Apocalypse on a budget: How to prepare

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An apocalypse requires more financial planning than a smaller disaster because the affects are more widespread. If the probability of an apocalypse is high, more reason exists to utilize part of one's budget for that apocalypse. When budgeting for any apocalypse, reallocation of funds into non-conventional currency such as seeds helps ensure wealth in a post-apocalyptic era per Recession Ready America. Once an apocalypse strikes, traditional money management techniques change along with the value of assets, but the principles stay the same.

Ice Age

If an ice age is imminent, then preparing for that ice age would be a logical consideration within a budget. Depending on where one lives this could involve seeking affordable sources of home insulation and investing in alternative food sources to prepare for a rise in food prices associated with the decrease in global agricultural land. Self-sustainable heating resources such as active solar heating outlined by the U.S. Department of Energy can be used to save money regardless of an apocalyptic occurrence, and is consequently also a way to hedge one's budgeting for an ice age.

Nuclear

Budgeting for a nuclear apocalypse may require a second mortgage or access to radiation protected food and water. The Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine states unsurvivable nuclear winter is a myth and that dust tight containers, and deep wells would not be contaminated by nuclear fallout. For those seeking nuclear residences Popular Mechanics reviews six types of bomb shelters one of which starts at $40,000 and includes filtration systems, and another called the Earthcom Dome which starts at $420,000.

Deluge

After worldwide massive flooding caused by global warming the sea level rises circumstances change. Naturally, this would make higher elevations more favorable and influence the price of inland real estate. Budgeting for deluge includes things like emergency supply kits recommended by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), flood insurance, boating and fishing equipment are investments that would be more likely to pay off in a deluge apocalypse. Moreover, since there would in effect be more sea, ocean and rivers and less land, water related food sources such as fish would increase in contrast to land sources.

Earthquake

Massive earthquake activity on a global scale can domino into an apocalypse if the affects are compounded by tsunamis, and ensuing destruction of global infrastructure. Earthquake related apocalypse, as with many types of apocalypse, can necessitate an alternative living arrangement. The New York Times natural disaster map illustrates the safest places from an earthquake in the United States. If such arrangements are postponed, travel expenses and food expenses will have to be accounted for after an earthquake related apocalypse. 

Economic

James Buchanan of the Cato Institute emphasizes the need for security in anarchic settings that conceivably would coincide with an economic apocalypse. In other words, since an economic apocalypse involves a failure of the world economy such that the majority of the global population can no longer realistically sustain itself, a high competition for limited resources would ensue. Moreover, budgeting for security in this type of apocalypse is plausible because the economic resources that once funded public services would become limited.