(Why I prep, and how I do so in a family that thinks I’m crazy.)

In the summer of 1977 my mother dragged me to see my older brother’s Cub Scouts meeting.  I was closing in on my sixth birthday and she informed me in no uncertain terms that I would be joining.  My mother was one of the multitudes of single mom’s in my part of Brooklyn.  A neighborhood where at the time crime was high, money was tight, and involved dads were few.   The only place for many boys to find any kind of positive male role model was in Scouting.  So off to the basement of the local savings bank I went, passing along the way many other kids whose parents weren’t making them go off somewhere that required stuffy uniforms on humid July evenings. 

Shortly after arriving, “Signs Up” was called and the scouts were ordered into their Dens so the meeting could open with The Pledge of Allegiance.  When that was done and all outstanding business concluded I watched in absolute amazement as the older boys (the Webelos) proceeded to learn how to treat shock and minor wounds on one side of the large room while the younger boys (Cubs) were learning how to lash branches together to build a tripod for use as a camp table complete with seats.  Those relatively simple things spoke to me on a level I still can’t comprehend.  I was “all-in” right then and there.

From that night until I turned six I was at every meeting.  I became a mascot of sorts, treated as a member of the team but not quite in the game.  It was a big deal for me when I was finally able to wear the uniform.  At the time (I believe it has changed now) the neckerchief had a picture of a bear cub and the logo: “Be Prepared”.  Words that still echo in my mind and a philosophy that continues to permeate everything I do.

The Modern World:

So here I am: A full grown man, husband and father both, having grown up hearing some variation of “Be Prepared” on a regular basis…  “Make sure you have a dime for the pay-phone”, “Make sure you have extra pencils for your test”, and “Make sure you check your engine fluids before you drive that far”.  The list of recommendations of how and why to be prepared just keeps going and going. 

In a modern world a fully charged cell phone has replaced the dime for the pay phone, but otherwise little has changed with regards to what we tell our children on a daily basis.  So you can imagine my surprise when upon building an emergency kit some year’s back, my wife looked at me with “that look”. 

You know the one you get… it sort of says: “Poor fool just doesn’t know any better”, the visual equivalent of a condescending pat on the head.  I guess I just didn’t realize that being prepared was somehow strange.  So my wife and I proceeded to have a conversation where on one side was the feeling that you can’t ever be too careful (especially in light of how many times we lose power in Upstate N.Y.), and on the other the assertion that I’m paranoid; backed up with the ever so logical “what will the neighbors think?”  I was astonished.

Having grown up about five cents below the poverty line and being raised with Scouting at my side, I had learned to always hedge my proverbial bets.  To find out that according to the people who loved me preparedness was considered crazy…  that most people truly believe the government can and will take care of them in a crisis… just confounds me. 

Had these people not been watching the same news I had?  Do they not remember any of the natural disasters over the last ten years?  Katrina, Irene or Sandy anyone?  Were all of my tidbits of wisdom thrown out like the mornings coffee grinds?

After several discussions about the topic of preparedness I realized I was alone.  I would not receive any assistance in gathering, organizing, storing or in any other way getting my stuff together for an emergency of any kind let alone for TEOTWAWKI.

I had no choice but to become: “The Secret Prepper.” (Cue ominous music.)

Logistics of a dual identity:

Deciding on where to begin is kind of like being an eight-year-old with a $100 bill in a candy store: Overwhelming in its possibilities.  So in looking at the logistics of fulfilling the requirements of my shadow-self, I decided to create 3 basic (but in retrospect woefully inadequate) categories to manage the tasks:

1. How to pay for it?
2. What to get and where to get it?
3. How and where to store it?

The most difficult of these three options, for me, was how to pay for it.  Having a stay at home parent raising a child, in my humble opinion, far outweighs the negative financial effect resulting from only one income.  The problem I came across is that my wife wears so many hats.  I make the money, take care of the yard, kill the bugs and protect us from things that go bump in the night while she does pretty much everything else.  This includes balancing the checkbook.  (Remember, she’s not on-board because I’m nuts.)

How was “The Secret Prepper” to accomplish any of his preparedness goals while not tipping his hand to the one-woman oversight committee that thinks he’s insane?  Not to mention maintaining Operational Security (I will make references to where I adhered strictly to OPSEC.)  Over time it became a game to me.

Getting ready for the Schumer on the cheap:

Finances came from good old-fashioned sacrifice.  I’ve found that when money is tight you have an obligation to stick to what you feel in your gut is important.  As such, sacrifice is an imperative.  At that time, when all was said and done I could allot myself $25 each Friday for the following week.  This money was to pay for my lunch, coffee or anything else I wanted while I was at work. 

I realize this doesn’t sound like a significant amount of money, but once you learn how to squeeze blood from a stone you’d be surprised how much those suckers can bleed.  So I thought back to my childhood and how my mother managed to feed us and came up with some practical solutions as well as some that were foreign to me.

Two things that I did were start a vegetable garden and learn how to jar/can.  This was a completely foreign world to me.  Growing up in an apartment building, the only reason I wanted a good-sized property hours from the city was to get away from people.  I didn’t realize what could be done until I bought a homesteading book.  The amount of money I now save on produce is astonishing.  This has served to help my entire household and not just “The Secret Prepper”.

Otherwise, I spent the first few weeks stocking surplus goods in my locker at work.  Nothing too big mind you, just the basics for the purposes of masking my future purchases.  Ferreting away an excess item from home here and there and bringing it to work, I managed to stash several days lunch in my locker and needed less money the following week.  My surplus cash went into an envelope there as well.  I made it a point to only use cash so as not to create any kind of a paper trail (OPSEC).  It was good practice for my later and larger purchases.

I soon had a sizeable bankroll and a grocery store in my locker with none the wiser.  Some of this food was moved to buckets in the basement and some was consumed for lunch but all of it served to free up $100 a month in cash.  This process took several weeks but once I had it down to a science there was no stopping it.

Saving about $100 a month, I was able to start prioritizing the next objective: What to get and where to get it?

I decided on what my most immediate need would be in the event of the most likely emergency in my area: Nature’s fury and her prolonged power outages.  So with that particular goal in mind, and the knowledge that needs are similar in many emergencies, I proceeded to spend my hard saved money.  Candles, matches, water purification tablets/canteens, solar blankets, first-aid kit, tent and sleeping bags, walkie-talkie’s, batteries, MREs. Thus, all of the basics.

My cup runneth over:

Pretty soon my work locker, my car and my super-secret-hidey-hole were near to bursting at the seams.  It was time to consider task three: How and where to store it?  The problem was, I was still working on what to get.  It became clear to me that a two-pronged approach was in order.

I went to a “mom-and-pop” hardware store in the next town and bought two footlockers, paying in cash (OPSEC), making sure that they could fit into the trunk of my car in case I had to bug out rather than in.  One I labeled camping gear and proceeded to fill it with pretty much anything that fit the bill, storing it where I keep all of the other things my family has no interest in. The other one I left unlabeled and filled with surplus goods.  I added to them some large desiccant packs that I got for free at a piano store and hid the unlabeled one in a dark corner among the spiders.

With room at my outside locations freed up, I went back to my list of necessities.  After buying and waylaying various supplies, I started looking into the next phase of purchase and storage: Mylar.

Nowadays there are a lot of good videos on YouTube about the use of Mylar bags.  Not so just a few years back.  I’ll tell you what I believe to be the most important piece of information I learned about Mylar bags after I had started using them.  I have decided (once again my humble opinion) that I prefer to fill smaller bags.  I can then use these bags to create a variety of items in a single storage bucket.  If I had to grab just a few buckets and bug due to an emergency I won’t have to think about which ones to grab.  Each has a little of everything.  But I’m getting way ahead of myself…

I bought some 5-Gallon 5mil Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers through a dummy persona from an Internet retailer that accepted money orders (OPSEC).  Then, to save money I went to a bunch of grocery stores out-of-town (OPSEC) and basically trash-picked or asked for some food-grade buckets.  When I had a good bucket to Mylar ratio I proceeded to fill my dried stores.

Filling Mylar bags is a simple thing to do.  It’s pretty much a 3-step process:

1. Put bag in bucket and fill with dry goods.
2. Add Oxygen Absorbers.  I use 300 to 500cc absorbers per pound depending on how much “dead air” is left in the bag. For instance ziti leaves more air than rice.
3. Fold the bag over, squeezing all of the air out and run a hot iron across the open end to create a seal.  I usually iron the outermost part of the bag, near the opening, and an extra two inches to create a bigger seal.  By leaving a lot of the bag below the seal you can re-use it.

My dried stores consisted of what you’d expect: Beans, rice, pasta and various grains totaling a paltry five buckets-worth.  To supplement them I proceeded to add cans of various meats like tuna, sardines and the like.  Anything with a shelf life extending out for a few years that I could and would eat over time was collected and stored away.  After a while my secret stash, which was in plain sight, was becoming noticeable (definitely not OPSEC).

It was about then that I read on a blog about how a couple in Manhattan with a considerable shortage of space managed their preparedness needs. 
While I couldn’t follow their example strictly I did learn a lot from it.  Here are three examples of what I did with this wisdom:

1. I made a workbench using stacked buckets for the legs and camouflaged it on three sides with storage shelves. (They had made a kitchen table camouflaged with a table cloth,)
2. I stored food in Mylar bags under (my side) of the bed in those under-the-bed storage containers, surrounding them with out-of-season clothes.
3. Started using 1-gallon Mylar bags to fit a greater variety of items per bucket.

Now it bears note that following number three is a less efficient use of food-space. When you seal the items this way and put them into a bucket there is a lot of dead space between the bags.  What I do with those spaces now is add things like: ammo, toilet paper, water filters/tablets, basic first aid supplies and pretty much anything else I can cram in there.  [JWR Adds: Never include anything on a food container that might exude toxic vapors such as lubricants, paint, Sterno, cans of lighter fluid, hexamine tabs, or Trioxane fuel bars.] So long as I can lift and carry them without straining myself I fill the buckets as much as I can.

Now, instead of having to open a 5-gallon bucket of rice and risk spoilage, I can open smaller amounts as needed and preserve freshness to greater quantities of supplies.  Plus, I have the added benefit of knowing that a single bucket is roughly equal to a full month of a majority of my supplies.  I’ll delve into this momentarily as I know it sounds like a ridiculous estimate.  Just bear with me.

Hiding in plain sight:

Over time my stores grew and my available space was shrinking.  I needed to find a new way to hide my stores in plain sight.  One of the way’s I’ve done this is to put storage buckets next to the items they resemble.  What I mean by this is that I have a bucket with a re-used label stating “Activated Carbon” next to my house’s water filter.  I have a bucket with a manufacturer painted fertilizer label on it among my garden supplies. The variety of things that now require buckets for “organization” in my house is amazing.

All of my buckets have been cleaned and sterilized, and the use of Mylar goes further to ensure the supplies are safe.  Plus, the buckets are among the items they are pretending to be.  This adds a level of camouflage that I otherwise wouldn’t have achieved (OPSEC).  If you think about it, you can find many different ways to not-camouflage your hidden stuff.

Like pulling a rabbit out of a hat:

So now that I have some experience in this, what do I fit in my magical, invisible buckets?  I’m glad you asked.  It takes some creative packing but here’s a typical inventory:

-8 Lbs Rice                                               
-5 Lbs Beans
-5 Lbs Pasta                                               
-5 Lbs TVP (taco, beef or chicken chunk)
-1 cup Sugar                                               
-1 cup Salt
-1 cup Italian Seasoning                       
-100 rounds .22 Long (for small game or ballistic wampum)
-4 Bottles of Water Purification Tablets in a wide mouth quart jug (totals 50 quarts)
-25 each of Chicken and Beef Bullion Cubes (also in the quart jug)
-1 roll of compressed/vacuum sealed toilet paper (cardboard removed)
-50 (ish) compressed/vacuum sealed napkins (can double as kindling after use)
-200 strike anywhere matches in a sealed plastic tube
-2 solar accent lights removed from their stakes
-Whatever first-aid supplies I can get in

Coupled with my jarred stores, garden and chickens (see below), these supplemental items should do just fine.  And if something should go wrong what buckets I may need to bring should I have to evacuate/bug out will still have a solid variety of supplies.

I will touch briefly on canned goods.  We can all agree on the fact that they last a long while and offer up a variety of ways to supplement protein and calories as well as ways to avoid Food Fatigue. 

Food Fatigue is basically getting so sick and tired of eating the same things repeatedly over a long period of time that you slowly starve yourself because you choose not to eat them anymore.  Please feel free to look up a literal definition.

Setting up a rotational stock system should be high on your list.  Canned goods must be stored in such a way that they can be rotated with every purchase.  Optimally you can set up a shelf that lets you put new stuff directly in back and allows you to easily take from the front.

Just imagine that the Schumer has hit the Fan.  You’ve used everything in your refrigerator first and now are going to your stores.  You open up a can of tuna and it just doesn’t smell right.  So you open another… same thing.  As the fear sets in you realize your mistake.  The best way to avoid this is to rotate your stock and stay on top of it. 

Rule of thumb: One in, one out. [Quickly replace everything you use, and use your oldest stocks first.]

Other things you need to keep along with your canned/jarred stores are:

1. Bleach: You can’t beat it for keeping things sanitary, especially if you have a designated area for butchering game.  It can also be used for treating water, but I’m not entirely comfy with that.
2. Vinegar: It’s a great non-chemical cleaner that can be used where food is prepared/consumed.  You’ll also need it for jarring foods, post-SHTF.  Store different types of vinegar.  White for cleaning/jarring, apple cider for poultices or treatment for conditions like Gout.
3. Alcohol:  The drinking kind.  I do not partake often, but if there is any kind of prolonged crisis you may need it for tincturing medicines.  It’s also a great barter item.  Make sure you have vodka and high proof rum.

An old dog learns new tricks:

So to address the obvious shortcomings in my monthly supply estimate, I did after all say it was a rough estimate, I had to learn a few new skills.  Under the guise of boredom (OPSEC) I decided that I wanted to enter the magical world of keeping chickens.  I had to think long and hard about this one.  There are a lot of reasons not to do this.  Among them are:

1. Chicken coops require maintenance.  If you can’t keep up on things you have no place having them, especially when it comes to living creatures.  They may only be chickens, but their still Gods creatures.
2. Space is a factor.  If you have a rooster and your neighbors are as little as an acre away, you won’t be friends for long.
3. Town ordinances.
4. My limited experience with animals of any nature.

If you look on YouTube there are a lot of instructional videos dealing with coop construction.  I strongly recommend watching them.  Also, though my acreage is small I’m surrounded on three sides by state land.  As for town ordinance, the clerk told me that, though illegal, if there were no noise complaints from my nearest neighbor then there weren't any chickens in existence on my property. 

After about six months, I decided that all was well on the chicken keeping front.  The next thing I had to learn was how to jar and can the produce from my ever-expanding garden. 

I firmly believe that it is my duty not just as a Christian, but also as a human being, to give charitably whenever possible.  I have found that a garden can go long ways towards helping others when needs are great.  As unemployment in my area exceeds 15% at the time of typing this, I am finding more and more people within five miles of my home who are in need of food assistance than I ever though I would see.  Having gone to bed hungry many times as a child I find this to be an affront to my very existence.

As such I keep producing as much as possible.  Along with this, I have found that it has become a simple matter to jar foods like pickles, salsa, tomato sauce, chutney and bean salad.  I give my surplus to the food pantry run by my church versus direct giving (OPSEC) and I’ve managed to streamline my process and make better quality stores for myself.  I still have a lot to learn, but I’ve always believed that you learn best by doing.

I’ve now spent the last couple of years secretly creating my cache of supplies.  While doing so I’ve come across a like-minded individual who brought me to my current phase of preparedness: Security and Defense.

I had come to realize that there is a giant hole in all of my preparation.  I did not have the ability to defend it.  I have a fairly decent ability to fight hand-to-hand and with knives.  I honed this ability growing up in a rough neighborhood.  My biggest problem was that I didn’t want to end up being the fool who died because he brought a knife to a gunfight.

To that end I sought to get my pistol permit.  During my journey to permit-hood I met a firearms instructor who, as it turns out, lives not too far from my home.  My gut told me we were kindred.  After my class we got to talking and our belief systems seemed to be in sync.  So I decided to break operational security and divulge my preparedness.  I have not had a single regret about it yet.

My newly discovered partner-in-preparedness is a retired SWAT-experienced police officer.   He has helped several people on the road to “Emergency Security” and has decided to not only teach this to me, but to train with me.  I have been introduced to the world of the “three gun” philosophy and am currently taking steps to hone my skills along with others like me.

A man’s home is his castle:

When it comes to home defense, it’s not enough to just know how to shoot.  I had heard numerous times about “Hardening your home”.  Hardening, in general, is a very simple concept: Don’t make it easy for the bad guys to get in and win.  Use things like thorny plants below but not overgrowing your windows, security system, motion lights etc.  But what about when the Schumer hits the fan?

These basic precautions would likely not be enough to fend of a few hungry people let alone stand up to a full-on assault by looters.  With that in mind I spent a good amount of time walking the perimeter of my property looking for places where my property, as well as my home, could be compromised or used against me.

My property, which borders hundreds of acres of state land, is heavily wooded.  I don’t expect to be set-upon by a fast moving vehicle based force from any of the sides facing forest.  Any approach on foot from these directions would have plenty of cover, but only after traversing 12 acres of swamp on one side, and hundreds of densely forested acres on the others.  I have made good use of a chainsaw and thinned out the woods for a hundred feet in each direction past my property line.  This wood will do a lot of good in my fireplace.

Additionally, I have taken the liberty of re-populating the now thinned areas with low growing vines for ground cover.  These will serve to entangle all but the most dexterous foot thus slowing any approach, and even offering up targets should they get stuck on approach.

With three of four areas of approach taken care of I then needed to contend with my homes three weakest points.

1. My proximity to the road.
2. The gaping hole in my home created by my glass deck doors.
3. The gaping hole in my home created by the Bay Window facing the road.

There isn’t much I can do about how close to the road my home is.  Here are a few solutions I have applied or am in the process of at the time of typing:

1. The digging of a “Water Run-off” ditch along my road frontage will do considerable damage to smaller vehicles.
2. A six-foot privacy fence, using concrete in the pillars running the length of my property.  On the “Yard Side” of the fence, concrete “Planters” with decorative brick facing have been added at intervals that will make it impossible for anything to drive between (should my fence be rammed).  Plus they look nice and are the future home for my medicinal herb garden.
3. My glass doors will be removed when SHTF.  To take their place I have constructed a ballistic and fire resistant blockade that I refer to as “The Portcullis”, though it doesn’t really look like one.

2x8 pressure treated lumber was used to frame out the door opening.  The framing was done in such a way as to allow for the installation of a steel fire door in the center.  The outside of the structure will be closed around the door by screwing plywood to the framing and allowing it to overlap the house by one foot in all directions. 

This plywood is then covered with sheet metal, which when needed for actual use will be coated in barbecue paint.  The whole effect, with the steel fire door installed, is to create a standard door opening that offers protection from nasty things like Molotov cocktails and bullets. 

The additional ballistic protection comes from gravel.   Once the outside of The Portcullis is installed, the inside will go up in sections.  The bottom four feet will be covered with plywood.  At which time gravel, cleverly disguised as additional parking on the side of my driveway (OPSEC), will be used to fill in the space between the outer and inner plywood. 

When I reach the top of the first section, three additional feet will be added in the same manner.  The final foot will be filled this way but with a bit more difficulty as there is little room remaining for the shovels of gravel to be manipulated.

The final product results in excellent ballistic and flame protection.  The same process will be used for the Bay Window with the addition of two gun ports.

The beauty of this assembly is that all of the parts can be stored unassumingly in my basement, shed or anywhere else such things seem ordinary (OPSEC).

It all comes full circle:

As I type this I am still living this secret life.  I have learned how to raise chickens, grow crops, jar and can, purify drinking water, store food, use multiple weapons and harden my home.  I am surveying my land for an area suitable for fuel storage and I have even signed up to take “classes” on battlefield medicine.  But I have yet to re-visit the topic of preparedness with my family.

To an extent I am a coward.  I know how I will react in an emergency.  We’ve had multiple hurricanes and nor’easters. We’ve had a “gas crunch” which saw people fighting on long lines.  I have stared-down armed assailants and fought violently to clear a path through harm’s way. And worse, I have performed CPR on my dying child, and failed, while others either panicked or froze in fear. I know exactly who I am.

I’m just still trying to find out how to be him.  Until then I am shrouded in Operational Security in my own home.  I am “The Secret Prepper”.

Just as I warned SurvivalBlog readers, it appears that the BHO Administration is taking executive action on firearms importation. Take a few minutes to read this: After Senate setback, Obama quietly moving forward with gun regulation. Here is the key portion of the article:

"The Importation of Defense Articles and Defense Services -- U.S. Munitions Import List references executive orders, amends ATF regulations and clarifies Attorney General authority “to designate defense articles and defense services as part of the statutory USML for purposes of permanent import controls,” among other clauses specified in heavy legalese requiring commensurate analysis to identify just what the administration’s intentions are. Among the speculations of what this could enable are concerns that importing and International Traffic in Arms Regulations [ITAR] may go forward to reflect key elements within the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty." [Emphasis added.]

Depending on how it is implemented, the implications of this change could be huge. With the stroke of a pen and without the consent of Congress, ATF bureaucrats could make ANY gun part or accessory (including magazines) or ammunition that were originally manufactured or perhaps even those designed for military use no longer legal for importation for civilian use. That might mean no more milsurp parts sets. No more milsurp magazines. No more milsurp ammo. No more milsurp optics. Perhaps not even spare firing pins. This could be ugly.

I strongly recommend that you stock up on magazines, ammunition and spare parts for any of your imported military pattern guns, as soon as possible! Once an import ban is implemented, prices will skyrocket. Importation of Chinese military guns and ammunition was banned during the Clinton Administration, but importers quickly worked around that, by tapping other sources. But imagine if all of the channels for military surplus are cut off. That mean no more spam cans of any of the Russian calibers, no more battle packs of .223 or .308, and no more affordable AK, HK, FAL, Galil, or SIG magazines.

This may be just the first of several executive actions/orders. There is also the possibility of a blanket ban on the importation of any civilian magazines (Glock, SIG, Beretta, etc.) of more than 10 round capacity, by declaring them "non-sporting." There is a precedent for that, as well, set in 1989. That ban could be grossly widened. And don't look for too much support from American gun makers on this issue. They actually benefit from import bans. They benefited in 1968, when import of most of the milsurp rifles stopped. And they benefited again with the 1989 Import Ban.

Don't dawdle. Be proactive! If you wait until after the door slams shut, then you will be paying two or three times the price. If there is a gun show near you this weekend, then you should be there, with a wad of cash. - J.W.R.

You may be reading this and have not made the decision to get started.  You may be facing some of the same challenges I had or you may have your own.  I want to encourage you to find ways to overcome your obstacles.  Getting started is the biggest step. 

My family and I have always led a very frugal life.  My wife and I both work, and I have a second job as well.  The grocery bill stays under $30 per week through couponing and eating-in.  Money has gone into savings in case of emergency and we finally have a few months saved up.  Any extra at the end of the month is put towards a quickly dwindling mortgage.  The only expense we do not continually try to find new ways to lower is the tithe.

This was our lifestyle before I started ‘hearing’ the news last summer.  I had been reading and listening to the news, but I had not been hearing it (my ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ reference).  I quickly realized I needed more information.  With a Google search I found SurvivalBlog and started reading the main page… then the archives… then looked for other resources.  I promptly realized I needed to stop reading and get started.  I also realized I had two major hurdles before I could even start.

Hurdle number one was my wife’s fears.  Like most people, we were sheeple, making our way through life in the blessed assurance that the security blanket we had been given would always be there to keep us safe and warm.  Fortunately, we communicate about everything (we don’t always see eye to eye, but we do talk).  At first, the news scared her.  She could only handle a few minutes of my questions at a time a couple of days a week.  I just had to slowly feed her information.  I asked questions when making meal plans like, “What would we do if the food we needed for the week was not available at the stores?”  It is 10 months later and I am still asking questions.  She is involved now, but not as much as I would like her to be, or as much as she really needs to be if something happens.   It is an ongoing process, but isn’t everything about getting prepared?

At some point she conceded we had to do something, and trusted me to start.  She was okay with being prepared, but she is still not interested in imagining her life after TSHTF.  She helps by buying more at the store than we need when there are deals on goods with a long shelf life.  She also created storage options under the beds and set up a system to track the expiration dates on these purchases. 

In opposition to some of the advice we see, we do not always buy food we will eat if we still have it in two years from now.  We understand much of it will need to be donated and replaced at that time.  I have asked her to start with an easy goal of accumulating three months worth of food and water at the most economical price possible.   Sometimes this means purchasing things we have coupons for that we would not normally buy.  If TSHTF and I am hungry, am I really going to care that the food available consists of chopped tomatoes instead of Campbell’s soup, or am I just going to be thankful to have something to eat?  After we have three months stocked, I will explain the need for six months to her… or more likely, introduce the idea that we may need to have enough food for any loved ones who are not stocking up as well.

On a slightly out of context note: An unlucky squirrel blew a transformer in the middle of town here a few months ago, causing power to go out throughout the area in the middle of the day.  I attempted to buy from the local Wal-Mart, Publix and Kroger.  None of them would sell me anything because their computers were down.  They had the doors locked.  The stores are dependant on the barcodes to get prices for the products, and their inventory systems communicate with their corporate offices to reorder items.  In addition, they won’t be taking any credit or debit cards without their machines to approve the sales.  I often hear we should get to the grocery stores with our cash as soon as we see there is an issue, but if the power is out due to an EMP or natural disaster, it is probably be too late, even with cash.  Waiting to buy food at the first sign of trouble is not a viable option.

The second hurdle was finances.  As I mentioned, we are both conscious of our money and live a thrifty lifestyle.  Where was the additional money going to come from to buy supplies and additional groceries?  How would I start buying some silver coins?  For me, the answer was in something I had already been doing every week… yard sales.

I had been spending every Saturday morning in search of yard sale stuff already.  All of a sudden my list got longer.  I found two military issued backpacks just back from Afghanistan for less than $10 total.  I bought fishing gear, boots, warm clothing, storage containers, cabinets, five gallon gas cans, propane tanks, knives, two multi-tools, ropes, tarps, a canteen, and a second first aid kit.  Silver jewelry bought for dollars often finds a home in my new safe (also bought at a yard sale).  In addition, www.Craigslist.com is a virtual 24 hour yard sale.  I have picked up all sorts of useful things, from 55 gallon drums to a new firearm, on there.

I also started looking at the stuff at yard sales as a way to make more money I could use to buy other things I needed.  This takes some research and I had to choose a few things I would specialize in.  The pair of silver plated candelabra’s bought for $5 sold at the local coin shop for $35.  A practically new 8-man Tent bought for $10 was sold for $50 on Craigslist.  I have learned to avoid certain things like watches which I can’t authenticate, vinyl albums which I do not know enough about to make money, and old cameras which are a pain to sell.  Selling the items is the hard part and it is work.  It may sound like buying something for $1 and selling it for $5 is a 500% profit, but with the cost of gas I use driving around and the time I need to put into selling things, I typically shoot for larger profits.

A cell phone is an invaluable tool while at a sale.  Want to know how much an item is worth?  Check it out at www.eBay.com before buying it.  Ebay is the ultimate source to find out what an item is worth since it tells you the true value people are willing to pay.  Remember to look at the Sold listings.  Just because an item is actively listed for $50 does not mean it has sold in the past for more than $25.

This work resulted in enough money to start buying the things I could not find locally.  The essentials, such as a solar powered battery charger, a hand-cranked emergency radio and water purifying equipment I still had to get from Amazon.  Ammo still had to come from the store.  A small silver coin collection is financed from the yard sale profits and continues to be added to.  Watch sites such as www.Slickdeals.net for discounts on everything from flashlights to pistols.

You literally never know what you are going to find for sale.  One of my most surprising finds was ten AR-15 thirty round magazines for $1 each.  My advice if you want to give this a try is to get started early, and plan your route.  Craigslist and your local newspaper are good places to look for upcoming sales in your area.  I like to get a list of the ones starting at 7:00 AM or earlier and head that direction first.  I recommend getting there 30 minutes early (unless they specifically request that you do not in their ad).  Most people are setting up and do not mind you looking.  After those, choose a route going by as many populated areas as possible.  You have to get out early because by about 8:00 AM all of the valuable items, such as jewelry and collectibles, are gone.  There are lots of yard sale pickers out there searching for these.

Be prepared when you arrive.  Do you know how to tell gold and silver jewelry from the costume jewelry?  Have you written a list of the main items you are looking for?  If your spouse is not with you, bring a list of items he or she are looking for.  Be prepared to ask for a discount, even if the price being asked for an item is reasonable.  People expect to bargain at yard sales and every dollar saved helps.  More than half of the time they will discount their price for you.

Lastly, ask for anything specific you are looking for, even if you do not see it.  Sometimes people have things in the house or garage they did not consider selling at first, but are willing to part with.  I picked up a five gallon gas can last week just by asking.

I still have a lot more to search for, but I have the essentials and each week I become more prepared than the week before.

Building up a skill set can easily be argued the most critical survival ability available. One skill set often overlooked is bartering. Trading a good or service for another. Looking at tangible items, one recent item everyone has noticed is the new price for ammo and certain rifles. The adage “buy low sell high” still applies if you can do so and still maintain your own needed stock.

About four and a half years ago AR-15s were roughly the same inflated cost as today (after BHO was elected), there was a massive panic and parts were scarce. It took four months to get a muzzle brake that I ordered two month prior to the election! At the time I had what I wanted, but no extras. I stayed out of the buying panic and saved. Fast forward six months later, and AR lowers and uppers had dropped to $60 per piece. I bought two of each at that price. Barrels with gas tubes and blocks were around $125, stocks and Lower parts kits around $60. Two complete bolt carrier groups were bought at a local gun show for $110 each. Gradually I built two complete AR-15s as I could afford to. Over the next three year, 5.56mm ammo could be found for $4-$5 per 20 round box at Cabela's and other stores. Again I bought when I had a few extra dollars, not going into debt but taking a bargain when I find it. I filled up my ammo locker plus ammo cans over those plentiful years. Not hoarding, no one else was buying at that time I was just stocking up when it was inexpensive.

Spent on building each AR:

$60 lower
$50 upper
$125 barrel, gas block, handguard and accessories.
$60 Lower Parts Kit
$50 stock
$110 bolt carrier
$10 charging handle

Today history repeats and those two AR-15s I built for $500-$600 dollars sold for $1,100-$1,300. People were glad to find them at that price and I had many potential buyers. Ammo sold for $20 a box and again I had to turn people away. This allowed me to buy a .50 BMG rifle and 100 rounds of ammo plus solar panels and equipment. I do not view this as taking advantage of anyone, they may find that the rifles are worth double in a year or less. Personally I use a gun forum for selling firearms. If you plan to as well please post that you will follow all applicable  laws on your classified ad and if you want to reduce questionable or shady buyers mention transfer at an FFL. I had many cash offers who backed out when I mentioned meeting at a FFL. For the sale met there but we used a local electronic form with checked Licenses/background checks.

The "no background check" media slant is a total fallacy in my state. We pay the $100 license, classes and background checks prior to even getting a license much less a purchase. At the time of purchase the Electronic form is also checked immediately (when it works). Yet the media still proclaims we have no background checks for private sales.

Another interesting point building and selling these AR-15s. I had three for sale, two low-end  ARs built from generic parts and one higher end with better manufactures, better parts, more bells and whistles. The lower end ARs sold, the better built AR has still not sold. It cost $1,000 to build but for not sell for $400 more. The $500-600 ar sold for over twice what I paid. Lesson learned, buy decent quantity cheap and have multiples rather than one or two higher end rifles. One buyer of the cheaper AR-15s stated he was going to replace all the hardware with Magpul items. They would not pay more for parts they were going to replace anyway. They wanted a basic AR now.

Scopes can cost as much or more then the rifles in many cases. It is hard to justify $400-$1,500 on a quality trusted brand scope without personally testing each option. Should I buy a holographic unmagnified or magnified? Backup sights? Carry handle? Fixed sights? What magnification? Too many options not enough money. Just to test out options I pick up various clones on eBay for 1/10th the price. Some are well made, some are junk. But I can then find out what I like and the pros and cons of each prior to investing in a good scope. Plus when I sell a rifle I will throw a cheap scope in clearly advertised as a clone.

If the gun market crashes again in the near future I will again take part in a group buy on my gun forum for AR parts and restock. For ammo I will also refill my cabinet, again these are tangibles which reduce the effects on everyone of panic buying. Both have done much better then my 401(k) and my property value. If it was a true emergency or SHTF event I can only imagine what they would be worth. Another buy low option in my toolbox has been group buys. I ran one for my gun forum, I saved 10% on my upper and helped out many like minded individuals. Karma was returned as another member helped me buy bulk ammo. To repeat, I have never hoarded during a panic I had my larder of ammo and sold off some to reduce to panic not increase it.

Also on a buy low, sell high note: Craigslist has many free listings in the fall for summer items. Pools, lawn tractors, gardening equipment, summer items. Same for winter items such as a snowblower, snow shovel in the spring. Take these items if you get a chance and have space. you have 3-6 months to repair these and then resell in when they are in season. Buy low (better yet obtain free) and sell high. Plus you gain repair skills, worst case you scrap it for money to buy.... tangibles!

I have used Craigslist three ways each with its benefits and drawbacks.

1. Search Free stuff listings. Free stuff has a list for multiple items and it displays everything even if it is misspelled (e.g. snow blower versus nsow blower) Disadvantage: You have to catch it quick and be nearby. Many people list at and put it out or give it to the first person to respond. If it is a distance away there is a decent chance it is not worth the time or gas to respond.
2. Search for what you want. Advantage: You find only what you are looking for and narrow the list down easily. Disadvantage: Many items are long gone and if anything in someone’s listing does not match your search it will not hit. This can be a misspelling or different description. Think fuel can vs gas can vs fuel storage container vs... an infinite number. If you do see what you want ask about it, sometimes people are looking to make space and not have to pay for disposal.
3. Post an add (preferably multiple ads) for what you are looking for. Advantage: Better chance of finding exactly what you want. Disadvantage: Dealing with many emails from every person with computer access. People will flag your listing for no reason other then they want the same thing.  You can work around this with multiple ads using different wording, get creative. The person flagging your ad will likely not find all your other ads. You will receive many,many emails from people who do not read all the details in your add or are tire kickers.

On a related "buy low" note: BUY SOLAR PANELS NOW! China flooded the market and undercut the prices driving everyone else out of the business. Then China bought all the US and European equipment in the past three years. China did this with the rare earths and then raised the prices from $4-5 per pound to $150-200 per pound. If history repeats (which is always does) with PV solar as it has with many other areas we are due for a massive price increase soon. The former solar manufacturers are protesting but we have already been “informed” by the MSM that the proposed import taxes only hurt the solar installation companies in those countries. Which is a two faced truth, it does now that China has shut down local production.

“Local production” in Germany and the US were factories in massive aircraft hangers with high volume setups, state of the art setups and robotics very efficient and well planned out. These were not a local machine shop or Mom and Pop shop getting squeezed out.

I visited one such factory in Germany during training for a  machine transfer to the US for use outside of solar. I went out to lunch with one of the scientists and and engineers who were about to be laid off. Sad to say they saw no reason for anyone to own a gun even with their own country’s history. I almost mentioned my 85 year old German Aunt, who is Jewish, her family fled the Nazis when they came for her dad. Her dad was a German Judge at the time, fortunately her mom told the young officer to come back at a respectable hour and he left. They fled that night, if her mother had not talked the officer out of the arrest they would have had no way to stop them. What kept me from going that route was their talk of the greatness of BHO and how we was fixing all our problems. This while talking to educated individuals who were being laid off en masse because of the same politics and spending. I knew a lost cause when I saw one. Sad it is a beautiful country with excellent beer, wine and very nice people. Too much Kool aid drinking though.

The USA can only survive for so long as a retailer, not manufacturing much of anything even food is imported from China. Many lathes, tools and mills can be found cheaply now with factories still shutting down. Get the tools and develop the skills, they will be needed. Most AR/AK/FAL gun replacement parts can be made and heat-treated with basic machine shop knowledge. Do your homework for what is legal to make and what is not prior to any projects. Getting these machines is rarely free, if you have extra from selling an AR and or ammo it helps.If you can barter now for a used machine and learn on it. You gain multiple skills and tangible goods for trade. The clock is ticking... Make it count.

It was quite a shocker when I couldn’t get my husband’s heart medication prescriptions filled in January.  After numerous phone calls to our pharmaceutical insurer, I finally found someone who assessed and fixed the problem, but it took over 6 weeks to get his prescriptions filled.  (Fortunately, I had stocked up last year, so he wasn’t completely out of his medications.  Stocking up was not intentional.  The insurer accidentally sent twice the amount requested and when I called to let them know, they said not to worry about it and they would stop the auto-refill feature).  As to why my husband’s prescriptions could not be filled, the customer care representative said something about a “glitch” in the system.  At least, that is how it was explained to me.  How one customer care representative described it – “…all Medicare eligible persons are being switched over to a Medicare type plan and your husband’s record did not make it into the new database”.  The net effect was that it appeared he didn’t have any drug insurance coverage.  The problem was “fixed”, but the costs skyrocketed.  

Hey, wait a minute, we have private drug insurance through my husband’s previous employer – he is now retired.  We didn’t sign up for Medicare Part D because we didn’t need it.  We already had good insurance.  How can they switch you over like that without your knowledge or permission?  ObamaCare, that’s how.  The out of pocket costs for his prescriptions is now more than 10 times what they were the last year (i.e., $10 co-pay versus a $100 co-pay per prescription + a deductible that quadrupled and an out of pocket cap that doubled).  And this happened with no warning.  Our budget is fairly tight each month, so it was a budget shocker too.  I scrambled to rob Peter to pay Paul to get the medications he needed, but I was angry.  I thought of all the seniors who are less fortunate than ourselves.  How would they pay for their medications?  And how in the world can anyone stock up on medications for TEOTWAWKI?

This article provided some information about skyrocketing drug costs and the changes being made in Medicare right now under ObamaCare.  (Listen up people, the sequester and the Republicans have nothing to do with this, as Mr. O declares.  These changes are a direct result of ObamaCare.)  The title, Medicare drug costs to fall in 2014, but donut hole widens, is a bit misleading.  Costs are up for 2013, so don’t believe they are going down in 2014.  Here’s a quote from the article:

“Seniors fall into the "donut hole" when spending on drugs (the combination of what the individual and the insurance company spend) reaches a predetermined threshold.  This year, the number is $2,970; after that point, the senior pays 50 percent (a new change this year from the Affordable Care Act) of brand-name drug costs, until individual spending exceeds $4,750...

But for 2014, the CMS has proposed that beneficiaries enter the hole when combined spending reaches $2,850 - $120 less than in 2013.  That means seniors would start paying more out-of-pocket at a lower level of spending.  That will surprise seniors, since one of the key touted benefits of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law is the gradual closing of the donut hole entirely between now and 2020.”

Can you make it until 2020 for things to improve?  There’s a lot of double talk put out by the federal government on how costs are going to be lowered for seniors.  I’m not seeing it.  Neither are my friends and family.  Our cost spike was a result of being forced from a private plan into a Medicare plan.  However, my parents have both Medicare and a private plan and experienced huge increases when they went to refill their prescriptions in January this year.  Something’s fishy, right?
I shared my story with a few friends, and they had also experienced the “sticker shock” and this includes people who are not Medicare eligible.  I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not going to put up with it.  I have choice (ah, so American of me, right?).  I started my quest to find an alternative source for medications.  Something I had never thought of before.  I recall my sister mentioning to me that her doctor at a major medical university had prescribed her a drug that was not FDA approved and gave her the link to a Canadian pharmacy.  I researched Canadian pharmacies and there appears to be a lot of confusion about them.  Is it legal for a US citizen to purchase medications from a Canadian pharmacy?  Some say yes, some say no.  I went to the source, the FDA, and read their policies.  It appears that for personal use and in small quantities (30-90 days), the FDA may “look the other way” when US citizens “import” Canadian pharmaceuticals.  The trick is finding a legitimate online pharmacy and protecting yourself against identity theft by purchasing from an legitimate source.  There exists policy only and I have not found a federal law on the books that prohibits US citizens from purchasing pharmaceuticals for personal use from Canada.  (Maybe that will be made a law as the vast ObamaCare bill is slowly morphing into legislation.)

Just a quick note:  If you travel overseas and are able to purchase your drugs there, make sure you dump the pills into existing pill containers (that you have taken with you) that are labeled by a US pharmacy; trash your receipts and new pill bottles prior to traveling home, just in case a customs agent decides to hassle you upon re-entry.  You never know how far the federal government will go in forcing people into paying into the ObamaCare system.  Without your dollars, the system will fail and they know that.

There is an organization, RxRights.org, which is fighting to retain the right to purchase prescription drugs from overseas.  God bless them.  They wrote an article that described the FDA’s new campaign to warn citizens away from purchasing drugs from outside the United States.  The FDA’s web site for the campaign (BeSafeRx: Know Your Online Pharmacy) can be found here. Key points from the FDA: Know the Risks, Know the Signs, and Know your Online Pharmacy.  (The very fact that the FDA is counseling citizens about safely buying outside the US, is permission enough for me.)  However, RxRights.org depicts the FDA’s campaign as being misleading by scaring people away from online pharmacies. RxRights.org stated that “…a recent Consumer Reports survey indicated that nearly half of those under age 65 without prescription drug coverage neglected to fill a prescription due to cost in 2012.  As Americans struggling to survive in this economy seek ways to save money, scare tactics are not what they need”.  And yes, there are many rogue Internet pharmacies out there, so BE CAREFUL, but don’t be deterred.  I am going to use the pharmacy that my sister’s doctor recommended.  

We have a close relationship with our family doctor.  Something I didn’t really care about a few years ago, but major health changes in our family forced us into regular doctor visits.  Now, I see this relationship as critical as we all work our way through what ObamaCare has done to destroy healthcare in America.  Our family doctor also practices what I call “Chinese medicine” in addition to traditional medicine, which is an indication to me that she is open minded.  She also listens and she cares.  When my husband’s insurance changed to Medicare primary, she continued to see him.  Many doctors are stating that they are “not taking new patients”, but that’s a response you will most likely get after you answer the question, “What is your insurance?”  It’s the first question asked, when you call to make an appointment now.  My next step is to call her for a new prescription and I will ask her for a couple of copies and explain that I am going to “shop pharmacies” due to the increase in drug costs.  I don’t think she will complain, but we’ll see.  This where your relationship with your doctor counts.  

I called my sister and she explained that getting her drugs from the Canadian pharmacy was fairly straightforward.  First, she had to call them.  Secondly, she had to fax her prescriptions to them.  Once she paid (they take Visa and Mastercard), her medications were shipped to her with no problems.  I have high confidence that her recent positive experience will be the same for us.  We are forced in this direction because the Affordable HealthCare Act is not affordable and the government takeover of private insurance plans is an outrage.  Once accomplished, I am hoping to be able use several online reputable pharmacies for stocking up purposes.  Expensive as it may be, I can still refill his prescriptions through our insurer, (and oh by the way – your insurer has become Big Brother too.  If you don’t refill your prescriptions in a timely manner, they not only will send you a letter or call you on the phone, they will alert your doctor as well.  Maybe they instituted that practice under the guise of “we care”, but I think more likely it’s about “we want your money”.)  My plan is to use the insurer despite the cost, and also use the online pharmacies for stocking up.  I can do this because I can.  If you can’t, get what you need any way you can.

2013 started out with increased taxes, higher healthcare premiums, higher food prices, higher gas prices, higher utility bills, and a huge increase in drug costs.  Inflation is here as forecasted.  Family budgets were slaughtered.  Not a good start.  I hope this helps others in finding a reputable online pharmacy, understanding the process, and understanding the risks in preparing for TEOTWAWKI.  

Everyone has their own unique story why they became a prepper. Mine began five years ago when my husband started ranting about the worsening economic situation in the country. I was only listening with half an ear. Sure, I noticed that food prices were creeping up with every shopping trip, and that it was getting more expensive to fill up my car every week, but didn’t that happen every year due to inflation? Why was my husband so upset about this?
Although, we started discussing world events and politics more often, I still did not understand why he was so worried. It almost felt like panic, which was a bit worrisome. Talking to me was obviously not the best way to wake me up. He began forwarding me some of the articles that influenced his thinking. They illustrated what was going wrong with the U.S. economy, the government, and the world in general. The latest White House policies only seemed to make the current situation worse. There was a lot of talk and little action. It is needless to say that I was shocked.

It was a rude awakening. The future was not as safe and secure as our leaders had made us to believe. Now, I was in a state of panic, and the only way I could alleviate some of the stress was by becoming more informed, and working feverishly on organizing food reserves.  
I have learned a lot since. Going through every beginner’s growing pains taught me to be persistent. I kept reminding myself that Rome was not built in a day either. My biggest challenge was to keep my head leveled and avoid panic attacks every time the government made another bad decision. Not all my apprehension was political. I worried about another drought, the discouraging news of the world’s dwindling food reserves, as well as the threat of war. Did you know that solar flares from the massive sunspot identified as AR1654 are closing in on earth? Scientists say that if Earth gets a direct hit from a major solar flare, the damage could be enormous. Our country’s electric grid could be damaged severely, and it could take years to recover. Those are not the only things I was worried about. There is more, such as the following:

• The UN warns us of a looming worldwide food crisis in 2013.
• The global grain reserves have hit critically low levels.
• Unreliable weather patterns around the world caused many crops to fail for several years in a row.
• Harvests in the U.S., Ukraine, and other countries around the world have eroded due to record heat waves and droughts.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the combined inventories of wheat, corn, soybeans, and rice will drop 1.8 percent to a four-year low in 2013.
• Corn is being used for ethanol production, driving the price up for livestock producers, food manufacturers, and consumers.
• Our farmland is depleted – chemicals do not offer the nutrition the land needs to produce healthy, tasty foods.
• We produce less than what we are consuming.

The ominous global food crisis and the rising prices threaten to cause a lot of unrest. They were a great incentive for me to stock up far more than the recommended three-week survival reserve everyone was talking about. I also found that buying now would save me more money than putting it in a savings account. I do not need statistics – which are often tweaked to look better – to tell me that my dollar has been shrinking over the years. That can of beans I bought on sale for 50 cents two years ago now costs twice as much. Where is this going to end?
The Why
There are times when I wonder when all these preparations will be useful. Many possible scenarios go through my head. We are most certainly going to face an economic meltdown, and if the droughts continue, people will starve. Even if, by miracle, this does not happen, it is still necessary to prepare because we are nearing retirement age. Will we still be able to achieve those “Golden Years” we had hoped for?  I have my doubts. In case you are wondering about some of the other reasons why I became a prepper, here are some examples:

• Diminishing Social Security funds - Although we, the people, will never be told the whole truth, there are enough rumors going around that we can figure out that the country’s social security account is depleted. It is not likely that there will be money left by the time we, the Baby Boomers, retire. In fact, will we ever be able to hang up our hat? The official retirement age will continue to rise, despite all our young people feverishly looking for work. Due to fiscal mismanagement by local governments, property taxes will skyrocket, and it is doubtful that we can keep the home we worked for our entire life. Without supplementing our pension – if we’ll get one – we may need to go live in tent city.
• Natural Disasters - Have you noticed that the weather patterns are changing? They have become unpredictable, causing a tremendous amount of natural disasters. Where are FEMA, the Red Cross, and other aid organizations during disastrous catastrophes? Their relief efforts are probably focused on Africa or some other poor country far away. I have the impression that foreign aid is more important to them than what happens under our country’s own roof? Do not count on your government for help. I am not making this up. Just ask all those devastated Sandy storm victims who had to wait because New York’s authorities took their sweet time deciding how to spend relief aid funds. There was no need to hurry, as they were not the ones without food, water, shelter, and electricity. Do you want to take your chances? I don’t.
• Hyperinflation – The American dollar is soon going to be useless. Printing money as if there is no tomorrow makes it much tougher for the U.S. to import the necessities we need to keep our citizens content. Fuel and food prices have nearly doubled in the last two years. That trend is not likely to end soon. We are still able to buy most of what we need at the store to live comfortably, but be honest, how much longer is that going to last? Add all the recent and upcoming tax increases and high health care costs forced upon us by Obama Care, and it is not difficult to predict the future.
• Agenda 21 - The dangers do not only lurk at home. Be aware of fanatical outside influences. They are steadily closing in. According to Wikipedia, Agenda 21 is a non-binding, voluntarily implemented action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development. Take a closer look, and you will realize that this plan is actually a blueprint for depopulation. It gives total control to the world authorities, all under the slogan of saving the environment. I do not think I will ever be ready to be enslaved, no matter how many Agendas they come up with. FYI, there is more than one.
• The possibility of war – Countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Israel, and Egypt are constantly in the news. China is getting more powerful and ready to become the world’s leader. They are up to something, otherwise why are they buying food and other essentials when they have plenty? I grew up in Europe and heard many war stories from my parents and grandparents. Is history going to repeat itself just on a different continent?

The How
It is amazing all the things you learn when paying attention to the news. Instead of turning the radio to my favorite music station, I started to listen to talk radio. I did not care for every topic that was discussed, but at least I got the news that was conveniently missed or spun by the mainstream media. Survival blog sites were also quite helpful. They pointed out things I should focus on besides amassing food for us and our animals. Here are some of the things that every new female prepper or survivalist, in my opinion, should do:

• Start a garden
• Learn how to manage without electricity
• Explore alternative cooking methods
• Learn new trade skills, such as sewing
• Turn hobbies into practical applications
• Raise chickens, ducks, goats, and rabbits
• Grow supplementary food, like fodder, for the animals
• Experiment with dehydrated and freeze dried foods
• Reduce your debt
• Take self-defense  and First Aid classes
• Buy a gun and learn how to use it
• Start paying with cash
• Purchase precious metals
• Learn barter techniques
• Keep a diary of your failures and accomplishments
• Buy books or print survival guidelines now in case electronics stop working
• Practice what you preach

I insisted on having a wood stove installed in the house as a back-up heat and cooking source. My husband built a hoop house to prolong our growing season. We began raising chickens, ducks, and rabbits. It was time for me to improve my skills before the SHTF. Working out all the kinks now would make life more sustainable when it really matters.
The Details
I am an average woman with a simple life and ordinary skills. I had never pictured myself as a prepper or survivalist. All I ever wanted was a peacefully, enjoyable life. I had many wonderful, carefree years, and that keeps me going. At least I had them, which is something many young men and women will not be able to say when they reach my age. Many thoughts go through my head every day, whether it is consciously or subconsciously. They include some of the following:

• How to pay the mortgage down as fast as I can
• The need to learn basic medical skills and buying more supplies
• Ordering more dehydrated and free-dried foods
• How to implement these specialty foods in my cooking
• Learn more food preservation methods
• Bring variety in a simple diet when food supplies get scarce
• Improve my gardening skills and collect my own seeds
• Expand our livestock
• Buying essentials, like salt and soap, that can be used for bartering
• Learning more survival skills and practice them
• Switching to leisure activities that do not involve electronics
• Eating better to live healthier and improve strength
• Implementing alternate energy sources
• Getting more familiar with my gun
• Improving my shooting skills
• Always read between the lines during newscasts
• Develop a support network with like-minded people
• Always keep an open mind

I work on these goals every day. By doing so, my husband and I are cultivating a self-sustainable lifestyle. We are a team. He has his responsibilities and I have mine. Regardless what the authorities say about gender equality; there are limits. Yes, I am all for equal pay when doing the same job, but nobody can ever change the fact that, in general, women have a uterus, are destined to bear children, and have the urge to nurture.
Conclusion
Be persistent if you want to convince your wife or girlfriend to jump on the survival bandwagon. Do not talk about situations that are difficult to relate to; EMP blasts, revolutions, gun and food confiscation by the government, or any other unimaginable disaster situation. Confrontation is not the way to convince a female, at least not when it comes to such serious matters. Keep it simple by pointing out natural disasters that have been in the news lately. Ask her how she believes she would survive if a hurricane, tsunami, tornado, or ice storm would hit her neighborhood. How would she be able to care for her children when the stores are empty and the banks closed? What would she do if there was no power for two weeks or more?
Talking alone about the looming crisis is not going to do the trick. Confront her with proof, and ask her to participate in a simple training exercise. Turn of the electricity for an entire day, or ask her not to go grocery shopping for a week. She will soon realize that surviving without modern conveniences can be extremely tough. Point out facts, but do not go overboard. Pushing too hard can have an adverse reaction.
I was never really a girly-girl. For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in world politics, science, and how to improve myself. I am glad that I am aware of what goes on around me. However, I also envy those women booking appointments at the beauty parlor or spending hours at the mall to find that perfect dress or pair of pumps. It is probably not true that they have no care in the world, but that is how it seems to me. Would I want to trade? Absolutely not, because I will at least have a chance to survive if or when disaster strikes.

I’m older than you are. I’m female. Wanted to get that out of the way early, so you can decide whether to keep reading or not.
I assume you’re new to being prepared. Long-time survivalists wouldn’t want to read an article titled “start.” But you do. You’re interested in the subject of preparation, but you’re also a little overwhelmed by what you’re seeing on survival sites. You don’t think you can do all that stuff.

The fact is, you probably can’t. You’re a bank teller, not a former Marine. You’re alone, not affiliated with 30 like-minded survivalists. I’ve read all the warnings that I “can’t do it alone.” Maybe I can’t, but my situation today is if I don’t do it alone I might as well go rock in that chair. I am doing it alone, but with the idea that if any of my family or elderly neighbors need a place to go, I’ll be ready for them.

Of all the people I know personally, none are preparers. Since you want to be one, you’re already prepared more than most. You didn’t realize that any experience you’ve had with “hard” living (homelessness, unemployment, any abuse situation) would one day be useful to you. You’re already a survivor. You can do this.

It’s probably a good idea up front to tell you “one day at a time.” That means starting with today and what you can do with it and letting God show you what to do tomorrow. The most productive time you will ever spend will be while investigating the fact that Jesus Christ is the only reason we’re all here. A good start would be reading John in the New Testament. The John that comes after Luke.

Two more useful slogans for beginning preparers and alcoholics are “first things first” and “keep it simple.”

First get notebook paper and a good pen then simply stare into space while you think of what you really wished you had the day the power went out, the gas station closed, and the grocery store was just an empty building. I’m laughing here. I used to smoke. I’d have wanted a cigarette.

Write down what first came into your mind. Let the thoughts continue to flow from your mind, down your arm, through the pen. Nothing you write down is stupid. Your list will tell you who you are. Keep writing. When your words trail off, you can stop. Put the list down and pet the kitty. Look out the window. If you’re at work, put the list away until you get home. Once home, put the list down, pet the kitty and look out the window.

On my list I first wrote toilet paper, coffee, water. My priorities were a little skewed, but that’s what I wrote. Gather clean paper and begin a neater list from your free-form list. Pay special attention to what interests you most. This will probably turn into your area of study and expertise. Make this list neat, but be aware that you’ll make many more and much neater lists as time goes on. I finally have my needs and desires for preparation neatly hand-lettered on 3 x 5 cards.  When I acquire something on my list, I color it with a yellow marker. That’s how I do it. You do not have to do that. Develop the list that works for you.  If you can keep track of it all in little columns in your head, wow, go for it.

After I reworked my free-form list, I put the water first, then the toilet paper, then the coffee. About that time I decided I needed separate categories. I now have cards marked Medicinal, Paper/Cloth Goods, Metal Goods, Tools, Lights/Fire, and Food/Water. I see I need one labeled Play. I’ll do that this afternoon.

Let’s take Metal Goods and work through some of what is on my list. My weapons are there. I inherited the 16 gauge, 12 gauge, .22 pump and WWII bayonet. I bought the .32 revolver because I fell in love with it. A great challenge these days is locating and affording ammunition. Not a problem with the bayonet, but I really don’t want people with evil intent that close to me. If talk of arming yourself is alarming, you are allowed to put off thinking about it. We’re prioritizing. Your priority is not self-defense. Your strength lies somewhere else.

Maybe you’re an inventive cook. If everything goes kersplat, survivors will eventually wish for inventive cooks. Your skill could be in high demand. You could trade grub-worm gumbo for personal security.

Now think about the Medicinal list. If you take a prescribed medicine, stocking some extra is a first-level priority. Maybe explain to your doctor that you’re building a “blackout” supply. Except for the ones caused by alcohol and pill consumption or medical issues, we don’t have blackouts down here in the lower south. We’d tell the doctor the extra prescription was for a hurricane “power outage.”

Time to talk about keeping one’s mouth shut. This is a required quality in serious survivalists. In a long-term worse-case situation, being an amateur, and thus a blabbermouth, can get you and yours dead. Practice keeping secrets. Don’t write that down.

Since, except for the metal roofing, I built a house once, I have carpentry experience.  For fun I build sheds and animal pens   To save myself personal aggravation and what little hearing I have left, I only work with hand tools. In what looks like a hardship, I have the advantage. When the power goes out, I won’t grieve over the loss of my tools or have to build up a different set of muscles.
   
My most-used tools are a Stanley 15-inch small-tooth saw, a WorkForce hammer, and a Stanley hammer. Didn’t cost much, but I’ve used them for years. If you take time to choose tools that fit you and please you, you’ll use them for years, too. If you don’t own any, I suggest you first purchase a handsaw, a hammer, pliers, and wire-cutters. Over time you’ll learn what else you need.
    
For you to get a handle on all the “I can’t do its” pouring into your mind right now, calmly think about yourself and your skills. What do you do now that could translate into back-to-the-land style living? Do you have a knack with indoor and patio plants? You’ll make a fine gardener. Do you visit or help care for your handicapped or elderly relatives? You’ll make a fine counselor and emergency nurse. Do you volunteer at the animal shelter? You’ll make a fine shepherd.
    
When you were in Scouts, did you learn to make a Dakota Hole for cooking and heating? … No? … A Dakota Hole is a hole dug in the ground with a vent dug off one end. Complete directions abound on the internet, but the gist is once you’ve dug a 2 x 2-foot-or-so hole, you lie on your stomach and dig a “cave” (I use a spoon) at and parallel to the bottom of the hole as far as you can reach. Then you get up and find where you think the cave (aka vent) ended underneath you and dig down to meet it, all the while pulling dirt out like a terrier.
     
Build a fire down in the pit. Use a grate over the hole for steaks, pots and pans. Or lower a covered Dutch oven onto and down into the coals, cover the oven with foil, then bury the whole shebang with dirt. You can fill the hole entirely if you’re so inclined. If you’re cold, pull your sleeping bag over the mound and take a nap. If you need a third reason to spend time digging a large hole, consider that the only enemies who might see the flames of your fire will be flying overhead.

In a worse-case scene with armed nuts shooting at everything, you do not want to give away your location. Liberal use of flashlights is for the early minutes after the crisis when you and your children are getting accustomed to the dark. And by the way, if you’ve hunkered down near the python-riddled Everglades, I suggest you use the lights to find a way out of there.

My store of matches, lighters, LED palm-size flashlights and solar flashlights is not large enough yet for my feelings, but week-by-week I work at it. One valuable find is a 7-inch solar-with-battery-backup flashlight. You can charge the solar part right there under the lamp you’re writing your list under. If you want one, see HybridLight.com or go get one for about $13 at Wal-Mart.

The Paper/Cloth category is of course where I list toilet paper. I intend to store enough for trading. Also in that soft-goods group are cheesecloth, bed coverings, tents, clothes/coats/rain gear, shoes, boots, socks, towels, tarps, and drop-cloths.  I go overboard on socks. If you do as I do and lay in more toilet paper and socks than you can use in a lifetime, after the apocalypse you will be a wealthy person.

Food/Water is a first-rate category card. I left it for last so it wouldn’t get lost in the crowd. I don’t think I have to explain why. This is the category where I spend the most time thinking, planning, and doing.  I can’t afford a case of MREs, but after dining on several after Hurricane Katrina, I surely would like to.

Dehydrating foodstuffs is easy, cheap and fun.  Carrots, onions, peppers, and yellow squash are good practice produce and put all together can make a nice soup.

My dehydrating technique is low tech. If it wasn’t so humid here, I’d use the even lower-tech sun. As it is, I turn my gas oven on as low as it will go, put the chopped carrots (I cook mine a little) on a cookie sheet and into the oven, prop the door open with a spoon, turn on the inside light and go away for several hours. When I remember, I go stir the carrots. They’re ready when they rattle when I shake the cookie sheet. Three pounds of raw carrots make about a half cup of dried ones.

By reading this far, I imagine you’ve picked up on the state of my budget. Knowing a fixed-income person is building a store for harder times should be the best kind of news for you. If I can do it, you certainly can.

If you aren’t preparing now, but are encouraged to begin, here are starter suggestions I wrote for my grown son (who will make a weird face and ignore them).

Every payday, buy a small silver coin. Save it. (Pawn shops usually have them.)

Every payday buy an extra can of food you like. Save it.

Every payday buy an extra of something you need often or wouldn’t want to do without. Save it.

If you don’t cheat, in one year (with twice-a-month paydays) you will have 72 survival items stashed in the armoire you bought for storing your survival goods.

If you live on the 16th floor of an apartment building, you might want to store most of your things in the trunk of your always-half-full-of-gas vehicle or with your beloved non-snoopy country grandmother.  If you don’t have a car or a nice grandmother, consider renting an out-in-the-boonies storage unit.

The best-case apocalyptic scene for a car-less city-dweller will be that a day before things fall apart forever, you rent a vehicle with a trailer attached, drive to your rental unit, load your supplies and head where, very, very early on, you planned to go.

One caution here:  survival preparation can become an obsession. Obsessions make you blind. Obsessions remove people from your life. Obsessions make you talk too much.

So go at preparation gently. You have time.

Jim,
While perusing the Costco web site, I noted that Costco is now stocking "Preparedness Storage Non-GMO Garden Seeds" -- and they're non-hybridized, which makes them good for saving seed in a true survival situation. The bucket contains 24 varieties of seeds, including the "usual suspects" like corn, peas, tomatoes, and carrots as well as some more unusual plants like eggplant, swiss chard, cabbage and kohlrabi.

Just finding it interesting that it seems like prepping has gone totally mainstream, and that Costco is leading the charge!

Best, - S.J.

JWR Replies: In my Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course, I describe in detail how Big Box stores like COSTCO and Sam's Club can be used to stock up at the 11th hour. It is good to hear that they have recently stocking heirloom seeds. Up until now, they've been a specialty item.

Jim,
I just noticed while in COSTCO today that they have 6 gallon buckets of freeze dried food on offer. For $99, you get a one-month supply of 2100 calories a day, enough for one adult. I wonder how many people caught in the megastorm that hammered the East Coast recently had any food stored in, and how difficult it was for most folks to get provisions before the stores were stripped bare?  Just another reason to keep something one hand. For more variety, though, folks should really consider storing other stuff, as taught in your Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course. - S.J.

This blog has endless resources for researching the needs and goals of a person preparing for an anticipated event.  Whether that event is unemployment, extended backpacking, or a SHTF scenario, you are likely to develop a “to-do list” for that event.   These lists might be compiled on loose paper, on a computer, or lodged in your brain.  Most of us make lists in one form or another since they are invaluable for organization.   While a “to-do list” is convenient for simple events such as going to the grocery store, they tend to be detrimental to a project such as “prepping”.  The purpose of this article is to show you how to begin thinking differently about your lists, organization, and prioritizing.

I am a Civil Engineer by training and occupation.  Engineering jokes aside, one of the practical strengths I bring to everyday life is project management and of course, “to-do lists”.  Oh boy, there are lists… I have lists for my vehicle maintenance, hobbies, vacations, and of course for preparedness.   Over time, I tried shortening and compiling these lists into one master list.  Bad move.  This massive list became overwhelming and I found myself scratching my head as where to prioritize.  I even found myself wondering how some items got on my list. 

The problem with a typical “to-do list” is the list itself!  How do you prioritize lists?  How do you ensure that you really should do the activities, or buy the items on the list?  Where do you begin working, and where do you allocate your valuable resources, whether that be time, money or labor?  As personal resources tighten, a methodical approach to prioritizing your lists becomes more important, and allocation strategies are likely to change.  For example, someone that works long hours is unlikely to have a surplus of time as a resource.  A single parent may not have extra time or a surplus of money.  For efficiency and practicality, priorities and a game plan must somehow be assigned.

Instead of developing endless lists that have no definite priorities, purpose, or urgencies associated with them, a better idea is to incorporate a strategy called Value Engineering.  Value Engineering (VE) is defined as “an organized effort directed at analyzing the function of goods and services for the purpose of achieving basic functions at the lowest overall cost, consistent with achieving essential characteristics”.   To simplify, you must think of your list items in terms of function, not simply items on a list. 

VE is a professional engineering focus that would require textbooks and coursework to completely cover, so in the space of this article I will condense basic VE lessons that will assist us in prioritizing our lists.  By the end of this article, you will have a new creative skill set you can apply to any project.  The 5 general steps in an organized VE approach are as follows, and explained below:

• Step 1 - Information Phase
• Step 2 - Function Identification and Analysis Phase (FAST Diagram)
• Step 3 - Creativity Phase
• Step 4 - Evaluation Phase
• Step 5 - Development Phase

Step 1 - Information Phase
The general idea behind an Information Phase is to understand the “scope of study” for the item for which you are trying to create solutions.   To begin, consider what this “list” is that you have been periodically assembling.  What is the overall goal of the list?  What is the general type of project?  For those of us reading this blog, we likely share a blanket scope of study of “prepping”.  Therefore, let’s make our scope of study in this article to also be “prepping”.

The Information Phase is the key to the success of any study or project.   During the Information Phase of the VE process, you are not yet formalizing a list, approach, or plan; that comes later.  During this phase, you try to obtain as much background as possible about your scope of study.  For example, if your study is to secure food for your family, you must know how much they eat in a day.  This is the type of background information that is put together in the Information Phase.  If you have already been doing some prepping, your previous studying and list-making likely provides a good understanding that you need to consider shelter, food, water, and operational security, etc.  You may have also developed a reasonable concept of how to complete many of those tasks even if portions of them are unfeasible at this time.  Additionally, you may have developed a wealth of supporting data for the Information Phase, making this task easier.  This will be invaluable as you move to the next steps.

Since you will use your background data for the remainder of the VE study, careful attention to your information “team” should take place.  If you are not an expert in all areas of your scope of study, you will need a support team.  This team may only involve your direct family, but you still need their input as they are likely to have a better understanding of certain subjects than you.  Meeting and learning from people that know more than you about a particular subject is an often overlooked part of this phase.  For example, if you don’t know the first thing about farming, you should consider bringing in someone to help you obtain that information.  Start that learning process early versus later.  Bounce ideas off people with more experience or knowledge than you in order to verify your understanding as you begin planning your projects. 

For most people reading this blog, the Information Phase has likely gone on for some time, possibly decades.  The concern is that many of us (myself included) tend to stall out in the Information Phase.  We may have been slowly moving forward over the years without good organization, priorities, or direction.  You may have a list of firearms, food, books, and other miscellaneous items you feel you “need”.  But that is sometimes all you end up with, the dreaded list and a garage full of random prepping supplies.  You may also feel overwhelmed, intimidated, and discouraged during the Information Phase, and a long list of expensive items can make you feel hopeless.  This is the problem with our previous style of list making and prepping.

You must move out of the Information Phase and add sophistication to your approach.  Do not misunderstand me; continue to study and learn and identify things to add to your “list”.  But it is now time to prioritize and create an action plan!  It is time for the next step in the VE process.  Let’s get to work in Function Analysis.

Step 2 - Function Identification and Analysis Phase (FAST Diagram)
In the VE methodology, this is the most critical piece of the process.  We must stop thinking in terms of items on a list.  We need to back up at this step and trying to really get down to the brass tacks of what we are trying to accomplish.  This is where we start thinking about and identifying the basic functions of our list items.  This step may be frustrating to some as it feels like you are putting on the brakes or maybe taking a step backward.  As you will soon see, that could not be further from the truth.

We will now begin assembling a Function Analysis Systems Technique (FAST) diagram.  This diagram is made up entirely of functions only.  Why are we backing up and making this diagram?  The FAST diagram is going to allow us to brainstorm creative solutions for use in the next VE step.  By thinking conceptually of items on your list as functions, we can truly understand what we are trying to accomplish.  As you work through this step, try to think only in terms of function.  Do not think at the item or task level you previously used as it will sabotage the remainder of the VE process.  Your functions will now be written as VERB – NOUN combinations.

The easiest way to begin creating the diagram is with post-it notes.  Start by writing a two word (VERB - NOUN) function on each post-it note.  For example, a function might read “Survive Famine”.  Another might read “Secure Home”.  Write the VERB-NOUN functions out as you think of them and stick them to your workspace (typically a wall or table).

Both “Survive Famine” and “Secure Home” are likely to be the higher order functions and are likely the main problem you are trying to solve.  Stick these functions on the far left of your workspace.  The lower order functions will now go to the right.  The result will be a flow-chart of sorts that reads “how” from left, and “why” from right.  How do you “Survive Famine”?  The next function might read “Collect Food”.   See below for the “how”, “why” nature of the FAST diagram:

A simplified example of “how” direction flow for a FAST diagram is listed below:

Survive Famine (how?) – Assemble Supplies (how?) – Collect Food (how?) – Generate Grocery List (how?) – Inventory Pantry

The same simplified example written in the “why” (reverse order) direction is listed below:

Inventory Pantry (why?) – Generate Grocery List (why?) – Collect Food (why?) – Assemble Supplies (why?) – Survive Famine

Note that your FAST diagram should “test” as you read it in both directions.  As you are sticking your VERB-NOUN post-it notes to your workspace, continually test them by reading them aloud in both directions.  Why do you inventory your pantry?  To Generate Grocery List.  Why do you Generate Grocery List?  To Collect Food.  Why do you Collect Food?  To Assemble Supplies.  Why do you assemble supplies?  To Survive Famine.

Along this diagram, you will also have parallel functions that do not necessarily line up with the “how” “why” lineal nature of the other functions.   These functions would happen at the same time but would be a slightly different subject matter.  The example above was “Secure Home”, versus “Survive Famine”.  Both subjects are important and seem related, but will be placed on their own “how”, “why” alignment in the same FAST diagram.  This will allow us to completely understand the functions behind them. 

As you can see, this is a difficult diagram to explain verbally so I encourage readers to do an online search for “Function Analysis System Technique – (FAST Diagrams)” and learn more about them.   They can be used to begin creatively solving any problem.  This diagram is so effective that many inventors use this method on a daily basis to streamline processes or create new products.  The bottom line here is that instead of immediately brainstorming on solutions (the next step), you are slowing down and really trying to analyze the individual functions of your study.  Once you have your FAST diagram with the big picture identified, the Creativity Phase is next and you will use these individual functions to brainstorm for solutions.

Step 3 - Creativity Phase
The purpose of the creativity phase is to generate new ideas related to ways of performing the functions found above in the FAST diagram.  Now that the FAST diagram is complete, there will be several functions on which to start individual brainstorming.  In a prepping study, some of your functions might look like these VERB-NOUN examples:

• Collect Food
• Secure Home
• Shelter Family
• Establish Support
• Transport Supplies

The Creativity Phase is used to determine new ways to solve problems that you haven’t previously considered.  Let’s use the “Collect Food” function as a short example.  Sit down with a pencil and paper (or better yet a spreadsheet) and brainstorm ALL the different ways you would be able to Collect Food.  Ask yourself questions:  Do you have a garden?  Do you have space for a future garden?  Do you work at a restaurant?  Do you like to dumpster dive?  Is your mother-in-law an extreme couponer?  Remember, that EVERY idea counts in brainstorming.  Do not criticize any ideas during brainstorming because silly ideas help you become more creative.  Make it fun, and go ahead and list every idea.  Children often have fresh ideas that adults are too intellectualized to notice. 

Once you brainstorm completely through the “Collect Food” function, go on to the next function, “Secure Home”, and keep working until you have individually brainstormed through every function.  This process should not be rushed.   Individually document all the generated ideas under each individual function for which you have brainstormed.

This Creativity Phase is best completed with the assistance of several people.  In your case, this could be your immediate family or your crew that you anticipate “doubling up” with.  Two heads are better than one in the Creativity Phase.  It is common for ideas that were hidden in plain view to now become apparent.  For example, you might find that unbeknownst to you, someone you are prepping with has a family member in the grocery business with special discounts!  VE professionals learned long ago that very often the best solution is so obvious, nobody thinks of it! 

As you can see, the FAST diagram step was essential in order to truly study the basic functions of the project that you are trying to complete.  The only way to effectively brainstorm and create new solutions is to better understand the true nature of the individual function.  This approach is much different than simply making a list of items to buy.  You have now started a list based on functions, not on things.

Step 4 - Evaluation Phase
The Creativity Phase has been completed.  You now have dozens of ways drafted to complete the functions developed in the Function Identification and Analysis phase.   The next step is to eliminate silly ideas or unfeasible ideas.  Simply scratch out or delete the ideas you do not want to continue to evaluate.  If, in your brainstorm session you listed a .50 caliber machine gun to satisfy the “Secure Home” function, it is likely that this sort of idea listing will now be deleted.  After this you will have a shorter list of ideas to evaluate. 

The next step is to evaluate these individual ideas with a methodical approach.  Aside from the FAST diagram, this is where the magic really starts to happen.  As I mentioned in the introduction to this article, a primary goal is to determine a way to prioritize your lists.  The Evaluation Phase is where this begins.

Qualifiers must now be established in order to evaluate the ideas.  The qualifiers will depend primarily on the scope of study you have begun and the types of functions on which you have brainstormed.  Studying a better mousetrap will have different qualifiers than your prepping VE study.  If you have a hectic schedule, a big qualifier might be your Time.  If you have an extremely fixed income, Cost might be a big qualifier.  The attributes used to qualify evaluations are different for everybody, and may be completely up to the individual’s constraints or current conditions.  Continuing to use your prepping project as an example, the following qualifiers might be compiled in order to evaluate listings generated through the brainstorming sessions:

• Cost
• Labor required
• Added security to household
• Improved health to family

These qualifiers beg the next question; which one is most important?  A rapid way to determine this is to complete a “paired comparison”.  Initially, you may have compared cost to the labor required.  Which one is more critical to selection?  Perhaps cost wins.  Put a mark alongside cost.  Now compare cost to added security.  Perhaps security wins.  Put another mark alongside security.  Now compare cost to improved health.  Perhaps health wins.  Put a mark alongside health.  After cost has been compared to all, move to the next qualifier (labor required).  Compare labor required to the remaining two qualifiers.  Continue moving down this list until all have been compared against each other once.  After the qualifiers are all compared, you will have a ranking which will help determine which qualifiers are most important.

The paired comparison often brings surprises as you realize certain qualifiers may be more important to you than you previously believed.  Using this example, the following rankings could have been developed:

• Added security to household – 3 points
• Improved health to family – 2 points
• Cost - 1 point.
• Labor required  - 0 points

This paired comparison of qualifiers allows you to now rank each brainstormed idea carried through from the Creativity Phase.  The next question is how much weight to apply to the qualifiers?  Clearly, “added security” is more important in this study than “labor required”.  Since your rankings show that the amount of labor for you to complete a project is not more important to you, this qualifier should not be critical in your rating of brainstormed ideas.  Typical weights of 1 to 10 are now applied to each qualifier.  For example, you may assign 10 points to security, 7 points to health, 4 points to cost and 1 point to labor.   

You can then determine a system for scoring all the brainstormed ideas with the above demonstrated weighted rankings.  Many people will score each brainstormed idea using each qualifier from a range of 1 to 5, and then multiply by that the qualifiers weighted ranking.  There is no right or wrong way to do this scoring as long as it makes sense to you.  The actual method or math is not important as ensuring that your qualifiers are influencing the scoring systematically.  The scoring is most easily completed in a spreadsheet.

The scoring may illustrate that ideas you previously thought were ideal, may not actually be the best choices for your personal situation.  Using the above example, simply buying cheaply discounted foods may not be a great benefit if the foods are not healthy for your family.   The scoring may produce many surprises.  During the Evaluation Phase, you may also discover that your newly brainstormed ideas scored surprisingly well under the scrutiny of your personal qualifiers.  This is the beauty of the previous brainstorming sessions.

One thing that will become apparent during the evaluation phase is that many of the same solutions belong to different functions.   For example, during the FAST phase you determined a function of “Shelter Family”.  You also had a function of “Transport Supplies” and “Establish Support”.  Then during the scoring, the solution of owning a quality vehicle consistently scored highest in fulfilling those vastly different functions.  The bottom line is that your good ideas or critical elements will keep popping up, further streamlining the Development Phase, which is the next step.

Step 5 - Development Phase
By now you should have brainstormed and scored dozens, or perhaps hundreds of ideas.  Many of them scored low and were eliminated.  Many of them scored well and will be carried forward to the Development Phase.    Some of them, such as the “owning a quality vehicle” example above have kept popping up under several functions.  This is a clue that your Development Phase should focus on that idea.   It is now time to combine and further develop these ideas in the Development Phase.  The goal of the Development Phase is creating a detailed plan that is prioritized, organized and based on functions versus “things”.

In the Creativity and Evaluation phases, you developed unique ideas that had not been previously considered.  For example, in the Creativity Phase an idea of wind generated power may have been listed.  Then in the Evaluation Phase, the consistent wind at your property scored that idea as a better long term option than purchasing a generator.  Or perhaps your Evaluation Phase determined that given your climate, you would be better off to learn to garden versus stockpile food.  You were able to completely change some pre-existing notions of your prepping, and have essentially thrown out those “lists” that you were scratching together the last few years.  Now you have some realistic, workable goals to further develop.

The Development Phase is when the individual ideas are combined into an action plan.  This is the time your team will come up with a game plan and likely a newly updated “list”.  Given our wind power example, you might need to temporarily go back to the information phase and start learning about wind power.  You can then re-asses the wind power project and implement as appropriate.  If you are prepping with a team, this is the time to delegate, break, and plan on reconvening at a specified time to discuss progress.

The Development Phase end result will be a list much different in appearance than you previously completed.  It will be organized by function, not random item after item.  You will clearly understand your priorities and have developed a plan accordingly.  You will find that many items you felt you previously needed have been permanently removed, as you now have cost effective creative solutions to complete that function.  You will also find that many of your solutions now serve to complete multiple functions.   Your list will have become a streamlined game plan that has a purpose based on your prioritized needs.  Your list has been transformed into a sophisticated master plan.

Simplification and Summary
As discussed earlier, the VE process is a little difficult to describe verbally.  You might have read this and thought, “Come on now, I would never work through that entire process!”   I strongly urge you to work through a simple VE scope of study before deciding that it’s not for you.  To make getting started easier, I have a Reader’s Digest version for you, so keep reading. 

You can take pieces of the VE process to improve your lists or goals.  Let’s say you clearly understand the prepping solutions available to you, but your Information phase has produced endless understandings and you have this massive list that is bogging you down.   You are having a hard time prioritizing your list and it’s not clear where to start.  What you need to do is determine a way to prioritize your massive list.  Let’s go back and steal some ideas from the Evaluation Phase.

Begin with a paired comparison in a spreadsheet.   Let’s assume you have a long list of food and cooking type supplies which you would like to purchase.  Take the first item on your list and compare it against all that are below it.  Continue the paired comparison as described previously until you have compared all the items in your list against each other.  You will quickly see that several of the items on the list get a tally much larger than other items.   This should demonstrate to you which items are needs versus wants.   These rankings may shock you.  Unfortunately, this also means that maybe that third rifle you want just doesn’t make the first round (pun intended).  Be prepared for some letdowns!

