Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Emergency Preparedness: How to Budget for What You Need

Happy New Year!  I wanted to start off the new year by getting back to basics and talking about some of the fundamentals for starting out with prepping and then keeping a purposeful and organized prepping plan going.  In an emergency situation, you want to have a number of supplies that you can fall back on to ensure your survival, health, and safety. This requires collecting and maintaining a decent amount of those supplies even though you may never need them. Altogether, these supplies - including food and water, first aid supplies, items for self-defense, and things to provide shelter if you have to "bug out."  But even the most basic survival kits can add up in terms of cost very quickly.

The main focus of this article will be for the folks who are just getting started building their preps.  But keep in mind that things like research, budgeting, and prioritization will always be important, no matter how far advanced you are with prepping.  These concepts will be extremely important for the new prepper to help you get started.  Then as you get more advanced in your prepping skills, research, prioritization, and budgeting will be second nature, and you will be focussing more on how to improve what you have and evolve the sophistication of your preps with the changing times. 


Do Your Research:

If you are starting from scratch, do some research on emergency preparedness. Look to websites such as The American Red Cross and FEMA Emergency Preparedness for lists and ideas of what you need to build a survival “kit” and items to stockpile for emergencies. You can also search the Internet and your local area for survivor training and tips.  There is a wealth of good websites out there, and some of them will be listed at the end of this article.

Once you have ideas of specific items you need, research those too. Some items, like food and water, are pretty foolproof. However, other items such as shelter building supplies, weather clothing and gear, self-defense items, and first aid supplies, are not created equal.  There is not a one size fits all method of preparedness, and states all have different laws when it comes to what you can use for self-defense.  Knowing what to look for can save you money while also guaranteeing that you have the best products on hand.

Make a List:

Essentials Survival KitBefore you go out and buy everything you need, make a detailed list of what items you need for your emergency preparedness or survival kit. Break the list up into sections based on their categories such as sustenance, shelter, first aid, self-defense, and more.

Also, have an idea of how much everything on that list costs as well. For home stockpiles, most experts recommend that you have a minimum of three days' worth of supplies, but at least two weeks' worth is preferred.


Initial Prioritization:

To know what items to purchase first, prioritize the list you made based on items that are the most important and most useful. If you are just getting started with prepping, it is important to realize that there are a number of things that you will need, but that you cannot purchase everything all at once.  The top three items to prioritize are:

  • Water: Having enough water stockpiled is one of the most important survival tips. Keep bottled water both in your car and your home. For your home stockpile, the best rule of thumb is to have one gallon of water per person per day.  When getting started, try to build up to a 2-week supply of water.
  • First aid: A good emergency first aid kit and basic first aid knowledge is another item to prioritize. The American Red Cross has a detailed list of items that should be in any first aid kit. You will need to add or make changes to that list based on your family size and specific medical needs.
  • Food: The most likely disaster situation involves a severe weather event where you could be stuck in your home for days or more without electricity or water. Having a decent stockpile of non-perishable foods to keep you and your family nourished is very important.  At a minimum, build op a 2-week supply of food.


Budget and Build Up:

Especially if you are starting from scratch, buying all of the items you need at once might not be very budget-friendly. You might have to get one or two items at a time and build-up to the full amount of items needed over time.  But do NOT go into debt just to build up your supplies quickly.  Make prepping a monthly budget line-item, be reasonable, then stick to it.  Subscription services such as those mentioned below can help with this.

Look for Bargains:

As you are building up your emergency preparedness supplies, keep an eye out for good deals, coupons, and sales.  The Dollar Store (or similar type of stores) are excellent sources for the supplies that you will need.  Subscription services such as those from Wise Foods and Prepper Gear Box can also help save money, and will also help you to maintain a steady stream of supplies.

Paying Down Debt:

I've already mentioned budgeting because it is that important.  During this time, you should be seeking financial advice for helping you to pay down debt and not accumulating additional debt.  Debt is probably one of the biggest killers when times get tough, and that monthly expense just to pay off high-interest credit cards and loans will not help you meet your prepping goals.  Do NOT go into debt with prepping.  Only buy what you can pay for, and don't accumulate unpaid credit card balances by paying for subscriptions.  If you already do a budget, excellent!  If you have not done a budget before, seek professional assistance.  You will be amazed at how much of your money you can take back just by knowing where it is going and doing more purposeful spending each month.

Prepper Maintenance:

Some basic maintenance will help save you money and keep your survival supplies up to date. Keep your food and water stores rotating as they come near their expiration dates. That way things can be used rather than thrown out and stores kept fresh in case of emergency. Proper maintenance of any tools and other equipment will keep them from needing to be replaced, which will also save you money.  Be sure to know the difference between "best by" dates and hard expiration dates for your items.


Budget and Prioritize Again:

This is an ongoing task that needs to be reevaluated and frequently recalculated.  Once you have the basics, it's time to start looking at additional supplies, so your priorities and even your budgeting may change. Camping supplies to provide shelter and cooking in case you have to bug out, more advanced first-aid supplies and some self-defense items will all be important parts of your survival cache.  Some of the items at which you are now trying to work into your prepping supply may tend to be more sophisticated and more expensive as well.


Wrapping it all Up:

Emergency preparedness is a responsible and potentially life-saving life skill, but being ready for anything isn't always cheap. It takes a lot of research, a lot of prioritizing, and very dedicated and disciplined budgeting in order to build a good supply of preps. You can ensure the safety of your family and the sanity of your budget just by researching what you need, looking for a few bargains, and being purposeful with what you spend.  Be sure to revisit your prioritized list often, and be sure to have a rotation plan for those items with expiration dates.


Additional Resources: