# Question: 1k budget.



## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

I have 1k to spend on preps, due to some dumb luck.

I do not have ANY defensive implements. I will assume that to be priority #. I figure this should be half of it.
I've got some food and water, not enough, but that will obviously be on the list too.
After #1, the second thing Im gettin is a water filter, either the Bucket Berkey or this thing. I am going to talk to them tomorrow to ask them about the specs.
Are there any big ticket items that I should be thinking about that I'm missing?


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Personally, I think that instead of looking at it from a supply (food, etcetera) perspective, I would be looking at sustainability; what tools do you need to be able to keep providing? I.E.: instead of buying fish, buy a fishing rod. 

If you have no defensive weaponry, I would say to start with a decent bow (a nice simle recurve takedown can be had for around $180-$200) or a .22 rifle (same price range for a Ruger 10/22). These can also be used for hunting, obviously. From there, look to tools and things you would need to survive; tent, sleeping bag, first aid, axe, a good knife, etcetera.

I think you are on the right track by making a list before simply going on a spending spree; make a list, go over it multiple times, think to yourself, "If I were to get dropped in the middle of the woods with only this list, could I survive?" Be careful with the "I want to haves" versus the "I need to haves".


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

I'm with Turtle for the most part. My slight change would be to skip the bow and stay with the .22 rifle. I would also back it up with a 12-gauge shotgun. Not a fancy one but something cheap and reliable. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking Mossberg 500.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

What are you going to do for heat? Start there. Then water, security, & food. Buy used. There are lots of ways to make water suitable for drinking, some cost waaayyy more than others so do your research. Water can be stored in 2 liter bottles cheap. Bleach can be used to make water safe, but do you know how? Seeds are cheap, what varieties grow well in your area? Are you bugging in or out? What concerns you the most about your current situation? These are all great questions to answer.


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

bczoom said:


> I'm with Turtle for the most part. My slight change would be to skip the bow and stay with the .22 rifle. I would also back it up with a 12-gauge shotgun. Not a fancy one but something cheap and reliable. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking Mossberg 500.


Yeah, I certainly can't argue with your logic. And really, if it came down to it, a decent 12ga would be more versatile than a bow or a rifle. My line of thinking was largely a consideration of ammo; arrows can be recovered and reused immediately, whereas it takes a bit more work and knowledge to reload brass. I would go with a Remmington 870 over the 500, but both are a good option.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

Remember about the weapons, you don't have to buy new, all of ours except the handgun are second hand.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Clarice said:


> Remember about the weapons, you don't have to buy new, all of ours except the handgun are second hand.


Ditto. There is not one firearm in the house that was purchased new.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

Clarice said:


> Remember about the weapons, you don't have to buy new, all of ours except the handgun are second hand.


I don't anything about guns. I can't look at a used gun and know if it's in good enough condition or not. I bought two new Mossberg 500 20-gauge shotguns. One for me and one for my 21 year old stepson. They were recommended by some guy on a website who claimed to know a lot about guns. I actually got the youth-sized shotgun because the guy on the website said that a shorter barreled shotgun would be more agile against an intruder in your home.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

Immolatus said:


> I have 1k to spend on preps, due to some dumb luck.
> 
> I do not have ANY defensive implements. I will assume that to be priority #. I figure this should be half of it.
> I've got some food and water, not enough, but that will obviously be on the list too.
> ...


You need some way to keep warm too. If you don't have a wood stove you might want to consider getting a couple of kerosene heaters and some kerosene. I like the idea of kerosene better. I know it's smelly but when I run my kerosene heater no one will see wood smoke for miles and think I might have food too.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Berkey, 300+
Firearm, $200+
Ammo, ???

That's over half of your 1K already spent. A cheap wood stove at Menards, if I remember correctly, was in the 300+ range too and that's before the piping and other incidentals you'll need for the installation. Keep in mind I said a cheap stove. No idea on the quality or longer term reliability of it. But I think you see my point. That 1K will go really fast. 

The list idea is good. Keep refining it and researching until you have all the purchases of specific (make, model, etc) items on it and then prioritize it. Don't worry about the 1K limit, just get a good list. Then when you do spend the money start at the top and work your way down. Once you run out of cash you still have a perfectly valid list that can be used as you save up more money. My list is long and comprehensive but we just keep working on it as finances allow. The top is mostly essentials and ways to procure (grow, raise, etc.) more essentials.


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## boomer (Jul 13, 2011)

A slightly different perspective here. 

I like to remain productive excepting when seriously injured or ill, so clothing/bedding for the extremes of climate where I am intending to be are high on my list, even before more than the basic essential food; and certainly before a wood stove.

Shelter can generally be made from whatever is at hand, and barrel stoves can be made from salvage after the crisis.

And try out a firing range before investing in a gun and ammo. You may be better off teaming up with someone who can already shoot and focus on medical, cooking, textiles and other non armaments. As I read the forum posts I keep thinking that overall there would be way to many guns and way not enough of everything else. In a real SHTF scenario, it would be easier to end up with another Waco than another Alamo.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

boomer said:


> A slightly different perspective here.
> 
> I like to remain productive excepting when seriously injured or ill, so clothing/bedding for the extremes of climate where I am intending to be are high on my list, even before more than the basic essential food; and certainly before a wood stove.
> 
> ...


 I agree about the guns thing.Maybe a couple for your average burgler but if you have well armed neighbors too ,then you won't need a lot of guns to fight off crooks,and you will never have enough to fight off the governments boots,they will jus do liek the did to the kids at Waco,blow ya up or burn ya alive.,imo.