Another slightly more complex yet helpful way to complete these paired comparisons is to determine a short list of qualifiers as previously described.  Some qualifiers might be time, money, longevity, storability or overall utility value.  This time, just keep them in mind as you are completing your paired comparison.   Think in terms of qualifiers, not your emotional “wants” such as that third rifle!  Neglecting the previously described sophisticated scoring methods, these qualifiers will still influence your decision process as you work through your list.

The take-away here is to be deliberate in your list making and dreaming.  Think in terms of functions, not items on a list.  Ask yourself the following types of questions:

• What is the true function behind the items on our lists?
• Is there a better way to complete that function?  
• Is there a cheaper way? 
• Is that function so important that you should actually spend more money than you had previously planned?  
• Is there a way to complete that function that also serves to complete several other functions? 
• Should you hold off completing that function in order to complete other functions faster or cheaper?

In summary, think in functions, not in simple lists.  This is the type of strategic thinking that will serve you well whenever you need to think on your feet and be creative.  Using the Value Engineering methodology to study your projects will save you money, effort, time and labor, as well as enable you to complete more goals.  But best of all, you will save your sanity!

What is MYDS? It’s not prepping, it’s not hoarding, it’s not a disease or even a mental condition and it certainly isn’t unpatriotic or terrorism.  What is it about, then? It is about being provident. Actually, MYDS stands for Make it Your Darn Self!  That is my Philosophy and Motto for 2013!

Provident means to prepare for the future.  Why?  Why take the time, the effort, or the expense to be provident?  Look around us.  Look at the world we live in.  Look at the economic and political climate.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason to anything.  Everything from the top down – From our God to the sand beneath our feet – Everything is being questioned and demonized.  Right is wrong and wrong is right.  The freedom that we once knew as children of playing and frolicking on the streets in our community only to worry about making it home before dark or when we were hungry has given way to the fear of our children playing in front of our homes.  Progressives, Agenda 21, Socialism, Communism, Failing Schools, and having to sign up on a registry to know where sex offenders and predators live just to be able to keep our kids safe.  I wonder how to keep my kids safe in these times – both physically, spiritually and educationally.  My goodness, these are scary times on our doorstep.  The moral decay of this country is an entire topic all on its’ own and one in which I won’t get into here.
The real question should be why not?  Why not take the time to make sure you and your family has a little extra.  Why not have the knowledge and resources on hand to make it through a possible job loss, a natural or manmade disaster, a terrorist attack, the collapse of our financial system.  Why not have practical skills and knowledge to endure the “what-if” scenario that weighs heavily on your mind. To every question you have there are multiple solutions.  And, as I have found, every solution leads to another question and yet another discovery.  The most basic answer I can give is to be as provident as you can possibly be and that will ONLY come through knowledge and experience.  You must find within yourself the desire to learn and to never stop asking questions.  You should learn to ask how does that work, how would I do that if I could not run down to the local big box store, how can I make this if I didn’t have a box of prepackaged food.  You don’t have to have a property that resembles Fred Sanford's home from Sanford and Son (a sit-com from my earlier days) or a pantry that would make your local big box store envious.  Instead think of what you do and what you use every day and remember the 5 W’s from elementary school.  Who, What, Why, Where, When and I’ll go ahead and add How.  How is it made, why is it done that way, where can I get it from if it’s not available commercially, who can I learn from, from when and where will I start getting my knowledge and experience base?

That is the premise behind my 2013 motto “MYDS” and being provident is a never ending process that plays directly into my motto.  The world is always changing and as the saying goes “without change there is no growth.”  I am learning to be more provident.  I read all of the prepping web sites and have spent a massive amount of time researching and more money than I care to admit on buying this book and list or that book and list to see what I can do to be more provident.  As you will learn in your journey, not everything is contained on those lists.  Don’t get me wrong, they are all very good resources and they were well worth the investments even if I only learn one thing new from it.  Being provident (most people would say prepping), has, for the most part, been a man’s specialty area.  Their department.  Beans Bullets and Band-Aids type thing.  And, most would agree that is it rightly so.  Men are our protector’s, our muscle our anchors our braun.  We love them, we cherish them and we look to them as our rock in time of need.  However, I find the majority of publications on the market, web sites and blogs today are lacking on the subject of being provident from a woman’s point of view.  Women, just as men, have a role in preparing the future needs of a family.  After many hours of research, I am often left wondering how I am going to clean my house if I can’t go to the store or can’t afford to get what I need.  How am I going to do the laundry without laundry soap if the price is too high or it’s not available?  How are my children and family going to stay clean if we can’t get our hands on what we need?  Let’s face it.  Work isn’t picking up.  People are losing jobs.  Our dollar doesn’t get us as far as it used to.  Taxes are going through the roof from all levels of government.  The price of gas, food, household cleaners, and the cost to put our children through school are going through the roof.  Honestly, it’s getting pretty darn expensive just to be able to exist these days.  How are we as wives and mothers going to continue to manage our household without breaking the bank or the ability to just run down the corner market when we run out of something?  How are we going to take care of our families in tight or hard times?
That is the key to my article and the story behind my new motto/philosophy and I want to share with you some tidbits of knowledge from a wife and mothers perspective on being a provident housekeeper. 

For starters, you have to learn how to make your own household products.  It’s simple, it’s easy, it will save you money and is something you can start doing right away with little to no investment.  Money that you could use to start stocking up on food supplies or paying down debt.  A bottle of laundry soap is expensive, but what if I told you that you could make 10 gallons for less than what you pay for one bottle of commercial laundry soap?  Even cheaper than the generic brands!  I am here to tell you that it is possible.  You don’t need special or expensive equipment.  All you need is the desire to obtain knowledge and skills that will see your family through.  Save the space in your supply area for more meaningful supplies such as seeds for growing a garden or food preservation supplies, food, first aid and all of those other items you read about.  With ingredients that you have, or can get really inexpensively, you can clean every aspect of your home.  Adding a few more ingredients to your arsenal will allow you to make personal hygiene items such as deodorant, hair cleaners and conditioners, and bath soap.

For example, Borax, Washing Soda (not baking soda), and Castile Soap in bar form will make laundry soap.  From 1 bar of grated soap, 1 cup of washing soda and a ¼ cup of borax, and water, you can make 10 gallons of laundry soap using just a pot for melting the soap on your stovetop.  You will also need two five gallon buckets.  To show you real numbers, let’s break down the cost.  In my area, a bar of Fels-Naptha castile soap costs $.97, A 76 oz. box of Borax is $3.38 and a 55 oz. box of Washing Soda is $3.24.  Keep in mind that you are only using a few ounces of each box, not the entire box to make your liquid laundry soap.  For a mere, $1.62 you can make ten gallons of laundry soap.  WOW! That is a Savings you can’t argue with.  To eliminate those expensive dryer sheets try adding ¼ cup (or less) of vinegar to your rinse cycle and in place of dryer sheets use a ball of aluminum foil.  Yes, this does really work.  The laundry soap is safe to use for the smallest of family members.  Don’t fret; you will be able to use the borax and washing soda in making many other cleaning products for around your home. 

Let’s expand on those items to include the following items: Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Baking Soda, Liquid Castile Soap, Essential Oils (not fragrance oils), Ammonia, Bleach, Cornstarch, Olive Oil (or other neutral oils) and you will have the perfect combination to make everything you need to make a smooth running household without almost never having to rely on commercial products again.  That’s right - YOU will be able to clean your floors, windows, toilets, walls and so much more.  YOU will be able to make deodorant, hair care products and bathing products.  No more spending countless hours’ couponing to get those ridiculously great deals.  I coupon too and love the thrill of getting those free to cheap deals.  With my new knowledge to make my own products, my perspective and scope of couponing has changed to buying things that I cannot make myself – razors, toothbrushes, dental floss and of course beans (unfortunately there are no coupons for bullets) and Band-Aids! Do some research and you’ll be delighted at the amount of information available to make your homemade household products.  A word to the wise, there are items above that should NEVER be mixed together.  Ammonia and bleach is just one example – The mixture is toxic and potentially deadly.  Please air on the side of caution.  Read labels, research what can be mixed and what cannot!  Do not put yourself in harm’s way over saving money.  You and your families’ safety should always come first!

Second on the list is to learn how to manage your kitchen.  By taking the time to do some research on these topics - making your own mixes and how to make meals in a jar – you will be pleased at how simple and fun it is to learn about the multitude of options for short and long term food storage.  The concept surrounding making your own mix is to make a master mix and from there you can make almost anything.  Pancakes, cake mixes, breads and so on.  Additionally, there are recipes to making your own “cream of soup” as well as gravies, drink mixes and spices, to name a few.  I found a lady on the internet that takes separate complete meals and puts them in quart sized mason jars for a total of 52 meals in a jar, or more if you desire.  It’s a provident housekeeper’s version of fast food.  Take this idea and expand with your own recipes or scour the internet for more meals in jar recipes.  While hers are made from freeze dried (and dehydrated) food, there is a plethora of web sites and forums dedicated to canning meals in a jar.  My advice here is to start off small.  Try a loaf of bread or try starting off with sampling each recipe.  What tastes good to one person may not to another.  The absolute last thing is to get into a situation where you have stocked up on x,y, & z and not like it when you could practice, practice and practice some more to find the ones you really are going to like and use!  Get crafty and try adding your own twists to the recipes.  The possibilities are limitless.
Another aspect of kitchen management you should consider is the use of paper towels and cleaning utensils (sponges, miracle erasers, etc..).  What are you going to do when you run out of paper towels or that sponge is on its’ last cleaning leg and has to go to the trash?  Invest in cloth ones!  Rags, kitchen towels and wash cloths.  I know, I know, you like your cleaning wipes.  I do too!  Except, I make my own cleaning solution with the products listed above, soak my rags in the all-purpose cleaning solution, store them in a container with a lid and voila – I have my own homemade cleaning wipes! They are dirt cheap and ready when I need them.  When I’m done, I just pop them in the washer, dry and reuse (of course, the paper towel version goes into the trash!).  This year I am going to grow what is called a loufa gourd.  From my research, you use it the same way you do any other loufa.  The plan is to initially use it for bathing purposes and when it is outlived its’ purpose for bathing it will be relegating to cleaning tasks.  When it’s done with cleaning, it goes into a compost pile after being thoroughly cleaned.
What about feminine needs?  Are you going to stock shelves upon shelves of these products?  This is another item that is growing to be very expensive, and, if I dare, a luxury item.  I believe it is time to discuss alternate means to commercial pads and tampons.  One solution is to make your own feminine pads and another solution I found is called a Diva Cup.  It is an alternate solution to tampons.  They are washable and reusable.  A concept that our use and throwaway society would probably not take to instantly even though the rest of the world has been using for some time now.  To have them as a back-up in your arsenal is what I consider to be an invaluable asset!  There are plenty of tutorials and patterns on the internet on how to make your own feminine pads.  It’s almost the same concept as cloth diapering for babies.

While on the topic of feminine needs, let’s address a rarely discussed topic and probably one of the most embarrassing and hardest to plan for and that is “The Bathroom.”  What are you going to do in a situation where there may not be power or access to toilet paper?  This has plagued me for quite some time.  There are composting toilets, outhouses and ones that incinerate your waste.  Another solution I’ve discovered is a bidet.  They are used in other countries.  In a grid down situation or an off grid situation, I don’t see why you would not be able to use them.  Especially if you are on well and septic.  You can find portable ones and ones you can attach directly to your existing toilet for about $150.  These are supposed to attach to any two-piece toilet system without any special plumbing other than attaching to your water valve.  That would eliminate the need to stock up on toilet paper.  Of course, as my husband pointed out, it may not clean everything and you’ll be left wet.  The solution here is to make washable toileting cloths.  Scour the internet for free tutorials and patterns.  Again, think about cloth diapering of babies.  It is the same concept, just used on adults instead of babies.

You should also consider showering and not only taking a shower in general, but taking a warm shower.  How are you going to get warm water?  There are many people who would disagree with me and consider this a luxury and not a priority.  In my household, I don’t agree with them! I always tell my husband that no matter what, he has to make sure we have some way of us getting a warm shower.  It is one of the best feelings at the end of a long day of hard work.  Just to be clean makes you feel normal, it improves moral and helps you get a good night’s rest, too.  Try researching solar heaters and solar showers and other forms of heating water without relying on electricity.  You’ll be amazed at the options available as well as the interesting DIY videos.

Gardening and food are two very key provident factors.  My research has led me to a few animals of choice.  In considering my animals, I wanted those which serve many purposes.  Chickens – I can get meat, eggs and manure for my compost piles.  Goats – I can get milk and milk products like cheese, goats’ meat, and goats’ milk soap.  Rabbits – Meat, fur and manure for my compost bins.  And, a donkey for my heartstrings (yes, I’m absolutely in love with donkeys, especially miniatures).  On the practical side, they are great for protecting your livestock and you can train them to pull a cart for carrying farm and other supplies.  Children will love taking rides in the buggy too. 

Aquaponics is a relatively new concept as it takes aquaculture (fish farming) and mingles it with hydroponics (growing plants in soilless media).  This is a fascinating concept as you are able to grow fish which are a great source of protein as well as grow fruits and vegetables from the byproduct of the fish and increase your food diversity. [JWR Adds: Because modern aquaponics require circulating pumps, I recommend them only for families who have large, long-term alternative power systems--typically either a PV power system with at least 20 panels or a micro-hydro power system that runs year-round.]

Some gardening techniques you may want to consider are square foot gardening, container gardening, growing dwarf varieties of fruit trees as well as the Back to Eden gardening concept.  Search your local free classified ads.  Many people do not want to harvest their fruit and nut trees and will typically offer the bounty for free or really cheap if you come and pick it from the tree.  There are always ads of people selling off “extra” for less than what you can get at the market and grocery store.  If you do not have the ability or space to garden at your present location, why not take an add out to see if there is a local farm or land owner that will lease you a small amount of space to start growing your own food?  Even if you do not have a lot of money, try bartering some of your harvest or offer your time around their farm in exchange.  Farmers always need help and you’re more likely to walk away with a ton of useful knowledge.  You are in a win-win situation!

My final piece of advice is to research essential oils and growing your own herbs.  As a mom, I worry about the access to medical care – good quality medical care.  I have been doing some in depth research in to natural healing with herbs.  Way back when my dad had to walk 5 miles to school barefooted in the snow uphill both ways, families like his mostly relied on herbs and plants to maintain their health and to help heal them.  Mother Nature has a pharmacy all her own and many of her miracles contained within are no longer practiced and almost all but lost.  Very few herbs have side effects and actually the most common complaint comes from the user not using enough to make them effective.  Let’s take lavender for example.  Lavender can be used for its antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, and antiseptic properties as well as for its’ calming effect and it is successful in repelling fleas!  From this one herb you get all of that for cleaning, medicinal healing and for your pets too!  I love multifunction solutions such as this one!  See the trend here?  I took it from corporate America.  It’s the ol’ Do More With Less philosophy!
In closing, I hope that you will take the time to analyze what you do and use every day and then start learning about how to replicate those practices in a less than ideal situation.  As the founder of The Provident Housekeeper, it is my goal to research, develop and teach seminars that intertwine the ways of the past with the ways of today.  With just a little knowledge and a desire to DO, you can achieve anything.  Educate, Inspire, Lead and always, be Provident!

Doing “Double Duty” is a concept that I was first introduced to during my first enlistment in the US Army.   It is a term that simply implies that an item or material (or person) could be utilized to fulfill an additional purpose besides the one that it was specifically designed or trained for.  As a young soldier in an infantry company, I quickly learned the value of being able to “get creative” with my equipment and supplies in order to increase their versatility and make them go farther. 

Chances are that this idea is not new to you.  With our economy in the US getting further and further out of control, many Americans have already changed their buying habits and now consider the versatility of a product to be an important buying point.  It just makes good practical sense.  During normal circumstances, planning for double duty is relatively easy to do.  Matter of fact, you’re probably already doing it.   But planning for double duty in preparation for unusual or emergency situations is considerably more difficult. 

In this article, we will discuss why planning for double duty is a good idea, how to plan for double duty both at home and in preparation for a “bug out” scenario, and finally some common items that can perform double duty; at home and on the trail.

Why
Probably the best answer to why is, “to make better use of your resources”.  Most of us have limited income, limited space, and limited time to spend on preparedness.  Therefore, we need to make the most out of what we have and make it go as far as we can.  Double Duty Planning is a tool that can not only help us to be better prepared in the event of a disaster or emergency, but can also serve to make our daily lives more efficient and simple.

Limited Income                 
In order for your income to be of any benefit to your survival, you need to invest in those things that will be of most use to you and your family.  And it has to be done before you need them.  During a disaster, TEOTWAWKI, or other calamitous event, it’s a good chance that your money will be worth far less than it is now. 

When making purchases, we have all been conditioned by mainstream media to look for and identify what marketers call the “USP” or “Unique Selling Point”.  The USP is that one quality or characteristic that supposedly makes the product “the best” at doing one specific thing.  Chances are that our cabinets are full of products that specialize in one specific thing.  Bleach for example is a product which meets a specific need; to keep whites white.  No other product on the market enjoys bleach’s popularity in the market for this one purpose.  But what about the other uses for bleach?  Most people would be hard pressed to name any other uses.  But that is exactly where double duty planning or dual purposing comes in!  Bleach does much more than just whiten whites.
If I could show you how you could save hundreds of dollars a year on groceries and other household goods; would you be interested?  Well, even though it may sound like a sales hook and too good to be true, planning for double duty can potentially save you hundreds of dollars per year.   The way that this is accomplished is by eliminating those products that we purchase that only serve one specific purpose and replacing them with products that have multiple uses.  If you look in your cleaning cabinet or closet, how many different cleaning products do you have?  Do you have two, three, four, or more?  Or do you use a multi-purpose cleaner?  How much money would you save if instead of buying glass cleaner, floor cleaner, stove and countertop cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, shower, tub and tile cleaner, pot and pan cleaner, etc; you could buy one product that did it all?  Better yet, what if the product or products that you replaced all of these with had other uses as well?  You could save a lot of money in cleaning supplies alone.

Limited Space
The issue of limited space is often resolved by our attempts at saving money.  This is natural in that as we consolidate the various kinds of products that we purchase, we need less room to store the replacements.   As we replace single duty products with double duty products, we will not need as much space to store them.  This is space that could be better used for storing additional food and medical supplies; or ammo.

Space becomes a lot more crucial when considering a bug out situation.  We will be limited to what we can carry with us or cache along the way.  The size, shape, and weight of survival gear become chief concerns when a bug out scenario becomes likely.  But, as within the home, dual purposing our gear can save us a lot of space.  I’ll use my own personal experiences in the Army as an example.  In the movie Platoon, the new soldiers were preparing to go out on their first patrol when their platoon sergeant went through and battle stripped them; leaving them with only what they needed to survive.  I went through a similar event before going out on my first patrol.  My rucksack was whittled down from a hefty 65 pounds to about 40 pounds.  I had packed many tools and items that were unnecessary because I had other items that could do multiple jobs.  Not to mention that I now had the space to carry more crucial supplies like water, food and ammunition.  It took an experienced platoon sergeant to teach me the value of versatility.  Years later, I became a platoon sergeant and made it a point of teaching my soldiers how to pack with double duty in mind.
One of the purposes of a cache is to serve as a resupply point.  Many people’s philosophy on caching is, “more is better”, but this is not always true.  The larger that you make a cache, the harder it is to hide.  Cache size is also limited by the geography of an area or route.  Space in a cache can be limited as well and could therefore benefit from the optimization that double duty items can provide.  During egress, BOBs and caches kind of go hand in hand; the more stuff that you can cache along your egress route, the more space you have for other items in your BOB. 

Limited Time
Time is a variable resource in that we will have more of it during one situation than we will during another.  When at home during normal life, time may be easy to manage.  But during the beginning of a TEOTWAWKI sort of event, time will be in short supply.   The more we prepare now, the less we struggle later.  So, how can planning for double duty save us time?  Ultimately it boils down to choices.  When you go to the grocery store and are confronted with buying dog food.  How do you decide which one to buy; price, your dog’s favorite, nice packaging?  You only have twelve different brands, seven flavors, three sizes, and twenty prices to choose from.  We can save a lot of time if we know beforehand what we’re going to buy.  Go there, get it, and leave!  The more choices that we have to make, the more time it takes.  Make your choices while time is plentiful. 

Another Reason                 
Have you ever been in line in the grocery store behind someone who was into Extreme Couponing?  It’s amazing to watch as they unload buggy after buggy at the checkout.  You can literally feel their excitement and dread building as the total rises ever higher.  As their coupons are tallied, we experience the suspense and danger of failure that this great adventure offers!  Then we get to see the glorious sense of jubilation that the shopper feels when their once high total is reduced to mere pennies!  All of the long hours spent searching, cutting, and planning have culminated in one flawless victory! Marvelous!  This is what makes the adventure worthwhile!  If it were simply about saving money, it would not have been worth the cost.  It’s about the victory!

Planning for double duty is a similar endeavor; it’s not only about saving money and stretching resources.  It’s about the victory!  It’s about being able to use what you have planned for in a pinch when it is needed most!
                 

How
To find out how requires the most growth on our parts.  This is the step that requires us to do our homework.  The process that I am going to layout in this article is what I view as being the most simple and is the process that I use.

At Home
First of all, I created an inventory of what I had on hand.  Then, out beside of each item, I noted its use or uses.  If the item only had one specific use, then I placed a star beside that item signifying that it needed closer review.  My next pass on the list, I’m looking specifically at those items that have more than one use and whether they can take on the additional duty of those items that I marked with a star.  If they can, I put a mark through the item with the star that can be eliminated.  Next, I investigate to find out if there is a product which I don’t currently have that would assume multiple uses on my list.  Finally, I look over my list again to determine if those items have other uses.  I have included my cleaning supplies list for reference.

At this point, I have identified how other items on my list can perform the same duties as those that can only perform one.  The next step is to investigate to see if there is a product out there to replace those items still on my list. 

                  Baking Soda – can directly replace Comet Cleanser and Carpet Fresh.
                  White Vinegar – can directly replace the 409 Multipurpose cleaner, Pinesol, and the Ammonia.

Here is what my truncated cleaning supplies list looks like now.

Baking soda and vinegar both have additional uses in food preparation and in medicine. And both tend to be relatively inexpensive and environmentally safe compared to many other name brand cleaners.  Baking soda and vinegar mixed together also make a nifty science project for kids and is great for cleaning drains.   
I’m not telling you to go through your cleaning supplies and throw out everything and replace it with vinegar and baking soda.  I’m just saying that you could if you chose to.  Or, if by necessity, you had to.  This same process will work for other areas of home and survival preparedness as well.  The main question that you want to ask yourself is, “how many different ways can I use _______?” 

On The Trail
For those of us that hike and camp recreationally; and I mean survivalist type camping without a camper or grill, packing light is always a priority.  If I can consolidate the items that I need to take with me from 30 down to 8, that’s a big advantage for me so long as I know how to utilize what I brought for more than one purpose.  Let’s look at tools.  When I go camping, I know that there are certain tasks that I may need to perform.  I will need to cut brush and vines, chop down small trees, construct shelter, cut/chop food, defend myself from animals/people, and maybe skin and or butcher game.  So, is there one tool that I can take that will allow me to do all of these tasks?  If I inventory my tools the same way that I inventoried my cleaning supplies, the process will work the same.

Naturally, we can’t carry all of this stuff with us on a hike, so it’s in our best interest to consolidate.  The machete can accomplish everything that the hatchet can.  The addition of a military E-tool would eliminate the need for the shovel, the saw, and the mallet.  Taking an idea from the Russian Spetsnaz (Russian Special Forces), I could sharpen one edge of my E-tool to a knife’s edge and could use it as a bladed weapon and to skin animals.  As a result, my new list may look like this.

Notice that there is still some overlapping of duties.  It is important to remember here that consolidation of supplies and tools can be taken too far.  You can reach a point where you end up compromising your preparedness.  Some ascribe to the “Rule of Three”; as in that you need to have at least three ways of fulfilling a need or completing a task.  Although you can take it to extremes and purchase three of everything, the point of the rule is to stress the importance of having a back-up plan.  In the above refined list, if I lost or broke any one of my tools, I could probably make due with what I had left.  They may not fit the bill perfectly, but they’ll get the job done.                 
                 

Double Duty Items & Supplies
The following list is simply a starting point.  But there are plenty of good web sites where you can increase your knowledge.  Matter of fact, there are probably many more that you know about that I don’t.  If so, please write an article so that we can all learn from your experiences. 
Rather than create a list for “At Home” items and then also for “Survival/Bug Out” items, I’ll leave it up to you to decide how these best fit your needs.

I will not go into dual purpose firearms in this article mainly because that is a subject that has already been covered exhaustively by others far more knowledgeable than me. 

Let your imagination be your guide.  But I would also advise you to not take my word for it because what works for me may not work for you.  Take the information in this article and customize it to your specific needs.  Then put your strategy to the test.  I recommend that everyone take a voluntary “bug out” to test yourself and your preps.  It will undoubtedly show you where your weaknesses are.

I’ve always been a “glass is half full…when life hands you lemons you make lemonade…” kind of person.  So despite a divided nation after this recent election, geopolitical unrest, and our nation on the brink of financial collapse, I still see the silver lining. 

My husband and I purchased a small 900 square foot home, because it was all we could afford.  It was near the height of the housing bubble so we bought high.  We then spent the next four years, remodeling the one bathroom the tiny kitchen and living room to suit our needs.  After investing tens of thousands of dollars of our hard earned money, blood, sweat and tears we were feeling good about our sweat equity.  Then the market crashed and I got pregnant.  Deciding not to pour any more money into the pit, and deciding to take control of the financial situation we decided to sell our home and purchase a new one.  By that time the real estate market seemed to have no bottom and loans were nigh on impossible to secure from lending institutions.  We staged the little house perfectly and lived in that staged house for several months, evacuating every time a potential buyer came by, because an extra body in the house made it feel so much smaller.  Fortunately we were able to find a larger home that was more suitable for our expanding family and were able to purchase it at a 30% discount, however we finally sold our first home at a significant loss.  Investment guidelines for the early 2000s had become: “Buy high and sell LOW.”  But not paying two mortgages was nearly “priceless.”

The Tale of Two Mortgages

It was the tale of two mortgages that was the spark that initiated this whole journey.  My husband and I carefully assessed our financial situation and eliminated all “non-essential” expenses.  Those things included:
-Some expensive vitamins that were being shipped automatically and payments were automatically being submitted to our credit card. This was something we weren’t paying attention to until then.
-A wine club gift that we had gifted to our neighbors. We didn’t read the fine print that after the $60 intro offer, you’d be billed quarterly for $200.
-No non-essential food items. Only buy what’s on the list and only if we really need it.
-The Cable Television – Gasp. horror! What will you do without television?  This is the key to us developing our survival plan.

Life Without Television

We did keep Internet, as this was our means for paying bills, e-mail communication, web surfing and phone connectivity.  We began to read, a lot.  In fact, we can’t wait to crawl in to bed, early, once the kids are sleeping and read the news.  The mass media has become such a biased and agenda-driven source of misrepresentation, it is no longer reliable.  It has become a vehicle for propaganda.  The children absolutely did not miss television.  Though we’re not purists, we do have Netflix and Amazon video, so the young one loves the educational shows and the older one loves Mythbusters.  But as a parent I now have total control over what they watch and this includes, not exposing them to the early sexualization of children, the “new normal” of a “modern family” the extols the virtues of a non- mother, father, and God-centered family.

My Favorite Web Sites

I truly admire those talented individuals who are able to organize and centralize great information into a user friendly web site.  I wish I could do it because I occasionally get some good ideas, but I don’t have the time.  My "go to" favorites include:
-The Drudge Report
-Redstate.com
-SurvivalBlog.com, of course
-Thedailysheeple.com… “Wake the flock up” one of my favorite new quotes!!!
-Dailymail.co.uk  (my ultimate gossip go to site for pure entertainment)
-Happyherbivore.com (because after watching Forks over Knives I freaked out and went plant based for six weeks)

My Eyes Open

When you begin to piece together the unprecedented power grabbing, freedom-reducing moves our own government is doing and put it in the frame of reference of what is happening geopolitically; it’s enough to lose lots of sleep.  The Middle East is destabilizing and essentially is one misunderstanding or missile away from full out war.  There has been an increasing frequency of climate change that has unleashed massive power outages, gas rationing, and Martial law – as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina, Fukushima, Haiti, Irene, Sandy, and the recent Nor’easter.

So We Became SLOW Preppers
I believe that these patterns are an excellent opportunity to learn “real time” about how people and governments react in times of duress.  We’ve all seen how the grocery shelves are wiped out within 48 hours of the weather channel predicting a storm. 

When we lost power with Irene then the Nor’easter, we decided the first order of business was to install a generator.  That project was eight months in undertaking.  There were no generators to be had, as a freak windstorm affected the western half of the US knocking out power to 3 million people in the southwest.  Once we got the generator, there were no transfer switches to be had.  The demand was high.  We finally got the transfer switch.  It took another three months to get a propane tank and service, again because of the backlog, but we stuck to our guns and finally got it all put in.  This time around, Hurricane Sandy left us without communication by phone but we had power thanks to the generator.

2nd Amendment

Speaking of guns.  Living in the Northeast makes obtaining a firearm difficult.  It took about 8 months.  First to find a class, then get signed up – another backlog there.  Then permits at the police station, state processing, temporary permit, and official permit, followed by my favorite part, shopping.  We started slow, read a lot and made one purchase at a time.  Now whenever we go to Wal-Mart we buy essentials and a box of ammo.  Say it with me now: milk, bread, eggs, toilet paper and ammo.  Try it again, diapers, wipes, and ammo.  See how easy it is?

The Mormons are on to something. I like their idea of food storage and rotation.  We should get into the practice of that.  I’m still working on it.  Christmas = family gift of a case of MREs.  When Mountain House backpacking pouch freeze dried food goes on sale at Wally world I pick up a bag or two.  It doesn’t have to be in bulk, but building it slowly is cheaper and you incorporate it into your lifestyle.  The kids love the camping section of the stores.  Then once in a while we pretend to camp in the basement and “sample” the food stores that are about to expire and rotate fresh stuff in.

Bug Out Tins

There are so many good Bug Out ideas on the web.  I came across “survival in an Altoid tin.”  It’s good to keep a few bucks in the car, some analgesics, band-aids, floss, matches a mini mag lite etc.  It’s always a good idea to carry a case of water in the car, you never know.  Making the tins was a fun weekend afternoon activity for the kids and we may turn this into a Christmas gift idea.

Livestock

Our new home has a little more land and I grew up with chickens as pets.  My husband loved the idea as we often romanticize “living off the grid.”  Easter came around and we bought three chicks and the kids loved playing with them and caring for them.  My husband is pretty crafty and good with tools.  We purchased a scuffed up Rubbermaid tool shed from the local home improvement store. He cut some windows and a trap door out.  He installed a 2x4 beam for the roosting bar and because of the shape of the interior, was able to put two nesting boxes in there.  My husband thought that pets that give back in the form of food were so cool.  We eat beautiful omelets with tasty eggs that truly are antibiotic-free and hormone-free.  I reduce my garbage by putting kitchen scraps into a bucket and the chickens are so happy to get stale bread, pancakes, and bok choy stems.  The chickens think left-over spaghetti = worms and go nuts!  When we can’t keep up the 15-20 eggs per week, we again make good neighbors by giving away farm fresh eggs.

Gardening

My parents always made it look easy.  Let me tell you, if you can grow a successful tomato plant from seed, you are waaay ahead of the game.  Gardening is a major skill.  Start by trying to grow anything.  I love perennials.  I have peonies, lilies and some other flowering bushes that come back every year.  Collards and Kale are almost year round depending on how harsh the weather is.  Herbs like rosemary, lavender, thyme, chives, mint, come back every year and are low maintenance.  I just put in some asparagus; we’ll see how it does.  I also am trialing cranberries as a ground cover and purchased a really great book on edible weeds, so I can increase my foraging knowledge.  This really makes you think twice about using poisons in your yard when you free range the chickens and want to forage weeds.

Conclusion

It takes time to build up your stores.  I think you should store things you like to eat because then you use it up and aren’t throwing away expired “survival rations.”  Pick up new skills, whether that’s gardening, weed identification, how to camp or build a fire, start small, make it a hobby.  When a disaster hits your area, open your eyes and perform your own mini SWOT analysis: S – Strengths, W-weaknesses, O- opportunities, T- Threats. 

This is a very individualized thing.  But I can tell you when gas cans become available again at the local store, I’ll be stocking up on a few.  While it’s nice to have a stockpile of gold and silver coins, it can be expensive.  Buy an extra roll of aluminum foil or duct tape the next time you are out shopping.  When you’ve been sitting in a dark cold house for a week, it can be demoralizing; you’d love some hot cocoa with a splash of brandy.  Stock up on cocoa, liquor, comfort foods and items.  Some of these have a very long shelf life and will probably be easier to trade or barter than a precious metal that has precious few calories.  Good luck with your slow and systematic prepping!

How do you manage the extra expense of prepping when you are already cash strapped? After all, it is like buying for two households. When you are cost conscious you are able to purchase more. I am going to share my experience with you.

I am a single Mom of three and started prepping about a year ago. I would clip coupons and pick up extra cans of veggies a couple of times a month. When I started looking a sites on the internet that listed all the items to have on hand, I became concerned that my cans of veggies were not going to last all that long. Not to mention my kids are picky eaters and feeding them peas and corn every day was a recipe for disaster.

I made lists of food items that added variety, fruit snacks, raisins, cookies, cheese and cracker packs. Individual juice boxes, tuna, Spam (of course.) Soups, canned and dehydrated, beef stew, tortillas, and lots of peanut butter. Individual serving size apple sauce and fruit cups are healthy and convenient. I buy jars of nuts when they are on sale because I have found nuts can fill you up really quickly. We have cereal bars and small boxes of cereal. I have been buying cans of evaporated milk and recently discovered a boxed milk (non soy) because I know powdered milk won’t get drank, not even by me! I felt comfortable when we had about a six month supply on hand. Most stores have their own brand instead of name brand items that can be purchased less expensively and when you are prepping every dime counts.

I have always been a bargain shopper. I love to snoop in second hand shops and garage sales. I made a separate list for tents, camp stoves, canning equipment, hand tools, etc. Every weekend I planned my garage sale route with the items that were listed in the paper. I have recently noticed a number of “man sales” and even though I was the only woman there I found items to stash just in case. Lanterns, radios, flash lights. When I buy these items I try to keep all with the same battery size. Saws, even a brand new packaged solar shower. I found an old cooking device that uses newspaper. Now granted I’m not putting steak on this unit but to use it to heat a can of soup on, this just might be the ticket. I found storage tubs to keep the mice out of the sugar and snacks. I found shelf units and always came home smiling at my good luck, crossing out my items from the list. It’s like God was personally delivering to me what written on my lists.

Wal-Mart is always a place to hunt for bargains, but use a list. The store is designed to make you buy and get distracted by all the latest and greatest. This is where I buy my small bottles of propane much cheaper than I have found at other stores. Also medical supplies we might need. Triple antibiotic, hydrogen peroxide, ibuprofen. Check out the end caps and clearance areas, sometimes you get lucky.  I have gotten used to buying on the internet and found I don’t like paying tax, I also search for free shipping or combined shipping with the same seller. Ebay is one of my favorite sites. Recently I noticed some of the sellers are just getting plain greedy though. For example I had a bottle of 50 water purifying tablets on my watch list, when I put them on my list they were $ 8.99 with free shipping. Yesterday as I was going through my watch list they are now listed for $58.10! Really? That listing got deleted and I found another seller for $8.99 and bought right away, lesson learned. I purchased non GMO seeds last spring on Ebay for much less than the seed sites are selling for. They are also listed under the category of heirloom seeds. Left in the freezer, they are good for ten years. I can also collect the seeds from the veggies I grow. Last year was the first year I attempted growing vegetables by seed. I found a small but sturdy green house on closeout at my local hardware store. Our spring in Northern Minnesota was really wet so we set the green house up inside on the three season porch and used a grow light until the seeds were established enough to be put in the ground. A lot died, but this coming spring I intend to direct sow and put the green house over the garden plot. We had an okay harvest and this gave me the opportunity to use the canning equipment I found at an abandoned storage unit sale. I also found a security system on Ebay for like thirty bucks with free shipping. The cameras face the front and back of the property and we watch from a small black and white monitor.

 I know all the horror stories about Craigslist, but I have found numerous items there. I always bring someone with me (and my trustee stun gun). A month ago I bought a chest freezer for $100.00 and even found a farmer selling beef. My son and I recently took a road trip and stocked the freezer with a ½ beef. Last week I purchased a generator found on this site. Another item crossed off the list. The free listings are an excellent source of possible supplies.

 Harbor Freight has some good bargains as does Fleet Farm a favorite of mine for batteries and pet supplies. I also like to look in Cabela's bargain cave. Then of course I compare prices on other sites just to make sure I am getting the best price. Don’t rule out Goodwill or The Salvation Army stores, they can be a treasure trove. Dollar stores are filled with items that might be helpful, like toothbrushes, razors, plastic silverware, disposable cups, etc.

I also buy the vitamins and herbs we need from a site called Swanson's, they have a great selection and flat rate shipping is $4.99. I am a firm believer in all natural healing. Also use the email sign up on sites for extra savings.

My kids all work so I have delegated some of these items to them. My daughter is in charge of pet supplies. My son went through a catalog and bought ammo and guns, knives, swords, small shovels and solar blankets from Cheaper Than Dirt, online and catalog available. The things I would not think of because I haven’t been a boy scout.

I’ve been able to find some excellent books on living in the wild. Just in case we have to leave the safety of our property.

At some point you have to feel secure with what you’ve accumulated. When I began, I wondered how much is enough? I am finding over time that voice had quieted down and I’m not going about this with a fearful attitude. I feel more empowered. I have not found everything, I am still working down my list. I know I have to start filling gas cans for the generator, not found a decent size tent or two way radios. But I know we have enough food and water to get us through. I still fill empty milk jugs, because my kids keep drinking them!

I have also been known to check out construction sites. It is a great place to get wood scraps for fires or even plywood to cover windows and securing doors. Many of these items are tossed aside.

As you buy consider the items might be used in barter situations. Coins, ammo, seeds, water, food, tobacco, just about anything. I know that I would not turn away from others who need help. I would not actively seek them out, but if they show up cold and hungry I will help. We still have to be human and live by the Golden Rule.

Watching the news the last few days has me in awe of the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. So many people expect help in these situations and complain that it does not arrive instantly. All of us can be our own rescuer. We heard the warning. We have to make time to prepare for any emergency. Plan ahead! Being prepared not just for storms or the end of the world scenarios, but because food prices are on the verge of sky rocketing.
Lastly I would like to put in my two cents. I thought I lived on the greatest nation on Earth. I am angry that I have to plan for the end of the world scenario. That  preppers are considered dangerous people. That we are considered terrorists. How did it get to this point?  I am upset that this is my childrens’ reality. That they can not be as carefree as they should be. That America used to be the nation all others strived to be. But secretly there has been a plot against us. That the powers that be (are) want us wiped off the planet. That is the part I have a hard time with. This is just plain wrong, and I know the strong shall survive, being prepared makes you strong. So quietly go about preparing. We have an obligation to survive and take care of our loved ones, no matter what may come.

As of today, many families are still suffering from the effects of Superstorm Sandy.  Are you prepared, should such a disaster strike your area?
The following is offered as an outline for medical prepping, should you someday find yourself without access to professional medical care.  (Part 1 of this series covered weeks 1 through 6.)
Please note the following abbreviations:
ORG = organizational concerns
OTC = over-the-counter products
Rx = prescription products
ED = education and skills
The supplies listed under OTC can all be purchased without a prescription, though some are only available online.  For prescription items, assess what your group has and what each member is likely to be able to acquire. 
The three-month period is divided into 13 weekly tasks, divided according to topic, making the project more readily manageable.  The outline could also be divided into months, rather than weeks, to cover a year instead.
For more detailed information on medical prepping, please visit www.armageddonmedicine.net. 

Many years ago, my two childhood friends and I began to prep for TEOTWAWKI.  At first, we just began buying whatever was recommended by certain web sites, throwing our equipment into a box and then telling the others about what we have.  Doing this allowed us to collect many things, however we were not sure what was really practical since we never used the items.  We decided to change this about five years ago when we got serious about what we are doing and decided to take a camping trip.  The camping trip would include about a one mile hike and the only things we would bring would be the equipment that would be used in a “bug-out” scenario.   My group consists of seven main members who live in four different states, so the gear testing trips take place in two different states twice a year.  The members of my group currently live in four different states: Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, and California with the majority of the group living on the Ohio/Indiana border.  Obviously, the friend in California is not a viable option for retreat, but the Ohio and Tennessee locations are both large farms and “close enough” for the remaining group members to gather together.  So, we practice bugging out to each location from our respective homes.  The first test trip was quite a learning experience!  The oldest member of our group had equipment that weighed a total of about fifteen pounds.  We younger folk whispered among ourselves that this surely wouldn’t be enough.  While I will not disclose the pack weight of the rest of the group, I will say that we were having trouble going very far without having to take a break; and imagine our surprise when we found ourselves asking to borrow some of the older man’s equipment!  Needless to say, we decided to take a few tips from the older man and have changed the way we pack for these trips!

We travel to each location twice a year, Tennessee in early April and late July, and Ohio in early October and late December.  The reason for this is so we can camp in different temperature extremes.  The difference of Tennessee in July and Ohio in December are huge and require different gear, so this allows us to practice using everything.  Prior to our first travel, we sat down together with topographical maps of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.  We mapped the best routes for foot and vehicle travel.  We had to know if we could get to southwest Ohio from east Tennessee without hitting a major city while avoiding the interstate…and vice versa.  The members from Ohio and Indiana and their families meet en route to Tennessee and take a different route each year.  Throughout the trip, they stop to photograph certain areas they believe would be a good resting spot and mark the coordinates on the map.  When my family and I make the trip north (I am the good southerner in this group) I retrace their steps north with photos and coordinates in hand seeing if I agree or disagree with their selected stops.  I also take photos and coordinates of my own if I see something I think is better.  Once we get together, we discuss the trip and compare notes.  As of this writing, we have two preferred routes with several stops marked.   If I am headed north or they are headed south I will know which direction to expect them if we cannot contact each other.   Also, if we know a member is en route and never shows, we have a good idea where to look.

GEAR
As a group, we agreed with the guns and calibers we would collect.  We went with a Glock 22 in 40 S&W, 12 gauge shotguns, Ruger 10/22 rifle, Savage .308 bolt action rifle, Walther P22 pistol, and an AR-15 in 5.56.  The oldest member of our group (and smartest) carries a Kel-Tec PLR-16 on a pivot harness and carries the Ruger Charger in a holster attached to his pack.  After a long day of hiking uphill, the PLR-16 looked a whole lot better than my AR.  Once again, if you buy it- practice with it.  If you are carrying a gun, don’t just shoot it- carry it! Practice with in every way.  If an AR is your bug-out gun, find out how far you can travel with it comfortably. These are the reasons we decided to start our excursions.  Also, carrying four guns is not practical for long distances.  My group may have 5 or 6 guns, but I do not carry all of them.  On our hikes they are spread between my three sons and wife.  Each one is given a gun and taught not just how to shoot it, but how to carry it and how much ammo they can carry without losing to much comfort or speed.  We also have stored .50 caliber muzzleloaders, bows, crossbows and various hunting, fishing, and camping supplies while they were on clearance during the off-seasons.   

We also coordinated our bug-out bags to be similar, so we know where everyone keeps supplies in their bag.  We follow the first in last out method of organizing our gear. (I would not recommend sharing this information with a group unless these are close friends.  I feel comfortable doing this with my group since we have been close for thirty plus years. ) We use the typical 3 day bag for our trips.  When going out with my sons, I have switched the Eberlestock X1A1 pack, giving my oldest boy my three day pack.  I find this pack is great for carrying my rifle long distances, but you lose the tactical advantage of having the rifle readily available.  Once again, this becomes an issue of practice.  I have decided in a TEOTWAWKI scenario I would probably have two rifles- one in the pack and one slung for carry.   Also, during our trips we all discovered the joy of sleeping in a hammock. Previously, we had carried sleeping bags and slept on the ground. The hammock was much lighter to carry and far more comfortable than sleeping on the ground.  While we all carry a small two or one-man tent, the hammock is the preferred sleeping choice; especially as we are getting older!

THE LOCATIONS
Keep in mind while reading this that while we are prepping together, we are also prepping separately.  We each have large families and friends that we expect to arrive at our house if a worst case scenario happens even though we attempt to treat our prepping habit like the first two rules of Fight Club.  Unfortunately, the rules we keep don’t always apply to our wives who will mention our guns and food storage during a conversation with those they are friendly with but not friends.  With that in mind I will briefly describe each bug-out location.

Ohio- In Ohio, my friend lives on a 40 acre farm surrounded by other farms to the north, west, and east. There is a large wooded area to the south of his property.  He has a large cache of food stored there and at home he owns in the nearby village.  On his farm, he is currently raising meat rabbits, chickens, goats and horses.  He has a large area set-up for a “survival” garden and two barns.  One barn is arranged with a tack room and can be set-up for temporary housing if necessary.  The rear barn is where the livestock is kept along with their supplies.  His house is large enough to house four families comfortably.  The Ohio farm is also close enough for my cohort in Indiana to travel to without touching an Interstate or city.  If the situation would dictate they need to leave Ohio and head to Tennessee, they would use the farm as a staging area to prepare for the possible dangerous trip to Tennessee.

Tennessee –In Tennessee the farm is on 200 acres that is mostly wooded.  The area is set-up with several small shooting houses (each equipped with a propane heater, but no air) that are made for hunting, but could be used for a lookout post or temporary housing for a few people.  We have a small garden and recently started orchard, which is in the process of growing to a large orchard with many different types of fruit and nuts.  We have very few farm animals, but are surrounded by a few like-minded neighbors with horses, cows, chickens, and goats.  Our house is also large enough to house four families comfortably.  We also have two barns that could be easily converted to living areas; one barn is currently holding the supplies to complete that task.  My wife has a large extended family in east Tennessee and I would not be surprised if most landed on my door step.  I have discussed this event with a few of her uncles, all of which have a trade skill in farming or mechanical.  My immediate family is storing food for 50 people for one year.  We have split this up between several households that are all within thirty minutes of each other, the plan being that they load up and head to the farm.  I truly believe that the majority of my wife’s family would not make the trip to Ohio if we needed to evacuate our farm.  They are proud people who often discuss fighting to the last man.  While that is great in theory, I plan on protecting my wife and children to the best of my ability.  If that means retreat, I retreat; I plan on living to fight another day.  If they stay and fight, they will cover our exit as we head north.  

If both locations fall or fail we do have a handful of other locations to fall back to.  Only one or two have potential to become long term, but they would give us time to regroup, assess and plan.

Communications
In most TEOTWAWKI scenarios communication is impossible.  I am hoping for difficult and improbable, but not impossible.  Best case is we use cell phones to communicate and coordinate our efforts.  We would also discuss on whether to hunker down or travel.  It may be in everyone best interest that they stay north and I stay south.  If cell phones are down we have a ham radio at each farm.  If those go down the back-up plan is signals.  We have made a list of signs we would leave at the farm if we had to abandon them, so the others would know where we are headed.  We also have a small cache of food and ammo for them to resupply with.  Also, we place a few signs on the mapped routes to the farms, in case we both bugged out and did not cross paths.  We each carry a laminated copy of address (coordinates attached) in Tennessee and Ohio that are our fall-back positions.  This list was one of the last things I put together, but will have a great use if we ever have to use it.

End Result
I know prepping with a group will lead to the best possible outcome and I chose to do that with my three closest friends and their families.  When we began prepping and discussing logistics this is the best course of action we could come up with, but the bottom line is if we did not train we would not know.  I can imagine us trying to take I-75 N and having to pass through Knoxville, Richmond, Lexington, and Cincinnati to make it to the Ohio retreat or my friends and the small convoy they have passing through those cities in a worst case scenario and I know it would be madness.  I can imagine the results if we had never discussed ammo or weapons and all showed up with different calibers and little ammo.   How would we fare if we never stored food for a large group and just for our immediate family?  What would we do? How would we handle it if we showed up to one of the farms and it was empty? How well does each member shoot? Does one of us exceed at different roles such as planning, chef, and sharp shooter (growing up together we pretty much already knew where we would fall, but not our wives and children.  My middle child will most likely end up as our sharp shooter)? We would not be as far along in our prepping if we did not start using our gear and training.  Training requires planning, planning requires a vision, and with no vision the people perish.

As a single mother of two I know and live the word budget all to well. My income is limited and I have wasted a lot of time and money because I was too focused on getting ‘only the best.’ I quickly realized that the path I was on was getting me nowhere. I began to look at past purchases and realized that a lot of my purchases were unnecessary and quite frankly irresponsible. If I wanted to better guarantee the safety and sanity of myself and my young children, I needed to take a different path to self-sufficiency and quickly. In addition, this may all be common sense ideas but I know all too well that in the beginning it is extremely overwhelming and sometimes you may get caught up in all the fancy gadgets and lose sight of what truly matters.

Let’s face it not everyone can afford a retreat, with the nice solar panels’ and armored windows. However, everyone can afford a library book that will increase their skill set making them more valuable to those that can afford a retreat. If you put the effort forth there is tons of literature on tool making, canning, operating ham radios, farming, first aid, animal husbandry, firearms repair, and reloading. Pay close attention to animal husbandry, farming, and try your hand at blacksmithing (start with wrought iron then move to steel). It is critical to know what crop to plant in a certain part of the year along with knowing how to do it. You will also need to look at how you will harvest your crops without a tractor. If you do not have the money to invest in horses and the simple machines that would allow you to plant and harvest your crops via original horse power than you will need to purchase and know how to effectively use the simple hand tools. Buy a scythe to harvest cereal and practice with it. Also, invest in a few spades, pitchforks, garden forks, and some hoes. Owning simple tools and having the know how to use them will make you a great asset. In addition to your non formal training do your best to obtain certified skills, First Responder courses and to become a EMT do not take too long to complete. Even a basic Wilderness First Responder course can save someone’s life, I know because my training saved my three month old. Can’t find a group that is right for you? Plan B: Find others that are in your situation and group purchase land. Some advise against that but I have seen it work. If neither of these are options pre-position several caches in several locations as temporary retreats. Place them on land far from major cities and densely populated areas. Again it doesn’t have to be fancy. It is there to give you additional time and safety for the time being. There are bound to be retreat groups that realize that their six group members are not capable of handling the larger gangs and that they lack certain specialties. At that point if you can offer a valuable skill set and provide additional food that you pre cached away they will be more willing to accept you into their retreat group. However, you can never be too sure so the caches should be set up to enable you to set up a retreat once there is no land surveyor to come a knocking. Remember this is not the time to be picky, that apartment or home you have in the city will not suffice in a WROL situation.

When you’re prepping to bug out and/ or funding is lacking your best friend is going to be caches.  Clearly you cannot fit all the gear you need in a backpack. However, you can have a years’ worth of food and additional ammo if you take the time to bury caches. If you have joined a group that is even better. The caches should be on several different routes to the retreat location and you have the option of pre-positioning gear at the retreat. In addition, remember when I said you can cache items to build upon later? I wasn’t kidding. It may sound absurd but let’s take a minute and discuss this. Lets’ say before the collapse you made valid efforts to secure four acres of land but did not have the funding to build yet nor could you finically afford to move to the middle of nowhere. But you did take the time to cache tools, nails, food, piping to outfit a gravity fed water system and generator (watch Yukon Men -- it is possible) among various other items. (Even better if you were able to secure a shed [at very low cost or free] from CraigsList. Now your family has a temporary shelter you can build upon instead of remaining out in the weather.) Once you arrive at your retreat location you can begin the feverish task of building up a retreat. It is not the ideal scenario to begin building after things have SHTF but again it is playing the hand you have been dealt. The retreat won’t be fancy, but it could sustain you & yours more comfortably with the items you cached.  Now let’s say you buried caches but you did not bury to rebuild you just buried to sustain. You are left trying to figure out how to chop down lumber for a shelter without an axe because the survival axe in your bug out bag quickly failed you, and no nails to build (safe to say you probably didn‘t cache a book on how to build a log cabin primitive style either). Now you are stuck carrying five gallon buckets up from the stream several times a day not only for the family but for the garden that you had to dig up with sticks because you didn’t cache garden tools.  See where I’m going with this? The minor preps can make all the difference and these preps do not have to break the bank. Nor does your retreat have to mimic a five star hotel to ensure your survival (in fact that would probably get you killed).

Network, network, network. Did I mention to network? The prepping community is a library in itself. Meet, talk, sit down and strategize. Not only are you learning you are establishing a relationship that could pay off in the future.

Can’t afford a AR-15 or AK? Well great neither can I. Instead I put money into ammo, and lots of it. I know you’re going to say, “Save that money that you spend on ammo and put it towards that AR-15.” Well guess what time is running out and what I can afford at this time is one to two boxes of ammo a month.

Which leads me to, “Keeping up with the Joneses.” You are not prepping to impress the Joneses. You are prepping for you and yours. The needs and income of your family are different from the next. So who gives a rats butt if the prepper over there disagrees with your purchase? He/She is not the one paying for it! Instead of trying to keep up with the latest gadgets and freeze dried storage of Joe Schmo next door focus your attention on what you can do and become efficient at it. So yea you could spend that $200 on that cool knife your bud has or you could save it and put it towards a reliable firearm or crossbow. So get rid of the notion that because the next guy over has better gear that he is better equipped. Remember knowledge is your biggest asset in a survival situation. While you are out hunting and gathering he will be fumbling to open his latest gadget and scratching his head over the instructions.

You’re stuck on new. Folks that are so fixed on having the pretty aspect they forget that getting certain items second hand saves you a lot of money. Doing so you just might be able to afford that AR-15. Again when you’re in the field you will be kicking yourself in the hind end for only having that .22 because that is what you could afford at a retail price. Network; find an individual that knows guns. See if they are willing to look at a few used firearms in return for a service you specialize in. In certain disasters old is worth more than new.  That Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is as good as scrap in an EMP situation. Garage selling is a great way to find preps for cheap. For example, I recently purchased a camo waterproof bib and jacket set for ten dollars at a garage sale, an insulated bib for five bucks, and camo pants for a dollar. With that said there are some items that deserve more of an investment.

Name brands….yes some items are worth their investment. For example if you are prepping to bug out an adequate sleeping bag is a must (if you live in a large populated area such as Denver let’s face it you have to leave). There is a huge difference in a Wiggy'sbrand sleeping bag versus a Wally World sleeping bag. Another area that should not be skimped on is boots. You will be doing a lot of walking/ running and the last thing you need is to be trying to do so barefoot. Trust me…those Wally World “waterproof” boots are only waterproof for the first few uses. However, do you really need that fancy $300 flashlight? Probably not. Buy two headlamps and put the rest aside for an adequate sleeping bag. When it comes down to it don’t get stuck on the latest fanciest gadgets with that expensive price tag due to the name. When deciding on a product you need to look at longevity and reliability and ask yourself can I get the same quality if I buy an off brand?

Priorities. You need to sit down with your partner (or a pen and piece of paper if you’re like me) and discuss what follows: water purification, shelter, food, and self-defense. Clearly you will have to set priorities within those categories’ to.  A priority should not be fancy shelving if you are on a budget. “Sorry baby boy we can’t eat next month because I wanted my prepping closet to look nice.” That money you spend on those shelves could buy your family an additional month of food or even a firearm in some cases. Call the bakeries and ask for buckets, buy five dollar totes are even better go out on trash days…you will find a ton! People throw away the most useful and expensive items. I once went to the dumpster and found several books that retail well over $15 a piece and name brand clothing such as Under Armour with the tags still on! 

She’d cook a dish and we’d go ‘Mama, w’ats this here, hanh?’ And she’d say, Children, that’s a mus-go. It mus’ go down yo’ throat.” - Justin Wilson

Adjust your skeptical eaters’ view of food now! My family began that at an early age.
Half of the time I did not know what type of meat I was eating…and for that fact if I’m eating at my fathers these days I still don‘t. If it was brown it was beef, if it was white it was chicken or turkey flavored differently. We raised rabbits and I never knew until I was older that I was eating my ‘pet’ rabbit. Dad would simply make sure that he replaced it with the same color rabbit which explains why I was only allowed to have one specific color….

Statistics show that you may have to offer a child the same food fifteen to sixteen times before they will accept it. So offer your local game now. Get a cookbook and learn how to work with it. If you have an infant and have the ability to breast feed, do so. Formula is expensive, it is easier to put aside some to supplement your child’s diet than to store one years’ worth. Can’t afford to stock up on freeze dried food items? For me that wasn’t a big deal. Down here it’s, “What would you like with your rice tonight?” You can pretty much guarantee that either rice or beans (or both) is in a dish from jambalaya to gumbo, to red beans and rice, all the way to black eyed peas & rice. And it is soooo good! These can be some of the simplest dishes to the most complex, figure out how you like them now.

Before you begin purchasing preps do a inventory of the items you have. Since my son has a skin disorder I already had a pretty decent stash of medical supplies. Far from enough but more than most. However, it will expire or run out no matter the amount I store. Knowing this I’m trying to find alternative ways to treat his skin with what nature provides.  Doing this I have taken one step closer to the realization that the supply chain may not be reestablished before my stockpile has run out.  Your preps should reflect that chance also. In each category you need to address the what if scenario of the grid being down for a decade or two. Yes you may have food and supplies to last for a few years but do you have the knowledge to live off the land once it runs out? Realize material items are just that…items. Knowledge and know how will outlast any material object.

Just a few additional tips to make your money go further. If I receive change I ask for it in nickels. Since nickels are 25% nickel and 75% cooper they are worth more than their face value yet you pay no more for it. It is real easy to get lost in the beans, bullets, and band aids prep list; however, there are plenty of other preps that are needed. Go to garage sales and pick up clothing for your children in every size you can. It is better to spend ten bucks on twenty outfits for the future now than having to barter precious ammo later. Also, tents, lighting, and shoes are a great addition to your preparations and are usually found cheaply at garage sales. I check CraigsList a lot and I can always find free firewood and pallets. Even if you just have land it would be wise to stockpile fire wood there. The McCormick brand seasoning packets are relatively cheap and are a great way to add flavor and calories to bland dishes. Even now my children and I enjoy rice and a beef burger smothered in brown gravy. In addition, I was unaware until I read a article that individuals on food stamps could purchase plants and seeds as long as they produce food. My local Wal-Mart sells a small variety of heirloom seeds and Whole Foods sales bulk wheat along with various other bulk items. Obviously, if you are on food stamps your budget is tight but try to set aside a few dollars in your budget to purchase some fruits for the future. Always look for multipurpose items to get more for your money. The WhisperLite International by MSR burns white gas, kerosene, unleaded gasoline and IsoPro Butane. It would make a great addition to your Bug Out Bag or even your retreat. With the bountiful of vehicles that will line the roads you could have fuel for a while. In addition, there are a few other common places that allow for cheaper purchases. Sam’s has great deals on long term food storage especially on wheat if you cannot get into a LDS cannery soon (ours has a nine to ten month waiting list). No the wheat is not organic and non-GMO but you won’t starve to death. Visit your local dollar stores. I purchased over twenty seed packets for under three dollars because it was the end of the season. Also, eBay is a great place to pick up items. For your bug out bag you can obtain a large Alice pack and frame for under thirty dollars, it is cheap and has proven its’ keep. There are great deals on everything from wool socks to boots to the military poncho and poncho liner.

It takes work, time, sweat, blood, and some tears occasionally. And a lot of prayer. But if you are willing to work overtime, pick up a second job, get up early and hit the flea market and garage sales. It is possible on a low income. Bartering, second hand, and education is going to be your Emancipation Proclamation or Thirteenth Amendment, whichever you see fit. What it boils down to is having the motivation to work towards becoming a asset without having a hefty wallet. An the willingness to look at alternative ways to prep without allowing others view to dictate your path to self sufficiency.

On a deeper note, I would love to keep my children’s lives normal after the SHTF but after realizing the harsh reality of my budget and knowing how the majority of the population will act I realized that I couldn’t. The reality was hard to swallow as much as I wanted to save for all the luxuries that a retreat offers. My fears of the chaos that will ensue after SHTF is justified, the nation witnessed that during and after Hurricane Katrina. So I regrouped, re-strategized and began thinking logically on how I could best keep food in my babies’ mouths and keep them safe, the best I could. No it is not glamorous nor will it be as comfortable as it would be if we had a retreat set up but at least I’m doing my best to prevent them from starving. So please don’t put off prepping because you can’t afford the best or you feel you just don’t have the money. Spend a few extra dollars and do your best to get your beans, bullets, and band aids in place prior to the coming collapse. Because in the end eating rice and beans is better than watching your children starve to death.

Lastly, I have a question. BriteLyt lanterns advertises the ability to burn a variety of fuels including kerosene, diesel, gasoline, white gas, biodiesel, paint thinner (not to sure how I feel about that one), mineral spirits, charcoal lighter fluid, lamp oils, Coleman fuel, and JP fuels. However, due to the price I have not had the ability to try one. My question to SurvivalBlog readers is, have you tried one and if so are they worth their investment (for me the price tag is a couple months of my prepping budget)?

We have all heard the old idiom: "One man's trash is another man's treasure." This basically means that something that one person considers worthless may be considered valuable by someone else. This could not be further from the truth in the mind of any survivor. You could branch out into every aspect and area of survival with this mindset at your core. Water, food, fire, shelter, and security can all be obtained with this in mind.
 
I believe that in a survival situation and in everyday life that everything around you is valuable and has multiple uses. I also believe that everyday life is survival. From the moment of your birth until right now, you are in a survival situation. If this weren't the case you would not be here. It is just that in an actual "survival situation" that the stakes become higher. It is how you perceive things around you, and how you choose to use them that will give you the edge in a "survival situation".
 
Preparing and being prepared for any and all situations is something that I highly recommend. However, this may not always be conceivable, or you may not have certain items with you at the time of need or when disaster strikes. In certain survival situations you may not be resupplied for a great length of time or not at all. It is imperative in those moments that you and I think outside of the box. Virtually everything around you and I has multiple uses and purposes, but it is up to you and I to use our most important survival weapon and tool to discover those other uses for those items. This weapon and tool is our minds.

For years I have slowly integrated all parts of a "survivor’s mindset" into my wife and kids, but I always try and reinforce keys aspects to them, and one of those main aspects is the mental ability to "improvise"! For a long while I had shown my son that there are multiple uses for any single item or thing he comes across. I have also shown him many survival techniques over the years. To drive this point home to my 12 year old son I took him to a picnic campsite up in the mountains. The point of the trip was to show him that he could survive even if he lacked certain items. He didn't know what we were taking the drive for until we got there.  After arriving at the campsite I told him, “Pretend right now that you were in a survival situation or that you got lost up here in the woods. What would you do?"

To my amazement he just gave me a grin, stopped and sat down. He then thought about what I had just said for a moment. Next he pulled everything that he had out of his pockets and took inventory which consisted of the following:
A survival whistle which had a compass, magnifying glass, and thermometer.
And a stick of bubble gum
He then looks at me and says, "It's not much is it?" I told him, "Nope it sure isn't" He then said, “Well, I suppose I can do what you taught me to do." "And what's that?” I asked.
"I can forage around and see what I find.” he said.

He first walked around the campsite and found a plastic bag, 3 metal bottle caps, a lighter with no fuel but flint still sparked, a used 3 foot piece of multi-strand white rope, a torn piece of paper, and a large coffee can. He then walked along the nearby creek with me in pursuit. Along this creek he gathered up an empty plastic water bottle, a glass bottle, a tangled wad of fishing line which had 2 hooks attached, a small bait container with cotton and 2 weights inside.  On the way back to the campsite he found a broken piece of a vehicle side
mirror on the road.

Then my son took inventory of what he had again. I then asked him, "What can you use that stuff for?” How will all this stuff help your situation?"
"For food I could try using the hooks and weights to catch fish with bugs as bait, or at worst I could try making lures with the hooks and metal bottle caps," he said
"I know I'll need water and I could collect it from that creek using the plastic or glass bottles. Maybe after I got a fire going or I found some charcoal around the campsite I could make a water filter. I'd have to use the plastic water bottle for that. The coffee can would be for boiling the water and cooking food.
"For fire I think I could try putting some sparks on that cotton as long as it's dry and hopefully it will turn into a flame." I also have this piece of paper to help me along with the magnifying glass on my survival whistle.
"Shelter would have to be made using the rope or rope strands and maybe tying branches together to make a simple shelter." He kept on glancing up at me as if to see if I approved, but I kept quiet. I wanted to hear what he would come up with. I was thinking in my mind as he talked,” Not bad, not bad at all kid!"
He continued:
I guess the fire would give me some sort of safety and security. I could use the broken piece of mirror for signaling or use my whistle to try and get someone's attention.
For the rest of the afternoon I watched as he put his plan for each aspect of survival into action. He succeeded in every one of them by himself. (Keep in mind all local and state laws were kept during this exercise.)
At the end of the day he said, "The plastic bag is pretty much useless.” "What are you going to carry all this stuff around in?” I asked. "You're right dad. I guess there is no such thing as trash!” he said. We both laughed as he enlightened us with that final comment. Not only did my son gain additional confidence that day but we also picked up what most others would consider trash or litter and we cleaned up that area.

My son was absolutely right in saying “there is no such thing as trash”, and in a survival situation there isn’t! Everything becomes useful. In our day to day lives we throw things away in the garbage all the time. Have you ever stopped to think what other uses those items might have? It is absolutely mind blowing all the ideas that will flood to your mind if you asked yourself this question every time you open the trash can to throw something away! You could save yourself hundreds if not thousands of dollars in thinking like this. I'm not telling you to be a messy, disorganized hoarder, of course not. What I am saying is to stop and readjust your way of thinking about everything around you and their potential uses. In a  TEOTWAWKI scenario you will be glad that you started thinking this way. There is no such thing as trash! It's all treasure in some form or another. It's just up to you how you use and apply those items into your situation. By all means start preparing. Educate yourself and your family about survival, prepare your survival kits and bug out bags, and store up emergency supplies and food but remember this simple yet effective core idea that there basically is no such thing as trash. You can recycle and reintegrate almost anything back into your inventory and situation to help you. You can combine what others consider junk items together and make useful things to help you and those around you. For example if you needed an alternative source of power you could make a simple generator using a motor, an alternator, electrical wires, a V belt, a cast iron pulley, and some mounting brackets.  However keep in mind that you may have to obtain these items from different places and different items. The motor could be obtained from a lawnmower, the alternator from an old car, the pulley from a beaten down belt driven air conditioner, etc. What others have considered to be their trash could now become your treasure! In its simplest form this would be a DC charging system but with the addition of a DC to AC power inverter it also becomes an AC generator system with battery back up. In simpler survival ideas using this mindset you could make a simple water filter using a plastic water bottle, sand, and charcoal, a thrown away soda pop can could be used to start you a fire by polishing the bottom and using it like a reversed magnifying glass with the sun. There are endless ideas, tools, weapons, and survival supplies that can be made or obtained with items around you.

In a  TEOTWAWKI scenario the average person who is not prepared and survival minded is limited by their supplies. Society has too many people accustomed to turning on the faucet and expecting water, going to the nearest store when their pantries and refrigerators supplies run low, going to a restaurant when they get hungry, and filling up their vehicles with gas when needed. These people sadly will not be ready for a TEOTWAWKI situation. The ease of society I believe has weakened and blinded the average person into thinking that the comforts and convenience of everyday life will always be there when needed. It’s not impossible for the average person to pull together and survive this type of situation but it will be that much harder for them since they are so accustomed to the ease of societal living. It’s not a matter of if something of this scale will occur but just a matter of when. For the survival minded person, survivalist, or prepper at least you will be that much more prepared than the average person. However, please keep in mind that if the economy collapses, or there is a nuclear catastrophe, a world wide viral outbreak, etc, etc, that known commerce will come to a halt. Supplies as we know it will come to a halt. At least those who have prepared will have a greater chance versus those who have not. Never deceive yourselves into thinking that you have prepared supply wise for everything, and indefinitely. At some point you will have to resupply something. You will either have to barter and trade, or forage for what items you need. Keep in mind that God gave us all our most important piece of survival gear and it sits right above our necks. Our brains and our minds are an awesome tool if we are willing to see through the right lens. Most of the world has been explored by man. Man by nature leaves things behind either by throwing them away or seeing things as junk and abandoning that stuff for others. How you see that stuff and what you do with it can help you greatly.

Over the years I have used the term survival extensively but I don’t want you and I to just hang by a thread surviving. I don’t want you and I to just survive. I want you and I to THRIVE.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of survive is:

1. to remain alive or in existence: live on
2. to continue to function or prosper

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of thrive is:

1. to grow vigorously : flourish
2. to gain in wealth and possessions: prosper
3. to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances

These two words sound the same but quite surprisingly they are different. I would rather thrive than just survive. I don’t just want to exist or continue on but rather I want to flourish and prosper despite my circumstances. My friends we need to think outside the box. We need to improvise when necessary. I believe the key to thriving rather than just relying on supplies and surviving is the ability to improvise. These two sayings go hand in hand and they are:
Necessity is The Mother of Invention and One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure. Both require you and I to think outside the box and realize that if you really need something that you will find a way to do it or acquire it. The items you need could be right in front of you and you may not yet realize it. Some uses for things may be obvious but they may require a little elbow grease to get them working. For example a few weeks ago on my way to the city dump I noticed a wheelbarrow on the side of one of the large dumpsters that was going to be thrown away. Upon inspecting the wheelbarrow all it needed was a new tire and handles and maybe a new paint job. After asking permission I immediately took it with me and fixed it up. The cost was about $5 for a can of spray paint since I already had a tire for it. It looked and functioned like new. I just saved myself at least $145-$150 for this particular brand of wheelbarrow. See not only can you apply this concept in a survival situation but in your day to day life. The money you save in day to day living using this way of thinking could be used for additional supplies and gear, bills or a vacation.

In summary when something thrusts us into a major survival situation you and I will already be thinking this way and you and I will go from just surviving to thriving. This article could go on describing hundreds of thousands of things around you in a survival situation that may help you but it is up to you and your ingenious and inventive mind to figure those things out based on your particular needs. Remember if my 12 year old son can put this mindset into action then so can you and I. It’s not the one with the most toys and ready supplies who wins in the end but the one who can use his or her mind and faith that will endure to the end. Thank You for taking the time to read this article and as always, “Take Care, Be Prepared and May God Lead and Guide You in every situation that you face!”

My husband and I are new to the concept of prepping and self-sufficient living, having just begun the process in the last 30 to 60 days. Our journey when world events began to heat up in the Middle East and we started asking “what if” questions. Our ignorance means that we have a lot of learning, practicing and catching up to do. I am fairly confident that we are not the only ones to slowly become aware of the necessity of preparing. I thought that I would share what we have done to get started in the hopes that this information will be helpful to anyone else that is new to prepping. So, how should one start if they have done absolutely nothing thus far?

Even though I titled this “Starting from Nothing”, that is not an entirely accurate phrase. God prepares a way for us, even when we are not fully aware of the long-term ramifications of His design. Our journey has been a gradual one, without us even realizing it. A few years ago I read a book titled Animal, Vegetable, Miracle which raised our awareness about where our food comes from. Then we watched the video Food, Inc.. and that really scared us! I began to cook from scratch as much as possible, buying what I could from butchers and farmers’ markets. Unfortunately, we lived in a large city with a tiny lot. Gardening was not an option and I felt limited in our choices. But, for some reason that I cannot really explain, I purchased two books: Back to Basics and The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It.

In June 2011, God opened a way for our family to move to a small community of less than 2,000 residents in northern Wisconsin. We were able to negotiate a 12-year fixed [interest rate] land contract for a good sized house on a larger than average city lot. It was too late to plant a garden, but I was able to negotiate for some fresh produce from neighbors, members of our church and the local Amish community. I learned how to can and borrowed a dehydrator and learned how to dehydrate our food. Granted, it was not enough to feed our family through the winter, but it was a start.

I feel that God was preparing us with this house! Not only is the house a good, sturdy home built in the 1920s, but we found a buried outhouse pit, a buried sand point well, and learned that the house originally had a rainwater cistern and root cellar in the basement. While we are not planning on constructing an outhouse anytime soon (we did dig it up once already and collected over 200 antique bottles) or repair the rainwater cistern (illegal in our state), it is reassuring to know that the house was once self-sustaining. In the meantime, I am working to get the well permitted so that we can install a hand pump, as well as researching ways to collect rainwater and build a root cellar.

During the cold winter months, I had begun reading various blogs on homesteading, mostly to learn more about canning and dehydrating. I came across a recommendation for a video on gardening titled Back to Eden. This video taught us how to garden without rototilling, irrigating, fertilizing and minimizing weeding. My husband and I were intrigued, especially since it emphasizes how to garden in a Biblical fashion. In 2012, we planted our first garden ever. For novice gardeners, God truly blessed our efforts. We also learned a lot! While we enjoyed some of the fruits of our labors fresh, I made an effort to can as much as possible. I was able to preserve almost 400 half-pints, pints and quarts of fresh produce, mostly harvested from our garden. And I learned that we need a much bigger garden to store enough food to feed our family through one winter!

It was while researching and reviewing this Biblical gardening method that I first began to come across various sites, blogs and videos that were written by other preparing families. At first, I admit to thinking it was just another method of hoarding, albeit one that was more politically correct! Once again, God began to work on me and show me in verse after verse how preparing is important. I purchased the one book that everyone seemed to refer to – the LDS Preparedness Manual. I started with the free downloadable version, but soon realized that I needed a printed version in order to share it with my husband. It was while reading the printed version that I first learned about SurvivalBlog. We are now learning and preparing in leaps and bounds.

We must also recognize that God has given us some talents naturally. We all have hobbies or activities that we enjoy doing. These same activities, depending on what they are, may stand you in good stead while preparing. For as long as I can remember I have been an avid reader. Until my mid-thirties, I read anything and everything regardless of content. Today I am a much more discriminating reader, but I still read a lot. I love books and absolutely hate returning them to the library or selling them. Because of this tendency, my husband likes to joke that we have our own personal library! This love of reading will be beneficial should we ever be in a grid down situation. I will have a plethora of entertainment and resources that I can turn to as needed. Since we are now focusing on preparing and self-sufficient living, the bookshelf will keep me supplied in new reading materials for at least a few months. (I confess I have already ordered seven of them!) I read three of Mr. Rawles’ books over the course of a few days and am anxiously waiting for the fourth to arrive. (As a side note, I highly recommend that any new preparer read them!)

I am also a crafty kind of person – I love to work with my hands to create things. I love to sew, crochet, cross-stitch and quilt. Some of these skills can be used to help keep my family clothed and warm; it can also be used to fill long, cold winter evenings. I currently have three traditional sewing machines, but I am looking for a good treadle machine. While I can sew by hand and like to hand quilt, I confess that sewing or mending clothes by hand is not my favorite activity! I would much rather use a sewing machine. In addition to keeping me busy now, these activities are also bringing us a small amount of income that can be dedicated to helping us prepare.

I love to cook and for years have been a very good customer of Pampered Chef! I just have to play with different tools and gadgets that help make cooking fun. Fortunately, most of the tools that I have purchased over the years do not require electricity to work and will also be helpful long into the future. I also enjoy trying out new recipes, modifying them so that I can make them from scratch as much as possible. Coupled with my love of books, this means that I have a lot of cookbooks. As we begin to build our food storage, I will be reviewing my cookbooks thoroughly to find those meals that would adapt to wood stove or campfire cooking using cast iron skillets and pots. Now, I am much more aware and selective in the tools that I buy for my kitchen and am slowly converting everything to cast iron cookware.

While some preparations fall along the lines of common sense, it is still important that to research before doing anything else. In our case, I watched a few videos on food storage, solar systems, end time prophecies, etc. Instantly, I realized that we are woefully unprepared should anything happen tomorrow. We needed to start making some changes right away. While the resources I discovered were very helpful, they all had one thing in common – lists of necessities – and some significant capital requirements.

It’s really easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when there are a lot of lists. SurvivalBlog’s list of lists is great because each list is broken out into different categories. While scanning each list, I was able to make notes on what things we already had and to start having discussions about what we needed with my husband. My husband and I tend to complement one another very well – I tend to think more of the day-to-day, as in, what tools would I need to do this task today if there was no electricity; my husband, on the other hand, is more big picture – what do we  need to do to protect ourselves from nuclear fallout. By having the lists as a discussion point, we are able to prioritize based on our needs and concerns instead of scratching our head and trying to think of the “what ifs” and “what do we need” questions.

Very few things in this life are free, and unfortunately, everything is going up in price as the value of our dollar drops. Our family is larger than average – we have six children – and so our budget is fairly tight to begin with. With just enough funds to “make ends meet”, our first challenge was raising money to start purchasing things we would need. While the List of Lists is a great resource, I think we can all agree that it still requires some funding!

I began to systematically go through all of the boxes, cupboards, closets and storage to identify those items that would be good for future bartering (clothes, shoes, coats, snow pants, baby gear, furniture, etc.) and those that would require electricity to work or were not even being used. I think that it is safe to say that everyone has things hiding away that they only use rarely or that, in the event of a power grid outage, would never use again. Do we really need to keep these modern “conveniences”?

For example, my husband and I cleaned out the “storage” area in our basement. We temporarily boxed all the clothing items until we could obtain some plastic containers. Eventually, I sorted the clothes by gender and size and generated an inventory prior to relocating the bins to long-term storage in the garage.

We also identified the unused baby furniture and other “able to be traded” items and placed them into long-term storage in the garage. While we currently do not need these items, we felt it was best to save them for two reasons: (1) just in case we were blessed with another little one (which is entirely possible since our youngest just turned a year old) or (2) in the event we needed to barter in the future for something we do need.

We also assembled in a separate pile unneeded but potentially useful items such as crutches and canes. We do not have any first aid kits assembled yet, but we do have a wide range of mixed medical items all throughout the house. We are consolidating what we do have so that we can organize it into one area of the house and make wise choices in purchasing what we need – opposed to purchasing what we think we need and ending up with too much of something and not enough of another.

Finally, we put all the electric items, such as a countertop cookware and electric skillets in one pile and the items that we no longer use, such as a bill organizer and gold embossed stemware into a second pile. All of these items were cleaned; inspected for flaws; tested for condition; and photographed for sale placement.

Depending on the time of year, those items that are set aside to be sold can be managed in a variety of ways, whichever suits your particular family and timing. Because we did not start our prepping until early fall, when rummage sales are at a seasonal low, I opted to post many of our items on EBay for quick auction or sale. I took the time to research a little bit about each item that we were selling, looking at comparables already on the site. This helped me to price the “buy it now” slightly lower than our competitors. It is important to note here that timing is critical – we need to start preparing now and so I was not very concerned about “profit”. Remember, most of this stuff has simply been collecting dust in a cupboard, closet or other storage area so a quick infusion of cash was more important than getting the most profit. With that being said, I am not selling us short either. Researching the competition helps ensure the most “bang for your buck” is achieved.

As items were purchased, the funds became available in our PayPal account. I have opted to not transfer this money to our personal account just yet. Instead, I am using the funds to purchase things that we need, such as kerosene lamps and cast iron cookware, from eBay.

A word of caution when purchasing online – make sure you know what the going rate is for certain items so that you do not pay more than you would elsewhere and always keep shipping costs in mind as they can add up quickly! Resist the temptation to “buy it now” just to get the item quickly – you will most likely be able to get the item for less if you are patient and participate in the auction. For example, I got one cast iron pan for $6.38 plus shipping of $9.36. Had I opted to “buy it now” I would have paid $19.99 plus the shipping. This allowed me to have an additional $13.61 to purchase something else we needed.

