The first step in surviving an economic collapse is to be out of debt. Next is having six months of salary on hand in cash, not in some bank. Ten percent of your salary should be in hard PMs – gold or silver – in hand. Prices have dropped the past two days. Buy the dips. If can’t afford gold, buy silver. Silver stands to gain the most anyway.
Have the means for self-protection, at least six month of food storage and the means of growing more food to supplement the storage.
The government will not be asleep during a economic collapse. They will not suspend taxes. You can have all the skills in the world but if you can’t afford rent or the taxes on your property to keep a roof over your heads, you’re done!