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But there's another consideration. A careful study of modern history reveals, I think, that the stories of the survivors of all sorts of calamities and disasters are, for the most part, the stories of refugees. Essentially, the best way to survive is often simply to either not be where the Really Bad Thing happens, or to GTFU as soon as possible thereafter.
That may mean leaving pretty much everything behind. So, your carefully planned and located bugout shelter or basement full of expensive long term foods and supplies may become an anchor around your neck if it causes you to stay when you should have fled. As Robert Burns told us, "the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley."
If that's so, it suggests to me that perhaps material survival supplies ought to be limited to whatever you may be able to take with you, at least for part of your journey, or else that you would have and use anyway in your normal everyday life.
It implies several other things, as well. The importance of having good situational awareness, for one. The value of possessing portable skills and preferably portable assets, for another.
For a total collapse (economic, war, tolitarian or ineffectual central goverment, etc) I think that the survival stories you don't hear about are the most relevant ones. The ones who had the situational awareness to
accurately assess the situation, and the assets to get out ahead of time. And when I say get out of the way, I'm referring to fleeing the country or region.
For interesting read, check out the US Foreign Service Office emergency plans for employees and their families. They have to occasionally evacuate the entire staff, and their families, in short order. They, IMHO, have nice checklist for what to take and do for when things go bad.
http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c1991.htmPortable skills, particularly if they are high value skills in your destination, are good for sustaining a living. Note the number of H-1B visas issued for technology professionals.
But, as Jeff mentioned, portable assets are also valuable. Being able to transfer assets out of harms way is is the difference between penniless refugee and established immigrant. IMHO, the days of sewing gold coins into your coat are largely gone. With all currency being fiat currency, foreign currency bank accounts in stable countries have become today's international "portable assets".
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