Any items that did not sell the first time around were relisted. After a few attempts, if they still have not sold, I put a price sticker on it and set it aside for sale in the spring during the community wide rummage sale.

The lack of funds gave me a feeling of being overwhelmed. There was so much that we needed and the lists seemed to go on and on. By being proactive and conscientious, I have been able to start making the necessary purchases a little at a time. This helped me to feel a little less overwhelmed and to feel like we were at least making some progress.

I do our grocery shopping once each month, with only occasional trips for extra milk, bread and eggs. I have been shopping this way for almost three years and we usually have plenty of food when it is time for me to shop again each month. This enables me to feel confident that I have at least enough food to feed my family for about six weeks. Throw in all the food that I have canned and I could probably go two or three months longer, although I admit creativity would be required for meal planning. As I started preparing for my family this habit really helped me. I continue to shop once per month, but buy more than my standard maintained quantity. For example, I like to have at least 50 pounds of sugar on hand, especially during canning season. I will gradually increase that to 100 pounds by buying a bag or two extra each month.

For the long-term planning, I am keeping an eye out for an antique ice box to replace my refrigerator with. Unfortunately, the space is tiny for storage, so I am looking at ways to preserve my food while minimizing my dependency on freezer and refrigerator space. We are also researching how to construct a root cellar and have purchased the book Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables. Our home had one at some point in the past, but a previous resident filled it in and cemented it over. We are also looking at doubling the size of our pantry (originally the fruit cellar of the home) so that I have more space to store my canned goods. Finally, I am going to start preparing five gallon food buckets with preplanned meals and recipes for long-term storage by taking advantage of bulk purchases from the local Amish.

Every living thing has core needs: shelter, food, water and clothing. As a new preparer, everything we look at and evaluate has to fall into one of these categories. Some are easier than others. Initially, we are preparing within our current residence. We don’t necessarily have time or money to buy a retreat elsewhere, so the first step is evaluating what we currently have and determining the best way to make it work for us. For example, shelter. Check. We live in a house that we are purchasing. But how livable would the house be if we did not have utilities? Here is a list of things that we are reviewing right now with this in mind:

• Carpeting – Yuck without a vacuum. Fortunately, under all of our carpeting is hardwood flooring. We are immediately working to refinish and restore the floors. These will be easier to sweep and mop without utilities then carpeting.

• Water – We are on the city system even though we have a well in our yard (that a previous resident buried). While we are working to get a permit and to have a hand pump installed, we are purchasing a pump just in case. We are assuming that if TSHTF, permits will not be an issue. We are also adding four rain barrels to the gutters.

• Heat – Living in northern Wisconsin means cold, cold winters. We are not called the frozen tundra for nothing. We are starting to research a good wood stove that we can use for cooking and heating. Unfortunately, a stove tends to be very expensive and we have heard from others, cheaper is not better when it comes to stoves. We are watching for estate sales and auctions in the local Amish community. But a wood stove means we need cast iron cookware, too. The cookware is something that I can easily purchase on EBay in the short term and at auctions and estate sales over the summer.

• Laundry – I am a traditional American in love with the washer and dryer. But, I also am a bit nostalgic when it comes to seeing clothes blowing in a summer breeze. In other words, we do have a clothesline and pins, but not much else. We are looking at hand wringers, plungers, washboards and galvanized tubs for laundry.

• Lighting – Right now, no one really thinks about lighting. A flick of the switch and we have light. One of the first purchases that I made was for kerosene lamps. I chose a mix of metal and glass ones. Our logic is that the metal ones will sit on tables and counters where children will be more likely to use them and glass ones to put up on higher surfaces or in wall mounts, where the children will not be able to reach them. While I would have preferred to purchase only metal ones, there simply were not enough of them available for sale and at reasonable prices. My goal was to have at least six lamps quickly. Once the initial six were purchased, I could be more selective and get exactly what I want. Should we lose power tomorrow, we will be able to have some light (at least, until I run out of kerosene, that is).

The above are only a few examples. But how do you determine what you need and in what priority? For me, the best way to determine this has been fairly easy because I make lists of things that would not work as they are currently set up should TSHTF. As I do my daily chores, I am very conscientious of what would have to change for us to be more self-sufficient. For example, doing dishes made me aware that I need more large pots to heat water and a way to make homemade dish soap. I have discovered that once you start to have a mindset of preparing, God will open your eyes to what you are dependent on for “convenience”.

Finally, I just want to advise you to keep your chin up and take one day at a time. Try to do something that will help your preparedness level every day – no matter how small or insignificant it appears. Keep a small, portable notebook close by so that you can jot down any ideas or concerns right away. Pray and ask for guidance on which direction you should focus on next. You may just be surprised at the direction God will take you – I know I was!

If you’re just now catching on to the need to prep, it’s not too late, but to be done effectively, it will cost you some money up front.
There are plenty of suggestions and web sites galore for the budget-challenged to prep ranging from buying a little extra each week---see the LDS shopping list for newlyweds---to hunting, fishing and foraging on state land. At the other extreme are those who can afford survivalist-consultants to build and stock extensive underground bunkers, which require the employ of a staff including farmers and Blackwater-type security. But, since no one else is, I’m going to focus on the needs of someone who needs to get up to speed fast and has enough money to cover it.  And getting up-to-speed has recently been sped up to two years of preps from six months.
Let’s get going.

Time’s Running Out
There are already sporadic shortages of various consumer products and, depending on how bad things get, there may come a time when some items aren’t available at all, especially things that come from far away. A few years ago when surveying the wreckage after the 2008 crash, a consumer-products analyst was worried about what choice the consumer would be left with as the Great Recession deepened. Yes, I know, choice will be the least of our concerns going forward, but you should stock up on what’s important to your family now while it’s still possible.
The take-away here is not that the needs of what’s left of the middle class are different from anyone else’s. The point, again, and unfortunately, is that it will take that kind of income or enough room left on credit cards to catch up to storing two years of necessities. And preferably, this should be accomplished before the November elections in the US. Our long-time friend, FerFAL, has a few insights about what to expect from mid-November (scroll down to What will Happen in the USA after the Elections.)

Everybody’s got to Eat
The shopping list below will cover bulk purchases and storage of food, water and minimal toiletries in quantities sufficient to get by for two years. You can still buy the dips when favourite items go on sale; however, I don’t think there’s enough time left to use the Mormon’s weekly shopping list that is spread out over a year.

Whether or not you buy into TEOTWAWKI mentality or not, at the very least, storms and other natural disasters can keep you running your generator for a week or a lot longer. This happened in the Northeast during last October’s freak snowstorm and happens repeatedly in other parts of the country. Oh, wait a sec; you do have a generator, don’t you? It’s at the top of 100 Things that Disappear First. You gotta have a generator. You also gotta have fuel for it, which you gotta store. If it’s gasoline, you’ll need a gasoline additive like Sta-Bil. Get the original formula for the [gasoline] generator and lawn tractor, Sta-Bil marine for your boat if you have one and Sta-Bil diesel for your Mercedes.

Talking about Mercedes, when the drought reached crisis stage in Somalia more than year ago, many Somalis---but not all---had to walk for days, weeks and sometimes a month to get to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. One woman who didn’t have to walk was approached by reporters as she got out of a car with her kids. Her car was a Mercedes, but she didn’t have food and had to go to the refugee, camp. And why didn’t she have food; why didn’t she barter her car, cell phone or expensive wristwatch for food? Because there wasn’t any. There wasn’t any food at any price. Can it happen here? The US had a drought this year after a lousy growing season last year. The effects of these things are cumulative. So’s radiation poisoning, BTW, but we’ll get to that some other time.

Many items will end up in short supply or not be available at all. Note the Iranian diplomatic staff stocking up on consumer products (at dollar stores, mind you; times must be tough over there) while in New York to attend UN meetings. You’d think they’d have a few bucks, so I guess the items they bought were no longer available in Iran. Their currency plunging 20-30% over a day or two didn’t help either. I hope no one still thinks it can’t happen here.

Rule of Thumb
The rule of thumb has been to store six months of food, cash and anything else you need. Some think two years are safer and I do too. While you may have to increase your food budget 100-fold short term, keep in mind that this is a no-lose proposition. Anything you buy today will be more expensive tomorrow. So, as you effectively pull consumption forward, you will be average-costing down your household expenses. Even if prepping in anticipation of scarcity doesn’t grab you, blunting the effect of inflation, or a potential jobless stretch, should. I don’t see much of a downside here. Preps not used can be donated to a local food pantry for a tax deduction. If you have the extra funds, that would be a nice idea anyway.

Two Years’ Worth...

Drinking Water: This is considered the most important prep. The plastic containers water is sold in leach so you should store drinking water in glass containers. I bought gallon glass jars from: http://www.freshwatersystems.com 

The Mayo Clinic recommends [a minimum of] 72 oz/day for women and 104oz/day for men [for a sedentary lifestyle]. Together, that’s about a gallon a day with enough left over to fill your cat or dog’s bowl. FreshWaterSystem’s price break for gallon jars is $4.24 for 24+. Here’s where the bucks come in. If you want to safely store drinking water for six months for two adults and a cat, that would be about 180 [one gallon] jars for $339.20; one year $678.40; and two years $1,356.80. The plastic jugs that you buy milk in are now formulated to biodegrade, but can be used to store water for bathroom use should it not be forthcoming from the faucet.

Tip: You can fine tune water purity by filtering it through a Big Berkey or other countertop water filter. If you’re looking at second homes, with prices coming down, look for something with a well. If you can dig a well where you are now, do so and install a solar pump.

Adequate Nutrition: The recommended daily calories for women* are 2,400—1,600/day depending on age and 3,000—2,000/day for men.** The easiest way to get sufficient calories and

Tip: Rice, beans and maybe a few other veggies can be made quite palatable with teriyaki or soy sauce. I bought a lifetime’s supply of Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce at http://www.buythecase.net $39 a 36-bottle case, which was a bargain over grocery-store prices.
Sautéing veggies and meats in olive oil improves the taste and adds nutrients. Oil lasts several years in unopened glass bottles or metal cans; just make sure you get it in glass bottles or cans.

*A woman aged 19 to 30 years needs between 2,000 and 2,400 calories daily; 31 to 50 years 1,800 to 2,200 calories daily; those over age 51 need 1,600 to 2,200 calories daily.

Males** ages 19 to 30 need 2,400 to 3,000 calories a day, those 31 to 50 need 2,200 to 3,000, depending on level of activity. Males over age 51 need 2,000 to 2,800 calories a day.

Coffee and Tea: I don’t think it’s asking too much to include coffee and tea in a survivalist diet. ByTheCase.net carries several brands and sizes of coffee and tea including non-dairy creamer, which probably has a shelf life of infinity. Honey will last indefinitely too. Ground coffee in an unopened can will last two years or longer. Tea in bags in their unopened box or transferred to a lidded glass jar will last at least two years.

Spices and Condiments: Among common household items that store indefinitely are salt, sugar (preferably stored in glass or metal cans), honey and mayonnaise (unopened in a glass jar).
Those that last two years or more include dried or powdered garlic (2 years), dried or powdered onion (2-3 years); ground pepper (2-3 years); peppercorns (3-4 years). Here’s a good site to lookup shelf life: StillTasty.com.

Dollar-Store Spices: Prices are so much better at dollar stores that, for these items, I suggest actually shopping in a store. If you don’t want to spend the time, but are okay with spending the extra money, there are online sources. You can also buy cases of spices from the dollar store.

Pet Food: From a vet: “Generally speaking, if you buy the more expensive all-natural foods, the natural preservatives such as vitamin E used do not work as long as the preservatives used in cheaper foods. They break down. This is reflected in the best-used-by-date posted clearly on the higher-end pet foods. Dry pet foods with natural preservatives may be kept under 85 degrees sealed in a container in the original bag for about 4 months, while foods with other preservatives may be kept as much as three years if kept properly sealed up cool and dry. Just kept in the bag, I would not keep dry pet food past three months."

Dog Food: Nutritional requirements for a dog aren’t that much different than for a human. They can be fed people food and do fine.

Cat Food: This isn’t so for cats, however. There is a good article on the subject from Cornell’s Vet School.  In a SHTF scenario, kitty may have to make due with certain people foods. Low acid foods have a greater shelf life than those with higher acids in them. Fish and meat are low acid foods, hence, can be stored for a long time. Canned fish and meat can be stored unopened for about 2-5 years. Ask your vet about vitamin supplements.

Toiletries: Preppers are obsessed with toilet paper. I don’t know why, but I bow to their greater experience. Since it’s bulky, it’s a lot easier to have delivered than to buy it at the store. Here’s where I bought Ultra-Soft Charmin (the price break is at 40 rolls) at  Restockit.com.  Conservatively, budget 1.5 rolls per person, per week. That’s 78 rolls per year/one adult or 156 rolls for two adults. For two years/two people you’ll need 312 rolls or about 8 cartons @ $38.94/carton for a total of $311.52.

Tip: Toilet paper is considered to be a high-value barter item amongst the prepper cognoscenti. It also makes a nice hostess gift or Christmas stocking stuffer. Think of all those omelet brunches you’ll be invited to by backyard chicken farmers when they know you’ll show up with a roll. Not having gone through the above formula before I placed my order, I now have plenty to barter with.

Wrapping Up

If you place orders for the above items---all of which can be done online---you and your companion pets will have two years of adequate nutrition and safe hydration plus toilet paper. I’ll go into other food and toiletry items that will help maintain well being in subsequent articles.

JWR Adds: I realize that in many jurisdictions inside city limits with civic water supplies it is illegal to drill a well. But if you live in a region with a high water table and it is legal to do so, then go ahead and drill!

Regardless, you should convert your roof downspouts to fill water barrels. That water is fine as-is for gardening or toilet flushing. If you have a composition roof or a roof with treated wood shakes, you should plan to re-roof with a metal roof. Not only will it give you better fire protection, but it will also eliminate most contaminants from captured rainwater. If used for drinking, captured rainwater should be run through a good quality high volume ceramic filter such as a Big Berkey. (Available from several SurvivalBlog advertisers.)

Not all plastics leach toxins. Food grade HDPE is perfectly safe for water storage. Glass jars are not advised in earthquake country, but they are fine anywhere else. However, the cost per-gallon cost of storing water in jars is dramatically higher than using HDPE barrels, tanks, or tank totes. That is the only affordable way for most folks to set aside a large supply for dry seasons.

Dear JWR;
When visiting relatives in Ohio Amish country, we always stop by two or three Amish "bent & dent" stores.  These stores purchase truckloads of goods that have just expired, are about to expire or are in some other way slightly flawed at very, very, very low prices, and sell them at very, very low prices.  Some examples:  Starbucks coffee in sealed, non-expired bags for $2.50 (used to be 75 cents, the owners have been raising the prices over time), normally $12.50 at the grocer.  Swiss Toblerone chocolate bars, normally $4 for 50 cents.  Feminine hygiene products at 20% of the normal price, presumably no expiration date.  Claritin allergy pills at 10 cents on the dollar, among other non-prescription items.  Indian cooking sauce (Patak's), normally $4.50 a bottle for less than 50 cents per bottle, must not be very popular out in the country.  

There are lots of food items. We once found real San Marzano tomatoes, normally $5/can, for 75 cents per can.  Spices tend to be about 15 to 20 cents on the dollar compared to retail.  Very wide variety of other canned goods and cereals, including expensive yuppie food such as Kashi cereals at about 10 cents on the dollar.  Usually lots of olive oil & canned sauces.  Once in a while one of the cans is bad, the nose knows.  Great deals for those on a budget.  

Also:  We found canning jars (quart, pint & jam) at Big Lots this weekend for about $7 - $8 per dozen, with lids at $1.20 per dozen.  We got an additional 20% off due to a "frequent buyers" discount. - John M.

Jim:
I just discovered something today that I wanted to share.  I have zero time in life to spend stocking up.  Amazon.com has a “subscribe and save” feature that provides additional savings on over 24,000 items under the grocery category.  You can choose to subscribe (meaning set up regular deliveries) when adding to the Amazon shopping cart, or just make a one time purchase.  I did some comparison shopping and found the subscribe price for coffee (whole bean or ground) to be even better than Wal-Mart or any of the big box stores in my area.  Go to www.amazon.com and in the search bar type in “subscribe and save”.  If you type in “subscribe and save in grocery”, a list of categories within groceries will appear on the left hand side of the screen, which allows for easier searching.  I assume that for all categories a sidebar menu will appear. 
 
Using this method to stock up is certainly not private (you can’t use cash and Amazon keeps a record of all your purchases).  However, potentially one might set up an anonymous email account, and use a prepaid Visa to make purchases.  I have not tried an anonymous purchasing method with Amazon.  It is normal for the UPS truck to show up at my door to make deliveries, so I might as well take advantage of the UPS visits by purchasing supplies through Amazon.  This will save me time and money. - Marcia W.

JWR Adds: I would appreciate it if SurvivalBlog readers would "click through" from SurvivalBlog's Amazon Store page, whenever they make any Amazon.com purchase. This way we get a little "piece of the action" (a sales commission), to help support the blog's bandwidth costs. Thanks!

Preppers get painted is crazy doomsday people, sitting around waiting for the world to end, disappointed when it doesn't.  I think National Geographic has done a disservice to prepping with their show.  The people on the show explain "what" they are preparing for.  To many, their reasons are crazy.  To me, some of the reasons are crazy.  I think it's important to make it clear that it's not about a specific event or cause.  It's about planning for the future and protecting yourself.  Does it really matter if an EMP, financial collapse, or natural disaster disrupts your basic necessities?  What it comes down to is that you need to provide for your own essentials and survival.

Being a prepper is planning for your future, just like investing. When you invest for your retirement, you know you need to diversify your portfolio. You buy stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and gold. You do this because you need to spread your risk. You buy some things that are risky, that you hope will rise in value (stocks), and you buy things with certain intrinsic value that will not decrease (gold). Prepping should be added to your retirement portfolio too.

If you look at the big picture of the economy and the world, you invest your money in the stock market and retirement funds hoping they gain value, and now, hoping they will still be there when you retire. I think it is safe to say there is no guarantee that these assets will be there in the future. With the state of our entitlement programs and Social Security, they will run out of money. What then? Could the government take private assets such as investments? I think there is a chance. It would be easy for the government to say, "We are confiscating everyone's investments and savings to fund Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. In doing this, everyone will now be eligible for these benefits." The things that you have based your future security and comfort on, have just been taken. Now you are waiting in lines to get your rations because you didn't prepare.  Like any investment you need to evaluate it based on your situation and beliefs.  Maybe you are an optimist and only want to store enough for a short term emergency and wait until the government is able to come in to help.  This would be like a Hurricane Katrina situation.  Just enough to survive the rough period, then get help from the government.

Now there is some risk that if it gets that bad, the government could say, "You are only allowed to have 1 month of food and 20 gallons of water saved. Give me your extra 3 months of food and 100 gallons of water." But this is much more difficult than just confiscating your money. So look at prepping as part of your retirement portfolio, and start investing in it.
Just as you would set aside a certain percentage of your income for retirement, choose an amount to set aside for prepping.  It doesn't have to be a lot, just prioritize your spending. Food and water first, then purchase the items appropriate for you.  But also think about what others might want; such as alcohol and tobacco.  Maybe you have moral objections to either, but there are many who don't, and many who will want those items.  Think about the Great Depression and Prohibition.  Those with alcohol did pretty well.

The physical items you buy to be prepared can also be handed down from generation to generation.  Now, I know that not everything will last.  But if that can of green beans has been in your basement for 25 years, are you going to throw it away?  Probably not.  You will keep it and eat it when the times comes.  It may not taste the best, but it probably won't kill you.  Your guns, tools, certain foods, bags, tents, etc. can be handed down from too.  There is the potential for them to greatly increase in value as well.  What if the sale of certain guns becomes prohibited?  What could your gun be worth then?  It can be left to your kids, like your investments could, but it would be tax free and provide for their future better than money.  It is also important to teach your kids the importance of prepping.  If they don't value it and invest their own time in it, what you leave to them could be wasted.

Just like your finances and investments, your preps need to be protected.  Where do you keep your supplies?  Are they where guests can see them?  What would happen if your house was lost?  The FDIC insures your assets at a bank up to $250,000, so you shouldn't keep more money in one bank than that limit, or it could be lost.  The same is true for your supplies.  This is where your network could be a great advantage.  Try to diversify your supplies and don't put all your eggs in one basket.

I'm a 30-something civil engineer.  Like many, I've never needed to survive "on my own."  I'm not a survivalist.  I don't go out into the woods for weeks and live alone and practice.  I have a family; I don't have time for those things.  So my prepping portfolio is different than someone in a different situation.
Once your start prepping, it becomes its own portfolio. You have:

• Physical assets/supplies.  These are the things you buy at the store and save.  Food, medicine, water, equipment, guns, ammunition.
• Skills.  Skills are particular abilities you have.  You can have skills without knowledge, and knowledge without skills.  As an engineer, I can design a weld to meet a required shear stress.  That doesn't mean that I could actually complete the weld myself.  People with a skill and no knowledge compensate by "over-designing."  Look at medieval buildings.  They didn't understand the math behind what they built, they just built the hell out of it, and things are still standing today.
• Knowledge.  See above.  You compensate for your lack of skills by doing things "the hard way."  You don't know the "tricks of the trade."
• Resources.  These are the people, skills, and knowledge that you will have at your disposal.  If things get really bad, we will have to work in small communities.  There's no way around it.  You can not possess every skill and resource you need to survive.  You may come close, but there will always be something you are lacking.  You need to know people and have a network.

Take a look at your prepping portfolio and evaluate it.  Could you buy more supplies to compensate for a lack of skills?  Could you study and read more to invest more in your knowledge?  

Think back to when you teachers or parents said "everyone has something they are good at."  Find that thing, and make it an asset.  You may not think it's important, but I guarantee someone will find it important.  For an example, I've designed water treatment systems.  I can determine alum dosing, settlement time, and contact time for disinfection.  I've designed septic systems.  I've designed dams.  That knowledge may seem trivial when everything is fine, but when TSHTF, they could be pretty valuable.  So I would rate the knowledge section of my portfolio pretty high.  But I'm lacking in some of the skills.  I've never had to build those things.  I've never been in a survival situation.  I don't know how to farm.  Objectively evaluate your portfolio.
I've read a lot of disparaging comments about "armchair preppers."  "They just go online, buy some dehydrated food, and say they are preppers."  So what?  Maybe that's all they can do.  I think that should be encouraged.  Those people, "armchair preppers," have many more supplies in their portfolio.  Someone who has skills, but limited money, should include this armchair prepper in their network of resources.  There are factors which will affect your ability to prepare:

• Where you live.  If you live in an apartment in the city, how many 55-gallon barrels of water will you be able to store?  Are you allowed to own a handgun?  An AR-15?  If you live in a rural area, how many houses are near you?  Five within a 50-mile radius?  Where is the doctor? veterinarian? store?  You might be limited to only getting supplies over the Internet if you live in a remote area.
• Physical abilities.  You could be limited by your age, illness, or handicap.
• Finances.  Maybe you are a great craftsman, but you don't have much money to buy supplies.

Get creative.  Look at canning food, for instance.  You don't have to have a garden to can food.  One weekend, prepare a lot of frozen green beans.  Then can them.  It may seem a little pointless, but you've just learned how to can your own food.  A hobby like home beer brewing is a great example.  Many do it and the skills could be very useful.
The point is don't underestimate yourself.  Look at your talents and knowledge differently. Don't get discouraged by an elitist prepper who rants on a web site about "armchair preppers."  They could be the MacGyver of prepping, but they won't have all the skills, supplies, and knowledge needed to accomplish all that is necessary.

Editor's Note: This article first appeared at the Georgia Preppers blog site.

As a U.S. Army Battalion Logistics Officer, it became very evident to me that at some point my stockpile of parts, petroleum products, uniforms, etc. would eventually run out, and I needed a way to replenish those stockpiles during steady-state operations.  A total collapse situation would unfold in much the same way as a deployment of a military unit would in regard to an interrupted supply chain.  Initially, you have no logistics network and you need to rely entirely upon your stockpiles brought with you or kept in your secure location.  I learned this the hard way at the National Training Center (NTC) [at Fort Irwin, California] when I decided not to bring enough turboshaft jet engine oil to last our battalion through a month-long field exercise in the desert.  As I walk through this experience as a vignette, I will also translate the bigger issues from the organizational level down to the household level in respect to preparedness.  Additionally, I will go through how logistics and supply lines are severely interrupted during a disaster or collapse scenario and then how they are reestablished after things calm down somewhat and find their equilibrium. 

Bad Assumption #1-  The logistics network is already established, so when I become a part of it there will be an easy transition.  
When we deployed from our home base to the NTC, I made the faulty assumption, that since I was moving into an existing logistics network, that it would be easy to obtain supplies, because everything on the receiving end was already established and working like a well-oiled machine.  I should have known better from my first deployment to Iraq, when our shipping address was set up to a warehouse in Texas, so everything the battalion ordered did not go to Mosul, Iraq but sat in a huge pile doing us no good thousands of miles away.  Fortunately, I wasn’t responsible for that fiasco, but my soldiers and I ended up paying for it by cannibalizing our own vehicles to keep up maintenance, not having any sundry items replenished, and being without hot food for two months while this SNAFU was sorted out.  Whether you are bugging-in or bugging-out, in a total collapse scenario, the supply networks are going to be totally screwed up.  The grocery store shelves will be bare after about four days provided there isn’t a panic, and if they receive any shipments, it will likely be random items which may or may not be of use to anyone.  At a minimum, you need to have about six months of everything to operate your household set aside.  Primarily this buys you some time.  When hyperinflation hits and no one wants to accept paper money, there will be a time when it is a free-for-all before either folks locally decide what is acceptable as a medium of exchange or the government reissues new fiat currency at some kind of crushing exchange rate with the old currency. 

Bad Assumption #2- Storing tons of supplies takes too much space and is a pain to transport, so I will just stock up on the basics.
Back to my example, I thought that shipping a couple of 30’ containers of petroleum products would be a huge pain (which it would have been due to hazardous materials shipping requirements) but it was even more painful having to go to the Forward Support Battalion Executive Officer and sheepishly ask for case upon case of turboshaft oil for my tanks.  I had brought a minimal amount of petroleum products with us which would last for about a week, but with us entering a new logistics network, it took much longer than I had anticipated for those requisitions to be filled.    And when they were filled, the supply depot didn’t just jump on the phone and give us a call to come pick up our order.  Typically, supplies could sit for days if you didn’t have an intrepid NCO checking in the morning and evening every day.  In our world, yes, your basement might be chuck full of food, water barrels, ammunition, medical supplies, clothing, and everything else, but if you haven’t gone through all of your possessions and thrown out anything you haven’t used in the last two years, you would be surprised the amount of space you can gain.  Maximize your wall space too.  Utilize shelving wherever practical in order to organize items more effectively and to give better access to what you need.  If you have a mountain of boxes in the basement and the toilet paper is in the very back of the room, you might have an emergency before you can get to it!  Treat your stockpile like a mini-warehouse.  Sort everything by either the military classes of supply or your own system as long as it’s organized.  Even a classification system as rudimentary as food, clothing, survival supplies, fuel, and water would work fine.  As long as you and your cohorts know where everything is, you will be leagues ahead when you have to find that one tiny specific item you need.  As an adjunct, I’ve referenced the Army classes of supply below for your use:

Classes of Supply
Class I - Food, rations, and water
Class II - Clothing
Class III - Petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL)
Class IV - Fortification and barrier materials (Barbed wire, pickets, sandbags, etc.)
Class V - Ammunition
Class VI - Personal Items (Hygiene, alcohol, tobacco, etc.)
Class VII - Major End Items (Vehicles, radios, tanks, weapons, night vision, etc.)
Class VIII - Medical supplies
Class IX - Repair Parts
Class X - Miscellaneous supplies

Bad Assumption #3- I’ll just order some more later when I get close to running out.
Believe it or not, there are situations where I have bartered as an Army officer for things I needed for the battalion.  I had a pallets and pallets of MREs but I needed more bottled water, so I traded for it!  You need to have the figurative printing press in the basement to create your own barter items.  You should be able to produce something that can be used as a barter item if there is no way you can just go order some more.  Whether you practice reloading, canning, candle making, beekeeping, or any other craft, there should be a few items that your household or group are able to produce which would be an appealing medium of exchange.  In the past, cigarettes, alcohol, ammunition, chewing gun, and even toys have been used for barter items.  Think of something you would miss having.  My soldiers and I traded books & magazines that we brought to Iraq, since we would read them from cover to cover as our only entertainment.  Last night, watching the movie The Book of Eli, I was struck at how clever it was for Eli to trade Kentucky Fried Chicken wet naps with the Engineer in the town, so that he could get a new charge on his battery.  This scenario is not really that outlandish, considering how difficult it is to keep good hygiene when there is no running water available.  During our deployment to Iraq when our unit shipping address was wrong, baby wipes became worth their weight in gold, since you could do all of your daily hygiene with three of them if you were careful.  If you can’t produce the item you need yourself, you had better have something in hand that people are willing to trade for it. 

Bad Assumption #4- So we’re good, right…?     
When I took about a dozen cases of turboshaft oil from the support battalion, the XO grudgingly gave it to me with the understanding that I would order replacements for everything I had taken (along with my regular needs for continuing operations)  and pay him back.  He was pretty irked that I had taken his whole reserves in one blow and did not have any turboshaft oil to give the rest of the brigade.  I made the argument that we have the lion’s share of tanks, but he still grumbled about it.  The point being, I put myself in a position where I was indebted to him.  I don’t have a problem with owing someone a favor, but sometimes that person might ask for something you cannot deliver.  In a survival situation, if you had to borrow weeks’ worth of food from someone, they are either going to want that back or they will make you pay for it in some other way which may hinder you from meeting your immediate objectives of protecting and providing for yourself & your cohorts.  You’ll effectively be an indentured servant to whomever you are indebted or you could lose your shorts!  King Solomon had it right in Proverbs 22, when he said, “Be not one of those who gives pledges, who put up security for debts.  If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?”  If you read the Biblical account of Joseph handling the preparations for the seven years of famine in Egypt, you see how Pharaoh ended up with all the physical wealth of the entire kingdom, because once the people sold their possessions, their animals, and their land, they had nothing to offer except themselves as slaves.  Don’t put yourself in that kind of a situation!   In a total collapse, the best AND worst qualities of people will surface, and you don’t want to end up owing your soul to the company store.

Bad Assumption #5- I’ll get everything I ordered.
During that aforementioned training exercise, I ordered about 450 quarts of turboshaft oil in order to account for the 300 quarts I had borrowed and another 150 quarts for the tanks to use for ongoing maintenance, which was only about six quarts a tank and left me nothing in reserve.  (A tank with a bad turbine engine burning oil can go through that easily on ONE patrol!)  That’s roughly two 55 gallon drums of turboshaft oil.  I received something like 200 quarts in reality, because I totally cleaned out the supply depot with that large of an order.  I never ended up paying back the support battalion XO entirely, and if it had been an extended deployment, that would have created a strain on our relationship and my ability to procure special items or receive priority in the future.    If you end up doing something like that in a collapse situation, you have just used up all of your capital with that person, and if you need something in the future, you are entirely on your own.  Worse than that, you have to fix the mess you created initially, mend the relationship, and probably do them a favor in return, so that you are on par again with each other.
A water shortage might have people dipping into streams and lakes nearby, and when potable water finally shows up in a truck, there might be a two-hour line to fill your containers.  While we were in Kuwait waiting to head north into Iraq, my driver spent an hour and a half waiting in line to buy a case of bottled tea, since there was only one store for the whole camp for thousands of soldiers.  When the logistics network is reestablished, it does not have the capacity to make up for weeks of disruption.  The supplies will start to trickle in and become more steady as the situation stabilizes.  Initially though, there will be a mad-dash for those resources that do trickle in, so don’t expect to get much from the first few supply drops.  If you have ever seen footage of the Peace Corps bringing in wheat to a starving African village, it’s usually gone within minutes.  That’s what it looks like when desperate people are competing over a very limited amount of critical supplies. 

Bad Assumption #6- I need to keep up the same stockpile as I had before the collapse.
We talk a lot about storing up everything you need for a collapse situation, but we do not usually talk about what those stores should look like when you are months or even years into TEOTWAWKI.  You still need some padding against the unknown, but you will likely not need years’ worth of supplies stashed away as long as you have a way to replenish some of your diminishing supplies.  I would recommend maintaining roughly six months of stores available in the middle of a collapse situation for those times when the logistics network is disrupted again or in case of other contingencies.  Think of this smaller stockpile as self-insurance against the unknown. 
You might have a month’s worth of drinking water stored in your garage, but what will you do once you use it all?  You need to be able to filter your own water if you have a reliable source nearby or potentially dig a well if you don’t.  You might have months’ worth of food squirreled away, but do you have a garden, fish pond, and a hunting rifle?  The first step is to have that emergency cache but as you are able to build up those stores, it is wise to think about how you will replenish those supplies over time.  Perhaps you don’t have the land to grow a large garden, but you have everything you need to reload ammunition.  If you are part of a prepper group, you might not need to have every possible contingency covered as long as you are providing something of value for exchange.  Maybe you do all the reloading and Joan is seriously into canning, and you can barter for what you both need. 

Start Small & Prioritize
Even as a Battalion S-4, I had a budget.  I couldn’t just magically wave my money wand and have all of my supply shortages filled and have a huge mountain of consumable supplies for every contingency conceivable.  So how do you get started?  Most of us are unfortunately living paycheck to paycheck these days, and I won’t get into how debt is robbing you of your ability to prepare, because you likely already know that if you are reading this.  Let’s just assume that you have nothing set aside at all, and you need to start building your supplies from scratch.  Where do you start?  There is both the time factor and quantity factor involved in supply caching.  How many people do you need to prepare for?  How long do you need to supply those people?  Just as a start, save some old milk cartons and fill them with water to create a water cache. Make a goal to put aside a week’s worth of canned food for each person in your household.  Go to a dollar store and find First Aid supplies and sundry items on sale.  Get the bandages, tape, and gauze first and then worry about sutures, antibiotics, and syringes later.  Take a balanced approach and then continue to build on it. 
Every month, I look at my stores and I set aside a couple hundred dollars to improve on a few areas.  This money is available not from a great excess in my paycheck, but from small sacrifices like dropping our satellite television service and eating out less often.  Last month, our priority was to fill some gaps in our pioneering toolbox.  This month it will be candle making, soap making, and canning supplies.  Make a plan for several months out and check your progress each month to see how you are incrementally accomplishing your goals.  It feels good to be able to track your progress toward your final goals, but if you don’t make goals, you aren’t going to achieve them.  We all need a concerted plan that focuses us, so that we don’t end up just picking up a pallet of toilet paper that’s on sale even when we have no need for it.  Having a few cartons of MREs, one barrel of water, a few magazines of ammo for your weapon, and a couple bottles of fish antibiotics is much better than having three months of food supplies when you end up getting an infection and die from lack of medicine.  Keep the end-state in mind.  You should have an inventory of what 100% stocked looks like.  There are some things that you probably can’t have enough of, and I would argue that medical supplies and ammunition are in that category, not because you will end up using every last bit of your stores, but because they have great barter value. 

Know the Real Expiration Date
There is a difference between the “best before” date and an expiration date.  I rediscovered this recently from a box of granola I have in my office.  I finally opened it up for a snack and noticed that it was dated “best before” March 2011, and it tasted like I had just bought it even though it was almost a year and a half out of date.  Your expiration dates on semi-perishable commodities will drive your supply rotation schedule, but you need to know when to toss it and when to keep it.  This is particularly useful in regard to antibiotics and medications.  There are some medications which are expected to work 100% of the time, and once they expire, it’s not worth taking the risk.  Insulin is the best example of this.  If your life depends on an insulin shot, you don’t want to risk it with something expired.  But then again, if you need insulin during a collapse situation, you likely have bigger problems.  The US Army Medical Department did a study on how long antibiotics actually last beyond the expiration date and discovered some surprising data.  The multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry is in the business to make tons of money selling you medications you typically don’t need and even more medications to mask the side effects , so they have a conflict of interest by telling you the expiration date on their own drugs!  Some antibiotics can last 7-14 years after the expiration date on the bottle.  Do some research on the actual shelf life of these drugs.  There’s no point in throwing out food or medicine prematurely when it could last you much longer.

Conclusion
Keep in mind that the flow of supplies is like a steady stream or river.  When the flow is interrupted, you need to have adequate reserves to cope until the stream is reestablished.  In a collapse situation, you might need to take some drastic measures to reestablish that supply chain.  When you can’t replenish your supplies from a big-box store, you will need to resort to bartering and the black market, which would likely be the only operating commerce in a collapse situation.  Your replenishment should be about equal to your distribution, so that you can maintain your stockpile for those rainy days.  When you need to dip into your stockpile, be sure that you make efforts to replenish it.  The important thing is to not let those people on the receiving end of the supply chain pay for the hiccups in the supply flow.  Dipping into your stockpile when the flow stops is the way you consistently deliver supplies to your family and cohorts without them having to feel the effects of the supply network failing.  The mightiest fighting forces in human history have been stopped by lack of supplies.  Consider the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 when the Germans had very limited fuel supplies and could only maintain a sustained attack for a couple days before their superior heavy tanks became sitting ducks.  Take measures now to build your stockpile and create methods for replenishment and when you need it, your supply chain will support your overarching goal of safeguarding you those you care about.

Part of preparing for any emergency, including TEOTWAWKI, is making plans for those who cannot take care of themselves. Yet, there is very information out there about what to do about Grandma and Grandpa in a crisis situation, or those who just may not be the “fittest.”   Having elders who have been struggling with dementia or who are in cancer treatment, having seen so many of our soldiers come home with PTSD, having loved ones who are chronically ill or permanently disabled, I think about prepping in perhaps a different way than others. After seeking out the information I needed myself from doctors, mental health professionals and fellow preppers, I am now sharing some of the practical advice I’ve found for helping those we love who do not appear to be the best candidates for survival. Why?

For some, caring and preparing for those with less than optimal survival chances may seem like a foolish, even dangerous, goal. Certainly, some soul-searching is required when thinking about who you are willing to “carry” (figuratively and perhaps literally), and just how far you are willing to put yourself and other members of your group in jeopardy to care for someone who may not make it in even a best-case scenario.  You will have to make your own decisions about who to help and who to abandon. But I could not leave my parents, in-laws and grandparents any more than I could leave my children to weather the chaos on their own. I also cannot justify leaving other relatives or friends where they could be victimized by those who prey on the weak. The Biblical commandment to “honor thy father and mother” means not just that I honor them, but that I must also care for them in a crisis. I cannot bear the consequences of writing them off, or leaving them to the unkindness of strangers or the bureaucracy of FEMA. The same goes for all of those I am responsible for, by virtue of my being able, even if they are not.

In the case of illness or dementia, even if it meant that moving them might hasten their deaths, I would choose to care for my own family and friends. Perhaps it is my own rationalization, but I would prefer that if they do indeed die, they do so in the company of people who love them and who will treat them with dignity, not at the hands of mobs or criminals.

If my loved ones were currently in a hospital, nursing home or assisted living situation, I would know the facility’s emergency plan and contingency plans. In case of an emergency, would my people be evacuated, by what means, by whom, and to where? (And I would make my own plans to take custody of them instead).  I would try to be as low-key as possible to avoid alarming the powers that be about any specific disaster or emergency, but I would get the information that could protect them, and make it possible for me to intercept them as quickly as possible in a crisis.

MEDICAL ISSUES - DRUGS
For those who require daily prescription medications, such as cardiac patients, diabetics, epileptics and other chronic illness patients (including those recovering from cancer treatment), some logistical planning now will save anxiety and life-threatening repercussions later.

You will need to know (and have written down) all medications, what they’re for, dosing schedules, and danger signs to watch for. At first, the problem will be in stockpiling enough medication when most insurance covers only minimal monthly quantities. Many times though, a sympathetic physician can prescribe a twice-daily med instead of a once-daily, for example. Explain you’d like to keep a back-up supply for the patient in case of loss, misplacing or forgetting when traveling.

As your supply grows, be especially diligent about rotating meds, using the oldest for current needs and storing the newest in a cool, non-humid environment, and including desiccant packets whenever possible.  (Ask your pharmacy, as they throw these out by the hundreds). 

One of my doctor friends tells me that more than 80% of his geriatric patients are on mood-altering drugs. A similarly large percentage of handicapped and cancer patients are routinely put on these drugs as well. For those who are on antidepressants, antipsychotics or anti-anxiety meds, benzodiazepines or steroids, special cautions apply. These drugs can cause terrible effects if stopped suddenly, and most require a very gradual weaning off the drug if one wishes or is forced to discontinue use. Check with your patient’s physician, and do your own research on ALL of the drugs your patient is taking (www.rxlist.com is an excellent resource), and plan accordingly.

MEDICAL ISSUES – ELDERS
While health can vary widely among seniors, there are specific concerns that are common to most. Circulation issues such as edema, bruising and bleeding, dehydration, and constipation can all be more serious in the aged, no matter what the fitness level. Falls and resulting injuries should always be avoided and prevented, as the consequences for elders can be much more serious than normal.
Simple observation and precaution about everyday conditions is necessary. We lose the ability to adapt rapidly to temperature variations as we age—most elderly people feel “cold” faster than younger companions and are at special risk of hypothermia. Your preparations will have to include supplies that ensure more warmth, such as extra clothes, hats, socks & gloves, and you will have to be vigilant in caring for elders who get wet or chilled.

Response to heat or exercise can also be a problem. Fluid intake of seniors must be monitored closely at all times. Dehydration during exertion or other stress may occur rapidly and without warning, causing diarrhea, vomiting, delirium and ultimately, death.

Many seniors will have dietary deficits, due to waning appetite, poor digestion, or self-sacrifice for others’ needs. Without adequate fiber-rich foods (or supplements) and liquids, constipation can become a life-threatening situation for an elder, not merely a painful inconvenience. Stool softener and laxatives should have a starring place in your senior’s medical kit. Lack of vital nutrients may also affect sight, hearing and balance. Keep an eye on their diets and make sure they get the nutrition they need.

Seniors are subject to painful and dramatic bruising when injured, especially if they have been on blood-thinning medications, commonly prescribed to prevent arterial plaques and stroke. Excessive bleeding and inability to clot are also effects of these drugs. Avoid injury first, and if unsuccessful, treat bruises and bleeding quickly to forestall further complication. Every cut or abrasion is also a potential site for infection, which can overwhelm one who is already weak, so be particularly aware of your charges’ skin condition.
Swelling of the extremities due to poor vascular circulation can incapacitate your older loved one. Compression socks, or in a pinch, elastic bandages, are a good addition to the clothing or first aid kit.

COMMUNICATE
Preparation for your loved ones begins with talking to them. You may be surprised to find out that oldsters are more prepared than you thought. After all, many have lived through tough economic depressions and wartime shortages, and they know a thing or two about living well with less convenience. Someone whose breathing depends on oxygen may have already prepared for a power failure or disruption of supply. If not, you can help that person get prepared.  Someone who is overweight or in poor physical condition can benefit from a daily walk or strength training, even without the threat of an emergency. You might be the motivator or the companion to help improve the quality of that person’s life, now and in case of future crises.
Approach with a sincere offer of help, but be sure to ask what general and specific help they would need from you in case of an emergency. You do not know what the unique needs are until you ask.
For those that still don’t accept the idea that all sorts of manmade disaster and mayhem can happen here, and can happen at any time, the conversation can take place in the context of preparing for a natural calamity, such as a tornado, earthquake or fire.

Be aware that some of the sick, disabled and elderly may need to be convinced that their survival is possible, even probable, if they prepare themselves mentally and physically. You may hear this type of defeatism in statements such as “Don’t worry about me, I wouldn’t want to live in that world anyway…” Your people need to know that that a can-do, positive attitude combined with practical planning and preparation can up their chances. They need to know you’ll be there to help them. Most importantly, they need to know that their survival is of paramount importance to you.

MENTAL TOUGHNESS vs. PHYSICAL FITNESS
You should not assume that because your parent is sick, your grandparent is old, your friend is diabetic, your relative is obese, or your neighbor is blind, that these people are helpless or even less than capable of survival.  Emotional strength, mental tenacity, technical skill sets or ethical leadership can quickly trump any physical challenges, depending on the situation. Lack of emotional resiliency or deteriorating mental stability can quickly turn a strong athlete into a greater liability to the group than Granny who needs a cane.
For example, I have a physically-fit friend who stocks an “earthquake kit,” a 72-hour stopgap to see her through a brief disruption of water and food supplies “until help arrives.” She refuses to consider anything more than that, because it would mean that she would be on her own for longer than she is willing to be. She refuses to own a firearm, because that would mean that she might have to use it. This head-in-the-sand attitude is not preparedness, in spite of her pride in running 10Ks on the weekends, having a few gallons of water and a three-day supply of food in the garage.
On the other hand, my 85-year old mother bought a retreat back in the 1970s, stocked it with supplies and learned to shoot. She has a stay-put plan, several bug-out escape routes, keeps her stock rotated, tests her equipment regularly and maintains situational awareness, even when she’s just going to the bank or grocery store. She has a mental toughness that belies the physical weaknesses of a woman her age.

THE NEED TO BE NEEDED
All of the people you care about have combinations of physical and mental challenges. What we all have in common is our need to be useful, no matter what our abilities or lack of abilities. A person without functioning legs can still wield a weapon or man a security cam. Someone who is blind can still direct audio comms. Everyone has skills and talents that the family and community need, and the survival of the whole group dictates finding appropriate jobs for everyone.
Those who are critically ill or in the advanced stages of dementia may need to have round-the-clock caregivers, which could put a strain on community labor resources. The whole group would ideally have the same reverence and respect for all the members’ quality of life, even the infirm and ill.

GET YOURSELF READY FIRST
Much of the information about surviving natural disasters or man-made insanities assumes that we will prepare not only our environment, but ourselves as well. In order to deal with a crisis, realize that while we are teaching ourselves new skills, setting aside food stores, preparing security and energy options and planning for those who are weaker than ourselves, we must diligently prep our own minds and bodies to withstand the multiple demands that will be required.

Knowing that stresses of panic, physical exertion, mental exhaustion, and lack of sleep will pile up and collapse you if you are not ready, is not enough. Add in caring for others who are young, old, chronically ill, obese, disabled or just darn difficult, and your preparedness becomes even more critical.
Part of the process requires that we must be physically fit ourselves before we can take care of others. So put down that list and go exercise, at least some part of every day! Do not allow yourself to become out of shape, while you’re stockpiling supplies and securing your environment. There are people depending on you. Make sure you are the fittest you can be, physically and mentally. Then you can expend energy on building a community that includes everyone you care about, even the unfit.

We are never completely prepared, we either are unprepared, or prepared to some degree. So I want to review the past year and see what or how far I’ve come. For those new to the game, they can find it a bit overwhelming, and do little to nothing to prepare. Then there are those that are part time preppers and those that are full time preppers. I fall into the former, but a meeting with some friends 8 months ago re-ignited the drive it takes to prepare. So my one-year odyssey in review.

First order of business is get your family onboard, and perhaps those you want to include in a group, but foremost your family, and don’t just say tings are bad, show them some of the articles you have found on the dollar collapse, EMP, etc, the real reasons you feel the need to prepare, if they are with you it just got a lot easier.

Second get organized, what do you already have? This will save you a lot of money in the long run, as you are less likely to duplicate items.

Next is your plan to bug out, or stay in place. If you are bugging out do you have a location that you can cache some of your gear and foodstuffs, or are you going with what you can haul?  If that is the case, figure out what you can haul in one trip. There is no sense in buying 50 cases of MREs if you only car is a Geo Metro it won’t fit. If you do not have a specific location to bug-out to, I’d strongly urge to plan to stay in place and make the best of it.

Next if you are new to this, start small, plan for 3 days, then 10 days, then 30 days, then 3 months and so forth.
For me my retreat is where I live, I’m not in the American Redoubt, but in the Midwest. My property is in the country, and I’m about 15 miles from the nearest city, (population about 14,000) would I like a retreat further out? Yes, but it is not going to happen I simply can’t afford to move.

I’m an avid shooter, and already have arms, ammo, a lot of ammo, and all the gear that goes with it. I was a bit light in the Battle Rifle category so I sold a few handguns to purchase an M1 Garand (I already had about 2,000 rounds of .30-06 ammo, so it made sense) and an FN-FAL, I had planned on two PTR91s (HK91 clones) but the FAL came along at a price I couldn’t ignore, the seller wanted $650, and admitted the gun wouldn’t cycle. So when I inspected it I found the gas plug installed upside down, I offered $600 and he took it I went home and reinstalled the plug properly and it cycles fine. I also managed a trade of a 1911 for a used PTR91. HK magazines are currently selling at unbelievably low prices.

If you are new to this I’d suggest a 12 gauge pump shotgun to start, and there are a lot of affordable guns out there, even a .22 rifle, and a lot of ammo should be considered. I’ve studied criminal behavior and the majority will be looking for soft targets, and when the SHTF there will be plenty, usually no one stands around and asks what caliber is that?, when you drop the hammer.

Yes there is a lot of cool accessories out there, but paying more attention to the more mundane things in life will go a lot further in insuring your survival. Watch those big box stores for seasonal closeouts, do a lot of shopping, (not buying) keep notes and get the biggest bang for your buck you can. Of further note the biggest of the “Big Box” stores is now selling AR-15s in a lot of locations, at much lower prices than you’ll find at a regular gun shop. I have seen SIG-Sauer, Bushmaster, and Colt.
Remember that it is not the gun that wins the fight it is your training and willingness that win the fight.

 I have a propane fired generator, in the 10-Kw range, and a 500 gallon propane tank I put it in 5 years ago, after a two day outage and a the loss of a lot of food. You might see these advertised as “whole house” generators but that is really stretching it, you need to get around at least a 17Kw for an average size house. Of course any generator is likely only going to be good for a short period, for once the fuel is gone that’s it.

I am a self employed firearms instructor, so for me most weeks I have no idea what my income will be until class starts. Some weeks I make $125 before expenses, and some I can much more, so in 2011, I earned the princely sum of less than $10,000 before taxes. So my income is   less than half of the other individuals in my group.

If you have a known income, even small you can prep, I so often hear people saying they would like to, but can’t afford to, and that in a word is denial, and if you live in denial it will cost you when the time comes.

My last effort at full scale prepping had been in 1999 with the dire warnings of Y2K, which did not materialize. So after a meeting a year ago, I started my prepping with research, planning and organizing. The gathering begins after the first 3 steps are met, but not completed

Research
Now once you organize things you already have, you start research, and this is vital, you can run helter-skelter and buy a bunch of stuff, but you may have more wants than needs when you are done. Focus on want you need, and if you have less you need to have intensified focus

 I first read Patriots, by James Rawles, then dug out my copy of the “How to Survive the End of the World as we Know it” by the same writer. I also went to the internet and checked a lot of the prepping web sites, making notes to links of free information. It ranged from Military manuals, the LDS Preparedness Manual to articles on how to milk goats.

I also referred to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Think on this one. Have you thought this one through? Are you prepared in each category?
Water
Food
Clothing
Shelter-Security
Sanitation
First Aid
Communication
Transportation

While the research continues every day, I began planning...

Planning
I started making lists, and I began to shop, note I did not say buy, but shop I have a limited quirky income so I can’t afford to just throw money at things. In the planning stage you have to think things through, and play what if in your planning.

For instance water, 18 years ago my shallow well pump died, and for need of water I found a small pump I could attach to a cordless drill, attach a hose to each end of the pump and I could draw water, so if the grid is down how do I keep the drill charged?, which lead to a power pack and a small solar charger being added to the list.
The lists will grow every day; make at least a mental note of what you use every day, from toilet paper to food, and think how much of this will I need to get through uncertain times of unknown length? In the planning stage do not focus on any single category above; you have to address each category as you go. If you focus on food, and not security someone can take your food, and if you focus on security you can starve behind a well fortified wall.

The preparations have to be a multi-prong effort, and you need to give yourself some leeway if you are on a budget, that while in the pursuit of certain items, you run across a deal on something else you get it instead.  I’ve seen here on the internet some preppers that focus on one subject at a time, then move on to another chapter, this could lead to imbalance. I know one lady who has been solely focused on medical and first aid, and has spend a lot of her resources on items to fill those needs, I explained to her this is stuff you might need, but no matter what happens you will be hungry, If she had spent half of her money on food supplies she would still have enough to outfit an EMS team. Not real sure how good band aids taste, although she may be able to barter.
Also pay close attention to the mundane items like socks and Q-Tips. Yeah I know night vision and body armor is a lot more cool, but feeling like you have a bug in your ear and suffering foot rot is more likely to really happen. How about laundry? Check out some of the low cost items RVers use. Take a close look at what you consume and try to make sure those needs are met
Also for the budget minded think used instead of new

Organizing
Bugging in or bugging out?  My plan is for staying put, and here is where the group will gather, so in that regard those coming here are bringing supplies here, so space is a problem, and I continue to work on getting more space to store buckets, bullets and Band-Aids
I’ve made a considerable investment in adjustable wire mesh shelving units, I did wait till they were on sale, and bought them as need arose but in the past 12 months bought  19 sets at $40 bucks a set. But it allows me access to items without un-stacking stuff to get the container on the bottom.
Also it pays to keep inventory of what you have, and not just what you want, it is easy to use excel  and simply update as you add items, once a month I print them out, and review them  looking for what I need to balance things out.
In all keeping organized with proper planning and research will help you stay focused on what you need to get done, rather than an aimless quest unsure of your destination.

So in a nutshell with less than $10,000 income, and cashing a useless IRA of less than $8,000 where am I, 12 months later? I have enough stored food to feed 8 for a year, (a mix of store bought, dehydrated, #10 cans and bulk) I have 200 feet of garden fencing the mix of garden tools rain barrels and heirloom seeds to start a garden, started a small raised bed garden with hybrid seeds, and will save the heirlooms, for later.

I have several rolls of barbed wire for security, a few hundred sandbags, and a truckload of sand I have some solar around 200 watts worth plus connections wiring controllers several 2 way radios, four Swedish field phones, a solar powered base station and a couple of emergency radios, I also have four portable power packs that I can plug into,
3 kerosene heaters and around 90 gallons of kerosene, a camping oven stove combo, and 2 camp stoves, 60 cans of propane.100 lbs of charcoal, Pressure canner and jars etc, a food saver and a dehydrator, cast iron cookware, meat grinder, grain mill about 200 lbs of medical supplies, and the training to use it all.
1000 batteries from AAA to D cell, half dozen sleeping bags, rope bungee straps, come-alongs axes 3 chainsaws one gas powered and 2 cordless Black and Decker, for a cordless tool by the time the batteries run down so do I and they are pretty quiet, and log chains, crow bars, bolt cutters, nails, boots to blades, packs, webbing, magazine pouches etc.

I even acquired about 80 ounces of silver, in pre-1965 coins, there was no sense in just leaving the money in the IRA, and stocking up on Nickels
I also invested in a small trailer; it made it a lot easier to haul a lot of the bulky items
It came in handy when I hauled in over a ton of compost, peat moss, and lumber for the raised bed gardening, also several hundred cement blocks, to build defensive fighting positions  

I’m planting evergreens and hedges to help hide the property; although with the recent drought we have had they will need to be replanted.  I’m 1,000 feet from the nearest road, and prefer to be hidden and just let those that use the road pass by, it does reduce are fields of fire somewhat, but will also lower the chances of having to use those fields of fire, which is better all the way around.
I think the key to getting what I needed was I spent a lot of time planning and looking and little time buying; I worked hard at finding the best deal for my money. So if you don’t have money, spend time.
I’m not as prepared as those in the novel "Patriots", but I’m way ahead of those in "Survivors."

I’m writing this article to encourage you, if you’re in a similar situation as I am.  I may be writing it also, to encourage myself.  I want to say that it is possible to prepare for emergencies to some extent, even if you aren’t exactly doing it as a team.  I will share some of my story in order to give you some ideas.

I am a happily-married woman living with a wonderful husband and my four children in a Midwestern state, in a town of less than 5000.  I have been increasingly concerned about an economic collapse, and have been educating myself about preparedness in the last 2 years.  My husband is not happy with the way the country is going, but also isn’t willing to “over-react”, or get “paranoid”.  As a christian woman, I believe that it is my responsibility to submit to my husband with a good attitude, but also my responsibility to see to the needs of my household.  How do I balance that all out?
First, I trust in God.  He has never failed us.  As we have honored Him, and given Him the first fruits of our income, He has always taken care of us.  For example, 3 ½ years ago, we became convinced that God’s will was for us to try to become debt free.  We prayed that somehow God would provide a way for us to become debt-free.  Little did we know that within 6 months, my husband’s job in a large metropolitan area would end and we would sell our house for $30,000 less than we had into it, but still pay off our mortgage.  He would end up, not in his profession, but rather working 5 part-time jobs, and we would buy a foreclosed house in a rural area that needed some work.  After all of the difficulty we’ve had, we are now debt-free in a nice house, in rural America.  God’s ways are definitely not ours!

Secondly, don’t discount the assets you have or want, as something your spouse would automatically reject.  We have a lot of great camping gear that my husband loves.  I suggested a few additions that he has enthusiastically embraced, such as a Dutch oven.  This summer, we used it for every meal on our camping trip in order to really get the hang of it, and I made sure to include meals he likes.  A few of the other  things I’ve  gotten are a couple of flashlights that can work on a hand-crank charge (almost free after a Menard's rebate),  a solar heated hanging “shower” for camping ($1 at a rummage sale),  a lantern that works on a hand crank, and a charcoal starter.  The addition I’m most excited about is our sand-point well. It turns out that this little town has very high sewer rates, thanks to a large new sewage treatment plant which was built recently, anticipating a housing boom that didn’t happen. The sewer charge is calculated off our water use.  It’s nothing to get a $400 quarterly water/sewer bill, so my husband was willing to put in a backyard well so we could wash the vehicle, and water the garden without city water.  It cost about $400 or $500 including the permits, equipment, and 1 afternoon rental of a jackhammer.  Although it runs on electricity now, he was agreeable to spend $40 to get the hand pump attachment and store it for an emergency.

If your husband has any interests that line up with preparedness skills, then encourage him.  My husband is a hunter, and fisherman, so I am very supportive.  We usually discuss purchases together, and if he brings up an interest in purchasing any “hunting equipment”, fishing tackle, etc., I say, “Go for it”.  When we have the money for a conceal carry class, I’ll support his interest.  When he expressed an interest in my pickling his fish, I did it, even though I dislike pickled fish.  He was willing to build me the square food garden boxes I asked for, so I will be willing to can all the tomatoes and salsa he wants.  I don’t complain about all of the venison we eat.  Although my husband isn’t willing for me to tear up any more of our small lawn for a larger garden, he IS willing to tear up some lawn in order to put in a raspberry patch.  I’ll take what I can get. 

I have been keeping an eye out for preparedness books at rummage sales, GoodWill,  and library sales.  So far, I’ve spent less than $20 to get:  “The PDR Pocket Guide to Prescription Drugs “ (includes dosages), Where There Is No Doctor edited by Dr. David Werner, Making the Best of Basics - Family Preparedness Handbook by James Talmage Stevens, “12 Month Harvest”,  “Home Canning”, and a 20 volume set called “The Creative Workshop”.  I also used my Christmas money from my mother-in-law to get "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It",  “The Urban Homestead”, “Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs”, and “The Prepper’s Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do To Ready Your Home For a Disaster”.  (I definitely didn’t tell my mother-in-law which books I bought with her gift.  She would think I had cracked up.)

Other rummage sale finds include a vacuum-sealer, and a box of canning jars.  I picked up a set of solar pathway lights for half-price last week, and have gotten several used food-grade buckets from the bakery dept. of our grocery store.  That is how their frosting is delivered, so I got them for $.50 each just for asking, and just had to wash them out.

One piece of advice; for what it’s worth.  Don’t go for everything you want all at once.  Two years ago, I talked him into buying a six month supply of dehydrated food from Augason Farms.  This was a very big purchase for us.  We tucked it away.  This winter, I approached my husband asking for a one -month supply of more accessible, “normal” food such as canned goods, and he was fine with that. I had been concerned that the one of our children with multiple serious food allergies would not have any protein that he could safely have from that 6 month supply we had purchased.  Soy, beans/peas, and nuts were out of the question, so I needed canned meat/seafood.   If there was a dire need, that child could eat protein from the new stuff for 6 months, and the other 5 of us could eat the other proteins.  Because of our finances, it has taken 6 months to gradually buy enough additional food to feed 6 people for a month.  I just finished this week, and it feels great! The next step is to get a rotation system in place for those foods.  I keep the food stored out of sight, (out of mind) so that my husband isn’t constantly reminded of how much money we’ve spent. J Also, the kids aren’t as likely to blab about it if they don’t see it.

My plan now is to focus on learning skills.  I got a pressure canner for Christmas, and have started teaching myself how to use it comfortably.  I also plan to learn to make bread without my breadmaker.  Perhaps I’ll try sourdough bread, or yogurt.   Other goals are to organize car emergency kits, research and plan for updating first-aid kits, and to make a wish list of things to keep an eye out for at end-of-season sales, or rummage sales.

As an aside, don’t forget that you may already have more food available than you think in your cupboards, and freezer.  I tend to forget to count the food that’s on our shelves, and in our freezer, but of course that would be the first food we would use up. 

Finally, there may be some preparations that you would like to make, that your husband doesn’t agree to.  In my case, it’s a woodstove.  My thought is, “It would keep us from freezing.” His thought is, “No, because it would aggravate two kids’ asthma, and also aggravate a dry- eye condition I have.”  What I have decided to do is forget about it.  If it came down to it, my husband, with God’s help, would figure something out.  God’s Word clearly tells me not to worry, so I choose to let it go.  I’m at peace, even though there’s a big question mark in the area of heat.

Anyway, my point is, don’t get discouraged.  No matter how much you can do, it’s more than the average citizen is doing, and your family will be better off for it.  Just trust God.  He knows your husband, and gave him to you.  If you are honest and have the right attitude and motives, your husband will be able to trust you.  He may not always agree with you, but it’s better to be partially prepared to struggle through TEOTWAWKI while happily married to your best friend, than to be fully prepared to survive TEOTWAWKI in a miserable, resentful marriage.  Our children learn how to honor and respect their future spouses, by watching how we honor and respect their Dad.  It is a legacy to pass on that will be a blessing to them all of their lives.

JWR,
I just thought I'd pass the word on some shopping options people might not think about too often. My wife is originally from Vietnam and we often go to an asian market for food supplies. I assume the following is true for other non-western stores, but you might want to check out what is within driving distance. These places are a preppers oasis.

There are a few major advantages to shop at these stores. Please note I am talking about small stores, not a place like the asian mega-marts in California.

First is money. Not just that they are usually less expensive, but more important they are less dependent on a cash register working. I'd expect if there are issues, wally-mart wouldn't be able to sell anything without a cash register working. In these places, that would not be much of an issue.

In addition, cash is king here. Bring cash, buy in bulk, and talk to the owner. You might be surprised to find that you can get 10-20% discount just by asking, or by getting 10 instead of the 2 you planned for. Try haggling over a price at the local supermarket and see what success you have. But in these small, mom and pop stores, it is not only allowed, it's almost expected.

Second, foods tend to focus on non-refrigeration items. (Asian market focus)

25-50 lbs sacks of rice - it's common to see from 50 to 80 sacks of rice at the front of the store. Note that brown rice is usually in smaller sizes due to a cultural tendency to serve that to the elderly, and not for general consumption.

Store bought vacuum packed brown, white rice - long/short/medium grain.

Dried everything. Squid, beef, fish, mushrooms.. everything. Not sure what it is? ask.

Pickled everything. Vegetables , fruits, meat.

More dried noodle options than I ever knew existed.

Candy and treats designed for long term storage - i.e. hard candies, hard cookies, etc.

Spices for everything and in large quantities. In countries where meat might not be of the best quality, there tends to be a focus on cooking with enough spices to cover the flavor of the meet. In TEOTWAWKI, you might just need to make that days hunt taste a little better.

Third, electricity independent food preparation tools.

Remember, many of these countries do not have a stable electric grid, so non-electric cooking tools are very common in these stores. Butane cooking stoves are very common, and you won't have the price markups that you will see in a camping store.

Fourth, experience

Remember, many of these stores are owned by first generation Americans. They know what keeps best when there is no power, or unstable power. What rice keeps longer, what tool works better. They know it first hand. Don't be shy to ask.

Yes, sometimes you might have to put up with a different cultures approach to standing in a line (or lack there of), and you might have to have a little patience with a language barrier, but for me it's well worth it.

Remember, these stores stay alive by having personable relationships with their customers. If you go out of your way to be friendly, you just might find that if Stuff hits the Fan, they will sell items to you (store open or not), where other places will be boarded up.

As always, thanks for your blog. For me, its one of the most valuable web sites on the Internet. - Robert B. in North Carolina

James:
I have some thoughts on the article regarding the disposal of trash.  It was interesting and thought provoking, however I think in a situation where services were not going to come back you would find that that amount of rubbish you generate would be quite small.

You would not be bringing more “stuff” into the house as you would not be shopping and anything you did already have you would recycle as there would be no chance of getting those storage jars etc any longer.  So all those tins, jars containers etc would eventually be used in one way or another.

If you haven’t already, you should already be moving away from a disposable life, for starters it is cheaper than continually buying disposable products.  Paper plates are not a way of life here except for picnics so if you use paper plates on an every day basis I think a change is in order.  Disposable nappies are expensive and cloth nappies are not much work at all (and healthier for your baby’s bottom), washable menstrual pads just as easy (and more comfortable in my opinion).

Kitchen scraps should always be given to the chooks or the garden, you would be cooking from scratch and there would be very little on-going trash from any packaging.  Change now and purchase as little packaging as possible, if there is packaging try and recycle it, paper and cardboard in to the garden, glass jars for preserving and storage etc, if you do buy packaging make sure you can recycle it.
Repurpose items that are no longer used for the original purpose, learn to sew and fix or change the clothes you no longer want, reuse items for another reason, or just don’t buy too much in the first place, just the things you need. 

Have two uses for items you bring into the house and think about it before you buy: what is the life span of this item, can it be used for more than one purpose and can it be recycled on the property?  Don’t create rubbish to start with.

So basically, don’t buy disposable products, and make sure the packaging is recyclable, long term your rubbish would be minimal and mostly recyclable.  In a TEOTWAWKI situation there would be no more items randomly bought on impulse and anything you already had would be saved like our grandparents did.

Regards To You, - Kathryn in Australia

An introduction of personal circumstances always seems necessary, so I’ll get that out of the way first.  My husband and I, along with our three children, moved from a moderate sized Texas town of 200,000 to a small spread out community of about 1.500.  That population of 1,500 lives in an area of about 40 square miles.  Our location, of which Mr. Rawles would not approve, is hot and dry. We are learning new ways in all areas of our lives to make this living situation work.  We and our 3 teen-aged children love our community and the new freedom that we have found here.

My husband is a man of many, many skills. A natural problem solver, he can look at most situations and fabricate some kind of solution.  Whether it is plumbing, construction, economics or world politics, he sees the situation in mechanical terms. While he can find or fabricate solutions for most construction, plumbing and solar converter problems, he can’t fix the problems that we see in the political and economic world.  So we do the next best thing.  We prepare.

I, on the other hand, am not particularly mechanically inclined.  Until I married my husband, I was a city apartment dweller with my mother and my brother.  If there was a problem, we called the apartment manager.  I’ve also always known the convenience of the city. Until this last move, I’ve never lived in a city or town without a university.  I’ve never lived without the convenience of grocery shopping at a moment’s notice. Until I met my husband, I did not garden and I’m still not that good at it.  Based on my mother’s experiences, canning was to be avoided at all costs.  Growing up, my mom and I were not in the category of the worst consumers, but we did consume our share of convenience. Compared to our friends at the time, we were down-right frugal.  Compared to what I know now, we had a long way to go before we could be called frugal.   Of all the things that I have “given up” to live where we live, convenience is what I miss most.  But, I’m not willing to move back to a town or city of any size to regain “convenience”.  My husband and I are blessed that we are of one mind about the need to prepare. We don’t take that blessing for granted, either. GOD put us in this new community for a reason and we will be here until He moves us.

While I miss conveniences like “in the mood” grocery shopping, the consistent, orderly removal of trash is a mark of civilized life that I miss very much.  Now, I realize that much of rural America still burns trash. Many have sloughs, or ditches that need filling and are filled with trash that cannot be burned, but I’ve never had any experience with this.  I’ve never separated my trash except for a few forays into recycling.   Before my husband and I moved to our current home, I could clean out the refrigerator, pick up around the yard, put the usual refuse of daily life into the trash and it was gone.  I could, twice a year like clockwork, clean out my children’s closets and make piles. One pile was trash and one was given to an organization such as Goodwill and another might be given to friends.  But wherever it went, it was out of my house and out of my life with immediacy that I never gave much thought.  And yes, we did recycle to a degree.  For whatever reason, our former town seemed to make recycling harder, not easier, so I did some, but not as much as I could have.
We arrived in our new community in December of 2010. We brought a burn barrel with us and we burned our trash and recycled what we could locally for about 3 months.  We were living in a 34 foot long trailer at the time, and we had no running water, so we used paper plates and picnic type utensils and cups.  We used a lot of water bottles. By March, our area had been a full year and a half without any measurable rain and some areas were suffering from fires, so our county instituted a burn ban.  If you are familiar with burn bans, you know that sometimes they don’t include every type of possible fire. Sometimes it is a charcoal fire burn ban, or just fireworks, or no open-pit burning. This burn ban was all inclusive. It included welding and any type of fire whether it was grilling on a gas grill or burning trash in a barrel.  So now what??  At first, I was pretty naïve about what a problem trash can be. We had no idea how long we’d be in the ban, so we started with Band-Aid solutions.  My husband used the Kubota tractor to dig/push dirt and rock into a berm and we piled our bags up against that berm. By this time, we were dry camping in our shipping container house.  Let me tell you, trash really piles up for 5 people in this situation. We had limited water by now, none running in the house, but hoses from a well outside.  I moved us away from disposable plates, etc. to dishware and cutlery as soon as I could, but we still made a lot of trash.  We quickly outgrew the berm idea and when we found our first rattlesnake with a mouse bulge, we knew that we needed a better solution.  We built an enclosure out of t-posts, cattle panel and plywood for the top and moved the trash pile.  What this gave us was an enclosure to contain the trash so that it wouldn’t spread out.  We could throw the bags in at the top and not get too close to the pile.  That was a year and half ago and I still have remnants of that pile that need to be burned.  At its largest, the current trash pit was 8 x 8 x 5.  It still has that basic outline, but it is no longer bulging at the seams. 

Another problem that we encountered in our situation was recycling.  In our area of the country, we have about 8 months of glorious weather. We can be hot during the day, but the nights cool down significantly.  We have 4 months during the summer when the heat is constant and a real challenge.   So most people live here during the 8 winter months and leave for the 4 summer months.  We don’t have many of our services, like recycling, during the summer.  And if we store recyclables during the summer and hit the recycling trailer with it when it reopens in the fall, it is too much for them to handle all at once.  Our closest town is 80 miles away and they have recycling services.  We do bag our recyclables, which at the moment, is mostly aluminum cans and metal food cans.  We have bags of them, but in order to get them to town, we’d have to take the diesel pickup rather than the more fuel efficient sedan.  So we haven’t done this yet. But, at some point, we’ll have to.  It isn’t a good solution to the problem, but we’ll do what we have to do.

A third problem that I have found is finding a home for things that I no longer use or things that no longer work and are not considered trash.   What do you do with the laptop power cord that will no longer charge the computer?  What do you do with the items that you thought would be useful in your new home, but are not? Thrift stores: We have a couple, but they really are overrun with stuff.  They consistently ask residents not to drop off any more things until they can clear out merchandise.  Garage Sale/Flea Market: also an option, but most people are looking to get rid of stuff, not buy it.  Also the organized flea market is only available in the winter months. Free cycle: Our nearest town is 80 miles away and most people won’t drive this far to get it, but it could happen.  Recycle/Re-purpose: seeing an item’s potential outside of its normal use is not one of my gifts. I rarely think outside of the box, so this is a skill that I need to develop and if you have stuff like I do, you need to develop it too.  Store items for Barter: Yes, but storage is a very big issue. We downsized our home considerably and I gave away about 2/3 of what we owned before we made the move.  But what I didn’t count on was how much room prep stores and food stores actually take.  We had only just gotten started with our preparations before we decided to move.  So before I store something that someone else may need someday, I’d like to get my own stuff organized and stored properly.  Beyond re-purposing and storing for barter, the only solution that I can think of for items like this is to bury them.  The solution before burying it is not to buy it in the first place.  I wish I’d seen that one coming.

The initial strict burn ban lasted a full year and we are still under a partial burn ban that prohibits some types of trash burning.  At the moment, we can burn trash in a barrel if it is enclosed. We put our burn barrel in our first outdoor shower that we had constructed out of cut-out shipping container walls.  In our small community, one business built a metal structure out of roofing tin.  On the roof he installed two whirligigs for exhaust.  We don’t know what he used for air intakes, but it couldn’t be that hard to figure out.  We are saving that idea for future use.  Anyway, with our small enclosure and our burn barrel, we can burn our current trash and we are making some in-roads into the stored trash. 

As I read survival articles and literature, I don’t find much space given to the disposal of trash.  I’ve shared our experiences, now I’d like to share some insights.  Not so much solutions because there is only one solution that I see.  I’d rather let you see some of the issues and then tailor your own solutions.  As I’ve hinted above, the three options for dealing with trash are: burn it, bury it, or recycle/re-purpose it.  But, the ultimate solution to the trash problem for those of us who prepare for more desperate times is to plan for it.   In a grid down or TEOTWAWKI situation where security is paramount, what are you going to do with your trash?  Just so we are clear, I am not talking about a natural disaster where you can see that normal services will resume sometime in the future.  I am talking about a grid down situation where you are completely on your own.  In this situation, your decisions might need to include OPSEC, medical concerns, hygiene, and environmental pollution.  Critter control, future sewage needs, and the logistics of being out and about around your retreat need to be addressed.  In order to plan for this, you’ve got to look at what preparations you’ve got in place.  You need to look at your location.  What food/pantry store do you have in place?  What are your security needs?  What are your sewage plans?  Identify your biggest trash challenge.   Is it diapers or paper plates?  Is it tin cans or plastic water bottles?  You can deal with it as long as you’ve identified the challenge and the solution ahead of time and then planned for it.

I think most people consider burning trash to be the best alternative in most situations.  So does your location support that decision?  Do you live in a rural area? I can imagine scenarios where you could burn trash in a city, but that means things are pretty bad.  In a rural area, you may not want anyone to know that you are still in place.  Smoke can be dealt with to a degree, but you’d be hard pressed to burn trash on a regular basis and cover up the smoke smell.  As for environmental concerns, there are not that many.  You just don’t want to burn toxic stuff that will foul your air.  For example, we have blue foam boards that we’ve used in construction.  I don’t burn these.  I believe we do need to make some accommodation for the environment.  We won’t have the EPA breathing down our necks, but we should take care of the land and air that will take care of us.  Some things don’t burn.  You will have to deal with ashes and charred debris.  Have you got somewhere to dispose of that?  You can’t burn aerosol cans or batteries, so you will have to have some alternative plans for them. 

You can bury your trash. We live in an area where the landscape will not recover from this type of intrusion.  You’d see our pit, the tracks from the Kubota tractor, our car tire tracks, whatever, for 100 years.  That is more of an environmental impact than we’d like to make right now and it isn’t very secure, but it remains an option for us long term.   For one thing, we have enough land to do it and we have earth moving equipment. I’ve read articles that recommend you have shovels or hand tools to bury your trash. I’m telling you, from experience, a shovel will not be much help long term when confronted with mounds of bagged trash.  You are going to be digging a very large hole.  If you have the equipment to dig a large hole, do you have the parts and experience to maintain and repair the equipment? You may have ditches or sloughs that run through your property.  If you dump your trash in these and then plant native grasses in and around the refuse, this could help with erosion problems.  My in-laws do this and have corrected some erosion issues on their farm land.  But, my mother-in-law is very diligent about moving grass clumps into the dump area.  Again, this is not an option for us, but you need to evaluate your own landscape.  You also have to consider the environmental impact of burying as well.  Again, we may not need to be as obsessive as the EPA has become, but we don’t want our rivers to burn either.  Consider rain runoff before you choose a spot to dig.  Consider where your well is located; consider winds, critters and future land use before you dig.

You can recycle your trash. I’m not talking about municipal recycling programs because in this scenario, there would be no municipal recycling programs. I’m talking about home-grown, common sense recycling. What can I do with the water bottles or water jugs that I’ve stored and that are now empty?  What can I do with all of the #10 cans as they are used? I’ve seen a chicken shed roof that was “shingled” with tin can lids and the walls reinforced with flattened cans.  Walls can be built with cans and filled with dirt; bottles cans be used for windows, etc., but that is only if you still need structures around your retreat.  Some items from your pantry might be done away with entirely. I found a washable “paper” towel pattern online, and let’s face it ladies, washable pads from Naturally Cozy just makes sense, doesn’t it?  While there are few op/sec or medical/hygiene issues with recycling, there are logistical issues.  Where are you going to store used items like used tin food cans or the #10 cans that we all love so much? Have you got storage for used items?  There comes a point where you just cannot use another #10 can to store nuts/bolts/thread/yarn/seed packs/ etc.  Then what?  Think about diversifying your food and pantry storage as you rotate.  I used some of my dehydrated vegetables to make soup mixes. I repackaged them in Mylar bags which store flat and can be reused until they are too small and at that point, they aren’t much trash.  I also put some mixes into gallon glass jars.  I don’t recommend this if you are not rotating your storage.  There are literally thousands of recycle ideas on the internet. You just have to look for them.  Look at your storage, see what you have the most of and then go hunt up some ideas.  Plan ahead for what you’ll need and what may be used as barter (think glass jars—you cannot have too many!)

There is no one size fits all solution to trash in a grid down TEOTWAWKI scenario except to plan, plan, and plan.  There are as many solutions to the trash problem as there are retreat solutions. Don’t put this off, however.  You may visit your retreat often. You may practice bugging out.  But, if after the weekend is over, you haul your trash to the Dumpster in town, or burn it at your retreat without thought or worry, then you haven’t done all of your homework.  Trash will be a big problem for you if you don’t plan for its disposal ahead of time.  For most of us, trash disposal is one of those things that we regularly take for granted.  Don’t.

Hi James,
I too have chosen DeWalt, but went out of my way recently to purchase a 12 volt cordless drill.  My reason being that the rechargeable batteries will eventually degrade.  18 volts is hard to come by without stacking small cells together in series.  But 12 volt batteries are ubiquitous in all kinds of shapes, sizes and capacities, and can be pressed into service easily with a few feet of wire. - Ray K.

Dear James.
I just want you to know that we appreciate what you do ,the information you provide is priceless,and don`t start my day without touching base at SurvivalBlog.com. I use my battery operated tools daily, as a contractor -handyman. I have also found Dewalt to make  great tools. My batteries started to go on my drill, impact driver set, so I went to the Big Box store. I found the price for one spare battery was $80 dollars. Yikes! So I started looking around for options. What I found might save you and your readers some money, and give them some inexpensive backup--since "two is one." I found a combo kit with a DeWalt drill, two batteries, charger and flashlight on sale for for $159. This, mind you, was at the same store that sells a single battery for $80. Hope this helps, - HookNshoot

James:
Regarding Dewalt cordless tools, I agree that they have good quality and lifespan. In my case, I switched over to Bosch Cordless tools seven years ago. I ordered the full set of tools including the jig saw and the car charger and a free canvas carry bag plus an 18v hand plainer from the factory outlet at a good savings with new factory warranty.

