Why You Need a 'Plan B' Before You Need a 'Plan B'

How One Call Taught Me the Importance of Being Prepared

I wrote to you earlier this week about the importance of having a Plan B—and how more and more Americans are waking up to the need for a backup plan abroad. (If you missed it, catch up here. There's an interesting chart in there too.)

Anyway, as I was thinking more about it today, it reminded me of something that happened nearly ten years ago.

Back in early 2017, just a few months after Trump won the presidency, a family friend called me—convinced the U.S. was on the brink of becoming a fascist state.

She’d apparently been consuming a steady diet of apocalyptic media coverage that had her believing Trump was literally the next Hitler. In her mind, democracy was finished, and she needed to flee the country—immediately.

I tried to reassure her—without mocking or making light of her worries (which, to be honest, I would’ve had a hard time resisting if she weren’t a family friend)—saying there was no real evidence that America was about to turn into Nazi Germany overnight.

But fear had taken over. She said she was going to pack up her entire life and move to South America—to Uruguay specifically—within the next two months.

Back then, my wife and I were living in Paraguay with our firstborn, and we’d occasionally hop over to Uruguay for beaches and seaside fun (not exactly something Paraguay is known for). I knew it was peaceful, stable, and offered real opportunities for people looking for a serious Plan B. So, it’s not like she picked North Korea or Djibouti.

But here’s the thing. This woman had never even been to the country. In fact, she’d barely traveled outside the U.S., knew nothing about Uruguay’s culture or systems—and didn’t know a single person living there. Worse, she planned to bring her teenage daughter, yanking her out of school mid-semester without any plan for what came next.

In her panicked state, these were minor details. The only thing that mattered was escaping “fascist Trump.”

I was direct with her. I told her that making a move like that—upending her entire life based on fear, without any preparation or research—was asking for serious trouble.

Fortunately, reason eventually prevailed, and she scrapped the “plan.”

You Don’t Need to Be in That Position

Now, while I don’t think America’s turning into a totalitarian dictatorship anytime soon, there are still plenty of reasons to have a backup plan.

The $37 trillion in government debt is the big one. It’s laying the groundwork for serious inflation, financial repression, and quite possibly the end of the dollar’s reserve currency status.

But that’s just scratching the surface.

You’ve also got record-breaking illegal immigration, crumbling cities, endless foreign wars, media that’s morphed into straight-up propaganda, the collapse of family structures… and that lingering thought in the back of your mind about what the government might pull when the next lab-created pandemic hits.

In short, it’s a long list. But if I had to sum it up in two words, it’d be unprecedented uncertainty.

And how do you handle uncertainty? With a Plan B.

The concept is straightforward: take rational, measured steps that put you on solid ground no matter what’s coming. Spread your risk financially. Own real, tangible assets that don’t evaporate during a currency crisis. And have a backup plan abroad—somewhere you can actually go if things unravel.

The key word here is rational. A real Plan B takes serious planning and homework—especially if it involves building a backup plan abroad.

If your idea is to hastily throw your life into boxes and flee to supposedly greener pastures within two months, that’s not a Plan B—that’s a recipe for disaster.

Of course, when it comes to building a backup plan abroad, no amount of reading can replace actual boots-on-the-ground experience.

That's why last March we organized our first Plan B: Uruguay event. Attendees came to explore what Uruguay offers—legal residency, foreign bank accounts, property investment.

It was a huge success. And since many couldn’t attend last time due to limited spots, we’re bringing it back this year.

Matt Smith and Doug Casey—who chose to settle in Uruguay after exploring over 130 countries—will share why they made it their Plan B destination.

If you’ve been thinking about a backup plan abroad, this is well worth your attention (more info at the link below).

As I’ve said before, this isn’t about giving up on America or rooting for its collapse. It’s about taking smart precautions while you still have the freedom—and the clarity—to act. Not scrambling to pack up and leave on a whim just because the walls start closing in.

Have a good rest of the weekend!

Lau Vegys

---