# When did you start Prepping?



## AUprepster (Jun 12, 2013)

New here so sorry if this has already been discussed. I enjoy hearing how others get started or how the light comes on when it comes to being prepared.

Personally I never gave it a thought until the Tornado outbreak here in Alabama in 2011. I had heard about preppers and such but thought they were kooks. I grew up in rural Alabama hunting and fishing, camping and such so I _thought_ I could take care of myself and my family at anytime.

We were out of power for 8 days when those twisters hit our state. By the 7th day I was getting very worried. We combined food/water with the Mother and Father-in-law that lives two doors down from us but it still wasn't enough for all 6 of us. All groceries from the local stores were gone or ruined. Gas stations were closed because they had no power to run their pumps. Needless to say, it was getting to the point of desperation. I had a Coleman camp stove with several canisters of gas but nothing to put on it to cook.

Needless to say, my eyes were opened. Since then, I was just lost about how to prepare for desperate times at first but knew I had to do something, then I got to thinking about an economic collapse. I started looking at Food Storage, then water storage. I started reading Survival articles and then Home survival. My knowledge of being prepared is growing and I am nowhere near where I need to be but I am getting there. I am proud to be a prepper now. Sites like this and the great info you guys put out there are a huge help to us newbies that feed off of your experiences, good and bad and grow from it.

Thanks for letting me share my experiences with you guys and ask dumb questions!

AUprepster


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

WELCOME!

About a year before Y2K... but not very serious about it. Some extra food, TP and some extra gas, that's all.

9-11-01 made me think a lot more about how vulnerable this country is.


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## machinist (Jul 4, 2012)

1953, when Dad moved us to the farm. Hard times then, after the Korean war when all those returning soldiers couldn't find jobs. The economy was sagging pretty badly, so Dad traded our really nice home near the city for a run down 80 acre farm out in the sticks. We ate what we grew and had to make do for several years until things got better. The life agreed with me, so I just kept on living it.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Prepped somewhat since I was a kid due to growing up hunting and fishing. As a teenager and young guy I took up hiking and that helped me progress. Spent some time farming in a third wold country as well. Then I did the army thing and deployed. When I got back I looked over my life experiences(especially those in places that didn't enjoy what Americans would consider rule of law), looked at the state of the country (government and economy), looked at the type of people I met or observed daily (helpless idiots with an extraordinary sense of entitlement) and realized it was time to put it all together to cover my butt and help decent folks out. Been doing that for a few years now. I love that prepping has the added bonus of incorporating all my favorite hobbies into one purpose. I hope things just get better on their own but I'm doubting it so I do what I do


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I was born into it ... So it is more of a way of life.


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## 21601mom (Jan 15, 2013)

AUprepster said:


> New here so sorry if this has already been discussed. I enjoy hearing how others get started or how the light comes on when it comes to being prepared.
> 
> Personally I never gave it a thought until the Tornado outbreak here in Alabama in 2011. I had heard about preppers and such but thought they were kooks. I grew up in rural Alabama hunting and fishing, camping and such so I thought I could take care of myself and my family at anytime.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for sharing your journey; most of us here appreciate learning the event (or series thereof) that led to one's decision to become prepared. I joined about seven months ago and have felt embraced by my fellow members, even with my newbie questions. The search feature is invaluable, granting access to older threads filled with great info! One of my favorite threads is Preparations Update that has an awesome list of updates(lots of great ideas on that thread)! Welcome!


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Here are a few threads with that theme.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f26/when-did-you-realize-17024/

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f2/what-disasters-you-looking-prepare-187/

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f2/why-do-you-prep-when-did-you-start-15721/

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f2/what-you-specifically-prepping-15158/

http://www.preparedsociety.com/foru...n-you-started-preping-what-did-your-do-15193/


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## gabbyj310 (Oct 22, 2012)

Having lived in the "islands" most of my life ,I guess it was just there...If a ship couldn't make it in (and many times didn't)we had NO food...But.. a few years ago I was thinking of my retirement and realized that my cost of living was way out of balance, and I started to see where I needed major changes .A wake up moment was watching the "looters" after hurricane Andrew in the 90's and Katrina ....My thoughts were OMG I've got to be ready for everything, including lack food, water, security...Survival ....So I started 
"collecting" and "prepping" .Love the BOGO and now I have done some awesome preparing .I've moved to my BOL and have a good start on living mostly off the grid and can survive in a decent manner(But working for bigger and better).