The initial Bosch warranty is better and check out the six foot drop test online. Your results may vary and according to Bosch their 12 volt product line has performance close to the 18 volt product line, with less weight.

My change jar is being saved to purchase for their 18 volt impact driver.

As for the batteries after seven years of sporadic use including the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina I had two of my three 18v batteries [eventually develop] dead cells. New replacements
seemed expensive so I called the local battery place and asked how much to rebuild. I had three batteries rebuilt, with same day service. The cost was $150 versus $240 for buying factory new replacements. Plus the batteries were at full charge when I got home. That's my two copper-washed zinc cents worth.

Remember that most rechargeable battery packs can be rebuilt for about 2/3 the cost of new and as a plus you are "saving the Earth."

Disclaimer: I am not in anyway compensated or have a financial interest in either company. I like them both but just prefer Bosch.

Cheers, - JHB

JWR:
Here are a couple of do-it-yourself "corded battery pack" conversions, like you mentioned:

Convert a perfectly good cordless drill to a corded one.

How To Make a Cordless Tool Corded

Regards, - Zac

Hello James,
As you noted in your overview of cordless tools, the weak link is in the batteries. When they fail (and they will [eventually] fail) an otherwise useful tool becomes useless.
As an option, you recommend using a high amperage 18 volt DC power source. But unfortunately, 18 volt power sources are not common.

Perhaps another option would be to own 12 volt DC power tools. When their batteries fail, the tool could be powered by any high amperage 12 volt DC power source, like a car battery.
Although these tools may lack the torque of their 18 volt brethren, the quality is still there. 12 volt lead-acid batteries are readily available. Additionally, in a grid-down situation, a number of other tools, appliances and communication gear could be powered by that same 12 volt battery. And, as you pointed out, be sure to use appropriate fuses. Best Regards, - David S.

Jim:
For extented hours of use on cordless power tool use, check this Y-T video out on what I'd call "semi-cordless": Ultimate Battery Power. Oh, and here is a link to that company's web site: TheUltimatePowerTrip.com. Kudos on having the biggest and very best prepping site in the blogosphere. The others are just pale imitators! - Charles J.

Mr. Rawles,
In our family I’m responsible for the obtaining and tracking of the beans, seeds, band aid , and child-schooling portion of our preparation. My husband is responsible for obtaining the bullets, fuel, agriculture and security supplies and all other aspects of our preparedness and training everyone how to use them, however I’m responsible for inventorying and usage tracking all of these supplies also. As a former analytical CPA and auditor-before I became a wife and mother, I fully believe that accurate regular inventory of your supplies is the life and death of your survival, just as it is for businesses. If you don’t know what you have on hand and what you still need to obtain or replenish then I don’t understand how you can be adequately prepared. Over the years I saw many business fail-not because of lack knowledge but because of lack of supplies to put that knowledge to work.
 
In the process of our preparedness journey, I stumbled upon a free web site that is run by two mothers, http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/. They adhere to the Mormon plan of having a full years’ worth of food stored.  They provide you with a complete checklist called “Baby Steps Checklist” that walks you through complete food storage purchases for your family spread out over a full year. If you follow their steps the preparedness is broken down to a financially manageable task, which I know for many families is the largest stumbling block.
 
The web site includes, which I feel is the most important part, a spreadsheet calculator that allows  you to calculate how much food/supplies you need based on the number of family members, age of your children, and how much you want stored, i.e. 3, 6, 12 months or more. I tracked all our other household supplies usage (cleaning supplies, hygiene products, etc) for a year and added a padding of 6 months usage. I then used this spreadsheet to create another for all other household “stuff” you need to live. My husband took the spreadsheet and also modified it to show all the “stuff” that falls under his department of bullets, fuel, replacement parts, agriculture supplies, etc we need to  have stored for a societal breakdown.
 
The spreadsheet is so simple to use that even our 8 and 10 year olds can follow it as they take our monthly food inventory. It takes them about 2-3 hours. The 10 year old is even able to take the corrected hard copy and sit at the computer and change quantities on hand in the spreadsheet and then printout a new three new hard copies for me, it is that user friendly. (Note: I do a complete inventory myself once a quarter to ensure the children are staying on top of their chore and that all quantities are correct.)
 
We keep multiple copies of each inventory on simple clipboards, which I highly recommend. One at the storage location of each category to note any withdrawals from our stores, one in our property’s “mechanical shop” and in our Master Supply Binder that stays in the home office. I also keep a copy of the food spreadsheet in a kitchen drawer for easy access. The spreadsheets allow us to have on one simple clipboard and instant access to what I have on hand-what we need to pick-up on our next runs to the hardware, survival, Costco or Sam's Club, the regular grocery store- all of which are an hour away on a beautiful sunny summer day, longer on icy, snow packed, mountain, roads, and also what I need to can/freeze/preserve this current growing season.
 
With these spreadsheets I am able to do a full inventory of everything we have quarterly in approximately 12-15 hours of time every quarter. My husband and I can then sit down and in one evening easily go over our usage to make sure we are not being wasteful and plan any large resupply purchases that need to be made.
 
Thank you, - A Conservative, Prepared Catholic in the Rocky Mountains

When we think about preparing ourselves, families, communities, businesses, and country we are really at the core of the issue preparing for any disruptions to our supply chain.

When we hear the phrase supply chain management, most of us are thinking about raw goods and materials as they relate to the manufacturing process and how/when those goods are delivered.  But not just delivered from the supplier, but how they make it into the production process and as a result are turned into a usable finished product to be consumed.  On occasion, we’ll relate the supply chain phrase to the grocery stores as we have the preparedness mindset and we’ll talk about the fact that most stores only carry three days worth of goods.  But I’d like to broaden the scope of supply chain management a little.

While it is true with the computer age came the age of Just-In-Time inventory and this allowed companies to reduce the amount of cash that in times past was tied up in inventory that often turned obsolete, it also created tension all along the supply route.  Since everything seems to be geared to arrive for sale at about the exact time you walk in the door to purchase it, the slack in the rope has been removed.  This can be seen pretty quickly during weather related storms and the grocery stores.  Let a storm hit two days after the last shipment and the shelves are bare.  Let the weatherman call for a huge storm and all of a sudden the distribution centers are racing around the clock trying to get goods delivered to the outlets.  They would be working around the clock, not to reduce the impact of the disaster, but instead, simply because those in charge know without a doubt, the product will get sold…and rather quickly too.

As you begin to think about emergency planning and disaster preparedness, things will almost always get back to providing those things in our lives we consider basic necessities.  Let’s again think outside of the box and not get caught up in the grocery store example.  Let’s take it a step farther.  Let’s think hard about the supply chains in our own lives, those things that at this particular moment in time we feel like we could do without but wouldn’t want to.

As you woke up this morning and made your way to the bathroom, you probably hit the light switch and when finished, flushed the toilet.  Then maybe you padded over to the sink to brush your teeth and then off to the coffee pot.  Somewhere along the way you turned on the television or fired up the computer to get the latest in news and weather.  Your routine is off to its normal start and continues with you getting dressed, breakfast, and maybe heading out the door.  Maybe you threw a load of clothes in the washing machine or dryer; maybe you set the security alarm, closed the garage door, or took the trash down to the end of the drive, etc. before jumping in the car and heading off to earn that days wages.

You make your way through several intersections and stop lights all the while never really being aware of what is going on around you.  You assume that the car coming towards you will stay on his or her side of the yellow line and since it is that way 99.99% of the time, no need to worry.  You show up for work to a job that is largely provided and created by lots of additional people.  You may be the cashier at that grocery store, but you depend on thousands of people to make things possible for you to earn your wages.  Maybe you are in Sales; you depend on product development, marketing, manufacturing, etc. to create something you can sell.  In each and every one of these steps and processes, there lies a “supply chain” that is created or supported by someone other than you.

Back to the house.  When you headed to the bathroom, the electricity came from somewhere.  When you flushed the toilet it was made possible by others, more than likely, with the waste disappearing somewhere.  The first point I am trying to make although it seems like a feeble effort on my part is to get you to think about the things we do and how it is made possible.  If you can wrap your mind around that as you go through several days, you’d get the picture.  I understand that one of the first steps in financial counseling is to have the client list every penny they spend in a thirty day period.  This isn’t to inform or educate the counselor, but is there to bring to light where the potential problems might be. 

Let’s take the most simple of disasters, the winter storm.  It often comes with several days of advance warning and plenty of media coverage.  You can track it as it moves across the country and into your immediate area.  Most have plenty of time to prepare if they wanted to.  So in our supply chain model, things that are likely to become an issue if provisions are not provided for are heat, electricity, water, entertainment, medical supplies or assistance, travel, etc.  To what degree one is prepared is a simple function of how many of these “supply chains” that have substitute systems in place.  For heat, maybe it is a kerosene heater, for electricity it could be a generator, entertainment is now board games and books.  Water could have been stored, travel suspended, and medial issues addressed before the storm every showed its ugly face.  I was recently at a medical supply business and we were talking about oxygen tanks.  I asked them if there was any type of seasonal “thing” with demand and they said only when they are calling for very bad weather…then they can’t keep enough tanks on hand.

Most winter storms give enough advance notice that the family can prudentially put into place a secondary set of supply chains to take the place of what seems normal.  One those things are in place, they will still watch the news but the stress level is not there and if your house is like mine, there is a certain air of excitement.  No school, sit around all day and eat and play.  You get the picture.  It is much more relaxed because alternative supply chains were put in place.  We probably would have never called it as such, but that is what we have done.

If you were to make a list of events that are more likely to happen than others, the winter storm might make the list.  Earthquakes, floods, forest fires, and hurricanes might make the list.  All of these could be grouped together and an action item list developed to provide for your second supply chain as they are similar in the types of services you might lose.
But to your list of disasters that you might face could (and should) include the lose of your current income.  You could add house fire, economic collapse, identity theft and other such events.  Why worry about an asteroid impact when you have made no provisions for being laid off.

Imagine what someone’s “supply chain” might look like if they lost their current job.  The secondary supply chain might include things like a working spouse with skills or a second set of skill sets that are outside of your current one.  Being networked within your field with others that might help you locate that next job.  It could and should include an emergency reserve of cash to pay the bills.  If you are in high-tech and technology goes away, you’ll need to replace those skills with something more manual, don’t get forget to think about the tools that might be required to do that job.  The time to think about what other areas of interest you’d have in earning a living is not in the midst of the disaster but before it happens.  This again reduces stress as you will have the chance to put things in place beforehand.  As part of my automobile insurance policy I carry the uninsured motorist policy.  I don’t fret not one single car I pass wondering if they are driving without insurance, because I have taken that risk out of the equation by buying my own.  Why trust everyone to carry insurance when I can pay a little extra and know without a doubt, I have it covered.

These are just a couple of examples that we can all relate to and in most cases lived them in real time.  I’d like to encourage you to expand this “secondary supply chain” principle to as many aspects of your life as you can think of.  I have a friend that day trades stocks.  One of the biggest things he has done to insure the supply chain of information and his ability to trade stocks is that he has three different ways to access the internet.  He has his standard high speed DSL from his local service provider but also has a secondary, although slower, connection from another provider that’s infrastructure is not in the area.  When I asked him about the slower connection, he explained why pay for fast access when probably all he’d be doing is cashing out.  Stable was what he was after not fast.  And if that wasn’t enough redundancy in his supply chain of access and information, he had a laptop with a wireless modem tied into yet another service provider even farther away.  This is so that if he ever has to scramble out of the office, he can still take care of his livelihood.

As we think about all of the simple “supply chains” in our individual lives, your list might look something like this…food, water, electricity, waste disposal, communication/information, medical assistance, security and safety, shelter, travel, entertainment, income, heat/cooling, and cooking.  I might have left something off, but if there is a way to insure that I can partake out of convenience all of these goods and services from the “principal supply chain” but also have at least a start on the substitutes that make up the “secondary supply chain”, the stress of anything pending would be less.  And if you could get solidly through the substitutes and then create a third set of options, you’d be light years ahead of almost all of the general public.

We have all heard and used the saying “two is one and one is none”, but have we given much time and thought about how to replace those things.  You might have a barbeque grill with a spare propane tank and be thinking “two is one”.  But what happens when the grill gets stolen, the burners crap out on you, or the second tank now runs empty.  You look to Dutch ovens, cooking over the grate you’ve taken out of the grill (if it wasn’t stolen), cook with a solar cooker that doesn’t require you to stand there and feed it wood, or you eat the meals you have on hand that doesn’t require cooking.

Your supply chain for water might look something like this.  The primary supply chain might look like the tap either from city water or your well.  The secondary supply chain might be stored water; your third supply chain might be a rain barrel catchment system with a supplemented water filter.  Your forth supply chain system might be five-gallon buckets to haul water from the nearest pond or river with a large pot to boil the water to purify.

By now I hope you are getting picture.  The Supply Chain model that is used in essentially every single business I can think of applies to those preparing for the uncertainties of life.  In fact, I think that they have a much more meaningful impact on us as the health and well being of our families, friends, and communities depend on us being able to replace as quickly as possible that very first or primary supply chain.

Nearly two-thirds of all the furnishings and prep items in my home were used when I got them.  As the economy has continued to crumble, any stigma attached to shopping on the cheap has given way to pride at getting a good deal.  Forget designer shoes or imported coffee - I get absolutely giddy when I come home with a great “find”!

But can you rely on bargain shopping to get all the things you need to help your family be prepared for whatever comes your way?  Is there a way to really make “treasure hunting” both fun and successful?
Yes!  All it takes is some planning together with a positive attitude and a pre-determined budget.  Even if you aren’t pinching pennies, why waste your money when you can find great items at bargain prices and redirect those extra dollars to food or debt reduction?  And if you are on a budget (and most of us are), this organized approach lets you decide what’s important and where you should look for the best buys.
Do your homework

• Get a small notebook that fits in your pocket, purse or glove compartment.  Never leave home without it!
• Sit down with your family.  Identify your needs and prioritize them. For each item, determine:
• Exactly what the item is.  If your husband needs a Left Handed Monkey Whatzitgrubber and you don’t have a clue what that is, have him show you a picture of one and explain what it’s for.  Guys, the same goes for you if you don’t know the difference between a tea strainer and a colander.
• The condition you’ll accept.  Is there someone you know who could refurbish or repair--a broken or not-working item?
• $$ you’re willing to spend.  Be sure to set aside funds that can be readily accessed if you find a great deal on one of your high priority items.
• Specifics such as make, model, caliber, size, etc.  Remember, you can’t take it back if it doesn’t fit!
• Put these items in your notebook on a Priority List.  These are items you’ll actively search for on a regular basis.
• Make  lists of less critical items that you’ll keep your eyes open for whenever you find them.  Divide the lists into heading such as Equipment, Survival items, Clothing, Consumables, etc.  I keep a summary of categories at the front –my “list of lists”.
• Next, if you have a group of like-minded friends that are planning and training together, have a serious discussion and identify the needs of the group.   You may want to start with a checklist such as the ones found online or in your favorite SHTF book, customized for your group, location and budget.  Determine what items and supplies you don’t have that are critical to your group, then prioritize and budget for them.  Agree who will house the item, the condition you’ll accept, and who will contribute how much. 
• Share your own priority list with your group and keep a list of their priorities in your notebook.  The more people looking, the better!
• Be sure to ask and note such requirements as size, caliber, dimensions, colors, etc next to each item on everyone’s lists.

What can I expect to find?
Anything and everything!  You’ll shake your head at some of the objects being sold for pennies on the dollar or thrown away as trash.  Here’s a sample of some of my recent finds:

• 6’ black wire bakers rack - $10
• All-American pressure cooker, new (still in the box) - $15
• 2 Coleman camping cots - $2 each
• 15 PermaGard chem suits new in packages - $1 each
• Excalibur dehydrator - $10
• Craftsman toolbox with more than 120 Craftsman, Stanley and other tools - $20
• 5 gal bucket chemical toilet (new) - $2
• 3 oil lamps with extra globes - $3 each
• Metal ammo cans - $4
• Grocery sack full of new first aid supplies (at the end of an estate sale) - FREE
• Garden tools (2 rakes, 2 shovels, a hoe) - $3 each
• 10 person, 3 room Coleman tent in very good condition, along with two sleeping bags and a Coleman lantern - $75

Where to look
Now that you know what you’re looking for, the question is where to find it.  Your options will vary depending on where you’re at and how much time you can devote to “the hunt”. Be sure to check:

• CraigsList
• Check under Yard Sales, Farm & Garden, etc, and use key words to search the general “For Sale” category for your priority items at least once a week.  Remember, it’s a first come/first serve situation.
• Beware of scammers.  Try to take someone with you when you go to purchase an item.
• Other web sites such as www.GovLiquidation.com, www.GovDeals.com, www.GSAAuctions.gov  or www.drms.dla.mil
• Some of these require that you buy a case full of something.  This is where coordinating with a group of friends is useful.  You may not need 20 gas masks, but your group may need that many for all their family members.
• All states and many municipalities also have surplus sales or auctions.  The same is true for hospitals, colleges, school districts and other large organizations.  Be sure to check their web sites for upcoming sales.
• Yard Sales (especially estate sales)
• Yard sales are mainly held between April and September, although they can be year round in warm weather areas.  Watch online and along the streets for signs that the “season” has begun.
• Look for sales in locations best suited to your items.  Identify sales in rural vs urban areas, look for nice homes in neighborhoods that have yards or gardens.  Make a map/list of sales in geographic and priority order.
• Be there first, with plenty of cash in hand.  Always be friendly – greet the seller with a smile!  They’re much more likely to give you a good deal if you’re not gruff and rude.
• Be considerate.  If the ad says “No early birds”, respect the hours posted.  Don’t block the street or driveway.  Keep your children under control or leave them at home.
• Negotiate!  This can be the best part of the whole hunt.  Prices are rarely firm, but don’t insult them, either.  If they’re asking $20 for the dehydrator, it’s fine to offer $10, but don’t offer $2.  Don’t look too eager – point out the worn spot, the torn cover, or the missing end piece.  But most importantly, know when to walk away if it’s not a good deal of if it’s not a need.  Keep the larger purpose in mind.
• Estates sales are the best source for many items such as older tools and gear.  Things that a family wouldn’t get rid of just because of a move are up for grabs when grandpa moves into the nursing home.
• Keep your eyes open when you’re going from sale to sale – there’s usually more Yard Sale signs posted along the way.
• Thrift Stores
• Get to know your local thrift stores – what their strengths are, any special sales days, and any membership cards (yes, just like the groceries!).  Get on their mailing list if they have one and find out about any early bird specials.
• Once you’re a “regular”, chat with the manager or the clerks and let them know about any specific items you’re watching for.  They’re often very willing to give you a call if something comes into the store that’s on your list.
• Auctions
• I recommend taking someone with you that has experience with auctions or you’ll find yourself buying something when you just tried to scratch your nose!  All auctions are different, but most are fast paced, fast talking and lots of fun.
• Most auctions have a time prior to the start of the sale for inspection of the items.  Take advantage of this time to look closely at an item’s condition.  Ask questions.  Listen to those around you and learn, learn, learn!
• Local or community newspapers
• Most local papers have a yard sale or items for sale/barter section.
• Watch for local auction notices. 
• Don’t be afraid to approach the sellers prior to the official sale date to see if they’d like to sell specific items.  In small communities, people are often more flexible with neighbors than with strangers.
• For Sale sections on town, church or company web sites, bulletin boards or newsletters
• Watch for church rummage sales, fund raising sales and items being sold off by your town or community center.
• Word of mouth (Tell your friends what you’re looking for!)
• Some of my best leads on items and services have come from friends and neighbors when I’ve mentioned what I’m looking for. 
• Shop local merchants whenever possible.  Buying from farmers or local tradesmen both supports the local economy and cuts out the middle-man profit.  Plus, they’re more likely to take pride in selling a quality product or service.    And when you purchase from them, you can ask for referrals on other items.

And don’t forget that there are some places that even advertise free things or items for barter!  Be sure to check FreeCycle, the “Free” section on CraigsList, and other local sources.  Also, if you show up near the end of a yard sale, people will often be willing to give items away to keep from having to haul them away or put them back in their garages.
Be sure you inspect all items carefully.  Be sure they work (or that their condition is acceptable).  Remember – all sales at yard sales, thrift stores, auctions and the like are final.  No returns accepted!
If you find an item that’s on a friend’s or your group’s priority list, take a photo and quickly send it to whoever else is part of the decision making process.  Call them immediately while standing next to the item (even better, lean on it!)
Tools of the trade
So now you have the what and the where.  But before you jump in the car and head out on your adventures, be sure you have everything you need.

• Don’t forget to bring your notebook along with a pen or pencil to take notes.
• Carry your purse or wallet in a way that your hands are free without laying anything down.  Keep most of your cash in the car, carrying only part of it on you at any one time.
• The bigger the better – a pickup truck is a great way to carry just about anything home.  However, my small SUV works just fine for all but the big stuff.  In that case, have a pick-up driving friend on speed-dial!
• In your car, have the following:
• A measuring tape
• Bungee cords
• A bucket, bag, newspapers or other items to restrain and protect small or breakable objects

Ready, Set, Save!
So now you have a plan.  You know what you’re looking for, where to find it and how to get it home.  All that’s left is to put on your comfortable shoes, strap on your fanny pack, grab your notebook and your list of destinations, and head out!  Make it a family affair or take a friend and have lunch afterwards.  Whether with a group or by yourself, if you’re like me (I consider shopping both a sport and entertainment) you’ll look forward to the adventure.  Just tell your family that you’re “working hard” to help the family prep.  Enjoy!

I recently saw a prepper forum which posted the question “What is your biggest fear?” Answers listed varied from EMP to riots to complete financial collapse to nuclear strikes in your backyard. I thought a long time about this fear-based. In my mind, I prepare so I do not fear; or really, so that I fear less.

So what are we really afraid of? Are we afraid of the causes of a crisis, or the consequences? Causes and crises are scary, and there are many: wars, recession, wildfires, tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, ad infinitum. Take your pick. But the consequences are almost universally the same; namely a reduction in our standard of living and/or imminent danger to our lives and property. To what degree that standard of living may be reduced and our lives endangered is the only real unknown a prepper needs to fear. If you look at you needs of life (check out Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs) and ask yourself how you will provide for those needs come what may, you can expose weak spots in your preparations and, perhaps more importantly, organize and prioritize your ongoing and future preparations.

I believe you should put all of your prepping categories through the gauntlet on consequence-based thinking. Needs such as food, shelter, water, security, entertainment, income, investment should all be thought-out thoroughly and analytically. Prepping should not be an emotional endeavour. Break down all your needs, all the subcategories, even all your individual preps or plans into their most basic components, and run them all through the mill of comprehensive and intentionally thought-out ‘what ifs’, and see how they stand up. Make sure you write them down. Keep your records organized. I strongly encourage all of you who are new to the preparedness world to organize your needs in a similar way, either as below or in some other manner, and then write it down. Your written work serves not only as a future guide of prepping priorities, but can serve as a plan to deal with the full consequences of any foreseen crisis. Not only will these records help your current preps, but if and when things go sideways it will be your blueprint for fulfilling those needs when the stress makes your head spin. Even people who have been preparing for years may find it useful to revisit the basics.

Some Potential Major Consequences of Crises

1. Reduced Purchasing Power
I personally think we are experiencing this consequence of crisis right now, and I am sure most of you would agree. Every grocery bill seems to cost more and buy less. But this is more than just accounting for inflation. It includes reductions in incomes, due to lost jobs, layoffs, loss of benefits and other causes. It could simply be becoming injured on or off the job, and having to take sick leave, or losing money in your retirement mutual fund of choice (I earnestly hope you do not have mutual funds. These days you might do better at the roulette table at the local casino. At least their odds are 49-51 if you bet on red or black!) Combat your reduced purchasing power, and prepare for further erosion in purchasing power by:
• Working More! Dave Ramsey correctly states that you biggest money maker is your job. If you can get a different one, do it. I used to refuse to apply for jobs that I thought were “beneath me”, until I met a recent immigrant who taught me that the important job – the one I can be proud of – is any job that provides for my family. If you can’t find another job, keep trying and slug on. It’s increasingly common to be in that situation and there is no shame in it, as long as you keep trying. There is only shame in giving up.
• Budget. Plan a budget. It’s hard, and I can’t count how many budgets I have made and failed to adhere to, but each time I try it makes me a little more focused on my true priorities, which don’t include a new flat screen anymore.
• Buy in bulk, on sale, and coupon. Other articles have been written about this. Search them out in the SurvivalBlog archives. If you know you will need one small tube of toothpaste per month, don’t be afraid to buy 12 large ones when they next go on sale. People will look at you funny right now, but they’ll catch on soon. Stock up on non-perishables that you use daily and when the price is right. These are better than money in the bank. You cannot brush your teeth with money. “Wealth” as a concept means the things you need, or the ability to get the things you need. When money buys less, toothpaste (or any other thing you need, and have) is “wealth”.
• Share. There is no time like the present to start making connections with people around you. If someone needs help now, help them! You might need help later. And it’s not just money and stuff I am talking about; share your time, your labour and your expertise. Think of the old barn raisings in our grandparent’s days. Many together can do what one alone cannot. Start now, and get to know the people around you.
This first category is basically a consequence of hard economic times. Whether it comes about from a lost job, inflation, low supply or high demand, the results are similar: you cannot afford as much as you used to be able to. Preppers often prepare for these consequences unintentionally. If you are worried about mass inflation, then you probably have your bases covered for the regular kind. We have not yet seen mass inflation in our lifetimes (at least in North America), yet many of us have had our purchasing power suddenly and drastically reduced.

2. Scarcity
Scarcity means the things you need to live are no longer available. How will you meet your needs when there is no food on the grocery store shelves, no power, no gas at the gas station, no medications at the pharmacy, no plumbing, no mass transit, etc, etc, etc. Peak oil, just-in-time delivery, shortages – there are many crises that could result in scarcity. Offset the hardships of scarcity with the following:
• A Larder. Did you notice that newer houses aren’t built with pantries anymore? I remember the cold room at my grandma’s house – in the basement stocked to the roof with mason jars, with a framed dirt bin along one wall for the potatoes and carrots. Why did people do this? To live. In the great depression, for many people, if they couldn’t make or grow something themselves, they didn’t have it. Think like your grandparents. They lived through hard times. For many of them, going to the grocery store once a month was a convenience. If your grandparents had it easy, think like my grandparents and fill you larder. If you buy the things you need in bulk, to hedge against your loss in purchasing power, you likely have a start on some sort of storage or larder.
• Do It Yourself. Learn to do things for yourself, and reduce your dependence on buying stuff. “We have no knowledge, so we have stuff, but stuff without knowledge is never enough.” (Greg Brown). Learn to start a fire, build an improved woodstove (check out practicalaction.org), cook your own meals, bake bread, build an outhouse, poop in a hole in the woods, knit socks, darn socks, anything. And then try to meet other people who think the same way. Knitting clubs, pottery lessons, artisan guilds, reloaders; there are many activities people do for pleasure that used to be essential to life, and may be again.
• Barter. Again, share. A community is stronger than an individual and has access to greater resources. Cut your neighbour’s lawn with your old-timey push mower in exchange for using her pressure canner. Ask around of you need something; seek and you will find it.

3. Hunker Down
“Bug In” is the term most commonly used for this consequence, preferably at your retreat or retreat-in-place. This is what happens when there is a pandemic, martial law, curfews, tornadoes, blizzards, etc. Bugging in may require:
• The need for short term self sufficiency in your home, even with disruptions of utilities (Unavailability) such as power and plumbing. Includes plans for meeting the basic needs or human life (food, water, warmth, toilets). You should have this covered if you have a larder, with the addition of some sort of hygiene/pooping plan.
• Entertainment. Don’t overlook this one! Your sanity depends on it.
• The need for defence of your home (I.e. strong doors, storms shutters, and other means...)
• Communication. A radio or security cameras would be useful in knowing when that tornado warning ends, or the bad guys are gone. How are you going to know when it is safe to come out of the basement?

4. Evacuation!
Everyone should consider the need to beat feet and get out of dodge. It’s not just meant for a coming world collapse or when bad guys knocking down your front door – even the most prepared family retreat needs to have an evacuation plan for natural disasters such as wildfires or floods. If you are planning on ‘bugging in’ for every conceivable crisis, you are committing to going down with your ship. A noble principle, I suppose, but I would rather build another ship. How will you meet your basic needs of life in an evacuation? Some ideas:
• Documentation. Everything you need to access your resources, like bank account records, will, identification, medical prescriptions, etc, and important phone numbers for your family and friends who you will likely be visiting very, very soon. Get it in paper and backed up electronically (perhaps on an encrypted USB).
• Mini-Larder. A bug-out bag or get out of dodge kit is really just a portable mini-larder, with the necessities for life in the short term or the ability to provide for them. Pack it up, customize it, put it in the trunk of your car, carry it on your back or whatever. The most minimal bug out bag I would consider is carrying a small metal can, a knife, and a lighter. Don’t leave home without it.
• A Plan. So you left your house: now what? Part of your security planning in an evacuation is the plan to reach safety. Routes, vehicles, extra gas might all be required, but it might just mean moving up the hill to get out of the tsunami evacuation zone like in Hawaii after the Fukushima earthquake. How will you get your kids out of your 2nd storey bedroom when the main floor of your home is on fire?
The potential for evacuation is real, for everyone, everywhere. A house fire would have the same consequence, initially, as any other crisis – you would have to leave fast. I think the potential for evacuation is something everyone should be addressing, and is a good way to introduce people to the ideas surrounding emergency preparedness.

5. End of the World as We Know It
Worst-case scenarios like are hard to predict. Things could always be worse. In essence they are unpredictable. As a TEOTWAWKI event, I imagine ALL of the above consequences happening at once, or for a long, long time. It would be death, chaos and mass destruction. I can’t give you any instructions on this consequence of crises, except to do your best, do right, and make your peace with God. ‘Nuff said.

6. Status Quo
This is the one that no prepper likes to talk about. But it needs to be talked about. There is the possibility, however distant we might think it, that things will remain unchanged for long time. That doesn’t rule out things like job loss, but when we put all our resources into preps at the expense of our financial well-being and happiness, we have left the path of wisdom. Live within your means. Do not max out your credit cards to buy preps for an event that could be years away. They will repossess your stuff, and you will be worse off than when you started. No second mortgages to buy the armoured vehicle you think you need!
• Live within your means.
• Make rational decisions, not emotional or fear-based decisions.
• Balance the future with the present. You never know, that asteroid that causes the end of the world could fall directly on your head. Spending your life worrying about it would have been a silly thing to do, wouldn’t it? Or you could have a heart attack tomorrow. So prepare, make it your new useful insurance policy, but don’t let it consume you and your happiness. Spend time with the people you care about doing the things you love to do.

This list is by no means exhaustive. It’s just a method a taking the fear out of any given disaster scenario and replacing it with a plan. It has helped me, but you mileage may vary. At the very least, I encourage everyone to revisit their preps, to re-evaluate and reassess, and look for areas that nay have been previously glossed over. Think of the aspects of your basic needs and how you provide for them in the event of different consequences that life may send at you. Do it slowly, and write it down. A wise friend of mine told me once, that in our lives, we are either heading out of a crisis, or into one. He meant it on a more personal level, dealing with loss of a family member, but it applies everywhere. If you plan well, if you plan rationally and intentionally, then all your preps should be either useful or enjoyable to your life now. So what if someone makes fun of you for having a year’s supply of toothpaste? You’re going to use it one way or another, and you got it on sale.

Hello James;
In reference to the article Prep for Free, by George H.: As always check your local laws. Here in New York City, once you put your trash on the curb it becomes city property. If someone then takes it, they can get a fine up to $2,000.  Thanks, - Richie

Obtaining everything on your prep lists can be a very daunting and expensive task no matter what your background is. What I have found is that you can gradually squirrel away a large amount of equipment and food for free. Furthermore, the money saved can be used to secure more quality gear with your savings. Disclaimer: Everything listed below was indeed voluntarily given and verified as available free for the taking.

At Work:
1. Food service:
First off free food is readily available in meals provided by your employer. Most employers will also have a large surplus of some type of food every week. Large services can easily buy $50,000 worth of food every week based on expected demand with limited storage capacity. If the demand shifts they will have excess of certain foods which they have no need for and must to either pay to dispose of or give to their employees.

I have received cases of ice cream bars, cases of breads, pastries, egg product and many take home meals at the end of a day of work. Damaged food, either frozen or dry will often be given away. The food is still perfectly safe just the exterior packaging is damaged so it will not sell. This can be used by yourself or as feed for livestock. Some of the undamaged bulk food I passed onto the Boy Scouts (eggs for breakfast) for a fundraising meal or onto neighbors (cases of Dove ice cream bars).

2. Maintenance Work:
Part of this work was trash pickup, people throw out pretty much everything. Results are hit or miss.

Every week we would get: $5-to-10 in redeemable cans and bottles, towels, clothing, electrical cords (heavy gauge which had twist lock connectors and were “useless to the previous owner) baseball cards, tools, clamps, hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, saws And if the above were damaged then scrap metal. Old equipment we were throwing out, strip it of wiring prior to putting it in the dumpster if your employer is okay with this.

3. Factory Work:
Factories are always getting rid of old equipment, wiring, tools, cabinets, shelving, fencing and many other equipment. (Tip if you see something you want ask, maintenance would often rather load your truck then fill the dumpster. Pretty much always ask rather than risk someone think you are stealing) If there is equipment in the scrap metal dumpster ask if you can strip out the copper wiring (at $2-3 per pound).
What I have obtained:

• Flammables cabinet for gas and other storage.
• 200 feet of 6 foot tall chain link fence and posts.
• Shelving for food and equipment storage.
• Lockable heavy gauge cabinets for gun lockers.
• Fire resistant cabinet for ammo and powder storage.
• Pressure tank from a coating chamber, still certified use to make a gas-powered air compressor.

4. Town dump/transfer station:
Fortunately our transfer station allows people to drop off useable toys, pots and pans, books, board games and miscellaneous items for others to use.

• Board games, connect four, battleship, chess checkers ? Kids toys, basketball hoop
• Mason jars
• Books, encyclopedias and other “outdated” media. Our town also supplies sand in the winter for anyone to pick up and use on their driveway. Not truly free as our taxes paid for it but still something to take advantage of.
  

5. Craigslist, Free Stuff:
Almost everything imaginable may be found in these listings. Things that I have learned through trial and error:

• If it is not nearby then it is probably not worth traveling. Too many times I have not been the first to get to the item or it was in worse condition than I had anticipated. It is not worth driving an hour to hear “ Someone just took that rototiller two minutes ago.”
• The faster you reply (e-mail, call or driving) the better your odds of getting the item.
• Be polite and tell the poster where you are located. Using your manners may bump you to the top of the list and telling where you are located seems to make you relate more to the poster.
• People do not want to be bothered selling these items, they just don’t want to pay to get rid of them. Although I have seen people post that they would pay $10-20 for removal!
• I have obtained 100 cinder blocks, a truckload of bricks, garden fencing, T-posts for fencing, a variety of building supplies, (roofing, plywood, nails, etc), firewood, and pet food.
• Sheet meal sheds sheds are worth considering if you have the time and ability to disassemble, transport, and re-assemble them.
• Sometimes you may get very lucky, such as when I was picking up some plywood and PVC drainage pipe the owner asked if I would please take 100’ of heavy gage wiring left over from wiring the well. I did not need the wiring but the owner wanted it gone. That sold for $40 on eBay. As a general rule I do not go looking for anything that I plan on just selling. However, if the homeowner is going to have to pay to have their basement cleaned out and they ask that I take something then I will.

Things which I have missed out on:

• Old and disused tractors, out in a field where you would need to first "clear out and then pull out."
• Photovoltaic panels.

6. Side of the road:
This is very dependant on the season. In the summer kids outdoor toys, Cozy Coupes, pools, sandboxes, and bikes. In the fall/spring garden supplies, tomato cages, garden fencing, edging and even vegetables. Windows for cold frames and greenhouses. Building materials, doors, wood, roofing, everything to make a shed or even a barn. Landscaping supplies such as stone, mulch and compost. Two working "Power Wheels" ATVs with batteries and charger for my kids. (Their kids outgrew them and they were doing some spring cleaning.) One wise guy had a sign “Free Snow!” on a huge pile after a blizzard last year.

7. FreeCycle/other.
My brother uses this often, I signed up for it but the constant messages got to be too much of a hassle with replies and then have to sort through all of them. Personally I prefer to look at everything in a list with location rather then getting 50 e-mails a day. But if you have the time and patience then this is another method.

8. Friends/Family/Co-workers
Most of my kid’s clothing is hand me downs from family and coworkers. ? I have never bought a lawn mower, I get my dad’s and father in law’s old mowers
which used to be self propelled. Now they are heavy duty push mowers! When they finally stop working I sell them for parts on Craigslist. People move and look at unloading tools, old food, furniture, lawn mowers,
almost everything. By taking the bookshelf you get storage and they don’t have to move it! ? I bring in Rhubarb every spring and Pumpkins every fall, my co-workers bring in pies and tomatoes.

9. Charity work.
(Note that this is not making money at the expense of charities but rather as a result of helping someone.) This happens maybe 1 out of 10 times and only when people insist they give you something in return. Think of it as Karma if you will. Jump starting someone Pulling someone out of a snowbank/ditch Transporting something, furniture, lawn mower, helping someone move. Helping a neighbor with tree removal/yard work. Helping out most organizations with meals will result in a free meal for yourself. Donating blood, typically there is something a large company will give donors, such as ice cream, grinders, candles, case of bottled water. Again this is different from being paid to do something, this is essentially to alleviate any guilt the receiver has. That they do not want to accept charity, they have their self respect and offering you $5-10 for help on something they can not do themselves allows them to keep their self worth. Take the money and let them keep their self respect. I have felt awkward about accepting money on occasion, so I then donate it.

10. Volunteer:
You help out, make connections in the community and generally can learn another skill. You will not make money on this but learning a new skill is invaluable. And, when you show off your skills and help someone out odds are they will return the favor. Need a root cellar dug? Well, if your neighbor/Boy Scout associate/Farmer has a backhoe, then you just got it! Seriously, when I have all my trees cleared I am calling my buddy I helped all day when the ice storm hit clearing trees. Free root cellar dug, stones we dig up also free for the foundation.

11. Internet Forums
Some forums have free sections for items people are giving away depending on their interests and just general items. Gun forums have gun components loading presses, magazines, boxes of ammo. Sometimes people are also looking to trade one item they bought too many of or the wrong size for something you have.

12. Other
There is always yet another way to save money, including using less, recycling, farmer’s markets and making the most use of what you can get for free! On Scout camp outs we have found fishing lures stuck in trees, Gas cans floating in the ponds, life vests and other items which fell off of someone’s boat at some time. Always keep your eye out and if you have a mobile Internet connection take advantage of it, one person’s junk is another’s treasure! To have a truck as your daily driver is a major advantage to getting free items. Almost all items are time sensitive, if you have to go back home and get a trailer it will likely be gone. Some straps, bungee cords and a tool set will be required for most items. Keeping a tow strap and shovel on the truck will help with the charity work when it is safe!

When discussing prepping preparedness and emergency supplies with family and friends, many of you have probably heard the flippant remark: ""I'll just go to your house."

I have been somewhat taken aback at this statement. I initially didn't know how to respond.

I knew it was a flippant response from some, made out of mockery and intended to elicit laughter.  Their mindset is that they don't want to prepare, and don't see the point.  Most off them think that our concerns for the future are humorous and unlikely to ever come to fruition. And I knew a few who felt overwhelmed and unsure of how to start to prepare for themselves.  They were frightened by what they saw coming, but unable to make that practical step, to prepare for themselves while there is time and information aplenty.

I know that many other like-minded people have been faced with the same situation.  Perhaps my pondering on it and laying it out when you face the same statement, or rashly consider making the statement yourself.

After much consideration I have realized there can be only one response:

You cannot come to my house in TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it). I don't say this because I don't care.  I do.  I wouldn't have entered the conversation with you in the first place otherwise.  I say this because of two very real and serious reasons.

1.  In the event of a real emergency, you will most likely never reach my home.

Consider it.  If you have been to my house, you most likely had to drive to get there.  And some of you have had to drive a long way.  And some of you have had to drive through many cities and other populated areas.  Many emergency situations could lead to roads and bridges that are damaged or closed.  Many unprepared fellow citizens could become lawless, falling into a dangerous mob mentality.  The further you have to drive, simply increases the number of obstacles you could face.  Traveling immediately after an emergency can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable.

2.  I do not have the resources, energy or ability to prepare for you and your family's unique needs.

Many people have very differing dietary needs.  Within just my close circle of friends and family, I have loved ones who need very low sodium foods, gluten free foods, vegetarian foods, low glycemic or low carbohydrate foods.  Some also have food allergies, drug allergies, environmental allergies, and chronic conditions that require medications or frequent monitoring and specialized treatment.

Slowly, one by one, I research these needs to find foods, herbs, home remedies and treatments to aid in a long, healthy, drug free life, using materials that I can grow, glean, or make in my own home.  But this research takes time and practice.  And sometimes I am happy with the results, and sometimes I have to start over in my search for a self sufficient answer to these troubles.

I also try to find alternatives to everyday items and duties.  Baby diapers, Toilet Paper, Washing clothes without electricity, Cooking.  This has taken a lot of time to research (still underway) and purchase needed supplies that will last:  Cloth diapers, family cloth, a bucket and plunger, clothes drying rack, propane camp stove as well as an outdoor fire pit.

We are also a one income family with 3.5 children, 100+ chickens, 9 ducks and 4 goats.  It could take years for me to provide beds, bedding, clothing, medicine and food for 20+ additional people.

Let us consider just one aspect.  My family of 5.5 people live in a two bedroom home.  If you and your family were to come to my house, where would you sleep?  Perhaps for one or two nights you would feel grateful to have space on my floor.  But after a while you would desire better sleeping arrangements, beds or at least pads, blankets or sleeping bags.  You would also eventually need to change your clothing.  Would you be able to bring all the extra clothing you would need in your hurried race from your home?  Sturdy practical shoes? Your favored hygiene products?  Your hair brush and tooth brush?  How long will you be satisfied at my home carting water daily and defecating in an outdoor privy?  With no electricity my home does not have water OR septic.  Even with electricity, my septic is rated for 6 people and could quickly be overworked and create a health nightmare for everyone involved.

These are things that you may not have considered.  But they are things that I must consider.  Prepping literally means, Preparing for what could happen.

I hope you can see that this is not because I do not care for you.  It is because I do care for you.  I urge you all to prepare for your own.  Not only is it truly your responsibility, but it is truly something that only YOU are capable of doing.

By relying on someone else, you will end up with impersonal, inadequate and sometimes completely unsatisfactory results.

And for those who think this is all unnecessary and a waste of time.... I wish it was.

As an English Proverb says so eloquently...

"Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."

If all my preparations are never put to THE test.... at least my family has learned how to grow delicious, healthy and non modified vegetables, raise and butcher hormone and chemical free meat, and treat many common ailments without resorting to immune system destroying antibiotics or becoming addicted to pharmaceutical potions.

Even if TEOTWAWKI never comes, I will consider it all worth it and sleep soundly at night with my family close beside me.

Can you say the same if it does come?

Ways That I Can Help

Now I have laid out some basic thoughts on why you can't come to my house in TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It). But I don't want to end this conversation there, because I want to help!

My family has been moving in this direction for several years.  We have read and read and read books and internet articles, blogs and e-books.  We have watched documentaries and reality television shows.  We have even gleaned information from entertainment television shows and movies.  We try to find anything on livestock keeping, gardening, homebuilding, homesteading and herbal medicines.

As most of you already know my family tries to provide for our needs ourselves.  We do not go the the doctor unless we need a doctor.  We monitor our own health requirements and treat many of them using diet, exercise and herbal and homemade medicines when we can.  We home birth our children, just me and my husband.  We are moving towards providing for all of our food needs and this may just be the year that we accomplish it.  We homeschool our children, utilizing our own enormous library of textbooks, encyclopedias, documentaries, and educational programming, and good old paper and pencil.  We also involve our children in every step of our homesteading.  Starting seeds, transferring seedlings, transplanting outdoors, building fences, hatching chickens and ducks, building housing, feeding and watering them daily, nature walks where we discover the wild plants that grow around us and the animals that share our land with us.... This is all part of our education.

It is an adventure.

I love my life.  I delight in watching little green seedlings poke their heads through moist soil.  I smile at hearing chirp, chirp, chirping from my incubator.  I laugh as I watch the ducks swimming and playing in the pond.  I enjoy scratching my goats' bellies and having them eat from my hand.

And I adore the little kicks of a growing babe in the womb.  I am in awe when I get to hold them in my arms for the first time.  I am challenged and thrilled while watching them grow and learn.  I am completely in love with each of their little faces.

Of course, I want to keep them safe for as long as possible.  I feel it is my duty to the Lord to be a good steward over the all of blessings that He has placed in my hands.

And so... I prep. I "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." And I invite you to do the same.

Here is where I can start helping you:

1.  Find like-minded people.  If you are in my area, are already my friend or family member, or even if you live an Internet based life, feel free to contact me, befriend me, and share your thoughts, concerns and questions with me.  Having like-minded people surrounding you can be encouraging, uplifting, and provide excellent resources in your efforts to meet the challenges ahead.

2.  Make a list of what you have, and what you know.  You may already possess materials and skills that will be useful for your family's safety, or provide a valuable service in the event of an emergency.  Do you have plumbing skills?  Construction skills?  Electrical?  Mechanical?  

3.  Make a list of what you do not have, and what you do not know.  This may take some research.  Begin finding these resources and information.  If you don't know how to garden you can consider, books, magazines, online articles, a neighbor that gardens, or taking classes from your local extension office.  If you don't have medical knowledge you can consider taking local CPR courses, EMT basic courses, or researching individual medical conditions with books or online for knowledge and treatment.

4.  Band together.  Meet with other like-minded people to share responsibilities and resources.  This is most especially important in close neighborhoods.  If you can find others that are close to you, emotionally, spiritually and physically that share your goals and ideas, count it as a blessing.  Work together.  Perhaps they have medical skills, while you have construction skills.  Perhaps they love gardening, and you love canning food.  Without moving out onto the commune, you can start a community and build a foundation of strength for when the world is shaking.

5.  If you cannot find others nearby, do not fret.  Information is widely available.  I have even included many valuable links below.  And never underestimate your ability to learn new skills and rise to the challenge.  It does take work.  But it is worth it.

Links to start building your needed skills and resources.....

Bible Verses Regarding Preparing for the Future

Complete "How To" guides to begin storing food, tracking what you use and need, and a list of tests you can run through when you are ready - Food Storage Made Easy

How to Save Seeds - After you have grown your garden and are harvesting, prepare for next years planting.

Great online store with a multitude of tools, kits, and foods.  I peruse this frequently to see where my supplies might have holes - Emergency Essentials

Your local Agricultural Extension office usually provides low cost and free classes on canning, gardening, and beginning livestock care.  This is also a great place to meet other like-minded people.

Even the government has some starting points to preparing for an emergency, at Ready.gov. Can you last for at least three days without any water or electricity or additional supplies in your home? Remember that it took 3 days for the National Guard to even be sent to Hurricane Katrina victims.

Another site stressing that you must be prepared for at least three days: 72hours.org

Numerous Articles about Prepping 101,
While there are differing opinions you will find these to be great jumping off points:

National Geographic Prepping 101: The 10 Principles of Preparedness
Homestead Revival Prepping 101
Doomsday Prepping 101
Modern Survivalists Prepping 101
Miles Franklin - Prepping 101
Fast, Cheap, and Good - Prepping 101

And a few blogs that I read regularly that are full of great how to advice -
Paratus Familia
Rural Revolution
SurvivalBlog
The Deliberate Agrarian

And here are a few really valuable books that I think are nearly essential to being prepared
The Encyclopedia of Country Living (Tenth Edition) by Carla Emery
Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance by John & Martha Storey

Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook by David Werner

Where There Is No Dentist by Murray Dickson

How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times by James Wesley, Rawles

These are What I Consider The Basics of Preparing for TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It):

Spiritual -
The most important preparation one can make for troubled times, or any time.... is the preparation of the soul. There can be no hope or lasting future for people who have not made peace with the Almighty.  I understand that not all believe in a 'Christian' God.  While I cannot speak directly to the many religious beliefs in the world, I can speak readily to my own.
My belief in Christ as a source of hope in any situation.  When the days are bright and beautiful and filled with numerous blessings, I can rejoice in them with my Lord.  But when the days are dark, and dangerous and filled with loss and fear..... what can I cling to then?
My Lord is still a light in these times.  In fact, He is the only light in these times.  His presence is strong and powerful, and His words promise that there is an end to all evil in the world.  And for those who cling to Him, He promises that He will never forsake us, and will make all things right.
So find your peace with the Almighty Creator and look forward to having hope, even in the midst of TEOTWAWKI.

Mental -
The second most important preparation one can make for troubled times, or any time.... is the preparation of the mind.  Without knowledge and discipline how would one go about building a shelter, growing a garden, finding food in the wilderness, or protect themselves from an enemy that has entered your gates?  You must study.  You must practice.  Books, Videos, Classes are essential to being as prepared as possible in any situation, including TEOTWAWKI.  This process is never ending, since there is always something new to learn.  You can never sit back and say, "I know everything now."  You and your family need to continually glean new skills and knowledge to face a time when there is no one else to provide for our needs.  Whether you are on your own for five days or five minutes, you could have a need that only you can meet.
This also includes, overlapping the physical portion of preparedness, the preparation of your body.  You must work toward making and maintaining your body in a strong and healthy condition as much as possible. If you are sickly, weak, and dependent on many medications, this will weaken your overall preparedness for hard times.

Physical -
The last, but still very important preparation one can make for troubled times, or any time... is the gathering of supplies.  This can seem daunting, monetarily and practically.  Where does one start?  Some of this knowledge will come as you prepare yourself mentally.  But to start we can consider what are your most urgent needs?

1.  Security is essential.  You must be prepared to protect yourself, your family, and your supplies.  If you do not protect them, you are basically giving up your life and the lives of those in your care.  In a matter of seconds, your life and your children's lives can be irrevocably lost.  You can purchase guns and ammo from most sporting good stores, and take gun safety courses from most police stations, gun ranges, and the National Rifle Association.  You can also sometimes find private courses available in your community.  You can also learn several styles of self defense fighting through video courses and in local schools if they are available in your community.

2.  A good quality first aid kit is essential.  You must be prepared to quickly clean a wound, stop bleeding, and have knowledge and ability to assist someone who is injured or very sick.  In a matter of minutes, a person can bleed to death.  You can purchase ready made kits in numerous sizes, or purchase individual pieces to build your own.
Shelter is essential.  This can include blankets, tents, and the ability to make a shelter in the wilderness if necessary.  In a matter of hours, a person can freeze to death.  It is also equally necessary to shelter oneself in excessive heat situations.  You can count blankets and tents you already own, purchase 'emergency' ones at many stores, and learn how to build lean to's, and other emergency shelters.

3.  Water is essential.  Staying hydrated is necessary at all times.  When you are under stress, and may not have access to clean water, stored water will mean the difference between life and death, literally.  In a matter of days, a person can die of dehydration.  You can purchase many sizes of pre-bottled water, as well as purchase water purification filters, tablets and systems.

4.  Food is essential.  Maintaining a steady, not excessive caloric intake will ensure that you have the strength and mental acuity to deal with what is happening around you.  In a matter of weeks, a person can die of starvation.  You can purchase many canned, dried, or 'emergency ration' foods.  You can also learn to make many of your own long term storage foods.  With a good quantity of a few ingredients in your home, you can assure that your family will not starve, and will have a balanced diet.  With some forethought and planning, you can make this diet interesting and much more endurable for yourself and your family.

The best way to begin is to prepare for a few days to start with.  You can use backpacks, buckets, totes, or boxes to pack away the items you may need initially.
You then expand and prepare for a longer time period.  Find a stretch of time to use as your goal and start gathering.

What will you need for 3 days?
3 months?
1 year?
7 years?

As you begin preparing for longer term, you will find yourself moving away from purchased/packaged emergency supplies, and move more into learning skills and gathering tools, seeds, and finding a homestead to build up around you.  You will begin to be more independent, and leave mainstream society.  You will realize that the 'old ways' that our ancestors lived, were far more sustainable and therefore a much firmer foundation for hard times.
It is a thrilling adventure to relearn the 'old ways' and to capture that independence back.  As you realize the numerous ways you have been enslaved and compromised security and freedom, you will be encouraged and strengthened to continue this path.

Some Prepping Advice from others point of view - 
CollapseNet
Five Simple Steps to Prepare For TETOTWAWKI Today (SurvivalBlog)
Practical Steps to Preparing (SurvivalBlog)
Preparing For TEOTWAWKI - Where To Begin (TEOTWAWKI Blog)
TEOTWAWKI
Prepare Now For Survival (The Mother Earth News)

The End Of The World As We Know It.  Let us assume that it has finally happened.

It could be the earthquake that our region is supposedly so overdue for.  It could be dust bowl conditions in the south that create near famine conditions in the US like occurred in the 1930s.  It could be war that actually occurs on our side of the pond, just like happens in most nations around the world.

It hurts my heart to think that these things may happen during the lives of my children.  But I must be brave and honest.  I must admit that they do occur.  And I must plan ahead and prepare myself and my family so that if/when it occurs we will be, at least somewhat, in a better position spiritually, mentally and physically to handle it.

So in the event of such situations, or a myriad of others, let us consider that you have decided that your home is not the safest location for yourself and your family.  Let us consider that you are unable to provide the security you may need, or that you do not have a renewable source of water in the event of a grid outage. or that you do not have the land needed to grow enough food for your needs in the event of a prolonged systemic shutdown.

Here, my dear friends and family, I say, that you may consider coming to my house.

And for those whom I do not know, or live far away, you can begin to start the conversation with others who are your friends and family who may have a retreat, a place to gather and survive after TEOTWAWKI.

Before you all jump in the car and crash my party (or anyone else's).... there is a lot that you must consider first.

Having been forced by conditions, and blessed by love, my family has lived with another family in the past.  This family is so very close and dear and beloved by us.  We have children that are around the same ages.  We see the same in most political and religious arenas and our differences were small and barely noticeable really.

But living together is difficult.

Consider your own spouse, whom you love and adore.  I'll bet that you argue sometimes!  I'll bet you have even at times been tempted to raise your voice, throw a dish, stomp furiously from a room.

It was a very heavy strain on my own family and on theirs to live together.  Who was in charge?  Who was supposed to do the dishes?  Why did that person get up so early or stay up so late?  Who used all the toilet paper!?!?

Even in TEOTWAWKI, these human tendencies and emotional issues will occur.

So there has to be ground rules.  And these are the rules of my home.

1.  This is not a democracy.  My husband is in charge.
  This is not about some addiction to power, and megalomania.  Initially, for our own family, we made this decision based on scripture.  Ephesians 5:22-33 tells us that the man is the head of the household, as Christ is head of the church.  There is one captain on this ship.  I get to say my piece most of the time, and my opinion is respected and considered.  But he and he alone decides the direction our family will take.  Your opinion also will be listened to and given consideration.  If possible he will explain the reasons for any decision made.
  You may not like it.  But if you come to our house, that is the number one rule.  Before you balk too much about it, remember that this house and this land belongs to him.  We would certainly respect you in your home.  We will force no one to come to our home.  We will force to stay at our home. If necessary we will ask you to leave.

2.  You don't work, you don't eat.
  This is also a decision based on scripture.  2 Thessalonians 3:10 Paul stated quite clearly, "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."  Except for delicate little babes, everyone is capable of doing 'work' for their daily bread.
Elders may not be able to swing a shovel with much force.  But they may be able tell a young man how to build a truss, fix a leaking pipe, teach and read to the children.
The children may not be able to wrestle a goat back in it's pen.  But they should be able to do simple chores around the house, and as they get older, tend to their learning and help out around in the gardens and with the animals.
no freeloaders allowed.

3.  If you cause harm to others in the group, you may be asked to leave.
  Depending on the severity of your actions, and the likelihood of you continuing in harmful actions, we will defend those who seek safety and security from us.  Just as any danger from the outside, a danger from the inside will not be ignored.

Now if you have considered these rules, and still think that coming to my house is for you?  We better start making plans and discussing details, now.  This applies for those considering joining with others, family and friends in their own area.  Their rules may be different.  Discuss it and consider it carefully.

What supplies will you be bringing and storing at the retreat?  It is no longer a matter of "Will you bring supplies?" as you are planning on bringing your entire family there for shelter.
What will these supplies include? Food, Medical supplies, Tools, Seeds?
What kind of labor are you providing for the upkeep and fortitude of the retreat?  Are you able to assist in strengthening fences, building long term food supplies such as fruit trees or a fish pond, building outbuildings and additional housing, and run practice scenarios to ready yourself and your family and others who may be involved?
Will you come as soon as possible in the event of an emergency, or hunker down in your own home for a time to assess the situation before coming?

Because those who are our friends and family have such differing religious, political and lifestyle beliefs, there will be specific topics that will need to be discussed.  While it may seem common sense to some, it will seem complete nonsense, unnecessary, and even horribly dangerous by others.  These issues must be discussed before we are living under the same roof and trying to make a cohesive community.  Life will already be difficult and strained in TEOTWAWKI, and we must be able to rely on the safety of our group and our retreat.

For our retreat we would have to add some additional 'rules'.
4.  Parents are responsible for teaching and disciplining their child.  They may choose others in the group to share that responsibility with them if they wish.  Ultimately it is the parents' responsibility.  Deuteronomy 6:6-9
5.  Any threat to the group from man or animal, inside or out (as partially discussed in rule 3) will be dealt with.  Those who have pacifist beliefs may struggle with this when it is discussed and when the time comes.  However, we believe that it is our duty to the Lord, to protect what He has given us.  This does not mean we would attack or kill indiscriminately. That would be "murder" which would be a sin against God whom we seek to serve.  Discernment is necessary.  Exodus 22:2
6.  You will worship and thank God.  You will do your best to keep His commandments and to keep the sanctity of our home or you will be asked to leave.   Joshua 24:15, 1 Corinthians 5:13

Without an ongoing conversation, preparing and planning together, you will not know what to expect.  At our home, or at your other chosen retreats, the rules, goals, and methods may be different.  By opening the discussion and entering it you will be able to gain understanding of one another, and find ways to work together.

Of course there will still be issues that come up and stressful relations could still occur.  It would be wonderful if we all saw eye to eye on all subjects.  But most of the time in life we will be clumped together with people who agree on some things and disagree on many things.  You weigh and balance and hope to find those who agree more, disagree less.  A lot of this can be smoothed over by entering into it with understanding, tact and grace.

We would never want to close the door to any in need, especially those whom we know and love.  If we can make this work, it could be a wonderful thing to look forward to in the dawn after TEOTWAWKI.  When all is lost, we would have friends and family around us, in a community that worked together.  All we have to do is look at our children's bright eyes to know why we can't give up and must keep trying.

So if and when TEOTWAWKI comes upon us.... Yes, you can come to my house.

Welcome, welcome in - Caroline B.

To anyone who swatches the news or opens up an internet browser from time to time, it’s exceedingly clear that the world is becoming an extremely dangerous place.  From the abstract threats such as global economic collapse or pandemic to the more concrete ideas of natural catastrophes, terrorist attacks and the like, it’s obvious that preparedness isn’t just something to think about occasionally, it’s an absolute necessity.  Yet, with our feet firmly planted in the middle class, my wife and I don’t exactly have the money to go out and build the fortified bunker of our dreams for the day when, inevitably, life as we know it here in America may take a turn for the worse.  We’ve had to adapt our game plan to match both our materials and our means.  And let me tell you, preparing for disaster smack dab in the middle of the suburban wasteland is a completely different ball game.

So, to start off, I think we should have a little history about me and my situation.  I grew up in the mountains of northeastern Tennessee, deep in the heart of Dixie.  In rural Appalachia, self-sustainable living and prepping are just normal parts of everyday life for a lot of people, and my family was no exception.  Hunting, fishing, gardening, canning food, etc. were pretty much the norm in our area, and served as a means for people in a fairly poor economic region to build both a comfortable life for themselves and a little peace of mind.  On top of that, the mountainous terrain of the southern back country offers great protection from a lot of natural disasters (tornados, flooding, etc.) and isolation from most of the rest of the American populace should widespread civil unrest occur.  In short, though I didn’t realize it at the time, I was born and raised in a prepper’s paradise.  Then, against all odds, I found a beautiful woman who loved me back and we’ve been building a life together for the last 12 years.

However, once we got married, we joined the world of corporate America in order to be able to make the kind of living that we wanted for ourselves in the “new” economy.  Unfortunately, our company underwent some “consolidation” and shut down the office in our hometown.  My wife and I (who both work for the same business) were tasked with a choice:  both face unemployment and risk becoming part of the foreclosure statistics on American home owners, or follow our jobs and move far from friends and family out into the Midwest.  It wasn’t an easy decision, but with the prospect of starting a family of our own right around the corner, there was no choice but to bite the bullet and take a chance on building a better life.  With only a three month window to find and purchase a new home, we ended up settling in a large subdivision on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area near our new place of employment.

Back in Tennessee, our home was a two story brick house with a sizable basement, snuggled into the side of a heavily wooded mountain.  However, due to the higher prices of real estate in our new area, we ended up in a single story wood-framed house built onto a concrete slab, surrounded by hundreds of nearly identical homes.  We are less than 10 miles from one of the largest cities in the continental United States, and to make matters worse, our home is actually visible from one of the major interstates that feed into the city.  In other words, like most of Middle America, my new house is a nightmare in terms of survivability should any major collapse of society occur.  Yet, for that very reason, immediately bugging out during a time of crisis is not an option, due to some of the following factors:

• Living near a major population center means that when food/water/electricity go into short supply, everyone is going to have the same idea: get out of Dodge.
• The major roadways around our home become near parking lots during rush hour every day as it is.  In a disaster, those traffic pileups are likely to become semi-permanent.
• Since a lot of people in large cities don’t commute via cars, during the mass exodus to escape, those who do have working transportation will become immediate targets.
• Furthermore, like the swarm of locusts of Biblical lore, a large group of people trying to flee an area on foot are likely to consume every resource in their path, one way or another.  While they may not have cars, it’s extremely likely that whether it’s a golf club or a Glock, some will be armed.

Therefore, for all these reasons and more, a more nuanced approach is required.  As much as we would like to, getting back to friends and family in the mountains of Tennessee just probably won’t be an option in the short term.  This means bugging in and hoping to ride out the worst of it until such a time that either:

• We deem the situation fit to travel via the back roads and reach a more defensible location back home with our families.

Or,

• The turmoil in our area has cooled to a point that we can start trying to become self-sustainable here in our community without fear of reprisal (openly gardening, hunting, fishing, etc.)

Either way, the name of the game becomes surviving the short term fallout that is bound to follow any collapse of basic societal structure.  Following Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it becomes pretty easy to map out the way that things will probably play out.  Our lives, like it or not, are ruled by this chart.  Surviving the “exodus” near a major city means two things:  Having the basics in the bottom row of that pyramid covered for up to a 6-month time period for you and your family and having the means to defend it from those who will want to take it from you.  However, there are unique challenges to achieving either of these goals when living in a matchstick house on a concrete block amidst hundreds of other families and within spitting distance of millions of potentially hostile people.

Let’s start with the first part, meeting your needs.  There are plenty of preparation checklists out there with great advice on every little thing that you might need to survive the apocalypse.  I’m going to assume that you know how to cover the basics of food/water/medicine storage.  However, there are a few extra things to consider when living in the suburbs.  Basic bunker mentality for bugging in during a crisis follows the “dig in and defend” model.  We’ll call this the tortoise approach.  That’s great if you have the means to make it work, however, there’s nothing particularly defensible about many people’s homes, mine included, so that mentality has to change.  For me it has become “avoid detection and deter”.  My home doesn’t have a basement, a bunker, or a safe room, so the idea of holing up in a fortified spot with enough firepower to hold off the mob just isn’t feasible.  Instead, I want to present a small target and make it as unappetizing to potential looters as possible.  Think less snapping turtle, more porcupine.

Back to Maslow’s handy dandy pyramid of preparedness priorities, we know that water is the number one driving force of human survival behavior.  Once the taps stop running and the Aquafina has flown off the shelves, it will be a matter of a few short days before people either leave their homes in search of greener pastures (lakes, rivers, etc.) or start to beg, borrow, plead, and potentially kill to take water from those who still have it.  Here are some things to remember about water storage in the ‘burbs.

• Diversify your storage.  Like the old adage says, don’t keep all your eggs in one basket (this includes brands, types of containers, and storage locations).
• You should try to have at least 100 potential gallons per person in your house at any given time, and stored in a variety of places around your home.
• Keep emergency water containers clean, dry, and ready to be filled at a moment’s notice.
• My solutions include:
• Four 24-Pack cases of Nestle’ Pure Life bottled water (this brand consistently scores highly in water purity and bottling transparency testing) in the top of the guest bedroom closet.
• Two 24-Pack cases of Nestle’ Pure Life bottled water in the trunk of both mine and my wife’s cars.
• Eight 2.5-Gallon Containers of Arrowhead Spring water in the corner of my computer room closet.
• Twenty single gallon jugs of Nestle’ Pure Life Water hidden two at a time in various places (next to the water heater, in a corner of the garage, etc.)
• Four Reliance brand 7-gallon stackable “Aquatainers” ready to be filled in the master bathroom closet.
• Two WaterBOB brand 100-Gallon bathtub bags (1 for each tub) ready to be filled in the cabinet under the sink in each bathroom.

It’s been said over and over, but it is the truest statement in this world: water is life.  Storing water in this way, even if a portion of my home becomes damaged or inaccessible, I’ll still have enough to survive the short term and reevaluate the situation.  Eventually, though, even the largest supplies will run dry.  In this case, you need to be able to answer these questions:

• Where is my nearest source of clean water (stream, river, large lake, etc.)?
• Is it easily reachable by foot, under cover of darkness?
• If not, how likely am I to be able to reach it by car?
• Do I have an easy way to transport it back to my home?
• Can I protect myself during this process?
• Do I have some way to make sure it’s safe (boiling, filters, water treatments, etc.)?

Next on the list comes food storage, and this is another topic that is covered ad nauseam in any number of preparedness web sites and books.  But the important thing to remember for our purposes is that not only do you need to have food, but you need to not draw attention to the fact that you have food.  Nothing brings uninvited guests to the party quite like the smell of fresh beef stew when they haven’t eaten a thing in weeks.  In fact, they’re likely to bring their own silverware if you catch my drift.  Here are some ways to keep that from happening:

• Avoid storing foods that have to be cooked in an open container or that put off a strong or unique odor.
• Avoid heating methods that produce smoke or have to be ventilated in any way.
• Don’t store foods that require much, if any, water to prepare.  Water is going to be your number one resource; you can’t waste a drop that you don’t have to.
• Try to cut down on trash as much as possible (i.e. large resealable containers as opposed to individually packaged and disposable containers).  Trash has to be disposed of at some point and is a clear indicator that someone is still taking the wrappers off of candy bars.
• Keep calorie intake healthy, but to a minimum.  Being the only guy in the neighborhood who still has a double chin is another red flag.
• Don’t use a generator for any reason, ever.  In an isolated location, with proper noise reduction and ventilation, it’s a viable choice.  But nothing says “come burn my house down and take my stuff” like being the one family that has electricity when the darkness comes.

The whole goal here is to fly under the radar as much as possible.  Shelf stable foods that don’t have to be cooked at all are ideal.  Think mixed nuts, dry cereals, beef jerky, and the like.  These types of foods are also much more convenient to transport and prepare should you have to bail out.  Self-heating MREs are also a fantastic option but do require water to prepare and are easy to get burnt out on after a while.  While it’s no fun to have very few fresh hot meals, survival in the midst of the fleeing hordes revolves around avoiding notice at all costs.  You may not be happy, but you’ll be alive.

The last piece of the puzzle is the hardest, but also the most important: defense.  A quiet, middle-class suburb is a pretty appetizing target to people in a desperate search for the basic necessities of life.  All of the supplies in the world won’t mean a thing if you can’t defend them.  However, the key is to not to attract any unnecessary notice and to make your home an inadvisable target.  Some potential tools for getting this job done include:

• Door Crossbar Holders:  These can be installed quickly during a time of chaos with nothing but a cordless drill, some heavy duty wood screws, and some spare 2x4s.  Putting up at least two sets per door means that the old police trick of “kick and breach” won’t be quite so easy.  It also stops the more subtle “lockpick in the night” routine.  Remember, the goal here isn’t to make the entryway impregnable (which is nigh impossible in a wood and drywall home), but rather to buy some time to defend.
• Biohazard Signs:  If pandemic is the trigger that starts the collapse, one of these signs on each door is tantamount to installing an invisible force field around your home.  Even if it’s something more plausible, like a global economic collapse, looters are much more likely to target the house that they think won’t give them cholera.
• Window Privacy Film:  It’s ok for people to know that your home is still occupied.  In fact, an abandoned house is far more likely to be ransacked than one that is thought to still be defended.  Letting people pinpoint your exact location before an attack, however, could cost you your life.  With this upgrade (along with normal blinds/curtains) you can still use lanterns, headlamps, etc. without giving away where you’ve chosen to bed down.
• Window Bars:  Again, the keys here are speed/ease of installation and deterrence.  You don’t need to protect your windows from a full SWAT team with breaching charges, just dehydrated, half-starved city folks looking for some free supplies.  These bars give you time to line up a clear shot from behind cover and make sure that the person trying to get in realizes the risk vs. the reward.

It’s also important to designate a small fallback area within your home and use this as the staging area for everything else you do.  This way if part of your home becomes compromised it’s not a total loss.  While your “Alamo” may not be a fortress, it should be a place with as few windows and doors as possible and a clear field of fire.   Ours is the large master bathroom with an attached walk-in closet.  The only window in the bathroom is small, octagonal, made of thick frosted glass, and about 8 feet off the ground.  Once things look to be turning south, all our supplies can be quickly moved to the closet, the bathroom door triple barred, and the window filmed over.  The two Mossberg pump action 12 Gauge shotguns with 500+ magnum slug shells that live in the closet provide the “deter” portion of the game plan.

Finally, if possible, it’s also great to have a “plan C” just in case.  If your home catches fire, is completely overrun, or for some other reason becomes uninhabitable, you may have to leave in a hurry.  Fortunately for us, there is attic access in both the walk-in closet and our garage, with only about 20 feet of crawlspace between the two.  Hiding a couple of bug-out backpacks in the crawlspace allows us a fairly covert escape route directly to the car, or at the very least, out of the house.  Planning everything needed to bail out and stay safe on the run in a completely different topic in and of itself, but just keep in mind that bug-out supplies are similar to bug-in supplies, just on a much smaller, more mobile scale.  It’s not a perfect scenario, but having a “last ditch effort” retreat solution is never a bad thing. 

At the end of the day, I think it’s very feasible to sit tight and ride out the initial panic of any major catastrophe, even in a less than fortified location.  When the lights go out and the trucks stop running, places in and around major cities are going to revert to the Wild West fairly quickly.  But it’s for that very reason that staying put is the best option.  When the world around you is chaos, there are too many things that can go wrong by stepping out into the maelstrom, even if the goal is getting to a safer location.  It’s hard to predict exactly how things will go down and Murphy’s Law will bite you on the butt any time you think you’ve got it all figured out.  In any event, by keeping a low profile, deterring looters if possible, and using force if necessary, I think that we suburbanites stand a pretty good chance of making it through the first few months of TEOTWAWKI relatively unscathed.  And that, my friends, is what it is all about.

If you are like me, you want to start preparing for TEOTWAWKI, but you have no clue where or how to begin. Even the shortest list, and list of lists, is a daunting undertaking and the expenses can stack up quickly. We thought we'd be up a creek since we had no real extra money to set aside for this project. Alas, it doesn't have to be that way! There are many things you probably have around the house that will help save or sustain life. You just have to learn to look at your possessions in a different way.

I'd be willing to bet there's tons of stuff in your house and garage that you haven't used in two years or more, and it continues to sit there. It gathers dust, gets lost and forgotten, or requires maintenance. Somehow, it manages to grow and multiply with very little effort on your part. Since I used to be a yard sale and thrift store junkie, it may have been a bit more than very little effort on my part... Apparently, I've been preparing for years and didn't know it!

I picked up a food dehydrator at a yard sale for $3, a Food Saver sealing system for $5 from a thrift store, and sheets and blankets by the bag full at $1 each. I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but I certainly do now! Obviously, I'll use the dehydrator and food saver for preserving foods, but what would I do with all those sheets and blankets that we didn't need? They're becoming camouflage. They also work well as insulation for a shipping container. They'll work on the floor of a dirt bunker, to prevent too much dust in the air as you move around. How much stuff is in your home wasting space that may also double for survival when you bug-in?
To prepare for when IT hits the fan, you must first consider reducing the amount of your possessions. This serves several purposes: first, you begin to condition yourself to living with less. The simple shock of having to turn away from your current lifestyle can be traumatic, especially for children, and they'll be learning how to cope from their parents. Gradually easing into survival mode will make the process easier for everyone involved.
Second, the income from possession liquidation helps fund survivalist equipment and supplies. Since the economy is in poor shape, second-hand items are sought after instead of purchasing new. Facebook and Craigslist are good places to list your unwanted items. There are also smart phone apps available for virtual and real yard sales. If you're really serious about liquidation, contact an auction company and conduct a “living estate sale”. They are gaining in popularity since many families are downsizing just to reduce their overhead.

Third, you'll spend less time maintaining your possessions if you have fewer of them. How long does it take to find something you know you have somewhere, or dust those collectibles? How much furniture do you have that serves no purpose other than appearances? How would you reallocate your time if you didn't have to maintain a lot of things that won't help you when it hits the fan?

Go through each room of your home, paying close attention to items you'll use in survival mode. Unwanted clothing in the right colors can be cut into strips and be used to make camouflage netting, and other parts can be used for rope and insulation. Artificial houseplants can be reused in camouflage during the spring and summer. Pillows can be reused to block air flow, insulate heated water, and protect you from sharp objects in cramped quarters. Fancy lace tablecloths can be sold and replaced with sturdy cotton sheets and blankets, being sure to choose earth tones that can also be used for camouflage if the need arises.

Radio-controlled toys can be retrofitted and reused to distract trespassers. [JWR Adds: For example, their servos can be re-purposed to set off small pyrotechnic charges. Pull-string "confetti poppers" can be very carefully disassembled to provide the friction-ignited charges.] There are tons of possibilities for these items, from recon to defensive operations. I personally love this option, and look forward to finding them at ridiculously low prices.

Those big metal drums with metal lids can be made into Faraday cages by lining the inside with Styrofoam. Instructions for these can also be found online. Small metal boxes and containers can be used for the same purpose, and metal trash cans work as well.

As repulsive as it may seem, almost anything made of natural fabric can be cut into small squares and used as toilet paper and feminine napkins. Wash and bleach after each use and they're ready to reuse when dry. What's more repulsive is the thought of going without these two very basic, and often overlooked, necessities. Most folks are of the opinion that any nearby leaf will do, or that there will be plenty of cloth laying around when IT hits the fan. There will be an increased chance of infection if the material used isn't clean and sickness will be one of our biggest enemies.

Tampons can be used to plug bullet wounds; they expand when wet. This is only temporary, and they should be replaced with a proper dressing as quickly as possible. Feminine pads can be used in trauma dressings. Any clean cotton fabrics can be reused as trauma dressings and bandages; be careful to use only natural fabrics for contact with skin and blood. A sterile layer of gauze should always be the first layer over a wound.
Unwanted paper items, such as junk mail, old bills, newspapers and magazines, can be shredded and used in making heat blocks for burning during cold weather or for cooking. Most of the heat blocks burn for twenty to thirty minutes, which is plenty of time to prepare a meal and provide heat in colder climates. Instructions for making heat blocks can be found online.

Empty water and soda bottles can be reused for dry food storage. Just drop in an oxygen absorber, and they're good to go. Empty gallon jugs can be reused as water storage. They are portable and easy to keep rotated. Unused water heaters can be reused as water storage as long as you plan to filter the water before drinking it.

Reuse a car or boat battery and jumper cables to start a fire by connecting the ends to a wad of 0000 steel wool. The steel wool will heat up and ignite tinder, such as straw or paper shreds.

Reuse a lamp by setting a cake or pie pan over the shade and turning on the lamp. The heat from the bulb will cook some foods such as canned goods and will also heat water enough to rehydrate dried foods.

If you have a rotating food storage system, my favorite is Thrive by Shelf Reliance, begin using it now if you haven't already. Incorporate it into your daily cooking habits and meal planning. Thrive is easy and economical to get started with, because you just reallocate a portion of your grocery budget to include it. When it hits the fan, the transition will be easier if you're already used to using it. Also, using and rotating your water storage on a regular basis will keep it fresh.

Thermoses and other insulated containers will be great to rehydrate foods. You can boil water in the morning and set aside enough warm water to begin to soften the day's entire food ration. Quality containers will keep foods hot for hours. Some dehydrated foods, such as Thrive, will reconstitute even with cold water, but usually take longer.

I'm torn over my books. I'm an avid reader and I love to read the same ones over and over. I know I can sell my books and make a lot of money, but I can also burn them (I hope so anyway!) and keep my family warm and fed for a while.

After taking an inventory of what you already have that can be used in survival mode, take a second inventory of what you can live without. If the process seems a bit unnecessary, imagine looters going through your possessions and scattering them about carelessly. They'll be looking for anything of value, anything that might sustain life, and anything that can be used for defensive or offensive actions. If you can beat them to it, then you're ahead of the game. You've not only been able to use your own possessions for yourself and your family, you've also thwarted potential attackers from using them against you.
You probably won't be entertaining in survival mode, so maybe you don't need that huge set of dishes, or the deluxe set of cookware. Think about which items are worth a lot of money that can be sold now and replaced with similar items that work just as well, but cost less. The money you have left over can be converted to precious metals or survivalist equipment and supplies. Think about trimming down the movie collection, as well as any other collections that take up space and require maintenance. That beautiful antique bedroom set might be better sold now than burned or looted later.

Anything you haven't worn in the last year, and anything you haven't used in the last six months should be on the chopping block. All (or most of) those things you've been saving “just in case” should eventually disappear unless they can be used for survival. Keep in mind, you aren't just looking at things you can reuse. You're also looking to reduce the amount of possessions you have in order to better prepare yourself and your family for a transition into survival mode. Even if you have to go through this process several times, cutting out more and more each time, you will still make great progress in preparing your family for a bug-in or bug-out.
Make sure the kitchen and bathrooms stay clean at all times. The last thing you want is to be trying to prepare an emergency meal when the kitchen is a mess and you're down to just emergency water. If you're bugging-in, ensure you have alternate toilet arrangements. Even though you can still flush the toilet by manually adding water to the bowl, you'll be wasting water unnecessarily. A camp potty or a bucket with a lid and bio bags work great and you can take them camping for practice.

Keep your freshwater aquariums or consider getting them if you don't have them already. The bigger, the better. They make terrific water sources and in most cases, the water is drinkable as it sits. The filtration systems balance bacteria so if the fish are alive and healthy, you can depend on the water being safe. If you're in doubt, filter, treat or boil it before using it for human consumption. Once the water level is too low for the filter to run, or if there's no electricity to power it, don't drink it without filtering or boiling it. Don't be tempted to keep aquariums without fish (smaller fish is better). The waste from the fish is what keeps the bacteria in the gravel under control, and vice versa. They depend on each other for balance. Once the power has been out for a few hours, remove the fish and filter the water as it's used.

