Originally published April 12 2012
How to be an intelligent prepper without breaking the bank
by Scott Morefield
(NaturalNews) Hard times are coming. Just ask your local 'doomsday prepper.' Whether it's a natural disaster, war, the economy, widespread pandemic, genetic engineering, or something yet unforeseen, for the first time in a long time the possibility is very real that we will face something in our lifetimes that changes the world as we know it. So, what could anyone possibly do about any of the gazillion things that could happen in this fragile world we live in?
Answer - Stop worrying about what you can't control and do something about the things you can. In a word, prepare! The good news is you don't need an underground bunker or a 5-year supply of MRE's to take steps to prepare you and your family for disaster, but most everyone needs to do more than they are doing now. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, so don't feel overwhelmed - just get started!
Here's how to prep without breaking the bank:
1.) Assess your situation. If a disaster shuts down every store in your area for 30 days, what would you eat in a week? Two weeks? A month? Now, imagine that disaster shuts down your power and water. It doesn't take more than a few minutes of thinking along those lines for most to realize just how precarious their situation could be.
2.) Eat what you store and store what you eat. If your family hates pinto beans, don't put buckets of pinto beans in the basement. If you are forced to use them you'll all be miserable, and if nothing happens you've wasted money and storage space.
3.) When grocery shopping, buy what you normally buy, plus one (or two, or three - whatever you can afford). After several trips to the grocery store, you will find yourself with extras of most everything.
4.) If something you use is on sale or a bargain, buy as many as you can. This is not only useful for prepping, but saves money by allowing you to skip the item when it's not on sale and instead focus on something else.
5.) Always check expiration dates. When purchasing, pull from the back instead of the front. This can often 'buy' you several months of storage time.
6.) First in, first out. Always use the oldest first. If you see that something is expiring, plan that into your menu for the week. Don't let anything go to waste. This takes some organization at home, but the time spent is well worth it.
7.) Cook from scratch and buy and store staples in bulk. For example, learning how to grind wheat is not only a delicious, highly-nutritious addition to your family palate, but it also allows you to buy and store buckets of long-lasting wheat for a rainy day.
8.) Grow your own food. Start small, and add more each year. The absolute best way to take control over your food supply is to grow it yourself!
9.) Learn how to preserve food. Canning or dehydrating fresh food you grow or buy in bulk are great ways to both save money and add to your preps.
10.) Have a plan for power and water in the event those systems fail. There are lots of options out there. Do your research and pick something that fits within your budget and situation.
The Survival Podcast's Jack Spirko says that you should prep in such a way that you and your family will be better off, even if nothing goes wrong. Reasonable, responsible prepping has many benefits. Sure, you will save money, but the peace of mind that comes with taking back some control out of the chaos that defines our age, is truly priceless.
Sources for article, further research:
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com
http://www.survivalblog.com
http://modernsurvivalblog.com
About the author:
Scott and his wife, Kim, live in East Tennessee with their four small children, all of whom make excellent fodder for their blog A Morefield Life (connect with them on Facebook and Twitter), where they also write about marriage, parenting, nutrition & recipes, healthy lifestyle, homesteading, and many other topics. In addition to Natural News, Scott's articles have appeared on WorldNetDaily, A Biblical Marriage, The Liberty Crier, Infowars, The Daily Sheeple, and many other websites.
Scott and his wife, Kim, live in East Tennessee with their four small children, all of whom make excellent fodder for their blog A Morefield Life (connect with them on Facebook and Twitter), where they also write about marriage, parenting, nutrition & recipes, healthy lifestyle, homesteading, and many other topics. In addition to Natural News, Scott's articles have appeared on WorldNetDaily, A Biblical Marriage, The Liberty Crier, Infowars, The Daily Sheeple, and many other websites.
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