With autumn quickly rolling in, it might be time to consider bad weather in your area and how to survive it. There’s an abundance of reasons to have an emergency kit, but many people often operate under the idea that things won’t happen to them. On the other hand, some people will go entirely overboard on their supply kit and may end up spending their life savings on an event that might not happen. There is a middle ground here though and it can be affordable if you know what you’re doing. With these ten tips you’ll be able to feel a little more security when it comes to your family’s safety without forcing yourself to over spend on items you’ll never need.
1. Keep it Simple
There’s a lot of items out there that are markected towards survivalist. Although these items might come in handy during specific incidents, the liklihood of you finding yourself in some of the scenarios is slim to impossible. Instead of concentrating on the items you might need in an emergency thing about the items you know you’ll need. This will actually simplify things considerably which is always great for your budget. If you have to think twice about something then it probably shouldn’t be on your list. Also, if you have to go through several pages of instructions just to figure it out then try to avoid adding it to the collection too. Try to stick to food, water, protection and warmth. That being said, you don’t need a room full of guns or even food. Start your supplies out with a little container of basics and if you feel the need then add to them later. This will help you keep only items you need, so you never end up spending thousands on human powered television set or something equally as silly.
2. One Step At a Time
Many people believe they have to build up their emergency supplies in one big purchase. So, instead of looking for the right way to store up they end up spending thousands on pre-made emergency packages that can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. This never has to be the case though. There’s actually a great weekly program available online that can help you build up your stock for just $10 a month. This amount of money is generally easy to come up with for most family’s and goes a lot further than you think. The plan has family’s buying beans, rice and other essentials which build a strong and durable emergency supply kit. You may also want to consider doing this with other emergency supply items. Buying an extra gallon of water a month is a cheap and efficient way to stock up so you know you’re going to be ready in case the water supply is contaminated.
3. Watch for Sales
One of the best ways to start up your emergency supply kit is to wait until there are sales on certain items. Canned foods are actually a great item to have in your kit and when they’re on sale you can buy a whole lot more of them than you could at regular price. This allows you to enjoy having more in your kit without having to go overboard on spending. Other items like water, seeds and cooking supplies are usually good to buy during these periods too. If you don’t have a good first aid kit then watch out for sales in this department too. If you’re worried about a major emergency then you’re going to want to stock up on more than just the basics. Over the counter medications, bandages and items like peroxide and rubbing alcohol are important to have in your kit and are better to purchase when the price as been lowered.
4. Seeds
If you’re planning for a longer emergency kit then one of the best possible things you can pack is seeds. With seeds in your emergency kit you’ll have a better chance of being able to feed your family if something were to happen to cause long term inability to have food. Although you should always keep plenty of food in your kit, the seeds are a just in case measure. If you do find yourself without access to purchasing food then the seeds can be planted when you have a clearance to go outside. The more seeds you have the greater chance you’ll be able to have food for the family when your supply runs out. The best thing is, seeds are totally inexpensive. You can buy some packets for less than $.10. You can also take seeds out of your own foods. However, you should always read the back of the seed packet to ensure they will grow in your environment and also when it is safe to plant them.
5. Special Foods
When it comes to buying food you can trust to last awhile you should stick dehydrated or freeze dried foods. Dehydrated foods have all the water removed from them which helps them stay edible for much longer. If you keep these foods in an air tight container then they will last even longer, which means you won’t have to worry about replenishing your stock any time soon. The great thing about dehydrated foods is you can make them yourself. All you need is a food dehydrator and a recipe book, which is optional, and you’re ready to go. You can dehydrate fruits and vegetables as well as a variety of meats. Another route you can take if freeze dried foods. These items you tend to have to buy in a special store, but they have an amazing shelf life. Usually these foods are a bit pricier but you should be able to find a decent deal if you shop online.
