Have you started your survival planning for 2024 yet? Survival preppers always prepare for unforeseen events. To correctly anticipate what might happen, you should be aware of what is happening worldwide so you can be prepared for anything.

Having a strategy for what you will gather and prepare ahead of time is essential, but you also need to know what to watch out for. Following the news can help you prioritize your plans more effectively.

Survival preppers face new issues every year. Civil unrest might be the topic in one year, the global economy in another, or the supply chain or a pandemic in another. Having a yearly survival plan is important. However, you should also break down your planning process by month, task, and the supplies you’ll need. 

Plan for Peace of Mind

To get started, you should take a look at where you are now. Do you have any supplies on hand, and do you know when they expire (if ever)? Make sure you know how much you have and how much you need for your family.

What skills do you need to learn in the coming year that you haven’t mastered yet? What about major survival gear purchases such as solar panels or a whole home generator?

To prepare properly for the coming year in 2024, you have to know what you have, what you need, and how much money, time, and skills you will need.

To help you with this task, I am offering my Baby Steps for Preparedness series. Each week, you’ll receive a new list and action plan to help you put together your emergency kit, as well as extra tips to help ensure your family is prepared for disasters.

 Be Aware of the Economic Outlook

“The government’s not going to save them,” warned financial expert Suze Orman recently, referring to the fact that Americans are experiencing a financial crisis, and many hope the government will step in.

Most people (especially younger generations) believe they’ll be “bailed out” by the government in times of financial distress. People are discovering they’ve been overspending and undersaving, putting them at risk for very real personal struggles.

Debt is at an all-time high (both nationally and among individuals), but living on borrowed money will ultimately lead to financial ruin. If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck, you’ll want to look into getting ahead with money saved for a rainy day.

Continuing inflation will squeeze people out of every last cent. Take note of how the economy is doing not just in your own life but in cities, states, countries, and even around the world.

Make sure you are aware of whether the property or income tax is rising in your area. It is also important to stay on top of the IRS’s ever-changing rules. In addition, you want to know whether there is anything to worry about globally.

Many prepper groups are watching the BRICS block, a group of countries ready to drop the American dollar. Having backup means of stability in case of a crash may help protect your financial outlook.

Evaluate Your Own Economic Security

Analyze your own life beyond just checking your bank account to see if you have money in your checking or savings. You should also evaluate your job security. What would you do if your boss told you tomorrow that they no longer had a position for you? 

This happened to me last year. The company I had planned to stay with until I was ready to retire decided they no longer needed me because they wanted to fill the position with someone in Europe. To say I was shocked would be an understatement, but I had a solid savings account to keep us afloat for several months. We’re still trying to get back on our feet, but our bills are all paid, and we still have our home.

Your finances should be diversified so that you have multiple backup plans. This might be investing in gold and silver, opening several savings accounts in case one bank folds, keeping cash on hand, and diversifying your investments.

This will help you mitigate any risks you are taking on and keep you financially stable during challenging times. Ensure you have an emergency fund ready for 2024 to care for yourself and your family.

Set a plan to get all of your debt paid off or at least make a dent over the next 12 months. To achieve this, you may need to stop spending as much on frivolous purchases or take on a side hustle to supplement your income.

Establish a budget for 2024, and stick to it so that you know how much money is going out and coming in. In addition to saving and investing, you need to have some short-term goals for things you’ll need in the future, such as buying your child a birthday gift or planning a holiday.

Watch for Political Unrest in an Election Year

Civil unrest often occurs during presidential elections, but it can also occur during congressional elections. This can be a concerning event for many survival preppers.

Topics simmering under the surface can sometimes ignite a storm between opposing ends of the spectrum that can spill over into the lives of ordinary citizens who do not wish to be involved in political drama.

You may find yourself trapped in a car on the street in the middle of a violent protest. You should be aware of any demonstrations and protests occurring, even if they are public rallies, with permission.

Tensions between different political groups can often snowball into something dangerous. Before you go somewhere, it is important to know if any type of movement will be in your way so that you can plan accordingly.

Survival Beyond Politics

Other issues can also arise during political years. During the pandemic of 2020, there were many lockdowns, and there was suspicion about why they occurred and whether they were intended to influence elections.

Every election year, regardless of who wins or loses, there’s bound to be a backlash that can result in protests and instability in your area. It is important to anticipate this not just when traveling but also at home since these violent crowds have invaded neighborhoods in the past.

Political unrest isn’t the only thing to watch out for; you also need to be aware of policy changes. Knowing how the election will affect your life is important, regardless of which party wins.

You could face repercussions regarding your tax filing, firearms laws, pandemic guidelines, and more. Knowing both sides of the coin will help you adjust your survival plans after the election.

Pay Attention to Health Concerns

Health concerns have impacted survival preparations more heavily in the past three years. News stories have previously mentioned bird flu, West Nile, Zika, Ebola, and Mad Cow Disease.

