banks. This nightmare actually occurred during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when there were places in the United States where there was no cash available at all. More recently, it has happened in Greece, where ATMs ran out of cash and where banks placed limits on the amount of money that could be withdrawn.
People had no money to pay bills or buy food for their families. Employers had no money to pay employees, customers had no money to buy goods, and many people were reduced to bartering to survive.
During the Great Depression, farmers would pay professionals such as mechanics and doctors with food because they had no money and no credit.
Learn more with these related articles on our site:
- Prepping for Financial Collapse
- How to Retire Comfortably After A Financial Crisis
- Protecting Your Money In An Economic Decline
Go to our Survival Life Store to shop for some of our favorite self-defense tools and gear!Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest!***Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.***Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 25, 2013, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
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