Starting to prep for what?

[Guest]

The question I have is doesn't one need to have something to prep for? An envisioned scenario based upon their reality?

I ask because I was thinking that when some folks talk prepping/survival they seem to lean towards years and others months in terms of duration.

Personally I don't know what to do, what to envision, nor where to start. Nowadays it seems that anything is possible...

Anyone else know what I mean and//or had the same issue(s)?

[1Admin]

COLMOLLIIN.

Prepare not because you are scared, prepare not because someone told you the world was fixing to end. Prepare because it's your responsibility to be ready and it's the smart and financially sensible thing to do.

[Daelith]

What got me started was winter of 2011 when we lost power due to a snow storm for a couple of days. Though we had a generator and a heat source, I didn't feel we had enough food on hand to last an extended time if it had dragged out for a while.
I'm still a long way from being as prepared for come what may as a lot of people here, but I'm trying.

[BioG8r]

IMO, Prepping is less a thing to do for a specific crisis, but more of a way of life that keeps you in a state of readiness for all crisis.
There will be some situations that your preps will not help but in a world where commodity prices can change in a very short time you will be ahead of the game.
I have tried to preach the importance of sustainable gardening for years. Many say the don't have the ground, time or resources to garden. It is TOO easy to set up a few tomatoes in a window, some herbs, a few bean plants... NO it is not going to feed you for weeks but the skills learned might.
Those of us who are lucky enough or situated where we can plant large gardens, NEED to.
This is one of the most important skills we can learn, No-One ever masters gardening to the point of not having some sort of negative experience, but practice makes perfect.
Growing your own food is liberating and fulfilling. Someday the stock that we purchase will run out. The ground should be able to provide much longer.
Prep for life - not a specific crisis!
My two cents!

[MJC]

as the wife of an over the road trucker I have seen some really rotton paychecks. back in '08 when fuel prices got so high, the pay for the runs "freight prices" wern't keeping up with fuel prices. I remember two months straight, my husband would be out for weeks at a time running his butt off and brought in a negative paycheck after paying for fuel and all the stupid taxes we ended up owing money! If I never see another pack of ramen noodles it'll be too blessed soon! I'm not doing this because of some "what if" fiction but because of the every day reality that money won't always be there.

[jimmycthemd]

I'm a newbie (I know I've said this before, but I like to preface my comments with this so I don't come off as an armchair expert). I started prepping for general principal. Like BioG8r said, it's just the right thing to do, and I don't prep for any specific crisis. What I started looking at was this; whatever happens there are some very basic needs you have to consider...water, food, shelter, first-aid. Since I'm just beginning, I'm starting with the basics. Once they're covered (for at least a year), I'll start expanding. As I've seen inexpensive ways to expand to other things, I've picked them up but I'm mainly concentrating on those basics.

I also agree with BioG8r that there are some things even us suburbanites can do to supplement our food supply. We've replaced some of our useless shrubs with blueberry bushes, etc. I was going to install some raised gardens but we had some construction going on on the house so I'll do that this fall when it cools off. It's a never-ending process (emphasis on process/attitude) so as we get better we'll be better prepared.

I think the main thing to do is research and learn from the 'real' experts. There are a lot of arm-chair experts out there so look for folks (like a lot on this forum) that have been doing this for years and learn from them. Another thing to consider is that a prepping plan is much like a financial plan (part of prepping too) in that it's not a one size fits all. We all have our unique situations so be prepared to do some serious thinking and adapt others' ideas to your own situation.

Now for the suck-up part LOL. The folks on this forum have been great at being patient with us newbies and VERY willing to share their experiences. If you can't find the information by searching the forum, don't be afraid to ask. If there's a thread you've missed in your search, someone will probably point that out and help you find it. Conversely, if you find information you think will be helpful don't hesitate to post it. If nothing else, it's a way to vet your information with some folks that know what they're doing.

[kilogulf59]

Interesting replies so far...thanks for your opinions folks.

[WiseOwl]

I prep for the Mayans.... :P

[JUSTIFIED]

I'm a newbie (I know I've said this before, but I like to preface my comments with this so I don't come off as an armchair expert). I started prepping for general principal. Like BioG8r said, it's just the right thing to do, and I don't prep for any specific crisis. What I started looking at was this; whatever happens there are some very basic needs you have to consider...water, food, shelter, first-aid. Since I'm just beginning, I'm starting with the basics. Once they're covered (for at least a year), I'll start expanding. As I've seen inexpensive ways to expand to other things, I've picked them up but I'm mainly concentrating on those basics.

I also agree with BioG8r that there are some things even us suburbanites can do to supplement our food supply. We've replaced some of our useless shrubs with blueberry bushes, etc. I was going to install some raised gardens but we had some construction going on on the house so I'll do that this fall when it cools off. It's a never-ending process (emphasis on process/attitude) so as we get better we'll be better prepared.