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## tleeh1 (Mar 13, 2013)

My mom's family is LDS, so I guess I was 'born' into it. Like AU, the April 2011 tornadoes in Alabama really opened our eyes. We were able to eat out of the pantry for the 8 days we were without electricity, but lost everything in the freezer. We were never out of water, so we lucked out on that side, but we nearly ran out of propane for the cook stove. So, we've been working on the areas where we were weak for the past couple of years. Still not where we want to be, but...

What I found interesting was how well the community came together here in north Alabama. Even without electricity, a radio station or two were able to get back online with generators and spent all day sharing information about who had what supplies, where people could volunteer to help with clean-up, and the status of infrastructure repairs. 

We have a great city council/county government that was organized and apparently had a pretty good disaster plan in place. No one was waiting for 'Uncle Sam' to come in and take care of them. In fact, when FEMA finally showed up, they took one look at how we were doing and turned around and left. As of a couple of months ago, the county governments hadn't been reimbursed by the Feds for cleanup, either. As far as I know, we had little to no looting, which was a blessing. But I also know, at least in my neighborhood, no one would have hesitated to use a weapon if necessary. I think, as a whole, we came through it OK. This is a good community, but I'm very concerned that if we have a longer lasting event, it could get ugly pretty quickly. 

All in all, it was a good test of where we were and where we need to be.


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## pandamonium (Feb 6, 2011)

I have, for as long as I can remember, felt the need to try to be ready for whatever came along. I grew up hunting and fishing, spending as much of everyday outside, regardless of weather. About 8 or so years ago I started making sure that if things got bad I would be ready. Now I am the type that once I get started doing something, I immerse myself 100%, either untill I lose interest or I feel I have complete the mission to my satisfaction. With preparedness, I dont hink the mission will ever be "completed". There is ALWAYS more to learn and more things to do. I started the first steps with putting together get home bags for the vehicles, then I started putting little bits of long term food stores away, all the while working at learning new skills and expanding my knowledge base. Like I said, a mission that should/will never be "complete". 
Welcome to the community of prepping and to this excellent forum!!


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## 8thDayStranger (Jan 30, 2013)

I've been a survivalist for years. It's always fascinated me. When the April tornadoes hit and power was off for a week I was having a blast. Don't get me wrong it was not good that folks lost houses and more importantly lives. One of the tornados touched down about a mile from us and wiped out most of my BILs neighbor hood. His house was fine and the house across from him had slight roof damage. The power being off was awesome. I could have gone another week or two easy. It was like camping to me. Still I didn't get into prepping for a while. 

In January I was doing research for a survival class I was teaching through our church. I stumbled on this site and started reading. Then it clicked. What if the power never came back on? How would we stand after a month? The next thing I knew I was buying bags of rice and putting together BOBs and scouting BOLs. I think now its matured into more of thing with learning and preserving basic life skills that modern convenience and technology are quickly wiping out. Learning to garden and can and raise your own food is a dying art. If nothing ever happens and I never get to use all the stuff I've acquired then at least I can teach my kids (and hopefully grand kids) these skills so if it all goes to hell in a hand basket my family won't be standing there looking stupid with their hand out waiting for a turn on the govt tit.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

In May of 2011 I heard an advertisement for Porter Stansberry's video "The End of America" on the Rush Limbaugh show. That's what woke me up. We took out a 401k loan so we'd have money to start prepping rapidly. Within two weeks I was buying food and water every weekday to prepare for the coming economic collapse.


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

I grew up in the lifestyle. I still have publications my Dad had from the early 1950s. However, growing up in it does not make one a survivalist or prepper or whatever is politically correct today. I took it seriously from the time I was eleven years old. Big thing I learned from my parents and extended family was to keep my mouth shut when it came to talking about it outside of the circle. 

