1. Store up one year's supply of food. Don't rely upon frozen or canned food but primarily upon wheat and dehydrated & freeze dried foods. Get into gardening if you have the space and keep an ample supply of seed to meet any upcoming crunch. Keep on hand large containers for storing water to be filled in a hurry when the collapse occurs.
2. If your home cannot be defended against riotous mobs by you and your family alone, pick a retreat in a nearby wilderness quickly accessible to you along some direct route that does NOT go through a populated area. Obtain maps of your retreat area, studies of its flora and fauna (Forest Service and game wardens), and camp on a regular basis in your area all year around to become accustomed to its feel and defensibility. NOTE: If you live in a large city your best bet, as poor as it is, is to establish your retreat in your city neighborhood. When the collapse occurs, if you panic and try to make a wild dash to the country, you will end up doing it mostly on foot (all roads will become blocked beyond resolution) and you will likely die in the process.
3. Carefully choose a survival arsenal. For every person in your group age 10 and over you should have one semi-automatic rifle (.223 or .308). In addition each person over 10 should have a reliable auto-pistol (9mm or .45), and the group should have a collection of .22 rimfire rifles, high powered revolvers, and shotguns. Finally, the group must have at least one highly-accurate (scope mounted) bolt- action rifle of high caliber (.308, .30-06, 7mm Magnum, etc.) Adequate ammunition stores must be provided for EACH gun in the arsenal, as well as all the things that go with guns (repair parts, reloading equipment, ammo components, extra magazines, bandoliers, holsters, cleaning equipment, ammo boxes, carrying cases, etc.). For a more comprehensive listing see Survival Guns & Ammo.
4. Store up other survival components such as many hand tools, heavy-duty "work" clothes, medicines & medical supplies, communications equipment, energy supplies, hygienic supplies, camping equipment & supplies, ropes, bags, boxes, fishing equipment, fire starters, etc., etc.
5. Rough it! Cut your standard of living - particularly pleasure vacations. Do NOT get a second job or make any outstanding efforts to pay off consumer debts costing 2% or more below your inflationary rate. Right now, you need more than anything else the time to properly prepare you and your loved ones' survival when the collapse occurs. Having all the gear on hand is only 50% of the survival effort - you must be practiced and knowledgeable with their uses. When the crunch hits, if you don't start high on the survival learning curve, chances are you won't live beyond the first month.
6. Do NOT invest in one bag of silver coins per family member as Howard Ruff suggests! Believe me, they'll be few active coin collectors around after the shit hits the fan! Silver MAY be worth something, then again you coins may be as valuable as Confederate dollars were after the Civil War. But ammo will certainly become extremely valuable. Your best bet is .22 LR and shotgun ammo (12 gauge only) - these items translate directly into physical survival. So, after you have satisfied all of your other survival needs, invest ALL of your extra money into guns and ammo - particularly ammo!
7. Get into excellent physical condition. Play some racket ball sport to build speed, coordination, and maneuverability; lift weights to build substantial upper body strength; and run (I didn't say jog) on steep inclines and rough terrain to build endurance and leg power. But start gradually and work steadily (you don't want to injure yourself in your enthusiasm) and get yourself checked out by a physician.