I think the main thing to do is research and learn from the 'real' experts. There are a lot of arm-chair experts out there so look for folks (like a lot on this forum) that have been doing this for years and learn from them. Another thing to consider is that a prepping plan is much like a financial plan (part of prepping too) in that it's not a one size fits all. We all have our unique situations so be prepared to do some serious thinking and adapt others' ideas to your own situation.

Now for the suck-up part LOL. The folks on this forum have been great at being patient with us newbies and VERY willing to share their experiences. If you can't find the information by searching the forum, don't be afraid to ask. If there's a thread you've missed in your search, someone will probably point that out and help you find it. Conversely, if you find information you think will be helpful don't hesitate to post it. If nothing else, it's a way to vet your information with some folks that know what they're doing.

Jimmy and Bio expressed what I believe. Do a general prepping that would cover many events, then once you've reached a comfortable point in your general prepping, start concentrating on prepping for the specifics of each event. Start with the most important items you need to have in a minor event and expand from there.

-Food
-Clothing
-Toiletries
-Energy/Fuel
-Transportation
-Security
Weapons

In my mind, these are the categories to consider no matter the event. Somebody may add a category I'm not thinking of.

[MustangGal]

I started prepping because I read "One Second After." I couldn't imagine what it would be like to tell the Man Cub there was nothing for him to eat. First I prepped out of fear, now I prep because it seems like the prudent thing to do. Natural disasters happen, regularly. The economy is pathetic and looks like it could get much worse.

I prep so I can take care of my family.

[JUSTIFIED]

I started prepping because I read "One Second After." I couldn't imagine what it would be like to tell the Man Cub there was nothing for him to eat. First I prepped out of fear, now I prep because it seems like the prudent thing to do. Natural disasters happen, regularly. The economy is pathetic and looks like it could get much worse.

I prep so I can take care of my family.

We're with you MustangGal. We want to get to the point where we don't panic when something happens because we're as prepared as we can be. From the sound of it you guys are well on the way to being self sufficient.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

The question I have is doesn't one need to have something to prep for? It helps but isnt always needed as many preps will crossover into other things. Food for one is always needed no mater if it's a job loss or the day after an EMP event

An envisioned scenario based upon their reality?Alot of mine ifyou look at my postings are about things such as tornadoes, floods and things I experienced overseas while srving o other countries that had some bad times

I ask because I was thinking that when some folks talk prepping/survival they seem to lean towards years and others months in terms of duration.
That is a personal chioce IMO that only you can decide based on your perception of reality. While it may be more realistic for someone at a permanent "retreat" to have years worth of food someone who is more mobile or had a smaller place may only achieve months. In terms of my tornando shelter my goal is 3 days for 8

Personally I don't know what to do, what to envision, nor where to start. Nowadays it seems that anything is possible...
The big ones are always the place to start IMO. What do you need to live, not just thru the zombie apocolype but just to live:

Food - how much depends on time x people that will be eating and perhpas some extra for bartering or unplanned events
Water -Same as food
Air- Usually done except in preps for NBC, house fire or preps for bugging out over water such as SCUBA
Shelter - Where would I live if "it" happened right now? Tent in a BOB/GMHB, Extra lid for the storm shelter if it gets ripped off, a cabin in the woods to bugout to, a freinds house in case all is lost at yoursduring the earthquake etc
Protection - I have it now i have to keep it, not all firearms either, think defense, hand to hand, archery and maybe passive protection like camo etc
Medical - You are the first responder in your emergency so be prepared for at least some of it


Anyone else know what I mean and//or had the same issue(s)?

Being "prepared" is being ready for life not just the end of the world gloom n doom thats where many miss the mark but always want to start the discussion with others at

[kilogulf59]

Well this thread says two things. 1) The folks here are on the level and aren't wearing tin foil hats in their bomb shelters and 2) that there's a helluva lot of common sense and sound advice here as well. I thank you...

[JUSTIFIED]

Being "prepared" is being ready for life not just the end of the world gloom n doom thats where many miss the mark but always want to start the discussion with others at

I agree Matt. I think most here are just saying they were inspired to start prepping because of the fear of what many of us believe is coming.

I'll bet many are like Patriot Lady and me in that besides the concern for what's coming we're enjoying learning these things to help us be more self sufficient in day to day things; we can better help others in need with what we learn; there will be times in our lives with occasional weather issues, power outages etc...that these skills will come in handy; and we just enjoy learning new things.

[monkeybird]

I had a general feeling of unease. Nothing specific, just that I felt I'd somehow landed in the Twilight Zone. Suddenly it seemed what I always believed was right was not wrong and what I thought was wrong was suddenly good. "One Second After" was the icing on the cake. It's foolish to live in the world we live in and not prepare for a disaster.

Economy is number one, the Middle East is number two!