I am just now building up some things. So far, I have one bag packed full of different medicinal supplies. This week, I'm ordering a huge stash of baby wipes (I have a toddler and need them anyway), 20 lbs sugar, 5 lbs Himalayan sea salt, and some oxygen absorbers to start dry canning some beans and rice. I'm also going to be ordering some 5 gallon water jugs to start gathering water now. I'm also going to be attempting some couponing in the next month to build up my canned goods and other stuff that I wouldn't *NORMALLY* eat but wouldn't mind having in an emergency situation. Now, first things first! I'm thinking that the most important things I should be focusing on right now is food, water, and medicine, and having a 72 hour bag packed. What do you guys each say are your TOP 10 things for me to do this month? Thank you in advance!
Once the 72 Hour Kit is covered, then extending the basics, out to a couple of weeks, will be doable in short order. The start looking a some of the things that others have stated here, in many of the Threads. Like Security, Comms, Backups, etc.... You might consider listening to Falcon15's Prep'er Internet Talk Shows. (In Case Of Emergency Radio Show) He has some very good ideas on Basic Prep'en... Todays Show had a very good discussion on MedKits, and what should be in them. We will be chatting on Backup, and Alternative Power Systems, on Sunday. Welcome to the Monkey Tree, by the way....
Glad to see you interested and working toward having a better chance at survival for yourself and family. Do not forget arms/ammo in your preps. Call the local Red Cross office and schedule a class in first aid and/ EMT training. The Mormans have an excellent food storage plan(it is part of their faith). Do not buy stuff you do not normally eat just buy a few extra cans of regular foods. Little extra salt/sugar/spices/oils will get you a long way. Later you will want to buy a grain mill for your preserved wheat, corn, coffee, etc. Dry beans will keep indefinitely if kept dry. I use Argon to Oxygen purge storage containers but CO2 or Nitrogen will do the same. You can buy bulk grains at grain elevators/farmers storage/or I go too my bud's grain cleaning business just 4 miles away with 55 gal barrels. If you have specific questions please post them and some here will be glad to help. Here in NC we have a "gathering" twice yearly and try to gain from them. There are groups local to Charlotte and other places if you are close by.
IMO go easy on buying items you wouldn't normally eat. Just remember if the economy doesn't collapse or whatever you are prepping for does not happen, you will have food that is going bad. When I first started I bought stuff because it was a good deal, not because we ate it. I have thrown lots of really past due stuff out. Now I buy what we eat and rotate it out. Here is an example: I read and bought rolled oats. All the info said store this because it has more nutritional value. The family does not like rolled oats, they like quick oats and quick oats are easier/quicker to cook. I always ask myself, if the bottom does not fall out in the next 20 years- do I want to eat this. If yes then it goes into storage. One thing some people do and we tried and only lasted half the time, turn off your power for 24-72 hours. It is amazing how your list grows of your immediate needs. You see what is useless and what you really wish you had and hadn't thought of. Since you have little ones, you have a whole aspect of needs that many don't. You also will have to look into the future as the kids grow.
