Over the years I’ve read at least two dozen articles or watched videos telling us what to stock up on immediately. Most of them have been pretty decent lists. Some of them are sales pitches for whatever products the content creator is pushing. A handful were ludicrous.
(Article originally published at Late Prepper)
Hopefully, this one won’t be ludicrous and I’m not selling any of the items I’m recommending today. The need to stock up on important items ahead of… whatever… has never been greater in modern America. We’re a society of abundance, but it seems like the supply chain could crumble at any moment with massive threats on multiple fronts.
We’re starting with the basics. If you’re an experienced prepper you’ll probably laugh, but many of us have only even considered preparedness recently. In reality, there are probably dozens if not hundreds of items that we should stock up on as soon as possible, but I decided to do short lists like this one with only three items. It’s easier to take incremental steps and work our way up than to jump in and spend huge money all at once.
These obviously aren’t the only items. In fact, they’re probably not even the most important. But I figured I would put out bite-sized lists every couple of days so we can all prepare with baby steps. Just don’t take TOO small of steps. The trajectory of the nation is not a good one.
My criteria for these short lists are:
- Importance: If we included everything that we could use on lists like this, they would be infinite. But there really are only a few dozen items we truly NEED if the crap hits the fan.
- Risk of Future Price Hikes or Shortages: It behooves us to grab as many of a certain product as possible if that product’s price is going to rise sharply or if they wont’ be available in the future.
- Ease of Storage and Shelf Life: We could say eggs are extremely important and are likely going to be priced much higher in the future, but you can’t easily store 1000 eggs and they won’t last long enough for you to eat them.
- Potential for Barter: In the event of societal collapse (God forbid!), it may be necessary to have items that can be traded. Since I’m not a fan of trading food or ammunition, having other items available that your neighbors may want can benefit everyone if bartering becomes a thing.
- Eventuality of Use: I hate waste, so these are the items that will be used up over time even if the apocalypse doesn’t come.
- Not Food: Sustenance, shelter, meds, and ammunition are not on this list. Those are priorities and require more planning than just grabbing a bunch while at Costco. We’ll cover all of them at another time.
Let’s begin.
Fire Extinguishers
This probably isn’t the first thing one thinks about when it comes time to stock up on things. It’s not like we’re using these regularly… at least let’s hope you’re not using them regularly. But fire extinguishers will be extremely important in the event society collapses. If you can’t call the fire department then even a minor fire can grow and destroy everything.
Plus, it’s a good practice to have one in or near every room of your house.
One might say fire extinguishers should be disqualified from this list because of the “eventuality of use” criterium, but since they last 10-12 years their presence IS their use. In other words, not having to use them is a good thing but having them available if needed is important. They cost anywhere from $20 to $50 for small ones all the way up to hundreds of dollars for the larger ones. We have 5 spread around the house and 7 in storage, plus one in each vehicle.
Aluminum Foil
Foil is another item that may not be at the top of anyone’s list, but it’s one of the most versatile common supplies ever made by man. It can be used for so many things in a crap-hits-the-fan situation. In fact, I might have to write up a list of emergency uses.
As for regular use, there’s already an article by Good Housekeeping that highlights its versatility.
The reason it made it on this first essentials list is because if things go south, aluminum foil will be one of the first items to either skyrocket in price or become completely unavailable. And I’m not talking about full-blow societal collapse. If things go a little south, foil will become more premium.
Soaps
Various soaps are likely at or near the top of most stockpiling lists, and for good reason. They’re extremely necessary today and will be useful in a crap-hits-the-fan scenario. Moreover, they’re still relatively inexpensive, but that can change in a hurry.
Don’t go overboard. They are supposed to last for up to three years and realistically they can last a few years longer than that, but they deteriorate over time. Treat them like food items by keeping them in a rotation that you replenish after use.
Someday I will do a brief breakdown of the different types of soaps to keep on hand, but when getting started it’s a best practice to start with the soaps you’re using today and stockpile them until you have a sufficient supply.
More Items Coming
I recently read a list of 134 items to stockpile immediately before the end arrives. It was a pretty solid list, but after two weeks I realized I hadn’t bought any of the items. It was just so much to take in that even the “a ha” items that caught my attention didn’t make it into my shopping cart.
That’s why I decided to do these bite-sized lists. Maybe you can buy these items on your next shopping trip, then a new list will be ready before the trip after that.
Those who are flush with cash might prefer to just drop tens of thousands of dollars all at once and get it over with, buying plenty of supplies of dozens of items. Most of us can’t do that, thus the utility of these incremental lists.
Things are getting crazy but we needn’t worry. Getting prepared isn’t hard. It can even be fun. As it is said in 1 Timothy 5:8:
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Stay frosty, folks.
Article cross-posted from Late 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.