The lifestyle is more a state of mind than a bunch of preps. You will come to the point you realize that even if you lose all your "stuff" you can still survive. You develop a mentality of survival. You see it in hospitals where some people who have no chance survive despite the odds against them. Doctors talk about it. Develop that mentality that you are going to make it as you build your knowledge base. learn to improvise when all your first options are gone. Most of all make good friends. Be a good friend who people will trust to take care of their back. GB


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I started on December 22nd, 2012. I stocked up on champagne and party foods. I figured since it was the last day of the world I might as well go out having a great time. Then when it didn't happen I realized that now I had time to _really_ prepare for an epic end of the world party. So each week I pick up some more alcohol and party favors. I am expecting about 5,000 people to attend my Apocalyptic Party so I want to make sure everything is perfect. I am building an underground bunker kitchen so the caterer will have a secure place to put together all of the horderves and I bought a milsurp armored car which I am converting in a DJ station complete with PA speakers. It's going to be off the hook! Until we all die that is. I am worried that if we meet our demise via EMP or Solar Flare that the music won't be loud, so I am still working on that. And I need to make sure the drinks are all cold. No one wants to go out with a warm beer in their hands.


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## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

I grew up saving just about everything, figured I could use it on some future project, This proved to be a pain in the ass, since I never seemed to use much and when I moved it took a truck load or two just to move the crap. It always broke my little heart to have to either throw out or sell any of my spoils. So far in life, I've used basic camping gear, candles, oil lamps, and once in a while the generator. I have only really gotten serious in the last 4 years, getting updated supplies, food reserves, and misc. supplies. I figure I'm about 40 percent ready, with a dream of secure underground shelter. It will be a good place to secure food and all other supplies, EMP proof. This will also keep prying eyes from anyone seeing what I have and also fire proof. BUT there are still yard sales to go to, so the junk pile continues...


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## cedarguy (Nov 19, 2012)

Since I was a kid to a point. Grandma would always say to keep your gastank and cabinets full and always wear clean underwear in case you get into an accident. Over the last 2 years I have really put prepping as our #1 priority, with things like instability in our country (in many ways) the extreme weather that we seem to be having now and just a sence of something not being right really put us in high gear.


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## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

For me it was having kids and watching lots of tv. Seriously! I've always had lots of guns n ammo but after watching the walking dead, falling skies, book of eli....... I realized that you really needed food more than anything. So I started scouring the web and found this site. I now have enough grub to keep the family fed for over a year and now I'm working on more medical supplies and self sustaining energy equipment. I always figured a zombie apocalypse might happen but since being here I've also learned a lot more on our impending financial collapse and other doomsday scenarios that are far more likely than zombies. But zombies could happen. Just sayin.


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## machinist (Jul 4, 2012)

Ha! I remember hearing that thing about clean underwear from the old folks. I got news for them. If I'm in an accident, my underwear will most assuredly NOT be clean! 

I should have said in my earlier post that although my wife and I were both prep minded, I was pretty lax about preparing until the Arab Oil Embargo in 1973-4. I was working in an automobile plant then as an engineer, and watched 2,300 out of 10,000 plant workers clock out on layoff in ONE DAY. That got my attention. A year later we were on a 45 acre homestead in the sticks, farming with horses, heating with firewood, well water, septic system, pigs to butcher, etc. Never looked back from that.


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

Raised from age 6 to 14 on a small homestead, with hunting, fishing, and outdoor skills learned
First taste of 'real' prepping, at 9-years old in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
More awareness at 14-years old in 1967 when we moved on top of the New Madrid Seismic Zone
Became a full time prepper at age 18 in 1971

Been at it ever since. It is a lifestyle more than anything, though it is also something of a hobby.


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## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

Grew up fishing, hunting and gardening. Just continued to do so. 
About 5 years ago I learned how to make wine and beer (liquid bread). Also, learned how to pressure can and preserve foods. 
It's saved our family a lot of money and helped us get through some hard times.


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

1983.I realized mankind was going to hit the reset button eventually.


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

Grew up poor and learned to make do with what we had. We hunted, harvested, cooked on a wood stove, hauled our water and had no electricity to speak of. Never thought as a kid we were ‘poor’ though. It was just a good, hard working family life in my experience.

