Newbie from OK

[Lacey]

Hi everyone.
I just started with my long term food storage and survival prep. My husband is not backing me up at all. He thinks I am being ridiculous and paranoid.

I started using coupons in mid May and I have a nice stockpile of canned goods, toiletries, basic medical supplies, flashlights/candles, paper goods, etc. I need to get more water, but I don't know how I can store all the things I want to get and not get my husband to notice all I am gathering. I have bought a dehydrator, vacuum sealer, mason jars and mylar bags for dry food storage. I also want to buy a pressure canner. He questioned why I wanted those things.

I want to buy buckets with gamma lids but again, storage is an issue. We live in a small house and I am trying to do the best I can. It is so hard feeling like I have to hide what I am doing.

I think I will clean out 2 closets and see if I can get as much food, water, etc. stored that way. Out of sight is out of mind.

Anyway, I am so glad I found this forum. I am inspired by you all.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Welcome fellow Okie from central oklahoma. Feel free to holler at me offline on my e-mail. You keep the faith and work slowly to convince him. You will never be able to hide everything from him and I'm not sure thats the way to go with it. It could weaken the marriage. Use short term emergencies and subtle discussions say after a good movie to convince him.

[Lacey]

Thanks Matt. I appreciate the encouragement and suggestions. I don't want to hide anything from the hubs, I just wish he "got it", ya know. I just don't like when he kind of laughs at my efforts.

[RyanMac]

Fellow Okies! I'm also from NE OK. Good to see you on here. Matt is right concerning it not being good to hide. I tried to hide from my wife for a minute, but she looks in corners way too much! Now she is just resigned as long as I don't spend too much. Yes, storage is an issue that I think ALL of us deal with who don't have spouses on board with us. I am actually having a storage building built to get stuff out of my closets [among other reasons - but that's the only reason my wife cares about :) ]
The good thing about my wife is that she has learned to enjoy being able to just walk into the pantry or one of our closets and get something that she just ran out of (food, soap, lotion, shampoo, etc...) Every time you run out of something and need to go to the store say, "You know, I would have kept it stored if only...." Know what I mean?
Of course, the best way to convince is to pray. Find Scripture that supports GOD granting wisdom. Because after all it IS Scriptural for us to prepare. We prepare WHILE trusting in Him.
Okay, I've said enough.
Later.

[Lacey]

Thank you, RyanMac. Your last few sentences really spoke to me, because I find that I get very anxious and worried when I go to YouTube and watch all these people on there that are so much further prepared than we are. It can be overwhelming! And we have no weapons, much less boxes and boxes of ammo and dozens of guns to go with them. It can be downright depressing.

We are supposed to "Be Anxious For Nothing...." and sometimes I lose sight of that. Thanks for the reminder.

[RyanMac]

The no weapons part you will need to bring up to him, especially if you buy one on your own. I would suggest you get a common caliber handgun at the LEAST. Even Jesus said to sell your coat and buy a sword.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Thank you, RyanMac. Your last few sentences really spoke to me, because I find that I get very anxious and worried when I go to YouTube and watch all these people on there that are so much further prepared than we are. It can be overwhelming! And we have no weapons, much less boxes and boxes of ammo and dozens of guns to go with them. It can be downright depressing.
We are supposed to "Be Anxious For Nothing...." and sometimes I lose sight of that. Thanks for the reminder.

On the weapons there are numerous cheap ways to go for $100 or less. 22 rifles, single shot shotguns etc. The ammo for these are easily had and the training to use them is minimal. I got involved with volunteering last year with the "women on target NRA program". It is designed for women by women and usually run by women. Us knuckledraggers are only their to assist in the actual handling of the firearms. They shoot all different kinds and calibers and their are all walks attending from competitive shooters to "I never held a gun before". Check that out and see if one is near you to help in desicion making.
Dozens of weapons you say, their is an old saying: "Beware of the person with one gun because they probably knows how to use it".
Do not be depressed, be glad that you are now aware and preparing and that there are good folks like RyanMac and others here who will help guide you. We all start somewhere.

[Cimarron]

Hi Lacey.
I can relate to your dilemma, my wife is not totally on board. She has let me prep and at times helped me <rabbit hutch, shopping for stuff> but sometimes when planning or when I get an item I get "the look". One such occasion was when I bought our web gear, the other was when I got my AR...she definitely was shaking her head lol.
Both me and my wife were already "countrified" raising live stock, canning, dehydrating, etc. we are somewhat ahead of the curve, and it also helped that the wife was use to having three freezers always full of food all the time. It becomes a mindset. Like Ryanmac said, you get use to "having things on hand" and buy extra when you are low. Making that stretch from being ready for a storm or power outage (which we get a few here for no apparent reason) is still different than being ready for long term SHTF living off the land stuff.

Living in OK you would think that we naturally would be "preppers" just by living through the storms (tornado, ice). but I see so many that do not and then I'm shaking my head, don't these folks know that sometimes you can't just run to the store and get whatever..whenever??

Another thing that helped was, we were a part of another preppers network and had "Meet & Greet" meet up's and had a couple in Tulsa. She got to talk to other people that was saying the same thing I was. The interesting thing was, we were the youngest ones there and one was a cop..it definitely made the whole "prepping" thing take on a new light.

Hang in there, and maybe something will happen that gets your husband to thinking.

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Welcome

It is easy to get overwhelmed, but get a plan and goal. Start a little at a time. Use coupons and BOGO to show your spouse that you are doing your part and being frugal. Talk.....natural disasters, economy, terrorists, inflation, and get a dialog going. He might say "we aren't having inflation" so be ready to show him the facts, but do it gently and respesctfully. A little at a time. Sooner or later he will likely come around. Continue to pray.....

Lacey, I just saw the YouTube video. Don't know if it will help with your husband, but maybe.

[Lacey]

Thank you for your advice, Cimarron and Patriotic Sheepdog. And that was a great video too!

I have already talked to my husband about guns, and the possibility of getting a weapon for the house. He is very knowledgable about guns, as his dad taught him well.

I had an experience where my dad (stepfather) pointed a gun at me when we went camping on the beach and it scared the hell out of me. I was a teenager. He was "playing" but it was scary, and he was laughing about it the whole time. Not Cool!!

My husband knows about this experience and I told him that I don't want to be afraid of guns anymore and maybe I could get me a .22, something small for me to start getting a little comfortable with. There is also an indoor shooting range about 30 miles from our little town, and I also brought that up. Overall, he was pretty positive about the discussion.

Anyway sorry for going off on a tangent like that, but thank you for your post and video. I have so much I need to do, and buy, and store, etc...