I just finished reading Fernando (FerFal) Aguirre book: The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse ( amazon link) and wanted to share with you my mini-review of this excellent book.

Great book on surviving any kind of economic downturn that breeds poverty, crime, unemployment and money devaluation.
Even if you are not really "into" survivalism you should read this book to be prepared for whatever life throws your way like: unemployment, death or disability of a spouse, or any number of natural disasters, that can seriously change your economic and social situation.

This book is very "sane" in a sense it does not ask you to go live off the land, build bunkers, or stand guard to save your supplies from blood-thirsty zombies of doom. Instead the book focuses on author's real-life experiences during the Argentine financial meltdown. He covers topics on how to deal with unemployment, hyperinflation, crime and social unrest (among other topics).

Fernando's language is a bit off (English is his 2nd language), but you forget about it after the first few pages because the content is excellent.

Author is not without humor. On numerous occasions he pokes fun at those who think guns will make them more well-endowed, or "little house on a prairie survivalists" who think they can protect themselves from robbery during serious civil unrest, or the martial arts "masters" who do not spar because they think their style is "too deadly".

Fernando advocates a no-nonsense approach to keeping yourself and your loved once safe and sane during times of financial and societal instability. He emphasizes stockpiling food, water, first aid, gold, etc., having a "recession proof" profession, and being a good neighbor, while at the same time watching your back.

Read this book - you will not regret it!

Economic preparations are vital. Thank you for posting this book review, I'll check it out.........no 'library' pun intended :-)

I read this book several months ago and liked it enough to force it one some friends. Hopefully things won't get as bad here as they did in Argentina, but if they do then following the advice found in this book will be of great assistance. The main premise of the book is you'll have to be tough, tougher than you ever thought you could be.

-Blast

I've been aquainted with FerFal for many years through the Internet and have had the pleasure of corresponding with him regarding various topics of his writings which culminated in this book.
He is a very intelligent and humble guy, not a "rambo-wannabe" so I feel you'd be well served with the observations shared. While the events in Argentina may not unfold precisely the same way, people are the same all over and similar situations could very well occur.

What does he consider a "recession proof profession"?

Does he list "recession proof possessions" as well? Besides gold?

Think essential services that will still be needed- electrician, plumber, doctor, nurse, shoe repair, etc.
In austere times folks need to make whatever they have last longer so any repair/refurbishment type businesses will still earn their daily bread.
Lead technical lightbulb replacement supervisor or executive manager of office supplies tend to be the types of positions less in demand...

It was my understanding that FerFal says repairmen and crafters actually DON'T do very well and reccomends against going that route. It is far better to be the person who supplies the parts and materials to many repairmen/craftsmen than to be the repairman. Having been "executive manager of office supplies" means you have contacts with wholesale suppliers which is a good thing. Another good position is to be the one who owns the property where people come to sell/trade goods and services.

FerFal's own words on the subject.

-Blast

I definitely want to get a copy of this book.

Thanks for the reviews and information, everyone!

Repairmen/Craftsman will Always be in demand wherever there are, Actual Homes/Apts/Bldgs Occupied by People!Now,In the Favella's or Slums,That would be the area FerFal's advice would Pertain as,The folk's occupying those area's Have/Will do for themselves,& are Normally left to their own devices!I highly doubt anyone from an Office/Management environment,Had Anything to do with, The Repair of The Infrastructure,As there was no $$$ to purchase supplies,i.e...All the 1000's of Missing Manhole covers,1000's of miles of stolen Powerlines & Telephone lines,&Plumbing lines Sold for Scrap Metal,Power Plants/The Broken pumps for Freshwater/Blackwater distribution,Maintenance of Hospitals,A/C-Refridgeration,Grave diggers,Without Repairmen/Craftsman,Planes don't fly,Mechanical Movement Ceases up!You are Sh....Outa' Luck!Life still did go on in Argentina,As It is Going on Now,Because there ARE Repairmen/Craftsmen!

I guess I`m the only one who couldn't get past some of his ignorance and seemingly 'know it all' attitude that came across in the book. I researched a few things early on in the book and found out they were false (or stretched truth), which is one thing but when written in his style it really put me off. The way he put forth his thoughts really irked me the wrong way too, and knowing numerous things were false or stretched I couldn't continue reading.

I did not finish the book.

I have nothing against the other but the style was not for me.

Yes, but Ferfal's point is that there will be A LOT of unskilled, semi-skilled and highly skilled craftsmen offering their services. High competition means the prices for your services go down. At the same time, inflation means the price for everything else goes up. Which means that if you work as a craftsman/handyman you will have a hard time making enough money to sustain a family. You will (probably) work 16 hour days and STILL not make enough money to feed and school your children, maintain your house and so on.


Being able to import and sell supplies (pipes, nails, whatever) to those craftsmen seems like a much better business idea.


If you're able to deliver a service that everyone needs (and will pay for), but no one else is offering, then that is a different story.

> What does he consider a "recession proof profession"?