Raised my kids on a whole lot of acres that we hunted, fished, harvested and gardened. Canned, froze and dried just about everything for the table year round. Had friends and neighbors who supplied us with our poultry and beef and some dairy year round. 

Now it’s just hubby and I and we have a BOL that we are slowly prepping for ourselves and family if need be.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

we never stopped, just kept adding and improving what my folks had pre and post WW2.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

I was born in a communist country, total Gov. control/rations, since we were not involved in the Gov. my father lose his job so we had to make it on our wits; family in the country side provided the raw materials to make hams, dry beef, that in turn we traded for other needed goods, actually we even traded with Gov. officials. I learn to preserved meats, fish, make sea salt, dig wells, and many trades related to survival and dealing with hard times. Our home in the city got flooded in a 1963 hurricane ;the house in the country got damage really bad, the entired family up in the hills working, learn a lot more working with the elders side by side. Moving to my new country was another birth day for me,6 year active duty gave me more knowledge; snow storms, dessert like terrain ,mountain living in the snow tornado in OK, swaps in LA ,hot prairies in TX, then Andrew in Miami, lots of knowledge and no regrets here but like I have stated before I don`t prepared for a dooms day scenario just for a natural event that brings a few discomforts to my old life and family. One very important lesson to share is try to live with out stress, do the best you can with what you have, keep it simple and read as mush as you can on this great Nation`s Past .


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

readytogo said:


> *I was born in a communist country, total Gov. control/rations, *since we were not involved in the Gov. my father lose his job so we had to make it on our wits; family in the country side provided the raw materials to make hams, dry beef, that in turn we traded for other needed goods, actually we even traded with Gov. officials. I learn to preserved meats, fish, make sea salt, dig wells, and many trades related to survival and dealing with hard times. Our home in the city got flooded in a 1963 hurricane ;the house in the country got damage really bad, the entired family up in the hills working, learn a lot more working with the elders side by side. Moving to my new country was another birth day for me,6 year active duty gave me more knowledge; snow storms, dessert like terrain ,mountain living in the snow tornado in OK, swaps in LA ,hot prairies in TX, then Andrew in Miami, lots of knowledge and no regrets here but like I have stated before I don`t prepared for a dooms day scenario just for a natural event that brings a few discomforts to my old life and family. One very important lesson to share is try to live with out stress, do the best you can with what you have, keep it simple and read as mush as you can on this great Nation`s Past .


 you should be well prepared for what's coming down the rd towards us.


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## machinist (Jul 4, 2012)

readytogo,

Bravo! Your history is to be highly respected by all.  Very few in the US have had to live in such ways, and fewer still could succeed as you did. My sincere compliments.

Yes, we need to learn from our past and use the best of it for our future.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I always prepped to some degree. I started prepping on a larger scale when I was pregnant with Roo and K was out of work. Unemployment was only 20% of his monthly pay. I don't want my kids to go hungry if something happens.

Now that we are in the mountains I don't want weather to prevent us from thriving!


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## KaiWinters (Jan 4, 2013)

Since I was a little kid. Like many others I come from a lower income family but my grandparents had a little land and grew vegetables, raised chickens, pigs, rabbits, made their own wine and beer.
Their cellars were filled with this stuff and were always exciting spaces to spend time in.

Canning vegetables was what everyone did because we had vegetables that would otherwise go bad before being eaten and we could have vegetables in the winter.
Both grands came from countries that did not have "super markets" or easy access to inexpensive and plentiful foods in the "off seasons". They were also "poor" farmers in the "old countries" and did this out of necessity.

Still and all the lessons they taught and mind sets they shared, and often beat into us hehehe, prove valuable now...didn't think that when I was a kid, just more work to do when I'd rather play with my friends.


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## BullDozer (Jan 1, 2013)

I lived in the swamps of alabama and mississippi. Always was taught to take care of myself. And now i see the direction this country is headed in so i practice more of a bug out/hobo style living after martial law. Since i dont have room to prep, i practice bushcraft and survival more than prepping, but i prep on a short scale for martial law.


