Knowing what catastrophe you are preparing for is a wise way to begin your prepping. Each person's preparations are going to be different from another. Why? Because we all have strong feelings about what the future holds for us. Think about it this way: What brought you here? What are you afraid of happening? Each person's answer will be different in some way. I don't need to tell you what crisis to prepare for because I guarantee you already have something in mind. If you live in California maybe you're preparing for the big earthquake. If you're in the Midwest maybe you are afraid of the Yellowstone supervolcano or the current drought situation.
Why is it important to decide on the crisis to prepare for before prepping? Because each crisis requires different supplies and different minimum survival time frames. A massive earthquake in California will have faster response times from the government than a total economic collapse. Preparing for an earthquake means you don't need much more than a weeks supply of food and water. Just by envisioning the scenario you can get a rough grasp on what supplies you will need and how long you will need to survive before help arrives.
As an example, my fear is the economy collapsing and the dollar becoming worthless. When this happens, society ceases to exist and it becomes every man for
himself. Not being able to buy food and water will cause a panic situation for millions of Americans. Not a pleasant scenario in my mind so my preparations have more to do
with protection and long term survival.
We can't plan for everything. Don't let this get you down. The next best thing is to make a list of what you believe may happen and prioritize on what is most-likely to happen. After you decide on your crisis, head on over to Start Here.
Good luck on your list!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Cheap Water Filter Option
As I mentioned in a past post, water back-ups are crucial to your prepping plans. Without safe water all of your plans and prepping have been pointless because you and your family are not going to survive. The options we have are storing clean water and having water filters on hand. The problem is you can only store so much water though.
Water filters are a great item to add to your survival cache because they take up very little room and are easy to carry in a bug-out bag. A Katadyn water filter can fetch a hefty price tag, typically around $300. If you have a nice amount of cash to apply to prepping than I absolutely recommend buying the Katadyn filter because it will filter up to 18,000 gallons of water (many years of clean water).
However, if you are like me and have limited funds I believe the cheaper option is upon us. At only $19.95 the LifeStraw will filter up to 264 gallons (almost a year's worth of drinking water). After reading the reviews I believe this is a definite purchase and I have actually bought a few extras. For the price of one Katadyn I can have at least a dozen LifeStraws. I feel much more prepared having multiple filters over one filter because now I have back-ups. Click below to read more about the LifeStraw
If you would like to order the Katadyn filter also, than the cheapest one I have found is on Amazon. Having both filters is the best preparations but do what you can afford. Find one cheaper please tell me.
Ordering through these links does help me, but that is not the reason I recommend them. They have proven to be the best products and these links are the best prices!
Water filters are a great item to add to your survival cache because they take up very little room and are easy to carry in a bug-out bag. A Katadyn water filter can fetch a hefty price tag, typically around $300. If you have a nice amount of cash to apply to prepping than I absolutely recommend buying the Katadyn filter because it will filter up to 18,000 gallons of water (many years of clean water).
However, if you are like me and have limited funds I believe the cheaper option is upon us. At only $19.95 the LifeStraw will filter up to 264 gallons (almost a year's worth of drinking water). After reading the reviews I believe this is a definite purchase and I have actually bought a few extras. For the price of one Katadyn I can have at least a dozen LifeStraws. I feel much more prepared having multiple filters over one filter because now I have back-ups. Click below to read more about the LifeStraw
If you would like to order the Katadyn filter also, than the cheapest one I have found is on Amazon. Having both filters is the best preparations but do what you can afford. Find one cheaper please tell me.
Ordering through these links does help me, but that is not the reason I recommend them. They have proven to be the best products and these links are the best prices!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Make Your Own Rain Barrel
Rain barrels are extremely useful for storing water for a garden and can be treated and used in emergency situations for drinking water. I use a rain barrel for my rear garden because I hate unwinding 50+ ft of hose and winding it back up everyday.
Instead of buying a rain barrel at the store or online for upwards of a $100, you can quickly make your own out of a plastic trash can. This video gives you a basic understanding of building your own rain barrel. You do not have to build it exactly as shown in the video, so feel free to make changes that accommodate your set-up. My main suggestion is that you place the barrel on a foundation so that gravity is helping the water flow.
Instead of buying a rain barrel at the store or online for upwards of a $100, you can quickly make your own out of a plastic trash can. This video gives you a basic understanding of building your own rain barrel. You do not have to build it exactly as shown in the video, so feel free to make changes that accommodate your set-up. My main suggestion is that you place the barrel on a foundation so that gravity is helping the water flow.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Where Do You Get Your Info?
Most people now-a-days acquire most of their info from the Internet - like you are doing now. Usually when you find an article or tid-bit that you find interesting you bookmark it or save the blog for future reference. Did you stop to think that your computer and the internet will most likely be non-existent if some type of catastrophe hits? No longer can you turn to Google and type in "how to build a shelter" or "how to start a fire". All of that information that would have been so helpful to you and your family is now lost.
