Czymra: Yes of course it is doable. I am speaking only about the first month after the collapse. Nobody has went in modern times further than that. Things get usually resolved by then from external forces (Iceland got a bailout from the IMF and Katrina survivors were relocated to other areas of the country).
I actually lived through the collapse of Yugoslavia (took us to about point 8 in the list bellow) and have some idea of how things go on in such instances, even though I was only 10 years old at the time. It always starts with the banks
What should be realized is that the collapse doesn't happen in one day. It is a slow and painful process. This is how I envision it in a let's say certain european country:
0 day
1) Several banks collapse
2) Loads of people going at the banks but no money to be had
14 days
3) The government steps in and gives 20% of anyone's savings at the bank
4) The government says everything is ok and the rest of the banks ensure people it really is
5) 30% of the people are sent on forced vacation or simpy laid off as companies collapse
30 days
5) All the banks collapse, taking the government with them
6) Stores with food are 80% empty, its hard to come by with anything
7) Everything is rationed.. you must wait 3 hours to buy stuff (especially gas). Electricity is rationed as well
8) The borders to neighbouring contries close up
In the past around here external forces usually solve the problem. A new government is installed with a change of communism into democracy sending the angry riots at home or the IMF sends a bailout load of money or the country receives external humanitarian help. So i have no idea what happens when there is no external help on the way. and countries fall like dominoes one by one... I can only imagine from there on
40 days
9) Increased confrontations between the collapsing police forces & hungry gangs
10) Major increase of crime and violence on the streets. The government desperately calls for people to remain calm
11) Stations are set up all over the country by the army where rations of bread & water is provided
12) More and more people take to the streets
50 days
13) The government, if it has not fallen already (if it has then an emergency governing body is in charge), is on the brink of losing total control
14) The army is called in and martial law is declared
15) People are kept at home with strictly need and emergency only passage through the streets
16) They are rationed food & water much like the scenes we see in african poor countries
17) Full blown revolution (it happened in most of yugoslavia). It either happens or things go directly to a fascist state.
Then I can only imagine at some point a fascist like state is declared with an authoritarian rule. Many die , some live... whoever lives is strictly controlled and sent to work for minimum wage. The system has suffered a great setback so most of the jobs have downgraded in complexity (if you were an architect of buildings you will be happy building cabins, if you were an IT engineer you may be asked to install PCs). Unemployment is in the 30-40% and people have hard time getting by basic life needs.
What this means is, storing up larger amounts of food than 1-2 months is useless. Nobody is going to leave you alone in your cozy home for longer than that.. whatever the scenario.. Once the gangs find out you have a large supply of food you are toast. There are two points of focus:
a) Noticing the first signs and relocating if possible
b) Having enough resources to live through the first shocks of disoriented masses of people trying to find some food