Whenever I see a widely noted trend forming, I wonder who’s getting fleeced. But as our president Stefan Gleason likes to point out, jumping on trends that few people are paying attention to can be quite lucrative and personally beneficial. (And he’s made lots of really great calls over the years.)

First, you certainly can get fleeced in the whole “shop local” trend. As a savvy prepper, however, you can also garner several big benefits from becoming a local shopper. The key is how you go about it.

In today’s Ready-for-Anything Report, I’m going to show you why shopping locally now can give you a BIG advantage during a crisis. It can also offer some pretty sweet perks in the short term. And, I’ll show you how to avoid losing money as a local shopper because if you’re not careful, becoming a devoted local shopper can cost you big time.

• During the 2011 London riots, international shipping company DHL found it impossible to make deliveries to certain areas. Looters stripped store shelves of everything from groceries to clothes to electronics. New supply deliveries were slowed by widespread violence.
• After Hurricane Katrina, pharmacies and department stores shelves quickly emptied. It was weeks – a month in some areas – before grocery stores reopened.
• After Hurricane Sandy, it was nearly two weeks before power was fully restored to residents of hard-hit areas like Staten Island.

Those are all examples of significant supply chain disruptions, and according to the Business Continuity Institute, they becoming more common. An increasing level of complexity and dependence on international companies means more companies experienced disruptions during the past year.

But if you’re an experienced local shopper, these supply chain disruptions won’t necessarily slow you down.

What you’re looking for is sources of the types of products you use regularly that are made in your neck of the woods, produced near enough to you that you can go directly to the source should it be tough to get what you need through your usual channels.

You won’t be able to find everything from a local manufacturer or producer, but you’ll probably find more than you expected to. Focus on these three areas to put yourself in the best position during a crisis:

Don’t stop with farms, though. Check into bakeries and specialty product makers. If you can, do a tour of their facility and find out about their own supply chain – do the bread makers use locally grown grain, for example? If you have kids or grandkids, this makes a great field trip, as well.

What you’re doing is getting a lay of the land, so that you can continue to shop for food even if grocery stores are overrun and emptied out. You can just go to the source.

Barter Supplies: Another great local shopping strategy for preppers is getting to know the companies in your area that produce things that will be good for barter. Local distilleries, breweries, and vineyards are a great place to start. Do you have a local vinegar-maker? What about a candy-maker? Or a paper factory?

Again, look them up, and if you can find the time and they offer the option, take a tour.

Special Equipment: What do you have on had that you’ll rely on during a crisis? A generator? Power tools? A pair of eyeglasses? A handgun? The next thing to do is explore the people in your area who offer specialty products and who also do repairs. Getting to know them means that if something you need breaks down during a crisis, you’ll already have a line on how to get it repaired.

Mobbed supermarkets are among the worst places to be in times of emergency, and my video shows you how to get ready. I show you how increasingly flimsy food-supply chains could leave you and your family in a bind – in medical quarantines or bio-terror emergencies, natural disasters, marital law, or widespread social chaos.

Watch this video alert right now.

This may all be true, but buying locally can put a big dent in your wallet – a lot of local products are more expensive. So shop smart.

Don’t buy big consumer items like TVs and stereos from a local mom-and-pop store unless you find a great deal or service you can’t pass up. Those products aren’t manufactured locally anyway and the margins are slim, so the economic argument isn’t a strong one. Plus, those aren’t the kinds of things you’ll be depending on during a crisis.

Do look for local producers of high quality survival products that will last a long time. Continue to shop around. You may find some stores offer local products at a better price than others, but whenever possible, get a feel for the actual manufacturer – where he’s located, whether or not he welcomes visitors and direct sales, and if he offers repair services.

My best advice: When you find a good product produced by a local manufacturer, jump on it. It’s usually worth the local premium because of the quality and because you’ll have the opportunity to build a connection with the provider – during a crisis that connection can be worth more than gold.

This eye-opening underground video is making the rounds on the internet right now. There’s a lot of folks out there inadvertently making some BIG mistakes while attempting to prepare themselves and their families.