When I input my zip code, it gave me nothing. But I think their search is messed up, because I input a L.A. zip code, and it still gave me nothing. Going about it differently, there are two locations in the Phoenix metro area (neither very close to me).
But I should probably call them and get a feel for what they offer. I’ve been in a credit union for a loooooong time. Which probably gives a bit of a buffer since they don’t wheel and deal like the big banks do (at least in the US). But if FDIC is in jeopardy, so too would be NCUA.
But remember, even though you may be sleeping a little uncomfortably now, when things go south, those gold bars will be so very easy to exchange/barter/use as a substitute for fiat currency!
50% or whatever of total mattress value in actual old silver dimes and quarters and double eagles or whatever, as an under-mattress, and 50% in very, but not too very, high denominated pieces of “paper” money such as Swiss Franc and Norwegian Kroner sewn as “horizontal stiffening material” at the core of a fine soft “mattress-pillow”atop the coin under-mattress , all enclosed in a dull opaque silk.
Revisiting this topic, 1poorlady is reading about panic with the value of the dollar. She is thinking we need to “buy” other currency as the value of the dollar declines (and she thinks it will decline further, which likely is the case…we’ve already experienced a downgrade in our debt rating).
The limit of my knowledge on this is that we could take a chunk of cash (let’s say $100K to make the math easy), buy -for example- euros, and then at some point -maybe the dollar declines by 20%- redeem them for dollars at a more favorable exchange rate to the euro (i.e. we get more dollars that we started with - $120K in my example). And if the dollar collapses, the euros would be “safe”.
Of course, this ignores the difference in currency exchange between “buying” dollars and “selling” dollars (the entity making the exchange always charges that, pocketing the difference).
I have no experience in currency arbitrage (obviously). Nor do I know if this is a good idea, and/or how much of our liquid assets should be committed to this (if any).
Never had to think about things like this before. I’m assuming that assets, even if quotes in dollars, would be relatively immune (e.g. 1000 shares of V, or COST, or some other equity).
You might think about buying gold, silver, or similar commodities. Bit coin could also work. Values change in theory to compensate for changes in the value of the dollar.
There are even etfs for some of these minimizing the bid ask problem. There may also be etfs that invest in baskets of currencies.
International stock funds can be one way. Real estate is usually a good hedge but you must buy them right.
I briefly explored this earlier this year.
My first thought was some kind of international money market fund (because I only invest “cash” at the short end of the curve), but I came up empty.
The “best” thing I could find was the iShares 1-3 Year International Treasury Bond ETF (ticker ISHG) which has a duration of 1.8 yrs.
Never pulled the trigger because I want durations of less than 3 months.
I’m not comfortable with gold or silver. I’m not going the William Devane route, and buying a vault to store my gold bars. I could probably do gold funds, though I would need to understand them better. I also think crypto is the Dutch tulips of the 21st century, and won’t touch that.
I suppose I could ladder the iShares bonds so that they mature periodically over time. Not as liquid as a money market, but if we’re reaching maturity every 90 days (after establishing the ladder), it’s not bad. I’ve never been a bond guy. I only ever owned one bond fund (TRP Spectrum), and I owned it at the worst time for bonds.
