Getting your Wife on board...

[Bearman202]

There is also that adage that applies in spades here: "There are none so blind as those who will not see."

[Monel]

There is also that adage that applies in spades here: "There are none so blind as those who will not see."

Thanks for that! That is so true! I think that will include about 95% of the US population. People cant bring themselves to believe that a crash can happen.

[DIM TIM]

There is all sorts of good advice on this subject out in the community, you just have to ask for it, and read through the replies. I had the same problem with mine at first, but a minor disaster allowed me to show her why I do what I do. She doesn't get it all, but has enough understanding of the need to do it now, that I no longer get the rolling eyes, and sarcastic remarks.

Just short of that, My best suggestion is to go to The Survival Podcast site, and this particular episode here. http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/ge...vival-planning
While some folks may not agree with all of Jack Spirco's thoughts on the subjects of survival and preparedness, as he states in his site... it is "one man's opinion ", and needs to be taken for what it is.

It is all pretty well grounded advice, and he does have a sizeable following for his podcasts. I get updates sent to my Email box all the time, and just check out the ones that I want. The nice part about it is, that if you happen to have an interest in one that was broadcast, but didn't check it out when he put it out for everyone, you can go into the archives and pull it back up later on. I keep a number of these broadcasts in my favorites for reference, and like this need.......to help someone who has a very good and valid question and concern on the subject of survival and preparedness.

The more of us that are prepared, the less strain on the systems that are trying to help out after a disasterous event befalls the country.

[Cimarron]

For an experiment I read my wife this entire thread...she was in bed last night playing farmville so I don't know how much sunk in...

I got:
1. "the look"
2. "the smirk"
3. "thats interesting honey"

Oh well it was worth a shot :D

[Tofu]

Wanted to offer some hope to ya'll. Last night my wife and I had a rare opportunity to have a date night without the kids. While at dinner at a local Itallian place Beck was on the Fox News channel. Since I made my first post she has made some movement in my direction, we bought a bread maker and I have made friends with a lady at church who works as a cake decrator at a local grocery store who is saving me a bunch of buckets (icing buckets are much better smelling than pickle buckets from Firehouse Subs). We talked about fun topics like what happens when gas goes to $10 a gallon, grocery stores can't keep food on the shelves, if we either lose our jobs. She actually thanked me for being willing to dig through all of this mess, and that she is 100% behind me now. She is glad to let me lead and she will support me as we take measures to protect and provide for our family.

There is much work to be done and not much time to do it in. But I think its going to be alright, it ain't going to be easy, but its going to be alright...

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Thats awesome! You aint a kidding about them pickle barrels. I washed 2 - 60gl pickle barrels out today. I think I'm gonna not be so cheap and just buy a barrel next time LOL
@ Cimarron hang in there brother

[undecided]

Ok, my husband says that there are some real good reads on this forum and I thought I would start here on this thread to see what "getting the wife on board" is all about. I will be the first to tell you that I am not completely on board just yet. I see the things happening that really spook me and want to be prepared for but I don't have the space or the money to get stuff done like the both of us would really like to do. He has read tons of things that have given him ideas that are not bad ideas and most of them are not expensive preps to do.

I totally understand that this is really the calm before the storm and before it really hits the fan we need to be prepared for the worse? well at least for some tightening of the belts. I know he is wanting to be prepared for the tough times ahead and I want to be right there with him. I'm not really one to say that I am a seeing is believeing type of person (which he might think I am) and I am not one to think "all is good in my own little world". I am just saying that what room we have is full and without going out and buying another storage unit or renting one out we are stuck with what we have currently on preps and space. I would love to be able to have a storage unit just for preps and stuff like that but we are on a very tight income. I am just almost to the point to tell him let's go dig a hole just so we can put more stuff into storage. :)

I am curious as to how Cimarron's wife really takes what he is saying. :) For me when my husband is reading something to me I listen to what he is saying and I try to take it to heart but I still tend weed out some of what is said because the way he reads (or the way I hear it) may be different than what the poster has actually meant. I may be thinking about what he has just finished reading and just give him a look or a "that's interesting" and go on about what ever I was doing. Even though he may think that he is talking to a brick wall with the reactions I may give him. In fact he has told me that I have given him "the look" after he has read things when I am actually thinking about what he has just read and am just acknowledging that he is finished with the information he has just read to me. I enjoy the fact that he reads things like this and is willing to share this info with me even though I tend to give the "the look" back to him. :)

In a nut shell: I think that preparing for any kind of weather or other disaster is a good thing but when you run out of space before you finish then what do you do?