6. Water
A lot of people will stack up bottles of water and feel like their job is done. Bottles of water can be some of the worst items to buy. To begin with, they’re a whole lot harder to ration than regular water and your family may be tempted to drink too much out of the individual bottles. They’re also far worse for the environment and you may find yourself surrounded by little plastic bottles before you’re free to leave your safety area. Instead of shopping for bottles try buy gallon jugs or larger. This will give you more water for your money and will ensure you’re stocked up and ready to go. It’s a lot easier to monitor how much someone is drinking with these bottles too as you can hand out a smaller portion to make supplies last a whole lot longer. You should also consider buying tablets to cleanse the water too. These can be crucial if you run out of your supply and need to drink from a potentially contaminated tap or open body of water.
7. Buy Bulk
Bulks buys will make your life easier when you’re purchasing items for your survival kit. This process won’t just allow you to get a lot more product for your money, but will ensure you have plenty of items in your stock in case an emergency does strike. Bulk food buys are one of the best things to find. If you can get large bags of flour, rice or beans then it is will probably help you save a lot more money than you expect. Medical supplies are another huge bonus when it comes to bulk buys. Here you will be able to buy bandages as well as medications that will ensure your family will be prepped for an emergency. Supplies for gardening are also a must have which will help you in case you have to grow your own food at one point. Try shopping at your local bulk store for these items, but if they don’t have the food or items you desire then there are special bulk stores that can help you find what you’re looking for.
8. Rethink Power
You may not always have power during an emergency so you should always rethink items that might be needed in case of an outage. Some of the best items to have around the house are lots of batteries. You can store them in the freeze to ensure they last longer, but buying these items can never hurt as they can be used for much. Along with the batteries you should have a very good flashlight. Bright lights are perfect for keeping the family feeling secure while also helping you know what’s going on in your area. You may also consider a battery powered radio so you can get updates on what is going and when it is safe to leave your bunker. There are many radio/tv/flashlight combinations on the market, but these tend to run batteries down faster, so you might want to keep it as simple as possible with this purchase. Other items that might help with your power problems would be a back up generator. These are fairly pricey, but you can find smaller ones that affordable and can be used for specific areas of the home. Flares and candles can be very important as well in case you are without power for a very long time. Make sure you also have matches, lighters, lighting fluid and other basic supplies in case you need to build a fire for light or warmth.
9. Canning
If you’re stilling having problems stocking up food then consider doing your own canning. This will help you get more out of your surplus produce and won’t cost you any more than basic foods would. The best thing about canning is you’re not limited to specific foods. Jams and preserves are some of the more common canned goods people make and will pack in plenty of vitamins and nutrients that the family needs to maintain their health. Of course, you may want to consider using less sugar on these items as they could become harmful if you’re living on preserves alone. Pickled items are another canning option which is actually very good for the body. Pickle as many vegetables as you can to keep a healthy variety in your life. Sauerkraut, kimchi and other fermented foods work wonders for the diet and are easy to store for safety meals. You may also want to can tomatoes, salsa and vegetable juice mixes for easy emergency meals.
10. Put Back Money
You’d be surprised as to how far money with go, especially in a power outage. With the electricity out most modern stores won’t be able to conduct business properly so cash will be the only way to get the last minute items you need. Putting back a little cash is also never a bad idea, even when it comes to emergencies like needing a new tire or anything else a rainy day fund might fix. You don’t have to put back a lot of money at once though. Start small and work your way up. Even if you only put back money little by little you should find that you have a pretty good fund going after a few months of saving. You don’t even have to worry about putting money back on a weekly basis if you don’t have that kind of spare. However, a lot of family’s have found success by giving up a fast food meal a month. Instead of using the money on the food it goes in the emergency fund.
No one wants to be in an emergency situation, but having a kit can actually alter the way you react to the problem if it does occur. With these simple tips you should have everything you need to be prepared at a price that didn’t even shake your budget’s scale. So, stop stressing out and get to working on your kit so you can have plenty of peace of mind during the stormy months!
