Preparing for what?

[Reality Jones]

a lot of the American sites bang on about clearing debts, in a great cataclismical event i guess all bets are off but i suppose it depends on what "the event" is, it could be something more low key like an economic collapse, in that event if you've cleared all your debts then you will obviously better off than some people!

But if I'm in debt and the economy collapses how is that gonna make me worse off?? (Sorry if I'm being really stupid here BP!)