Sometimes it’s imperative not to look like a prepper or survival-minded person. Especially in this day and age, when people are jittery, you may not want to go around with items that could make you seem suspicious. Gray is the new black. Four of these items can be taken anywhere, even through metal detectors and on planes. The fifth is dependent upon where you’re headed.
These are five discreet items that I always have in my purse. If you don’t carry a purse, but you have big pockets, they could mostly be stashed in there. They cover several of the pillars of survival and can get you through a lot of different situations.
Obviously, if you’re in the middle of nowhere in a blizzard, this won’t save you – this is more to keep you prepped for day-to-day needs. Of course this will not see you through anything and everything. But it’s a good start and will help you to become more creative with finding multiple uses for your everyday items.
Water filter
It’s pretty trendy to carry around a water bottle these days, as many people are trying to reduce their dependence on single-use plastic. So it’s not going to raise any eyebrows at all to lug your water around in a filtration bottle.
If you are carrying a bottle for a survival situation, you want something that filters out more than a standard tap water filter. I suggest a Lifestraw bottle (least expensive), a SurviMate bottle (moderate price), or the holy grail of water filtration bottles, the GRAYL. (Pun absolutely intended.) The GRAYL bottle is awesome and filters out far more than the others, but it’s expensive and only filters about 60-70 gallons before you need to replace the filter.
Nobody will even look twice at you for having one of these.
When I’m traveling outside the country, depending on the state of the water where I’m going, I tuck a little Sawyer Mini in my purse for survival situations and use a metal wall Brita bottle for day-to-day drinking.
Lighter
The ability to make fire can mean the difference between life and death in many situations. Fire means you can boil water to purify it (if you can locate a vessel to put it in), you can have warmth, and you can make a signal. I never go anywhere without at least one lighter. Generally there’s one tucked in my pocket and a couple thrown into the bottom of my bag.
These don’t have to be super expensive. Grab a few lighters at the checkout stand from your gas station or WalMart. It may end up being the most useful few dollars you ever spent.
First Aid kit
Editor’s Note: We recommend MyMedic here, but Daisy has some recommendations of her own.
This really varies with your needs. If you take medication required for life, you need to have extra with you at all times. If you’re ever stranded someplace, you’ll want to be able to keep taking your medicine. If you have life-threatening allergies, an epi-pen should be included in your personal first aid kit.
Barring that, I keep bandaids for blisters, a small Altoid tin of OTC meds, and this little vacuum-sealed kit that has what I need to stop heavy bleeding. That specific kit is no longer available on Amazon, which is a shame because it being vac-sealed means it is very compact, stays clean, and is easy to transport. If you have a Foodsaver or other food vacuum-sealers, you could easily make your own version using this kit or this more advanced one. At the least, you’ll want shears for cutting away clothing, a compression bandage, a tourniquet, an emergency blanket, some extra gauze, and perhaps some chest seal. Being able to stop bleeding might be the most life-saving skill you could ever have.
Mini flashlight
Nearly any situation is better if you can see. That’s why I am never without a flashlight.
I have one on my keychain, and I keep one in my purse. I like these little ones for my bag – I strongly prefer the kind that takes common batteries like AA or AAA. You can get rechargeable ones or ones that need hearing aid batteries, but they might be hard to replace or recharge during an emergency. You can nearly always find something that contains AA or AAA batteries to pillage from if you need to replace your batteries in a pinch.
Flashlights can also be used to signal for help. Brush up on your Morse Code or at least learn the signal for SOS. (Three short, three long, three short.)
Pocket knife
Finally, last but definitely not least, is a pocket knife. There are some places that you cannot carry a knife these days. If you’re traveling by plane or a method of public transit that requires you to go through a metal detector, you most likely cannot take your knife. The same thing holds true if you are going into a courthouse or other secure facility.
But everywhere else, a pocket knife is unlikely to raise any eyebrows. I pack a small one in my checked luggage when I’m traveling and clip it to my bra when I’m able to carry it freely. (Women don’t always have pockets, you know.) Here’s my everyday carry knife – it is legal in almost every country, even ones with incredibly strict laws. You might prefer a multitool to a penknife – everyone has their own favorite.
I use a knife regularly for things like opening packages or mail, prying something out of a tiny space, and other day-to-day tasks. I’ve also taken multiple courses to learn how to use one for self-defense. A knife can be incredibly multipurpose, but I strongly advise you to learn from someone qualified to teach you if you plan to deploy it to protect yourself. (Go here to see Greg Ellifritz’s schedule – he’s my go-to knife guy, and he teaches all over the country.)
If you cannot carry a knife sometimes you can carry something similar if it looks like you have a good reason to be in possession of the item. A pair of sharp embroidery scissors and some embroidery supplies can at least get you a sharp pointy thing in your carry-on bag for the plane but it would be unlikely to be allowed in a courthouse. I’d hate to have to use embroidery scissors for self-defense, but it would be better than nothing if you know how to use it. I would never take expensive embroidery scissors anywhere that I might end up having them confiscated.
Additional things
Of course, these are your bare minimum supplies to have on your person or in your purse. In the US, I carry a firearm and ammo, but outside the US, I can’t do that. I also like to have things like snacks, a map of my area, and my phone for comms, information, and navigation. I carry this book too. It’s about 3.5″x4.5″ and will fit in nearly any bag. It doesn’t go in-depth, but it provides the information you need to know to get through just about any situation that you might be unprepared for, like a snake bite or a tsunami. I bought a copy for each of my girls and have found it useful many times. And never forget that in bad situations, cash is king. I keep small bills in more than one currency on hand outside the US and small US bills within America.
Obviously, your kit should be dependent on you: where you live, what you might encounter, and what your restrictions are. Having the bare minimum to get you through a rough day or a crisis is incredibly important. Learning to be flexible and find multiple uses for the tools available is even more important.
What do you keep as a bare-minimum survival kit? If you could only have five items, what would they be? Let’s talk about it in the comments section.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
About the Author
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, adventure-seeking, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites. 1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty; 2) The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews.
Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.
Article cross-posted from The Organic Prepper.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