In the early 90s reccession, I asked my accountant what would be a good business to start. He had every sort of small business and tradesmen on his books. Most were struggling. Two were raking it in, even though they had to pay council taxes of £2,000 pound a week.
They both had pornography shops in Londons red light district :-)
qjs

"recession proof profession" Director of offshoring

What quick_joey_small said it true in any recession or even in smaller areas od economic depression, porn, alcohol, cigs, lottery tickets, etc are the biggest seller. Look at rural areas of KY, WV, etc or look at the inner cities, the small convieneince stores, beer drive throughs, payday loan shops, buy here pay here car dealers are the healthy places. Plunbers and electricians and roofers and carpenters don't make the money because when it gets that bad people don't fix (or pay to fix) things, they let that outlet or light go non working, they let the roof leak, they wrap the pipes with duct tape. Yes they 'fix' things but they are really just band aiding things due to not having the funds to fix them right.

Blast, I have to confess to not reading the book, and it's been years since I was in somewhat regular correspondence with FerFal but the gyst of what I got from discussions with him was your typical "modular replacement" type repairman that just pulls a part off a shelf and replaces it, a la changing hard drives, had a tough row to hoe, but a real repairman/craftsman capable of fabricating and modifying or repairing things would be able to get by. This is supported by my own experiences in third world countries as well as other areas of austerity.
Folks who can improvise, adapt and modify things in their environment to their needs tend to be successful survivors. Rigid thinkers do not.
I have seen some very ingenious repairs by "bubbas" or semiliterate peasants that have been actually very innovative. Those kind of folks will survive in the jungles of the Philippines, the hills of Arkansas or the streets of New York regardless of circumstances.

Mostly Harmless-Being able to import/sell supplies,Stop right there!#1-What country is going to Honor your De-valued Credit/Currency for said"Imported Supplies"?#2-Where are you going to SAFELY store these supplies,IF You can SAFELY transport them?#3-What security system do you have?-Afterall your Country just Fell into Anarchy,You will be in charge of Your own Security!#4-Who will you turn to for help?You CAN"T do Everything yourself,& That is a Fact!#5-You are in Dire Need of someone you can Trust,Someone that Watches your Back,Who did All of that before the Country went Kaput? Answer: Your Craftsmen/Handymen,Your Housekeepers,Your porters,Your nanny,Your Butlers,Your Janitors/Custodians,Etc. Those folks Never Live Real well,whether the Economy is Up/Down,One thing for certain is,They are Always working,Consistently!In a Scenario such as Buenos Aires,Argentina,The #1 winning factor was /is TRUST! WHO are you going to TRUST?Martial Law will be Implemented,Looters Shot on sight!That Huge family across the street from your House,Just went on a Rampage,Looting/Stealing from other neighbors,Just 1 year ago,You & Your family Enjoyed a BBQ,with these same folks!Life will Never be the same,Again!



---Begin Translation---
Mostly harmless-being able to import/sell supplies, stop right there! <----Line does not translate.
#1-What country is going to honor your de-valued credit/currency for said "Imported Supplies"?
#2-Where are you going to SAFELY store these supplies, IF You can SAFELY transport them?
#3-What security system do you have? - Afterall your country just fell into anarchy, you will be in charge of your own security!
#4-Who will you turn to for help? You CAN'T do everything yourself and that is a Fact!
#5-You are in dire need of someone you can trust, someone that watches your back, who did all of that before the country went kaput?

Answer: Your craftsmen/handymen, your housekeepers, your porters, your nanny, your butlers, your janitors/custodians, etc. Those folks never live real well, whether the economy is up/down. One thing for certain is, they are always working, consistently! In a scenario such as Buenos Aires, Argentina, the #1 winning factor was /is TRUST! WHO are you going to TRUST? Martial law will be implemented, looters shot on sight! That huge family across the street from your house, just went on a rampage, looting/stealing from other neighbors. Just 1 year ago, you & your family enjoyed a BBQ with these same folks! Life will never be the same, again!
---End Translation---

All those folks that Have a hard time living in Argentina,Guess what? It's a Miracle...They are ALL still alive!FerFal made a Decent profit on his Book,Just from his Point of View,& I'll bet he is loving It!He seems to have a decent amount of Followers,Just remember,Don't Drink the Kool-Aid,lol!

Why repairmen will have a hard time in bad economic times:
There, I fixed it.

Seriously though, most people will take the cheapest route to fix things.
-Blast

Right to the point, and spot on.

A lot of people are like this right now, and some like my father are like this their entire life.

People will typically patch and repatch mechanical and shelter systems but most everyone will heroically defend a set standard. I've seen people patch together plumbing and electrical systems but they always find the resources to keep the toilet flushing and the TV working. Some people could seemingly eat dirt and live in a ditch as long as their video games worked. Everyone will defend those things that define 'civilized' for them.

The good news is that people who can make things work always have work. Bad news is that getting paid is always harder than finding people who want work done. People willing to pay substantial sums of money will have had the system patched many times so the jobs you get as the expert of last resort will be larger and more complicated than would otherwise be the case.

If you work these sorts of situations always get the cost of materials and living expenses covered up front before you start work. You can go a long time breaking even or with minimal profit. Losing money on a deal can be financially fatal.

Hey Sheriff,That was a Good Fix! Nothin' wrong with a little humor,I find it is Alway's Appropriate.I also give you Praise for the Typo correction,My writing skills are Lacking at best,& I have to learn Not to, Think Aloud,Whilst typing!My knowledge of The Argentine Collapse is Derived from The Many "Argies" I grew up with,& They are a Great Bunch of Strong People!

the oil and gas industry.... (which im currently employed in)