A question was asked on one of the many preparedness boards I frequent by someone who is just starting to prepare:
"Looking for feedback on the percentage of money to be spent on priorities for prepping. I could spend all of my energy and money at the local firearms store but that's not practical, I like food so that's easy for me and I'll drink water if I have to. Would the percentage of time and money be a fluctuating subject or should it be a constant? The reason I ask this is that sometimes I feel that I'm ignoring one priority for another, I wish I could approach prepping more uniformly"
I answered based on my circumstances and my experience. I thought more folks could benefit from this answer, so here is my reply:
OK there is, in my opinion, no set hard and fast rule of percentages for prepping. I do it out of habit, and it is just part of the budget. For example, when shopping, if I buy 5 cans of vegetables, I grab 3 more for the shelf. If I buy 50 pounds of rice, I buy another 50 for the "shelf". Small steps make the biggest difference.
Spread your big purchase, like guns and ammo, for example, to times when the bills are paid and you have extra cash in the bank not accounted for. Start with the basics, food/water/protection.
I recently found, and did, a bulk food strategy for less than 300 FRN's (Federal Reserve Notes) under the less than glamorous name of Scotch Broth. The author claims, and I believe her, that this is enough food and nutrition for a family of 4 for a year. Basically food for 4 for 1 year is food for 2 for 2 years, and food for 1 for 4 years, all without breaking the bank.
Caveat: I am a frugal prepper, always have been. I shop the 99cent Only, and Dollar stores for preps. Not necessarily food either. For example: on the medical side, you can buy, at the 99cent Only stores, 4 tubes of triple antibiotic ointment for the same cost of 1 tube from a "national" box store - whether that be grocery, drug, or other store. Another tool that works to your advantage is Warehouse stores like Sams Club or Costco. No, not on the pre-prepared or boxed foods, but on hygiene supplies and bulk food items like rice, beans, powdered milk, vacuum sealing supplies, etc.
In my area, Costco also has bulk Liquor - hard liquor - stores attached. Large containers of good quality grain alcohols, excellent for trade, or limited medicinal uses. Those same bulk stores are now carrying "survival" foods and some supplies. Stay away from these. They are overpriced for what you get. You are better off, cost wise, building your own "buckets, bags, and boxes" of survival foods, equipment, and materials.
I acknowledge that the inflation is hitting hard, so I continually take baby steps. I have been unemployed for almost 6 months (I was laid off 6 months ago), and I still manage to put away a little every time I go to the store.
Another thing you may want to look at your budget for is gardening. Consider putting in a garden now, when you do not need to rely on it, so you can gain experience, if you have to. This allows mistakes to be made that will not cost you food you may desperately need. Also focus on developing skills and getting the basic equipment for things like canning.
Within the past year I have gotten back into reloading ammunition and building hand loads because I acknowledge the fact that one day, perhaps very soon, ammunition will not be available in store or through "normal" venues, and replacing it would be problematic. I bought a little at a time and built my tooling and supplies up to where I can effectively load or reload my ammunition 1000 times per caliber I shoot. It took months, but was well worth it.
As with anything dealing with prepping it is a personal thing. YMMV (your mileage may vary). This is what I suggest to lower the worry and impact on your time and budget: build prepping habits and skill sets. This is not a hobby, this is a mindset and lifestyle.
Pray for the best, prepare for the worst. I hope this helped.
Congratulations @radiokaos! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honnor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPIf you want to support the SteemitBoard project, your upvote for this notification is welcome!
Great advice. The "survival" supplies are shockingly expensive. Dollar Store For the Win. With all the savings why not invest in some Gold and Silver?
Good advice. Literally, start small. You do NOT want a 50-lb bag of rice. You want 10 bags of 5-lbs of rice. Why? Because if mice/rats/other get into that single 50-lb bag, it's ruined. The same for canned food - get the 6-oz can of vegetables, not the 50-oz mega-can. And try to get cans that have "pop" or "pull" lids, so you don't need a can opener (don't forget multiple can openers!). So you can give just one can away, and not your entire stock in a can. The same for alcohol - they do sell little bottles now, just a few ounces, and perfect for bartering or using as antiseptic. Much better than the 1.75 liter bottle.
Lastly, do NOT store everything in one room of the house, or garage. That makes it too easy for four-legged and two-legged rats to go to one place for all their needs. Store in different locations, and different items in different locations. Do not store hazardous materials with your food/water, for instance. Rotate your caches approximately every 6 months.
Think of it as "neighborhood watch", rather than "building an addition onto the house". You don't have to do it all in the same weekend, but as you go over a period of weeks and months, and as a continuous activity. Take advantage of local and seasonal sales.
Congratulations @radiokaos! You received a personal award!
Click here to view your Board
Congratulations @radiokaos! You received a personal award!
You can view your badges on your Steem Board and compare to others on the Steem Ranking
Vote for @Steemitboard as a witness to get one more award and increased upvotes!