all of the above are great suggestions. The first thing that i would suggest is to decide on a few major factors. 1) will you stay where you currently are (bug In) or will you leave (bug out)? If you plan to bug in, then by all means stock uo on a few items a little bit at the time, for example, if you go to the store to buy a can of vegetables, instead of buy one buy two or three. and make sure to use a permanant marker to mark the date and what it is on the metal part of the can. After long periods of time i have found that the paper will loose its grip and fall off after rotating regularly. Bugging in means you will need to be able to defend yourself, your home, your stockpile and your family, so fortification to some degree is necessary and a means to be armed in a very short amount of time. learn the layout of your home by walking it blindfolded or in complete darkness. you can strategically place things that will make alot of noise if someone is in the house and they run into it, and get a dog it make alot of noise and not a yuppy dog, think German Shepard or a big mutt they hardly ever get sick and attach to family very well. remember its easier to bug in than to bug out if you make it to your advantage, but always have an exit plan to leave and still have what you need. 2) what is your geographical advantage, forest, water, swamp? Whatever it is get out and get familiar with the area and what plants you can eat and what plants work for medicinal reasons. Learn some basic bushcrafting skills such as, starting a fire with nothing, building a shelter and simple snare or deadfall traps. remember just because you stock up doesnt mean someone aint gonna take it. so be prepared to live without anything you have stored. 3) Start NOW, this should have been number one but since you have made it here you are on the right path. Dont buy into all the bullshit and hype that you need to buy this and that. Remember, three is two, two is one, and one is none. Make sure you have some good knives, not fancy or pretty but functional, full tang blade that holds an edge, it has o be able to take abuse and still function. EVERYBODY needs a machete of some sort. 4) learn to trek and use a compass, topo map and the sun. once you have somewhat master the ancient way of mapping and you have plenty of money to spend then maybe buy a gps, but in the event of an emp that will be of no use. 5) Figure out where you are financially and don't put yourself into a financial bind trying to catch up. remember knowledge is free and the most powerful, opinions are everywhere, evaluate where you are, where you want to be and how you can afford to get there and then make a plan. just remember don't waste your time, start a garden growing something even if its in 5 gallon buckets, but start learning how to grow things without using store bought seeds and fertilizer. General Survival - What should I do? - Reviews Practical Survival Skills 101 - Understanding Emergencies | Peak Prosperity
Check out Wal-mart's camping section for water cans. I've seen 5 and 6 gal containers that were cheaper than online price and no shipping for these bulky items.
@BFair1 - And above all, don't let yourself be bogged down trying to do it all at once. That is just beyond the pale and too expensive, not to mention brain frying. Pick one thing at a time, learn it, do it, then go on to the next. It's your preparations here, take stock of your situation and prioritize preps accordingly.
If you mark your jars with magic markers, acetone will clean it off with little effort, ready for the next date marks.
Thanks everyone. I am trying to keep up my household by budgeting, financing, keeping ourselves healthy, get out of debt, prep, research the crap out of Ebola, research medicinal herbs and other edible plants, find out what herbs grow best here, find a bug out location if possible, start school in August, work from January-May trying to contribute to getting out of debt, do my small Ebay business and take care of my toddler full time. So I really appreciate the tidbits of information here that you all have shared. It really helps getting those chunks of really important information without having to read 15 articles to get something good. I appreciate the suggestions. I am trying to learn as much as possible in smaller steps. I agree with not getting a bunch of crap that we won't eat. I did get some disgusting pudding packets for free today by couponing, I guess in desperation I would eat them, I'll just donate them if the expiration comes before SHTF. I think we're going to pick a number and stick to that toward putting things away for prepping. I got my toddler a pretty awesome 72 hour bag for $1, and I got some bungee cords from the goodwill for ten cents each. Also got some mason jars at GW, 12 for $3 to start storing. I have a lot of work ahead. We are going to have to bug in for now, and then in time we are moving out of state to live and buy our bug out location/full time home there. Honestly, I don't really want to be in this area when SHTF. But for now, we are where we are and that is where I have to work from. We plan on using some tax money to get more ammo and a gun for me, as well as some other important things.
Looks like you have a level head and will learn much here... read and learn and then practice, practice... practice those techniques and skills as a family. As said before, sign up for first aid courses... they are important for a family regardless of shtf type stuff... you just never know when you need to perform CPR, stop the bleeding or treat for shock... and so on.
There are lots of helpful apps you can download to your smart phone as well. US Army survival guide ( the medical section alone is worth down loading it. Identification of plants medical or edible is also useful and it is a free app. Ham radio study guide (for those of us who chose to use ham radio. (Free) KnotGuide , how to tie knots and how to use them. St John's wart medical app Gas buddy ( know where the cheapest gas can be found. ) And several more. You can download instructions for (whatever) in PDF form and even if the cell towers go down, you can still read the files stored on your phone.
