# Prepping ?



## Asatrur (Dec 17, 2008)

Due to some very sad and unfortunate events, I am coming into some extra money and other than paying down debt and saving some, I am trying to figure out what to do with it and I though hey here is some prep funds. We have been preservers for years, so we have lots of food preserved and we have good camping gear. I am looking for ideas on what folks would recommend it someone say had 2-3K to spend on prepping gear and I am including everything i.e. food, weapons, gears, etc.
Thanks in advance,
Devin


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

More canning jars? It's amazing how many we'd need if we REALLY had to put up ALL our own food, eh?


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

wheat,rice,beans,lentils,3/4 ton of each packed in mylar and oxy absorbers.salt,sugar,lard,seeds, seasonings,grain grinder and plenty of cast iron cooking utensils. for gear, i'd have a couple good saws,axes and the ways and knowledge to sharpen them, a couple hundred ft of 1/2 inch cable and a good come-a-long. a 12ga percussion, a 50 cal percussion and extra parts,30 lbs of FFg black powder and a couple thousand caps. a couple 16X16 heavy duty camouflage vinyl tarps. there's 2 thousand used up, a good start to build on, but with just the above, you could have shelter,food,heat and cooking fire for many yrs,.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

a nice large food dehydrator or refurbished freeze dryer?

anything that helps you be less grid-dependent?

fuel storage tank(s)... even though these can be had for free usually

do you have a well already?

etc etc etc... depends what you have & what you still need


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

If you are good on the food aspect that’s a big one. Do you garden? Have enough manual tools to garden with? Seeds? Jars and lids do seem to be gobbled up mighty fast… “I could have sworn I had 3 more cases in the closet!” How about necessities, TP, knives, toothbrushes, soap, zip lock baggies (or other temp storage/foraging containers), tin foil (not just for hats!), lighters, lamps…

I Look at everything I use daily and ask myself if I had to stay put for a year, would I have enough of this to last? Or is it something I can survive without. I also expect prices to go up on everything I use, way up, if you will even be able to find them. So basically my prepping is also my hedge against inflation or scarcity. Instead of gold or silver I’m buying what I will need for 2011 at 2010 prices. When prices do skyrocket I at least have a buffer before they strike me. How many times have you gone to buy your favorite whatever only to find out they do not make it anymore!!!

If it is something I cannot live without I make sure I have plenty (or at least an extra/backup) on hand. Like an extra pair of work boots, brand new still in the box. Work shoes, same thing. Clothing! I have one full shopping trip stored away; shirts, pants, underwear, socks… Have an extra sleeping bag or warm blanket? How about an extra nice warm, dry coat/hat/gloves? Oil changes for the vehicle(s)? Pots and pans, is there only ONE of your favorite and what would you do if it disappeared or was broken?


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

How's your winter clothing and outerwear?

A backup parka, boots, gloves... may be worth considering.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Extra packages of socks, underwear, etc. Those will be hard to get after the SHTF.


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## GroovyMike (Feb 25, 2010)

More of everything that you already use that is shelf stable. 

Long term storage food comes to mind. If you buy canned soup, pasta, rice, oatmeal, etc. why don't you have at least a six month supply? If you do, good for you. 

How about toilet paper?

Good quality boots and a spare pair. Same for socks etc. and sets for each adult family member.

Over the counter medicines. I try to keep a sealed bottle and an open bottle of everything. If the flu hits our family - you need more than a third of a bottle of cough syrup on hand.

If you really have a bunch of money to spend after these are covered look at optics. In Montana you have some open country. Good binocs and rifle scopes are worth having. If you have teh cash, spend a couple hundred dollars on each one.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

For the kind of money you are talking about - I would probably spend a portion of it on storage-systems and then put the rest into a business that caters to preparations. Use that money to "make more money" at a rate that is affordable to members of the preparations community. If you do it in such a way that you are not gouging potential customers, both you and they would be able to sleep easy ...


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

If you're pretty well up on basic preps you might want to look into training in weak areas such as medical skills, defense, wilderness survival, natural medicines or healing, blacksmithing, animal husbandry, or ... ?

Other things to think about are those tasks, skills or items that would serve you well in a TEOTWAWKI or TEOCAWKI. Having a fuel reserves on hand is good but being able to build wood-gas generators and put them in vehicles or machinery is better. Same with alcohol fuel or bio-diesel. Being able to grow sheep and shear them and spin the wool into yarn and weave the wool into yarn (for example) could be a very valuable skill now and then. Having a team of draft horses and the equipment and knowledge to use them could be a good deal. They can not only help produce their own food they can generate their own replacements. How are you set on power generation? (Similarly, how are you set to live long term without any power?) 

Like NaeKid said, what about income generating skills (or tools/equipment) useful now and after TSHTF?

By the way ... debt reduction is a wise move on your part!


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I think I am gonna say go with what mosquitomountainman says- look into power- like say the solar powered freezer or fridge, or a nice wind generator. 
Solar water heater maybe?
Things that will really come in handy when the power goes out.
if you have your own well,, maybe a solar powered water pump to keep the water on, have it pump into a nice cistern.
There are just so many things that will come in handy that it is hard to target just one.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

gypsysue said:


> More canning jars? It's amazing how many we'd need if we REALLY had to put up ALL our own food, eh?


LIDS!!!

At 900-1000 jars a year, I will be out of new lids in three years if i don't keep adding to them.

How about a wood cook stove? There is a nice one on our local craigslist for $400 right now.  I just have nowhere to put it. 
If you don't want to be bothered with wood, how about a 500 gal propane tank and stove?


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## HozayBuck (Jan 27, 2010)

Go with the things you "don't" have but need ... that you "need" but haven't got because of the cost... be it tools or ammo or weapons.. hell you could take $200.00 to several thrift stores and get enough coats and other cloths to last years... just use it wisely... because when it's gone your right back where you were... 

Remember there is a huge gap between "WANT" and "NEED"... I speak from experience..I came into some money the sad way and in a sense blew a lot of it by not thinking first... ..


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

gypsysue said:


> More canning jars? It's amazing how many we'd need if we REALLY had to put up ALL our own food, eh?


I see the border proximity is starting to rub off on you, Eh?


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