Beginning today it would be a great investment to print information that you believe would be useful WTSHTF. I would also cut out pages from magazines and copy pages from books and then organize all of this information into one survival binder. Make sure you buy a large binder since you will always be adding new content. The binder should then be placed into a water proof container in order to protect the contents.
When I buy books for my Prepping library I immediately place them in large Ziploc bags for storage unless I plan on reading them right away. The Ziploc bags help protect your books from the weather and are much easier to grab in a rush if you have to bail from your house in a hurry.
An easy and cheap way to prepare yourself is to build up your library. Increase your knowledge and save it in hard format so that it can be easily referenced in a worse case scenario. "Shoulda - Woulda - Coulda" is a horrible plan to rely on.
Beginning today it would be a great investment to print information that you believe would be useful WTSHTF. I would also cut out pages from magazines and copy pages from books and then organize all of this information into one survival binder. Make sure you buy a large binder since you will always be adding new content. The binder should then be placed into a water proof container in order to protect the contents.
When I buy books for my Prepping library I immediately place them in large Ziploc bags for storage unless I plan on reading them right away. The Ziploc bags help protect your books from the weather and are much easier to grab in a rush if you have to bail from your house in a hurry.
An easy and cheap way to prepare yourself is to build up your library. Increase your knowledge and save it in hard format so that it can be easily referenced in a worse case scenario. "Shoulda - Woulda - Coulda" is a horrible plan to rely on.
Friday, August 24, 2012
How to Afford Prepping
Many people I chat with about prepping mention that they couldn't afford gathering goods and storing supplies. The truth that many hide from is - You Can't Afford Not to Prepare. Sure the majority of us can't buy the 100 acre retreat or have $10,000 for a small arsenal like other survival sites recommend. Do not let that stop you like it did me! Do what you can afford (don't go into debt) and you will be better prepared than most of your neighbors, I guarantee it.
Take a look at your weekly expenditures and I promise you will find the fat that could be trimmed. Let's be honest, if society sees a catastrophic event wouldn't you adapt faster if you aren't relying on your daily Starbucks or fast food. The key to prepping is becoming self-sufficient and that means living without relying on others for food, drink, shelter, and entertainment. Get started now and you will see the savings.
De-clutter your home with material possessions that you no longer use. Will all of those collectibles be useful to your family if society collapses? List everything you find on Ebay or Craigs List and get it sold. The money you receive from the sales can then be applied to prepping and buying new gear.
Take advantage of sales and coupons. My local grocery store always has great sales on canned fruits and veggies and it is easy to grab a month's supply in one visit. Buy a few extra of the items that you eat a lot of and store it on a shelf somewhere. Flea markets and garage sales are good places to buy camping supplies and used military gear.
You don't need to buy a huge arsenal of weapons, even though it would be freaking awesome! A handgun, shotgun, and rifle is a great start. By limiting your calibers you will also save money when buying extra ammo for your weapons.
Lastly, be patient. Don't go into debt trying to create a huge stockpile. Give yourself small goals to meet on a weekly basis and everything will add up over time and dedication.
Take a look at your weekly expenditures and I promise you will find the fat that could be trimmed. Let's be honest, if society sees a catastrophic event wouldn't you adapt faster if you aren't relying on your daily Starbucks or fast food. The key to prepping is becoming self-sufficient and that means living without relying on others for food, drink, shelter, and entertainment. Get started now and you will see the savings.
De-clutter your home with material possessions that you no longer use. Will all of those collectibles be useful to your family if society collapses? List everything you find on Ebay or Craigs List and get it sold. The money you receive from the sales can then be applied to prepping and buying new gear.
Take advantage of sales and coupons. My local grocery store always has great sales on canned fruits and veggies and it is easy to grab a month's supply in one visit. Buy a few extra of the items that you eat a lot of and store it on a shelf somewhere. Flea markets and garage sales are good places to buy camping supplies and used military gear.
You don't need to buy a huge arsenal of weapons, even though it would be freaking awesome! A handgun, shotgun, and rifle is a great start. By limiting your calibers you will also save money when buying extra ammo for your weapons.
Lastly, be patient. Don't go into debt trying to create a huge stockpile. Give yourself small goals to meet on a weekly basis and everything will add up over time and dedication.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Survival Gun to Own - .22 Caliber
I hate hearing "gun professionals" talk about the .22 caliber as if it wouldn't even harm a human in a gun fight. I bet none of those people would volunteer to test this theory.
Actually, there was a school shooting in Chardon, Ohio early 2012 and guess what the shooter used - a .22 pistol. Three students died that day.
A Ruger 10/22 is a great gun to have because it is cheap and it can get the job done. Check out this video if you don't trust my opinion:
Actually, there was a school shooting in Chardon, Ohio early 2012 and guess what the shooter used - a .22 pistol. Three students died that day.
A Ruger 10/22 is a great gun to have because it is cheap and it can get the job done. Check out this video if you don't trust my opinion:
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