# What has been your best prep investment?



## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I thought this would be another thread to get folks thinking along the lines of where should I start or what else do I need to add that I did not think of.

My best mental prep was cases of FD foods. By mental prep I mean gives me peace of mind. I know they will be good for as long as I am around and will need to be willed to someone if not used. I feel secure that I can feed myself for an extended period, as long as I have access to them. I do garden and save seeds but what if something happens in the late fall or winter and I did not put up enough to last until I can have the next harvest? I know I could never grow and can enough to last me all year so will need something to fill in the gaps. I also have boxes of grocery store bought goods to supplement but those have expiration dates within a few years and will need to be replaced. With the FD stores I bought once and can forget about them until needed.

Second place would have to go to toilet paper. With a major change in diet having something soft is going to be better than a having a DVR.  Remember this is my list, what luxury will make you happy will be different. I’ve been there using leaves and towels and all and for me, TP is a biggie on the list! Other biggies in no special order: extra strings for the banjo, reading/writing materials, ability to grow and cure tobacco, ability and supplies to make alcoholic beverages and my companion, Wendy.

My best physical prep is a tossup. By physical prep I mean something that I NEEDED to have. The generator to get water from the well was a big one. I feel secure knowing I can access water for as long as my supply of gasoline holds out. With 2 – 5 gallon cans and two vehicles I think it can be quite a while running the genny for 15 - 20 minutes at a time to fill barrels. A close second is shelving units. I know it does not seem like a survival prep thing but I needed someplace to store everything! After filling closets in my small place just having a ‘pile’ of stores made for very difficult inventory of what to add. I can now easily assess what I have and when I have disposable income, what to buy to add. Why the genny was not the solo top one is there are several in the neighborhood so I could have borrowed (traded) for the use of one if need be.

Hand operated carpentry tools and enough lumber/plastic to fix the house if something should happen is my second place physical prep. Others in no special order: duplicate manual tools to cut firewood, woodstove, cases of canning jars and extra lids, duplicate hand tools for the garden, good supply of personal hygiene stuff and of course a few firearms for food or varmints.

I know I left a lot off the list but I wanted to capture the few that are high on my list.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

it might sound trite, but the *TIME* spent on forums like this and with people learning/teaching as much as I could about as many different survival-oriented subjects as possible is probably one of my better investments, as is the veggie conversions I put on the diesel genny & car (Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems | Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems they deserve a plug)


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## Kimba (Feb 13, 2011)

My mistake, whatever.


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## unclebob (May 14, 2010)

I do not get into boasting contest.
One good thing Ok, but then......


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

What has been your best prep investment?

A little piece of ground to raise animals and grow large quantities of food.

Animals for long term sustainability.

Canning equipment to preserve seasonal harvests.

Old world farming tools.



Woody said:


> extra strings for the banjo,


I can't believe I never gave this a thought!!!!! I have 12 guitars and only 2 sets of spare strings. Yeah, I just went and looked.

Thank you.


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## unclebob (May 14, 2010)

UncleJoe said:


> I have 12 guitars and only 2 sets of spare strings. Yeah, I just went and looked.
> 
> Thank you.


That would suck


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## ajsmith (Feb 1, 2010)

For me, I seem to be the worrier of my family, so besides the food, water and ammo, would be the trailer I'm building. I'm getting a late start so I don't have a lot like others on here but working on this "bug out pick-up box trailer" keeps me from going bonkers worrying about whats coming. The trailers coming along SLOWLY but I feel good about things as I "see" the progress of something I am building.


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## nj_m715 (Oct 31, 2008)

I hear the E string makes a nice garrote. 
I'm with Blob, nothing like (nearly) free fuel, heat, electric even soap. The wvo list goes on and on.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

While I haven't bought it yet- I showed hubby the stainless steel Bison deep well water pump and we checked out the price and it is under $1800 to get one for the unused well..He said that for that price it would really be worth getting with the power outages we keep getting here. Told me that we can start putting by some cash for it each month and hopefully get it before the SHTF. Either that or talk my mom into buying it for us with the promise of room and board after SHTF!


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm in Kentucky, so our entire yard is on rock..in fact, before getting into Bowling Green yesterday, someone had dug two holes probably for an in and out for a residential area and I was shocked just how huge those rocks were that hadn't been moved yet....big as a car/truck.

So not even considering a garden on our property which would have been the best investment, my best investment will have to be the Berkey, and second is the wood/coal burning stove..:congrat:


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

JayJay, can'' t you do raised beds?


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Clarice said:


> JayJay, can'' t you do raised beds?


My dad was a garden farmer...he taught me one thing..tomatoes need a deep root system and he's right...ever tried pulling a tomato after fall??

Yep, real deep.

Nope, no raised beds here...2 X 10s, bring in a truck of soil...all that??

Just go to the man across the street---nursery...but I won't be buying to can.

It's just too expensive around here to do that.

I have some friends when they finish canning will give me peppers, tomatoes.

We'll move if things ever get right with this nation again. House is too darn big for us.


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## Reblazed (Nov 11, 2010)

Fortunately, for me, not all tomatoes (or green peppers) require a 'deep' root system. Mine have been grown in 5 gal buckets for several years and have produced enough to can several jars of sauces, juice and tomato chunks. And when you move you can take it all with you. This year I'm going to add some to straw bales and have free compost at the end of the summer for the next crop.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Reblazed said:


> Fortunately, for me, not all tomatoes (or green peppers) require a 'deep' root system. Mine have been grown in 5 gal buckets for several years and have produced enough to can several jars of sauces, juice and tomato chunks. And when you move you can take it all with you. This year I'm going to add some to straw bales and have free compost at the end of the summer for the next crop.


Good for you--I tried the five gallon bucket---had to remove them and put in the ground...and by the porch where I dropped some manure from chinamart---best tomatoes I've had in a while...

I saw that straw bale or hay bale thing...looks interesting...I do wish I had more yard and yard with descent soil.

I saw a picture of plants growing in a rain/house gutter and I wondered what they were growing?? But they were healthy whatever they were.


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## Centraltn (Feb 21, 2011)

Wow now that is a question! 
I guess Id have to put it in order of my comfort.
1 .. 1st we got 400 acres of land in the middle of nowhere tn.
2 ...Luckily, a great well
3 ...Buckets and cans of food to last my family about 2 yrs. (Always adding to this.).
4. Lots of medical supplies
5. Lots of guns and lots of Ammo for those.
6 Cooperative family and neighbors


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

*What has been my best prep investment*

In no particular order:


Being the administrator of PreparedSociety.com
Owning and modifying Jeeps (as well as basic mechanical work)
Owning and modifying my motorcycle (Kawasaki KLR650)
Owning and modifying an off-road enhanced camper-trailer
Learning about solar panels (theory) and using them (practicle)
Owning my property / home
Learning to garden, hunt, fish and how to prepare meals from those activities
Having the right financial backing to do all these things (steady work and a decent paying job)


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## Halfway (Nov 26, 2009)

NaeKid said:


> In no particular order:
> 
> 
> Learning about solar panels (theory) and using them (practicle)
> ...


:2thumb: Nice list Nae. I ditto the above. Learning skill sets, both from formal training and from self-initiated has probably been the biggest "investment".

Those dividends will be worth a lot.


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