Crisis-Ready Society
Scenarios / Economic crisis & shortages

Economic crisis, shortages and banking disruption

An economic shock, supply disruption or payment system failure can empty shop shelves and stop cards and ATMs working for days. This page helps your family build a modest buffer of supplies, cash and payment options and stay calm while things recover.

Useful contingency planning
In the UAEIn the UAE, keep the national emergency numbers on your paper list: 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 civil defence, 991 electricity failure.[7]

Before

  • Build up about a week of food, medicines and fuel for your household.[1]
  • Add one or two long-life items to each normal shop instead of buying all at once.[2]
  • Choose foods your family already eats that need little or no cooking.[2]
  • Keep some cash at home in small notes in case cards and ATMs stop working.[1]
  • Hold accounts at more than one bank and cards from different card networks.[1]
  • If you take long-term prescription medicine, aim to keep a month's supply at home.[3]
  • Build an emergency savings fund you can draw on in any kind of crisis.[4]
  • Agree with family and neighbours what you would do if you could not buy food or medicine.[1]

During

  • Pay for essentials in cash if card or mobile payments are down.[1]
  • Know your card PINs, as contactless tapping may stop working.[1]
  • Switch to another bank, card or payment app if your usual one fails.[1]
  • Cook from cheap staples such as potatoes, cabbage, onions and carrots to stretch your budget.[2]
  • Share supplies with neighbours and buy in bulk together where possible.[2]
  • Get updates from official channels and be wary of rumours.[5]
  • Check on neighbours who may need extra help, such as older or ill people.[6]

After

  • Restock gradually, using the oldest food and medicines first.[3]
  • Top up your cash reserve once banking returns to normal.[1]
  • Use cash now and then so you stay familiar with it.[1]
  • Review your insurance cover and the hazards it includes.[4]
  • Keep copies of key financial documents safe and up to date.[4]

Watch

Short how-to videos for this topic are being added to our channel.
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Official sources

  1. Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF): Payments and cash in times of crisis
  2. Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF): Access to food during a crisis
  3. Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF): One month's supply of medicines at home
  4. Ready.gov (FEMA): Financial Preparedness
  5. Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF): Basics of home emergency preparedness
  6. UK Government (Prepare): Get prepared for emergencies
  7. UAE Government Portal (u.ae): Handling emergencies
  8. European Commission: EU preparedness union strategy

Steps are written in our own words from these pages. If advice from your local authority differs, follow your local authority.

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