Although this document is somewhat speculative in nature, it contains a variety of pragmatic cautionary statements, health advisories, and domestic survival tips that have been derived from authoritative scientific and empirical sources. Ordinarily, I would provide an appropriate footnote citation whenever I state a fact that is not considered general knowledge within a particular field of study; however, time constraints and confidentiality issues have not permitted that particular academic exercise. You will notice that this document tends to focus primarily on how to prepare for, and cope with, the economic impact of an influenza pandemic. Certainly, the impending pandemic provided the initial motivation for this writing, but the need for personal self-sufficiency is certainly not restricted to pandemics. Indeed, most of the advice in this document could be adapted to a variety of situations in which the production or distribution of goods and services becomes disrupted for more than a day or two. Considering how vulnerable we are to disasters, both natural and man-made, and considering that each disaster may have economic consequences that could affect your family’s well-being, it simply makes good sense for every household to prepare to be self- sufficient for a certain duration of time. The greater the level of self-sufficiency you can achieve right now, the lower the impact of an economic disruption or emergency.