Posted on 08/06/2012 7:34:33 PM PDT by Kartographer
A little while back I read a post over at IfItHitstheFan.comconcerning a recommendation on where to spend $900 on survival & preparedness preps. I love thinking about stuff like this. It is sorta like “What would I do if I won the lottery?”
Back to reality. There are many people across this great country that are just now seeing the light and beginning there preps. For many of these newcomers the question of where to begin is ever present. Some people are taking things serious and are willing to sink some serious change into their preparations – so I figured I would throw my 2 cents in. For someone relatively new to the prepping scene and having no purposely stocked supplies – a $1000 can go a long way. Here are my recommendations:
(Excerpt) Read more at seasonedcitizenprepper.com ...
Bfl
it seems like it would depend on a lot of factors. I think I would dig a second well and install a hand pump.
That is a smart buy. Read accounts of the Japanese campaign in Malaysia or the British and Canadians in WWII. A bike greatly increased carrying capacity.
Spending money on preparedness supplies is a good thing.
However, I submit that part of preparedness is also getting out of debt as much as one can.
In the long run, you will have *more* money to put toward making preparations, if your finances are not also going to different banks, etc.
That is true, but there can come a time when money can end up being worth only what you can buy with it, which can easily be not much. If you go to the store and the shelves are empty it won’t matter how much money you have.
333.33$ each on bulk quanities of pinto beans, rice and .22 rimfire ammo.
True, but if you owe money to anyone, that person, according to the proverb, is your “master”, in a manner of speaking (”The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender” Proverbs 22:7)
I wouldn’t put it past our government officials to one day bring back debtors prisons or even promote enslavement of debtors in such a horrible situation. The totalitarian minded love debtors prisons and the like.
The return of such institutions is not beyond the realm of possibility given our current road towards authoritarianism.
What if a conservative is seized and sent to such an institution before the SHTF? His family is left with one less defender during a SHTF scenario.
I hope I’m wrong, but such things have happened before.
Heirloom seeds man. Don’t forget that.....
You will not be trading ammo if the shtf. Seriously, think about it.
One thing to consider when selecting foods to purchase is how much water is needed to cook them and what to do with that water after cooking. Pasta needs gallons of water while New England clam chowder neeeds none. Canned vegetables are canned in water - is it useable?
Water conservation and use will be the difference between life or death.
Drink it as is, throw it in the soup pot, flavor rice or beans with it.
Alternate pasta with other dishes that absorb water. Save the spaghetti water and use that when cooking your rice (instant mashed potatoes, oatmeal, grits, soup).
Also, I have a "30 day supply" of MREs, which consists of 90 MREs. At one per day shared among a family of four, that can add a lot of variety and nutrition to the other stored food for three months.
What would I buy with a thousand bucks?
I would buy a large rain barrel from Lowes. The 600-gallon one. Since I live in southwestern Washington State and we measure rainfall by the foot, getting water isn’t the problem. It is moving it that can be a bear, as we live on a ridge 1000 feet above the Columiba River.
Within the last 3 weeks I have purchased 2 used coal stoves. 1 for the house, one for the cabin. Ducting, heatshield and coal come to about $1000. Both are wrapped up and put away for “just in case”
Been looking for a long term heating solution, was centered on propaine, but it is expensive, hard to store. Coal is messy, but very cheap, easy to store, and will burn all night with out attention. If a year goes by and I am out of coal I can burn wood.
Cigars and bulk tobacco, when its made illegal to own people will pay anything for a smoke.
When eating ramen noodles now, use only half the packet of seasoning and save the remaining half for the next batch of noodles. It tastes better and you won’t be eating so much salt. Before long, you’ll have saved up enough seasoning packages that you won’t need to buy extra for preps.
Yes, it's called vegetable stock. Whenever I have freezer room, I keep a 3 lb. margarine tub to drain canned veggies into. When it's full, it's the perfect size for a pot of soup. Waste not, want not. Certainly, don't throw it out in a SHTF situation.
An excellent link, thanks. Do you know how the filters are attached to the holes in the upper bucket?
Take care in how you plumb the thing.
Water off a shingle roof = not potable due to petroleum ingredients in the shingles.
Research filtration methods of catch water before using as other than gray water.
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