I've been going through my home one room at a time, including closets. I'm getting rid of things we don't use and don't particularly have attachment to and moving the things we'll need to our bug-in location. I can still get to those items if I need them, and if we do bug-in, they'll already be where they're needed. By selling the non-essentials, I'm able to purchase the things we'll need for survival. My eight year old daughter is excited about the process and enjoys helping me make a camouflage cover from an old fishing net and, you guessed it, earth-toned sheets!

Our priorities have changed as a family and we have morphed very quickly into a completely different mindset like our very lives depend it and they may. A year ago, if you would have told me that I would be preparing for what we all know is on its way, I would have gotten a great laugh out of it. Not that we didn’t have an inkling, it was just easier to ignore the threat .  The more my husband and I began to sit up and pay attention to our nation, the reality of what is happening in this country hit home. We have been making up for lost time as quickly as possible to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead for our immediate and extended family.
I contribute to our preps by couponing like crazy. I have been able to score free hygiene items, food and other necessary items by paying attention to sale ads and spending a couple of hours a week to coupon.
The steps below will simply a sometimes confounding process when it comes to couponing. I used to coupon by simply clipping and buying the usual at the local Wal-Mart. If it wasn’t a brand we used, I simply would buy the item at full price. Coupons should almost always be coupled with a sale.  I feel almost ashamed of the way we used to treat our hard-earned money!! Now, we have no brand loyalty whatsoever and it has been a blessing to see our stockpile grow!

1. People already do most of the work for you when it comes to couponing. The Frugal Family, Thrifty Wifey and Motherhood on a Dime (Also a wonderful resource for homeschooling articles and free material) are all excellent sources.  As well as ingoodscents.com that will detail deals by several well-known chain stores. There are free coupons available on the net at legitimate sites such as Couponmom.com, along with a listing by store that even tells you which coupons to use.  Coupon.com is also an excellent site to utilize. Subscribe to newsletters, “like” these sites on Facebook (deals will appear on your news feed) and use their knowledge to your advantage.
2. Ask around to see if family and friends trash their coupons. If they do, ask if you can have them in exchange for products that you may have a surplus in eventually. I supply my grandmother and grandfather with products I am able to get at a reduced rate by using the coupons they save for me. They are on a fixed income and every little bit helps. They also reward my couponing with fresh produce from their garden. By having duplicate coupons, you are better able to utilize buy one get one half off or buy one get one free sales. For example, recently Walgreens had buy one get one free for Nexcare Band-Aids. One box was $3.29, but I had 55 cent coupons. I was able to get two boxes off brand name Band-Aids for $2.19.
3. Sales run in cycles. For instance, January is “National Oatmeal Month”. I stocked up heavily by pairing store deals with coupons and was able to stockpile and store a significant amount.  Also, January is the “get healthy month” after the gluttony of the holidays, which means that vitamins a cinch to snap up at rock bottom prices.  February is national “Canned Goods Month”; we were able to stock up significantly. It is also “Hot Breakfast Month” and another fantastic chance to stock up on breakfast cereals.  April, November and December is when you want to stock up baking supplies and spices. May is for sunscreens, charcoal, outdoor living items and first aid supplies. A quick note on first aid supplies. Recently Walgreens ran a deal where you received a small first aid kit by purchasing two Johnson and Johnson items. The items themselves had peel off coupons on them and I was able to get the kit and two items for fewer than $3.00 every time! Each vehicle and bug out bag is stocked with everything we would need to deal with smaller injuries. (They usually run this first aid kit deal about every 3 months or so.) Hit August for all the clearance summer items and you will be shocked at what you can sweep up for rock bottom prices. November is not only a month to stockpile baking needs but also canned goods.  You can easily Google “Monthly Sales Cycles” for a more detailed list. The longer you coupon, you will almost begin to predict what coupons will be available when.
4. Apart from the cycles, pick up your weekly ad and compare your coupons to what is available on sale that week. The sites listed in item one will assist you with this. Get to know your local stores policy and the people that work there. I am on a first name basis with manager at several stores in my hometown. They help me out so much by pointing me to deals I may have missed and making sure I get a rain check for any items they may not have in stock.  I know that CVS will have its brand of 24 bottles of water for $2.22 about every 12 weeks. I buy the limit. We are working on procuring a long term source of fresh water but if something were to happen before then, we would have something on hand.
5. Many stores offer Register Rewards or Extrabucks that act like instant rebates and can dramatically reduce your overall expenses. I will often spend $9.99 on a product and receive the entire amount back in a rebate that I turn into five cans of salmon added to our stockpile. I may not immediately need to use the product that I got for free but I can add it our stockpiles. Also, sign up for mailing lists and use those loyalty cards. You may receive coupons in the mail and always be sure to scan your card at the coupon machines at the entrance of CVS. You will even get a coupon for a free product every once in a while.
6. Snatch up those free items, even you are not quite sure if it’s something you can use. Feminine Hygiene products are items that can be easily couponed and will be necessary for cleanliness in a survival situation. They are also sterile and can be applied to a wound as a makeshift absorbent bandage.  Most Kroger stores will double coupons up to 50 cents. Snatch up those power bars when they are on sale 10/$10 and use a .50 cent off coupon that will double to make 2 protein bars $1.00. Protein bars are not a long term solution but can supplement the diet and are highly portable items for bugout bags. Also, many stores will also reward customers who spend a certain amount by offering discounted gasoline, take advantage and watch the savings add up! Also, most stores may not require you to buy 10 items to get that price so check the store’s coupon policy to be sure.
7. The web sites listed above are also a huge help when scoring deals on pretty much everything imaginable. They will post available deals and this can also help you collect free samples (they are the perfect size for bugout bag, camping or hiking), point you in the direction of sales on the web and coupons that are available for printing. Recently I obtained a subscription to Urban Farm for a year for only $4.50. I have also been able to receive many free “Kindle” books (if you don’t have a Kindle, the download is available free for your PC or iPhone) on gardening, canning, making soap and survival techniques. While I realize this valuable information would most likely not be available during most possible scenarios, I am able to jot down notes from my reading in our “Prepper Bible”.  One of the sites I mentioned above even posted about a contest a survival web site was hosting. I entered to win a year’s worth of food. That sure would be a blessing for any of us and I never would have known about the contest if it wasn’t for the site.
8. Yard sales, Thrift stores and Goodwill are tremendous assets to us in these times. We have a young daughter who continues to outgrow clothes as fast as we get them. When I find something at a yard sale that is two sizes too big but in great shape for the right price. I snatch it up and put it a labeled bin with the size on the side. I constantly worry that if something would happen, she wouldn’t have shoes. I have snow boots for her for probably the next seven years.  We have picked up a brand new camping cookware set at a yard sale for only $5.00! Our major scores have also been hand crank grinders, old-fashioned wash boards, iron skillets and camping gear. We have been able to accelerate the rate of our prepping by utilizing these sales to gather things that we could never afford to pay full price for.  
9. I have learned to make our own yogurt and add seasonal fruit to save money. We have learned to make soap, laundry detergent and our own cleaning agents and are stockpiling the things that we will need to continue the use of these skills. As well as learning these skills so that we may have products to barter with.

We are fairly new at preparing for whatever it is that is heading our way. I feel like couponing and watching sales are a huge part of why we have been able to gather what we have at an accelerated rate.
We have a list of “priority” items that I always cross check when I make my shopping lists for the week. I feel that we have gotten started late in the game and every day I worry that we will not have enough time to gather and learn all we need to become self-sufficient.
Every dime that I am able to save by couponing or using yard sale shopping is turned into a weapon, ammunition, gardening supplies, alternate energy sources, survival seed banks as we struggle to pay off the debt that we have left. We have also begun to arm ourselves with knowledge that will pay off in spades. While we are building our stockpile, we are using every spare second to acquire knowledge on the use of weapons, water purification, the caring of livestock and anything that could possibly assist us when TEOTWAWKI hits. Our minds and bodies are getting stronger daily in preparation for the days to come.

Letter Re: Sound Judgment and Reasoning Skills for Preparedness

Anthony C.’s excellent article on logic and fallacies, Sound Judgment and Reasoning Skills for Preparedness, encouraged me to dust off an article I compiled some time ago to summarize some powerful thinking tools.

What follows are a variety of strategies which provide structure for analyzing decisions. Not all of these tools will apply to each situation.

1. Plus, Minus, Interesting (PMI)

• Focusing our attention on the answer we’re looking for may make us miss better answers
• Find all of the PMI’s of each idea first, before using any other tool
• http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_05.htm

2. Considering All Factors (CAF)

• List all the things that are factors in the decision (choice or issue) and not just the obvious
• http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/06/17/consider-all-factors/

3. Consequences And Sequel (CAS)

• Imagine the outcome of your possible choices: immediately, in 1-5 years, in 5-25 years
• What might happen? What if you made this choice?
• http://newmillenniumthinking.blogspot.com/2010/06/c-consequence-and-sequel_26.html

4. Aims, Goals, Objectives (AGO)

• Make a list of all your reasons for doing something
• What are your goals? What things do you want to accomplish?
• Are you rationalizing or using logic to justify a feeling?
• http://www4.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/curric/chart.htm

5. First Important Priorities (FIP)

• Feelings are no substitute for thinking.
• What is your top priority? What is the most important thing you want to accomplish?
• Put your priorities into a hierarchy.
• http://newmillenniumthinking.blogspot.com/2010/06/fip-first-important-priorities.html

6. Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices (APC)

• Learn to “think wild,” to brainstorm. Don’t sort out ideas as good or bad at this stage. Write down everything that comes to mind first, without evaluating the idea’s merit.
• Think of the opposite thing. What would happen if you did the total opposite of what you might ordinarily do?
• http://newmillenniumthinking.blogspot.com/2010/06/apc-alternatie-possibilities-choices.html
• http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/05/21/alternatives-possibilities-choices/

7. Other Point Of View (OPOV)

• Try to see things from the other person’s viewpoint. Write out their views: How will they feel? What are their priorities? How will this affect them? How will this affect your relationship with them?
• Doing this will keep you out of a lot of trouble in disagreements and difficult decisions.
• http://humanscience.wikia.com/wiki/Taking_other%27s_point_of_view

8. What Is God Saying? (WIGS)

• Whatever you may believe about God at least one thing is certain: psychology has shown that our judgment and decision-making ability are frequently compromised by personality clashes, pride, political considerations, and mood.
• Humans are prone to “use” logic to justify our decisions, rather than to determine our decisions.
• Looking outside ourselves humbles us and opens us to other possibilities we may be overlooking, reminds us that no situation is truly and totally under our control, and gives us input from the only One who can see beyond the now to what is going to happen in the next 5 minutes, 5 hours, or 5 days - and the only unlimited One who knows everything about the particular decision or situation or issue.
• (1) We must be obedient to God’s moral will (the Bible); (2) We are responsible to choose within moral parameters; (3) We must make wise decisions according to our spiritual maturity; and (4) We must be ready always to submit to God’s overriding sovereignty. http://www.equip.org/articles/decision-making-and-the-will-of-god-/
• (1) Be obedient to what God has already shown you. (2) Pray and continually seek God’s wisdom and guidance in everything you do. (3) Rearrange your priorities so your primary motivation is to glorify God. (4) Saturate yourself with the Word of God. (5) Learn from the examples of others. (6) Get involved in a variety of ministries. http://www.biblehelp.org/sixsteps.htm
• http://christianity.about.com/od/newchristians/qt/decisionmaking.htm

As a professional project manager for a large international corporation, my position requires me to mitigate the risks of unknown variables that can alter the success of large and small projects. Donald Rumsfeld quote that ‘we don’t know what we don’t know” comes to mind. It is my job to insulate our company from cost overruns, time delays, or catastrophic project failure by identifying those variables and reducing their impact. These principles of project management applied to small personal events to those effecting us globally has led me to recognize some concerning trends in the preparedness community.

My observations have evolved as I have reached out or involved myself with various groups, whose vision and goals were to help other become aware of the fragile society and economy and how to prepare for it. I have discovered that the vast majority of people prepare themselves and their families, then stop at that point, thinking they have what they need to weather the storms of life. That discovery is what led me to move people beyond a personal stockpile of “stuff” and develop a Concentric Circle Preparedness Plan.

The goal behind this next step in preparing is to build a personal community, enhance your skills, resources and knowledge base and insulate you from the crisis with circles of defense. Concentric circles multiple your ability to survive. From small events, such as job loss, to major events, such as a global socio-economic collapse; adapting this along with a color code of awareness will help you identify what actions you should take and when.

Your Family Circle
This is your Primary Circle and where most people start and stop. They lay up food, water, medical supplies, fuel, shelter plans, guns, ammunition, maybe some cash and silver. They may develop some new skills such as sewing, canning, gardening, animal husbandry and acquire books as reference material. Yet they get to this point with a new level of confidence and assurance and falsely believe all is well or at least better. They may be prepared more than the masses but this is not the end of the journey. This initial circle is very important, because without it you become a refugee at the mercy of others or worse case FEMA.

Areas you should focus on are: Food, Water, Shelter, Fuel, Security, Medical needs, personal Hygiene, Currency/Barter skills, Gardening, Basic First Aid, etc. I would suggest finding a comprehensive list here on the List of Lists.

Extended Family Circle

This becomes your Secondary Circle and by its nature and mindset of awareness, an individual will naturally reach out to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and cousins, your extended family. All of us have done this at some point or another and have our message both accepted or we are given the look (you know the one I am speaking of).  Developing the second circle is important to acquire trustful partners in a time of crisis. Additionally, a family member may have a farm to act as a retreat or access to skills and talents you neither have the education nor training, such as mechanic, nursing, welding, etc. Your extended family circle gives you a multiplier effect to your resources, tools and supplies that you may not have or the ability to purchase. Since typically, (family dependant) the trust factor is high in extended families, the sharing of information becomes less of a factor than in the outside circles. This second circle along with your family circle becomes the basis for your primary community of support and security.

At this point the creation of additional circles becomes more difficult as the trust factor diminishes and OPSEC issues arise. The benefits are great but I would caution and use extreme discernment in reaching out to others without a thorough knowledge of others ideologies and personal beliefs.

The following Circles are interchangeable in their position. For instance,  your Church Circle may well be more important or relevant to your personal situation than a Neighborhood or Friend Circle.

Neighborhood and Friend Circle

This can be broken into two separate and distinct circles. As you move to develop this circle the selection process of people to include should be done with care. Again, if you know your neighbors you can pick out the individuals that would be hostile to any mention of preparedness or political differences that may jeopardize your inter-circles. I know in our neighborhood we are surrounded by “opposing” ideologies that would expect us to share what we stored. An Occupy movement for my storehouse would likely ensure if they knew of our preparedness mindset. Nice people under normal circumstance but potential threats should the crisis develop beyond the point of stretching regional resources. We do not mention our plans or thoughts on preparing to these individuals. Choosing friends and neighbors under extreme situations is left to your discretion. There are advantages, you may have certain friends or neighbors who can add to your skill and knowledge base or those that you know are all ready preparing and the subject matter would not be threatening to them. These individuals become additional multipliers and another layer of security and insulation to mitigate risks of a crisis.

Reaching out to unknown neighbors is not a wise decision. One way to evaluate a neighborhood mindset is to start a Neighborhood Watch program. You will find out very quickly those that are armed, concerned about crime or possibly even have a similar mindset.

We have friends that have developed over the last year from our Homeschool Co-op. They have a farm with cattle, milking cows, a private shooting range. We are working together now to learn new skills, their location is not ideal for a retreat since it is a farm in the midst of a highly populated area, but the resources we have access to are beyond our individual efforts.

Church/Organizational Circle

I would hope your church would be supportive and what better core of individuals to build community support. I would say that in my experience depending on your denomination, that some church leaders may oppose preparing or at least look at you with the same look you get from skeptical family members. The groups I have been involved with have reached out to Churches with mixed results. The reason may vary from those that believe preparing is equal to not trusting in the Lord (which I believe He does) or that the Rapture will let them escape any major crisis (which I have no doubt He is capable to do). Unfortunately most automatically jump to a TEOTWAWKI situation and fail to see that hurricanes, tornados, ice storms, and job losses are everyday crisis’ people deal with. When they hear preparing, they hear Revelation events. That being said, I have found that most church members understand the principles found in scripture concerning preparing and are not opposed to it. The Joseph Principle, Noah, the Ant proverb, and the parable of the Ten Virgins are great examples.

The benefits of building the relationships in this circle are vast. Your trust factor should be higher than the population at large, the number of people (depending on your church) gives you access to more skills and resources of knowledge, a pre-structured community, access to large commercial kitchens equipment to feed large numbers of people and most importantly a support group of people of like faith.

Local Authority Circle

What I am suggesting is to make yourself acquainted with your local sheriff’s office or in my case we have a Deputy Sheriff that lives next door. He does not know that we are have a preparedness plan, in fact he does not even know that he is part of my circle, he knows who I am, and to some extent my views on life. Remember the crisis may be personal or global so mitigation of any risk is your goal and having knowledge and a personal connection with the local county sheriff or fire department may prove to be an extra layer of security. I would also add that including a Deputy Sheriff at your Neighborhood Watch Program actually provides you with information on the Sheriff in your county. You may discover that your sheriff is an Oath Honoring Constitutional minded Sheriff willing to assist citizens in his county to prepare.

By no means should your circles encompass any or all of these, you can tailor your concentric circles according to your own personal situation. But as you do, you will start to gain even more confidence in your survival skills, knowledge and resources.

How and when to engage these circles will be dependant on the event you are experiencing. Of course a job loss will not require you to engage the sheriff’s office but you may reach out to family, then your church, etc., yet a regional chemical spill may. Remember each circle provides a resource to mitigate risk.

Codes of Awareness

Now that you have a circle of security to insulate and mitigate risks to your family, establish a Color Code of Awareness. Information is key and if you plan to bug out it is imperative that you are the first ones out the door. While everyone else is watching Fox News to learn of the most up-to-date report on the crisis, then it is time to go. My personal opinion depending on the crisis will be that 80% of people have no where to go and will stay glued to the television for up to the minute news. The remaining 20% will have the sense to leave but 80% of those will hesitate because they are not ready, have nothing packed and no plan of action. That leaves us. The question my primary and secondary circles discuss on major events is What is the trigger? I still don’t have an answer for that question. We have thoughts and ideas and those are used to form a basis for decisions. But this is when we venturing into the “don’t-know-what-we-don’t-know-area”. We all have a sense in today’s world that events are upon us that can go badly very quickly. This unknown variable can only be provided with contingencies, a If this-Then this scenario, and in no way could every possible scenario be accounted for.  Under that unknown variable, we apply an OODA Loop.

Observation: You information do we have; what is going on around us, etc
Orientation: Formulate a plan around the Data you have received
Decision: Is the information valid, is it sufficient to make a decision, if not then more observation, reach out to your circles to uncover other information that will assist you
Action: Based on the information, is it a trigger event for you to implement a plan. What are the implications of delaying action?

Using an OODA loop for engaging your circles will help you from jumping the gun or crying wolf. The color code may also be used to determine when you call upon on more levels of your circles. Those decisions should be based upon your specific circumstance.

Code White
Means there are no potential hazards, ongoing crisis or crises on the horizon. Anything that happens would be a complete surprise. Personally we have never been in a Code White. With all the events going on politically, economically, socially a Code White would be a welcomed relief.

Code Yellow
Code Yellow means there is no specific threat but you are aware of some crisis that may be on the horizon. Example: A potential hurricane, snow storm. We have Code Yellow occasionally in North Carolina. In a Code Yellow we may contact those in our Extended Family and Friend Circle

Code Orange
Code Orange means there is a specific threat serious enough for us to have gassed up all the vehicles and be prepared to bug out. Bags are at the ready, Daily phone calls to members of our Primary Circle are made with location and daily plans. A sound like over kill but it is nice to be in touch with a spouse or children on a regular basis even if just to check in on each others status. The cause for a Code Orange in our operational book is terrorist threats, economic uncertainty, looming war, severe weather alerts, political uncertainty, etc. Yes, we seem to stay recently in Code Orange. We are in contact on a regular basis with Extended Family, Friends and Church Circles.

Code Red
This is the most severe of Codes. This means the event triggering a Code Orange has a high probability, has effected our immediate area or has national implications. Events such as a terrorist attack on a major city, Urban Riots, Collapse of the Markets suddenly, outbreak of a regional conflict in the Middle East are classified as major non-weather events with devastating impact. In these cases we will have contacted multiple circles (if possible) and have initiated our evacuation plan of action.

I suggest that each of your Codes have a specific reason, specific plan of action, reasons why the Code would change either to less or more extreme level. Don’t trigger a Code without using your OODA Loop. You will prevent much heartache and stress if your Code decisions are based on sound Observation and Orientation.

As you see, once each circle is developed, you start insulating yourself and developing an increased probability of successful survival. We have lost too many years of not developing our personal communities. Communities in the past, survived because they developed these connections, if not by design but through necessity. Your survival can not be based on only your resources alone; you can not be an island unto yourself. It has been said many times before; if your plan is to scamper off in to the woods to survive by yourself off the land then your chances are slim if not zero.

This may seem hard but just as when you began preparing your inter-circle, it took a small step. Now you need to take another small step and call a family member and start building on your secondary circle today. Start with those family members that will be more accepting to your message or plans and branch out from there. There is nothing more motivating than early success and building early connections.  If that circle is complete, which I would assume it is, then start your next circle, you may never use it but like insurance its there if you do.

Many years ago, when I was a young teen, I started a hope chest. My grandmother had taught me about having a hope chest during the depression. She said that as a young girl, living in hard times, the only hope she had of having a dowry was her hope chest. So she embroidered on used pillow cases to make them seem nice, and even special. She learned to darn old tablecloths and repair small tears and holes, and she would put these in her hope chest. Small things really, and admittedly, not necessary, but things to make her future house more like a home.

So it was, that at the age of 12, I started my own hope chest. The first item I ever bought for it was a brightly crocheted hot pad at a local craft festival. I liked the colors, and after having bought it, my mom said that it might be for my hope chest, so started my life as a prepper. After that, I would go to yard sales/garage sales with my mom on Saturday mornings and every now and then I would use my hard earned babysitting money to buy something I thought might be useful one day when I had a home of my own. By the time I began dating and became engaged, my hope chest, which was not actually in a chest of any type, but in boxes under my bed and in the top of my closet and even under the bottom drawers of my dresser, was rather extensive. I had pretty much everything I needed to begin housekeeping, except for large appliances and furniture. And when I did become engaged, my fiance and I began shopping for furniture at yard sales and storing it in an empty garage, so the only new furniture we had to buy was a bedroom suite and a television. We were given bridal showers and since we already had so much ’stuff’ we were gifted with all of the china that my mom suggested we register for at the bridal gift shop. I do not know what I was thinking back then to have requested so much china, but now I have it and seldom have I ever had occasion to use it for anything other than a display.

Once married, I began looking at yard sales for items that might come in handy if I should ever have any children. I bought blankets, bibs, and burp pads, giving a whole new meaning to the idea of prepping with “B’s”. When I found a deal on used baby furniture, I bought it and put it in storage, also. I had clothes for boys and clothes for girls. I even started storing up maternity clothes, for some future time when I may need them. It was five years after marriage that we decided to start a family. Again, we had all of the main items we needed for the baby, the shower gifts we received were mostly dry goods. We were given over a years worth of disposable diapers, wipes, lotions, shampoo and baby bath items. These all came in very handy as anyone who has tried to shop for baby can tell you. I was able to leave my job just before the birth of our second child due to the money we saved by not having to buy all of the expensive baby supplies that were gifted to us and by being very frugal with the household income.

Coupons were almost a new idea at that time, and I jumped in with both feet. I gathered coupons anywhere I could find them and was able to buy groceries for a family of four on $20 a week or less. We would stretch a dollar until it yelled for mercy! But seriously, all the while, on Saturday morning it was hunting time. I went to garage sales with my mom and we were looking for the clothes my children would need for the next summer or winter or for Easter dresses or Halloween costumes, always trying to get the best value for the money.

Now if you have never been to garage sales, you are missing something if you are a prepper! Much can be had for very little money. The old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is very true. I have bought things for a nickel or dime that would have cost me five dollars or more at the store, and it was brand new! Still in the store package. I have even found Tupperware, Pampered Chef, and Princess House products, still in the boxes, at yard sales for prices so cheap, I bought them as gifts even when I knew it was not something I could use myself. Most of my children’s Christmas and Birthday gifts came from yard sales. They knew it and did not care where it came from, because it was much more than what they would have gotten if I had spent the same amount of money on them at the department store. Because of thrift, they were given a much more materialistic childhood than what our budget could afford, and they were grateful and appreciative.

When they were small I began buying craft items that I could use to teach my children different skills as they got older. At yard sales, you could buy a few yards of fabric for a dollar, a new skein of yard for a dime, a wooden birdhouse kit for fifty cents. So that when the time came, and they were ready to learn to make things and repair things, we would spend a day every week during their summer break, doing and making and fixing and learning skills that I thought might be valuable to them, later in their lives.

And they did learn. My daughters learned to sew among other things, and my son learned to build and repair. Of course, my son learned to sew and my daughters can build also, but you get my point. They were learning and doing and it did not cost much to teach them. When they started middle school and joined the school band, I was able to find them used instruments and have them cleaned and repaired like new so that we would not have to ‘rent’ them from the school.

It was around this time, about nine years ago, that I started having the urge to buy things that would be useful if we were to have hard times ahead. I suppose it was after 9/11/2001 that I felt the veil lifted from my eyes on the supposed security of our country from those who would wish to do us harm. I began looking for things that could be useful in the event that an attack were to happen in our neck of the woods, or if there were some natural disaster, like a hurricane, tornado, or wild fire, which is the biggest risk in our area of the country. What if the power went out for a few days, or a few weeks…how would I connect to my family and neighbors if the phone system went down for even a short time? These were the questions I asked myself as I searched through other people’s junk. What could be useful during a time of stress or deprivation? So I made a list of things to look for at yard sales.

First I thought of light. One of the biggest concerns I have is being in complete darkness during a crisis. So I began looking for candles, and what I have found has far surpassed even my hopes for a good supply of lighting. I now have a ‘collection’ of well over forty hurricane lamps in good working order with the oil and extra wicks to replenish them as they are used. I have not paid more than $3 for any of them. I find it hard to believe that people will part with candles, both new and used, as well as bags and boxes of unused matches. I have even found boxes of new lighters for as little at 10 cents apiece. There were fifty lighters in a box and I offered to buy every box they had for $3 each, and they were glad to get rid of them for that price, so I ended up paying only .06 each for brand new, full lighters! I also will gladly buy tea light candles by the bag full. I have several candle holders hanging in my house that hold the tea light candles and when lit and reflected in the mirror, they can fairly light up a room.

I am able to find canning jars and other canning supplies at yard sales regularly. I don’t pay over 10 cents each for jars of any size unless they come with the ring and a new lid, for which I will pay 25 cents. I can sometimes buy a dozen jars for a dollar or two and new boxes of unused jar lids for a dime or quarter. I always check the jars for chips or cracks before I buy them, because they are of no use to me broken.

Another item on my list of things to store are medical supplies. It is truly unbelievable the different things I have bought at yard sales for next to nothing. I was able to get several boxes of sterile surgical blades for a dollar (and each box had 150 stainless steel individually wrapped blades). I can’t imagine what I would ever use them for, but maybe someone with a medical degree will be able to use them, or I may just use them as skinning knives for small game. I got two cases of sterile gauze for $1.50 and have even purchased sterile syringes for a few bucks a case. We always give our pets their puppy shots ourselves, except for the rabies shot, so these syringes will save me from having to buy them from the pet supply store. I have found numerous boxes of bandages and sterile gloves as well as face masks. I do not understand why people will buy something like that and never even open the box. But I am glad they did, because it comes as a GREAT deal for me.

Over the years, my mom and I have found great blessings from some of the treasures we have found at yard sales. Sometimes when she picks me up and we start to go out, I will tell her, “I’m looking for ______________ today.” Just fill in the blank; shoes for the grandchild, a step-up car seat for a toddler, a new colander for my kitchen…whatever it is, it may be something we have not seen for months or years, but did you know, I usually find that particular item that very day. I just think it is a blessing from God! My sister does not get to go with us very often, but a few months back she decided to get out of the house and go with us to yard sales. Her husband had been sick and in a coma for several months and she had been spending every possible moment with him at the hospital, and he had woken up from the coma and had developed MRSA on a bed sore on his ankle. The doctor said he needed to have a foot brace, like someone wears when they have had foot surgery, but their insurance was exhausted and would not pay for one just to contract MRSA. So when we started out I asked her, “what do we need to look for today?” She told me about the foot brace. I said I had not seen one of those at a yard sale in a few years. But believe it or not, at the second sale we went to, there was a brand new brace, in the package, just what he needed and it only cost $5.00! Now I would say that was a blessing!

Other items I have found and have bought to save or to use now are a hand turned meat slicer, a manual food strainer, a hand crank food slicer/chopper, a pressure canner/cooker, old type hand drill, all for $5.00 or less. I bought a push rotor lawn mower that had only been used twice for $20.00 and a couple of wooden fold up clothes drying racks for a dollar each. I frequently find bolts of sturdy fabric for $5.00 or less and try to get only the best quality denim or corduroy and good strong cotton. I have a new quilting frame for only $25, I have found lots of stuffing for making pillows and stuffed animals and can get simple sewing patterns every week for 5c or 10c a piece. I even find sewing boxes full of thread and buttons, snaps and eyelets for a few dollars a piece. Once I bought a sewing awl and extra thread for repairing leather and other stiffer items for a buck.

I believe there will be a need for these types of things in our future. I do not know when I might need them, but feel blessed to have been able to get them now so that I have a chance to learn how to use some of my ‘finds’ before they become necessary. I seldom have to go to a store except to buy groceries, and sometimes we even find canned goods at yard sales that are not out of date. Do I buy these as well, you bet I do! Anything I can find for a better deal than full price, I will get it for myself or for someone else I may know that needs it.

My most recent favorite finds include: a half a spool of barbed wire for $5, an ammunition box for $1, another ammunition box with 19 road flares inside for $5 (and I have no idea what I will use these for, but was very excited to get them), a silver window reflector was free and can be used to make a solar oven, and a large bag of about 30 tea light candles for .50 cents. So you see, there is so much useful stuff being disposed of that can be picked up at yard sales and thrift stores for a pittance that I can not think of any logical reason why I should pay retail prices for anything.

Now that my children are grown and I hope will soon be providing me with more grandchildren, my search has turned again to buying baby and children’s supplies. I have enough clothes for boys and girls in both summer and winter seasons to last up to age ten. They have been separated into size and season in vacuum sealed bags and marked with the appropriate notations so that when the time comes, we should be able to just pull a bag as needed and when we are finished with that size, reseal the bag until someone else needs those items. Oh, and by the way, I usually pay only 25 cents apiece for shirts and shorts, 50 cents for jeans or outfits and no more than a dollar for a nice dress or pair of shoes. It’s out there, people trying to clean out or just make a few bucks to pay a bill. You can help them by getting it out of their way and at the same time save yourself money by not paying retail price for an item you know will be useful to you now or in the future.

So check the classifieds in your local newspaper, make a written list of the yard sales that are in your community, (we usually group them together according to neighborhood to prevent driving back and forth across town and thereby saving on gas), take a written list of the items you would like to find and happy shopping!

As C.K.’s article points out almost all of the publications that cover prepping acknowledge the need for self-defense, but very little ink gets spent on developing or maintaining real proficiency.  His suggestion that readers consider either practical shooting (USPSA) or defensive pistol shooting (IDPA) really hits the target.  The follow-up letter by Sean from COS advocating hunting as another way to develop and maintain skills also hit the mark.

Many articles and even most of the survival fiction stories provide descriptions and explanations for the “right” guns to buy.  “Survival Gun Selection” on the left side of survivalblog.com is an excellent overview of the equipment and rationale, but even this article avoids two other gun issues that are critical, especially for those of us with a wife who carefully monitors our combined survival investing.

Those two issues are:

1.) How many rounds should be put aside for each type of weapon for self-defense or hunting assuming TSHTF and ammo is no longer readily available?

2.) On some kind of rolling forecast, how many rounds should be budgeted for maintaining proficiency for each year between now and when TSHTF?

My wife knows that I would rather buy an extra 500 rounds of 40 S&W than another two cases of Mountain House Chicken a la King.  But seriously, how would you make the argument for the number of rounds to keep on hand?

For example, we have four hunting rifles in .223, .243, 7mm-08, and .308 for most North American hunting plus a .375 H&H mostly for bear.  Following the same reasoning as in Sean’s letter, we draw for resident permits each year and usually get a deer and an antelope and occasionally an elk.  Even with pre-season practice and testing my own hand loads, it is really hard to justify more than 40 to 50 rounds per year for each of the bigger calibers.  The .223 with a big NightForce scope sees a lot more action since it is used for varmint hunting throughout the year.

Our primary carry pistols are all in .40 S&W.  Without participating in regular matches as C.K. suggests, we do extended shooting sessions about twice a month with 40 to 50 rounds per gun.  Just for skill maintenance, we go through 600 or more rounds per year per pistol.  We also have several 1911s that have been displaced by the high capacity polymer pistols, and they probably see no more than 100 rounds per year apiece.  At those same practice sessions, we also shoot at least two 30-round magazines of 5.56 through our M4rgeries.  For the pistols and the ARs, we use the drills we learned at Front Sight at the 4-Day Defensive [handgun and rifle] courses.  (Very inexpensive course certificates, thanks to eBay, and highly recommended.)

In your novel "Patriots", shortly after most of The Group gets to the retreat in Idaho, the characters perform an inventory of their supplies (food, tools, supplies, clothing, guns, and ammo):   “As for ammunition, we are in excellent shape – in all nearly 300,000 rounds, almost half of which is .22 rimfire.   …Joe Schmo on the street probably only has a couple of hundred rounds on hand, on average.”

On my first reading of the book several years ago, I thought this was a bit excessive.  Now, I am not so sure. 

Take out the .22 LR (150,000 rounds) and divide the remaining 150,000 rounds by 12 or 15 people.  That leaves 10,000 to 12,500 per person.  Split that number between hunting (maybe 10% - 1,000 rounds across all hunting guns), defensive pistol (say 30% or 3,000 rounds) and defensive rifle (the remaining 60% or 6,000 rounds).  If half of the defensive pistol ammo was intended for skill maintenance, those 1,500 rounds would last for only 4 or 5 years of practice.

When my son and I attended the 4-Day Defensive Handgun Class at Front Sight earlier this year, we each went through 720 rounds in four days.  A year ago and prior to the classes, it would never have occurred to me that the two of us would chew through almost 1,500 rounds in just four days – in practice!.  Then, I got on the phone with my oldest boy who had served with the 1st Marines in Fallujah.  I was stunned to learn how many rounds went through the average rifleman’s M4 in a single firefight.  He told me that he usually felt under-equipped with only eight 30-round magazines on his gear.

My next thought is that we are talking some serious money.  Let’s say 3,000 rounds of 5.56 primarily for practice at $350 to $400 per thousand plus 3,000 rounds of higher quality 5.56 at $500 to $600 per thousand.  The AR-15 ammo could set you back $2,500 to $3,000.  Assume roughly the same cost per round for .40 S&W (9mm a little less and .45 ACP a bit more) for practice and for high quality defense rounds for your carry pistol, and we can add $1,250 to $1,500 for your primary handgun.  The hunting ammo will likely run $20 to $30 per box of 20 except for the .223 which in a pinch could also use the ammo for your AR.  The 1,000 rounds of good quality hunting ammo could set you back another $1,400 to $1,600.  Enough ammo to feed the whole battery can easily nudge into $5,000 or $6,000.

My wife’s reaction was that much money could buy a whole lot of beans and band-aids!

How about the benefit of your wisdom for all of us in that same predicament?  How many rounds is a reasonable budget for skill maintenance?  Assuming as I do that ammo will be one of the very first things to disappear from stores, how many rounds of quality defensive ammo is enough?

Your current thoughts would be greatly appreciated. - Don M.

JWR Replies: I've always made a distinction between ammo for target practice, and ammo for TEOTWAWKI. The latter is always kept in reserve. Aside from target practice ammo, I consider 1,000 rounds per handgun and 2,000 rounds per battle rifle a bare minimum. Here at the ranch, one entire wall of JASBORR is lined with heavy duty ammo can shelves, but much of that ammo is for training or is intended for eventual barter.

James,
First of all thank you for running SurvivalBlog as it is has been a valuable source of information. Years ago, you mentioned Zanotti Armor as a high quality gun safe company, I'm glad you did, as I am now a very happy customer! I ordered the ZA-3 6-foot--the largest safe available from the company--and it fits my needs perfectly. It only took two of us to move all the [modular] pieces to the basement and assemble the walls. It required two extra pair of hands to assemble the top and door. I ordered the safe in June and received it in March. The customer service was excellent throughout the whole process and even after the safe arrived. At the beginning when I asked for a quote they steered me in the right direction and even when asked for certain features, such as lighting, they let me know that I could get what I wanted locally and for less money.

After installing the safe I contacted the company to ask what paint I should use on a couple of scratches in the front due to our hurried assembly they sent me a small bottle of touch up paint at no charge. Great safe and a great company. I only have one issue with the safe - it makes my gun collection look small! I guess I'll just have to start filling it up soon! Thanks, - John in Wisconsin

Jim:
In How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It, you missed mentioning one of the great uses of "bypassed areas" -- that of an en route cache.  There is no question but that it would be plain stupid for any family to wait to leave the big cities and urban areas until the very last moment when TSHTF, urban riots have broken out, and the freeways have become one big parking lot full of shooting and looting.  But many families will want to hang on in the cities as long as possible because of employment, family commitments for the care of elderly relatives, and other reasons.  When they do leave, it would be much safer for them to quickly exit along the back roads with only the clothes on their backs and half a tank of gas than to take the time to stuff their vehicle full of survival goods and become a visible target of great interest to looters along the road. 
 
Their first destination would be their own unimproved wooded one acre lot in one of the "bypassed areas" within an hour's drive of their urban home, with only a small, used, stripped down camping trailer on it and maybe an outhouse.  It is not going to draw much interest from potential looters.  By stripped down camping trailer, I mean an old one with the wheels removed and sitting on concrete block.  Its propane tanks and battery would also be removed.  To an outsider looking in the window, it would look very Spartan with no supplies or anything useful.  There would be no source of water there.  So what good is such a property?
 
Somewhere on the property would be a 20 foot long metal CONEX shipping container completely buried under about a foot of soil (deep enough so you can cover it with plants and its location will not be obvious) and a specially constructed entrance to the back doors of the shipping container that is also buried under the same foot of soil and plants.  It might take an hour of shovel work to dig out the entrance to your buried shipping container.  This is your supply cache with the important supplies and gasoline that you will need to safely travel the rest of the way to your permanent retreat.  It also contains the wheels to your trailer along with the propane tanks, battery, generator, and plenty of gasoline for your vehicles and what ever else.  It contains food and water, and pre-positioned supplies that you would need for safe travel or to remain at that site for a few days or a little longer.
 
The advantage of such an arrangement is that there is little that is visible from the road to tempt thieves.  And if they loot an old, empty travel trailer - so what?  Your real cache is buried underground and is well out of sight.  It is also out of danger from forest fires that would likely burn your trailer to the ground.  In such a forest fire, you will not have lost anything that is not easily and inexpensively replaceable.   The best part of all -- such an acre of worthless ground that is covered with brush, stumps, and scrub trees should not cost very much.  The general impression that people will have of it will be, "This guy is really hurting if that is his retreat."
 
The disadvantage is that [in northern states] it is only likely to be accessible about nine months out of the year with snow closing the roads during the other three months.
 
Hope this helps and adds something to your work - Paul O.

JWR Replies: As has been discussed several times in the blog, CONEXes cannot be buried without concrete reinforcement. This is because they are designed to take loads only on their corners. With the weight of rain-soaked soil, their walls and roofs collapse. So, when all is said and done, it is actually more expensive to buy, reinforce, and bury a CONEX than it is to build a dedicated reinforced concrete shelter. From a practical standpoint, I'd instead recommend burying a much less expensive poly water tank with a man hatch cover just below the ground surface.

As for the camping trailer: Why have anything above ground at an unattended property? That just attracts junkies and assorted lowlifes. Storing a wall tent inside an underground cache makes more sense, to me. If you need to store a trailer, then make it a simple box trailer, with the wheels and lug nuts buried nearby. The advantage is that an open box trailer won't prove to be an attractive place for drug addicts to use as a recreational cabin.

Dear SurvivalBloggers:
Please re-read my December 2011 article on "micro stores" following TEOTWAWKI. Pay particular attention to the proposed stocking list. Enough water has gone under the bridge since then--I've had plenty of time to think some more about it, plus I received some quality feedback from SurvivalBlog readers--that I thought some updating might be useful and in order. Here goes.
 
There were several premises I used as a basis for recommending your considering a "micro store": Yes, the situation might get bad (less than comfortable)--but (IMO) will be something less than grim--following some sort of catastrophic "meltdown" event, especially if you live in a smaller, conservative metropolitan area, rather than a large one. Look for extended supply disruptions and some criminal activity, but no "golden horde" and associated rampant violence--those will prevail in the major cities. Also, expect well-armed local citizens will get organized quickly enough, people will do a reasonable of taking care of each other, and that commerce will help mitigate any violence and serve as a civilizing force for the community's benefit.
 
Important factors advancing my scenario are that enough of us have sufficiently prepped ahead of the event so that there will be goods in excess of our personal needs to trade/barter, that the basic civil fabric of the community will remain and stand the strain, and that we have sufficient useful "currency" (small/compact but necessary items and silver coins) to lubricate the wheels of commerce. So, consider that we will face extremely uncomfortable--but not deadly (unless we make or allow that to happen)--circumstances.
 
Since commerce is based in large part in curing uncomfortable circumstances--we'll pay for things that make us feel better or more comfortable (it's been that way since one of our distant ancestors traded a custom-made spear for a couple of fish, or something)--and, you can plan on trade/barter your goods with others.
 
Essentially everything can be traded, even skyscrapers for gold mines--I recall a particularly onerous trade in one of the apocalyptic novels I downloaded--the USA was forced to trade an aircraft carrier in exchange for some of our outstanding debt. Nasty thought we hope we do not come to. Back to our SHTF scenario.
 
You're not going to be Wal-Mart, Kroger, or Home Depot, but you don't need to be. A footlocker or two of compact, high-value, in-demand merchandise should suffice to help you and your neighbors. Please look over my original list. Here are some additional ideas I have come up with and several suggested by other readers. (BTW: Your local dollar store will be helpful for much of this). I'll continue my numbering sequence where I left off--
 
7. (Addition). Toothpaste. Rather than purchasing tubes of toothpaste for sale (too large), here's an alternate idea. Colgate sells toothpaste in single service packages--think fast food ketchup. What a great idea/ Why hasn't anyone come up with this one before? I was formally president of a large condominium project (beach resort) and we bought many of our supplies from American Hotel Register (www.americanhotel.com). Good outfit; competitive. They have cases of 1,000 Colgate toothpaste packets for $130.89 (I have no financial interest here and there are surely other sources). Sell five packets for a silver dime? At a cost of $.65/5, that would give you about a 400% markup, at current silver prices. You could also buy some toothbrushes for resale, but people will use their old ones until the bristles fall out, so new ones would not make good trading material. Get a handful of new ones for yourself and family so that (bristle failure) doesn't happen to you.
 
26. Soap. I recall another reader suggesting you should stock up with a full pallet of soap; that's more than a bit of overkill, unless you have lots of room to spare. How about a case instead? Another hotel supplier we have used is Suite Supply (www.suitesupply.com). They have cases of 500 one and a half ounce bars of Dial soap for $76.87. The calculation is about the same as the toothpaste--sell five bars for a silver dime for a reasonable markup.
 
27. Playing cards. I can't believe I left this one out before. The dollar store has plenty of these for ...a dollar. Not the highest quality, but there are 52 cards plus jokers in every deck. Get a dozen or more decks. Playing cards are a much better choice than board games, which are too expensive as barter material unless you pick them up used from Goodwill or some other thrift store (caveat: thrift store board games and puzzles are generally missing pieces and are usually pretty beat up). And, playing cards are useful to all ages for many different games. You could make a little sign--"Playing Cards a Dime a Deck." Continuing with this thought, you could include puzzles with your book sales business model--trade one-for-two and sell one-at-a-time--The dollar store has plenty.
 
28. Plastic bottles. If/when the SHTF, we just might be looking at the last plastic bottles that will exist for a very long time. We (my family) have gotten accustomed to drinking bottled water from Sam's (to the perpetual irritation of local greenies), but the expense is only about $.15/half liter bottle. The bottles are always thrown away, but at some point, I'll start filling a plastic bag with the empties, caps attached. I'm not sure if there will be a market for empty bottles, but your neighbors (and you) will appreciate having plenty available, when there is no source of new ones. Save plenty of empties for yourself and give away a half dozen when you sell something else. They will be great for storing and carrying water (not too useful for much else). Here's an important tip on re-using the plastic bottles: Most water and soft drink bottles (almost all) are made of "PET"--polyethylene terephthalate, a remarkably inert (safe) plastic, manufactured through the "stretch-blow" process. The resin is first injection-molded (melted/squirted) into a mold that makes a test tube-looking "preform," which is then re-heated, stretched, and blown in a mold into its final shape. There is a lot of molecular memory retained in the final bottle--If you heat it (boiling or very hot water, for example), the bottle will shrink toward its preform shape (and become not useful at all to you), so sanitizing through heating it will not work. You can easily sanitize the bottle for reuse by rinsing it with a dilute bleach solution--put about three drops of Clorox in the bottom of the bottle and fill with room temp water. Let it rest for a few minutes, then pour it out (over the threads and the cap, to sanitize them, too). Don't drink this water--You won't like the chlorine taste. Refill the bottle with your purified or sanitized water (room temp; not hot). (In another, earlier life, I helped create the PET bottle as a marketing manager for a packaging company whose name you know, so you can blame me for these bottles if you want).
 
29. Duct tape/electrical tape/para cord/zip ties. Figure it out.
 
30. Feminine supplies. The need is in our rearview mirror, so it didn't occur to me. Think this one through if it applies to you/your family/your neighborhood. If you've got a lot of storage space, it fits the bulky category, like toilet paper--more likely to stock for personal use than to trade--unless you have plenty of room.
 
31. Multivitamins. I checked with a couple of my doc friends on this one. What supplements do they recommend to stock way ahead and (potentially) trade with? The answers were remarkably consistent--A year's worth of whatever you take (for personal use). For trade/barter--several bottles of antioxidant multivitamins, Vitamin C, and low-dose aspirin. Inexpensive generics are fine. Keep them all in a cool place. Recommended dose is half the dose on the bottle, except for the low-dose aspirin; keep that at one/day. Half dose will keep an adult healthy and stretch the supply nicely.
 
32. ED medications. Okay, youngsters, laugh away; your day will come. There's an important reason everyone in the commercials is smiling. These are expensive, but will be worth a lot when the SHTF. You'll need to calculate a reasonable mark-up for your stock, but one pill might go for as much as a dollar in face value silver. (At least they can be cut into smaller pieces/doses). 
 
33. FRS radios. It wouldn't hurt to purchase a couple of extra sets of these for neighborhood use. Again, this might be a giveaway item to enhance local security.
 
34. Coffee filters. Many uses for these besides filtering the coffee, especially for pre-filtering dirty water before boiling. They are very inexpensive in big bundles at the warehouse stores. Price accordingly.
 
There's my "micro store" update--We've come a long way and are getting pretty complete with this. Thanks, James for the opportunity to add to the original post. - A.A.A.

Have you seen the latest reality television show, “Doomsday Preppers”, from National Geographic?  I made a mistake a few years ago – after 20 years of successfully resisting the cries and moans of my children, I gave in and allowed cable television to be installed in my house. Should have known better, but as they say, that’s a whole ‘nother subject.  Now, every week, National Geographic brings us “Doomsday Preppers,” Animal Planet serves up “Meet The Preppers,” Discovery beams in another episode of “Doomsday Bunkers” and the new pay-to-view internet network GBTV fires off a round of “American Preppers.”  Can some kind of copycat show from TLC be far behind? I guess maybe the good thing about these shows is that I no longer am tempted to confide in my friends about my efforts to be prepared for fear they might profile me into the same category as the folks they’re watching on television.  Better to keep it under the radar anyway.

I don’t really watch the shows but I’ve seen little bits and pieces of them as I walk through the room when they’re on and seeing the barns and bunkers filled with years’ supplies of food and water can give a guy a real sense of inferiority.  Am I doing enough?  How can I ever be as prepared as the stars of those shows?  Is my family at risk because I’m not taking this all seriously enough?  My total larder isn’t up to the level of what those guys spend in a single episode!  My steel trash cans filled with vacuum packed bags of rice, beans and oatmeal seem like just a thimble-full compared to the warehouses of canned goods kept by the celebrity preppers.  Since I’m not being paid thousands of dollars an episode to parade my efforts in front of a voyeuristic audience, I just don’t have the disposable income to lay up that kind of stash overnight.  Am I going to be a failure at this?  Not a chance.

In spite of the fact that we’re experiencing 8% real inflation and even though I live in a state where the economy is in a deep ditch and I subsequently haven’t had a raise or a bonus in four years, I’ve still been able to squeeze $10 a week out of my budget to engage in the process of laying up the things I might need WTSHTF.  I would dare say most people waste more than $10 a week on things like soda, fast food and movie rentals.  Think about your own expenditures for a moment.  How much could you save just by brown-bagging your lunch?  Plenty - like $5 or more per day!  Or kiss Starbucks goodbye and take your own coffee from home – treat yourself to a really nice travel mug and some quality beans and you’ll still save.  My wife and I do the cash-in-envelopes budget thing so on pay day I go to the bank and take with me our cash for the week.  In that cash is my $10 for prepping.  Lately I’ve been swinging by the nearby discount grocery store and grabbing ten bucks worth of rice, beans, peanut butter or cooking oil, and when I get home after work, into the larder they go.  Or some weeks I’ll stop at a big box department store and grab a couple 2-packs of propane cylinders or a gallon of Coleman fuel.  If I skip a week because the beans and rice are piling up on the kitchen counter waiting for me to vacuum pack them with the FoodSaver, I’ll grab a box of ammo or a couple replacement chimneys and spare wicks for my oil lamps.  While the 15-minutes-of-fame guys on TV might be spending $1,000 a month on supplies, I can’t do that.  But $10 a week is $500 a year and that’s a measurable step in the right direction that almost anyone can afford.  It would be nice to do this all overnight but you’ll be surprised at how your stockpile grows if you just are consistent and disciplined about working your smaller scale plan.

Sometimes, we’ll save up our $10 weekly allowance and splurge for something special or bigger.  We live about an hour from a large settlement of Amish folks and they have a great mercantile in their community filled with items designed for simple living.  My wife and I took a Saturday awhile back and drove there for the day.  We came home with an awesome stoneware crock for making sauerkraut and a pile of re-usable canning lids.  I was drooling over the hand powered grain grinders but we’ll have to save a little longer before I can come home with one of those!  They also sell basic foods in bulk in that community.  We came home with a 25 lb. sack of oatmeal for $11.25 and a big brick of Strike Anywhere matches.  If you’re fortunate enough to live near a store like this you can find almost anything you need for off-the-grid living at very reasonable prices.  If you don’t, just click on one of this blog’s banner ads and send a little business to one of them.
     I’ve also learned that the local big box membership warehouse isn’t necessarily the best place to find things on the cheap.  I assumed that if I bought a big bag or rice there that would be the cheapest way to go.  Wrong.  My wife the Coupon Queen showed me that it’s actually cheaper to buy in three-pound bags at the discount grocery – 30 lbs. for $16.90 versus about $25 at the “club”  store. Shop around and save.

     You might be asking, “Okay, but from a practical standpoint, what can I really lay up for $10 a week?”  Well, here’s what I’ve been doing:

The key is to be consistent and disciplined and make that $10 purchase every week.  A few months into it you will be amazed at what you’re accomplishing.  A year down the road, you’ll be experiencing a lot less dread about facing an uncertain future.  Two years . . . well, you get the picture.  Obviously there is much more to be done before I can call myself “prepared” for a grid down situation or the collapse of civilization as we know it, but I’m not convinced that we never really “arrive” anyway.  I’m finding it’s more of a journey.  I’ll do it this way while the lights are still on and look for new ways if and when they go out. 

Not to digress too far from my main topic of $10 prepping, but we’re also doing additional things on the home front that will help us be further prepared.  We left the city six years ago for four acres of paradise in the country.  Even though I hadn’t yet begun prepping at that time, I thought now that I was a country gentleman I should do something country-gentlemanish so I put up a little chicken pen and bought some chicks at the local tractor store’s “Chick Days.”  We’ve been raising birds and selling pastured eggs at our roadside stand ever since – a child could do this and succeed at it.  And since my favorite food group is bacon, a couple years later my oldest son and I trenched in some “hog panels” and built a shelter out of an old pickup truck camper shell and put in a few feeder pigs.  I now raise premium Berkshire pork for our freezer and for a few friends and family.  Food, water, shade and six months – that’s about all it takes to raise a hog.  Now we’re constructing a cow pen and I’ll be picking up a recently-weaned Angus steer next month.  It’s comforting to know that I can actually raise livestock and the meat is just so much better than the factory farm stuff you get at the store.  By the way, the livestock operation doesn’t fit into the $10-a-week scheme but rather comes out of our grocery budget.  I’ve also started gardening at almost zero expense.  Last year I grew 64 tomato plants and my wife canned over 160 quarts of various tomatoes, juice and sauces.  We also canned copious amounts of sweet corn and green beans.  There’s a real learning curve to gardening, though, so start now. You’ve heard it before – if you wait until the grid goes down you’ll starve to death before you master growing your own food.  Start with a few tomato plants, some beans, a few zucchini and a potato barrel.  Just take it one step at a time and eventually you’ll get somewhere.  Once again, it’s about being consistent and disciplined.

Like the Good Book says, “A Prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.”  (Proverbs 22:3) Prudent or “simple” – what’s it going to be for you?  While $10-a-week prepping won’t get you on TV, if it’s all you can afford (like it is for me) I believe it will earn you the title of Prudent.  While you won’t be a celebrity like the television preppers, you will be at least somewhat supplied in the event of TEOTWAWKI.  And if that day doesn’t come for awhile yet and you’re consistent and disciplined between now and then you’ll be a lot more than just somewhat prepped.  You’ll be ready to face an uncertain future with one less thing to worry about.

I am a rookie prepper, too bad for me. This underlying lump of fear of bad times coming has been residing in the pit of my stomach for a long time, ignored and deprived of the necessary attention it is well deserved of. Recently I have awakened to the call of cover your own ass or someone or something else will force me to become non-existent. So to heed the warning sign of government irresponsibility and bad times coming I let the monster of fear come to the surface, and so I have begun my journey of self-reliance.

This is my story. Several months ago in September of 2011 is when this all started to surface for me. I began paying more attention to the nonsense and idiots in the world around me, so I decided to do some searching on the net for survival information and try to find out what the hell was going on in the world because the news stations weren’t telling anything other than cruise ships and the legs of superstars. SHTFplan.com is one site I visited and liked very much. I started reading all the news articles that we don’t see in real life. This was scary stuff and helped me with releasing the fear monster within. So I started with some survival research and worked on a plan that seemed to be functional for myself, this took a few weeks before I actually did anything. I began with an inventory of all things that I thought would help in a bad situation. Things that I have on hand right now, a complete and honest budget, and what I know personally for survival, being ex-Air Force and a Life Scout. I took all things into account and Guess what; I was already in the Schumer. Not a good starting point for me. I can cook on an open fire and even start one without a lighter or match, I know about keeping a low profile or walking quietly in the woods, always be aware of your surroundings, I know enough things almost well enough to make it, can build a shelter in the wilderness, canoe, and hike even been growing a small garden for the past several years. But being prepared for the worst situation you can possibly think of is a whole other story.

The very first thing I did after my personal assessment was to make a list of things that I found on the net and in books and magazines and from personal experience  that would help me in a survival situation, no small task. After several lists and several more lists and panic attacks and headaches and then deleting some things and adding other things, I kind of got my starting point. I decided that I did not have enough money to get where I wanted to be, and was too deep in debt to have a monthly fund for my journey.  To begin with I inventoried everything in my house that was useless and served no function to life or survival itself. These items would be sold for survival funding and debt reduction, if only I can keep the money secret from my non believer girlfriend whom will complain more than anyone that we have no toilet paper while trying to wipe in the dark after the power is gone for good. To keep things on the straight and narrow, all the items for sale were and are my own items and collections of society induced unnecessary items that served no purpose whatsoever, and fortunately I have a lot of "stuff" to get rid of and sell or trade.

The first step involved three things, one I must list 10 to 20 items per week on the Internet for sale, I have done pretty well keeping on task with this step selling every impractical or un-needed thing possible, coin collection (except silver coins), Hot Wheels, comics, old watch collections stacks of useless books and other unneeded items. I feel that all bases cannot be realistically covered being a late starter to the prepping world, so I had to make some hard decisions. I feel that if things were to get bad like a SHTF situation I would be better off having the ability to can my own garden food and be able to dehydrate food than trade coins. This step has proven fruitful in paying all my small credit cards off and putting them away for absolute emergency’s only, so far so good. Debt reduction has been more than 50% not including the house payment. I realize that in a SHTF situation debt probably would not matter, but we are not quite there yet, so I have to pay these off to get to where I want to be. This has freed up about $300 per month in credit card bill money no longer being tied up, money toward the next process of my prepping journey. The second step was the rule of buying at the minimum two extra items at the grocery store on every trip, no exceptions regardless of why I was there, even if I went to get some milk and the Sunday paper, I bought at least one extra item to put up. Anything was better than nothing, coffee, tea, powdered milk, spam, rice whatever just get it. At this time I have a pretty good head start on food extras, not a lot, but enough to keep me happy and moving forward, if it works don’t fix it.

The third part was personal health and animal care, so far I have been able to afford some minor dental work and started walking for some exercise, trying to quit smoking, gave up the soft drinks and cut back on sweet stuff, I don’t eat fast food so I’m good in that department. I have also taken some of the pets to vet for checkups and shots, can’t do it when the SHTF, so get it done now while I can.

While all this is an ongoing everyday process I have initiated the second part of my prepping journey, home defense. Because of my situation I will not be bugging out, this will be a fight to the end, they will have to kill me, and  I know it would be very hard to harm another human being but I am sure when it comes down to it I can hit that switch and take care of business, I hope. I took inventory of all weapons and ammo on hand, pretty sorry situation. On hand I have , a few shotguns, each with about one box of shells, a small .25 semi auto pistol and a Western six .22 revolver. I also have about 270 rounds of 7.62 x 39, 150 rounds of 22LR and a few boxes of .357 and .38 cartridges. This was stuff I got during the Y2K scare and haven’t touched it since.  So I began researching guns on the net and with my financial constraints I have decided it was best to try and get the money up for an AK-47, a Ruger 10/22 rifle, and a .357 revolver. This decision came from the fact that I won’t need to spend much more for ammo, well maybe, but it gives me a head start with the ammo I have on hand now, and if the world takes a dump before I get more ammo at least I have something. So some of the guns on hand  are up for sale and trade and hope that I will be where I want to with the gun situation by the end of March. So far so good, a few bites on the guns and have already spotted the ones I plan getting as soon as the money is in my sweaty palms.

Six months into my journey and I feel that I have been doing quite well for myself. Two weeks ago I found seven brand new still in plastic wrapper disaster relief blankets at a local thrift shop for three dollars each, and grabbed them all. That was a great find. I have also spent about $600 on over the counter medicine, bandages, sutures, first aid items, hand sanitizer and wipes, energy bars, hard candy for the bad times and trade (need to have something for morale booster) and enough seeds too start my garden in the spring, adding a few new crops to the list this year. I have also gone through the house and started gathering tradable items to store in one place, extra pocket knives, lighters, candles, etc. I also found old eyeglasses to put in my emergency stock, they are about three years old but if need be I can still see with them. I found a local store that deals in coins and hot wheels and pocket knives and started trading some of the hot wheels for zippo lighters and case pocket knives, not much luck selling the hot wheels but they seem to be a good trade for something I can use for trading later on.

This seems to be a never ending headache inducing process of figuring out the next step while keeping up with the game plan. I feel that I am on the right track, we have chickens, have had them for about a year now so that is a good thing, fresh eggs and also tradable. I will have a good size garden but still need the tools for canning and dehydrating. Have all supplies in one area for now but still trying to figure out placement for dividing it up in case some of it is found or taken. Still need to get a lot of items like plenty of toilet paper, trash bags, disposable plates, and utensils, don’t need to be dealing with dish washing while trying to survive. Have figured out trash disposal for sanitary reasons, live by a creek so water will not be a problem only making it drinkable, have a septic system so we can still flush with creek water, that is a good sanitary point. I would like to get a small solar charger and some rechargeable batteries for the small stuff; internet probably won’t be up so starting to print first aid and safety and survival information to keep in a note book. Also want to get Mylar bags, oxygen packs for sealing a lot of the food stuff. Need to get some alcohol for wound cleaning and trading, so many things to do, so much to get so little time so little money. Every day brings new ideas along with concerns, stress, headaches and new items for the survival list. I have figured out one thing, I will never be able to get enough to survive on forever or even for a whole year, and probably not be able to get everything on the list. So I have sort of prioritized the list with things I know we cannot do without to things that would be nice to have.  I have also divided up my categories and lists into a three month plan, six month plan, nine month plan and twelve month plan, with a section at the bottom of each list for new add items on and items that were missed for that time period for carry over to the next three month list. Here is part of my six month list.

Get all fishing gear out, clean, adjust and prepare and store it, go through all camping gear, clean, adjust, prepare and store, purchase items - two very large packs of toilet paper, paper plates, spoons, forks, knifes, one month’s supply of cat food x5 cats (dry and can), ruger 10/22, ammo for same, ammo can for storage, emergency solar/hand crank radio, two  bottles whisky, one bottle vodka, one bottle Baileys Irish cream  ( got to have something for myself, the Irish cream ), two box 12 ga. Shells, two box 16 ga. Shells, fill all propane tanks, other guns if trading and selling permit, peroxide, quick clot, sealable Mylar bags, oxygen packs and heat sealer.

Now I take this information put it into groups like liquor, decide when it looks like I have the funding for such and put it on the calendar, I pick a weekend or two or three and do the fishing and camping stuff, decide what day I will do the propane probably one per week for a month, when the gun trades are finished I will do the gun stuff, it’s not too difficult if you come up with a plan and try and stick to it, I think it’s called commitment.  I spend my weekends taking photos of stuff to sell, than I post it, than I wrap and ship it, I load things in my truck and take it to places to sell, I look for small stores that trade and sell in the things I have to get rid of, I post on the local trading posts and papers, take phone calls wheel and deal all for the means to an end, hopefully not my end.

At this time I am coming up on the end of my six month list. I have not been able to get everything on the three and six month list but I keep moving things around to accommodate the situation, sometimes I come across a good deal for something that’s on a latter list and have to trade off. I hardly ever have any extra money but have found that I don’t miss buying all the unnecessary society induced nonsense that piles up around the house. If I want to go see a movie with my girlfriend or something like that I put it in the monthly budget. I keep my vehicle full of gas and this month I will be filling all four of the propane tanks for the two gas grills, along with getting the rest of the garden needs along with whatever else is on the list that I have missed so far to date funding permitted. I think about this situation all the time, it influences a lot of the daily decisions that I make. I don’t regret any of this and it’s actually quite exciting to see myself become more independent and responsible. The reason I am writing this is because I feel that everyone in the world should pay more attention to what is going on around us and pull their head out of the sand. Everyone and anyone can be self-reliant and dependent and we/they have the ability to do so if it is chosen, if we just start somewhere, anywhere just start. It’s never too late until it’s too late, and then guess what happens? I eat and you don’t.

Recently, because of some significant financial changes in our life (including moving halfway across country, one of us unable to find work and the other getting laid off, and then getting a job at 50% of the previous salary) we are no longer able to invest as we done in the past. However, because we invested in prepping prior to our sudden reversal of fortune, what would normally happen in this type of financial emergency merely became a financial irritant. Even without 75% of our previous income, we are still able to live well and continue our prepping effort, if only on a reduced scale.
There are several things that many of my non-prepper, and less well-to-do friends, say that prevents them from prepping. The top three excuses that I hear are:

1. I don’t know where to start
2. I don’t have enough money to invest in prepping
3. It’s too late to prep; if I haven’t done it by now, I won’t have what I need when TSHTF.

These are the responses our family gives to those who don’t believe they can, or should, prep:

1. Not knowing where to start is no excuse. Every person knows what he or she will not eat. Every parent knows what their children’s favorite foods are. Get your kids involved to let them pick their favorite foods and give them a chance to learn about food storage along with you.
2. Start a list of what your family likes to eat. Pick favorite meals, treats, and drinks.
3. Then create a customized list of items that it would be useful to have extras of in your home in an emergency.
4. Use your customized list to check for sales and coupons at the grocery store, focusing only on those items that are 1) on your list and 2) on sale at that time. Buy only the sale items that on your list, and only buy items on your list when they are on sale. This will save you a lot of money over the long term.
5. Start small. If you normally purchase groceries for only one week, then use the sales to purchase extra to create an additional week’s worth of food in your home. Once you have an extra week’s worth, then go for a month’s worth.
6. Take a week’s worth of lunch savings and pick up plastic tubs or boxes at yard sales, thrift stores, or on Craigslist. Ask your local grocery store deli for any food grade buckets and lids they are normally throw away.
7. Stock your extra food purchases in the buckets and prominently label and date the contents. (We use a lot of plastic “shoe” containers for under the beds at our house. Not only does that prevent the kids’ toys, clothes, and junk from getting shoved under the bed, but storing the items in airtight containers under the bed keeps them away from light and extends their storage life.)
8. If space is limited, try these ideas in order to store these items. You can then create a shelf unit with the buckets as separators between the shelves, or stack the buckets and put a round top (cut out of plywood) on them to create a side table which is covered with a large round table cloth to hide the fact they are now storage.
9. Remember to rotate your stored food. When you buy new items for your food storage, place them at the back of the storage area, and refill your regular pantry area with items from the front of your storage. This will ensure that your food doesn’t go bad and you don’t lose money. Failure to use your food storage through a rotation process has cost many a prepper lots of money in waste.
10. A final note on not knowing where to start: If you are in debt, make an honest effort to pay off your debts before investing a huge portion of what you have in lunchtime saves in food storage. If you can avoid using credit cards, do it. If you can invest your sack lunch savings into paying extra, do it and get those credit cards down to a zero balance. Once you have done that, you will find you have a lot more money to invest in prepping. As I stated earlier, we have recently lost 75% of our previous income. However, the first thing we did as a couple was to pay off all debt – that included college loans and credit cards. We paid off our car loans and did not replace them with newer or fancier models. We were fortunate to pull our investments before the last big drop and use the money to pay off our home; without a $1,500 mortgage payment, we were able to transition to 25% of our former income. That and our three month food storage supply were great comforts while we were both looking for work.
11. Prepping doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. There are ways to make your dollar stretch if you really want to prep.
12. As I stated earlier, we have had a significant change in our income levels, and added an additional mouth to feed. However, because of our preparations we have stopped purchasing (temporarily) bulk food storage from online vendors and have been exploring the following food storage methods, and have had some very positive results!
13. If you go out to lunch every day at work, take just two days and bring a sack lunch. Depending on where you eat, that will save you $10-to-$30 dollars per week that can be used to invest in prepping. (Now that we are down to a quarter of our previous income, with only one of us working, we avoid eating out at all, and bring lunch to work every day. This has cut our food bill by easily $100-150 per week between the lunches at work and going out to dinner twice a week. Not only that, but we’ve eaten better than we used to eating out and lost weight, which is a complete win-win in my book.)
14. Take half the money saved by bringing lunch and spend an hour or two each week couponing and sales surfing. Hit the grocery stores during sales and with coupons, where you can buy the normal things you eat in bulk at the same amount you would normally spend on just one or two items. The 10 for $10 aisles are a great place to shop for food storage as well.

I saw a lady at the local grocery store just this weekend buying huge amounts of items using the weekly mailer from the store. She had 10 boxes of spaghetti, about 20 cans of soups, even more canned fruits and vegetables, a bunch of boxed meals like Hamburger Helper, boxed side meals like Rice-a-Roni, and a large amount of powdered drink mixes in her cart. As I waiting in line behind her, I watched her grocery bill go back to normal with each coupon she handed to the cashier. Between the 10 for $10 and couples, her shopping cart – piled high with stuff that every family eats – cost her about $40 and change. That’s some good shopping!

1. Take the other half of the money you saved by brown bagging it and shop the Dollar Stores. You can buy personal hygiene and cleaning supplies, sewing kits and patches, crackers and cereal, bottle water and juices, hard candies and travel toys (comfort items), first aid and over the counter medicines, and spices and seasonings (including bouillon) for a huge discount.
2. Once a month, take the money you’ve saved from your sack lunches and invest it in thrift store shopping. Purchase camping gear, gently used warm weather clothing and shoes, backpacks and bags, blankets, pots and pans, and used books. We have been able to buy excellent travel bags in a variety of sizes. These bags have been used to create custom first aid kits, 72 hour kits for our vehicles, emergency kits for kids to carry in their backpacks at school (which were great when they were stuck sheltered in place during local emergencies), and barter/charity bags for use when TSHTF. Other awesome finds were a pressure cooker and a seal-a-meal, which we have been able to use to do home food preservation.
3. Use the resources available on the Internet. The SurvivalBlog.com has great prepping information, as does LDS.org and many others. Find your local agricultural extension groups and web pages, where they can help you identify the best local produce, growing seasons, and methods for preserving local foods. These web sites can also help you find information on local wild foods, good recipes, and other helpful bits of information to make you better prepared, even if you are completely unable to spend a dime on purchasing food storage at this time.
4. It’s never too late to prep. Even if you are only able to afford to spend $5 a week, or $5 a month, the extra supplies you have on hand may just be the thing you need in an emergency. If you cannot afford to spend an extra dime, the knowledge gained from internet research can help you be more mentally prepared in the case of emergency. This can include where to find local wild foods, learning first aid, learning canning and food preservation, and other information that will be necessary to do more than just endure in an emergency.

We now live in a tornado prone area. While we are fairly safe in a sheltered zone (most of the tornadoes touch land around our area), we still have to contend with power outages, lack of water, and sewer shut downs. While these have only been of a two or three day duration, having ready to eat foods stored (prepared using canning how-tos found on our local agricultural extension web site), enough water stored to last for three days, and emergency hygiene capability (I love the bucket potty and doody-bags found on beprepared.com) makes for a much more comfortable temporary emergency.

Even if you don’t have an emergency based upon natural disasters, there are other types of emergencies that can hit. Epidemics (or pandemics) can strike, where quarantines may occur. Temporary illnesses, such as a bad flu or strep throat, or even injuries can happen that may prevent the adults in the family from working, going grocery shopping, or even cooking meals. Having a supply of easy to prepare food in your pantry or 3-month storage will make it easier for you family to eat. Having extra hygiene products (including formula and diapers if you have infants and toddlers) will enable the sick/injured adult(s) to rest and avoid going to the store.
In this economic downturn, financial crises and emergencies are rampant. Many people are losing their jobs through no fault of their own, being forced to survive on unemployment or on part-time jobs. Having a one to three-month supply of food is a wonder safety net to have when this occurs. Having a full year’s supply of food is even better, but for the first time prepper or for those who need to prep for less, even a week of extra food may be the lifeline that is needed during a crisis.
Remember:

1. Prepping doesn’t have to been done by someone with a “Ph.D. in Prepperology.” Using basic common sense practicality to identify foods that your family will eat is the first step in getting started. Using free tools available on the internet, the library, and at local agricultural extensions will help even the newest prepper learn the basics and beyond.
2. Prepping doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. There is no point in getting into debt to prep. Using practical approaches to saving money to use on prepping is the best approach, as is shopping sales, dollar stores, and thrift stores. Craigslist free pages are also a good place to look, as are local yard and estate sales.
3. It is never too late to prep, unless you are dead. As long as you are alive, you can and should prepare yourself and your family for tough times. It doesn’t take a major SHTF scenario for your preparedness to be useful. Many times your preps become a major benefit to you and your family during a simple illness, injury, or layoff. The time to prep is now, no matter what your circumstance.

Dear Mr. Rawles,
My letter today was prompted by an email I received recently about UPC codes and country of origin.  It stated that one can determine the country of manufacturing origin by looking at the first three digits of the Bar code.  More specifically, it stated that bar codes beginning with the digits 690 through 695 are from China while those with 471 are from Taiwan.  Products with codes from 00 to 13 are from the U.S. and Canada.  This seemed like a handy way to tell which products came from where.  You could buy a product with some assurance that it was made in the US.  The truth of the matter is somewhat more complicated.  An example of the e-mail I received can be seen in this link.

What are those little lines? First you must understand that there are two primary barcode systems, the Universal Product Code (UPC) which is used in North America, and the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and the International Article Number (EAN)--formerly called an European Article Number--which is used in most other places on the globe.  Whereas the UPC uses 12 digits, the EAN uses 13. However, the UPC can be read as EAN because you would just put a “0” in front of the UPC to convert it.  All the numbers encoded in UPC and EAN barcodes are known as Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN).  The first three numbers of the GTIN represent the country in which the manufacturer is registered.  Please note that this does not mean that the product was made in that country.  For instance if a company called “Swiss Guns” is registered in China then it will carry a prefix of 690-695.  If however the guns were manufactured in Bulgaria the code would still be 690-695 and not 380.  You can find the complete Wikipedia listing of country codes.

Is there a way to get more information about a product from the bar code?  I found this web site to provide additional information.  The web site is GS1 who on their web page self-describe as “GS1 is an international not-for-profit association with Member Organisations in over 100 countries.  GS1 is dedicated to the design and implementation of global standards and solutions to improve the efficiency and visibility of supply and demand chains globally and across sectors. The GS1 system of standards is the most widely used supply chain standards system in the world.”  GS1 is the body that creates the standards defining the GTIN.
They have a tool that will provide information based on the GTIN code.  For example, I entered the following code for my Newman’s Special Decaf Keurig: 099555080513 and it told me that the company was:

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.
VT
33 Coffee Lane

05676 

Waterbury
United States

It also included phone numbers to the company.
Please note that it does not indicate the country of origin.  The box indicates that the product is packaged, made and printed in the USA.  Some searching on the GreenMountainCoffee.com web site reveals that this coffee probably originated in Guatemala.  They write, “In 2003, Nell Newman traveled with us to Guatemala to meet coffee farmers in person.”
The takeaway: You will need to do more than look at the UPC/EAN/ETIN code to determine the country of origin of a product and this is especially so for products grown in one country but processed in another.

Thanks as always for your hard work on Survivalblog and may the Lord bless and keep you.
 
Respectfully, - Mr. Bennington in Pittsburgh

I have been guilty for years of talking about preparing verses actually putting forth the effort and taking the necessary steps to prepare for my family.  I began my prep life back pre-2000 Y-2K bug times.  I began to read about the potential time bomb that was ticking as it pertained to the technology crash back in 1995.  I had subscribed to a homesteaders magazine called Countryside (highly recommended) and began to study what impending danger that our nation and world was faced with.  As did many, I did not want to face the facts that this could actually happen to the good ole USA and like many laughed it off.  As the end of 1998 came closer we lived on a historical farm in central Ohio and I began to take serious the issue at hand.  I became very convicted  that if there was even a small chance that this “bug” could paralyze our society and send us back to the stone age then I at least needed to protect my wife and children.  We all chipped in and began to prepare.  To say I went over-board would be very mild.  We put in a 100’ x 100’ garden (our first) and proceeded to plant everything that came in a seed packet.  I went to the garden center and looked down at the very small tomato plants and thought to myself “how much can one small plant produce”?  So I proceed to buy 52 tomato plants!  Guess what we did all summer long!  After fighting massive amounts of weeds and a wife that resembled Lisa on the old television show “Green Acres”; we had put away over 500 quarts of tomatoes, carrots, beans, okra, cherries, apples, pears, salsa, pickles, soups, sauerkraut, jellies, jams and other various garden goodies.  Farmer wife even entered canned goods into local county fair and won a few ribbons.  Not to bad for a couple of rookies.

Now that we had our food supply secured we concentrated on water storage and after a 3 day winter ice storm, installed a direct electric hook-up from our well to a portable generator.  Now we felt like we could supply the much needed water to our family and the 30 feeder calves that I had purchased to supply our family and friends with beef.  Again going “overboard” and never having raised cattle before did I ever realize how much free fertilizer 30 head of baby calves can produce when they get to be 800 pounds!  Securing a independent water supply is critical when you have livestock, especially 30 head! We made every mistake imaginable but along the way we were learning very valuable survival skills.  Learning how to care for cattle, horses, and chickens is something that will definitely come in handy again. As our pantry, water and meat supplies had become secured we turned to our home.  Our 200 year old farm house had three non-working fireplaces so my next goal was to provide heat in case the “lights went out” during the winter or for an other reason.  Yes, we had the small portable generator but we needed more to heat our old home.  We then worked on the fireplaces to secure our heating source by installing a wood pellet stove.  We then bought pallet full’s of pellets for a years supply.

After securing food, water and shelter we turned our attention to our finances.  I might mention that during this time of preparation I reduced my income by 50% and started a new career in finance.  Bad timing just two years prior to 9-11!  As I continued to read about the impending danger of Y2K, I began to visit pawn shops and flea markets buying “junk” silver dollars.  At the time I paid $7 for each Morgan Silver Dollar (not too bad return on investment--as they now sell for $30+) and began to accumulate quite a bit of silver and some gold as well.  During a very tough financial time in our lives we were sacrificing a lot to prepare for something we had no idea if it was going to happen or not.  Yet there was something inside that said there is enough warning signals to prepare and to protect your family.

FAST FORWARD:  January 1, 2000 came and as we went to bed fully stocked and prepared to meet the new world, everyone woke to a new year and almost with an arrogant sigh the media and naysayers began to ridicule anyone that had prepared sighting their extreme behavior as crazy and naive.  Remember this is the USA nothing can touch us!  I must admit that there was something also inside me that almost wished that the Y2K bug would have brought this country to its knees and humbled us a little.  Just think if we had went through that pain, how much better we would be today.  Just think if Facebook would have not come about how better our society would be. Technology can be good such as this web-site and others for educational purposes but too much of a good thing is dumbing down our country.  I could write an entire article on my thoughts concerning technology and how vulnerable this country is to a cyber attack.  Take away cell phones and the Internet and our economy will certainly collapse.

Okay, everyone knows where this is going.  As many, we fell back into our comfortable lives laughing at all the fuss and chasing the all mighty dollar.  We moved from our historical farm, sold all the animals and off to the city we went where we proceeded to fall back into the “world” and all its enticements.  I started my new business in a new community and weathered the economic storm of 9-11.  We built our business and became “successful” in the eyes of many.  We bought a big home, spent mucho dollars adding and renovating, and even bought a yacht.   Yes, life was good and remember this is the good ole USA, nothing can keep us down.  We continued to buy into the hype and then 2008 came and nearly put us out of business.  We borrowed more to get us through (sound like any country you know) and made it out the other end. 

Then I got my copy of Patriots. I began to read  about a scenario that haunted me in my dreams. I read more and more about how many were prepping for something that reminded me of what I did back in the late 1990s but much, much worse. The funny thing was that even when we “back slid” into the world did  I ever stop my subscription to my homesteading magazine and always felt like we had made a mistake in our abandonment of the simple life on the farm.