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## HozayBuck (Jan 27, 2010)

*Coming from me*

*this will sound strange..but I believe you can be over gunned and under fooded... buy a ruger 10-22 used if poss.. a couple of the butler creek 25 round mags.. a case 9 not brick) of ammo... buy staples.. beans, rice , tea , sugar salt pepper... with that you can live.. bored maybe but a simple squirrel tossed in with the beans and rice will taste damn fine... or a rabbit ... and a 22 don't make much noise.. buy some 22 shorts for quieter shooting..meat wise..

These are things you can do to start..your 1000 will go a lot further thenyou think if you debate every penny of it... you can also forego the 10-22 and hit pawn shops and buy older bolt action 22's cheap... tube fed bolt guns are better the magazine fed.. new is over rated...I'd look for a used gunfrom a private seller...

My $0.02 for what it's worth... but once you get going don't stop... a few bucks a week go a long ways.. *


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## labouton (Jan 24, 2011)

tsrwivey said:


> What are you going to do for heat? Start there. Then water, security, & food. Buy used. There are lots of ways to make water suitable for drinking, some cost waaayyy more than others so do your research. Water can be stored in 2 liter bottles cheap. Bleach can be used to make water safe, but do you know how? Seeds are cheap, what varieties grow well in your area? Are you bugging in or out? What concerns you the most about your current situation? These are all great questions to answer.


I would second that thought about bugging out or bugging in. You have to answer that question first and then determine your provisions (it's a lot cheaper to bug in if that's at all possible.


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## Cahri (Feb 18, 2011)

Immolatus said:


> I have 1k to spend on preps, due to some dumb luck.
> 
> I do not have ANY defensive implements. I will assume that to be priority #. I figure this should be half of it.
> I've got some food and water, not enough, but that will obviously be on the list too.
> ...


Wasp spray is real cheap and can shoot up to 40 feet, can blind a person for short time, use you money for food and meds, stock up on wasp spray for now


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Cahri said:


> Wasp spray is real cheap and can shoot up to 40 feet, can blind a person for short time, use you money for food and meds, stock up on wasp spray for now


Far be it from me to question the preparations of another, but buying wasp spray instead of a gun would be . . . unwise.

Also, I think that 40 feet is a bit generous; I've wasted a lot of spray hitting a wasp's nest from ten feet away. Not sure from where the sudden love affair with wasp spray has sprung, but I don't think I would use it for more than ten feet away.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

I will be bugging in for a short term crisis (month?), and then buggin out to WV hopefully. Yall have given me some great ideas, thanks.
Since I dont own a weapon, and do have food and now a water filter system, protection is next.
We have plenty of warm clothes, and the ol lady likes it cold anyway, I was freezing last nite cause of the ac, I cant stand it. Damned hot flashes...
So... shottie and a 22?


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Immolatus said:


> We have plenty of warm clothes, and the ol lady likes it cold anyway, I was freezing last nite cause of the ac, I cant stand it. Damned hot flashes...
> So... shottie and a 22?


You're lucky; my wife is freezing if it drops below 78 degrees, and I am roasting if it goes over 76... so our thermostat pretty much stays around 77 year-round.

As for the weapons... Yeah, I'd say that is a good start. I like the idea of a .22 rifle because I also want to pick up a .22 revolver as a back-up weapon, and with two guns chambered in the same caliber, I won"t have to stock a bunch of different types of rounds.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Lol, I would be happy if it was 77.

Unfortunately, I do not want to go through the hassle of getting a handgun, so its rifles only for me.
Gonna try to go today.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Just as a thought- A couple years ago (3, I think) I bought a Mossberg 500A slug gun (12 gauge) with a rifled, cantilevered barrel including a scope (Simmons-cheapie) barely used from a sporting goods store for well under $200. It's matte black and all the parts that are often wood are black plastic on this one, making it look really cool and I'm not afraid to hunt all day in the rain with it.

DW got me a shotgun barrel for Christmas so it's all the shotgun I need and it was really cheap.

The original paperwork was in the case (it came with the case) and the gun was bought new about a year before I bought it.
Point is-look around, and used is DEFINTELY the way to go with guns.


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## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

Immolatus said:


> I have 1k to spend on preps, due to some dumb luck.
> 
> I do not have ANY defensive implements. I will assume that to be priority #. I figure this should be half of it.
> I've got some food and water, not enough, but that will obviously be on the list too.
> ...


I do have a question. Are you asking about more or less long term preps? Or are you talking a really nice BOB for the short term 72-96 hrs? Or are you talking about an overall purchase for both long and short term?

Just wondering. Want to make good recomendations is all.

Thanks 
Jimmy


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Both.
I took care of the water filter, and I have some water stored and 2 50 gallon drums/rain barrels.
I am more confident now (Im certainly not finished) in my food stores, so Im thinking of everything else.
Do gun shows sell used equipment?


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Immolatus said:


> Both.
> I took care of the water filter, and I have some water stored and 2 50 gallon drums/rain barrels.
> I am more confident now (Im certainly not finished) in my food stores, so Im thinking of everything else.
> Do gun shows sell used equipment?


Yep, they sure do. In fact, I would hazard a guess that most of the stock you will find will be used.

Why, is there one coming up in Maryland soon?


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

In Annaoplis, even!


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Immolatus said:


> In Annaoplis, even!


SWEEEEET! I'll see ya there!


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