As for the name I am using: I basically picked the "undecided" name because I am truly undecided on whether or not the "world is coming to an end" the way he has read it to be coming. I have read some things that he has read and other things that he has not read and I don't see things the same way he does. I agree on lots of things that he says but I am sure he doesn't see it as agreeing with him but just accepting what he says and go on with what ever I may be doing at the time.

[Klayton]

@undecided: There is attic space for storing your non-food items, toilet paper, tooth brushes (not toothpaste-it hates heat), dental floss, spare blankets (sealed in a bag) spare clothing and shoes (again in a bag). You have to use your imagination is all. How about your TV stand, do you really need that pretty oak stand, or could you live with 5-5gallon prep barrels with a piece of wood on top of them, then an inexpensive cloth draped over your new "tv stand" to hide the barrels? Even space UNDER your bed!! There is a picture somewhere here that shows this.

As I tell everybody, you have to think outside the box. We are all not rich like some people, but we all can prep to some degree. And something is better than nothing. :)

Hope this helps "undecided".

[Tofu]

Welcome undecided, you honor us with your presense and your questions. There is an old story that I heard Dave Ramsey use one time, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time..." The prepper lifestyle is not something you do over night. I personally have been a prepper most of my life, can't shake the old boy scout out of me. A few years ago, like you, started seeing some spooky stuff and started thinking differently. Recently, last few months, I've been prompted to step it up. Not only preparing for my family, but prepping for other family members who if the worst happens will be with me. But thats the thing, if the worst happens. There is just as much of a likelyhood that we will decend into a major depression for a few years and come out the other side just fine. No riots, no end of the world, just some high unemployment for awhile until the economy gets a chance to right itself. If the rosey stuff happens, then we as a community just look a little bit silly. But you were ready and if you lost your job you won't worry so much about whats for dinner.

For my wife, she had a hard time understanding what I was talking about. It was partly my fault for not informing her in a way that she could digest. I work from home as a tech support guy, some days my phones go nuts, some days not so much. When the phones are quiet I search the web for information on everything from trucks to camping gear. I was ingesting tons of information and over the space of a few months I was putting the pieces together. When the incomplete puzzle was showing a very spooky picture I took it to my loving wife with the tact of 12 ga. shotgun <BOOM>. At first I was hurt that she wasn't understanding what I had learned, deep breath and a few days later she started asking questions. I was able to share with her some things that will probably will come down the pike, like very expensive gasoline. She started understanding what I was telling her. We trust each other on this she told me, "run with it, get us ready."

I'm not going to sell you on this. You have to see more of the puzzle and put some pieces together for yourself. We will gladly answer your questions, the folks on this board are kind and patient. I would reccomend doing some of your own research start with Youtube and guy named Yankeeprepperhttp://www.youtube.com/user/Yankeepr...89/0GOmG1sqHGg

[Monel]

"I don't have the space or the money to get stuff done like the both of us would really like to do."

I bet everyone of us feels this way! You just do what you can to get prepared. If you need an eye opener watch the movie "Collapse", I have had the feeling for a long time now that what we are doing as a species is not sustainable.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

@ Undecided I don't know if the world is gonna end on my watch either. I don't know if the house will catch on fire but my insurance is paid, my fire extenguishers are filled and I put new batteries in my smoke detectors. Does that make me a weirdo? I had to find suitable places for all them things too.
Please don't stress yourself financially either that will only put you at a different risk. Small steps make big progress. Some weeks I can't afford anything so I work my mind and read extra or study. There are a ton of things to teach yourself even. Shake up the workouts or even start one.
Don't buy anything to start with you will not use in your regular living. The worst that can happen then is you bought some stuff, say food, that you will use in your daily diet and was probably bought a cheaper price than it will be when you ate it. After all when's the last time something went down at the store?
If you learn how to do first aid and you never use it. Great nothing lost but a lttle time. Me, I have done CPR several times and saved all but 1. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again or if God willing I may never use it anymore. I have lost nothing but gained several lives from a few hours of ohh dare I say it "survival training" yep CPR taught me how to help someone "survive". I'm not some nut job running around aimlessly in the woods showing 60minutes my newest AR platform to scare them. I'm just a half wit husband, sorry soinso father and a guy that works daily to provide the best I can for me and mine but I have seen some things across the pond that made me go hmmm I never want my family/friends to experience that.
I hope this helps and always remember to pray on things too.