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

My mom grew up in pre and post nazi Europe. She went from growing up in an affluent household that owned a resort to living behind the family barn. Europeans seem to have always had some degree of a bug out grab the jewelry mind set. At least based upon the stories we heard. Seems grandpa and grandma were ready for when things went south. Growing up we learned to conserve and preserve. Use credit ONLY when it was not needed. Only buy what you could afford and pay for now. That it is better to keep a reserve and go without than to have and be in debt to anyone.

My father was interned in an American Concentration camp after my grandfather was gunned down by the National Guard. My grandmother never recovered from the malnutrition and poor medical care in the concentration camp. My dad and his brothers joined the all Japanese 442nd the highest decorated Division in US history to prove that our family were loyal Americans. They were liberating Jews from Nazi concentration camps while their loved ones remained in American Concentration camps. 

My godfather and extended family are Indigenous people that survived over 500 years of genocide and extermination. 

Growing up in my families histories, reading the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Our Forefathers writings, The federalist papers and a profound love of our country stuck with me. As a young man I rode with some clubs, Nam era combat vets and got involved A.I.M.. While never enamored with the 1%er criminal outlaw way of life. The independent freedom loving outlaw, non conformist seemed to fit. To me what our founding fathers had envisioned. How our First People lived for thousands of years and passed onto those who immigrated here. Based on my parents experiences and my lifestyle it became apparent that having a way out, an escape plan or way to disappear may one day be necessary to maintain my freedom to live as I choose. 

I started out with a few extra bank accounts, and paper work. That evolved into caches and stashes. With some vague idea of "Than Came Bronson" anonymous biker roaming the country, that in turn evolved into Jeremiah Johnson Mountain Man bugging out into the wilderness plan. I became a perpetual student taking a variety of courses that I thought were relevant to survival on the streets and wilderness survival. EMT, Self defense, Mechanics, Small engine repair, plumbing, survival camps, culinary and medicinal herbs, gardening farming, animal husbandry, sailing, navigation and whatever came along of interest that I thought would assist me on the road or survival in the wilderness. Along with a variety of jobs from logging to commercial fishing, motorcycle mechanics and of course printing and graphic design. The latter is being my focus once I decided to settle down, play the money game and start my business. Since the early 70's I have been prepping or survival training. The perpetual student to some degree or other. 

Over the decades having acquired some experience it became apparent that while I had proven I could survive most anywhere. I also became aware that regardless of what or how much I cached, stashed, put away, it would all eventually run out. Without an infrastructure to resupply prepping alone would eventuality lead to a very meager hand to mouth existence. With death a constant daily consequence of the slightest misstep, injury, illness or inability to produce even for a short time. Prepping alone could not provide my family the necessities of long term survival. So we quite prepping about ten years ago.


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## ram91648 (Jan 9, 2011)

I'm a Christian country boy. Experience and knowledge in those two areas allow me to be prepared for anything.


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## dennisroth2 (Feb 13, 2012)

*started prepping?*

sometime early 90's,Clinton election got me serious,got real serious prior to Y2K.Not being a "computer guy" I wasn't sure at all about Y2K but with everything else just wanted to be ready for whatever!Worry more about our systematic,gradual loss of RIGHTS, and 50% of the country thinking it is perfectly ok and "necessary".I may not live to see it but I am CONVINCED we are headed for another revolution, country is so divided there is no other course,don't know when but it will happen. AZCOWBOY


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## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

I grew up here in the Northwest, near Mount Hood. Part of our schools way was a lot of outdoor stuff. We had a lot of post hippy teachers into that and then growing up here, you learn a lot sort of by osmosis (you are around the outdoors all the time with people who know what they are doing). I came from farming families in the past, and although my parents were not, they had an understanding of it and passed it along to some degree. 

We worked at local farms, knew local farmers...like I said that knowledge was by growing up around it all. However my turning point was in 2008. We were living in the near rural end of a suburb, in a duplex that was behind this older complex infested with illegals and gangs and drug dealers. During the time 08 happened and we saw so much crime and troubles, we knew not only we had to get away from that all, we had to start thinking differently about what would happen if all heck broke loose and supply lines were disturbed or the markets dropped so badly, what little we might have in the bank would not be available to us.

