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Pace Your Prepping How To Prepare On A Budget

In the world we live in today, it makes sense that one would want to be prepared for the worst to occur. A national or global catastrophe can wipe out millions of people in very little time, so being prepared is a wise thing to do to protect you and your family from certain unseen dangers. Whether you're new to the prepping scene or you've been getting ready for years, there are always ways to add to or improve upon your preppers cache.

Yet, not many people have the luxury of setting aside money every month to go toward your prepping fund. You still have to pay for car insurance, your mortgage, food... so we can imagine how difficult it is to rationalize purchasing two-way radios that will survive and EMP when you still need groceries for the week. Luckily, a lot of prepping can be done at minimal to zero cost to you, you just have to be willing to put in the time and effort, but trust me you will reap great reward.

Shop the Sales - Online and Off

It's not just garage sales that are a great place to stock up on general prepping items, you can also browse online sales and local sale ads. A great thing to always keep an eye out for is clothing. If you have children, they are constantly growing and that means the clothes you have set aside will eventually lose their true purpose. A great way to save in this department is to plan ahead. Keep a list of warm, dry clothing items (clothing fit for the outdoors if possible) that each person in your home will require in the case of an emergency and set aside time to browse online sales and local ads to find items at a reduced price. Mark off what each person has as you update their wardrobe and check through the bins every few months to stay up to date on what each person might need.

If you love to shop online sales for bigger items you should consider that now is the time of year to do it. With the holidays approaching it's smart to look ahead and plan on purchasing those bigger items on your list as they will be at their lowest cost this time of year. Find out when an item will go on sale and buy it before it's sold out. No one said prepping was easy but it becomes a habit after a while and nothing can beat being prepared.

Home and Personal Defence

A major part of prepping is home and personal defense. When it comes to preparing your family for the worst, you should also be prepared to take action at all costs. Investing in a firearm is wise, but investing in multiple is even better. These items should be planned for carefully from what you buy to how you buy it, you must always be careful when buying a firearm used. So if you want to play it smart while also getting the most bang for your buck, make sure you go through an online retailer that is reputable and trustworthy.

Dependable firearms are not cheap, and buying more than one can add up quickly. Unfortunately, those aren't the only costs you should consider when purchasing protection. Firearms take ammunition, cleaning materials so they last your lifetime, and holsters or straps. As your collection of firearms grow, so will your stockpile of ammunition. A great way to keep track of what you have is to keep an ammunition sheet.

Garage Sales

Depending on where you live you can take advantage of local sales all year long if the weather permits. Once you find your monthly budget for prepping supplies, set aside a couple days a month on the weekend for garage sailing. You can find a large majority of the little things you need when prepping at a very low cost.

Things to look for when going to local sales are the items that don't necessarily come to mind when you think about prepping. You're going to need first aid items, from chapstick to bandages, make a list and start checking it off as you go. It's wise to carry the list with you at all times because you never know when an item will go on sale but you can't remember if you already bought it or not. Along with first aid, you can keep an eye out for personal hygiene products, yard tools, like shovels, rope, leather gloves, chain, and much more.

Buy in Bulk and Get Crafty

Food and water are the two smartest things to prep for and often times the easiest. For food, you need to always be on the look out for nonperishable items that are sold in bulk. Once these items go on sale you'll want to snatch them up. Make sure you track when you purchase these items so you can track how long they will be good for and plan ahead for next year's budget. It is also wise to have a certain stash of fresh food on hand for immediate use if tragedy strikes. That can be expensive but if you shop wisely and plan properly you can avoid wasting any food while always being prepared.

When you are considering water you need to remember three things, sanitation, travel, and storage. An easy way to filter water if you don't want to buy tablets or some sort of filtration system is to use something crafty like a coffee filter. You can buy these in bulk for cheap but they will last you forever. Any hard plastic bottle like Nalgene or other hard-sided bottles are perfect for traveling with so you're always hydrated if you're on the go and unable to be by your main water source. The final thing to do is find a way to store your water so it will remain fresh and drinkable. Generally, it's best to store water in a large 55-gal drum but those get expensive so try checking your local feed or farm store often for used drums that are going on sale.

If you are a little overwhelmed by all of the ins and outs of prepping, The Preppers Journal offers a great list of resources from DIY dental care to tactical preparedness. A little reading can go a long way so setting aside time to research the best ways to be prepared will help you in the long run and give you a greater sense of confidence.

Created By
Casea Peterson
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