WAKE UP CALL!  Well it seems like light years ago that I was worried and preparing for something a small as the Y2K Bug!  Our country has seen more negative change and has more challenges than all the previous 75 years.  We stand at the brink of financial bankruptcy and our government continues to deny the critical nature of our country’s financial house.  We owe hundreds of trillions of dollars of debt, we have unemployment over 12% (don’t believe the media), a housing market that has collapsed, we are nationalizing health care, bailouts a plenty for those corporations that have the right politician in their pocket, sky high oil prices, food costs and quality out of control, job sectors that will never return to this country, government regulations killing small business and finally a moral corrupt society that is more interested in who won “Dancing with the Stars” or who is the next “American Idol” than the downward spiral of this once great society! We have Iran threatening us, a 20 something old man-child in North Korea with nuclear weapons and China is threatening to cut off our life support.

So what does this article have to do with survival?  I can tell you the juices are flowing again and thanks to this great survival blog, Mr. Rawles best selling books, patriotic leaders like Chuck Baldwin, and other great writers, preppers and good loving Americans; I have found my old self and have once again put my family and friends into a much better place to weather a much bigger storm that is coming.  People need to heed the words of so many not only on this blog but the hundreds of thousands that believe this country is headed for times we can’t even imagine. 

Yes I have stored the food (two years at least for just for the two of us), yes I have secured heat, (wood burning stove) shelter and water.  Yes, we not only have the gold and silver we kept from back in the late 1990s we now have substantially added to our supply which we believe one day will be worth substantially more than the worthless fiat dollars we have depended on for some many decades.  We now have, thanks to books like: "Patriots" and "Survivors",  added a substantial supply of guns:  AR-15, .30-30 Winchester, a .243 and .30-06 with scopes for longer range, two .22 rimfire rifles and a .22 pistol. My sidearm is a .45 Auto and the Mrs. has a .380 Auto.  We have two .410 shotguns for small game, a Remington 870 20 gauge pump and Remington 12 gauge automatic. two more .38 Specials and a .25 automatic. We have over 20 thousand rounds of all types of ammunition and feel we need more.  We have secured medical supplies, books, and survival gear from various suppliers including Amish items from Lehman’s non-electric store out in Ohio.  We have accumulated a dozen or more hurricane lamps of various sizes and have an ample supply of lamp oil.  We have purchase bulk wheat, sugar, salt and beans along with all the necessary non-electric tools to begin to live off the grid if needed.  We have prepared our home best we can and also have friends and family that are starting to become believers and want to learn from us.  We even have folks that want to start groups to discuss coming together to defend a small community.  “Strength in numbers”!

If you think that our society is due for a real “wake up call” than I highly recommend you visit Lehman’s web-site to see how the Amish live and when the SHTF this group of Americans won’t miss a beat and will actually flourish as the masses scramble and sell off everything at pennies on the dollar.  When we look back at history during the Great Depression, it was simple farm folk that already lived a simple sustainable life that weathered the storm and came out the other end better than most. Wake up people, and remember the old adage that says:  “If we don’t learn from history then we are doomed to repeat history”.  This could never be more valid than it is today.

In closing, if you have read the many articles, blogs, books and information that has described how many have seen the impending danger signs and you have not started to prepare; and you are still waiting for a sign than I say:  good luck!  The clock is ticking and like myself you may not get a second chance to prepare for the inevitable.  Oh by the way we are selling all the toys and using the money for the many supplies I mentioned above. I thank God for second chances!

I pray that you heed the warning signs and not wait a any longer.  Your first step is the hardest!

Post collapse barter has been a hot topic for as long as I have been lurking around the Survival Community. Yet each time I read the offerings on the subject they have left me feeling like the whole story is not being told. This is an attempt to tell that story.
 
Post collapse barter is often presented in romanticized ways of a simpler and happier life such as depicted by Eddie Albert playing the role of the Persian peddler “Ali Hakim” in the Rogers and Hammerstein musical “Oklahoma." He went town to town peddling everything from perfume to frying pans with his horse and wagon. A Spartan life to be sure but he was the model of happiness. After all, he had a girlfriend in every town! Or the notion of an impromptu open air market in the town square where people gather to fellowship and trade.
 
This type of commerce probably will commence in time, after the crash, but from my vantage point there is a whole lot of turmoil and violence between “here” and “there.” When the “free stuff” stops flowing to the entitlement class we are not all going to “just get along.” Surviving to the point of peaceful open air markets is not going to be for the faint of heart or the unprepared.
 
In this essay I will address:
 
The two problems with barter
The two fundamental questions of barter
The two logistical issues with barter
A few examples where I think barter will occur in the short run.
 
My credentials are that my family and I are long term, serious, God fearing, Christian preppers who own and live on our rural retreat full-time that we refer to as our “sanctuary homestead." The retreat has been built up in such a way that with lots of hard work, a bit of good luck and the favor of God mixed in, we can provide food for many in a grid down scenario pretty much indefinitely. That retreat is located in the American Redoubt. Also, I have a degree in business economics from a major university and have worked in finance for 30 years at both the corporate and small business levels.
 
I hope the fact that I have “one foot in both worlds” so to speak, will give a perspective on this subject that is at least worthy of consideration.
 
Two Problems:
Commerce is technically described as “bringing together a willing seller and a willing buyer in an arms length transaction." The “arms length” part means that both parties are looking out for their own economic best interest. This isn’t charity. For example if grandma gives you a ten thousand dollar car for changing out her broken light bulb. That would be the inverse of an “arms length transaction." Mediums of exchange such as currencies make this process easier which is why they are used so universally. Yet in a post collapse world such as depicted in “Patriots” the currency of the land is useless as it is worthless.
 
That brings us to Problem #1: absent a recognized societal medium of exchange to conduct commerce you still need to put that definition together of buyer, seller and arms length. On the buyer-seller side of the equation, that means that you have to find someone with something you want, that they are willing to part with, who want something you have, that you are willing to part with.
 
Problem #2 is the “arms length” part. Our current economy of commerce is very efficient. If you walk in to a hardware store to buy a splitting maul the price to the buyer from the seller is not influenced by whether it’s going to be your only splitting maul or your 50th one (“satiated demand” in economic terms).The price doesn’t change due to the mood of the cashier or what day of the week it is and so on.
 
In a barter system the “price” of an item is extremely subjective and influenced by a whole host of variables. If you have to cut and split wood to cook and stay warm, trading off one of your 50 splitting mauls is going to be much easier to part with, and you’ll require much less in return for it, then if you only have two of them. So, those types of pricing considerations for both the “buyer” and the “seller” in a barter transaction are much more exaggerated than when money is used.
 
So to affect one barter exchange, five things have to align.
 
1) You have an item
2) They want that item
3) You are willing to part with that item
4) They have something to give you in exchange for that item that you want.
5) Agreed upon valuations of both items by both parties.
 
Agree on 4 out of the 5 and there is no deal. Putting deals together like this can be at best a nuanced dance or at worst a nightmare that engenders division between the parties. That is why so many barter clubs and societies have failed over the years.
 
If you are thinking "Well, we will be fine because we have those silver coins and some items that we think will be in high demand." That’s fine but you still have to find someone who wants those items (probably fairly easy) who have things to trade you back that you want (the harder part, more in a minute) and you both have to agree on the “value” of both items where the use of “comparable sales” are non existent.
 
This is not to say that barter is impossible because we know that its not. The point is to illustrate that barter is more complicated than many make it out to be. If you are thinking that no matter what the possible pitfalls of barter are, you would rather be holding some tangible assets that you believe will be of value for trade in a post collapse world rather than holding worthless dollars. To that I say, I agree. But are those your only two choices?
 
Fundamental Questions:
 
The most common writings on post collapse barter inevitable get to “the list” of items people plan to lay in to trade away. Many times those lists have plenty of common sense items but there are times when you guys come up with things that sound, well, crazy to me (Viagra?)
 
Question #1: Do I have the cart before the horse? Is it prudent to focus on what other people, known or otherwise, might be wanting in a crunch? Or should I think about what items I will be in search of in exchange for what I have laid in for trade? Put another way, what do you want to attain in trade for your barter items? Since this is a “for profit” endeavor as apposed to charity that’s the business model, not where do I want to begin (your list) but where do I want to end up.
 
 If your reply is that we don’t really know what we will want/need because it will be “situationally dependant," to that I say maybe. Prepping really is not that “situationally dependant” though. Food, water, shelter, heat, light, security, first aid, good clothing, etc. are what we have on hand for any and all calamities, large and small.
 
If you have utilized the resources available on SurvivalBlog in terms of what to do to get ready, make lists and so on you should have at least some ideas of where you stand.  Where you are strong and where you have holes. I agree that there are items that “you can never have too much of” but really it’s the holes that you would presumably be trying to plug with barter. The question then i.: Am I more ahead to use resources to plug holes and strengthen our prepping position today, as opposed to using those same resources to lay in tradable items? Your answer may be different than mine but the questions should be asked because..
 
Question #2: On the one end of the spectrum most people do not prep. Those of us who do are in the extreme minority even today when it is much more visible. So that vast majority of people out there living pay check to paycheck in the land of mammon…by and large they have nothing to trade you that you will want or place much value on in a collapse. On the other end, we, the choir, the serious preppers who have followed the advice of Mr. Rawles and the contributors to SurvivalBlog,  are in pretty good shape to weather the coming storm. So,we have extra everything so you really don’t have anything that we need and certainly nothing that is mission critical that we would trade high value items for. Oh, sure if you show up with a 55 gallon drum of fresh kerosene we can talk and probably put a deal together but we wont “sell the ranch” for it because it's icing on the cake for us. The pool of potential barter mates just shrunk a lot.
 
Logistical Issues of Barter
 
No matter how far along you are with your preps when the balloon goes up those instantly become priceless. If you have a thousand dollars of stored food and TSHTF those stores could be the difference between life and death. You will trade no amount of money or precious metals for them at that time because you can’t eat those. If you have $100,000 worth of stored supplies and the crunch is on, someone could offer to write you a check for a hundred million dollars and you would have no part of it. Your survival stores would then be your most valuable asset in spades (that nobody should knows about). Thse are survival items that people would be willing to kill you for, and that we are prepared to defend with our lives.
 
Most people that I know with retreats and designated bug out locations. When the balloon goes up they simply want to roll up the draw bridge, help their neighbors out where they can and be left alone to rely on themselves to provide for themselves and then, maybe, be meaningful participants in the re-build if God wills it.
 
Logistics issue #1: In order to conduct barter exchanges you would need to leave your selected “safe” location in order to do commerce. Or someone in your group would. That then would mean you are potentially out in “it” rather than safely behind your line in the sand and your absence means that the security of the retreat is reduced. If you are ready to start a “road show” of barter exchange early on what does that say about the depth and breadth of your preps? If you are well prepped there is nothing out there in “barter land” that comes close to the value of your preps at home
 
Logistics issue #2: If for those reasons you decided not to leave your safe location to barter exchange but you still have the itch to trade. That means your “customers” would need to come to you. Is it a good idea that in a time of desperation and starvation to potentially tell the watching world that you have excess? (That not only do you have enough stuff stored to cover yourselves (when most people don't) but you have extra such that your in a position to trade away?) If that word gets out it will spread like wildfire and you should prepare to have whole lines of beggars at your gate and “authorities” wanting to talk with you about your illegal “hoarding."
 
Its probably obvious at this point that we have not put a great deal of stock into the concept of post collapse barter in our preps, but I will acknowledge that it has its place for some people and I said at the outset that it will occur. Our approach to preparedness has been three pronged with regard to laid in assets.. First step; fully prepped for our family for a year. That means everything. Next, lay in extra to be in a position to accept someone to the group who is under or not at all prepared such that it does not seriously compromise the preps of the immediate family/group. Primarily we are talking relatives and close neighbors. Finally utilizing the industry standard (if you will) of the Rawlesian approach to charity and stocking up accordingly, to do just that. I believe that for most people, because of the challenges listed above, provisions for barter should be made after those three core goals are met.
 
The Post-Crash Barter Landscape
 
1) The world’s oldest profession will skyrocket. What will be in demand to trade for those “services”? Food, mind altering substances and security.
 
2) Rural residents who already have trusted relationships with neighbors that have grown over a span of years have a good chance of barter trading during the crunch. Especially amongst the homesteader types, many of them have been barter trading with each other for years at this point. This does not mean throw OPSEC to the wind though as we are reminded by the Bible that times can come where “neighbor against neighbor and brother against brother” occur.
 
3) Lone Wolf: This type of person is a very small minority of the prepper world but they do exist. They are the Lone Wolves with bug out bags at home and in their cars. They plan to “get out of Dodge” and “head for the hills” and become invisible at least until things settle down. For most of us that would be a good way to end up starving or dying of exposure or both. These are not the “wannabe’s” without any other option than to try to make it from a metropolis to a state park some place. This is the real deal that most likely can survive this way and are not fooling themselves.  These guys typically have military experience including survival school; they are proficient with weapons as are their “hunter gatherer” skills. They are in good physical shape or have the capacity to get that way in short order. They are well versed in caches and probably have more than one already stashed.  Ironically they “get” what a group survival retreat is about better than some members of group survival retreats. It’s just that they are not “group” types, they are Lone Wolves.
 
Their plan is to lay low and remain invisible for six months or so. During that initial period, as time allows, they will conduct reconnaissance to find survival group retreats and functioning homesteads. When the time is right they plan to approach the group in a non threatening manner and offer their services to the group. Those “services” including providing intel of what’s what in the area or region. They could magically “show up” about the time that trouble was brewing or they could be sent out on search and acquire missions. For example lets say that battery charge controller on your small solar system went out; they could be sent out on a mission to acquire one and bring it back to the group. Primarily what they would want in return is food, ammo, clothing or clothing repairs and maybe even a hot shower every now and again. It would take some time to build the trust but under the right circumstances this type of person could do pretty well in a barter world.

I have been prepping for over two decades now, although some would say I have been prepping my whole life. Both sets of grandparents instilled into my parents the need to be prepared, and in turn they did the same for my siblings and me. I am the only one of my siblings who has taken it to this high a point, even though they are probably more prepared for a major event then 99% of the rest of America. My definition of prepping is, I think, a little different than most. I define my families prepping as being prepared for anything, not just TEOTWAWKI. What I mean is if we had a hurricane, tornado, a major illness causing loss of income, or whatever the world has to throw at us, we are ready for it. Now I know you can be ready for everything, but you can be prepared to handle the aftermath!

Both of my grandfathers were true craftsman. My maternal grandfather lied about his age to get into the U.S. Navy at age 16 during World War II; he was a mechanic on the USS Texas, after the war he stayed in the same field working on large diesels for the railroad then for Ryder Trucks. My patriarchal grandfather worked for the railroad from the age of 17 until he retired as a carpenter. He had a back injury from a car accident as a child that caused him to be hump backed, disqualifying him from the war; however he was an avid hunter, fishermen, and a phenomenal carpenter. My father is a structural engineer, self-employed, and a Vietnam Vet. I grew up around all of these strong Christian men to grow up around, spending alternating summers in the hills of North Carolina and the woods of East Texas staying on the gulf-coast of Texas during school.
The women in my life were also very influential I remember my grandmothers praying over me when I was sick before ever calling a doctor or getting me a Tylenol for a fever. They also taught me to “put up” food, when I was younger I loved being in the kitchen with them after taking in a bushel of something from the gardens. They would put a side what would last without spoiling and start whatever process was need to store the rest. They always taught me, “Whether for us or others God has a plan for this food.” I learned to make homemade biscuits and other breads, how to grow spices and dry them, and most of all how to make what you had last. It still amazes me to think back at the huge family meals we had, all from their cupboards.

It has been my family’s goal to never have the worry of need. If the worst where to happen we would not need to go to a store or barter for close to three years at this point. And then includes my family of 5, our parents 4, and our siblings their spouses and children 10. We do have some long term freeze dried food, but at least half of what we have is canned or prepared by my family.

Now in our version of prepping we are not talking about just food, we all know the “Bs” I would say three but there have been so many added to the original trinity of prepping “Bs” that I cannot even remember them all. We have enough medical supplies to stock a nice hospital emergency room, enough arms and ammo to keep all of our family from being liberated of our items, and we are currently building our retreat including a completely off grid setup.
In everything we store, stock, or purchases for our lives we try to find things that can be truly multi-purpose and last for a long time; for example we stock large quantities of grain alcohol as it can help clean for medical reasons, help start fires, and help warm the soul if need be.
Now to the point of this whole thing, I have read Survival Blog for years now, and have seen small articles or quick mentions of tools here and there, and I wanted to go into a little more detail and thought into prepping your tool shed.

First and foremost, buy quality! Yes you can go pick up four screwdriver sets a Wally World for what one quality set cost you at Sears, but truth be told most of us would not pick up four sets, and when you are on a roof, under the car, or even under fire and your tool breaks, it doesn’t matter you could have picked up four sets. All that matters then is you have a broken cheap tool.
Don’t judge quality by a life time warranty. There are a lot of tools out there that come with a “life time” warranty, but most of those do cover our stupidity of using a screwdriver as a chisel, and most of those require you mail the broken product off and wait 90 plus days for them ship you a replacement. We all know the Craftsman hand tool warranty, bring in the broken tool and they will give you a replacement. I do have to warn you though there are some poorly made Craftsman tools out there, so be sure you handle the tool and check it out. I have even been known to do some research online to check out the reviews before purchasing.

If it is important, get more than one. Like I said earlier if you are on the roof and your hammer breaks, it would really bite to have to go to the store, if you can, to get another one. Even though modern tools are more durable than they use to be, they can still break. Put enough force on those modern fiberglass handles and they will break. I broke a shovel handle, by having a cinder block fall two stories on to it. The falling cinder block is a whole other story, but the point is the shovel handle broke. I have multiple shovels, hammer, screw driver sets, chisels, wrenches, pliers, etc. I even have extra handles for my tools, and some quality lumber stored that I could turn into a handle if need be.

Figure out what you are going to do when the power is out. When buying power tools be sure you don’t have to fully rely on plugging them in. First with hand power tools, if you are without power you are pretty much out of luck. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have them, it just means you should be ready to be without them. Be sure you have a couple of different handsaws, hand drills, hand planes, pretty much any powered hand tool you get be sure you have a backup. I was lucky to inherit both of my grandfather’s tools; it was amazing to find tools from my great-great grandfathers tools mixed into these that still worked and sometimes did a better job than any new tool. As for battery powered tools, these can be a good alternative, but not the only backup. You could setup a fueled or solar generator to power the tools or charge the batteries when need be, but the system could break down, so don’t have these as your only backup. Be sure you have plenty of extra batteries and extra cells. By cells I mean inside of each battery pack there is a group of smaller cells, which most look like C-Cell batteries, but note they are not. Do a little work on Google and you will find the replacement cells for your battery pack. When one of the batteries fail it usually only a single cell or two inside the pack that have actually failed; it is a simple thing to replace one of the cells if you know how to check them and solider in the new one.  When it comes to power tools, both plug in and battery powered try to stay in the same brand. Sometimes there are parts that could be interchangeable if one breaks down, and if you stay with the same battery types it will save you a lot of headaches of dealing with multiple chargers and batteries. It is so nice to only worry about one battery. Finally stand tools. There is nothing nicer than having a good table saw, band saw, chop saw, and drill press, but what are you going to do when the power is out? During my summers in North Carolina, there was an old water powered mill. It was the most fascinating thing to see all these pulleys and belts humming all over the place. This has always been in my head when buying stand tools. Be sure the system is a pulley and belt and not a direct drive type; if need you can convert the power source from the electric motor to some alternative input. I have done a little experiment with a windmill and my table saw. After figuring out the gearing and going a little slower that I am use to, I was cutting ¾ inch plywood smooth and clean. Buy extra brushes, cords, and any other serviceable parts for all of your power tools. As with in other prepping put some thought into, so you can get the life you need out of.

Figure out what else you can do with it. Multi-purpose should always be thought about. One of the best examples I could ever give is back to my shovel. We were about to dry our clothes, when we found a wind storm had broken one of our clothes line poles the night before. For a quick fix, since we had wet clothes. I stuck the shovel in the ground and tied the clothes line off to it. Don’t ever look at anything as a single purpose item; of course this doesn’t mean miss use a tool, like a gun butt does not make a good hammer, but always be aware of your tools how they work, and what else you can do with them. Clamps have a 101+ uses, maybe this will be my next letter, screw drivers in a pinch can be used a wedge, pliers can go from the garden to the car to your mouth if need be. A drill can power things from a coffee grinder to an ice cream maker, or a meat grinder to a water pump, I have even powered a chicken plucker with a hammer drill before. There are even now power tools that have interchangeable heads. The one I purchased has a drill, jig saw, electric hammer, socket driver, sanding pads, and cut-off blade; there was also a battery powered version that used the same batteries as my other tools. So with two tools I have 6 tools both plug-in and battery powered so really 12 different tools.
If you can’t find your tools you might as well not have. You shouldn’t be without is a good toolbox. Now I am not talking about a little portable hand tool box, which you should have a few of as well, I am talking about a large multi-drawer/cabinet toolbox. Have a nice place to put your tools. Be sure to keep some desiccant in the drawer to try and keep moister down. I know the cost of these can be high, but a good quality nice looking toolbox, make you proud of your tools, and in turn helps you want to keep them organized, clean and put away.

Take care of them and keep them clean. I remember my grandfather taking is air-tools apart cleaning, greasing, and oiling them. I also remember him wiping down and oiling his hammer, screw drivers, wrenches. I know some of our tools today are made of products that will not rust, but most just have some coating or covering on them and when scratched can start to rust. A simple wipe down with oil will help the metal will last for a lot longer. Furthermore if you are storing some tools stock, just like your guns, keep them oiled, when you go to use them it could be the difference in a quality tool and a wrench so rusted to slips around the nut. In the tools I inherited from my grandfather there where some of the first Craftsman power tools, the old chrome ones, which still worked! There were hand tools with their original boxes that if the cardboard wasn’t yellowed you would have had no idea they were well used. A good tool taken care of will last several life times.

Don’t forget the big guys. Now let’s talk about a few big items I don’t think we should be without. One of the most important big tools, in my humble opinion, is a diesel welder/generator. This item covers so many bases I think there are too many list, but luckily I also think it is self-explanatory. Now the welder/generator should not be your primary generator, but a backup one that can also weld. Next would be a compressor. A single compressor can power a huge amount of air tools, as well as just having the high pressure air to clean, feel tires, and more. With the compressor be sure to have extra hoses and fittings. I also love the Shop-Smith multi-tool; however I do not own one. I have recently used a newer one and was very pleased with its performance, my only two complaints were one it was a little cumbersome to switch between tools and two if it breaks down all your tools are out of commission. For the amount of room it took up compared to the tools it replaced I think it might soon be an addition to my shop. As for the compressor and Shop-Smith they both can be powered by alternative power from wind and water, to solar or fueled generator, so be sure you have a backup to power them.

Know your tool, know your environment. Make sure you have the proper place to use your tools. A lot of tools create a lot of dust or fumes, be sure you have a well ventilate place to use your tools. Be sure you have a secure safe place to use your tools. And most important be sure you know how to properly use your tools. I have watched so many "reality" shows that by the end I am amazed the people are still alive. Read the manuals, know when and what to oil, how to sharpen, how to change accessories, what and how to wax, and most important simply how to use it.

In my opinion all of what I have said is just common since, but sometimes you just have to hear it or see it, for to sink in. Being prepared for anything includes being able to fix a squeaky door, level a floor, or performing a head job on your truck. Whatever it is you will need the right tools and in working order. Put some thought into and the end game will be just that much easier. 

An aspect of survival preparedness that is easily overlooked and sometimes ignored is the utilization of a home-based small business as a means of financial preparation as well as a method of acquiring and stockpiling survival necessities.  It appears likely that some level of collapse and restructuring of our financial and monetary system will take place in the near future.  Establishing your own business is a good way to protect against a financial system catastrophe and prepare for other disastrous events. 

Starting and growing a small business may seem a daunting task for many, however, it can be done with very little start-up capital by utilizing resources you may already have.  Some intangible principles needed for any business start-up should be familiar to most readers of this blog.  They include:  goal oriented planning, hard work, resourcefulness, ethics, sacrifice, and a good team to work with.  As a business owner, I can confirm that if you plan to start a business, be prepared to work many long, hard hours if you expect any measure of success.

Before considering starting a business, look in the mirror.  Define your core competencies.  In this country, business opportunities are endless so you must carve yourself a niche based on your strengths.  Everyone is unique and holds particular skills and talents.  It is essential that you identify and take advantage of these strengths not only in business, but in all aspects of life.  Know yourself.

The clichéd idea of goal setting is actually a very useful and essential tool in both prepping and business.  For many people, making a simple list is the most effective way of setting and executing goals.  I have found that it is important to keep two sets of goals at all times:  long term and short term.  A list of goals should be periodically updated as part of an ongoing assessment of your current and projected situation.  Without clearly defined goals it is easy to fall into a state of complacency and lose your direction.  To avoid becoming overwhelmed, start with smaller, more attainable goals.  Achieving these short term goals will facilitate the execution of your larger long term goals.  The satisfaction of achieving goals can become a genuinely strong motivating force.

Once you have defined your goals and core competencies, the actual process of starting a business is quite easy.  Most states have a web site that can assist you in forming your business.  Online legal services like LegalZoom.com can make it easy to do all of the proper filings.  Your lawyer can also guide you in the right direction.  Legal and state filing fees vary from state to state, but expect to spend at least $500 on this process.  Depending on your business and the state you are in, there may be insurance requirements as well.  It is important to consult a lawyer and accountant when considering starting a business.

I am a carpenter by trade, so start-up of our remodeling company for my partner (brother) and I was relatively inexpensive.  We already had trucks, tools, computers, etc., so it was really a matter of organization.  I have an associate’s degree in business and my brother has a bachelor’s degree in advertising, so we did start the venture with some business background.  We both also had extensive backgrounds in construction.  However, continuing education through books, trade publications, and classes has been and continues to be an invaluable resource for us.  Continually developing your skills and knowledge goes hand in hand with the growth of a business.  Whatever field of business you choose, it is important to not only have business skills, but to become an expert in your field.  There is no substitute for experience, so identifying and developing your core competencies is crucial.

We started our remodeling company in August of 2008, which was the start of the worst period ever for remodelers and home builders.  We worked out of my garage and the back of my Ford Ranger for the first year or so, and it was not easy.  However, because we started with what we had, and avoided the trap of heavily leveraging ourselves, we have seen consistent growth each year.  Our sales have doubled every year since start-up, we have one company vehicle (soon to be two), a 3,000 square foot shop in which we are building a 400 square foot design/sales center, one full-time employee and one part-time employee (in addition to my brother and I), a network of clients, suppliers, and reliable sub-contractors, and virtually zero debt.

You might be wondering what growing a remodeling company has to do with survival preparedness  Any business provides its owner(s) with an opportunity to acquire things they want without having to pay for them directly while providing a tax shelter.  I certainly don’t suggest doing anything illegal, so always consult a lawyer and accountant with any tax or liability questions. 

Our shop has a modest, but growing stock of lumber, hardware, fasteners, electrical and plumbing supplies, tools, kerosene heaters, cleaning supplies, and various other supplies and equipment that are handy for home repair and improvement (or future barter/trade).  The best part is that, through reinvestment of profits, we acquired all of this stuff without coming out of pocket.  Also, because these items are business expenses, our tax burden is decreased each time we acquire them. 

Another less obvious advantage to business as it relates to survival prep is the networking opportunity.  Our growing group of clients, suppliers, and sub contractors is a resource rich network of people that otherwise would’ve never been presented to me.  For instance, one of our sub contractors has a rural property that could potentially make an ideal bug out location.  We have actually performed some barter work with this individual, so future trade/barter lines have already been established.  He also has some heavy equipment (backhoe, bulldozer) which is always a valuable resource.  One of our clients is a local jeweler who also deals in coins.  I’ve been able to purchase silver coin and bullion from him at below market premiums.  He is also open to paying us in silver or gold for our work.  He maintains a reasonable stock of gold and silver and has the ability to test and meltdown metals as well.  Needless to say, this is a good contact.  Our main plumbing supplier regularly alerts us to future fluctuations in price for things like copper and plastic pipe and fittings allowing us to stock up on these items before price increases.  Having a large stockpile of copper pipe and fittings prior to a major currency devaluation would certainly not be a liability if SHTF.  Developing relationships with clients, suppliers, and sub contractors is an excellent exercise in survival prep as it is important to take advantage of all available resources before and after a SHTF event.

The survival prep principles and ideas that I’ve outlined as they apply to my business could apply to any business you could imagine.  I was at my local (locally owned) gun shop/range yesterday with some friends honing our shooting skills and realized that the patriots who own and operate this shop certainly have an excellent resource base for a post SHTF scenario.  I had actually done some remodeling work at this gun shop roughly seven years ago when the current owners took over, and they have really made strides in growing their business since then.  Their stock includes hundreds of guns and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition as well as tactical gear, knives, and other accessories.  They also offer training courses in shooting and self defense, and have a very nice indoor range.  The point is that this group of entrepreneurs identified their core competencies (guns) then set and accomplished some goals.  Now they have a large retail stock of arguably one of the most valuable post-SHTF commodities that you could imagine.  Not to mention, it must be pretty cool walking into work every day and seeing an Armalite AR50-A1 .50 BMG caliber rifle sitting on the shelf with a case full of shells the size of bananas.

There are countless way to go into business for yourself that could give you a major advantage as you prepare for whatever is coming.  If you love fashion and clothing, start a dress shop.  Seamstress skills and equipment will be extremely valuable post SHTF.  Do you love to cook?  Open a diner or restaurant.  It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have a bunch of food and cooking supplies on hand.  Do you love the outdoors?  Start an online outfitter’s retail site.  Selling camping and survival gear is a great way to supplement your own survival needs.  Are you a talented writer?  Start a survival blog web site and publish books that contain invaluable information needed when considering preparation for any type of disaster.  On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t do that last one.  The bottom line is that almost any business endeavor you can imagine can provide some practical advantage to the prepper lifestyle.  You just need to apply some basic principles that you already have.  The gratification and independence achieved by building your own business can help you prepare for whatever happens in life in more ways than you might think.  Independent entrepreneurship is what made this country great, and I believe that that spirit is what will drive us through the hard times ahead.

Recently, due to financial considerations, we decided to end our garbage collection service. It wasn't a large expense, but our budget is tighter than ever these days and with some planning we realized that it was actually a luxury, not a necessity. Besides, those of us who are preparing for the likely future of a breakdown in society shouldn't really expect to have convenient curb waste disposal services, now should we? How were you planning on handling that day when it comes? You have 500 trash bags and you're just going to stack bags of trash in some out-of-the-way corner of the barn for vermin to sort through and spread health hazards? What about sanitation? When your water service cuts off and your toilet won't flush you can pump or haul water, or maybe you have plans to dig an outhouse. Let me propose some better solutions to you.

Now, I live in a rural area, in the unincorporated area of a county and not within any city limits, so much of what I propose is applicable to my situation here and will not apply to city dwellers. You need land to be sustainable in any real sense. Over years of living a preparedness lifestyle, I have realized that in the long run preparedness blends into sustainability. I have solar and wind power, a wood stove, a biofuel vehicle, a large garden, and now a composting toilet not because I'm an extreme environmentalist, but because the less I depend on the infrastructure of society, the less it matters to me whether it's there or not. If/when “something bad happens”, I don't have to do anything special. My fuel supplies stay stocked, my food supplies are rotated constantly as part of “normal life”. If the grid goes down suddenly the extent of my panic will be to turn on the shortwave and scanner to start collecting news. However, in this article I will try to contain myself to discussing the subject at hand, which is waste management.

The first step to dealing with “waste” is mental. You need to adjust your thinking to realize that hardly anything is truly “waste”. Almost everything can be reused or recycled, and then it's not “waste” any more, it's useful. Also, on the front end the less packaging and non-recyclable items you bring into your life to begin with the less you'll have to deal with on the back end. As our family lifestyle became more sustainable over time, I was amazed at the reduction in volume of “trash” that we had. I'll now cover each disposal method in turn.

First, there is burning. Let's say you just pulled out a frozen dinner to eat, or a new product from the package. Most likely the package was either paperboard or corrugated cardboard, perhaps wrapped in plastic (we'll get to the plastic). Let's start with the obvious: paper and cardboard burn very well and fairly completely if given sufficient oxygen. In our house we have a wood stove, and I use waste paper and cardboard as kindling to light it. Now that we're in the heating season I can dispose of quite a lot of paper waste this way. Several months before heating season starts I begin stockpiling all the paper, paperboard and corrugated containers, newspapers, and non-glossy sales circulars so we will have sufficient kindling all winter long. A note to stove owners: newer catalytic stoves are picky about what you feed them. Check your owner's manual for information about burning paper, because you don't want to poison the stove catalyst. My understanding is that if you stick to non-colored paper such as office paper this should be okay even in catalytic stoves. The rest of the paper and combustible waste I burn in the burn barrel. My wood stove ash gets used to make lye, and then lye soap with, so I try to only burn clean materials without brightly colored inks or glossy paper, as these could contain undesirable chemicals. The remaining depleted ash has less potassium content but is still a useful fertilizer, so I spread it on the lawn and around trees. A side note: I once calculated the fuel value of the paperboard container of a package of macaroni and cheese. It's easy enough to weigh the empty box with a kitchen scale, and the resulting weight is pure dry carbohydrate biomass, with an energy content of 4 Calories (that is, kilocalories or 4184 J) per gram. I discovered the box had about 200 Calories of energy! If you burn the box, that's less Calories of food energy you have to consume in winter to stay warm. Think of all the extra heat you're missing, just lurking in everyday “waste” products....

Now, the old familiar burn barrel has been well known ever since shortly after the introduction of steel 55 gallon drums. It suffers from low combustion temperatures and limited oxygen, leading to dirty and incomplete combustion. I have constructed a “turbo” burn barrel with a few simple modifications. I took an old rusty open-top drum and cut a 4-inch round hole in the side just above the bottom. This is easily accomplished with a power drill and jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. Even this one improvement will go a long way toward making the barrel burn better since air can now flow in the bottom, but this wasn't all I had in mind. I then attached a length of 4-inch aluminum flexible duct, the kind that's used on clothes dryers, and a small blower motor. I had a bathroom vent-type blower left over from another project, and it handily fits onto a 4 inch flex duct. Now what you have more closely resembles a blacksmith's forge than a regular burn barrel. Of course, for true off-grid use you'd need a DC blower instead, but I have about half a dozen different ways to generate AC. For 12 VDC, I'm sure a salvaged automotive ventilation blower could be modified to fit the bill, or perhaps even a computer-style axial fan, some of the larger ones can move quite a bit of air.

Regardless of the air source, you now have a burn barrel that breathes much better and will combust materials much more completely. It's perfect for disposing of any combustible waste materials including paper and yes, most plastics. If you look at the recycling symbol found on most plastic packaging you will learn what it's made from. Here's a quick guide:

1 - PETE (polyethylene terephtalate), combustible
2 - PE-HD (high density polyethylene), combustible
3 - PVC (polyvinyl chloride), non-combustible
4 - PE-LD (low density polyethylene), combustible
5 - PP (polypropylene), combustible
6 - PS (polystyrene), combustible
7 - Other (often polycarbonate or ABS), non-combustible

Remember that plastics are made from oil. Most forms of plastic, under proper high-temperature combustion with adequate oxygen, happily just melt and burn like oil. The problems with plastics are the ones containing chlorine in the formulation somehow. This includes plastics like PVC. If these are burned, hazardous chlorine compounds are formed. If no other means of disposal is available, these plastics will have to be given the second disposal method, burial or landfilling.

I am not technically qualified to offer advice on landfilling, but US Army Field Manual 21-10, “Field Hygiene and Sanitation” does offer some guidelines. Some items will have to be landfilled, such as the ash left over from the burn barrel, and those plastics which are not safely combustible. Currently, I am still able to drive to a nearby town and pay for disposal by the pound, so right now I am not having to landfill anything.

The next disposal method I will cover after burning and burying is composting. Any organic material can and should be composted. Composting is nature's own recycling mechanism, capable of turning waste back into useful materials and neutralize a wide variety of harmful substances! A properly built compost pile will heat up to sterilizing temperatures and not only kill bacteria and other harmful organisms but also neutralize many harmful chemicals too. All kitchen scraps, yard and garden waste, dead small animals, waste oil and grease, and other organic materials should go in the compost pile. Yes, many compost experts have long advocated the “don't” list of forbidden materials in the pile, normally including things like meat, fats, and pet and human wastes. At this point let me stop and strongly advocate that you go and read “The Humanure Handbook” by Joseph Jenkins. It's available free online, or you can buy a printed copy inexpensively from the usual sources. I can't recommend this book highly enough. In it the author does a thorough job of debunking many of the compost myths. He quotes a long list of sources and research studies to prove his points. In fact, most of the book is about composting in general, not just the title topic. Please do yourself and your family a favor and read this book.

[JWR Adds an Important Caveat Lector: While some of the advice given by Jenkins in his Humanure Handbook is good, I soundly reject his assertion that "humanure" can be used in vegetable gardens in all climates and at all times of the year. Outside of the tropics, in three seasons there is simply too much risk of disease transmission. Unless all of the waste from carnivores and omnivores gets above the viability temperature for bacteria, then it is a biohazard. If you must use "humanure", then use it only for flower beds and shrubbery. And for that, be sure to use a separate, dedicated set of spades and buckets that have their handles marked with red tape. Never use those tools in your vegetable garden!]

After reading the book, I constructed a three-bin compost system similar to the one shown in the book. Each bin is about 5'x5'x4'. You start constructing a pile by laying down a foot or more of absorbent organic material as a buffer. In my case, I had numerous cubic yards of wood chips left over from other projects, so that's what I used. Then on top of that you start building your compost pile, adding to it a little at a time as materials become available. The active materials stay covered with a thick blanket of dry high-carbon materials (think hay or straw) on top to retain heat. A long-stem compost thermometer is a useful tool to tell you how your pile is doing, and within days mine had heated up over 120 degrees. Most days it hovers between 120 and 140, and this is even with the arrival of fall weather and cooler temperatures. All known gastrointestinal pathogens die within 24 hours at temperatures of 120 degrees..

This ties in naturally with my next topic, sanitation. As part of my long-term sustainability plans I have a rainwater collection system and a large cistern, but if I lose my utility water supply my quantities of water will be very limited. Even with a modern efficient toilet, flushing water is still a major demand. I had been researching for a long time to find better alternatives when I learned about the humanure handbook and got an education in composting. However, my plans for a “plan B” got accelerated when my old gravity flow septic system started having problems. I won't describe all the details, but now we are at the point where it barely works and the choices are either to dig up and replace the drain field at huge expense or decommission it. Enter “plan B”, front and center. My old farm house already had a gray water drain connected to the clothes washer, but now I have rearranged the plumbing so the kitchen sink, dishwasher, and shower drain into it as well. Thank goodness for an old pier and beam farmhouse, and a generous crawl space, that makes retrofits like this possible.  For the toilet, I constructed the "lovable loo" according to the plans in the book.  You can also buy it pre-made online if you don't like woodworking.  It uses 5 gallon buckets as the collection receptacle, but all the composting happens in the large pile in the yard where it can be done efficiently at high temperatures.  It's amazing, but just adding some dry high-carbon material to the bucket to cover after each use keeps the contents aerobic and completely stops odor, flies, and other problems traditionally associated with portable toilets and outhouses.  Sawdust, leaves, straw, newspaper, finely shredded mulch, all work perfectly well.  It just needs to be relatively dry (to offset the moisture content of what's going in the toilet) and have a high carbon/nitrogen ratio (to offset the high nitrogen content of what's going in the toilet).  What else can I say?  It works.  Read the book.

Another aspect of sanitation is feminine hygiene. Instead of stockpiling large amounts of necessary products ahead of time, we found it made more sense to just go sustainable instead. Plans are available on the internet to make your own feminine pads, but for the time involved I think it just makes more sense to buy instead. Many thanks to the folks at Naturally Cozy, we can testify to the quality of their products. That's one less thing to have to worry about. For actual washing, we have a number of options but normally choose to use the spin-type pressure hand washer from Lehman's for small amounts of soiled articles like this that you might not want to mix with your regular loads of laundry. This works for future off grid use as well, since it's hand powered. More or less the same should apply to families with young children in diapers too. It doesn't make sense to stockpile the large quantities needed, and then to have a waste disposal problem on the other end. The best way to dispose of waste is not to have it in the first place.

For large-scale clothes washing in a grid down situation, we should still be able to use our electric washer (but not dryer) since we have several ways to generate electricity. We have two generators, one truck with a beefy inverter, and a large 120 Volt AC inverter on the solar power system. Any of these should run the washer at least occasionally. We have a significant stock of detergent and a very nice clothes line. For return on dollars invested on renewable energy improvements, you can't beat the good old fashioned clothes line.

Okay, we have dealt with the combustible trash and plastics, but what about metals and glass? Currently there are recycling centers close by, and some of these materials can even put a little money back in your pocket, but in the future these will need to be dealt with differently. For aluminum, probably the best “disposal” method is melting and casting. I am not currently equipped to do this, although it is one of the next areas of preparedness/sustainability I plan to tackle. A small furnace can easily reach aluminum melting temperatures. In fact, my turbo burn barrel can probably reach aluminum melting temperatures. Hmmm, use trash to dispose of trash? Now there's an idea...

I have not seen much in the way of glass melting and casting/blowing information, but I know that people do this for a hobby so information has to be available. Reusing existing glass bottles, jars, and containers as much as possible is probably the best interim solution, but what do you do with extras, or broken pieces? Being able to turn them back into useful goods would be much better than landfilling.

After all that has been dealt with, there is still hazardous waste. Broken electronics, batteries, chemicals, and other things we don't want to mess with. For now it usually possible to turn these in at special hazardous waste collection centers, or at special “collection drives” that our local governments sponsor a few times a year. When this is no longer possible, encapsulation and storage will probably be the only option. I should also note that any very old painted wood could possibly contain lead-based paint, which should not be burned. It probably shouldn't be landfilled anywhere except in a properly designed landfill either, so if you have some, get rid of it now or you may be stuck with a problem. Computers can be parted out into components and the remaining circuit boards take up much less space. There is nearly a pound of aluminum in an average hard drive, and one or two really useful rare earth magnets.

A disclaimer: we don't live completely off grid for electricity or water. We have a 600W photovoltaic array and small wind turbine that together run a 900 Ah battery bank and Sun Frost 12 Volt DC refrigerator and SunDanzer 12V freezer. The rest of the house is on utility power. If the utility goes down, the food stays cold even without me having to start the generator. I designed the system for 12 volts instead of 24 so I can recharge the battery bank from a vehicle if necessary, or even jump start a vehicle from the constantly-charged battery bank. Likewise, we use utility water but I can throw two valves and in a matter of minutes run the house plumbing from a 10,000 gallon cistern with rain water. The pumps (two, double redundant) can be run directly from the PV system, and the water goes through 5 micron filtration and a Sterilight UV sterilization system. In other words, the grid is still “Plan A”, but I can implement “Plan B” very rapidly and have tested it.

Living off grid doesn't have to be onerous. In most cases it's more work than the convenience of living on grid, but then what do you do when the grid goes down? Besides, the work is mostly good exercise and enjoyable. I like cutting and splitting wood. I love the warm radiant heat of the wood stove. I love the security of having my own power company, my own water utility, and my own gas station. Most people just rent their lifestyle month by month, but I own mine outright. Take away either the monthly income or the infrastructure, and “plan A” ceases to work rather rapidly.

I've been a faithful reader of SurvivalBlog and several others for several years. I have downloaded the archives onto my Kindle and am about halfway through those, too. I am simultaneously fascinated, entertained, and horrified by what I have read. I have learned a lot, been totally confused/overwhelmed by everything electronic, amused and entertained by the fascination with firearms and ammunition, and all over the scale on 1,001 other issues. Can anyone ever be "fully prepped?" Probably not, but we are all working on it or toward it. This article is about how you can simultaneously help other "survivors" while helping yourself. Let's take a different direction and make you an entrepreneur for TEOTWAWKI. (This is going to be a point-counterpoint style article--I'll take some heat, for sure, but debate is always good. And, we're going simple with this article--It seems to me that simple is generally better than complicated).
 
A little bio first. I am not a kid. In fact, I am certainly older (65) than most of you reading this. Same wife (prettier than ever, confuses me even more today than the day we married) for 43+ years. Two grown and awesome sons, one a military academy grad/serving O-5, the other a major corporation marketing executive. (Even though I love to brag about them, OPSEC says stop now).
 
My military (23 years active/reserve commissioned officer, US Army) and civilian background (independent consultant) is leadership, operations, tactics, strategy, and senior executive staffing (and flying helicopters. I earned an MBA from a big-deal business school--you need one of those in my business for the credibility--but I believe I learned more about life as a tactical flight instructor at Fort Rucker than I have in business or graduate school). I know ("used to know" is more accurate, I guess; most of my weapons knowledge is dated, for sure) a lot about things that shoot (Infantry OCS--"Benning School For Boys"--grad in the 1960s, Vietnam combat vet, qualified on everything from the .38 revolvers to 81mm mortars and the 106mm recoilless rifle. I don't think anyone has written about that last weapon in this space--It would be very useful against the "Golden Horde" WTSHTF, wouldn't it? The last of those are somewhere out west on avalanche-suppression duty). I am not a "gun guy," but respect those of you who are. And, I hope (and predict) you won't get a chance to exercise those skills WTSHTF. More on that in a minute.
 
I am a long term prepper. Guess what got me started? I have been a coin collector since I was a kid. Believe it or not, when I was a teenager (if you were very lucky and looked through enough rolls of pennies), you could find 1909 S-VDBs and 1914Ds in circulation. If anything will raise your awareness of the value of money/decline in the value of the dollar, coin collecting will do it. Watching the metals markets and buying/selling coins and metals have consistently made me money and continue to do so today. (Even with the recent "haircut" we have taken in the metals market, as my bullion dealer, who lost a lot more money than I have said: "A loss isn't a loss until you sell." Hold on to your gold and silver; the prices will certainly come back. Watch for the dips and add more as you are able. Jim--My pile of nickels is getting big).
 
Here's a little "detour" on the subject of "junk" silver coins (I really dislike the term--They are a long way from junk, but we're stuck forever with the inaccurate handle), but it relates to post-TEOTWAWKI commerce, so this is a good place to mention it. I'll try to stay out of the weeds here. The U.S. Mint switched over to copper clad coins in 1965 (only a few collector [proof] coins have been made of silver since; these generally carry a numismatic premium over the "melt" value--too complicated to worry about here. Also, please do not ding me on the [latter] 40% silver halves. You and I know what they are, but why confuse the rest of the audience?), so you want pre-1965 dimes/quarters/halves in your survival stock. The metal changed, but the design of the coins did not--Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters, and Kennedy halves are still being minted today, but in the debased (copper clad) metal. This gives you several choices. You can stock up on the old (pre-'65) silver coins in these designs or easily go one design back on the dimes and halves. Given the choice (and for a small premium over the Roosevelts/Kennedys), select "Mercury" (technically, "Winged Liberty") dimes and "Walking Liberty" halves for your survival stock. When the time comes to "spend" (or accept) them, the older designs will be more quickly accepted (they exist in silver only, not clad); the others will need to be more closely examined (to make sure they are silver, not clad). If you are putting away silver quarters, you are more or less stuck with Washingtons, which replaced "Standing Liberties" in 1932--those are pretty scarce, have more numismatic residual value, and probably not as useful for trade (again, a little too complicated). I have purchased gold and silver for many years from Gold & Bullion Reserves of Panama City, Florida. Larry Lee (PNG member) is a class guy and they sell for less of a premium than many other firms. If you go for halves, you can generally purchase "Franklins" for the same price as Kennedys. I think the Franklins are the better choice, again because of the confusion associated with the Kennedys (silver, 40% silver--Why would anyone want those? Worth less than a silver quarter, takes up twice the space, and confuses everyone--or clad, worth roughly nothing). Enough on that. This little detour on silver will probably generate more arguing and quibbling than the rest of the article.
 
I got serious about preparing for disaster with Y2K, as I worried about the possible meltdown of every way money moves electronically. Like everyone who prepared seriously, I felt a little foolish after the non-event, but I also learned lessons that have served me and my family well, as we have faced several "glancing blows" and one direct hit of hurricanes since. We have wasted almost nothing we stocked--There are still a few odds and ends in the garage, but I have used almost everything over the years. I actually used a Y2K replacement toilet flapper in the last week (nothing to expire there). The emergency food we had stocked--a full year's worth--made a nice contribution to the Rescue Mission (and tax deduction for us) after the fact. This provided a yearly model we continue to follow today--Win/win/win for the mission and freshness rotation/tax deduction for us. (Important record-keeping side issue: If you tithe to your church and you exceed this with additional contributions to other charitable organizations, be prepared to defend every dollar you have donated. The IRS is amazed and skeptical when someone gives away ten percent or more of their income. I have been audited every year for my charitable contributions since 2000. Save every receipt from every purchase and be sure to back this up with the charity's receipt and your itemized list. This has managed to satisfy the Feds every year). 
 
Let's set the stage for an opposing view of what I believe a "Post-TEOTWAWKI" U.S.A. will look like, at least around here. I see more order and goodness than many others who have written in this space. I believe the basic American instincts, beliefs, and attitudes of freedom, patriotism, fair play, charity, entrepreneurial spirit, and love of God and country (not necessarily in that order; rearrange as you see fit and continue with your own list) will ultimately trump the darker forces of chaos, violence, and evil--at least outside the major metropolitan areas and especially outside the Eastern "Megalopolis." By my mind, those cities and suburbs are already lost beyond retrieval; God help you and your family if you live there and you have decided to "bug-in." Nothing good is going to happen between Richmond and Boston.   
 
I live in a small metro area extremely conservative in nature, adjacent to a small military installation. I estimate there are several times more guns in my county than there are people--We have lots of "polite" people. If any community will organize itself to survive a societal meltdown, this will be the one. Even our power plant could be disconnected from the eastern grid and last for quite a while (even though their coal pile is limited by state law to 90 days' supply). So, my perspective in this article is primarily for folks living in and around smaller and conservative cities, not the big ones. (Side message for those of you reluctant to move because you are clinging to "wonderful" schools around a major metro area--We bailed out of one of those "top" school districts in Dupage County, Illinois (a Chicago suburb) with young children 25 years ago. Both sons did well in the local school system. Our older son went to West Point. Our younger son recently finished his Executive MBA and was an academic scholarship and college soccer player as an undergraduate. It's clear to me that the standards parents set at home are a lot more important than those prevailing in the local school system. Your kids will thrive, too, if you stay involved with them--set higher personal academic and behavioral standards than the local school system does, keep them busy and involved with the church, find and encourage them to participate in team sports, monitor their friends, and so forth. My mother used to tell me you can predict how well someone will do with their lives by measuring the quality of their friends. Members of our church used to tell us they wanted kids like ours--I told them we didn't do anything that they couldn't do. Helping your kids stand up to peer pressure is probably the toughest task parents can face--but the payoff is high).
 
Here we go. "It"--some sort of meltdown--has hit us: Here we are several weeks into some world-changing catastrophe. It seems to me the cause of the disaster matters very little; there are plenty of causes to bring about the crunch. Major cities on the East Coast have rioted/burned, thousands/millions are dead, survivors are hungry and streaming to the countryside. They are a long way from us. If a few stragglers make it here, they will almost certainly be absorbed (resort community with lots of absentee-owner condos--we are a "bug-out" location for preppers located in several major southeastern US cities), run off, or killed (there are plenty--plenty--of combat veterans here. This is a military and veteran community, remember? If you are still in the process of selecting a bugout, retreat, or relocation site, add that possibility (owning a summer resort condo as bugout location) to your calculations. (I recall from the SurvivalBlog archives someone predicting bad things potentially happening around military installations because of all the "under-employed" troops hanging around. I see no way "bad" things could happen--Anyone believing that has absolutely no experience in the character of young enlisted people currently serving (it's high)--Our former and retired NCOs and officers will feed 'em, lead 'em, and put them to work protecting us).
 
Here are my predictions: The county Sheriff's Department--augmented with plenty of volunteers, reservists, and community watch groups--has the violence tamped down and under control. It didn't take long at all for a county-wide ad hoc system of emergency radio to replace the 911 system (FRS, CB, ham, and so forth). Cell phones are working for local calls. (Another side issue: In hurricane territory, you keep at least one "hard-wired" phone in the house--Phone service is sometimes uninterrupted when the power is down. Cordless phones stop working when the power is off. I also have a satellite phone for backup communications with the kids). Looters and violent offenders--there were a few--were shot. Somehow, that served as a useful deterrent. Several school buses parked across the roads into town/bridges into the county have controlled and limited access from the outside. Our very polite/well-armed deputies manning the roadblocks are letting all residents and property owners through (those absentee condo owners with proof of it). Others have to have a sponsor to vouch for them and come and get them--friends, relatives, and so forth. Those not making the cut are given modest rations of food, water, and fuel along with good directions down the road.
 
Stores are mostly closed/shuttered. Law enforcement is still functioning and robust. There are armed guards securing "Big Box" stores. We have a large marine gasoline terminal (delivered here by barge on the Intercoastal Waterway); also armed guards there. Some service stations are still operating on generator power (cash only--silver is best; prices are inflated), but no one seems to be driving much; the roads are almost deserted. There was some sporadic looting downtown ('bad" neighborhood) and at a few isolated C-stores in the rural areas. Neighborhood watch groups organized pretty quickly, with neighborhood entrances manned and blocked. The churches were also quick to act, opening their food pantries (evidently, there was a lot more prep than anticipated and we learned important lessons on refugee feeding from Hurricane Katrina) and their kitchens. Our people are taking care of each other.
 
So. The situation is more-or-less stable ...at least temporarily. We are living off stored supplies. Help is obviously not on the way; the feds and the state have their hands full elsewhere, big time. Imagine one of Malcolm Gladwell's tipping points--Which way will this one go? Chaos or civilized adaptation?
 
If you believe (as I do) that commerce is one of mankind's great civilizing forces--and, that it's pretty hard to stamp it out--it seems to me that all preppers have an important additional duty of using their entrepreneurial skills to help tamp down possible violence, help the less-prepared survive the crisis, and all the while improve their and everyone else's chances of surviving (even prospering) from the turmoil. I think a great way to do this would be through organizing your thoughts and actions now to operate a modest retail operation for barter, trading, and sales of useful and essential items for the general population. Let's call it your "Micro Store." Any prepper should be able to do this at some level.
 
My initial thought was to create a modest "template"--sort of a basic stocking list--of essential stuff in reach to just about every prepper, probably a footlocker or two of inventory that would be easy enough to move around by cart or hand truck and that would provide a rate-of-return of about five times the investment required to put it together, all the while helping out those who need what you have put away (and would be willing to pay for what they need).
 
I've looked at lists, lists of lists, made my own list and lists of lists. Thought about/thrown out lots of ideas. I decided to approach this as I would a project for one of my consulting clients.
 
I also consult for other consultants and have learned that elegant, complicated recommendations to clients often wind up in the bottom desk drawer and unexecuted, so I decided to (try to) keep this modest analysis as simple and as easy to execute as possible. The answer to the first question is actually the toughest. At the high end extreme, you would be the WTSHTF version of a Wal-Mart--not very practical--space, transport, security, costs, and so forth push us to smaller, more conservative strategies . At the low end extreme, you would have a few extra items--things you overbought/excess to personal needs--from your prep stock to trade for things you forgot or used up. With some analysis, we can obviously do a lot better than that--You are an entrepreneur as well as a prepper, remember?
 
Even though you might ultimately develop into a post-TEOTWAWKI retailer (as an ongoing business), I am not going to try to chart a path to that; that would be far beyond the interests of most of us and this article. Instead, I see several other things we might accomplish with a barter strategy (in no particular order--assign you own weights to these)--
 
--Through individual leadership, add to community/neighborhood stability. Trading is one of the key human behaviors separating us from the animals. Along with farming, trading helped civilize the world.
 
--Help other people. However well/poorly your neighbors have prepared, there will be things others need that you can stock up on now to exchange (sell/trade/barter) later. In a voluntary exchange of any goods, both sides receive utility. More on this later.
 
--Leverage your position and help yourself. For the entrepreneur, you have the opportunity to sell/trade goods for more than you paid for them. We call this entrepreneurial gain. Typical retail markup is 100-150%. In a SHTF situation, your potential markup will be somewhat higher than that, but beware of price-gouging; it could undue all the goodwill you have created.
 
The leadership issue is an interesting one. Who will be first to set up a trading table out at the wide spot on the highway? You will, if you are prepared. Customers will come and other traders will follow. Competition is good, not bad. Remember the story of the two lawyers in town? One lawyer starves, two prosper. (Before anyone challenges me on the security issue: Yes, I believe in securing both yourself and your stock. I will do that, too--I have the firepower--but that's a subject for someone else. This article is about trading, not security). Once we have a little trading area established, it should gather momentum to everyone's benefit.
 
Let's start breaking down how to leverage your "wealth"--shooting for your entrepreneurial gain--without trying to replace Wal-Mart, remember? What do we want to sell, trade, or buy? Again, several thoughts--
If you really want to attract customers, I suggest you should think about selling and trading and buying--all three. Here's why--
 
--Selling generally means accepting some sort of currency for your goods/services. Let's assume paper currency has lost its value. You have silver coins (if you are a regular SurvivalBlog reader and don't have some pre-'65 silver at this point, you can stop reading), but your neighbors--customers--probably do not have much of it. So, be prepared to buy something from them and pay them with your silver. This will start the money circulating process that will lubricate the wheels of commerce we are hoping to achieve.
 
--Trading/Barter is also useful, but there are two ways to do this--one as a trader, where two people exchange things of equal value for personal consumption or use, the other for ultimate resale (keep thinking as an entrepreneur). The best example I can think of here is the used book store--The customer brings in two books to the store and the store trades back one. The extra book is your entrepreneurial gain. You can trade it again or sell it.
 
So, what should you stock in your little store? My selections might differ from yours, but it seems to me these are the important factors to consider what to "stock"--
--Small, compact items with high value/utility make sense: Useful, in demand, painful if you don't have it.
--Relatively inexpensive. I think small ticket items make more sense than big ones--You'll be less of a target of opportunity and will create less resentments among your customers. This strategy is about the little things, not about dealing in used tractors or horses.
--Limited amounts. You're not Wal-Mart and will need to haul this stuff to your sales location and haul it home at the end of the day. I will assume a "normal" inventory might be a footlocker's worth you can put on a hand truck or a garden cart (or maybe the bed of a pickup truck). You'll keep most of your inventory locked up somewhere else for economy, ease of transport, and security.
 
"The List." I have scratched my head for years to come up with this. No one has a monopoly on good ideas, though--Feel free to add to the list and disregard whatever you do not agree with--
 
1. Alcohol. Let's get the sin out of the way first. As a regular "Gentleman Jack" aficionado, I have a case (plus) in stock for personal use. Yeah, I know. They say a man's taste in whiskey, cigars, and women gets more expensive as a function of age. Big bottles take up too much space and they will be too expensive for regular commerce, so I think a case or two of miniatures (like you see on the airlines) makes more sense. If we can get these into circulation, I think some will use them as money. Pick your poison. My local liquor store was willing to sell me a case of regular Jack Daniels minis for $138 and a case of Absolut brand vodka (I think the ladies would probably prefer that over the Jack) for a few dollars less.

2. Coffee. Yeah, I know. The sooner I stop drinking coffee, the better (even if there are multiple, medically peer-reviewed studies illustrating clearly that drinking coffee in moderation is actually good for you. Whatever). I'll stop drinking coffee when I can't get any more, so my basic stock is a case of beans. Coffee has to be one of mankind's ultimate comfort foods and will be in high demand WTSHTF, whether it is addictive or not. You might want to put away a case or two of instant in small jars for sale/barter/trade, but I think some single service packages (the little pouches that will make one cup) make more sense. I've seen these in the warehouse stores--200 Maxwell House instant one-cup pouches per case for about $30. Get a couple of cases, at least. Sales price--three pouches/cups for a silver dime.

3. Tobacco products. I thought about leaving this off the list (because of the stigma and the general nastiness) but reconsidered after I recalled something from graduate school. This came from an MBA econ course: Do you know what the hottest, most in demand trading item in WWII prisoner of war camps was? It was cigarettes. Not chocolate, not canned food, not coffee. True, times have changed, but there are still plenty of smokers who will want their nicotine fix as long as they can get it. And, they will pay for their smokes. In the big cities, cigarettes are already being sold one or two at a time--This is the model I see post-TEOTWAWKI. A carton or two will be enough for you to stock. Sell two or three cigarettes for a silver dime. (You can store them in plastic bags in the freezer to keep them fresh if you want, but my sense of this is that stale or fresh won't make much difference to dedicated smokers.)

4. Ammunition. There is so much content concerning ammunition already on SurvivalBlog, anything I might add would be redundant or under-whelming, with one exception. We are loaded up with squirrels in my neighborhood--We jokingly refer to it as "Southeastern U.S. Squirrel Headquarters." (Hickory, oak, pecan, pine, and an invasive species the locals call "popcorn" trees--you should see those little suckers shuck the pinecones and the mess that makes when they go for the seed kernels--support a huge population). I have killed several hundred with my trusty single-shot air rifle--Good for making me feel better after I see them stripping the baby grapefruit off the tree--but not dependable enough for the stew pot. They replenish themselves faster than I can pop them. When I was a kid, I had a bolt action Mossberg .22 I could load up nearly a full box of .22 [CB] "caps" or about half a box of "shorts." I wish I still had that little rifle. Caps and shorts would be great for squirrel hunting in the neighborhood--safer than "longs" or LRs, a lot less noise, and less expensive, too. Why not put away a couple of bricks of those for trade/squirrel hunting (and the rats that will be eating everyone's garbage)?

5. Lantern mantles. I learned about this one the hard way from backpacking and canoeing trips--You cannot ever have enough of these (if you have propane lanterns) because they are so fragile after you "burn them in" they are always disintegrating when you move the lantern around. And, there's nothing so frustrating as a lantern, plenty of gas, and no mantle to make it work. I've probably used a hundred or more over the years and can detect absolutely no difference between the no-name cheapies and expensivo Colemans--They all work the same and they all break the same. Wal-Mart has cheapies for $.44/each. Get 50 or so, sell for a silver dime each in your store. (At the current rate of about 24:1, that's a good one for you). You might also want to stock a couple of dozen lamp wicks.

6. Miniature bottles  (1/8 oz.) of Tabasco sauce. We are very likely going to be eating a little differently when TSHTF; Tabasco will make about anything that isn't sweet taste better (or at least cover up/camouflage the taste of raccoon or possum or whatever was in the trap). You could buy a case or two of the little bottles sold at the grocery store, but miniatures are a better choice. Here's a great example of how a little research can make a huge difference in the price of your inventory. Google "Tabasco miniatures" and you'll get over 100,000 hits, ranging from $1/bottle to case prices. I found my best price for the 200 piece case at www.foodservicedirect.com (no personal financial interest in this; I've bought from them several times--Good service; extremely competitive prices). You might also want to stock a case each of mustard, ketchup, and soy sauce individual packets--All available at the warehouse stores; cheap. Sell two/three for a silver dime.

7. Toothpaste and dental floss. The little "travel" tubes are perfect for sale/barter, but they're too expensive to buy that way. I asked my dentist buddy to get me a case of each.

8. Beano. I love beans--every way you can think of, but especially homemade soup (navy beans cooked with ham left on the ham bone)--but starting with the second day, I am deep into intestinal distress and paying the price. Big time. So, I generally stay away from beans--I even get double rice instead of the refried beans when we eat Mexican. When TSHTF, we (you, me, and everyone collectively) will be eating a lot more beans than usual; my guess is that there are plenty of folks who will suffer with the beans for a while, until their "systems" reset. Get at least a dozen bottles (and you might even split them up into smaller quantities).

9. Antacid tablets. My aging stomach needs a couple of antacid tabs before bed, or I risk a bout of acid reflux. On the bean/rice/squirrel/raccoon (etc.) diet, I'll be going through a lot of antacids and I'll bet your neighbors will, too. Load up on these--I suggest at least a dozen jumbo bottles of 200 or so per bottle. These are cheap; no need to go for the expensive Tums--the store brand is fine and costs much less. Repackage your tablets into 25 per baggie for a silver dime (three for a quarter). Yeah, you could go with a stock of Prilosec (now OTC), but these are a lot more expensive than store brand antacids.

10. Salt and pepper. Pepper we can live without (okay-we'll suffer, but we'll make it. Without salt--We die). Interesting observation here--Even those folks who think they live just fine without salting their food are getting plenty of it from processed foods. The cravings will get intense when we're all eating unsalted beans and rice. Recommendation here is to buy a case of the s&p picnic sets at the warehouse club store and a case of bulk packed (food service) salt. Tell your "customers" to bring their empties back for refill or just bring the household salt shakers.

11. Chapsticks. It's cold outside in the winter and everyone will be outside more. There is nothing more miserable than needing a chapstick and not having one. These sell for $10/dozen at Sam's Club. I think they would be worth a silver dime each post-TEOTWAWKI. Stick to the brand name on this one--I've tried substitutes, which have all managed to disappoint.

12. Rechargeable batteries. This is a good one. I remember this suggestion from Dr. Gary North's web site as we were prepping for Y2K (seems like yesterday): Buy enough rechargeable batteries for as many neighbors as you can afford (say four AAs and four AAAs each) AND a solar-powered charger for you. Here's the deal: Give away a basic set--charged up--to whoever wants one. You'll trade a freshly-charged set for a depleted set. That will keep your customers coming back and thinking about your "store."

13. "Free lunch." This is another good one. Consider this your "loss leader" and a promotional strategy to attract customers. As you get your "store" started (the first week, maybe), offer customers a "free lunch"--a tasty bowl of chili beans or spicy noodles and a drink of "bug juice" (that's the red Kool-Aid)--for the first 25 customers or so as a promo strategy. After a few days, you can transition to a paid lunch--a dime or quarter in silver (recycling some of that silver change you put into circulation by buying from other merchants and from your customers).

14. The "bug juice" is another good idea. The water we filter/boil/purify may not taste so good and a sweet drink will be big, especially with the kids. I just priced these at the grocery store--packages (unsweetened) of cherry Kool-Aid are $.27/ea. and make two quarts. I bought 100 packages (compact; takes up very little space for the value). Your post-TEOTWAWKI sales price might be a silver dime for three or ten for a quarter.

15. Butane lighters. These are so cheap at the wholesale clubs and so profitable to sell (probably in high demand, too)--$7.95/100--get a couple bricks of a hundred/brick. Sell individual lighters for a dime each or three for a quarter. These are in the cigarette "cage" at Sam's Club. The clerk told me they are one of the favorite purchases of "C-store" owners, because they sell for $1 each at retail (we wish we could get that markup on everything, no?).

16. Books. After all these years, I remember a great line from a book--I think it was from Pat Frank's novel Alas, Babylon--"Any book same as cash." This will be a guaranteed money-maker and/or barter item; people will be desperate for
reading material and will come to your store again and again if you keep plenty of books in stock. Trade two-for-one. Sell paperbacks for a silver dime, hardbacks for a quarter. The absolute best way to build your stock now (other than saving your already read books) is by hitting garage sales. Get your best deal by offering to buy all the books at a site--You'll get the best price that way. This strategy will probably work for DVDs, too (if your "customers" were smart enough to figure out how to keep their laptops charged up).

17. Pool shock. This might very well be your major contribution to saving the human race. As you might be aware, more people have been killed by waterborne disease than all the wars of history. In a grid-down situation, we do not lose just water purification, we also lose sewage treatment (and your neighbors will be polluting everything). This combination will be deadly. You have many options for purifying water, but a "belt and suspenders" approach will be the best bet to stay healthy--Use multiple strategies to protect yourself. "Pool shock" is calcium hypochlorite, a dry powder, sold in one pound packages for swimming pool sanitation. This chemical is remarkably effective at sanitizing water. "Recipes" I have seen online state that a grain or two will sanitize a gallon and that a pound package will treat 65,000 gallons (I'm not sure about that part--My pool is about 12,000 gallons and I use one package of shock/week. Use a fifth of a bag, then drink from the pool? Maybe not). In any event, you can buy this stuff at about any Big Box or pool store or online. I think I would give it away rather than sell it--A one pound bag is about $5. My last case (24 bags) was about $50 at Sam's Club. A case would be a great investment to help out the neighborhood. If you wanted to, you could easily repackage smaller quantities for sale in baggies for a dime a bag. (If you want to do something cool now, type out some simple instructions now on how to use the shock to sanitize water--you could easily fit a dozen of these on one piece of paper--then, print out 25 copies. Store your instructions with your shock "stock." When the time comes and you are ready to repackage shock into baggies, cut up the pages and put one set of instructions in each baggie).

18. Hand sanitizer. Another potential life-saver. With certain clean water shortages, hand sanitation will be a big issue and an important way to prevent the spread of disease and infections. This is a two-step sale: Purchase a bulk package of small hand sanitizer bottles at one of the warehouse clubs. Sam's has these--25 2 oz. bottles for $19.95. Your cost is $.40/oz this way. Sell those for a silver dime each (or maybe three for a quarter). Also buy several large bottles--two liter dispensing bottles of their private-label version (same stuff--thickened ethyl alcohol--as the branded product)--for $7.95. Your cost works out to $.118/oz. Use the big squirt bottles to refill your customers' little ones at two or three for a silver dime. This will be a great deal for everyone. (As I learned on the SurvivalBlog web site, this stuff burns like sterno. Even though I have plenty of other fuels to heat/cook/boil water, you couldn't go wrong by putting away a dozen of the two-liter bottles).

19. Mice/rat traps and poison. This one should be obvious--When the garbage piles up, the rodents will respond to the "stimulus," too. We fight a constant standoff with the critters in my neighborhood (can't seem to get to those that live in the woods--unlimited and undisturbed population)--and that's without the bags of garbage stacking up. We use a lot of the glue trays, but traps will last; the trays are single-use. Sales price--a dime for a mousetrap, a quarter for a rattrap. Poison is problematic--It will kill the rodents, for sure, but pets/kids, too, if they should get into it. I would leave poison to the professionals, to be safe.  

20. Sunscreen. Again, everyone will be spending a lot more time outside. Around here, even leathery beach people need sunscreen. This is a great dollar store purchase. Several of our local dollar stores have SPF 15 and 30 in six and eight oz. bottles for a buck. Get a couple dozen bottles; sell for a silver dime each. 

21. Bike tire repair kits. As soon as the gasoline supply chain fails, all sorts of old bikes will be dragged out of garages and basements. Many (most?) of these will have flat tires and few folks will have tube repair kits--but you will. Again, check the Big Box stores for kits--a couple of bucks each. You might want to get a dozen; sell for a silver half. Bring your tire pump to your micro-store and offer "complimentary" air.

22. Insect repellant. Living in near-jungle as I do, this one has special significance. I go through a number of Off spray cans every year working in the yard. With all the extra time we will be spending outside hauling water, gathering firewood, manning our Micro Store, and so forth, the bugs will be eating better than anyone. Check your local dollar store for deals on repellant. Price accordingly.

23. LED headlights (for your head, not your car). If you are any sort of camper and haven't yet discovered these, let me state for the record they are as cool as sliced bread. What an amazing supplement to the flashlight! Not only will they light the way around a dark, grid-down house, they also make great book lights. No flame, making them safe for everyone to use, anywhere. Here's the most interesting part-- most non-campers and non-preppers don't have any, for the most part. This makes them a great sale/barter item. I've seen discussions of different brands in this space, which mostly miss the point. They are now so cheap (check the dollar stores and buy a couple of dozen), you can throw them away when they break. I've got an expensive one and a bunch of Chicom cheapies; all work fine. The LEDs last forever (nothing is forever, but I've yet to lose even one to failure); the on-off switch looks like the first thing to break. I would stay away from the ones with "button" batteries and go for the ones that take AAs or AAAs. Depending on your cost, they would sell for about a silver quarter each or a quarter and a dime.

24. Sta-Bil or Pri-G. Consider this liquid plutonium. Get at least a dozen of the small bottles (treats five gallons of gasoline); sell for a [silver] quarter a bottle.

25. Hard candy. Another great promotion item--Get a couple of bulk jars at one of the warehouse clubs and give away candy to the kids (or to the parents to give to the kids) when they come to your store. These will bring everyone back sooner. A plastic jar of 200 "Atomic Fire Balls" was $6.95 at Sam's (the boys love these) and a similar size jar of Gummi Bears was $7.95.
 
Those are the most important items I can think of (remember our selection criteria and those things I think will move the best), but here are a few others. Seeds; you didn't need me to suggest that. 2 cycle oil (for the chainsaws). While you're at it, how about a fist full of files for chainsaw sharpening? Fishing gear. I didn't put that on my list, because just about everyone around here is already stocked for salt and fresh water, but it might be useful where you are--A little assortment of small hooks and such might be a good seller if you have some bodies of water around. Make up some little fishing kits in sandwich bags for a silver dime. Batteries. Candles. Condoms. Pain relievers (a big bottle each of store-brand aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen to dispense a few pills at a time as needed). Diarrhea tablets. Disposable razors.  I thought about adding P38 can openers--www.sportsmansguide.com actually has a case (100) of these for twenty bucks (and there are plenty of other sources, too). Notice I have gone light on the med stuff (outside my expertise; there are plenty of good suggestions elsewhere on this site), ammo, and food (I'll let my fellow traders take care of those).
 
Wrapping up. For several hundred dollars, any prepper can assemble and stock a "micro-store" that will help everyone survive until (or if) civilization recovers. Do it now. May God Bless you and keep you. Good luck with your entrepreneurial endeavors.

I've been a prepper for over 40 years, starting back when we were called survivalists. I still have the .22 rimfire AR-7 rifle and Ruger Mk. II pistol bought in the 1970s, as well as other gear. I've also always had a bug-out-bag (BOB) in my vehicles, and still do today, even though I'm retired to my retreat.

Over the years, the contents of the BOB changed as new items came out or old ones were discontinued (or discredited -- remember the Aqua Timer?). My BOB got larger, as I was now packing for two and my bug-out location got further away. I still unpack and examine it every year and replace what's needed.

I've also made BOBs for my wife and interested family members and friends. Since Hurricane Katrina, I've had more inquiries about my kit. When I show it to them, some are overwhelmed by the number of items, the complexity of some pieces and the amount of knowledge needed to make the BOB items work together. For instance, everyone knows hand sanitizer keeps your hands germ free; most are surprised to see how it can act as a fire starter as well.

I found that most people want to know what to pack now, but don't know where to start or what to get first. As an answer to them, I've come up with a five-level system for BOBs. This is based on many writings in books and online, as well as my own experience. There are other BOB-level articles and I've consolidated everything I've learned over the last four decades into this system.

This is a work of personal opinion, based on both study and practice. It is done from the perspective of an urban/suburban East Coast resident, living in the temperate Mid Atlantic region. Other areas might require for some modifications, but not many, I would think. I've include some explanation for items listed; I advise my friends to research further themselves. I've also taught skills for those interested (most recently, showing that you can boil water in a plastic bottle). For the beginner, this system hopefully breaks down BOBs into bite-sized chunks and lets them get geared up to a basic level quick. As is often said, any preparation is better than none.

THE SYSTEM  
Let's begin with some basic concepts. A BOB is intended to give you the tools and supplies you need to get from point A to point B. In its simplest form, it would be what you'd need to get home from work, school, or the store. A more intensive situation might see you having to evacuate from your home to a friend or relative's home. You might just have to flee a dangerous situation (think of the videos of New Yorkers fleeing the Towers as they collapsed).

In order to create our levels, we'll make certain assumptions, beginning with your transportation options. All the levels assume you are on foot. While you may not usually travel on foot, the difference between driving home and walking home may be substantial, and the likelihood of a vehicle breakdown, traffic gridlock, or the lack of fuel can't be discounted.

I don't list carry bags for the levels. Each level should have its own carry bag, the type and size depending on your situation and needs. You should assemble the items first, and then find an appropriate size and style case for them.

All of the levels are cumulative; each level assumes you have all of the lower level items with you.

LEVEL 1 -- EDC   
Any emergency kit begins with those items you want to have on your person all the times, referred to as Every Day Carry (EDC). These are the essentials you would never want to be without and they form the basis for all the other levels.

As numerous sources have stated, there are 3 abilities you will always need to have in a survival situation:
- the ability to cut things
- the ability to tie things together
- the ability to set things on fire

If you think about it, you could do all these things if you were set down in the wilderness with no tools at all. Rocks of certain types can be broken to form razor-sharp shards. Vines and bark can be braided to make cordage. And you really can make fire by rubbing two sticks together. The only thing you would need is knowledge and a lot of practice doing these things. Also a great deal of luck.

The knowledge part is crucial: you want to learn how to do these things, and others. Gear can be lost, broken, or stolen. Knowledge can't. Knowledge trumps gear, always.

These three basic actions, however, will be easier to do with some simple, small items you would always carry on your person.

The EDC level items are as follows:
- a knife;
- a butane lighter;
- paracord.

First, a knife of some type. It doesn't have to be big, it only has to be sharp. Depending on your situation, a good folding knife is likely the best choice. Pick one that has a blade lock. A multi-tool will work, as would a Swiss Army knife, although some models don't have a blade lock.

A butane lighter will provide you with hundreds of lights, and is much smaller than the number of matches you'd need to carry to light a fraction as many fires. They also are not as susceptible to moisture as matches. Matches are a 19th Century item; lighters are modern and better.

The best cordage you can carry is 550 paracord. Paracord has a core made up of 7 strands of nylon twine, and each of the 7 strands is made up of smaller nylon fibers. The outer sheath is a woven mesh of nylon fibers as well. A 5 foot length of paracord could be disassembled to make 30+ feet of twine, as well as hundreds of feet of small strings that can used as fishing line, dental floss, sewing thread, sutures and for repairing gear. The easiest way to carry it is as a paracord bracelet or fob attached to a zipper, your key ring, or your knife.

Once again, you should have your EDC on you every time you leave your house, no matter how short your intended trip.

LEVEL 2 -- CORE
The situation is this: you are on foot, trying to get home, which may take you a couple of days. You are in a civilized area; that is, you are in an urban, suburban, or populated rural area. Civil disorder is non-existent or minimal. Some businesses are open, and items and services can be purchased, although it is not business-as-usual. The weather is not severe and you are dressed appropriately. Water is available, but it will need filtering to be drinkable. You have nothing worse than minor injuries and do not need medical attention.  Basically, you need to walk home and can't/won't be able to get help doing so.

The Core level assumes you have your EDC items with you. Some of the Core level items you will also likely have on you as a matter of course, like a cell phone. Nonetheless, they are listed.

The Core level BOB includes the following:
- a map of the area;
- a poncho;
- a lawn & garden trash bag;
- a filter straw;
- a cell phone, with charger or extra battery;
- a quart sized ziploc bag;
- a bandana;
- 10 coffee maker filters;
- 3 energy or candy bars;
- a packet of tissues, or toilet paper;
- 1 pair of socks;
- $150 cash;
- small first aid kit.

The Core level kit will fit into a small travel bag, or one of the many gear bags made for outdoors or the military. Many women could carry all these items in their handbag.

The poncho gives you extra protection if it rains or is windy. It can be one of the cheap disposable ones. The trash bag acts as a sleeping bag; get in it and put the poncho over it. Get the thickest mil bag you can find.

A bandana (not a handkerchief) can function as a dust mask, a triangle bandage, a filter for water, a cleaning cloth and many other things.

The coffee filters are used to pre-filter water. Pour the suspect water thru a coffee filter into the ziploc bag. Drink the water from the bag with the filter straw. Don't use the bag to collect the suspect water; get an empty plastic water bottle and use that.