We now live in the country, our situation has improved, but it has been a little hit and miss since it is a rental and the owner plans sometime in the future to develop the land (the house we're in would be torn down). I can honestly say by now we should have had the land under some sort of control, but we have lacked the tools and then the fear of it being yanked out from under us at any given moment has sort of stifled our ambition. I just need to do it under the assumption that it will be a while before development will happen here since the owner has tons of developed plots not even built on in years.


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## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

I have always been a prepper. I grew up at the tail end of the soviet threat and throughout my life I have always felt as if I was living in a period of decay--moral decay, that I knew would lead to cultural and societal decay and eventually structural breakdown. 

Y2K really crystalized for me that a large part of the problem, both the moral and societal decay as well as the risk of collapse, was our over dependence on technology. That things didn't break down on Jan 1, 2000 was immaterial, the fact that computers were so integral to our society, and yet so vulnerable to several avenues of attack became evident to me. (And yes, I was sitting on my cache locked and loaded on Jan 1).

In college I had a Bug out Bag and evac route from the city I lived in. I was even the Emergency Marshal for my office when I worked for the Federal Gov for a while. During school and my time in DC I pretty much accepted the fact that if the SHTF I was SOL! Now I am in a better position in many ways, although work still keeps me closer to the city and further from my BOL than I would like!!!


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## ashley8072 (Apr 26, 2011)

Growing up on a 300+ acre farm, fishing, camping, I've always ha a knack for DIY stuff and common sense doings. When DH and I got married at the age of 18, I became an assistant scout leader under my FIL, the preacher at our local church. Bringing attention to scouts of common sense practices inside and out. When the electric would be shut off, cars would break down, people stole from us, we made quick to remedy other means. When prepping really hit me was 9/11. When my first prepping love was building bug out bags. Never again would we be stranded with no money, far from home, out of fuel, and no food. It was a very crappy hot day. I spent the first couple years doing bug out bags and survival packs. Then on to stocking food for the past few years and exceeding my skills and knowledge. Showing and telling all my friends about it, persuading many.


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## musketjim (Dec 7, 2011)

I started about 1983 in a small way while stationed in Europe with the military, because of training. Then I saw the movie "The Mountain Men" and that started my outdoor skill portion, hunting, fishing and shooting, trapping etc. A seminal moment for me. Y2K started my storage portion and that has been a slow bit by bit learning session, canning, smoking etc. The physical fitness portion of prepping, lifting, biking, swimming etc.has been an obsession of mine since 1981 thanks Arnold. As you can see at least for me it's been a long slow journey. It's been a blast the whole way and it's been piece by piece as I've adapted my life. Welcome to the club and learn from all the folks here. It's a wealth of knowledge once you get thru some of the BS. Some of which can be mine sometimes I suppose.:laugh: Enjoy the ride.


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## carolexan (Dec 28, 2010)

My family has been self reliant for generations. I guess it is in my blood. Everyone lived on the same farm and worked together to provide for the family. If I had to pick a defining moment that made me the prepper I am today; it would be November 1993. My first grand child was born and his little face lit a fire under my Nanny behind. I realized that my preps, skills, and other areas of my life were not as secure as I wanted them to be for my grandson. I began practicing what I preached and put all my preparedness into use. I honed what skills I had and learned new ones...I continue to learn to this day. We homestead which is hard but rewarding through the bounty we produce.


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## Foreverautumn (Oct 25, 2010)

I SLOWLY developed a prepper mentality over the years, but I only started prepping seriously around August or September of 2010. I can't say, really, just what flicked the prepping switch on for me, but Y2k, September 11, Katrina, all of these moochers/takers/welfare queens whining about getting their government goodies, and finally all of these horror stories I kept hearing about crushing personal debt, to say nothing of our national debt...those things got me thinking that relying on the government - whether federal, state, or even local - is likely going to get you herded into a FEMA camp or the local equivalent of the Superdome.

I eventually made a conscious decision that I was going to put back as much as I can as quickly as I can (finances permitting) and I was going to dig myself out of debt as best I can, and NOT get back in.

I know perfectly well that I can't be TOTALLY prepared for EVERYTHING, and I'll NEVER have a fortified bunker/homestead in the middle of nowhere with 5 years of food and water and guns and ammo up the wazoo, but I CAN do what I can with what I've got, and approach it step by step.

