Agreed. I was using that as an illustration of the all or nothing sort of thinking that usually comes into these discussions.
A family can dramatically improve their odds without going to off the charts extremes.
Am I preparing for 10 years of chaos? Nope, I'm not going to think that far ahead. But $1000 will buy a surprisingly large quantity of canned goods that will not spoil for 5-10 years. Throw in a couple of good firearms and several thousand rounds of ammo (again not a great expense, and certainly not perishable). Another $500 for basic, non perishable necessities like TP, toothbrushes, personal hygiene needs. Buy ahead on important prescription medications and first aid materials. Keep $1000 of cash on hand. All of a sudden for maybe $4K you have now put your family into the top 5% in terms of survivability for the critical 3 months. We all know how quickly most middle class families squander $4000. It's a simple $4k insurance policy. Spend the money and forget it.
“”Keep $1000 of cash on hand.””
OMG! I remember after Katerina some rich TV anchor kind of guy sneered that EVERYONE should be able to stash at LEAST $5000. bucks away - no prob - in case of a natural disaster. WTF?? Depending on where you live, what time of year, ect-all the money in the world won’t help your a$s out.
You and I know that the AVERAGE ordinary American family would have a hard time setting aside even $1000. for unexpected times. If they can’t they need to prepare gradually. To buy an extra $20.00 in canned goods every couple of weeks-rotate stock-it can be done.
One word people ** COUPONS **. My husband got the lesson ( :) ) and now he delights in the $20. to $80. per week he can save buying the products and brands we already us. People behind us in line are very supportive and surprised at what we save.
Husband was a handloader from wayyyy back..It was a hobby for him, but now it’s something more -it’s a necessary skill.
He learned to hunt (as opposed to target shooting) a couple years ago, and I learned to cook over a open fire. We both feel a deep sense of satisfaction out of earning these skills.
Not a darn thing wrong with stocking some MRE’s to have in case you can’t have anything else. I live in the northeast, and baby, there are times.................one good ice storm and it can get desperate fast.
Here is a site with some of the most common sense info I have seen on planning for possible natural disasters or sociital upheaval.
How to Survive Hard Times
by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
http://www.grandpappy.info/indexhar.htm
As an example, the author recommends starting small by accumulating canned goods you probably already use until you have a 30 day supply on hand.
Here are some, but not all, of the subjects covered:
How to Find Water and How to Make Water Safe to Drink
How to Build a Very Effective Water Filter System for Approxmiately $75
A Simple But Effective Survival Plan
Realistic Self-Sufficiency: The Do’s and the Don’ts
Part One: How to Start Preparing for Hard Times on a Very Modest Budget
Part Two: How to Start Preparing for Hard Times on a Very Modest Budget
Use Common Sense to Compare Your Current Location to Another Location
How to Select the Optimal Retreat Location
A 30-Day Emergency Food Supply for One Adult
One-Year Emergency Food Supply for One Adult\
Pure Salt, Iodized Salt, and Sea Salt
Hand-Cranked Stainless Steel Meat Grinder
How to Preserve Food Using Three Simple Old Fashioned Methods
How to Improve the Quality of an 1800s Lifestyle
Firewood, Fireplaces, and Cast Iron Stoves
Shelf Life of Canned Food and Dry Food
Shelf Life of Medicine
Recommended Books for Home Schooling
Books: Emergency First Aid Books and Supplies.
Books: Recommended List of Books to Purchase Before the Hard Times Begin
The Basic Rules of Survival During Hard Times
The Basic Minimum Necessities for Survival During Hard Times
A Comparison of Five Leading Brands of Toilet Tissue
Flashlights Rechargeable Batteries and a Solar Battery Charger
Solar Power Generator
During a Disaster Event Should You Stay at Home or Leave?
How to Effectively Evacuate a Big City Without a Car
An Emergency Evacuation List
Pets and Livestock
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Recreational Vehicles and Campers
Charity During Hard Times
The Most Frequently Overlooked Items for Long-Term Hard Times Survival
Food Inflation Price Index Based on the One-Year Emergency Food Supply
How to Convert Human Waste into a Safe Garden Compost Fertilizer
Job Opportunities During Hard Times
Recipes for Hard Times, including Acorns, Hickory Nuts, Pemmican, Squirrel, and Wild Game.
Home Gardening Tips (Index of Articles)
Wilderness Survival Tips (Index of Articles)
Free Preparedness Manual - LDS Free Online 222 Page Book on How to Prepare for Hard Times.
My parents would be befuddled by the word prepper and the idea of not planning ahead and stocking up. That is the way almost everyone lived not so long ago.
We lived in a small town, not on a farm.
But summers and fall were still spent collecting food and putting it up for the winter. It was hard work to pick and prepare the vegetables and fruits but even the small children were brought out to the fields and orchards to help out.
I still think warm thoughts about those shelves under the basement stairs overflowing with tasty home canned vegetables, sauces, fruits and sometimes meats. We knew it meant good meals through the long winter.
Good advise.