# There should be a tax break for prepping...



## SurviveNthrive (May 20, 2010)

We live in a country that provides money for unwed mothers who have more kids, contraception for those who shouldn't have kids but can't keep it zipped, illegals seeking education and work programs for sex offenders, but I don't think there is a big tax break for the average American other than disaster relief and certain structure hardening where someone shouldn't be building in the first place.

On the flip side, would we really want to give an itemized list of what our preps are to the government?


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

SurviveNthrive said:


> would we really want to give an itemized list of what our preps are to the government?


hhmmm... *NO*... :sssh: :ignore:

not that the gubmint doesn't have everything set up as various _control mechanisms_ anyway, but I sure wouldn't want an organization that has decided that Social Justice was a proper course.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

The_Blob said:


> hhmmm... *NO*... :sssh: :ignore:
> 
> not that the gubmint doesn't have everything set up as various _control mechanisms_ anyway, but I sure wouldn't want an organization that has decided that Social Justice was a proper course.


Ditto. The freakin' (*(^#$%%%#@< fed can keep his nose out of my preps. That's assuming of course, that I *have* any preps.

"Mr Storm Trooper sir, I ain't got nuthin' here but a bowl of cold porridge an a ham bone from lass week. Honest. But you can have a gnaw on it if'n yad like ta. I'll shoo the flies off'n it if ya want.

Weapons? You wanna take my guns? I ain't got no guns r nuthin. Uhhhh, I gots me a stick, but I promise I won't point it at nobuddy."

*BANG!* Darn. My stick went off.


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## SurviveNthrive (May 20, 2010)

The reality is...given some crisis, and an awareness that you've got a secure location with ample resources, let's say you're wealthy and you've got your generator running, lights and when the local authorities remaining came to check on you and you said "We're doing great, because we prepped." They just might start directing the hapless and helpless toward you.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

SurviveNthrive said:


> The reality is...given some crisis, and an awareness that you've got a secure location with ample resources, let's say you're wealthy and you've got your generator running, lights and when the local authorities remaining came to check on you and you said "We're doing great, because we prepped." They just might start directing the hapless and helpless toward you.


Well, thankfully a lot of us aren't that stupid! Or wealthy! We're smart enough to be discreet and follow Ragnar Benson's adage: "You want to appear to be no one of interest and like you don't have anything they want."


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## SurviveNthrive (May 20, 2010)

Glad to see another person aware of that sage, Ragnar Benson.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

SurviveNthrive said:


> Glad to see another person aware of that sage, Ragnar Benson.


Got most of his books!


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## thunderdan19 (Oct 12, 2010)

It'd be nice if they waived sales tax on prep type foods and supplies though (since the guvment promotes disaster readiness and all that) and gave tax breaks to companies producing the stuff to get prices down. But, no I would definitely not want the IRS (and their friends) foxes knowing anything about my hen house...


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

SurviveNthrive said:


> but I don't think there is a big tax break for the average American?


Depends on what's in your preps. By this time next year, all the food you put back now will cost you 10%?, 20%?, 30%? more next year. That's a better return than you'll get from any .gov tax credit.


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## NotAGrasshopper (Oct 25, 2010)

SurviveNthrive said:


> but I don't think there is a big tax break for the average American other than disaster relief and certain structure hardening where someone shouldn't be building in the first place.


There isn't a tax break up front, but here's what I do:

I buy *tons* of canned food on sale with coupons, sometimes buying cans of chili for $0.25 and vegetables for $0.10.

Every year I root through my storage and donate items that are about to expire or are recently expired (this is fine to do) to the food bank. When I do, I itemize the list and get a receipt for the full fair market value (current grocery store non-sale price) of the food I donate. So while that chili might have cost me 25 cents, I take a $1.49 tax deduction and the taxes I save more than pay for the fresh new can I replace it with.

Food for thought (har har).


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## SnakeDoc (Nov 10, 2009)

I buy all preps with cash and no loyalty cards. I want no records of what I am buying. 

Ya ever stop and think that is why your providers are going to need to do 1099s under new regs? It is so they can track more of what you are spending you coin on.

Craigslist will blossom.


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