Just my 2 cents worth.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

My parents are children of the depression. I grew up with stories of Grandpa poaching deer to put food on the table. We had some thin times so when we could the folks added to the larder. I pretty much did the same when I got out on my own. Then I had hard times and found that I needed more cash and food on hand so, when I recovered, I increased my preps.

I wasn't a very bright young man. When I was learning to hunt, fish, run and fix outboards and chainsaws, and so many other skills I just thought I was having fun. One day, not too many years ago, I read the word prepper. Ever curious I tried to find out what a prepper was. OMG! That's me! I started checking chat rooms and blogs. I started checking out the lists. I added some things but mostly I've just increased quantities. 

One thing I have finally figured out is how to tell how much of any one item is in my storage. I date it when I purchase it. When I get around to using it I know how much I have ahead. If I am going through something sooner that my current goal then I assign that product more shelf space and fill that space the next time there is a sale. The lists are a great tool but my family eats differently than the people drawing up the lists. I don't want to change my eating habit any more than I have to so I store what I eat and eat what I store.

To our newbies-You keep this place fresh. Your queries keep us thinking and everyone here brings unique experiences to the mix.


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## rachilders (Oct 9, 2008)

Since the 1970's when I lived through several hurricanes in New Orleans that hit there, then some bad winters in Chicago then more hurricanes from the gulf when i went back down south. I was also in San Francisco during the last big quake in '89. Learned that bad things can/do happen and when they do, more often than not you'll need to depend on yourself long before you can depend on help from the government.


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## northernraider (Jan 10, 2011)

I started back in 79 when I was a soldier in the BAOR and found out that whilst we were getting ready to fight the Russians nothing was being done for our families back home. So when I left the army I started researching and discovered the American Mel Tappan and followed his inspirational work.


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## morningbear (Dec 4, 2010)

*When? Summer of 1952 - Barstow*

After spending most of the school year in an asthma tent and recovering from peritonitis, I was spending the summer in the desert at Barstow, California. In the wee hours of the morning, my bed began to pitch and roll awakening me from a sleep every six-year-old should sleep. I tried to look over the edge of the bed into the darkness but the floor seemed to rise up and strike me.

When I awoke my grandfather cradled me in his arms with the light of his 3 cell flashlight bouncing off the ceiling as grandmother washed and dressed a sizable abrasion on my right temple. The propane tank worked so we sat in candle light as Granma fixed a light country breakfast. Granddad went outside in twilight to survey any damage. Attached to his hand was I. The oddest thing to my young eyes were the hundreds of nail heads sticking out of the clapboard siding on this house two years younger than myself. Over the next weeks, I learned to pound nails as far up as I could reach. I even learned to use the setting tool and cover the holes with home-made wood dough. Then summer was over and my paternal grandparents picked me up and took me to their home in Bakersfield.

All of the landmarks I remembered were still piles of rubble. The old clock tower lay on its side on one side of Chester Avenue, St. Francis school and church had collapsed as did parts of City Hall. Trauma was slow and overwhelming. Any sense of permanence was gone.

Two years later, cold war realities had crashed into the Cub Scouts where male leaders spoke on survival as den mothers taught us crafts that were more about beautification than survival.

At age 11, the Boy Scouts were in a militaristic full court press preparing us to live without grocery stores; a skill set that was reassuring to prepared youth when the Cuban missle crisis erupted upon us. Those same skills allowed me to survive the ignomeny of undercover in the military and eventually train hundreds in MOS skills, NCO development courses and Battalion Training Management.

I am now watching the sunset from a wheelchair ready for the end when it comes. Now my bug out eqt. includes oxygen, batteries and a CPAP machine. I still carry a basic field surgury kit and dry heart healthy rats.

FYI


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

Foreverautumn said:


> I know perfectly well that I can't be TOTALLY prepared for EVERYTHING, and I'll NEVER have a fortified bunker/homestead in the middle of nowhere with 5 years of food and water and guns and ammo up the wazoo, but I CAN do what I can with what I've got, and approach it step by step.