[biathlon]

Welcome aboard undecided. We are blessed to have some more ladies here. The best thing that helped me was to google up "Patriot Nurse" on youtube. She is a wealth of information and has a video specifically on an approach to showing the ladies the prepper lifestyle. Please do hang around.

[Cimarron]

@ Undecided:

Welcome aboard, the more the merrier :)

Oh wow, when I started reading your post I thought I was reading a response from my wife. In fact she happened to walk in when I started reading and I had to ask if she joined the forum haha.
Until I read where you responded to me. It is amazing the differences of a man and woman. How can two people hear the exact same thing and sometimes they come away with two totally different perspectives, and this can happen even when the two have been married for years?

But, we are what/how God made us.

A lot is lost in "text"; content, emotion, you can't really get a feel for a person through a wall of words you're reading on the Internet. I wonder sometimes people in groups such as preppers get a bad label sometimes. And of course it doesn't help that there is a relation between "survivalists and "militias" and folks have to be careful who they have dealings with.

Sorry for rambling...Anyways, again, nice to hear from you. Rightly divide where you are and what you feel you should do next, and if you are a Christian, pray about it.

PS: The Mrs. was intrigued enough that she read your post and might even join and participate.....maybe

[sclead]

I can't tell you how lucky I am. My lady is onside with the whole shooting match. We have a major legal battle going on so money ain't abundant right now. She says when the dollars are sorted out she wants a EAA gold series 40 cal with recoil comp and a Barrett 338 lapua rifle. Her idea is yes they are both a bit big for her but she would rather learn to live with a bit of recoil than not be able to defend herself or pitch in and help me do the same. So what I'm going to do when the dollars allow is get two of those EAA pistols, one for each of us. I'm also going to find a short carbine type rifle that also takes the 40 cal rounds for tight quarters.

[Klayton]

I bought two .40 Taurases for my youngest daughter when she was born. The idea was a little more stopping power than the 9mm.
Isn't it pretty? :)


As for the .338 lapua, man that is ALOT of a gun. All I can think about is the story I heard about a boy who demanded Dad buying him a .454 casull for his first gun. The kid NEVER learned to shoot well, and ended up hating guns. RECOIL IS A BEEEOOOTCH my friend. One does not grow into accepting recoil, one is either a die hard shooter already and lives with it, or they eventually learn bad habits (flinching) and become useless noise makers or all and all quit shooting. Just my two copper pieces. Then there is the cost and availability of ammo, .338 lapua rounds cost over $100 for a box of 20. Thats $5 every time you go BANG! Yes you can get cheaper "stuff" for around $75 a box, but they are almost always sold out, and quite frankly, why would you fire the cheapest round out of an already mega priced gun? May I suggest taking her to a rental range and letting her fire a few rounds of 30-06, then, .308 mag? When you tell her the .338 lapua kicks twice as hard as the .308 mag, she may change her mind.

Finally, the story my Dad says. I am more afraid of the lady with a .22 that hits her target 100% of the time, than I am of the person with a high powered rifle that cant hit anything past 100yds, and short range still misses more than 50% of the time. If I may add a suggestion, if she really likes STOPPING power rifles (and you dont live on the prairies making 600yd+ shots) look into Tikka rifles (same manufacturer as Sako). I bought the .338 Federal, bolt action of course. Not a finer gun have I shot (perhaps because I am a poor retired military guy, lol).



I bought the stainless barrel to boot. She hits harder than .308, and the extra bullet weight is not a hinderance 600 yds and under.

Whatever you decide man, congratulations getting your wife on board. And ultimately, any gun you choose is better than no gun. :)