A more recent pandemic, COVID-19, devastated everyone’s world, causing brands to close, people to lose jobs, and widespread isolation. The various regulations, the supply chain issues resulting from those regulations, and the fear propagated by the media and government outlets all contributed to this.

Regarding health issues, sometimes the unknown is more dangerous than the known. The pandemic caused a lot of controversy, but no matter what side you’re on, you should always be prepared for health issues that may arise.

Early Warnings

Early warning signs often occur elsewhere in the world before they spread to America. Keep yourself informed about these and any preventative measures you can take, including medication and gear you may need so you can stock up ahead of time.

For example, it was difficult to find N-95 masks at the beginning of the pandemic, but if you had listened to the global news, you would have known about it and could have stocked up.

You must also prepare yourself for the strain a health crisis will have on your local community. The pandemic caused hospitals in some areas to be overburdened while others were empty.

Depending on what state and laws you live under, it may also affect things like where you can travel or how many people you can have living with you. Staying informed and being prepared well beforehand is the key to protecting yourself and your family when dealing with a health issue. 

Pay Attention to the Weather Warnings

In addition to causing damage, weather events can also put your family’s lives at risk. Fortunately, you often receive early warnings about dangerous weather approaching your location.

This means you must pay attention to this early on so you can either leave the location temporarily or prepare your home and belongings to withstand the event. Although weather forecasts are not always accurate, they provide enough information to make an informed decision.

Suppose, for example, you are wondering if you live in an area vulnerable to hurricanes. If a hurricane is possible, you must prepare your evacuation plans, secure your belongings, and prepare an emergency kit or bug-out bag.

Hurricanes can cause flooding, but you don’t need a hurricane to have a flood. You may live in an area where a dam or levy breaks or experience an unusual amount of heavy rain. You must be prepared for any type of flood issue by paying attention to news about this type of situation.

Many people live in tornado-prone areas. When a tornado strikes, you won’t get as much advanced warning as you would of other weather conditions, but you can stay informed. You can take cover and protect yourself and your family if you know when and if circulation is occurring in your area.

If you live in an area with many tornadoes every year, you might want to consider building a tornado shelter or installing a safe room in your home.

Be Aware of Extreme Conditions

It is not uncommon for events to occur as a result of recent weather, even if they aren’t directly weather-related. A lack of rainfall and dry conditions in your area can result in wildfires, for example.

Additionally, you need to watch out for extreme cold or heat in the upcoming year that may result in emergency situations. If you live in an area with extreme temperatures, you never know if the power grid will hold up to the demand, which leaves you exposed to crippling situations.

Prepare early if extreme temperatures are predicted. For example, we are in an El Niño year, which means some areas could be wetter than normal, bringing more snowfall. Don’t be one of those people who rush out hours before a storm to stock up on supplies. Therefore, you need to plan according to your region’s typical weather in your survival planning for 2024.

Also, consider whether that extends beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Space weather, such as solar flares that disrupt communication and the grid, can affect you, and you should be aware of these risks as well.

Know About Geographical Events

The upcoming year can also bring earthquakes and volcano eruptions. Watch for seismic activity alerts that predict when a tremor or eruption will occur. Whether you live in the area or plan to visit it, this information is always helpful. Your activities and where you stay or go may be impacted by it.

There are usually patterns and smaller levels of activity before a big event. This gives you time to make evacuation plans. Assess the risk in your area ahead of time to prepare.

In addition to monitoring seismic activity, you should ensure that your home’s structure is built to withstand any type of disaster. As part of your plan, you should consider not only what you will do leading up to and during an event but also what you will do afterward if it is unsafe for you to return home.

Track Various Cyber Threats

Cybersecurity has become a growing survival topic over the past few years. Now more than ever, people are being scammed for monetary reasons, as well as threats that affect an entire nation, industry, or globe.

There is no substitute for awareness. It is important to protect your family from scams. Some scams replicate the voice of a loved one, appearing to be in danger unless you pay a ransom. In other cases, people entice their victims into something for the purpose of blackmailing them. In many cases, the compromise results in a tragic end for the individual.

Although these may not seem like “survival threats,” anything that threatens your loved ones or your financial security is as important as watching for global economic disasters.

When a company becomes aware of a security breach on a platform you use, you will be notified. It’s important to take precautions to alter passwords and to warn your family about what to do or how to alert you if they receive any notices like this.

Are You Ready for 2024?

Survival events like these will continue to occur in 2024, but changes will occur from year to year. Technology improves every day, which has the potential to benefit or harm citizens around the world.

Changes in weather patterns, political climates, and other factors can catch you off guard if you are not paying attention. In today’s world, it’s tempting to tune out the news.

Nobody wants to live a depressed life of doomscrolling. However, you shouldn’t bury your head in the sand and ignore things that can significantly impact your family and its ability to weather disasters.

Plan your supplies and preparations for the upcoming year, evaluate threats regularly, and adapt your measures accordingly. This will prevent panic or worry when survival events occur in the new year.