Probably true enough. But you can be prepared to survive even thrive through most anything. You may not need a fortified bunker in the middle of now where, if you can find a reasonably remote homestead that is defensible. Five years of stores may not be enough anyway. Five years of stores without any infrastructure or way to replenish your stores means you get to live five year before dying of hunger or disease. But you can produce, gather, harvest, hunt and catch enough to sustain you a year with enough left over to stock pile to cover you if things get lean. If your place is remote and secure enough you probably won't need and infinite supply of ammo or weapons. Up the wazoo is most likely a bad place to store firearms and ammo. Probably uncomfortable as hell and likely to get corroded there. IMHO most of us would be better off with fewer weapons, just select calibers and have replacement repair parts for those we have and lots reloading supplies (the latter being a weak point in my preps). Over all looks like you are on the path and you'll get there where it won't matter what happens in the world around you, you'll be able to provide and protect your family


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

LongRider said:


> Five years of stores may not be enough anyway. Five years of stores without any infrastructure or way to replenish your stores means you get to live five year before dying of hunger or disease.


Yes, if there is no way to resupply by any means (grow your own food, buy from others) in a five year period, that isn't TSHTF, that's the end of the world, pretty much



LongRider said:


> Up the wazoo is most likely a bad place to store firearms and ammo. Probably uncomfortable as hell and likely to get corroded there.


LMAO....


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## scodoublet (Jun 25, 2012)

I'm a rookie!
I started in the fall of 2011. We had a hurricane in CT that put us without power for 11 days. I have a wife and two small boys and the first 1-2 days was fine, even kind of fun. However, running the generator every morning and night, cooking everything on the grill, before it spoiled, and just trying to keep things "normal" for the boys was tough. By the end of it, my wife was about to lose her mind. Luckily the temps were fairly mild. After that, we started to figure out what we needed to do better and what we needed to have on hand if it was MUCH longer then 11 days. We don't have enough preps (yet) to live 10 years on our own, but we keep adding things as we can afford to and at this point 11 days completely cut-off would be a breeze! That makes me feel good, because I know my family would be completely fine for a short term event. Most other people I know aren't prepared at all. Luckily, we saw the 11 days as a wake up call to start getting prepared. We have spreadsheets of preps we need and just keep chipping away at the list as we can afford it.


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

Caribou said:


> One thing I have finally figured out is how to tell how much of any one item is in my storage. I date it when I purchase it. When I get around to using it I know how much I have ahead. If I am going through something sooner that my current goal then I assign that product more shelf space and fill that space the next time there is a sale. The lists are a great tool but my family eats differently than the people drawing up the lists. I don't want to change my eating habit any more than I have to so I store what I eat and eat what I store.


This is an extremely excellent tactic that is often over looked. That simple list, tracking what you eat is the best tool there is for determining what you need to store and in what quantities. As you become more self sustaining growing your own produce that same tactic will help you to determine how much you need to plant. Unfortunately most us will find some of our favorite food do not grow well for us. In which case adapting finding other foods you enjoy and can grow to replace them. Incorporating them into your diet now will make the adjustment easier.



LincTex said:


> Yes, if there is no way to resupply by any means (grow your own food, buy from others) in a five year period, that isn't TSHTF, that's the end of the world, pretty much.


LOL True that, though my focus was on the infrastructure, supply line those of us who are not self sustaining are accustomed to. Pointing out the need to be as self sustaining as possible. But as you said if that is not an option best find a friend to get naked and party with because the end is near.


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## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

1973. 19 years old. Married. One kid on the way. Working for Standard Oil Of CA.

Arab Oil embargo. I realized then that we, as a country, could be put in a bind very fast.

Two wives, three kids and 8 grandkids later, still at it.

Still learning. Still preparing.

Jimmy


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

Started in 2010 when I was 22. The Good Lord told me to prepare, and so I am. I'm about ten steps back from where I was last year due to some financial issues and a very big diet change, but I'm figuring things out. Welcome to the party, AUprepster.


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## Quills (Jun 14, 2011)

I grew up poor -- this isn't "prepping", it's a lifestyle. I've done it all my life, but got really serious about it when we had our kids. I never want them to know what it feels like to be hungry and broke, with no options. I prep against that eventuality for my family.


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