Changing your socks if they become wet will keep you going better than trudging through with only one pair.

Cash will allow you to buy things, even if the power is out (although some stores may not even take cash without the electronic cash register to record the sale). No bills larger than a twenty, and primarily carry fives and tens. Coins can be carried; stick with quarters and dollars.

The first aid kit needs some band aids, a small mirror (something in the eye) and anti-bacterial ointment. You will also want medication, including 3-days worth of any necessary prescription meds, OTC pain relievers (aspirin, Tylenol, Motrin), stomach upset meds (Pepto), and an anti-diarrheal. Include a few safety pins, and 1 or 2 sewing needles.

LEVEL 2A -- CORE+
While not as essential, you would want to add the following to the Core level BOB as soon as you can:
- a compass;
- gloves and a hat;
- shoes;
- jacket/windbreaker;
- a weapon.

If your daily footwear isn't good for extended walking, you'll need to have a pair of broken-in walking, hiking, or athletic shoes. These can be kept in a small bag in your office and your car, so they are always within reach.

The inclusion of a weapon should be carefully considered. We are talking about a low-level emergency at this point. Police are still on the job and would not be expected to suspend normal enforcement of weapons laws. Guns likely require a permit to carry; knives are usually less-objectionable, if they have a blade less than 4 inches long. A fixed blade is stronger, but a good-quality folder will do the job. The knife can be the same as your EDC knife, if that one is big enough for defense. Chemical spray may be legal for carry, but this varies by jurisdiction, even within one state. A stick that functions as a cane or walking stick may not arose suspicion.

All weapons require training and practice. You should familiarize yourself with any weapon you put into your kit. If you have a gun, you would include enough ammunition to reload it once (total of two full load outs).

LEVEL 3 -- EVACUATION
At this level, you face a greater emergency, one that requires you to evacuate where you are. This could be your workplace, your home, or a public area. You are on foot, in a civilized area (not in the wilderness). Stores are not open where you are, but may be where you are going. The weather is not severe and you are dressed appropriately. You have no major injuries. You may be on your own for up to 7 days.  

The Evac level assumes you are carrying your EDC and Core level BOB.

 The Evac level BOB includes the following:
- the Core+ level additions:
            - a compass;
            - gloves and a hat;
            - shoes;
            - jacket/windbreaker;
            - a weapon;
- ID & essential papers;
- $150 cash;
- 3 changes of underwear;
- 3 pairs of socks;
- a N100 dust mask;
- goggles;
- a canteen with cup & cover;
- a metal spoon or spork;
- water purification tablets;
- additional food;
- paracord;
- 2-3 butane lighters;
- a radio;
- advanced first aid kit.

The items that were additions to the Core level BOB are now essential. You will need the compass to make sure you are following your map. This is a skill you should practice beforehand. All items listed are in addition to the prior levels items (i.e., $150 cash in addition to the $150 in the Core level).

Additional clothing will become important in a week's time. Extra socks and underwear will keep you healthy and clean, particularly if it is raining or wet. Goggles and a mask will help you get out of an area filled with dust or smoke.

You will want to have identification, including more than just your driver's license. You will want insurance information, a credit card, telephone numbers (not just in a phone that may die). These can be paper copies in a wallet; you might want to also have electronic copies encrypted on a small jump drive.

A military-style canteen with a cup can be had at any surplus store. The canteen should be filled with water and refilled every 6 months or so. Some covers come with a pouch for water purification tablets. The cup acts as a cup or a pot to heat water in.

More energy bars will help, but for a week's trek, you'll want more kinds of food. Include canned meat, coffee or tea, bouillon or soup mix. You want things that don't need cooking, just the addition of hot water. 

You'll want to have 25 ft. or more, of paracord.

You can add a couple of twenty's to your cash, and balance out the rest in paper and coin.

The radio should be a unit that gets AM, FM and weather channels. A radio that operates on several power sources (battery, crank, solar, 12v, 110v) is best.

The advanced first aid kit would include a triangle bandage, tweezers, scissors, scalpel blade, gauze pads, gauze dressing, tape, more medication (allergy, nausea, topical cream). You can buy a pre-made kit, but it should be augmented.

If you didn't bring a weapon in the Core level kit, you need one now. If you have chosen a firearm, include a total of 40-50 rounds of ammunition.

You will not be allowed into a public shelter with a weapon and may have to surrender your entire kit. It is unlikely you'll get it back. If you must use a shelter, hide your kit outside somewhere and hope it's still there when you leave.
 
LEVEL 4 -- WILDERNESS
We're now talking about staying alive completely removed from civilization. There are no stores, or houses, or any other habitation. You are on foot, the weather is variable. You have no major injuries. While this may seem unlikely, we have read in the news of such situations, usually involving stranded motorists, or people on wilderness excursions.

It would be reasonable for the wilderness hiker to have all of these items, and more, when heading out on an excursion. Most people who head out on long car trips, however, won't prepare as thoroughly. You should not make a trip through remote areas without these items.

The Wilderness level assumes you have EDC, all Core level, and all Evac level items with you.

The Wilderness level BOB includes the following:
 - a tent;
- a wool blanket;
- a sleeping bag;
- an axe, or saw;
- snares;
- a full fishing kit;
- a rifle, with 100 rds. of ammo;
- a fixed blade knife;
- 2 gallons of water;
- a firesteel, plus tinder;
- a mess kit;
- sharpening stone.

This level of survival will require you to live in the open for an extended period of time, perhaps weeks. You will either need shelter, food and water, or the ability to make or procure it. You will certainly struggle if you have not learned wilderness survival techniques and practiced them.

A small tent will keep you from having to create shelter every day if you are on the move. A wool (or other warm material) blanket and a sleeping bag appropriate for the climate will keep you warm inside the tent.

An axe will allow you to construct any sort of shelter or furnishings, given a source of wood. You'll need a larger knife, capable of handling tougher work.

Snares, or snare wire, and a fishing kit appropriate to your area, will give you the ability to gather food while doing other chores, or even while you're sleeping.

If you have chosen a handgun for your defense weapon at the Core + level, the rifle will function primarily to provide food, as well as signaling, and will also give additional protection. The rifle should be sized to the region you are operating in and the game available.

Two gallons of water will last a few days, and the container will allow you to carry more water, once you have located and sterilized it. Rather than using your filter straw, you should use the water purification tablets and boil any open water you find. A mess kit allows you to boil water, and cook and eat food.

A firesteel produces a shower of hot sparks, even in wet conditions. These are enough to ignite dry tinder. You may have to replace the tinder you carry with natural materials you find.

Regular use of your knives and axe will dull them, making them dangerous to use. Sharpen them regularly with a stone, steel or other device.

LEVEL 5 -- TEOTWAWKI
The End Of The World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI). Too much to write out every time, even the acronym. Some refer to it as SHTF, for "Schumer Hits The Fan". I'll just use Fan" to describe this sort of event.

Most folks think of a fan event as the result of a nuclear war, an asteroid strike, or the ever-popular zombie apocalypse. A kit for this level doesn't actually exist. There is no way you can store, carry and maintain everything you would need to survive the rest of your life with no outside assistance. Of course, if life is (mostly) wiped out by a pandemic, there'll be plenty of stuff lying around. But if you made it, so did others.

In reality, a fan event would be incredibly intense, but local. Think of the hurricane in Haiti, the tsunami in Indonesia, or the earthquakes in Mexico, Turkey, or the Philippines. Extreme weather in the USA isn't a good example, as we are so large that help usually arrives within days, if not hours (Hurricane Katrina being the worst example). Your Evac, or Wilderness level kit would get you through that, at least in this country.

Still, there is the remote possibility of a global fan event that changes all the rules, for everyone. In that situation, there're few places to bug out to, and the idea of a Fan level BOB is silly. Still, in the event you have somewhere to go, and to keep this article complete, I'll give you my idea for a Fan level BOB. Basically, you have everything to survive in levels 1 through 4. To prepare for Fan level, you need tools that will allow you to evade, escape, or fight.

The Fan level BOB includes the following:
- BDUs;
- footwear;
- gloves;
- battle rifle, plus ammo;
- additional ammo for handgun;
- optics for the rifle;
- night vision device;
- suppressors for handgun and rifle;
- tools of a trade.

The military equipment and weapons will help keep you alive in a Fan event better than commercial available versions. Real military equipment and clothing is better quality and more rugged than what you get in the store. Our army doesn't wear khakis and sneakers into combat for a reason. Get real mil-spec clothing and equipment where you can.

Staying out of sight is a better option than trying to survive a firefight, however. Optics and night vision equipment will help keep you apprised of what's ahead (and behind) so badness can be avoided. Suppressors are legal now, and would allow you to take game without drawing attention.

Let's face it: if you're alone in this situation, it's a question of when, not if, you'll stop surviving. Your only hope is to join a group, the larger the better, and try and make a life for yourself. The skills you've learned preparing for levels 1-5 will be a start. Unless they already know you, an established group will likely only take you in because you have value to them.

Medical, construction, electronics, farming, you'll need to have some skill to offer to a community that's probably patched together from the remains of the surrounding area. Having a trade. and having the tools necessary to conduct that trade, will go a long way to making you a priority for inclusion in a community.

The even better answer is, of course, to start or join a group now. If you find like-minded folks, you can all begin learning the skills necessary, as well as acquiring the tools and equipment you'd need in a Fan event. That will give you the best chance of not just surviving, but living to an old age.

Last week I received disturbing news from a reader.  His physician was ready and willing to help him prepare for a protracted sailboat cruise.  He planned to be gone several months, and requested medicine to take along, just in case he or his family became ill – sounds reasonable to me. 

However, before the doctor wrote the prescriptions, the practice manager stepped in and vetoed the idea.  Turns out, the doctors were salaried, hence subject to the constraints of their employers.
In thinking back to my earlier article on SurvivalBlog (How to Get Your Doctor to Help You Stockpile Medicine), I did not address the issue of what sort of doctor is likely to help survivalists with their preparations.  However, this point is worth discussing, especially if you have been turned down.
The following are five things to consider in finding a physician to help you prepare for an uncertain future.

1. Age.  Young doctors are not thinking about the end of things. Their careers and family life are just beginning.  With medical education and residency extending to thirty years of age or more, even at forty doctors are still paying off loans and getting started with child-raising.  Psychologically, doctors (as well as patients) in this age group are little focused on a crumbling future.  However, doctors age 50 or more are more likely to see the American economy with some historical perspective, and are therefore much more likely to be genuinely concerned – and hence more likely to assist in prepping.
   
   
2. Faith.  If a person’s only acquaintance with Armageddon is via the movies, they probably have little understanding of Biblical prophecy.  Not that Christians are the only ones to see the writing on the wall, but a person who has studied the book of Revelation is more likely to believe the world may come to an end in our generation – the first generation with the capability of destroying civilization.  It’s not that difficult to know where your doctor stands.  Look for telltale wall hangings, or quotes, or magazines, or simply ask.
   
   
3. Independence.  More and more doctors are becoming salaried employees.  With this comes responsibility to the group, the corporation, the practice manager, etc.  The majority of doctors also have contracts with insurance companies, who audit their charts periodically.  (You may not know that your personal records are subject to these audits, but they well may be, whenever someone else is paying the bill.)  Independent fee-for-service doctors currently “enjoy” the most freedom to practice as they like (often at the price of decreased income).  Also, independent physicians are more likely to think independently.
   
   
4. Size.  Group practices are becoming the norm for many reasons, the largest being economic concerns.  Solo practitioners and two-physician partnerships are becoming non-viable, and doctors are selling out to larger corporations at a record rate.  However, there are still a few “dinosaurs” around, mostly doctors who have been in practice a number of years, and who are “riding it out.”  These docs may not be taking new patients, but it doesn’t hurt to ask, especially if you’re willing to pay cash. Solo practitioners are much more likely to be of the independent mindset, per above.
   
   
5. Politics.  What does your doctor think about our country?  Does he agree with you when you profess fear for the economy?  If not, why would he help you prep? Lots of doctors (at least primary care doctors) feel the economic pinch.  Those who don’t may not believe a crisis is imminent and hence be less sensitive to your concerns.

If your doctor is young, wealthy, and part of a group practice, odds are against a prepper mentality.  Look for someone with a few decades under his or her belt, maybe someone who drives a 10-year-old car, and goes to church.

Lastly, even if you have medical insurance, you are permitted to contract privately with your doctor for uncovered services (if your doctor is willing).  You would need to ask your doctor ahead of time about arranging a private consultation and paying for this apart from your insurance. (Editor's Note: Dr. Koelker is SurvivalBlog's primary Medical Editor, the author of the popular book 101 Ways to Save Money on Health Care. She is also the Editor of ArmageddonMedicine.net.)

As most of the readers of SurvivalBlog know, preparing for disasters can be a lifelong commitment and can be most costly, even when buying used or on-sale items.  However, after 30 years of prepping, I find that I do 40-50% of my shopping at secondhand stores, such as Salvation Army, Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul, and American Cancer Society, to name a few.
If you visit regularly and keep your eyes open, not only will you find a treasure trove of preparedness items, but the employees will get to know you and your products and put them aside and hold them for you before they get put out on the shelf.
 
Here is a list of just a few of the items that I've picked up:
 
PUR Scout water purifier - MSRP $80 / used $1 (actually new, never used)
Hudson Bay wool blanket, queen size - MSRP $250 / used $20 
Big Berkey water filter (with 4 elements) - MSRP $250 / used $29 (new/never used)
Big Berkey water filter (with 4 elements) - MSRP $250 / used $5 (new / never used. This was found just 2 weeks after finding the first one at another store across town)
BDUs - $5 a piece [for pants or shirts]
Carhart brand overalls (later found to have an original Leatherman tool in one pocket) - MSRP $75 / used $9
Levis Blue Jeans, Dockers, and Khakis - $4 to $5 a piece (for work clothes)
Fleece (in earth tone colors) - $2.99 (again, work/hunting/tactical clothes)
North Face Gore-Tex parka - $15
REI brand down sleeping bag - MSRP $175+- / used $10 (US made, circa 1985)
Presto 23 quart Pressure canner - $5 (I just replaced the gasket, tested it and it works great!)
Food Dehydrator (unknown brand) - $10 (almost new & works great!)
WWII steel canteens & canteen cups with covers -  I've bought at least 10 of each and the most that I paid was $10 (These were 1940s dated. At gun shows these sell for $25 or more.)
ThermaRest self inflating sleeping pads - MSRP $60+- / used $5
Kelty youth frame backpack (in OD green) - $10 (this came with one of the thermarest pads)
Canning Jars - 10 cents to 50 cents each.
Candles - 20 cents to 50 cents each
Crutches - $7 (probably used once)
Bedside commode - $10 (looks new, took it home & sanitized it, put it with the first aid supplies.
Medical supplies - Unopened packages of gauze & bandages, by the box
Sewing supplies
...and many more
 
This is just a short list of some of the treasures that I've found. so be consistent and keep your eyes open, you never know what you'll come across...good luck!

Many SurvivalBlog readers have been prepping for awhile and are comfortable with their plans.  However, the process can be overwhelming for people who have recently “woke up” or who are trying to convince loved ones who aren’t sold on the need or desirability of prepping.

This shouldn’t be minimized or downplayed.  It can be very disturbing when you first realize you aren’t   self-sufficient.  It is easy to become overwhelmed with the scope, cost, and time necessary to prepare.  The concept of TEOTWAWKI can be troubling and concerning even to completely self-sufficient preppers. 
Even the possibility of angry mobs trying to fight off starvation, heavily armed gangs running wild with little or no law enforcement, and rampant disease and poverty seems like something out of a Mad Max movie.   We have been raised in the “land of plenty”; these things happen in other places, not here.  It is troubling enough that a person’s mental processes can shut down as the normalcy bias kicks in.
People then convince themselves that things won’t get that bad.  If you raise these ideas in certain social circles, you will be met with looks that suggest you belong in a mental institution.  It is easy to feel embarrassed and unsure of what to do, or have fear, doubt, uncertainty, and anxiety cloud your judgment.
Based on my own recent experience, I have a few suggestions for people who are just starting out.

What I’ve listed below is a mental framework for how to approach your survival planning.  I found it is easier to develop a strategy if you utilize this framework.  It is also easier to explain to loved ones or friends who may not be sure that prepping is necessary or advisable.
Please keep in mind that the three categories below are not hard and fast rules but a general conceptual approach.  Many prepping activities can be classified in more than one category.  Depending on your circumstances, you may have to make adjustments in your planning for the three stages.
The first step for prepping I recommend is to prioritize your needs into three categories: immediate, mid-range, and long term survival needs and goals (I refer to them as Steps 1, 2, and 3).

Step 1 is for short term needs.  This is the easiest for both the prepper and those people he is trying to convince.  I also call it “natural disaster prep”.  Many people live in areas that may be prone to natural disasters or at least heavy snowfalls that can take out electrical power.  Many people have survived these events or have heard stories from those who have.  Therefore, Step 1 is not mentally or emotionally difficult to accept and prepare for.
This step involves thinking about no electricity or modern conveniences.  Emphasis is on stockpiling water, MREs, batteries, etc.  You should purchase a water filter, and be prepared to cook without electricity for awhile.  You should also maintain a “stash of cash”.   There are many good resources to help you plan for what may befall you following a natural disaster.  Even many “ostriches” can see the need for this.

Step 2 is for intermediate needs.  I also like to call this “economic insurance”.  It’s a bit harder to prepare for mentally, but is still not too alarming or threatening if you approach it (and communicate it) correctly.
The idea is to accept the fact that we are living in a tough economy.  It is easy for people to lose their jobs, or to have to take a pay cut.  Inflation is also a concern.  Sadly, over the past few years, most people no longer have to be “pushed” into seeing this.  Food and gasoline prices have obviously gone up; it doesn’t take much imagination to see things could get worse.
The solution?  Stock up on food and supplies!  The method I use is to point out that my family is self-employed.  If we should have to shut down, and it takes awhile for us to find new jobs, I don’t want to have to worry about the grocery bill.  I want to have plenty of food and supplies on hand.  We will need the money for other items.
Most people see the wisdom of this.  If you handle the situation correctly, you can get loved ones to “buy in” and over time become supportive.  Being self-reliant is a trait that people instinctively feel good about.  Over time, you and your loved ones can gain confidence and knowledge as you continue prepping.

Step 3 is for long term needs, and is primarily for either TEOTWAWKI, or at least some pretty ugly circumstances.  This involves building a very deep larder, and includes items such as seeds, 5 gallon drums filled with wheat, canning equipment, etc.  It also involves wrestling with the idea of “bugging out” if things get too crazy, or establishing a deeply stocked, remotely located retreat.
I believe this is a psychologically and emotionally difficult process for most people.  The idea of societal collapse is something most folks are simply not prepared to deal with.  It is very easy to become depressed or overwhelmed after taking a serious, realistic look at what the world would look like and what one would have to do to survive TEOTWAWKI.
I believe that prematurely confronting the difficulties of Step 3 is what causes many people to go into denial or become depressed and quit preparations.  This step shouldn’t be seriously considered until someone (at a minimum) has mentally and emotionally accepted Steps 1 and 2.  It is best if they have done their research and gained some practical experience with their preparations.

A few general guidelines when starting:
When prioritizing needs, I would first obtain firearms and ammunition.  This can be easily explained as part of Step 1 preparations; you are defending against potential burglars and post-disaster looters.  I place this item first because given our current political climate, it is almost certain that the current administration will do everything possible to make firearms more difficult to obtain, or more expensive through regulation. 
Obtain as much training as you can.  If you take classes in firearm training, first aid, canning, etc. you not only are gaining survival skills, but you can also find a new hobby.  Don’t think of it (or describe it) as trying to “fill up” holes in your skill set, but a chance to grow and develop as a person.
Learn what things cost, and what they are truly worth.  In order to combat inflation, I recently began to use couponing strategies.  You can save quite a bit of money, and it’s also a good way to stock up on barter items, or additional supplies for charitable giving.
Study economics.  It is difficult to make concrete plans if you have no idea of the economic forces at work around you.  Try and learn not only about basic economics and free-market principles, but what is happening in the world and the likely results. 
It is very difficult for most people to understand that fiat money is not wealth.  It is even more difficult to accept (after a lifetime of “education”) that numbers listed on an “IRA” or “mutual fund” account statement can only provide for a person under certain economic conditions.
During periods of hyperinflation or currency collapse, re-education will be terribly painful as people realize that actual, useful goods (food, tools, seeds, guns, ammunition) are the only true forms of material wealth.  If you can accumulate some gold, silver, and goods that can be easily bartered (Survival Blog has many excellent examples of these) you will be far ahead of most people.
Develop flexibility and realism in your plans.  You may not be able to afford a retreat property, or be able to live there full time with your current job.  You may not have enough money or time to purchase all the items you want or the skills that you need.  Bear in mind that there is no “perfect plan”, and that everyone faces shortcomings of some sort.

Make the best plans you can under your circumstances, and keep a constant eye on the world around you (and at large) to see if you have to make revisions.  If you combine a can-do attitude and self-sufficient mindset with even modest planning and accumulation of needed goods, you will be in far better shape than most other people.
As you go down the path of your prepping journey, at some point you must confront many things you do not want to believe or are afraid of, such as economic hardship or TEOTWAWKI.  Don’t allow this to dominate your life or make you live in fear.  (This can happen if people try to do too much too fast or don’t mentally establish some realistic guidelines of what they need to accomplish).

Continue to go to school, spend time with family activities, and enjoy life to the fullest.  Maintaining a sense of balance in your life will help you develop the mindset and traits you will need should everything come apart.

Most of all develop your spiritual life.  Put your faith in the Lord, and trust in Him.  Develop firm beliefs about how you will behave and live your life, even if things grow difficult.  If you take even a casual glance backward at history, you will see many instances of ordinary people surviving extraordinary times with faith, courage, hope, and mental and spiritual toughness.  Don’t allow despair or fear to cripple your mind or destroy your plans.

Many of us have plans to get our family and friends to a retreat once the Schumer hits the fan (SHTF). Many of us have written down plans that tell us what things to grab before we leave (so we don't forget something important), but how many of you have written down plans for what to do once you're there, at your retreat? Why write them down? Well, because even though you may know everything you're going to do once there, maybe the others don't. For some unforeseen reason, you may not even make it there. Will your family know what to do with all the supplies you have stored? Will they know the best way to defend your particular location? For that matter, will you remember everything, given the fact that things will be stressful and maybe even chaotic once you get there? Hopefully this article will give you some idea of how to put a plan together. The plan should be printed out and stored at your retreat.

When I put my plan together, I made it like a short book, including using a title, preface, table of contents. This is to make it easier to find information on subjects, rather than reading a single long document.

The sections I chose were - Food and Water, Health & Hygiene, Security and Defense, Energy, Politics, Humanity, and Documentation. Obviously you can choose your own section titles. I try to visualize that my wife and I don't make it to the retreat, and our teenage children do. Although I have tried to educate them on the preparedness mindset, they might have little clue of what to do in an extreme SHTF scenario. So I write to that level. As if they know very little and need a lot of guidance to survive at the retreat. I'll now explain some of the information I try to include in those chapters.

Food and Water -

If you have stored water and access to fresh water, then describe what water to use first, and why. How to get and store more water (yes, preparedness must continue). Different ways to make water safe to drink. How to conserve water (especially if you have limited access to more).

Instructions for Food are similar. What stored foods to use first, and why. I recommend that if the scenario appears that it will be prolonged, then we should begin using the bulk storage foods (wheat, rice, beans, etc.) right away. This will save some of the more portable, easy to cook foods (like canned chili, stew, or freeze dried and MRE type meals) for times when there may not be an opportunity to cook (lack of fuel, long hours of work, bugging-out, etc.), or to take with you in the event you need to abandon your retreat. Yes, you may even have to bug out of your retreat at some point.

Describe how to get more food (hunting, trapping, gathering, gardening, etc.). If you are able to get fresh food right away, then definitely use that before any stored food. Talk about different ways to store new food for use later (by canning, drying, etc.). Discuss conserving the food and getting the most use out of what you get. Things like boiling heads and other parts of animals, even if just to get the fatty oil to surface so you can use it. How about, if you have lots of blackberries, but have no way to preserve them, then eat as many as you can without becoming ill. Like a bear, getting fattened up now for the lean months ahead might mean the difference between living and dying.

Talk about how to cook, to conserve energy and to minimize the signs of your presence. You may not want a smoke signal being sent up in the middle of a clear day. A better way might be to cook when it gets dark, and to use solar to cook on the clear days. At least be aware of your choices and potential consequences.

Heath and Hygiene -

In this section you will want to discuss nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and mental well being. Talk about eating enough, eating for proper nutrition, and staying hydrated. Talk about proper sanitation (including proper food care, staying clean and dealing with garbage and human waste). Discuss using extra care to prevent work-related injuries. If an extra set of hands can prevent an injury (like cutting yourself or hurting your back), then ask for help. Use protective equipment such as gloves and goggles. Staying safe and healthy is easier than combating an illness or injury.

Talk about the proper ways to cook and handle foods to nobody gets food-born illnesses or diseases. This is no time to become careless about something so simple.

Describe the planned method of doing laundry at your retreat. Wearing clean underwear or pajamas to bed can help reduce the amount of time needed to wash bedding. Even if you normally take a morning shower, it may make more sense to take a shower in the evening, after your work day is done.

Discuss sexually active couples and the risks of getting pregnant during the stressful conditions you are in.

There may be some “down time”. Especially in the evening when there may not be television and movies for everyone to watch. This is a great time for everyone (and I mean everyone) to learn as much as they can, from your stash of medical books, about first aid and advanced medical care. You don't know who will end up being the injured person and who will be the "doctor".

Mental health is another consideration. Everyone should read books you have stored, including the Bible. Keep up on your prayers too. Listen to the radio to try to keep up on what's going on in the world, and maybe listening to a little music (quietly) might help. If you have the ability to watch stored DVD movies, then that may help too.

Discuss keeping each other informed about any significant changes in any aspect of your group's well-being. Being informed and avoiding surprises is important to everyone's safety and mental stability. All of this can help keep your group from going crazy.

Of course you should talk about triage and what to do if dead bodies are encountered (either from your group, or from an enemy). Being prepared mentally for these potentially intense events can go a long way to help.

Security and Defense -

This section you should discuss your planned method of deterring and combating any enemies. How will you be alerted that potential enemies are near (people on watch, electronic alarms, dogs)? How will you determine who is an enemy? How will you determine which ones to confront and which ones to run from? Discuss the advantage of going un-noticed first and then [, failing that,] looking like an unattractive target. If you have look-out posts, who will man them? When will shifts be rotated? Where will the posts be located?

How do you secure your buildings? Talk about light and noise management. How do you communicate, and what signals or codes will you use? How will your group train for these events?

When a threat is encountered, what level of force will you use, and what tools do you have that can accomplish the task. Not every threat is a deadly force situation (either at the beginning, or even throughout the incident).

Who will carry firearms? Which firearms will they use? Do they understand when it's appropriate to shoot?

Does everyone understand how to communicate that there is a threat? How do the lookouts communicate with others? What codes or signs will be given? If you have radio communications, do you have codes to use so someone monitoring it might not know who exactly is talking?

You should address what tactics to use during a battle. What protective gear to wear, how you would deal with a wounded companion, and areas of responsibility are important to address too.

Address fire danger and how to fight fires.

Talk about the importance of knowing your enemy. Can you can gather information about your enemies in advance? What are their numbers, their skills, and their weapons? Is an attack imminent? If so, can you plan a preemptive strike? When do you attack and when is it wise to retreat? (Have those Bug-Out-Bags ready, even once you're at the retreat.)

Talk about the use of force multipliers. Things such as barriers, alarms, decoys, and improvised explosives. Developing good relationships with nearby neighbors can help too.

Energy -

Energy for heat and work. Mainly stored energy, like wood, gas, and batteries. Address how you will conserve the energy you have and make more (by cutting wood, solar charging batteries, etc.).

Heat will be used mainly for keeping you warm during cold weather, and also for cooking food. It may also be used to boil water to drink, heat water for showers, re-hydrating food, and drying clothes during cold weather.

Most work might be done by manual labor, but some things require electricity. Your individual situation will dictate the instructions you give for electrical use. Maybe you can have a television playing a DVD all day, or maybe all you can only allow electricity to be used for is the occasional radio communication or flashlight use.

Describe the importance of using solar energy, whenever possible, for cooking, heating water, drying clothes and food, etc.

Politics -

One of the important things to address is the political makeup of your group. Who is in charge? How will important decisions be decided? Who is allowed to be part of the group? (There will always be unexpected people who want to join.) Who will be assigned what chores [or duties]? What behavior can get someone banished from the retreat? Address the importance of “pulling your own weight” and getting along with each other. Not everyone has the same skills or strength, but almost everyone has something to contribute.

Explain how triage will be conducted in health care [and veterinary care]. How there is a limited amount of skill and supplies.

Even among these tough times and trying decisions, the importance of keeping and promoting a good attitude needs to be emphasized. Attitude is contagious, whether it is a good one or a bad one.

Humanity -

This section will address how you will want to continue to be law-abiding and civil. And by doing so, you will help maintain your sanity, dignity, and humanity. Continue to educate each other, learning new skills, and helping each other. If children are there, start home-schooling them. And pray, as a group and individually.

Arrange for some relaxation time for everyone. A time of rest and play will benefit everyone. Be charitable and social with your neighbors. (But, of course, don't reveal your storage supplies or your tactics to them.) Charity might only be in the form of labor, if that's all you've got to give, but at least it's something.

Keep clean. Staying clean and healthy helps your attitude and makes you feel “human”.

Documentation -

Talk about keeping a journal or log of the events that occur. There should be daily entries describing what you did, what you were thinking, what the weather was doing, etc. Any conflicts or deaths must be documented.

The journal can be very important if it is needed in court several months or years from now. It will also be a valuable item to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Another form of documentation is photographs. Especially if there is a death. Take lots of photos (if you can), as if it were a crime scene.

Try to keep track of the date (at minimum, it will be nice to celebrate birthdays). Try to keep up to date medical records on each person. And, try to keep an accurate inventory of all supplies. This will help predict your needs for the future.

I hope this information about creating a plan will help. This should be a living document. It will change as your supplies, equipment, and personnel change. I always put the edited date on the front. Just putting your retreat planning document together might make you think of things you need to do or acquire.

I recently spent a day at at the Denver Self-Reliance Expo. It was held September 16-17, 2011. The expo showcased a variety of friendly and enthusiastic survival, self-reliance and preparedness vendors and presenters. Several of the companies there are loyal SurvivalBlog advertisers. It was great meeting many of them in person for the first time. Just one example was meeting Dave Duffy of Backwoods Home Magazine. I had been reading his columns for many years, so it was about time!

In the arena of weapons and security, vendors included 5280 Armory, Hilltop Safes, Smart Product Technology (underground security pods), On Sight F.A.S.T. (FireArms & Survival Training), and Blue Line Security.

Alternate Energy exhibitors included UVpaqLite (featuring Tooblite reusable glow sticks and flat packages that provide sheets of light after exposure to daylight or even significant artificial light), Solar City (a full service solar provider in a similar market as CitizenRe), Peak Candle, 4EverLight, Humless (compact portable pure sine inverters with a generous assortment of output connectors), Solar Gadgets USA (iPhone and phone chargers, flashlights), Emergency Prep, JMI Wind Energy (2KW 6-blade 3-phase generator with super-strong magnets) and HVAC companies like Cooper Heating & Cooling, Costco, AccuTemp Heating & Air, Mountain View Mechanical, and Lennox.

Food storage vendors were represented by Ark Ready, Shelf Reliance, Vital Food Storage, Down To Earth Seeds (non-hybrid, open pollinated, GMO free, heirloom seeds), Grandma’s Country Foods, Daily Bread, The Honey People, Soup For Supper, Amanda’s Salsa, G & R Foods Inc., Simply Canning, and Grab N Go Food Storage. All the (generous) samples were remarkably tasty considering their intended extended shelf life.

Berkey Water / New Millennium Concepts, Tanks 4 Less, AquaPail, and Free Water Systems were the featured water storage exhibitors. Kitchen and food storage equipment vendors included the vibrant new company Pantry Paratus, as well as Tattler Reusable Canning Lids, and Daily Kneads (bread-making classes)

Stoves and oven vendors included Eco Zoom, StoveTec, Volcano Grills tri-fuel (propane, charcoal, wood) portable stove/grill, Can Cooker and veteran solar cooker Sun Oven with a live demo outside in the sunlight in addition to their indoor booth.

In the Health and Herbalism department, there was Dr. Christopher's School of Natural Healing, EnerHealth Botanicals (cocoa, coconut milk, meal powder, etc.), dTERRA Essential Oils, and Life Sprouts (sprouters with a diverse assortment of sprouting seeds.) On the other end of the prevention-cure spectrum, FalloutX featured three different products for mitigating the effects of minor, moderate and acute radiation exposure.

LPC Survival, Forge Survival Supply, and Farris Survival filled the Store/Distributor category. Denver Tent and Trek Light Gear's comfy hammocks provided outdoor gear. HayWireKlamper offers a handy strong wire-binding system and My Healthy and Clean Solutions demonstrated anti–microbial (anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral) sanitizers; an interesting approach to sanitizing without VOCs, alcohol, etc.)

In the education, books, and media category, we saw weAreChangeColorado.org (giving away informative sample DVDs such as Experts Speak Out), Chelsea Green Publishing (books on sustainable politics and living), justly popular Backwoods Home Magazine, International Institute of Natural Wellness Education, The Prepper Podcast Network, Prep Simple, DoctorPrepper / PreparednessRadioNetwork, the American Red Cross, the PathFinder School, Sierra School of Survival, Project Appleseed, Jack Spirko's SurvivalPodcast, and stations KHNC, KLZ and BYUtv. National Geographic had a film crew there interviewing exhibitors and presenters presumably for a "Doomsday Preppers" episode for their network programming.

Vehicles (quads, ATVs, including side-by-side models) were represented by Sun Enterprises and Quality Silver Bullion appeared to be the lone precious metal/coinage entry.

Other vendors included Handy Sharp (knife sharpening), Home Depot and broker Ullrich Insurance. All in all ,the expo was a small but well-rounded trade show with something for everyone.

By the way, the next scheduled Self Reliance Expo will be in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 7th & 8th. Anyone that lives within driving distance shouldn't miss it.

- L.K.O. (SurvivalBlog's Central Rockies Regional Editor)

Mr. Rawles,
 Another comment on home made laundry soap. There is a difference between Sodium Carbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate and using the wrong one will make a difference in the quality/effectiveness of your product. If you are having difficulty locating Sodium Carbonate you may want to consider checking with your local swimming pool supply store. Soda Ash (sodium carbonate) is a commonly used chemical to raise the pH in swimming pools. - W.V. Willard

Mr. Rawles:
There are several easy solutions, and a few economical difficult ones. I make my laundry soap out of grated Ivory bars, Borax, generic Oxy-Clean, and baking soda. My laundry soap works way better than the store bought detergent, is cheaper, and takes less per load. There will come a day when those ingredients are not available. I'll probably then just use homemade lye soap and boil the clothes after scrubbing them on my passed down washboard.
 
The solution to toilet paper is to use fabric rags and re-wash them (in my homemade laundry soap). It's a fairly easy solution. I have a dispenser in my bathroom where I have big rags and little rags in two separate compartments. I have a little canister with a lid, into which I put the soiled rags. I like it better than toilet paper.
 
Instead of paper towels, I use fabric towels. Again, these solutions are boringly old fashioned, but amazingly foreign to our present culture.
 
For soap, I use old fashioned lye soap, made my yours truly. I use store bought lye at this point in time, but later, when we will be heating with wood, I will take the ashes and run rain water over them to make lye. I use the lye soap to wash my skin and my hair.
 
For shampoo, I use this mixture right now:
Step 1: Wet hair. Use a tiny amount of dandruff shampoo, scrub into scalp. Wash out.
Step 2: In an empty shampoo bottle, fill it up with water, and squeeze some (only 2 squeezes) of your favorite shampoo into bottle. I use generic Pantene moisturizing shampoo. Shake up. Squeeze a little bit onto your hair. Lather. Rinse.
Step 3: Take a bar of lye soap. Rub in hair. Lather. Rinse.
Step 4: In an empty conditioner bottle, fill it up with water, and squeeze some (I'm talking 2 squeezes) of your favorite conditioner into bottle. I use generic Pantene moisturizing conditioner. Shake up. Squeeze a little bit onto your hair. Lather. Rinse.
Step 5. In an empty spray bottle, put about 1/4 of bottle in vinegar, fill up with water. Spray all over your hair.
 
I have long, thick hair to my waist, but I use very little shampoo or conditioner. The key is to use a lot of water. The shampoo is actually damaging to your hair. All shampoos contain several strippers; that's what makes hair tangly and dry. The lye soap contains glycerine, a natural by product of the chemical change that happens in the soap making process. Glycerine is very good for hair and skin. Few store-bought soaps that I know of contain the glycerine. The vinegar is also very good for the hair. Someday I will make some vinegar. From what I read, it's fairly easy to make if you have the apples.
 
It is very confusing to me to understand the thinking behind the large stores of stuff (paper, etc) that people talk about having. What will happen when they run out of those stores? Why not learn to cope without them now? Is it really self-sufficiency to just go buy everything in large quantity? I don't know, maybe it works for some people, it just doesn't make sense to me. I understand that I will probably still have to buy some things, but I want to be producing or have non-perishable things for most of what I need. - Mrs. A.L.

At one time, dollar stores (former called "five and dime" stores) sold closeouts, leftovers, seconds and special deals.  Increasingly, though, they're selling purpose-made, second-rate, third world junk made just for that purpose.  I would never trust any tool from such a store--they're of pot metal and guaranteed to fail.  They are not, in my opinion, "better than nothing", because they cost money, give you a false sense of security, and don't accomplish anything.

I would recommend finding both actual overstock and closeout stores, and thrift stores, as well as frequenting garage sales.  At the latter two, older tools without the shine and modern high-tech shaping are perfectly functional, usually better made, and often available even cheaper than at dollar stores.  You can often find kits missing one or two pieces, pick them up separately for a mismatched but complete kit, and have name brand quality for pennies on the dollar. - Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large)

My wife and I have been hard at work obtaining supplies, developing practical skills, knitting key relationships, and generally preparing for societal disruption for about four years now. Our journey into this endeavor began after some research into the nature of the U.S. dollar (or more appropriately, Federal Reserve Notes) woke us up to the fragility of our world systems.  For this and other reasons, we have taken the message of Proverbs 22:3 to heart: “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.”

Achieving a level of satisfactory preparedness for what life may have in store has been no easy task in Northern Arizona, where we have little water, poor soil, and high property prices. However, we have made great strides toward system independence in large part by consistently finding uncommon uses for commonly available goods.  One often-overlooked item has become almost indispensable to our day-to-day activity, and would surely make even more impact to our well-being in an extended grid-down or TEOTWAWKI type scenario.  I write about it because I see it get very little mention in survival-type forums, and I think others may find it helpful as well.

I’m talking about newspaper.  Newspaper has myriad useful properties of interest to a prepper or homesteader.  Newspaper is many things, including: absorbent, insulative, filling, soft, flammable, easily reducible, compact, lightweight, non-toxic, and perhaps best of all, cheap and highly available.  Let me highlight a few of these properties and show some practical applications of each.

Cheap and Highly Available
           
Although newspaper publishers have fallen on hard times with more Americans getting their information from television and the Internet, it is not at all hard to come by paper supply. I live in a small town of about 30,000 people and our local Lion’s Club drop-off bins are always jam packed.  While I do not suggest raiding charity bins for your stash, here are a few things that have worked for me:

• Ask around.  I get all the papers I can use for free.  At one point I simply asked my co-workers for their back issues when they finished reading them and they gladly obliged.  To them it was clutter and something to tote to the curb each Tuesday.  Just ask the paper subscribers in your life for their supply and prepare for a constant stream of material.
• The trash.  Certain places that sell breakfast often have tables of early morning readers processing their daily dose of information over a cup of coffee.  I’m not personally above gathering them off the tables as patrons leave or picking up a pile left on top of the  garbage sorter at a fast food joint.
• Curbside recycling bins and drop-off location dumpsters. These are jammed with paper.  While some cities frown on people taking anything out of their containers (they are, after all, a source of profit), it might be worth a call to get permission.  At the least, checking out either will let you know which neighbors to hit up the night before garbage day.
• Newspaper facilities. If you have one in your area, publishers will willingly sell you the unused portions of their rolls, typically for pocket change.  At my local press a leftover roll will run about two to three bucks.  The upside to this is they are completely free of ink and have been stored indoors.  Teachers will often utilize this for cheap, clean craft project paper for the kids.
•  Recyclers. If you have a recycling facility nearby, newspaper can be had for mere pennies per pound.  Last I checked, the going rate was $.03 per pound/$6.00 per ton.  You’ll have to pay them a little more than they bought it for, but not by much.

Flammable

            This is what first got me to asking for old newspapers in the first place. Newspaper, at its core, is very dry wood material in thin form.  It burns fast with when “fluffed” or crumpled to allow air movement, and slower if more compressed.  Here is how I’ve used it in the past:

• Fire starter.  A few pages of newspaper crumpled into loose balls, topped with kindling, topped with a split dry log is usually all it takes to get a roaring fire built in my indoor fireplace or outdoor fire pit. 
• Charcoal grilling.  Two balls of newspaper at the base of a charcoal chimney starter, whether the store bought types such as the Weber version, or a homemade one made out of an old can works much better than lighter fluid.  Not only will it light all your coals easier, it’s cleaner and unlikely to blow up in your face.
• Cooking.  My grandparents used to have a grill that utilized only newspaper to cook on. Quite a while back I even saw these advertised on late night TV. These cookers worked like a charcoal grill, but somehow made use of newspaper balls as the heat source instead.  How it made crumpled paper burn long enough to make raw burger and steak into a family meal is beyond me, but it always worked like a charm on Grandpa’s back patio with very little muss and fuss.  These are somewhat hard to find, but I remember it working well and would certainly pick one up if I happened across one at a yard sale. 
• Log alternative.  Not only does newspaper make for good fire starter, in a more compacted form it can produce a fair amount of longer-term heat.  In a pinch a section of newspaper rolled into a cylinder and bound with masking tape will burn much like a log.  You will have trouble lighting it outright, but when thrown into an already established fire or placed over a bed of newspaper balls and tinder it can replace firewood to some degree.

Absorbent

Newspaper is made of wood pulp, which can also be said of paper towels, toilet paper, and facial tissue.  As such, in a pinch it can be used as a cheap replacement for these functions, though the ink has a tendency to smear a bit.  One extra benefit to newspaper’s absorbency is that once used you can dry it out for other purposes, such as fire starter or composting. Some other ways I’ve used newspaper over the years:

• Gardening.  Here in the southwest our soil runs two varieties: hard-packed or dusty fill.  Very few raise crops successfully without full-on soil management efforts.  Newspaper has been key in improving my food production efforts considerably. For one, it serves well as the carbon or “brown matter” base necessary to speed the decomposition of the nitrogen or “green matter” materials in my compost bin.  Worms love to bed in the stuff, increasing my compost breakdown all the more.  Best of all, it serves as a better moisture trap than almost any other common garden materials I have run across, and is certainly the cheapest.  When judiciously added to compost or directly to the soil it decreases my need to water as frequently and allows for better root growth.  That said, one cannot just add bales of paper to compost or soil, or it will suffocate microorganisms and plants.  It took me a while to happen on the best method for breaking it down to manageable bits, but I now use the “bucket method” (described below) extensively. This little bit of effort provides me plenty of loose, carbon-rich, absorbent, and mixable material to work with when planting crops.  I am currently experimenting with its use in applications which require potting soil.
• Animal bedding.  Confined animals make messes in the same places they eat and sleep.  If these messes aren’t taken care of it makes for an unsanitary situation.  If one is raising animals for food purposes, this can lead to an increased likelihood of food-borne illnesses.  Newspaper is a cheap way to provide your animals soft bedding that can absorb their “downloads” and be thrown out/re-purposed before it becomes a problem.
• Rags.  Doing laundry would be much more of a hassle during disruptions to modern lifestyles.  As such, it may not be in one’s best interest to use cloth rags or towels for common cleanups.  At the least newspaper can alleviate the burden by taking the initial brunt of the mess.  When I clean my guns I usually do so on a good layer of newspaper to absorb cleaners and grease while simultaneously preventing scratches from my bench.  When my kids or I dirty our hands, I will wipe the bulk of it off with a newspaper before coming in the house to wash up.  Newspapers are amazing window cleaners, and are a constant companion when I’m trying to keep the area clean when working on vehicles and machinery.  In the ongoing debate between the supremacy of disposable or cloth diapers in TEOTWAWKI in SurvivalBlog, it has been noted that one can extend the life of either type of diaper by padding it with newspaper. 
• Deodorizer.  Not only does newspaper absorb liquids, it does a fairly competent job of absorbing odor.  This is one of the reasons old time butchers would wrap up fish with it.  Balled up paper will alleviate musty areas or the after-effects of a spill in a refrigerator drawer.  This function is also a side benefit to using it in animal cages. 

Insulative

If you go to a hardware store that sells blown-in or “loose fill” insulation, you basically have two options: fiberglass or cellulose.  The cellulose type is typically composed of 75-85% recycled newsprint.  Some frown on cellulose as an insulator because of two of its other main properties, namely flammability and absorbency (ask anyone who has had a roof leak into an attic with cellulose fill). However, if accounted for, your old newsprint can serve you quite well as an insulator.  Some common usages, outside of raising a building’s r-factor:

• Plant protection.  My wife and I, and many other gardeners over the decades, have saved several of our food plants from late frost by simply covering them with a good layer of newspaper.  For added effectiveness, we will sometimes then cover this layer with a plastic sheet to prevent moisture from getting through.  When the threat is over, simply remove it all and let your plants get some fresh air.   
• Airflow barrier.  In the winter when I am no longer making use of our evaporative cooler I will place a layer of newspaper behind the grates to avoid the cold air blowing through.  Rolled up paper placed at the base of doorways reduces drafts from outside.  You get the idea.  I caution you to only use newspaper where moisture intrusions won’t happen or can easily be detected and cleaned up, lest you harbor mold.
• Avoiding heat damage.  Newspapers are great to have around when one needs to handle slightly hot items (obviously, given its combustibility you don’t want it around things that are flaming hot).  If my wife and I are canning or cooking multiple dishes, we save our countertops by laying down a layer of newspaper to act as big oven pads.  When I’m zeroing in a gun in the wilderness, I will lay newspaper on my car to avoid paint damage before putting the gun down (rolled up, it also makes a decent bench rest in a pinch).  Newspaper spread over metal, such as siding or pipes will help it to avoid getting too hot on a summers day.  If wrapped around a skillet handle or building material it will allow you handle what you’re working with.
• Food storage. In the days when my grandfather ran a grocery store, ice came packed in an insulative layer of sawdust, which allowed it to be shipped long distances, even through Arizona, without too much loss of product.  Since newspaper is essentially composed of refined sawdust one can utilize this same effect by wrapping cold/frozen items in newspaper, or conversely, hot items.  Not only will this allow you to transport the item and keep it at its preferred temperature longer, it will protect more fragile items such as jars.  When my wife and I travel any distance, we will often wrap our food packages, place it in a cooler, and surround it all with ice bags. 
• Human bedding.  Go to any major city and in all likelihood a good portion of its homeless population lays on or under newspaper.  Certainly the more sophisticated of us can make use of it, too, for the same purposes.  Newspaper can be shredded and stuffed into sleeping bags and mattresses for an extra layer of warmth. 
• Sound barrier.  Newsprint is, relative to more common forms of insulation such as fiberglass, much denser.  As such, contractors recommend it to those looking to muffle sound in homes.  If one seeks to lower one’s noise footprint for operational security (OPSEC) purposes, newspaper can be shoved into spaces between windows or sliding doors, crevices through which sound can travel, between wall beams, etc.  On structures which creak where two pieces of building material rub together,  I’ve found that placing a few layers of newspaper between the offending parties, then refastening the joint provides for a better fit and dampens the noise in one shot. 

As effective as newspaper is all by itself, here are three pointers for those intending to make use of it:

• Newspaper and tape go hand in hand.  The handiest tape for any of its purposes is masking tape. It sticks well enough to the paper itself. Furthermore, when using newspaper there is often a need to adhere it to another surface, whether I’m using it under my kids’ paint pads or as a jar insulator, and masking tape will typically not harm such surfaces or leave residue.  It can also be left with the newspaper through its transitions to other purposes, such as fire starting or composting.  I recommend keeping a few rolls of painter’s masking tape on hand if you’re going to keep a pile of newspaper on hand.
• Some care must be taken when storing newspaper.  Don’t store it near any source of flame or radiant heat.  Don’t expose it to liquids.  Even in safe, dry places it can become a haven for mice and insects if left in the open.  I recommend using plastic storage bins for indoor storage, and a plastic barrel with removable top works well for outdoor storage.
• Depending on your use, you may have to break newspaper down into smaller pieces.  For the most part I can perform most tasks simply by tearing it by hand.  When I need to make it into finer strips a “guillotine” paper cutter (the type elementary schools use) works extremely well. In order to break it down into a fine pulp I use the “bucket method”:  I simply fill a standard 5 gallon bucket halfway with paper and the rest of the way with water.  Let this sit for a couple of days until the newspaper is thoroughly saturated and easily torn by hand.  Then get a power drill with mixer (mortar or paint) attachment and blend to a fine pulp.  Do this in an area and with clothes where splatter won’t matter.  You can now use the newspaper in its semi-liquid form for purposes such as gardening or spread it out to dry for purposes that require dry cellulose material, such as some insulation applications. 

Newspaper has literally hundreds of uses around the home.  I have but touched on those  of special interest to the prepper/homesteader community which I can personally attest to.  May you find newspaper to be as helpful to your preparations as it has been to mine.           

JWR Adds: Don't neglect using fire retardant (soaked or spray-on), depending on the application. For example, whenever newspaper will be used as insulation in an application where people might be sleeping or periodically absent, then flame retardant is called for.

I believe in having all the “big” things, to prepare for the possible breakdown of civil society.   I have a large home outside of a small mid-west town, and expect 12 people to arrive to hunker down, if things do fall apart.  I need to be able to feed and supply of them, perhaps for years.

So I have 1,200 gallons of Kerosene.  This is intended for heating the home for 3 winters, and I have 3 Kerosene heaters to do the job.  The Kerosene is stored in in 3 large 330 gallon plastic totes, half buried in my back yard, hidden by a wood pile, as well as four 55 gallon drums buried under my deck. I have a hand-crank pump to get fuel from either type of container.  I have treated it all with PRI-D, and I expect it to last for decades.  I have stored more PRI-D just in case.

I have 12,000+ pounds of food on site.  Along with lots of canned goods and dried meals, I have barrels of white rice, rye, Triticale, 5,000 pounds of hard red wheat, pinto beans, and 250 pounds of popcorn.  I have another 4,000 pounds of wheat in a barrels in a second location.

I bought the rice, beans and popcorn at Restaurant Depot in 50# bags, and the rest as “seed” from a local grain dealer, for around $14 per 60# bushel.  It's mostly stored in 55 gallon drums, with liners, and dry ice to drive out the oxygen.  Some is also in 6 gallon buckets. 

I have 300 gallons of water.  100 gallons of this is instantly drinkable, in 1/2-liter bottles.  I also have 100 gallons in two water heaters, and 110 gallons in two 55 gallon drums in my basement.  I could filter and/or disinfect this water if I needed to drink it, but it's intended for washing and toilet flushing.  I also have 1,000 coffee filters, and various-sized of commercial filters, to handle drinking water for the foreseeable future.  I have a 165 gallon tank collecting rain water from my downspouts as well, for gardening.  I bought that for $20 off Craig's List.

I have 36,000 rounds of ammo and eight guns.  I try to double up on calibers, so I have two rifles that use .223, two hand guns that use .40 S&W, and a .22 rifle and .22 pistol.  Much of the ammo is stored in sealed 4-gallon buckets with desiccants, but I always keep about 500 rounds in magazines ready to go.

I have bags of silver, mostly in junk pre-1965 coins, as well as gold in 1 oz coins.  I don't know if this will be needed for actual spending during a breakdown, but it should transport a chuck of wealth thru a hyperinflation.  Once there is a new currency, I can exchange the silver a little at a time to buy items I need. 

I also have Canadian dollars, which I think will do better than US currency at holding it's value.  And I have it in a Canadian bank, and I renewed my passport, in case I need to bug out for real.  I'm just a few hours from the border.

But I don't just want to survive if TSHTF.  I want to thrive.  So over the past few years I have gathered lots of other items that I don't want to be without, when there is no store to run to.  Once you have the big things, be sure to look for these “little things”, to make life easier. 

I have way too many of most of these items for our own use, unless things stay broken down forever, but I like them for trade items as well.  Barter may become very important.

I bought small 400 bars of soap.  These are individually wrapped hotel-size bars.  I paid $17 on eBay, or 4 cents each.  I want to be clean post-apocalypse, and these should trade well.  To help conserve water, I also bought a bucket of 500 Clorox disinfecting wipes.  Then I added 40 tooth brushes, at 5 for $1.  Dental hygiene will be important, and they should be trade well too.

I worry about lighting, especially in the winter, so I bought 3 gross (432) votive candles from TheCandleDepot.com, for 30 cents each.  They burn 15 hours.  I also bought sixå of the 120 hour Nu-wick candles on eBay for about $10 each.  They cost more per hour of light than the votive candles, but you can put 3 wicks in them, and cook over them if needed.  So combined, I have about 7,200 hours of candle light.  I think the small 15 hour candles will be good trading items as well.

I bought 200 Fish hooks for $1 at a flea market.  Others will need them.

I bought 12 rolls of Vietnam-era trip wire, 160 feet each, on eBay, and 1,000 feet of 6# fishing line.  I want to have lots of trip wires and booby traps to protect the homestead.  I also bought 50 old-fashioned mouse traps, 25 cents each, to use with the trip wires.  (You can attach the trip wire to the “cheese spot” and rig a shotgun shell primer under the spring arm, and make a nifty trap or alarm. I put aside 100 shotgun shell primers for this too.)

I bought 100 tubes of Super Glue on eBay, for about $20.  Good for trading, good for quick small repairs, and also good for treating minor cuts.  In a pinch you can glue the cut shut.  Nice pocket size item for trading.

I bought 4 gallons of Barricade Fire Blocking Gel for about $250.  You can but buy it on eBay.  That's a lot of money, but my house backs up to a woods.  If that woods starts on fire, I can quickly coat my roof and deck with this stuff, and it simply will not burn down.  Very important if there's no fire department available because TSHTF.

I bought three Water dispensing Fire Extinguishers via eBay, from a guy who salvages old buildings.  Just $15 each.  They hold 2.5 gallons of water, and you pump them up with a bike pump for pressure.  You wouldn't believe how far they throw a powerful stream of water!  They are like water cannons.   I could use them with a mixture of Barricade Gel to coat my roof will standing on the ground, if needed.  Otherwise, I have handy fire extinguishers that I can refill with water again and again.

I bought 1,200 doses of Antibiotics, from various Pet Med places on line, and Amazon.  I'm convinced they are the same as people meds.  I did my research, and settled on 200 doses of Cephalexin, 200 doses of Ciprofloxacin, 100 Metronidazole, 200 Doxycycline, 300 Amoxicillin, and 200 Ampicillin. 

I have them in the refrigerator until TSHTF, where they should stay near full potency for a decade.  After the electricity fails, they should still last for many years, and only slowly loose their punch.  After a decade, I may need to take double the dosage for the same effect, so I have stocked a good supply.  I hope to have a doctor to diagnose any problems, but in an emergency, I have some medical books, and may have to roll the dice in the face of a serious infection.

To help prevent illness, I also bought 100 of the N95 masks, and 200 pairs of rubber gloves.  (Don't ask me why, but I also bought 300 unopened, empty insulin syringes, on Craig's List for $20.)  I also bought four boxes of 100 count butterfly bandages, as well as many boxes of band aids, and 30 rolls of wrapping bandages. A primitive lifestyle can lead to lots of cuts and bumps, and I want to be prepared. 

I have all the standard over-the-counter stuff, purchased as Sam's Club.  This included many bottles of Imodium, Benadryl, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol and Robitussin.  I also bought a gallon of Chlorhexidine for washing wounds, and Silver Sulfadiazine and Ichthammol, based on articles I've read on treating injuries.  I also tucked away 4 quarts of Hydrogen Peroxide and 4 quarts of rubbing alcohol.

I've also stocked up on bottles of vitamins.  If TSHTF, nutrition will suffer.  So I have 50 big bottles of Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Acidophilus, and a good multiple vitamin.  This should handle my crew for years, and also allow some trading of bottles.

Having fire will always be important, so I bought 4,600 Strike Anywhere matches, in 32-match boxes.  These individual boxes should make great trading items, so I bought a gross of them.  I also bought more than 50 lighters, and spare fluid.

I am about to have installed a solar panel system and windmill to power the whole retreat, but I did buy 100 NiMH AA and AAA Batteries, and a small solar recharger.  All my little flashlights and tools use these, so I wanted a bunch.  There may even be a business opportunity, where you recharge batteries for people, and swap them charged ones for dead ones, as needed.

I hate bugs, so I bought 200 bottles of Mosquito spray!  Just 17 cents each from a guy who had overstocked.  Not aerosol cans, but the pump kinds, so they'll never go flat.  I did the research, and the active ingredients seem to have a long shelf life.  Farming would be unpleasant without bug spray, as would summer nighttime patrolling, and the bottles should also command a great deal in trade.  And when they finally ban DEET, I'll be all set.

I should get more, but I do have 10 bottles of sunscreen.

I'm obsessed with home security, so I bought 600 feet of razor wire (20 rolls of 30 ft each) and 10,000 feet of barbed wire.  (Remember to get the special gloves for handling the razor wire!)  I know wire won't keep people out if it's undefended, but we plan on it slowing the bad guys down long enough to shoot 'em.  Or just discourage them, so they move on to easier targets.  There are some good free PDFs on the net describing how to layout a good Soviet-style tangle foot obstacle.  Print one out and save it.

I may want to fortify defensive posts, and observations posts, so I have 500 sandbags.  Get the clear plastic self-sealing bags, from Home Depot, for about 35 cents each in boxes of 50.   They store/stack well, and self-sealing plastic bags have lots of uses besides home defense. (Such as human waste disposal.)

I expect we'll need to build stuff after TSHTF.  The lumberyard is unlikely to be open if things really fall apart.  So I bought about 10,000 nails and screws.  I bought dozens of trays of them at an area flea market, for about $50.  

The attic above my garage was not floored when I bought my home.  I put in a pull-down stairway, and “floored” the attic with loose 8-foot 2X4s.  I put about 100+ of them up there, not nailed down. [JWR Adds: That approach is not recommended in earthquake country.] So now it's a great place for me to store stuff like my barbed wire spools.  If and when I do need the wood for building, I can slowly un-floor my garage attic and have 100+ 2X4s for construction.  Until then, they make a fine, inexpensive floor.

I have 720 packets of various vegetable seeds.  I found a seed company distributor online, and ordered one of their vegetable variety display racks, at around 10 cent per packet.  These are the packs that sell for 59 cents. 

They are hybrid seeds, so the next-generation seeds collected from their veggies won't always reproduce true.  But I look at it this way – they are bred to produce bountiful first generation crops, unlike heirloom seeds, so my early crops after TSHTF will be reliable and big.  And I have so many packs, I won't need to save more seeds for decades.  Like all seeds, they should store well in my cool, dry basement, and the $70 they cost me wouldn't have bought me all that many heirloom seeds.  I expect the packets will make great trading items too.

I have 50 red laser pointers with white LED lights included.  I buy these on eBay for under $1 each, batteries and shipping included.    I think the little white lights are handy for in your pocket or hanging on a nail.  And we will use the red laser lights, in the hands of some of the women-folk, to make any raiders think we have even more guns aimed at them than we do.  (I also want to rig up a sort of hand-held “laser light gun” with dozens of lasers, which can be used to blind siege folks.  People are very afraid of looking into one of those lasers, and being blinded, so they should be intimidating!)

I worry about a large group rushing the retreat, in greater numbers than we can shoot quickly.  Or at night or as a surprise attack using a distraction.  If a group crashes through multiple doors and windows at once, we could be screwed.  So I bought a 150 ft long heavy fishing net, 12 ft wide, on eBay, for $100.

I cut the big net into various sizes for hanging over all the doors and ground-floor windows.  These individual nets can be hung quickly with the hooks I have, and should secure all the entries long enough for us to defend them.  Even if you shoot my front door of its hinges, it's just going to hang there in place, held up by the heavy netting inside.  Then I'm going to shoot you through it.

I bought 7 pounds of calcium hypochlorite (pool shock) for less than $20 from InyoPools.com.  Each pound will make enough chlorine bleach to disinfect 12,000 gallons of water.  I intend to make bottles of bleach in my 1/2-liter water bottles, and sell them as a business when TSHTF.  Each little bottle will itself disinfect 12 gallons of water for someone.  I'll make some money, and save some lives at the same time.

I have stored 72 gallons of treated gasoline in twelve 6-gallon cans.  I empty one into my car each month, and refill it, to keep the stock of gas fresh.  I use the mid-grade without ethanol, in case I want to use it in small engines. 

I also bought 1 gallon of PRI-G, to rejuvenate 2,000 gallons in the future.  A few years after TSHTF, there will likely be lots of old “worthless” gasoline, that can be completely reconstituted if you have PRI-G set aside.  It costs about $85 a gallon on line, but I think it's worth it--from www.Batterystuff.com.  Five years after a collapse, I still want to have a chainsaw!  (I bought several extra chains for the saw as well.  And 2 back-up chain saws, tucked away.)

Because I worry about bullets flying in through my walls, and I also worry about inflation, I have slowly accumulated 1 million pennies (400 boxes, $25 each).  Each box already has about $40 in copper (pre-1981 pennies make up about 30% of each box), so I'm ahead $15 the day I “buy” them.  I don't sort out the good pennies. 

I have the unopened boxes stacked along the outside walls of the upstairs bedrooms.  I guarantee no rifle bullet is getting through the siding, the wall boards, and the boxes of pennies.  If we never collapse, I have a great inflation hedge in the pre-1981 copper pennies.  If we have deflation, my coins will increase in buying power.  And in a hyperinflation, if we get a new currency, the coins may be accepted as part of the new money, and avoid the inflation entirely.

Since they don't make Sears catalogs any more, I have stocked up 200+ rolls of toilet paper.  I keep adding to the stash.  It takes up some space, but I don't want to think about the end of the world without toilet paper.  Not with 14 people living in my home if things fall apart!  I also bought one of those handy 5-gallon bucket toilet seat tops, just in case.

I don't expect your average thugs to have tear gas, but some left-over police state types may have some.  So I bought 10 Israeli M15 Gas Masks and 20 spare 40mm filters on eBay.  I can also use them if the woods behind my house is on fire, and I'm busy spraying Barricade Gel on my roof while the smoke surrounds me.

I also bought five canisters of Clear Out tear gas from one of your sponsors, KeepShooting.com.  $17 each.  (Remember to use the SurvivalBlog discount code "sb"!)  I figure I can roll a can down the stairs from my second floor if intruders do get in, and our gas masks will protect us from the effects, and allow us to fight while the tear gas gives us the edge.

I also bought a roll of 1,000 feet of 550 paracord for $36, from another of your sponsors CampingSurvival.com.  That stuff is good for so many things.  I added an 4-wheel block & tackle, so with the paracord I can lift some very heavy items.  I've practiced with it, and it's fun to lift 100 pounds with one hand.  Don't forget a few hundred cable ties as well.  Very handy.

Speaking of lifting things by hand, buy gloves when you find them inexpensively.  I also bought the expensive studded gloves for handling razor wire, and some “welding glove” for high heat, and some rubber coated gloves, but mostly you want a box full of more modest gloves.  Simple cloth hand-covers,  for doing regular outdoor tasks, will really save on the wear and tear, as well as precious water for hand-scrubbing.  At flea markets, I often see them for $1 a pair, so I have stocked up.  They should trade well too.  (If you find a couple nicer, leather gloves, stash those away as well.)

I continue to read survival blogs every day, and I am always looking for new items that will be both handy, and good for trading.  I usually buy them on eBay.  I also find the big outdoor flea markets offer a large variety of useful items.  And I watch Craig's List for things I haven't thought of.  I also love the Deal of the Day sites.  Each day, I stop by TodaysDOD.com, for a summary of all the deal site offers, and I often find bargains on stuff I think I can use.

Start a list of things you'd like to have on the shelf.  Add to it every time you read something interesting on the web.  Don't rush out and buy them all at once, but check the items off as you come across them at a bargain price.  In a surprisingly short time, you will find you have stocked a lot of handy items for use, and for trading.  Good luck.

I've only been in the survival community for one to two years; I still need quite a bit of work to do before I'd dare say I'm prepared enough to survive a severe blizzard let alone some life changing and significantly prolonged event. I get a little overwhelmed by all the work I still have to do and frustrated by how precious little resources I have to work with. I'm a 21 year old unemployed college student still living at home in an apartment complex 20 minutes from a city, as you can see my options are limited. Limited not eliminated; my situation is not a hopeless one, neither is any reader out there who finds themselves in the same boat as me (be it limited resources or inexperience). There are still many things we can do to build a solid foundation  onto which the rest of our survivalist futures will rest upon. Here are just a few things I've learned to do, I hope it helps others out there just starting off in their preparedness planning.

I live in an area of the country famous for temperamental weather patterns, the only constant expected here is snow and lots of it in the winter time. My first step is to deal with the most likely threat first and work my way up from there. SurvivalCache.com did a fantastic piece on this called the "Survival Pyramid" the pyramid (from top down) is formed by how much supplies equipment and resources are needed depending on the situation. For example the top tier is the most common of events, small weather events (like the blizzards I mentioned) power outages and anything run of the mill that requires the bare minimum of preparedness is in this segment.

I know when I started reading the survival web sites I flipped out realizing how many things could disrupt my life and require me to survive on my own for an indefinite period of time. I began thinking It could happen any day now. I need a kit for this and something in my car for that. I need to make more money and start storing food, NOW! Frankly it was a miserable feeling, I was always anxious and always felt defeated. I had created an idol, I wasn't sticking with the faith knowing God would provide for me if events beyond my control and beyond my capacity to prepare for happened. Also I wasn't feeling like a real survivalist, prepping should give a certain amount of confidence and peace of mind because you have a plan.

That peace of mind only came for me when my priorities were set (aka put God first) straight and when I set up a realistic goal for starting out. That realistic goal can only be achieved (adequately and efficiently) by sitting down and planning before the crisis is happening. Right now while the world is sane and your mind is calm and focused write down what you would need to make it through a survival situation. You won't have this luxury while the event is hours away or happening right this very second and you're in a crowded half empty supermarket trying to find bread and soup for the next few days. This also helps you realize the important stuff that you over looked trying to get all the essentials taken care of. The other important items? Toilet paper, feminine products, tooth paste etc. All the little stuff you know will bite you in the nose the minute you're out of it and you have no way to get it.

Finally set up a timetable so that you can eventually extend your small term plan into a long term plan in a realistic but efficient manner. For example I'm writing this in August, my starter two week winter survival plan's deadline is December 1st. The deadline is placed far enough in advance for me so that I can ensure to meet it. Realistic deadlines will give you the proper motivation needed to get the job done at a steady pace (this idea was taken from Southernprepper1, a very great survivalist and fantastic teacher on YouTube, I highly recommend everyone check him out). And once you've met that deadline you'll see that this isn't so bad, it can be done, and done right. Next you'll stretch your supplies from two weeks to a month, then a year supply with a planted garden for perpetual food supplies. Before you know it you'll be Bugging Out with the best of them.

Learn

Turns out survival skills require quite a bit of knowledge and a varied skill set.

In this day and age we're surrounded by information, it won't be too hard for you to learn more about all things preparedness.

For starters there's the machine you're sitting at right now. The internet gives everyone access to the largest storage center for information and idea sharing ever created in human history. To make this search for knowledge on the vastness of the web more fruitful and dare I say fun I recommend a Stumble Upon account. StumbleUpon.com is a more entertaining and less tedious version of Google-like searching. Create the account and put in what your hobbies and interests are, (yes survivalist is an option) then hit the "stumble" button. The next thing you know web sites you've never even heard of on a standard Google search will be popping up at random ready to display valuable information to you.

But of course the old fashion book still has a place in this digital world (after all when the Schumer hits the fan we'll need something to reference to) in my college library I was able to find a survival resource book that is no longer in print. I happily spent free time in the library between classes reading it and taking notes. The library is free people, and I'm sure you pass at least one on your various travels. You can even search the selves from the internet these days making finding books that much easier.

Of course there's not just skills but equipment that you must learn about too. Product reviews on shopping web sites aren't always the most reliable source of information since they can contain one or two people who didn't know how to properly handle the product (it happens frequently with electronics, an almost 100% five star rating ruined by a select few that can't program the television or sound system the right way). More often than not though they can help give you a better idea of the quality of a product. Professional reviews of products on web sites devoted to survivalism are the best since these people know how to handle the equipment and can give you an accurate reading on how well it truly performs. However, personally, the best book I've read on gear selection (for a beginner that is) has to be Camping for Dummies by Michael Hodgson. It gives a great overview of what to look for in backpacks, boots, and sleeping bags to get the most for your money.

Of course not all things can be learned from merely reading. Once you have the money and ability I strongly recommend taking courses in first aid and basic wilderness survival. There's something about being instructed and physically doing the actions that instills a sense of confidence that is vital in chaotic and stressful situations that require a sound, focused, and prepared mind to deal with them.

Preparing YOU

One part of survivalism that is finally receiving attention is the need for us to stay in the best physical shape possible so that we can meet the possible demands of a Schumer hit the fan situation. Thankfully, if you're creative and do a bit of research on strength and conditioning, you'll find out that it's not that difficult or expensive to start your own custom workout regimen. I've been blessed with a best friend that is also an aspiring personal trainer (he also won a strong man bench-press competition last year, hey I have to brag) he has given me a great amount of advice and has developed a training system to meet military and martial artist standards of fitness. The workout schedule goes as follows (just to give an example):

Monday: Strength Training 8 reps 3 sets 1 minute rests between sets
Tuesday: Cardio a series of movements executed on the punching bag. Rest as needed
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Endurance Training 15 reps 2 sets 2 minute rests between sets
Friday: Quick Cardio a series of simpler movements executed on the punching bag (only  more of them) rest as needed.

The workouts only take me about 30 minutes a day and afterwards I don't feel so exhausted that I can't move. I feel great actually and the results are worth it.

Another part of survivalism that has finally taken root in the community is having the proper mind set to deal with the tough decisions and events of a Schumer hit the fan situation. Again SurvivalCache.com has done a brilliant piece on the emotional and mental toll of taking another person's life in the name of self-defense. Southernprepper1 does a series of videos that act as if a WROL (Without Rule of Law) situation is actually occurring.

It's best to realize now, in the foundational stages that is, that survivalism is not meant to be treated like an evening out with the guys. It's not a perpetual camping trip and it isn't an excuse to get all your cool guns together and play Rambo. It's a serious business that requires a mature and prepared mind to handle the stress and uncertainty of this new reality that you've been thrown into.

Reach Out

We can't survive alone, in your planning stages as well as your execution of the survival plans you are going to need help. I made the mistake of trying to do it all on my own at first, then I read a SurvialCache.com article on talking with your family about being prepared. I started including my mother (whom I live with) in the conversation on the matter, turns out she had some ideas I never would've thought of and she was more than willing to help contribute to the effort. I can tell you it feels good having someone around to help shoulder the burden and it looks like the plans will be moving faster because of our collaboration.

Especially when you're just starting out you're going to need help, you're going to need the experience and knowledge of others to get off on the right path. Never be afraid to ask for help from the survival community, if there's one important and fantastic thing I've learned from joining the various survival web sites it's how friendly and helpful even the most experienced veteran survivalist is. They know what's out there, what can rock worlds and change life as we know it in an instant, they preparing for it and they're more than happy to help you prepare for it too in any way they can. It kind of reminds me of the old days before there was this useless Nanny State system, when neighbors hit a financial rough spot they helped each other out. They made dinners and brought it over to the affected family, they offered help in fixing whatever was broken free of charge, and even left $500 in an unmarked envelope addressed to a needy family (something which happened to my mother at church once).

In the past month I've been blessed many times by my church family covering my six because of such tough times (I write this article on a very nice laptop that was given to me as a birthday present, among other things, to help me get through college and reach for a better future).

"Woe to the man who falls and lacks a brother to help him up" says Ecclesiastes 4:10. It is a fatal error to believe you can survive all by yourself. You can do a lot to make yourself less dependent on the government for protection, and make yourself less dependent on modern infrastructure like the power grid and supermarkets. But the bottom line is at some point and time you'll need someone to "cover your six" because you need the safety of numbers, because you don't know how to do something but a friend of yours does, or simply because you need someone around for moral support.

Don't let the prideful "I can do it myself" mentality dig in early in your preparedness plans, it will most certainly be your Achilles Heel when stuff really starts falling apart. We became a strong, stable and prosperous society by benefiting from the trades of talents and knowledge from each other. The same strength, stability, and prosperity can only be achieved in survival situations if we benefit from each other.

With much love and hope that everyone stays safe and secure in all their plans, - ChristianRebel

Jim:
The eBay online auction company has been around for many years and up until recently I had not been using it to get the incredible deals I should have been getting for years.  Much of the survival gear that a prepper needs is often highly durable and will last a life time, so buying them second hand on eBay is a wise choice.

The first thing to consider is your List of Lists.  Consider what you need from reloading supplies, body armor, tactical gear, weapon accessories, clothing, or surplus goods.  Now make a list of key words that are associated with all these items.  Sometimes a simply searching for a few key words related to the item you are actually searching for will result in a great find at a great price. When searching for items make certain you use the search result filters located on the left of the screen.  [JWR Adds: Also be sure to search for common spelling errors in auction titles that will cause auctions to get overlooked. For example, if "camouflage" is misspelled "camoflage", of if "gauge" is misspelled "guage" or "gage", then there is good chance that there will be few bidders.]

When searching for high quality gear like Trijicon ACOGs, or well made Tactical gear, don't be afraid of checking the "used" box.  You will see that all this used stuff is still serviceable and often half price.  I have bought many vests for the family, accessories for weapons, or other supplies at 80% off.  Its pretty incredible sometimes. Look through your search results and add any items of interest to your watch list, this is done by simply clicking the item link, then clicking on "Add to watch list". 

Once you have added everything you are interested in to your watch list, consider your budget, and narrow it down to the items you are really gunning for.  The next part is bidding.  I am the scourge of every decent human being on eBay.  I am a bid-sniper.  I wait until the last moment to submit my bid.  This prevents anyone else watching the items from outbidding me. As the items auction timer counts down the last 20 minutes or so, it will count down second by second for you to watch.  Have your bid placed into the bid window and when 10 seconds are remaining, place your bid as quick as you can! [JWR Adds: There is bid sniping software available. I recommend using it.] Your bid will get locked in and no one else will really have a chance to do anything about it, unless they have done the same thing or previously placed a much higher bid.

Another thing to be aware of is that people instinctively place bids in predictable increments.  So lets say an item is going for $40.  People will bid in increments of $5.  So if you see that people have already bid on it, you can be sure that you will need to bid $46, or $51 to secure the auction.  When you are bid sniping keep this in mind.  You need to bid slightly over the next predictable bid.

Some auctions are normal auctions where they start at one dollar and bidding is open for a few days or up to ten days.  When the auction is complete, regardless of what the highest bid is, the highest bidder wins the auction.  Other auctions have a reserve, which means that a minimum bid must be made to meet the reserve requirement before the auction can be won.  I ignore any auctions with a reserve because I don't look for fair prices, I look for great deals!  Other auctions say "Buy now for x or Make an offer"  Don't be afraid to make an offer to people.  Just by them creating the auction in this way you know they are looking to make a sale.  I once bought two $300 [body armor] plate carriers of great quality by making an offer of $50 for each vest.

Good luck hunting for your survival gear.  Search for anything and everything.  I always check eBay before I make any purchase, from clothes to gun scopes.  You should too!

JWR Replies: I too find a few bargains on eBay, particularly old AC/DC vacuum tube AM-Shortwave radios for my collection, field gear, holsters, magazine pouches, and knives. By patiently waiting for "sleeper" auctions, I've accumulated a substantial pile of Cold Steel, Benchmade, and Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) folding knives, both for eventual barter and as a hedge on inflation. A few years ago, I was still able to find some bargains on pre-1965 non-numismatic "junk" silver coins, but unfortunately those days are gone, since there is presently such strong interest in precious metals. And sadly, eBay's management went Politically Correct and banned sales of firearms magazines and many gun parts such as barrels. For those, I use auction sites like GunBroker.com and AuctionArms.

Part One:  Why I Started to Prepare

Speaking from the perspective of someone who has spent the last several years researching, reading about and trying to sort through multitudes of information on the subject, I can say that learning the art of preparedness is not a simple task. Given the huge amount of resources, information and even misinformation available on the internet and within the many books written on the subject, determining the right path towards being more prepared can be a difficult one to say the least. Here is my story, and my tips for finding your own path towards becoming safer and more prepared for the many unknowns which can harm us or those we love in this ever-increasingly crazy world.

My journey towards becoming a person who was even interested in becoming more prepared began one chilly fall evening several years ago. I was in my mid-20s and spent most weekends, and even weekdays, focusing on fun, and like most Saturday nights went out and met up with some friends. It was an after-hours party at the local art hot-spot, and they were serving drinks upstairs. The person who accompanied me to the party, my roommate, was on crutches for a broken leg so I was going back and forth for the both of us. On my second or third trip upstairs I noticed two older men looking at me. They gave me just the slightest hint of a strange feeling – but I ignored it.

Several hours and drinks later, the party was over and it was time to move on. We waited until everyone else left so we could use the side exit because it was the handicap exit, but was locked and rarely used. We said goodbye to our friends and they locked the door, closing the place for the night, and then headed around the corner to the alley where my car was parked. I helped my friend into the passenger side of the car and then headed around the back of the car to unlock my own door. Just as I opened it, I felt and heard someone rushing up behind me in the dark. I turned around and it was one of the very same two men I had seen earlier inside. As he rushed towards me I fumbled with my keys in a desperate attempt to open the tiny Swiss-army style knife on my keychain, but all of a sudden from the dumpster behind me two homeless people kicked a trash can and then popped out. The homeless-looking woman stared at the man and began walking towards him, very close to me at this point, and he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, only a few feet away from me at that point.  We stared at each other for a minute and I opened my knife. The homeless couple walked up, and then the man said in a strange manner, “Oh, I thought this was my car.” I turned to the only other car around, which was parked right next to me – a newer white van with few windows. His companion, the other man from inside, was sitting inside the car staring at me.

I jumped into my car (a small sedan) and drove away, paralyzed from the experience and too scared or shocked to try to even get their license plate number. Honestly it took me a little while to even realize the serious danger that I was in, and that if nobody had popped out of that dumpster, well this story may have never been written. Was it divine intervention? Luck? Destiny? I will probably never know. But I do know that this was the day that everything in my life changed; or more significantly – the way that I view the world changed in every way.

