I have recently had a few folks i've been talking with about prepping ask how they shopul approach their mates about the question of prepping... so here was my anser... Since December eastern NC has had: a winter storm wild fires tornados tropical storms a hurricane and an earthquake during these almost 50,000 homes were damaged, 70% of the area lost power for more than 3 days, some roads were blocked for as much as a week at a time (wild fires and hurricane), wells in 6 counties need to be tested and cleaned to ensure a safe water supply, and FEMA has run out of money... please tell me why shouldn't you prep?
Sounds like one of MY neighbors.. He say's he doesn't need to prep because me and some of the other neighbors do.. He said he and his dog will be down to move in with us when TSHTF.. The look on his face was priceless when I told him if TSHTF he had better just plan to stay home and eat his dog, because he's the first one I'll take out, on sight...
Those are the exact same points that I try to make with people when discussing prepping. It isn't necessarily the EOTWAWKI but the normal disruptions that occur in our lives. That takes it out of the realm of "survivalist" and puts it in "prepping" terms which are less threatening to most people
Coupons & Sales like me huh? LoL I got enough toilet paper alone to wipe my butt for over a year at Least!!! LoL Many is the time that not a dang thing I bought at the grocery store wasn't on Sale, & had coupons fer all of it, & it was Double Coupons
Unprepared folks have emergencies. For prepared folks, most emergencies become mere inconveniences. I choose to have inconveniences instead of emergencies!
My byline somewhere is " crisis is the absence of preparation". Would be difficult to destroy a life but when it is them or your family the choice is easy.
If you question them; you'll learn they aren't prepared for anything. If they have managed to get through life so far without being without power for a week or more my hat is off to them. As I haven't been so fortunate I prepare and I'll enjoy the 3 Ws of warm, washed and well fed, TMMV.
When hurricane HUGO hit the Carolina's we were slightly inconvienced only. The ice storm of 2K was the same way. We kept two neighbors in food water and power. Now they have "seen the light" and are into preps also.
the best argument for prepping is letting the sheeple know you werent discomfitted at all while they sat in the dark, cold and hungry....lol
And let them know that they are NOT welcome at your house during the duration! (Unless you really want them there)
I always tell people to come on over, #&!! you can never have too much dog and chicken food. They always get that deer in the headlights look in a few seconds. BWM
why prep?......lol First Person: How the Recession Changed Me tweet60 Email Print Laura Cone, On Friday September 23, 2011, 2:50 pm EDT *Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Do you have a personal finance story that you'd like to share? Sign up with the Yahoo! Contributor Network to start publishing your own finance articles. COMMENTARY | Having lived in a depressed part of Indiana after many of the steel mills had shut down, I understood a down economy. My solution for economic survival during the recession of the early '90s was to go for a freelance career instead of a day job, because companies were "outsourcing." With this latest recession, I was caught off guard. I'd been living in Florida, where unemployment rates were low and the housing market was off the charts. My job was stable and most people I knew had no financial worries. But then the housing market crashed and the layoffs started. I gained an entirely new perspective having lived through the most recent recession. I view my house as a liability While a home that you own and can rent out is an asset, most houses are liabilities. I never realized how much of a financial burden a house could be until my friends started losing their homes. Because of the recession, I've picked up the pace in terms of paying off our mortgage. According to USA Today, a lot of people are crunching numbers to figure out how they can pay off their loan in 8 years, using a Quicken Loans product called Yourgage. I don't decline extra work When I was living in Indiana during a local economic depression, I was always motivated to work. I could not pass up an opportunity to earn income doing what I love when so many people couldn't find a job. Seeing people living in humble circumstances then and now keeps me focused on productivity. In contrast, during the economic boom I just went to my 40-hour job and took it easy the rest of the time. I question my own purchases When the economy was booming in Florida 9 or 10 years ago, I never thought twice about buying things I wanted. I may have questioned my sons' purchases, but rarely my own. Now I think before purchasing a new outfit or even buying treats at the grocery store. I track my spending and consult my budget. I don't count on a job It's not wise to put all your money into one investment vehicle or to depend on one source of income. Because of the recession, I've thought about diversifying my streams of income. I find creative ways to make money such as being a secret shopper and participating in focus groups through marketing firms. I'm not embarrassed to scrimp or forage Before the recession, I felt as though people gave me a strange look if I pulled out my coupon organizer. Now they expect people to use coupons. I also forage for elderberries to use for pies and jellies. I'd never go so far as to be a "freegan" who salvages discarded food in dumpsters, but I don't look down on those who do. I never would have had the guts to collect berries before the recession, but now I look forward to elderberry-picking season. The recession has not made me bitter or cynical, but it has made me appreciate and respect money. I'm more thankful for my family and the work that I'm given. I take better care of my things so they last longer. In the end, the recession has made me a better, more thrifty person.
Having lost the "kitchen sink" once taught me not to bite off more than I could chew if things get bad. Would not hesitate to pull the plug on electrical service and anything else that would be a financial drain if need be. As a kid I saw my grandmother tie coins into the corner of a handkerchief and stick them into her bra. Thought that was so foolish--have changed my mind. She lived through the depression and knew the value of every penny(which used to be worth something).
I was working for myself before the economy took a dump then I had to shut down my sawmill because the whole seller I was selling to shut down. We spent about 2 years eating stock piled food, garden produce, and livestock that we raised. Now that we are doing better $$$ wise we are restocking our supplies and are about back up to what we had before. Why prep??? because you just never know when life will give you a [punch] all in one day. BWM