I have spent countless hours wondering what they wanted with me, or worse, to do to me.  Regardless, the fact of the matter was that I wasn’t prepared, and that I didn’t follow my intuition. Was it divine intervention? Or just coincidence that there happened to be witnesses? I will never know. Following that day, slowly, my wants and needs have shifted towards trying to plan for things before they happen and more importantly – to follow my own intuition no matter what, because it can truly be a very powerful thing. Since then I have shifted my life path completely. Had that not happened to me I might be living in the rat race of Los Angeles by now, but instead I now have acreage in the country and feel safer than I ever have…but of course the move was only one step towards making me feel safer. Since we purchased a house in the country with acreage, my extra spending money is limited now – but I think it was the right decision, and it was something that I (well, we) had wanted for a while. I feel safer away from a large population – and to me, any financial sacrifices that have to be made are well worth it. Will I have several years’ worth of food anytime soon? No. Will I be able to purchase an arsenal or switch over to complete solar energy anytime soon? No. But I am in a much better situation than I ever have been in my life – and that is what makes me feel safer. It is all a give and take – that is life. It is something that must be molded; that is – we all have to work with what we’ve got.

This brings me to my point about being prepared in general. With all of the resources that exist on the subject, it would be easy to simply print out any one of the preparedness lists and check things off as you buy them. But in my opinion – this is not the most pragmatic approach and will not necessarily keep you and your family the safest under any circumstance. If you are like myself and most others I know, who live only within their means and particular resources, then you must take your plan for preparedness one step at a time, while trying to make sure that each step matters. And for me – that meant deciding which steps were most important to me in my life, and why.

The power of human intuition is an incredible thing. I can think of countless times in my life where I thought – if only I would have listened to myself, especially that night after the party. It is my belief that following your own intuition, and combining this with as much safety and preparedness information you can find – is truly the best path to finding safety (if that is even possible) in an unsafe world, and perhaps more importantly – to find your own peace of mind. Not finding yourself in a bad situation to start with is important (like being alone or without protection at night), but also carrying whatever type of personal protection you can afford is important at all times. I now carry pepper spray with me wherever I go, and have one in my car as well (it’s what I can afford – at less than $10 each for police grade spray off amazon.com). Do what you can, and think of everything that can happen – because sometimes it does, and someday it could be you.

Planning to be better prepared must be a personal and individual thing, and as with most things in life, there is no one-size-for-all answer. Think about what concerns you the most and address those issues first. Think about what activities your family does on a daily basis and how you can improve their safety both while you are away and at home. Think about the environment and climate you live in and what natural resources are around. Start writing down a ‘what-if’ list: What if we’re out of town and…? What if there was an earthquake? What if the power fails for a week, a month…or worse? What if our well dries up? What if the grocery stores close? The internet goes down? But of course, these questions could be different for each and every person and family. Everyone’s situation is completely different, and of course, the timing of such a disaster cannot ever be planned for or anticipated. One person might be at home with family and live in a densely populated area while another might be driving a secluded road alone at night…that is why it is important to develop something that helps you feel more at ease and according to your own personal situation. What scares you the most? Why? Is it well-founded? Do some research if you need…this is what it took for me to feel safer again.

So, all that being said…Here is my own personal plan for preparedness, in my step-by-step manner:

Part Two: My Plan of Action for Becoming More Prepared On A Limited Budget

Step 1: Begin by writing down a list of your own what ifs. Think about where you live and the potential dangers that you, in particular face. Do some research - now is the time. Once you start learning about how to prepare, and why, the rest will come into place. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Follow your common sense and your intuitive side – even when writing your list. And always include safety in everything you plan.

Step 2: Then write another list – a list of goals and items that you will need in an emergency situation. Make a list for your home. When you’re away from home. For your car. Make a huge list which contains anything and everything you can imagine. Cover all your bases. Consider your environment. Then make a much shorter list, comb through your first list and begin with your simplified list – of just the essentials (adjusted for what you already have). To me, this means things like extra basic household essentials: led flashlights and lanterns, matches, baking soda (can be used for all sorts of things – toothpaste, bee stings, laundry etc.), bleach (water and general disinfection), aluminum foil (you can use to make a make-shift solar cooker as well as plenty of other things), duct tape, toilet paper, paper plates, batteries and paper towels etc. This also means dried or canned (or powdered, dehydrated or otherwise preserved) food basics: rice, beans, baking supplies (flour, baking powder, cornmeal, yeast etc.), TVP and the like.

Step 3: Start by picking out the items which you personally consider to be the most essential – and purchase them one by one. For me, I started by working out a plan with myself considering the very small amount of money I can commit each week. Food and water seemed like the most essential items for myself, so now, I buy 5 gallons of water per week for my storage closet plus 5 pounds of assorted varieties of lentils, peas and beans, as well as 5 pounds of rice or another starch (barley, brown rice, couscous, quinoa, pasta etc.). Then each week I also try to determine another item or even a few, depending on my budget that will enhance my own collection the most. Last week it was the buy one get one free deal on olive oil along with extra household supplies (aluminum foil, trash bags etc.). This week I will buy cans of soup, first aid supplies and a few books (on country living skills and solar cooking etc.) off Amazon.com. Next week I will do the same as well as a few 5 gallon water jugs ($7 each at Wal-Mart) and stock up on batteries. And so on.

The point is – follow your common sense and work on essential items first, and at least you can say that you are making your greatest effort with the resources that you have available. There is no master list – do what feels right for you.  After you begin building up your water and food staples (dried, bulk and canned goods) then you can begin to narrow down the next important things as you can afford them. There are solutions to the basics for all economic levels. Food and water can be acquired as you can afford them. Just buy a little of each category at a time – that way you aren’t caught without one particular thing and water is extra important. Save milk or juice jugs, clean them and fill them for additional water. They are not necessarily the best first choice for drinking – but you can also use them as a makeshift solar shower if you spray-paint them black (or lay under a black tarp or cloth) and pre-drill at least one screw-on type lid in advance. I would hate to be caught in an emergency with only a huge bucket of pinto beans and nothing else. And pre-packed (MRE type) meals are great – they just don’t make economic sense to me at this point (maybe down the road). There are more important things. I don’t buy stuff I like anymore, I buy stuff because I like it and I think it might be useful or benefit me in some way someday-and especially in an emergency.

Step 4: Now that you have a basic plan of action and are beginning to follow it, now you simply have to continue to follow it and add in additional items as the opportunity allows. The first items I purchased along these lines were a wind up/solar am/fm/weather radio as well as batteries and flashlights. You can expand as you go, just make sure to focus on the basics first. Don’t follow the hype – follow your heart when it comes to getting yourself prepared for all situations. Follow your own plan, and expand as you research, save money, and continue to prepare. Solar items are particularly helpful as they provide a longer duration of self-sustaining energy, but stocking up on regular batteries first might make more sense for most people…just do your research and determine the most important things first. Everyday items can be lifesavers, and so can very inexpensive things, if you just plan ahead a little. Take advantage of the bulk section at your local grocery store. Think of all the things you do and/or enjoy in your everyday life, food, water, showers, clean clothing, using a bathroom, entertainment of some sort and so on. Then try to make sure you’ve got as many of these bases covered as possible in case of emergency. Be creative. And of course, always be safe when you are away from home as well. Protect yourself and be aware – follow your intuition in everything that you do and you will be better off.

On my long term list I have hundreds of items, most importantly additional weapons and power sources. And perhaps most importantly a manual hand-pump type connection for our well. I would also like to have backup solar power installed (for the well especially) if money allows. Ideally a bomb shelter on the property would make me sleep the best at night, but that may only come if disaster takes a long time to get here. However, if I work hard enough at it and nothing happens in the meantime – that day will come, and the same goes for you too. That is why taking one step at a time is important, since thinking of anything and everything that could happen can get a little overwhelming to say the least. Make a list and then make it a reality.

I believe that common sense and a belief in one’s own abilities and intuitions can be a life-saving thing, something that is invaluable to each and every one of us. Developing a personal plan and simply setting aside (if only a very little) time from each day before something terrible happens to begin learning and preparing could be the very thing that saves your life someday. I got a second chance – but I don’t know if I’ll get a third. That is why I prepare the best I can and learn as much as I can. And now – I do feel safer than I did before.

Emergency kits and meal kits are great (if you have the money that is) – but they aren’t everything. Follow your intuition and develop a plan of attack first – and most importantly cover the basics (for your own personal situation, and what you can afford) first. If you do enough research, you can find ways around the obstacles you face. If money is the issue, find less expensive ways to accomplish the same thing. If location is the issue, then do your best to change it. If you keep at something long and hard enough, so much can be accomplished. And always remember, all that we can ever do is our best. As far as I am concerned, this is the path towards freedom from fear as well as getting prepared. Be safe in everything you do, and good luck with your own plan and path towards protection and preparedness. I hope that if nothing else, my own personal story helps those who haven’t experienced something like I have, to follow their feelings and intuition their best, and also to do their best to stay safe in an unsafe world. Good luck out there!

Mr. Rawles:  
Along the same line as Cadet’s recent piece about hand tools, I would like to add that this topic has been on my mind for some time.  I bought a file set from Harbor Freight just to have for light work around our retreat.  When I tried to sharpen an old Collins brand axe head with a fine file, the axe head took metal off the file!  My warning to SurvivalBlog readers: Save up a few extra bucks and buy new American made files that are actually harder than the steel that you intend to use them on!

JWR:
Some of us don't always have a spouse that is 100% on board with prepping.  So I thought I'd send a list of some hobbies that help with prepping in a SHFT situation, and have a non-SHTF function too.  Most have worked out well for me, some my wife has become more avid than I, the remaining she tolerates.

Flower Gardening - Allows for purchase of gardening tools, composting, development of good growing beds, fertilizer, books on growing and seeding, and pest control products. You will have to pay attention to vegetable safe products, but in SHTF you will have what you need for the next planting season. I also replaced a number of evergreen bushes around my house with Rosemary. Might as well let as much of the decoration plants have a second use too. 

Coin Collecting - Focus on silver coins. As a side note, keep in mind if you collect silver proof sets from the U.S. Mint, you may have to trade the whole set, to keep that plastic packaged 'silver' stamp on it and to instill trade confidence. Pre-'1965 dimes, quarters, halves and silver dollars - including the modern One Dollar Eagle Silver coins may have a premium compared to buying junk silver, but it gets me fewer strange looks from my wife.

Wine Collecting - It's a great way to have both barter items, and antioxidants/vitamins.  One word of caution: think French bordeaux. The higher tannic levels can allow for 20+ year storage, where California wines will usually not last that long. The downside?  Guess who brings the wine to the family get-togethers.

Birdwatching - Specifically having bird feeders. This brings small game into your area, especially  pigeons, doves , squirrels, and other goodies.  In addition to having surplus bird-feeder seed to attract small game, binoculars are easily justifiable.  My wife looks at the yellow finches, I look at the pigeons and doves under the feeder.

Attracting wildlife - Well, that's what I told my wife when I bought salt licks. When the deer started eating the roses, I just stored the salt licks in the basement. Yep, that went over well.

Grilling - Since propane based grills will probably be out of fuel a few days into SHTF, I recommend becoming skilled with charcoal based grilling.  The grill should be able to smoke meat too.  They are adaptable for wood based cooking, and since coal - hardwood coal - burns hotter and quicker, you can buy in bulk without much convincing.  Hardwood charcoal also (usually) does not have embedded lighter fluid, and can be used to pre-filter water when ground down - buyer beware.

Cooking - Learning how to cook well, can justify iron skillets, heavy duty pots and pans, and general items like mills, manual food processors, and cooking books - one that I recommend is called: The Silver Spoon. It is a Italian cook book, that has instructions including pigeons and doves, pheasant, wild game, and how to butcher the animal -, it's $35-to-$50 dollars depending on where you buy (Phaidon Press, ISBN-13: 9780714844671; ISBN-10: 0714844675), It is thick as a brick; but for me it's worth it. Downside? Now I'm the primary cook in the house.  Thankfully, I didn't have to justify extra plain bleach by doing the laundry.

Target Shooting - When I left Massachusetts and moved to America a few years back, I bought a M1A almost immediately after moving in and getting a new couch. Once my wife saw the cost of .308 ammunition, saving money by buying it cheaper in bulk was easy.   Later I didn't have to argue too much to get a good .22 LR: $9 for 100 rounds versus $18 for 20 rounds. We still buy in bulk to save on both.  Since my wife is a little gun-phobic, she did not have any background with firearms. For safety reasons I was able to get her to take some classes on handling a rifle, and teach her how to shoot. I know, not as good as tactical training, but she is down to 1.5-2" groups at 100M on my rifles that can do it. For me, the key here is not to talk 'tactical', but to talk about firearms as collections, and stress release at the local range. Also, synchronizing when I to to the range, with her prime 'phone time' helps. Ladies, think Monday night Football for getting to the range.

Food Storage - canning as a hobby helped me. But anything beyond a 30 day supply is very hard to justify in 'non-prepping' terms. Personally, I was get up to about 90 day supply  before the 'comments' started. I just point to my grandparents having easily twice that amount, and there weren't 'prepping'; just normal Depression era people.  I still get a hard time about this, but it's worth it.

Medical - Couldn't find a hobby for this one. I just do my best not to call my medical equipment a med-kit, and stick with the term first-aid.  Oh, and I never say that quick-clot is for gunshot wounds, I just remind her how many times she has dropped a knife.  Your mileage will vary.

I'm looking forward to your latest book. Best Wishes, - Robert B.

There are many situations where multiple families may need to live together under one roof.  These can range from retreats for a SHTF scenario, economics such as job loss, ill health of an older family member, to a multi-family vacation.   Recently, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks in Mexico with my husband’s family where a total of seventeen people shared one house.  In addition to sharing the house, a city-wide water shut-off occurred for three days.  Also, I spent the last seven months sharing my home with a parent that had health problems and did not have means to care for themselves financially.   These recent experiences provided some useful insight into planning for multiple families living under one roof.

Chain of Command:  It is very important to determine the chain of command prior to any combining of families and living spaces.  Who will make the ultimate decisions?  This will most likely be the owner of the house since it is their house and they need to preserve the integrity of their property.  Other options could include:  a council of family reps, different people for different areas such as finances, food, etc.  In both of my experiences, it was the owner of the house.  Regardless of who is given that responsibility, it needs to be determined before the families combine.  This alleviates a lot of confusion, but most importantly, everyone involved will know what to expect and will take ownership of it.  It will become an automatic given, instead of becoming a power struggle later on.

Spiritual:  The spiritual ideologies of the families that you choose to combine living spaces with should be seriously considered before combining living spaces.  If you are serious about your religion, it will dictate how you live and your perspective on everything.  In my experiences, we had a combination of devout Catholics, cultural Catholics, agnostics, Old Testament legalistic Christians, and born again Christians.  The agnostics were constantly challenging the others, including the children, and the Old Testament legalists and Catholics looked down on those who do not follow their practices.  While adults can handle questions about their faith and persecution in such situations, the children may be susceptible to doubt and extremely vulnerable to persecution.  And if there is little privacy for the family, it will be hard to sit down with the children and discuss various encounters without others hearing what is said.  And if the adults are extremely busy, it will be hard to monitor what encounters occur and intervene if necessary.  This issue can easily add stress to an already stressful situation.  If combining with families of other faiths is unavoidable, it is a good idea to communicate boundaries with the other families, as well as have daily prayer and family devotions in your family’s designated space or withdraw to a place away from the shelter.

Shelter:  Living spaces should be allocated as fairly as possible, and considering the load on the house.  The house in Mexico that we stayed in had five bedrooms and three bathrooms.  In our case, it was decided that each family would have one bedroom to share.   However, two of the bathrooms were only accessible through their respective bedroom.  The result was that the other three rooms/families, a total of twelve people, had to share one bathroom, while the remaining five people had two bathrooms.  As you can imagine, this became quite an issue.  Another factor to consider is personal space.  When multiple families live together, it becomes important for individuals to “get-away.”  It is stressful for families to share spaces, let alone multiple families.  If at all possible, each family should have their own room or space to call their own.   Keep in mind that couples will not have privacy that they may be used to.  Also, lack of furniture may be possible.  Let your bodies to get used to different sleeping and sitting arrangements now.  Our kids had to sleep on blankets over tile floors for over a week, until other arrangements could be made.  Camping is a good opportunity for this.  Another fun opportunity for kids is to let them build forts in their rooms and sleep in them.

Food:  Food can easily become a major issue due to cost and different eating preferences.  Again this is an issue that should be determined prior to combining living spaces.  In one case, we were on vacation so it was very ad hoc.  Some families were going out to eat, while others were purchasing, cooking and sharing food.  At many times, we would purchase food for ourselves and put it in the kitchen, only to find out later that people had helped themselves to our food and finished it.  One way of alleviating that problem would be to designate certain areas of the kitchen for each family, or to designate areas that are off-limits.  For longer term situations, a schedule of provision would help.  For example, one family could obtain and prepare food for Monday, Tuesday and Friday, while another family obtains and prepares food for Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, depending on the number of families.  Then they can switch the schedule.  In an SHTF situation, more than likely, everyone would working together and providing for the entire group.  However, in that case, there still needs to be a decision maker to make sure that food is allocated fairly and to ensure that random snacking, especially on foods designated for meals, does not occur.

Water:  In this article, it is assumed that there will be a water source already for the building.  Regardless of the situation, knowledge and practice of water conservation is important.  If families are combined for financial reasons, water conservation will save money on the water bill.  If families are combined for a SHTF situation, water conservation can mean life and death.  Some examples of water conservation are:

Showers- A typical practice in Mexico for showers is to rinse in the shower and get the hair wet, then to turn off the water while shampooing, soaping and shaving.  Once that is finished, the water is then turned on to rinse off. 

Teeth brushing – Water conservation here is common sense: Apply toothpaste, get the toothbrush wet, then to turn off the water while brushing teeth.  Then turn the water on to rinse the toothbrush.  A cup of water should be used to rinse the mouth out.

Hand washing - Get the hands wet, apply soap, turn off the water while scrubbing, then rinse. [Again, this is traditional common sense, but often ignored in our wasteful society.]

Dish washing - A typical dish washing practice in Mexico is to have a small pool of water in a sink, and to have a wet sponge saturated with concentrated dish soap.  The dishes are washed with the sponge and a bowl is used to dip in the water and pour the water over the dishes to rinse them off.  Very little water is used this way.  Since the dish soap is concentrated, it is a good idea to make sure the soap is compatible with your hands before using larger quantities.

Emergency situations may arise and provisions for emergencies should be considered.  When we were in Mexico, the city notified the residents that the water would be shut off for three days in order to clean the system and change the filters.  Since this is a normal occurrence in that town, most residents already have their plumbing feed directly into water reservoirs that are installed on their roofs and have plenty of buckets and pails filled and available for use.  How much water on reserve should take into account the number of people in the living space.   Preparation for the upcoming shut-off included:  everyone taking their showers, filling the buckets, filling their water bottles for drinking and filling the sink for washing dishes.  Since the reservoir feeds directly into the plumbing of the house, it was expected that flushing toilets would only be done in the case of solid eliminations and there would be no showers.  Other provisions included buying disposable dishes and utensils as well as diaper wipes for hand washing.  [For a short term emergency,] antibacterial solutions, such as Germex, could have been used as well.  Communication and constant monitoring of the children during emergencies is extremely important.  During the shut-off, one child left the sink faucet full blast while brushing their teeth.  Another misunderstood instructions and left a solid elimination in the water bucket instead of the toilet, which used more water and contaminated the bucket.  Water conservation habits and practicing for emergencies can help prevent these kinds of occurrences during true emergencies.

Finances:  When families cohabitate, finances will become an issue.  It is best to keep as many items separate as possible.  However, there will be some items that cannot be separated, such as utilities.  It is best to determine how these items will be paid for, what each family’s payment responsibility will be based on, as well as general usage levels, prior to living together.  Financial responsibilities can be based on percentage of house occupied, percentage of people in the house, anything above a certain usage baseline, etc.  My experience is that electrical and water use is extremely different between families.  Get into the habit of turning off lights and other electrical devices when not in use.  This will save a lot of money over the long run and give fewer opportunities for people to say that you are not paying your fair share in the event that you do cohabitate. 

Sleep:  To ease conflict in general, it is a good idea to keep everyone on similar eating, napping (if necessary) and sleeping schedules.  And strategic quiet times will be helpful for those that need more sleep.  We ran into a lot of problems because the adults wanted to stay up until midnight, while some of the children went to bed around 9pm.  The children couldn’t sleep, or they would wake up early the next morning and make noise while the adults were trying to sleep.  And if people don’t get their sleep, they usually get grouchy, which increases potential for more conflict.  It would be helpful to practice now sleeping through a lot of noise. 

Children and discipline:  Children naturally need direction and discipline, and different families have different parenting styles.  It is preferable to avoid living with people with drastically different parenting and discipline styles, but even families with similar parenting styles will encounter conflict.  In most cases, it is preferable for the child’s parent to do the disciplining.  For example, if a child goes up to another child and hits them and the parent is in the room, let the parent handle it.  It is also a good idea to understand your boundaries with someone’s child, by discussing discipline with the parent before things happen.  If the parent of that same child that hit the other child is not in the room, how would they want that handled?  Would they prefer that you take care of the matter, or would they prefer that you go to them?  If they want you to take care of the matter, what are your boundaries?  It also a good idea for all the adults to develop house rules for the kids and make sure they know what they are.  

Cleaning/Chores:  When the house is shared with other people, the need for cleaning will increase quite a bit.  The responsibility for cleaning common spaces, such as living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms should be shared with everybody and should be distributed proportionally.  Keep in mind that these places will need to be cleaned more frequently due to more people.  A schedule of chores should be made, with input from everyone involved, to eliminate miscommunication.  Cleaning of personal spaces can be at your own leisure, but if it is someone else’s house, things should be kept tidy and clean out of respect.  Train your children and yourselves now to be tidy and clean up after themselves.  Simple things such as habits of picking up their dirty clothes and making their beds will go a long way in these circumstances.  Washing laundry can also present conflict.  It is best to have an agreed upon schedule, giving each family at least a day, so that people eager to clean their items do not rush other people’s loads.  Also, some people are very particular over some of their more private pieces of clothing, so it is best to not help unless they give you permission to.  

Stress:  When multiple families are living together, stress will increase.  The noise level will also increase, which can be extremely stressful for some people.  If you currently do not have a known outlet for your stress, or have destructive or negative outlet, please considering discovering or changing your stress outlet before things get worse.  Exercise can also give the body an outlet for stress, and prayer and/or soothing music can give the mind an outlet. Things such as shopping or eating have the potential to do more harm than good.  As was mentioned earlier, it is beneficial to have scheduled quiet times.  This allows people to gather their thoughts, plan, pray, read, nap, and unwind.  In Mexico, the daily siesta occurs between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., where all the shops and businesses close down. 

Communication:  Communication is key for the success of families living together in a mutually beneficial way.  Everyone should clearly present their expectations and needs up front, calmly discuss options so the decision-maker can choose the solution and present the decision to all involved.  Since the decision-maker has been agreed upon by all, his/her decision should be respected by all, even if people personally do not agree with it.  In the case of financial decisions, they should be written, accessible and signed by affected parties.  In the event that a lawsuit arises (heaven forbid!) from financial decisions, a paper trail should help.  Chore schedules should be posted in areas for all to see.  House rules for the children should be posted as a reminder.  When conflicts or situations arise, communication is vital.  Presuppositions need to be identified in case there have been misunderstandings, before making claims about a particular instance.  One of the family members that lived with me did not know how to communicate when there was a conflict.  His emotional reaction to any conflict completely shut the doors to effective communication about that conflict.  Accordingly, there will probably be long-term implications in our relationship due to relatively minor issues that occurred in the past.  Start now in developing effective communication and conflict resolution skills, and pass those skills onto your children. 

When it comes to planning for multiple families to combine living spaces, prevention and planning are vital.  Practice conservation and stress reduction now.  Choose families that are similar in faith, in child rearing, and level of thrift.  When a family or multiple families is chosen, communicate openly and respectfully regarding these subjects, present expectations and designate a decision-maker prior to living together.  Live with that family with respect and consideration.  When conflicts arise, respectful communication will minimize the impacts of conflicts that will arise.  In doing so, these steps will ensure that living with other families will mutually beneficial.

JWR:

I strongly suggest checking out yard sales.  Every Thursday we get our free local community paper that lists all of the upcoming weekend yard sales.  The night before, I go to yahoo maps and map out our route which greatly saves time and wasted miles driving around.

Then every Saturday morning my family and I head out - sometimes a little later than what we hope, but most of the time we are out the door by 8 a.m.   Note: this is also a great way to spend some family time together. We've even found great deals at 2 p.m. so it's not necessary to be the first there and often later in the day, prices become reduced or items become free (I picked up a box of medical supplies the week before last for free).

Kids - well let me just say they make out like a bandit.  My grandson this weekend got a free basket ball, free baseball glove, and a big box of legos that has kept him busy for hours all for $5.  It's like Christmas every Saturday for him and at the tenth of the cost for us.

I also scored well this weekend with two, pristine sleeping bags.  One was a Eddie Bauer and the other an L.L. Bean mummy sleeping bag, and each one of these mint condition bags cost me $5 each. 

My other prepping find this weekend was nine full tubes of tooth paste and three new-in-the-package toothbrushes for $5.

You never know what you will find and most seem like they just want to get rid of some of the abundant amount of stuff that we Americans are so blessed to have.  We take it for granted how rich and blessed we are.  Good luck and God bless.

Do you or any of your readers have any experience with J-B Weld? Is it recommended for use as a survival item -- i.e., pros and cons versus traditional methods of joining [materials]?

Thank you! Best, - J.C.

JWR Replies: Yes, it works quite well, and I do recommend it.  But don't let the "liquid steel" marketing hype fool you.  It is just a two-part epoxy.

To be properly equipped for emergency repairs on vehicles, tractors, and assorted gear at your retreat, I recommend watching for sale prices and stocking up on a variety of sticky and strong stuff. I recommend keeping not just J-B Weld epoxy on hand, but also some Rec Repair patch material, a couple of cans of expanding insulating foam, a roll of self-fusing silicone tape, some Krazy Glue, a can of Slime tire sealant, a tube of blue Permatex Form-a-Gasket, a tube of clear RTV silicone, a tube of Shoe Goo (useful for much more than shoe repairs!), several rolls of galvanized steel wire (for versatility, get several different gauges from 8 gauge to 22 gauge), and of course some paracord and duct tape. (Both in olive drab, naturlich). Some people also suggest carrying Bar's Stop Leak (or similar) for emergency radiator repairs. But my old friend Ken X., (a senior mechanic) advises against using them. He tells me that these miracle radiator goops can do as much damage as they do good, since they can constrict the flow of water through a radiator. Use it only as a last resort!

Letter Re: Antenna Launching Alternatives

Good day,
I was just reading about Antenna Launchers in SurvivalBlog and it occurred to me than rather than constructing a complex pneumatic launcher, you could alternately use either an arborist throw weight for shorter distances or or a throw weight with an elastic launcher for heights well over 100 feet. Throw weights are inexpensive and designed to tow a line over tree branches.

I am a beginning Prepper. I am broke.  This combination is presenting a lot of challenges that I am determined to overcome.

When I started on this new stage in life I did what many people do, when starting something new, I began researching as much as I could on the subject.  The first layer of research came up with a wonderful array of web sites that were willing to sell me a years supply of food, pre-packaged and ready to go.  The problem was the price tag.  I could buy food or pay the rest of my bills.
My husband and I own our own small business and the income is sporadic and small.  So here is the challenge: How to be prepared for TEOTWAWKI and still live within our means.

The next step was more research, this time going deeper.  This included finding blogs on the subject and books on prepping that were not ads for products.  One of the surprise sources was actually not on prepping per say, but cookbooks and how to books from bygone years.  Our grandparents lived through the hardest economic times in US history.  We have forgotten so many things about living off the land and preserving food, that were common knowledge in their day.  Old cookbooks often have great sections on food storage and home remedies that still are great today. This is not to say I didn’t pay attention to the other research, just that things build up on each other.  It was also through research that I found the things that I did need to save up for that I would need from specialty sources, examples:  water treatment, long term storage container supplies, specialty foods. (I cannot can bacon).

I started with an assessment of current advantages.  I live in a small town in mid America with four full lots on the edge of town( about an acre).  My husband and I made the decision to prepare to stay here rather than a backup bug out location.  There is plenty of room for a supporting garden (we currently garden in this space and have room to grow).  We have nut and fruit trees on the property and are adding trees as we can afford them.

There is an old well on the property that is not currently in use so we are planning to get it going again, as we can afford to.  Our plan is to put in a hand pump, not an electric one.  That way we would have backup water in case of power failure.  Our home was built in the days before running water and was converted to indoor plumbing.  This will make it easier to convert back.  We have rain barrels for our gutter system.  The house was originally designed to divert the roof water into a cistern but the cistern is long gone.
Where we will spend our money?  A water filtering system and getting the well up and tested.

Protection preparedness is well underway.  Luckily my husband has always collected and shot weapons and was raised hunting.  Military training was part of his upbringing.  I was also raised in a hunting household and am comfortable with firearms.  A large stockade style fence to define our property is on the long term list.  How we will spend our money?  Ammo and ammo storage.  When funds allow, my husband is looking for same gauge weapons to cut back on the variety of ammo needed so we can concentrate on volume and fencing.

Heating and cooking is ready.  We already can heat our home with wood and have for extended periods of winter (when our boiler went out and we had a two month wait for a part).  We recently purchased a wood burning cook stove and are working on setting up our “Vintage Kitchen”.  We found the stove via craigslist and spent only $200.  Word of warning on this, check a used cook stove over very carefully, many of them are not worthy of use anymore.  Be sure the firebox is in good shape and all the iron is solid, with no burn through spots.  We have easy access to a wood lot that abuts our property.
Our lighting and backup electric is still in progress.  We have a collection of oil lamps and have started on the stockpile of oil. How will we spend our money?  I am saving up for a small solar generator system that can be added onto as we get funds.  I have a few solar outdoor lights that have held up well under outdoor conditions for more than three years.  They are a great inexpensive light source.  Place them in a sunny window during daylight hours and they are ready for all night light as the sun goes down.  Some of these lights are actually strong enough to comfortably read by.

Backup currency is started.  We were lucky to inherit a small silver coin collection from a relative as a base for our silver stockpile.  We add to this collection as we can.  We even find coins during business and actually get coins from customers that we add to our collection. No coin ever gets put into the bank without checking the date.  Pure silver jewelry is also added to the fund as we can.  Slow and steady on this one, but getting there.

Lets talk food.  I have added $75 a month to my food budget.  Part of the budget is cutting back on convenience foods to be able to put more towards prepping.  With this extra budget I shop very carefully to get the best bang for my buck.  We have set up a long term pantry to our house with shelves for long term storage.  When I am doing my regular shopping I check sales on can goods and storables.  Canned spaghetti sauce is on sale for 77 cents so I buy five extra. I have a new habit of going to Big Lots as part of my shopping because I have found they are a great source for canned meat.  I have set goals in each category of food so I can check things off as those goals are met.  When I use up a product from my kitchen I go to the long term pantry then refill there so I am rotating stock.  When we have a little extra cash or I have not used my monthly budget I purchase a large storage item like rice in 25# bags or wheat.  We are using the mylar and plastic bucket method to store grains.

We have been gardeners for our entire lives and I have been learning preserving methods, canning, pressure canning, drying and root cellaring.  Just this year we have begun growing heirloom only, when possible, so seed saving is part of our plan now.  Just today I started my soup starter tin.  Extra produce or produce that I do not have the time to can (I sometimes work 12 hour days and canning takes time) is dried and stored. This has been a wonderful discovery.  I take extra produce and cut in small pieces and use a dehydrator to completely dry.  All of it goes into the same big storage container: beans, okra, zucchini, peas, etc..  It is wonderful in the winter to take meat stock or tomato juice and throw a couple handfuls of the veggies in, simmer all day and you have a wonderful and nutrient rich veggie soup.

Medical preparedness is two fold.  Stocking up on basic medical supplies is the same as food.  A good first aide kit to start with is essential and then adding on.  I have also been an avid herb grower for years.  As part of my garden I grow a number of herbs with health uses.  There are many books on this subject and are worth investing in.  Being able to make a basic tea that can calm your stomach is worth the work of growing the herb.  In this vein, we also buy extra vitamins for general overall health.  A spare pair of eyeglasses for each of us is on the “Saving up for” list.

Communication with limited power can be tricky, we have a small CB Radio that can be hooked to a car battery and a hand crank AM-FM radio for now.  We have a ham radio on our list but would be okay with what we have now.

We may have to bug out.  We live 60 miles from two nuclear power plants (that are currently flooded).  So bugging out may have to be a choice for us.  Fuel is a huge issue that we have not solved yet.  Small storage cans are all we have.  Our “bug out bags” are at hand as well as easy access to our camping and outdoor equipment.  We have a large vehicle that much of our food and water could be stored in.  We have put an enclosed trailer on the list. A secondary location is hugely expensive.  We are part of a large family so one location might work for the family as a whole but finding that safe usable bug out spot is a big problem. The location would have to be far away from our current home to be of any use.  As of yet we have not found a secondary location so this option is still a bit scary.

So how to be a Prepper on a low budget?  Take one step at a time.  Always look for small ways to get ahead.  Check sales on food and medicines, household items.  Save up for the big and set a priority list.  If something happens before my list is done I will still be better off than I was before.

There have been many article about medical advice and certainly there is no shortage of information available in SurvivalBlog. But as a good old-fashioned country doctor I hope to give you some solid, comprehensive information that you can use now to prepare for WTSHTF.  There are some basic assumptions about TEOTWAWKI that most people have pondered.  Let’s go over the lists first.  It will be darker, colder, hotter, wetter, drier, and dirtier.  There will be less safety, less clean water, less food, more danger, more work, more exposure, and more pain.  Sounds like a bad camping trip. The difference is that it lasts forever and there is no hot shower and massage afterwards.  Anyone reading this already knows this, so what can you do about it now medically to make survival for you and your family more likely and easier?  First, go shopping for some basic supplies.  Second, go shopping for some basic over the counter medications to put on your shelves.  Third, go to the local doctor or health department for some shots.  Fourth, head to the dentist a lot this year.  Fifth, and lastly, figure out how you are going to get some medication for infections and ongoing maintenance treatment for chronic medical conditions when there is no pharmacy available.

Basic supplies include first aid materials that you might not think of and the ones you probably already have.  My experience has been that most camping first aid kits have 1 or 2 useful items and a dozen or more that take up space.  Don’t buy a kit unless it is a good one and get gauze, Band-Aids, Ace wrap, chemical ice packs, a couple splints, and tape.  Make sure you have enough quantity to last your family or group for a couple years.  Gauze and Band-Aids really can’t be reused, so make sure that those are given a priority in space accommodations.  Ace wrap and splints can be rewashed and reused for a long time.  The good old cowboy method of using a stick and some rags works—but only if you lay in a bed, don’t move, and expect to die while not contributing to your society.  Chemical ice packs will be a great thing to have when there is no ice, having them or ice will be extremely helpful WTSHTF.  This is not rocket science and you probably grow angry that you have wasted your time reading this so far—fear not, good stuff is coming.  Medical supplies you may not have thought of include screen, duct tape, foam spray, super glue gel, soap , eyeglasses, and a glasses repair kit.  It is assumed that shelters of some sort will still be standing and hopefully there is some ability to weatherproof such a structure against critters large (like dogs) and small (like mosquitoes).  Therefore the duct tape, foam spray and screen.  Prevention of bugs is a really helpful way to reduce your risk of stupid things that can kill you like infected bites, malaria, or a variety of killer meanies.  Duct tape should never be in short supply repairing large gaps and tiny holes, and holds wounds and bandages too.  Super glue works great to close up small wounds when stitches are not available, of course the soap is needed to wash them first which is reviewed in detail in some of the prior posts in great detail.  The gel works better than the watery stuff because it is much easier to control and not glue yourself to the patient.  We have used super glue on our animals many times, it works great on torn goat and dog ears so it would work on humans too.  Many of the glues we use medically are just expensive super glue in individual sterile containers.  Owning just one pair of eyeglasses is a really bad idea, as Twilight Zone fans are fully aware.  It would be best to have three or more, even old ones are better than nothing.  If you have lots of cash laying around losing value, you might talk to your local eye doctor about getting surgery to avoid glasses altogether, but there is risk involved and certainly eyeglasses are fine if you have them.  An eyeglass kit with the little screws and tools would make you a real friend to lots of people WTSHTF.

Over The Counter (OTC) meds are currently readily available at rock-bottom prices, so make sure they are on your stock shelves and not in your medicine cabinet.  Medicine cabinets are a horrible place to store medications long term because of the humidity and temperature changes.  Our  family likes to have regular supplies and TEOTWAWKI supplies separate because we are just not that organized to replace everything multiple fingers may “lift” from the stockpile without proper notification.  You already know how much lists amuse me, so here goes the next one:  Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), RID, anti-fungal cream and spray, vitamin C, multivitamins, bug spray and sun block.  Benadryl will work for allergies and itching, plus is a pretty good sleeping pill for most people.  Tylenol works good for fevers, some headaches and pains.  Aspirin is one of the world’s greatest medicines, multipurpose pain pill and blood thinner.  In the future, will be a must-have for anyone on a blood thinner now that would be unavailable.  Naproxen is another good pain and ache medicine along with ibuprofen to have on the shelves.  Pick one, unless you have the room and the knowledge about Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflamatory Drugs (NSAIDs) beyond the general population. 

RID will come in handy to try to get the lice out, but again prevention and haircuts work better.  Anti-fungal creams and sprays may help but usually won’t eliminate fungal skin problems in wet, dark scenarios.  Vitamin C is a great thing to stock up on, many of us will not have the available fruits and vegetables we are used too, and vitamin C is kind of important to prevent you from looking like a pirate in 2020.  It also helps fight off infection and should be used anytime anyone is sick with fever, so having enough vitamin C may be tough from a shelf space standpoint.  My suggestion is the chewable type as kids can easily take them and is a great substitute for candy which won’t exist.  A regular old multivitamin a couple times a week will provide some of the micronutrients missing from a fattened calf American diet we are all currently used to, so taking one  more than twice a week won’t do much for survival and makes for expensive urine.  Bug spray prevents ticks and mosquitoes, both of which carry potential infections you don’t want to have to put up with if you could help it, so use when needed until supplies are gone.  Obviously, the medical recommendations above are loose and should be verified with the most senior medical mind available in any given scenario.

Now, to address your local health care professional usage preventively.  The one thing you can and should do now is get your tetanus and pneumonia shots from your local health department or clinic.  Make sure your kids are up to date on their shots.  (Conspiracy theories should be ignored, shots are a good thing generally; this is a subject books have been written about on both sides, short story is:  shots don’t give you autism—case closed.)  The only other health-related info that you may find helpful is really basic and simple.  Be able to be in good enough shape for hard labor and lots of walking.  If you are obese now, lose weight so you are overweight but not obese.  There are some evidence showing obese people actually die sooner in starvation situations because of ketone buildup as they process their fat stores they believed would protect them from the hard times.  You are kidding yourself if you think your pasty, flattened fat bottom is suddenly going to burst into survival mode “when the time comes”.  The time is now, tubby, to get your body mass index (BMI) to 26-29 to maximize your survivability.  The same applies if you are currently working on your modeling career and have a low BMI of under 22.  You do need some fat on you; so certainly you should shoot for 24 if you really want to live longer and not been eaten as “lean meat” by the survivors.   There are BMI charts available online and at every clinic that will tell you your BMI for your height and weight.  Now you can lecture all your too fat or too skinny friends and neighbors with some authority on the topic of optimal survival weight—you’re welcome.  Medication that needs to be prescribed by a health care professional (used loosely) is a complex topic addressed in the last section and will be addressed separately below.

No one knows the date of WTSHTF and it could be today—we all know that and will recognize it when it comes.  Until then, get some friends and family together and make your local dentist a lot happier.  Preventive dental care can save a lot of pain and suffering when it is not available anymore.  Get that tooth pulled that looks like a gray chiclet, fix that small cavity, repair any current dental devices with the best permanent options available.  If there is a choice, my advice is always opt for pulling a tooth from a survival standpoint.  We will all be a lot uglier, hopefully the people around you won’t really care that you look like the rest of us.  Tooth lifters and booze may be the only option to pull a nasty tooth in the future—it works, but it sure isn’t fun.  Flossing is the world’s greatest dental prevention, start now and continue to floss at least twice a week until death.  Having floss, a toothbrush supply, and some toothpaste will really pay off for long-term survival and general happiness.  All of us have had a toothache before, it’s not really happy.  Topical numbing medication does work and should be on your shelf.  Toothpaste, even used rarely, will provide that loving fluoride to your teeth that will be missing without government provided water.  Teeth are something that most people take for granted, don’t leave them out of your survival planning.

Lastly, we get to the very tricky topic of getting the medication that you may need for survival or at least comfortable existence.  Know your medications, what they are for, and what you really need for survival.  If you show up at your local doctor’s office requesting medications for TEOTWAWKI, you may end up in a hospital bed with a nice snuggly coat on.  Most doctors are too busy to really care about TEOTWAWKI and are not married to survivalist nuts like yours truly.  Some doctors have not thought even one tiny bit about the subject and will not cooperate when you dreaded “educated patients” come barging into their routine day with demands for the unusual; it will also increase your likelihood of ending up with the snuggly coat.  Most doctors also work for large organizations with electronic health records—tied in heavily to government control and potentially government monitoring now or in the near future.  It is to your advantage to keep most of your survival preparation out of your medical record, just to be safe.  Antibiotics, antiparasitic, and antifungal medications are very complicated in real-world use and need extensive knowledge to treat effectively and safely.  There are some resources available and doctors that still take cash out there not connected to electronic health systems—for now.  Seek them out and pay cash for what you need—that is the best way to stay “under the radar” as they say.  A final word about medication expirations—they are just numbers on the side of the bottle WTSHTF.  The U.S. military asked the FDA to conduct a major SLEP test on medications when they started dating them. They found that 90% of medications were good up to 15 years after their expiration date was long past.  Both OTC meds and prescriptions should be kept in cool, dark, stable environments to maximize their effective use.

Hopefully, this information was helpful to you and can help give you a new check list of worries that can be completed shortly and without too much difficulty. We own and operate a clinic and a web site that provides medications to patients for health and survival.  Our web site is SurvivingHealthy.com. Antibiotic preparedness packs are available along with all the information here and much more.  You can also use my consulting service for your ongoing prescription needs for disaster preparedness.  This blog has helped inspire us to help people with their medication concerns and was one of the motivating factors in keeping us on the right track.  Stay strong and stay healthy, - Dr. Bob

JWR:
I just read Blue Sun's comments and feel I too must comment.

I believe that he has the beginnings of what I envision as a End of the World scenario, inasmuch as the 'friend' from yesterday is the enemy of today.

But we part company when he is suggesting that deep woods is the location for survival.

I see no room for the weak or infirm nor women and children.

I see only a Jeremiah Johnson-style survival thing for a lone male that is young and in good health and very good shape.

How long one expects to be in that shape is directly connected to ones age and present shape.

And if you actually believe you can doctor and dentist yourself at all time, then please show me that person as I have not met Superman yet.

I see all the problems of trying to hunker down and survive, But that is preferable to being on the run and trying to live "of the land" as that is not healthy .Either in a physical or mental way.

The "lone survivor" is a romantic thought and we [ most real men ] that saw Robert Redford as Jeremiah Johnson for the most part thought I thought that was so cool.

As I saw that over 30 years ago, I did grow and get older and matured. Enough to see that lifestyle, if possible then not preferable for so many reasons.

We are a society of sociable people, meaning most normal people want interaction and a friendly face and voice to know.

I imagine it might be possible to survive under 'the Lone Ranger' woods walker existence. But after a few years of cold and hunger,the "survivor" might find themselves looking for a few books to read and a friendly voice to hear. Or might think of eating his gun barrel .

I am of the opinion that I will survive, and if I must then it could be alone. But to prefer that and to try for that is beyond this old timers ken! - Regards, - Lobo

JWR,
I've often wondered as well, as to just how bad things could get in TEOTWAWKI situation.  Reading Blue Sun's post encouraging hiking out and taking on the hunter-gatherer lifestyle I had a few thoughts.

First, I don't know how many of your readers have read Octavia Butler's novel Parable of the Sower.  It's a TEOTWAWKI story written from the perspective of a teenage girl living in California several years after Peak Oil has crumbled our economy.  TEOTWAWKI happens over several years in the book, unlike the nuclear/EMP disaster of "One Second After", but many of the same themes and ideas are there.  For instance, the problem of the newly homeless and looters.  After a few years of dwindling resources and a crumbling/no longer existent government, many will be leaving their homes, likely on foot, to scavenge to food and resources.  Some will eventually band together, many will follow the major streams of human traffic, from one town to the next (they will likely follow major routes first since those are the paths of least resistance and then move to smaller roads and towns), scrounging for resources and likely causing fires along the way (think Los Angeles riots).  With limited or non existent services such as police and fire departments, fires are likely to get way out of hand fast.  At first, this is likely to only effect the towns being looted, but eventually, these fires are likely to find their way into the forests, unchecked.  So how do the retreaters and the backpackers deal with this threat and how likely are they to survive it?

With a retreat, one can always remove brush and trees from the immediate area around their retreat, though this makes the retreat more noticeable, it reduces the chance of fire getting close to home.  Large cisterns can be used to store water which can help put out fires, though that also reduces your available drinking water (a problem if the fires hit during a dry season or drought).  Buildings can be built of less flammable materials such as cob, rammed earth, metal, stone or concrete, but there's still the problem of air quality when a fire gets too close.  Gardens could easily be destroyed (but are replaceable), and orchards would be in danger if the trees were still young.  Livestock are likely to bolt, or worse, suffer and die from smoke inhalation.  A BOB would allow the retreater a quick exit if the worst happened and they were unable to keep the flames under control and away from their retreat.  Though the retreater would potentially take significant losses in a wild fire, those prepared would likely survive.

Backpackers would likely have a more difficult time dealing with forest fires.  For one, they're in the mild of the fuel, which leaves them strongly at the mercy of the wind currents and how quickly and to which direction they push the flames.  Secondly, they are very restricted on just what they can carry and how quickly they can pack up camp.  If a fire came up on them in the night, they may not have a lot of time to get moving to safety.  Since they have so few resources, the lose of any resources could make life much more difficult, whether it be a sleeping bag, fire arm, knife, etc.  Smoke inhalation would be a much more significant danger.  Being in the forest would make determining the source(s) of the fire more difficult than being in a clearing near the forest. 

Now, all that being said, I can definitely understand and promote the need to be prepared to rough it and backpack in the wild as suggested in the post.  For one, we can never assume that we are completely safe in our retreat.  Much as the characters in Parable of the Sower discover, eventually the walls fall, or you get the negative attention of the wrong people... and when that happens you either stay and face whatever that may entail (death, rape, slavery, etc?) or you bug out for safety again. 

Personally, I hope to have a retreat setup for my family as backpacking with small children long term is likely an even harder task, but I will continue to keep my BOB ready and waiting, caches available with resources, just in case, long after TEOTWAWKI has happened.  And hopefully, my retreat will remain safe, at least until my daughter is old enough to walk and understand the need to remain quiet. - D. Momma

James:
Given some modern medicine you can drastically reduce the infant mortality rate. So hunter-gatherers don't necessarily have a short life span. Most people intending to hunter-gatherers after TEOTWAWKI have already reached maturity and are bringing modern amenities. If you're referring to looters and criminals shortening their lifespan - then I also beg to differ. Statistically speaking any parcel of land you buy can be usurped by a far more remote parcel of land that can't be bought, that is reachable only by hiking or far more difficult [terrain or water] obstacles.

JWR Replies: As I've mentioned before in SurvivalBlog, the greatest drawback to any mobile retreating scheme is that it doesn't provide a stored supply of food to fall back upon. Whether you gather fish, game and plants or if raise your own, you cannot be sure of a bountiful harvest each and every year. Without a stored reserve, too much is left up to chance. A deep larder is your best insurance policy.

Dear Mr. Rawles,  
I am heeding your advice about looking at Idaho Montana, Eastern Washington, and Eastern Oregon for my retreat.  But I am very concerned about the potential super volcano beneath Yellowstone National Park. I have researched the past eruptions and their ash falls.  I see from those maps that these areas are very much in that zone.  I'm concerned not so much for my generation but for my children and my children's children.  I want my retreat to be viable for generations to come.  What is your thoughts regarding this threat?   Thank you! - Guy

JWR Replies: There have been a lot of sensationalistic news reports about Yellowstone supervolcano caldera in recent years. Most of these exaggerate the risk. More realistically, volcanologists tell us: "It could still be tens of thousands of years before the next eruption". And, the "rapid uplift" that was widely reported in 2004 in 2005 has slowed, significantly.

Because of the prevailing winds, the anticipated volcanic ash fall is primarily a threat to eastern Montana, eastern Wyoming, the Dakotas and the Plains states. There is just a negligible threat to west of Yellowstone. If you consider it a threat in the next few generations, then simply buy property that is at least 100 miles UPWIND of Yellowstone. If there ever is an eruption at Yellowstone, anyone in northern Idaho or Northwestern Montana will only get ash fall that first circles the globe. It it will be people the Plains states that would get buried by several feet of ash.

As a bonus, locating UPWIND of Yellowstone will also put you upwind of Montana's missile fields. It is noteworthy that Malmstrom AFB (which, BTW, is a locale in the second sequel to my novel "Patriots", that I'm completing next month) has dozens of strategic nuclear targets. If we are ever engaged in "nuclear combat toe to toe with the Rooskies", each silo could be targeted for a nuclear ground burst. (It is ground bursts rather than air bursts that create significant fallout.) Again, I wouldn't want to live downwind.

And as a further bonus, the climate is also much more livable west of the Great Divide. East of the Great Divide, the winters can be bitterly cold, but west of the Great Divide it is more mild.

Jim,
I'd like to share my recent experience with grocery discounts using the controversial discount cards that stores issue. First of all, I've never filled out a customer-information form for any such card, and since I pay cash nobody knows who I am. So since my name is not connected with the discount cards, I gladly use them to take advantage of every possible discount.

There are three Kroger stores in my area, and one day recently I was on the canned vegetable aisle and noticed a tag that said that a certain brand of diced tomatoes was priced at 97 cents, but with the Kroger discount card and if 10 or more cans were purchased, the tomatoes were only 47 cents a can! So with anonymity and cash in hand, I went to all three Kroger stores in town late in the evening (when far fewer other shoppers were around) and bought every can of that brand of diced tomatoes, scoring more than 300 cans at just 47 cents each. I did the same thing the following week when certain types of dry beans were on sale with the discount card for 74 cents per pound. I bought every bag in all three stores, taking home 150 pounds of beans for just under $112. There is no sales tax on food items in my state.

I realize that a lot of preppers would rather grow their own food than stock up on canned goods, especially vegetables, but why do these two conditions have to be mutually exclusive? I think of my stock of canned goods as the "bridge" that will help sustain me and my family until I am able to grow enough food to feed my family on my own. Since when is having hundreds of cans of items you eat anyway ever a bad thing?

Now, as far as what canned goods I buy, I'm a bit picky, wanting to get the maximum nutrition for my money. So about the only canned vegetables I buy are the ones with the highest nutritional content for the money, primarily tomatoes and other tomato products, carrots, and spinach or other greens. Green beans and corn are popular with most people, but they provide little more than "bulk" and don't really give you much nutritional bang for your buck. It would be wise to consider not just taste but nutrition as well in what you're stocking up. - Chad S.

Mister Rawles;
Someone recently mentioned that some people buy too much stuff with coupons that they can't possibly use up.  Also there was someone who usually buys "cheap" products like V05 shampoo, etc.  I have been couponing for four years.  My husband is a pastor and we took a lesser-paying church about the time the economy went South.  Then we added a family member.  I prayed and asked the Lord what to do.  We were spending $500-to-$600 each month on groceries with me trying to buy less expensive stuff, cheaper cuts of meat, etc.  I have always lived a frugal life.

The Lord helped me.  I met a lady having a "grocery garage sale".  She gave me two pieces of advice.  Check out couponmom.com and combine coupons with sales and rebates. I was using coupons at Wal-mart with little results.  But when I started reading the info on couponmom.com, it changed our financial life.

That site and many more will show you how to match the coupons in the Sun. paper with the sales and rebates that week.  You must do your homework about each stores coupon rules.  The pharmacies are the best places to shop.  CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid are the ones in my town.  They all have a "rebate" system.  My local CVS pharmacy will double coupons that are 50 cents or less.  If you can combine sales, with your coupon on an item that has a store "rebate" or even a manufacturer rebate, many times it is free or very inexpensive. Sometimes if the coupon goes over the amount of the sale price minus the rebate, you actually profit.

Again, you must do your homework on the store policies.  Ingles is a great grocery store.  They double coupons.  Also, if you have to bring an item back because it was overpriced, they will give you your money back.  It' free.

All of this can be very confusing, but God can help you learn like He did me.  I always pray before I leave the house that He will guide me in the decisions I make, to not let me make mistakes, and to show me what to do. 

Be very careful filling out manufacturer rebates to ensure each thing they ask for is done and on time.  The store rebates are easier.  But you must be sure to use of these "vouchers", etc. or they will expire.  The way I do it is to paper clip them and keep them in my purse so that I never forget them at home. Most cashiers are gracious to you if you are nice to them on a weekly basis.  Build a relationship with them.  Do your homework.  Don't give them expired coupons.  Ask for help when you aren't sure of something.  Get rain checks if they are sold out of stock. Most stores will allow you to come right back in and correct a mistake.  One time in the beginning, I forgot to use my coupons and it was a lot of difference in price.  So, I humbly asked the cashier if we could do anything.  She graciously let me "fix" it. Always check your receipt before you leave the store. It can be confusing at first, it does take some time.  Now I go to three pharmacies each week in about 2 to 2-1/2 hours.  Combine that with my weekly trip to Ingles and I save about half on my grocery bill.

One more thing, all that overage you end up buying - sell it on occasion at a yard sale. Charge less than Wal-Mart.  Make sure nothing is expired.  Medicines run out fast.  It helps you and the people who don't know what you know. Blessings, - Georgia Girl

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I read your blog regularly and especially enjoy the links to news stories that truly matter.  I don’t generally contribute, but I felt the need to share my couponing success after the mixed reviews of couponing as a stockpiling strategy.  I have been couponing since way before it was trendy.  I have seen the TLC coupon show (once). I cook from scratch for my family and many others, and as a homeschooling single-income family we do everything on a budget.

In my experience, the TLC show is unrealistic and silly.  Those are truly extraordinary circumstances when they walk away from a store with so much for mere pennies.  Questions have been raised whether the participants are even couponing ethically. Coupon fraud is a crime and I wonder if TLC’s sequel will be “Coupon Junkies” and filmed at a rehab clinic or correctional facility. 

I save around 50% off my total grocery bill with coupons, and not on TV dinners and snack cakes either! It is as much work as a part-time job, you must enjoy bargain hunting, and shopping trips with coupons take hours. I regularly score items including barbeque sauce, razors, shampoo, real meat (not bologna and hot dogs), baby wipes, dog food, cosmetics, detergent, socks and underwear, canning supplies, feminine hygiene products, over the counter meds, pasta, toilet paper, and even organic produce for free or pennies on the dollar and sometimes stores even pay me to walk out with the items.

I contact the manufacturers of the items I like using. Earthbound Farms will send you coupons on their organic produce if you email or call them, including coupons for free products.  Two weeks ago I cashed mine in for two giant clamshell containers of baby mixed greens, saving myself $12 while I awaited my own salad ingredients that had just germinated. Kashi is another company to contact for great coupons on healthier food, or call the 1-800 number on your favorite grocery items’ packaging and ask if they will send you coupons.  You may be surprised by what turns up in your mailbox.

Target is indispensable to my coupon shopping strategy because they offer free printable store coupons on their web site that you can combine with manufacturer’s coupons for the same item.  If the author of the previous letter does not want his $1.50 off a scented candle coupon I will gladly take it.  Twice every year Target pays me fifty cents each to leave with Glade scented candles after store coupon, manufacturer’s coupon, and free gift card offer. I have quite the stash of them despite sharing them with others and giving them as gifts or tucking them in gift baskets. They are just as useful as any other candle in a lights-out situation.

Coupons are hard work, and don’t apply to everything I need to purchase.  They certainly don’t cause me to purchase items I won’t or shouldn’t use unless the item is free and I can donate it.  I also save by buying my wheat and grains at the local grain elevator and grinding them myself, watching dealigg.com for grocery deals on Amazon (they include free shipping and I have added greatly to my coffee, peanut butter, and cereal stashes with some great deals I didn’t have to leave my driveway for), and growing a large garden and preserving things myself.  We have also purchased whole hogs and cattle and paid for processing. If you have the freezer space or desire to jerk and can a ton of meat this can feed your family T-Bones for hamburger prices.  You can also see how your dinner was grown.  I grow my own chickens and eggs for the same reasons.

In closing, there is a difference between stockpiling and hoarding.  If you can honestly and ethically acquire 272 toothbrushes or 98 bottles of mustard, then find a worthy cause and donate some! Sales and coupons run in cycles and you will most likely be able to come by some more. True hoarding is wasteful and selfish. Stockpiling is responsible and prudent and I believe God smiles on us for it and thank Him regularly for making it possible.  I hope my experience can be helpful to others.

Sincerely, - Minnesota Rose

Sir:
I just wanted to add a few comments to Y.M.’s extreme couponing prepping article.

Shoppers fall into three categories: 1 ) the busy, unplanned shopper, 2 )  the rookie shopper and 3 ) the Olympian. The busy shopper just runs in the store and buys whatever is there. The rookie saves 10-20% and the Olympian saves about 80-90 %.

I am definitely in the rookie category. I can save 20-40 % by just shopping the front and back page of the store’s weekly circular. Also if  you cook and do not eat out of boxes, you have additional savings. My family always saved by buying sale items in quantity to last us until well past the next time that item goes on sale again. Also eating what is on sale and in season and having a freezer will decrease your food bill.  Good management of your refrigerator and leftovers can save any family 25 %, because that is how much food the average family tosses out from waste. You know those unidentified containers in the back of the refrigerator that turn into another life form from neglect ?

 Deciding to extreme coupon, I searched “matchups”  for the date the Sunday coupons come out. You will find multiple web sites with listings of the various stores  with their sales and the coupons that match from the Sunday inserts and the date of those inserts. It does take time to match these up, and then not get tripped up in the stores ‘s rules. Some stores do not take online printed coupons, others do. Some will not take multiple coupons on an item. Some allow you to load up coupon savings on your store card, but will not allow you to add a manufacturer coupon with it. There maybe a limit on the number of items with coupons that you can ring up on a single transaction.  Rules, rules, rules.

There are savings to be had, but you have to do your homework. The sales and coupons cycle and repeat at varying intervals. It would seem that some items like detergent, diapers and body wash have many opportunities for saving and others are more seasonal.

I found out how much of a rookie I was, when I walked my grocery aisle for soaps and shampoos and ran into a real Olympian. She was so gracious and helpful. Trying to stay undercover, I try to not buy great piles of things and usually only use a few coupons. These people have notebooks with them and buy everything in quantities of 10 or 20. They even go above the matchup information on the web. For instance, they will cruise the aisles and find items with a Close Out sticker. Then marry that with a coupon that they remember that they had six weeks ago. They found bar soap and deodorant on close out and with the coupons the items ended up costing a few cents. Amazing.

Sources for coupons are bidding online and grocery stores sell papers in double packets. There is even a web site that will tell you which Sunday papers have coupons in them . Just search Redplum and smart source insert schedule.

It would be a great way to stock up you church’s food pantry and some of your own. This is a wonderful skill if  you  don’t let it get the best of you. Be sure to have clear goals formulated.  Some of the people on the extreme couponing program seem to accumulate items that they could not possibly use before it expired. The psychology of coupons is complex. Companies distribute coupons to introduce a new product, increase sales, encourage purchase of other items on the shopping trip and find new markets. Be careful that the gratification of using coupons is not causing you to purchase something that you really do not need or never would have purchased in the first place. Coupons can make you feel like you have “saved money”.
Also count the cost of the amount of time it takes to find, collect, clip, sort, and file coupons, also to evaluate the deal and carry out the purchase.

The take home lesson is : Couponing is good for saving money on short term items, so you can invest in the foods with 20-30 year shelf life. Continue prepping and keep the faith. - C.S.

JWR:
This is feedback for the article on "Extreme Coupon Prepping" by Y.M.

I have been hearing a lot lately about people saving hundreds or thousands of dollars by clipping coupons.  After reading the article I took some time and perused the sites mentioned: Krazy Coupon Lady, Redplum, Smartsource and coupons.com.  All of these sites are fine for people who 1. Buy whatever is being marketed (including lots of pre-packaged food) and 2. Require lots of maintenance items (various shampoos of the month, specialty vitamins, dog treats, air fresheners, contact lens solution, etc.). A possible third category would be people who just enjoy trying new things because a coupon implies they are saving money. 

As the head shopper for a healthy family of five, I spend an average of $700/month on groceries.  I cook every meal mostly from scratch and tend to buy the same inexpensive household items all the time (e.g. generic laundry detergent, store-brand dishwasher soap, inexpensive Dial soap and inexpensive V05 shampoo/conditioner).  After looking through the sites and seeing the thousands of items they are trying to ply us with coupons for, I came to the conclusion that I would not and could not take advantage of 99.9% of the coupons out there. 

I would feel a lot like our government trying to "spend myself to savings" using most of these coupons.  There are almost never any coupons for staple items (meat, vegetables, fruits, grains) except in over-salted over-processed "convenient" packages.  Saving $1.50 on scented candles or $5.00 off a Justin Bieber DVD does absolutely nothing for my bottom line.  Frankly, I would rather see articles about how to save money on staple items, for those of us who refuse to be "junk food junkies".

Thanks and keep up the great work.  SurvivalBlog is a great and informative site! - Peter W.

Two years ago, after intense research, my husband decided to talk to me about the possibility of an economic collapse or terrorist attack.  He also described to me in detail the steps that we would have to take in order to prepare for such events.  We made lists prioritizing emergency preparedness goals, such as bug-out-bags, water and food storage, a medical supply kit, water purification methods and home defense,  to name a few.   I have to admit that at first I was confused, completely freaked out, and at times angry at the thought that the world as we know it could come to an abrupt end.  After some research on my own and processing all that information, I decided that we would only be able to increase our chances of survival if we could become a united front and tackle this daunting task together.

At the time, I was working outside the home making a significant salary, which made investing in emergency preparedness not feel like a financial headache.  Every month, after paying bills, putting some aside for savings and paying off debt, we would take a chunk and buy the things needed to check off those emergency prep goals.  We also knew that we wanted to have another child and with the arrival of that precious bundle of joy, I would stop working and become a stay-at-home/home-schooling mom.  That meant that once we became pregnant, the 9 month countdown began and we would soon lose my income and have to solely rely on my husband’s. 

I heard about couponing from a friend, who referred me to the Krazy Coupon Lady , however at the time we had dual incomes and so I paid just enough attention to not be considered rude, but did not have any intention to start couponing.  I have always seen it as a huge time consuming “hobby” and in the past I always ended up throwing away the few coupons that I would clip.    
Once my precious bundle of joy joined my family of three, and I started my stay-at-home journey and adventure of homeschooling my six year old, the realization set in that we had to make my husband’s salary stretch as far as possible and still have enough to invest in our emergency prepping.  That is when I started to research and find ways that I could contribute to the household’s economic situation without having to work outside the home.  I still found that even with meal planning and cutting back on “luxury” food items, a huge chunk of our take home pay was going into buying groceries.  After paying bills and the necessities, I found that we had very little to invest in emergency prep and that freaked me out even more than hearing about why we needed to emergency prep in the first place.

One night I was watching The Learning Channel (TLC) and the first show of “Extreme Couponing” happened to come on.  At that point I still had not remembered the conversation I had with my friend about couponing and was completely intrigued and impressed at how these stay-at-home moms were saving their family so much money.  Needless to say, I was sold!  I couldn’t even go to bed that night, I knew I had to do some major research and find out what this couponing business was all about.  The show mentioned the Krazy Coupon Lady and that is when I remembered the conversation I had with my friend.  I was almost mad at myself for not paying her more attention and getting into couponing sooner.  I thought about all the headway we could have made in our stockpile…but I digress. 

So I did a web search on this phenomenon that is called “Extreme Couponing” and decided to try it out.  In just the first month we saved over 40% in groceries, toiletries and household products.  I started thinking differently about the way we shopped for our bi-monthly groceries and only buy what we will eat for those two weeks, cutting my grocery budget by half and using the rest of my grocery budget to “extreme coupon” and build our stockpile.  Where we live we don’t have a lot of the grocery chains that they feature on the now weekly show, but I made do with stores like Wal-Mart and I take advantage of their ad price matching and coupon overage.
 
What is that foreign terminology, you may ask?  Ad price matching is when you have Wal-Mart price match other stores’ weekly shopper ads.  Coupon overages are when, for example, an item is listed at $3.49 and you have a coupon for $4.00 off, Wal-Mart will give you the difference, either in cash or to be applied to the rest of the basket.  We have been able to stockpile on body soap, deodorant, toothpaste and other hygiene necessities by taking advantage of their awesome coupon policy, often times making the products free or almost free. 
Here are some simples steps in order to get you started on extreme couponing:

1. Coupons, when and where.  Coupons can be found in your local Sunday paper in the form of coupon inserts.  In our household we have two Sunday papers delivered and depending on the deals, we pick up two to four more at the gas station down the street on the way to church.  The three inserts that you can find throughout the year are: Smart Source, Proctor and Gamble and Red Plum.  The paper will not have inserts on holidays.  Throughout the week you can also find coupons online on the following sites: coupons.com, redplum.com and smartsource.com.  Another way to get coupons is to write your favorite companies and tell them how much you like their products; often you will get coupons for a significant amount off or even for free.  If you already subscribe to magazines, be on the lookout for coupons there too.  In no time at all, you and the rest of your family will become experts in spotting coupons, everywhere.  I also use www.sweetfreestuff.com, to receive samples of my favorite products and those products will usually arrive with a couple of coupons.

2. Organization, binder and whole insert option.  There are two ways to organize the coupons.  Both ways work well, it just depends on what would work for you and your family.  The first way is the binder organizational system.  This is where you cut out all the coupons and using a large binder and baseball card holders you organize your coupons by categories.  Some even go as far as to have two binders, one for consumable products and another one for non-consumable products.  The other way of organizing your coupons is to keep your inserts whole.  Every Sunday when you get your inserts, make sure you write the date and insert initials, for example: P&G (Proctor and Gamble), SS (Smart Source) and RP (Red Plum).  This will be very helpful when looking for deals and knowing exactly what insert has which coupons.  Which brings me to the next step…

3.  How to find the deals.  This way of couponing is not your “grandma’s way” of couponing.  We have access to the World Wide Web and can find deals and coupon match-ups with web sites and blogs online.  A simple web search will render more than plenty of resources.  Although the web sites and blogs differ a little bit, there are some things that you can find consistent in most of them.  You will find that they tell you where to find the deals, the sale price, the coupon to use and the amount off and the final price.  This is a God-send for those individuals who don’t like doing math and find themselves intimated by all that calculating.  The following are some web sites that we use to help us find the deals:

• Krazy Coupon Lady  This web site is what started it all for me.  Her team gives out a step-by-step guide on how to get started and endless useful tips and suggestions.  You can also find weekly deals to many of the nationwide grocery and pharmacy chains.
  
• Pocket Your Dollars  This web site is slightly similar to the Krazy Coupon Lady web site and I found a really neat feature which is the printable grocery list.  You can pick your list by store and then click on the items for which you have coupons for and when you are done you can print the list and take that with you to the store.
• I Heart the Mart  This site has been useful to me because I do the majority of my shopping at Wal-Mart.  On the right side of the page you can find a link for all deals under $1.
  
  

4. Store coupon policies and , rules, rules, rules.  It is very important that you know your store’s coupon policy.  Most times you can find your particular stores coupon policy online through their web site.  If you can’t find it online, write the corporate office and ask them for a written copy of their policy.  You can also call and talk to the general manager and find out how you can get a copy.  For stores that don’t have a web site, it is recommended that you check with them every couple of months to verify any changes to the policy.  Sometimes cashiers don’t know their store policies and it is much easier for you to have a copy of the store policy with you and show them the policy than to get in a unnecessary confrontation.  Print these policies and have them handy when you go shopping.

5. Coupon lingo can seem like Chinese.  Here are some of the coupon lingo to help you navigate the web sites and blogs: 

• Q: Coupon
• MQ: Manufacturer coupon
• OOP: Out of Pocket (what you will spend after coupon savings)
• RP: Red Plum insert
• SS: Smart Source insert
• P&G: Proctor and Gamble insert 

The KCL Coupon Lingo page (from the Krazy Coupon Lady web site) goes further explaining some of the coupon lingo. There, click on Step #4.     

Coupons also have restrictions on them and it is important to understand what those means.  One coupon per purchase, this means that you can only use one coupon per item purchased.  The only time there is an exception to this rule is when you combine that coupon (MQ, manufacturer coupon) with a store coupon.  These are coupons that individual stores print on their shopper.  One coupon per transaction or Limit of # like coupons per shopping trip, this means that there is a limit of how many coupons you can use for that particular time that the cashier closes out the register.  It is also a good idea to read the coupons for description of the item.  Sometimes it will have a number of ounces the coupon is good for or a particular item in the product family.  Failure to follow these rules is coupon fraud and the manufacturer will not honor these coupons resulting in the store not getting reimbursed for those coupons that were illegally used.   

6. The List, don’t leave home without it.  If your family is already a frugal shopper than you know that it is a bad idea to do grocery shopping without a list.  The same principle applies to “extreme couponing.”  It is a good idea to know what the item is selling for, how much you will be saving, the quantity of the particular item you will be buying and the out of pocket cost.  It will help you stay in budget.  I have seen many ways that people write out their list.  Some make a list the “old fashion way” with a pen and paper.  Some use their netbooks, iPads or laptops.  I was an office manager and did a lot of database entry and have developed a simple Excel spread sheet, which will do the math for me, in order to minimize calculating mistakes. 

7. Be Realistic!  If you have ever watched those TLC “extreme couponing” shows, you will see spectacular results from couponing.  You might recall seeing those individuals buying hundreds and even thousands of dollars worth of products and only paying pennies or getting it all for free.  The reality is that not everyone lives in a town or city where grocery stores double coupons or offer overage.  So for the rest of us, rather than it being “extreme couponing” it can be more like “realistic couponing.”  Know the limits of where you live and be okay with the results that you will get.  In our household, if we can save over 40%, we have ourselves a mini-celebration.    


Couponing not only has saved us a significant amount of money and allowed us to stockpile necessary items for long term survival, but has also enabled us to use that saved money to increase our emergency preparedness traditionally, and little by little giving us a greater peace of mind about the future.  As a stay-at-home mom it also gives me the satisfaction that I am contributing to our household in a great way.  In the few short months that we have been couponing we have seen our stockpile grow and I pray that we never find ourselves in a situation where we rely on it to survive but if we do we are prepared.  My husband always says: “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”

As an electronics and computer engineer for the past 30 years my personal skill sets are of limited but interesting value after TEOTWAWKI. Given that there may be very limited electricity, and/or the fact that CME/EMP may destroy most electronics devices, the need for these skills may be rare. I feel that these skills will be mostly useless unless you are part of a sustainable group of retreatists that have electricity and devices that use it. I plan to be part of such a group, and so I am planning ahead to make sure that my skills can be applied when required. This will require that I consult with the group on what brands and models of devices will be on hand. With this information I can stock up on spare parts, test equipment, etc. Electronics will fail and will have to be repaired. Comm gear, generators, vehicles, security systems will all need to be maintained and without proper planning even a knowledgeable technician will be unable to accomplish very much.

When I need to repair a device, whatever it is, I need several things:

1.    Schematic diagrams - These are the blueprints on how an electronic device operates. Diagnosing and repairing anything will be difficult without the schematics.

2.    Test equipment. The most basic tool is the VOM (volt-ohm meter). With this tool and the schematics you can identify and fix many problems in consumer electronics.

3.    Spare parts. This is sort of obvious, but you can't fix things without parts.

In my way opinion, the availability of schematics and spare parts should determine what devices you are going to stock in your retreat. State-of-the-art comm gear is great if you have five spares and a dedicated support team to fix them, not so good if you are 40 miles and three years removed from civilization. A device needs to be sustainable by less than factory methods, and in the field, post-TEOTWAWKI, this will near impossible for individuals. For that reason, I lean towards older gear that has survived to this point. I look for gear that has easily obtainable spare parts that can be replaced by hand with common electronics tools. This means discrete components (resistors, transistors, etc)..... no surface-mount components and as few integrated circuits as possible. We have to go back to the 70's and early 80's for this stuff. Most of us will not have the equipment or spare parts needed to repair currently available electronics. The parts are just too small, to specialized. Furthermore, there are no schematics available for a large portion of modern, throw-away electronics.

This is why as an individual, or as a group, planning to support your electronics gear should take time and care. I am planning on buying as near identical and as many as I can find of particular pieces of gear. This will be gear that I can obtain parts and schematics for, NOW. I want as few different models as possible. I want complete spare units, spare parts, and good quality, well-protected schematics. I want these units to provide me with the needed functions, but as few bells and whistles as possible. I want to be able to test, tune, and modify the gear beforehand, and then put it into safe storage until needed. When looking for manuals, schematics, etc., look at sites like http://electronicsrepair.net/ for almost any electronic equipment. Ebay is also a great place to get service manuals, schematics, etc.

Knowing how to fix electronic gear, or even being able to attempt to fix it will be a big plus if it's gear that has become important to your daily life. Things like comm gear, battery chargers, solar controllers, generators, etc. While maybe not defining life or death, these devices will be able to help you be safer and more comfortable. Having a member of your group that has these capabilities, will become very important when something is broken. If you decide to take this on yourself, and have never been involved in electronics repair, consider taking a class at a local tech school or college. Whatever source of education you you choose, make sure you will get basic electronics theory to start, and then move to more advanced topics. A great place to start learning about electronics is watching this collection of online tutorials. Be sure that you get the principles of transistor theory down, since this is the type of circuitry we will be most likely to be able to repair. More modern equipment is still based on transistor circuits, but the transistors themselves are more often than not part of an integrated circuit that is more specialized, harder to find, and harder to replace. Once you become a bit more acquainted with the theories of electronic circuits I would also suggest that you play around with some ham radio equipment. Attend some local group meetings, get to know the old timers, ask questions, and get some gear to experiment with. Ham radio guys are some of the most savvy electronics guys around, and they are generally very pleasant and generous with time and knowledge.

Consider getting a n amateur radio ("ham") license. There are plenty of useful, practical ham projects you can build, either from individually sourced parts or from the many companies that offer kits. Start with a simple receiver, since you can listen for signals from other hams. After that, build a matching transmitter and antenna. Once you get that accomplished you have made great strides in your skills. Along the way you will learn about power supplies, amplifiers, etc. Soon the mysteries of how things work will be distant memory. Much of the theory can be applied to other gear that has electronics as part of the larger functionality, such as a generator. The skill to fix a down generator or battery charger will be without a price.

When learning to repair electronic devices, test equipment such as multi-meters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, etc. are needed to troubleshoot, and then you need tools like soldering irons to effect repairs. Start with simple repair jobs like replacing cords, broken wires and then tackle more intricate work as your skill level increases. Replacing discreet electronic components is fairly easy if you have decent vision and good tools. You must remove faulty components before you install new ones, and that usually involves heating a solder join on a circuit board with a soldering iron, and then removing the molten solder from the component leads with a 'solder-sucker'. A solder sucker is a hand-cocked vacuum device that has a spring-loaded plunger that is used to create a small vacuum at the tip of a tube when the plunger is released. The vacuum removes the heated solder and leaves the component leads free to be removed. Here's a great video to show you how its done. installing the new component is easy, just place the leads of the new component through the circuit board holes, quickly heat the lead with the solder iron and apply solder to the point where the lead goes through the board. Clip any excess leads from the component and you are finished. When soldering some components like small signal transistors, you might to use a heat sink to keep the device from getting too hot during soldering. Us a small alligator clip attached to the untrimmed component leads during soldering. This will allow the alligator clip to dissipate some of the heat from your soldering iron.

As far as electronics go, with some sense of power availability, a properly planned retreat need not be "roughing-it". Conserving power may indeed be required, but there could be instances where the preferred method of cooking something is with a microwave. Perhaps an electric clock, radios (news and music, not comm), maybe a record player. Whatever the device, consider looking for gear that is not digital, has no digital displays, no keypads, etc. Older microwaves had a timer and a start button... very easy to repair or bypass, and less suspect to failure from EMP or lightning. I would prefer to equip my retreat with all of the devices I use now, just older, or at least less sophisticated models that would be easier to keep running. I look for these at thrift stores, yard sales, swap meets, eBay, and Craigslist. If the price is right, and there are more than one, I buy several since the best spare parts source is a complete spare unit. Not only that, a working unit can be a very good tool for troubleshooting a failed unit. Now, before the SHTF is the time to test, repair, and modify your gear.

Once you have gained some knowledge and are familiar with electronic gear, start looking for some to put into inventory. Go to eBay and look for an older radio transceiver for CB or ham bands, then try and find the schematics and/or service manuals for it. For this type of gear it can often be had as a part of a collection known as "Sam's Photofacts". These were published as service guides for electronics repairmen, and will contain most everything you will need to repair and tune your radio. If you can't find the schematics, consider a different piece of gear. Things like refrigerators, AC units, microwaves and electric ovens will often have schematics attached to the inside of the housing or chassis. For things like battery chargers, generators, etc, schematics may be hard to find. As soon as you buy a piece of gear, start hunting for the schematics, service manuals, and any operators manuals. Contact the manufacturer or distributor and ask for them, if they are available most often they will sell or just give them to you. Look on the companies web site, often the docs you are looking for will be available for download. Once you have your documents, make copies of them and store them in two separate, well-protected places.

While looking for gear to purchase, don't overlook gear that is not functional. The easiest gear to repair is often gear that will not power on. This can often be traced to a bad power cord, switch, or fuse. When you are at a flea market, thrift store, garage sale, etc., and see a non-functional piece of equipment, you can usually get it for a very low price. Take your time and look for obvious problems such as cords or fuses. Ask the seller if they know how the unit behaves. I the correct power is available, ask to plug it in. I once bought a very nice television that would not power on for $1 at a yard sale! It turned out to be a bad connection on the back of the set where the power cord attached. Very cheap prices can be worth the gamble, and if you can't fix it, there may be parts you can salvage for other gear. If all else fails, you can throw the equipment away and have only lost a very small investment, and you may have learned something in the process. Don't be afraid to open things up and take a look around! Often you can spot a loose wire, or a bad component just by looking. Bad components often become discolored or burnt, and some bad capacitors are often swollen or burst open. These are easy to spot and should be fairly easy to replace with some patience and some practice.

For spare parts, look at the parts list and/or schematics. Try and find replacement parts for transistors, diodes, and tubes. When an exact part number replacement is not available look for a parts substitution from ECG, NTE, or a similar company. It's probably not worth trying to stock spares for resistors and capacitors, but instead stock up on these in small bulk assortments. Resistors and capacitors are available in large assortments of common values. If a replacement is needed and no exact replacement is handy you can often just get close, or combine two or more components to get the required value. Other spare parts you may want to consider are things like microphones, power connectors, antenna, and fuses. (Unless you just have to, don't operate your gear without the correct fuses!)

Above all, remember that most electronics devices are happy and safe when they are dry and have the correct power supply voltages applied. If you keep them dry and don't drop them, stomp on them, or shoot them they will keep working. To that end, store and operate your gear in dry environments, and make sure you have thought to provide the proper input power for them. Whenever possible, try and buy equipment that uses a common supply voltage such as 120 VAC or 12 VDC (at least here in the US). In coming articles I intend to discuss how to build small