I am on a fixed income but have approx $300 windfall coming in - With the way things are looking in Syria I want to amp up my preps - So far I have one weapon, some ammo, some food and water stored and a few cleaning and hygiene items put away - If you had $300 to spend right now what would you get?
merlsmom
A lot of it depends on what you dont have. Personally I would pick up a canner and jars and start canning bulk fresh food.
Even if the S doesnt HTF, the canned food lets you buy from warehouse stores and save a ton of $ without having the food spoil because you cant eat it all.
I also dont have a gun, so maybe a shotgun or at least a 22 rifle.
Even if the S doesnt HTF, the canned food lets you buy from warehouse stores and save a ton of $ without having the food spoil because you cant eat it all.
I also dont have a gun, so maybe a shotgun or at least a 22 rifle.
based on how little you told us about your overall situation/location/plans, i would say 100 in ammo, 100 in food, 50 in water, and 50 on radio/batteries/oil lamp
Maybe I think a big different than most, but especially if money is tight, I'd say spend it on something you can resell for a profit or otherwise make money on (preferably at least double). Reinvest and do this a few, or several times and only then start spending some of the profits on preps/consumables. It may take a little time and more effort, but that original $300 can do a lot more for you. Maybe consider something like finding a local auction house, buy there and sell at a flea market on weekends.
Can't say for you, because you didn't give a lot of info. For me I would get a good water filter, and spend the rest on long term food items.
Got a good sleeping bag to stay warm. Teeth and eyes are good. Got extra script meds.
Rice/noodles/spices/canned meat and sprout seeds will keep you alive and store really good. A water filter with activated carbon and silver impregnated could be really handy. Polar Pure Iodine water purification tablet's could be real handy if they start tossing nukes.
Rice/noodles/spices/canned meat and sprout seeds will keep you alive and store really good. A water filter with activated carbon and silver impregnated could be really handy. Polar Pure Iodine water purification tablet's could be real handy if they start tossing nukes.
No Idea For Sure
Off hand without knowing your exact situation, I might suggest laying in a 30 day water and food supply, along with some other stuff like toilet paper and perhaps some way to obtain and purifier more water. You probably already have most the other needful stuff. Cheap canned goods and some good openers would work. Be sure to select canned goods that you find tasty and would enjoy. HB of CJ (old coot)
Off hand without knowing your exact situation, I might suggest laying in a 30 day water and food supply, along with some other stuff like toilet paper and perhaps some way to obtain and purifier more water. You probably already have most the other needful stuff. Cheap canned goods and some good openers would work. Be sure to select canned goods that you find tasty and would enjoy. HB of CJ (old coot)
For $300 you could pick up a ruger SR22 which is a nice investment for practice, hunting, and even defense in a pinch
What would I buy? How about what you should buy?
What I'd buy is irrelevant, because I'm prepped differently than are you. The first thing you should do is look for holes or imbalances in your preps. Do you have 30 days of food but only 3 days of water? An alternate way to heat your home if it gets cold? Enough lighting to last a specific length of time?
This is impossible to answer squarely because of those things, but if I had $300 to spend and it had to be on preps right now, I'd buy a bunch of antibiotics.
I suspect there are things you need more than antibiotics.
What I'd buy is irrelevant, because I'm prepped differently than are you. The first thing you should do is look for holes or imbalances in your preps. Do you have 30 days of food but only 3 days of water? An alternate way to heat your home if it gets cold? Enough lighting to last a specific length of time?
This is impossible to answer squarely because of those things, but if I had $300 to spend and it had to be on preps right now, I'd buy a bunch of antibiotics.
I suspect there are things you need more than antibiotics.
Wow! Thanks everyone - great advice! My gun is a 22 that looks like an AK???? My SIL gave it to me & I know next to nothing about arms, but have been practicing with it a little - hate to waste ammo, but I know I need to practice - I am storing water in used soda bottles and have probably 30 days worth of food, just a bit beyond basic 1st aid kit - I live in a mombile home (not safe, I know) in a very small town in the Midwest - I may end up bugging out to my SIL's parent's ranch 20 mi away, but they are not preppers so I want to take as much of my stuff as possible in my truck
I will base this off of my personal experiences. Get 2 weeks of water first and foremost, followed by a good filter. <100 bucks. Next, check the flyers and coupons. You CAN get canned veggies and fruit for around 30 cents a can. If you have a grinder, whole grains are 30 cents a pound. Yeast in bulk is cheap. So is baking powder. Potatoes are cheap too. We are coming into the season of savings, Last years fresh apples need to move. Have a means to can?
OK, I am rambling. I guess we need to know more about your situation. BUT, Water first.
OK, I am rambling. I guess we need to know more about your situation. BUT, Water first.
Fuel might be a good idea. Oil prices may shoot through the root if too much shooting goes on in the ME. Especially if Iran gets involved.
If you live in a region affected by the war in Syria then you have been dealing with the issue for several years now.
If not then this is no different from Libya, Djibouti, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Yugoslavia, Somalia, Philippines, Panama, Colombia, El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Vietnam, Korea..........need I go on?
Read the list of nations we are in now with boots on the ground: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_deployments
[Spoiler: it is 150]
If you really want to learn how often we have put men on foreign soil to actually fight then try reading this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations
Basically, we spend far more time in foreign war than we spend at peace with the world. That second link has literally hundreds of belligerent foreign deployments by the US. The longest stretch we ever went leaving the rest of the world alone was our Civil War. Name just about any country and it is very likely we went there putting our rifles in someone's face at some point in the last 238 years.
While it should bother you about the vast scope and regularity of our "interventions", you simply cannot let the anxiety of any of them individually get to you because you will never get any sleep.
Getting back to your windfall, your best bet is dealing with any debt first. Yes, I know that sounds dull and boring but in the end paying down any debt will return that spent money eventually in saved debt interest costs.
Next important issue is an emergency fund. Even fixed income folks can run into payment stoppages or unexpected expenses. You should always have several months worth of living income saved at all times.
If you happen to be debt free and have an emergency fund then look to the fundamentals first. Water, food, security, and shelter. If you don't have a high quality water filtration system then look there first. Sawyer and Katadyn both make filters approved by many here.
If not then this is no different from Libya, Djibouti, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Yugoslavia, Somalia, Philippines, Panama, Colombia, El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Vietnam, Korea..........need I go on?
Read the list of nations we are in now with boots on the ground: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_deployments
[Spoiler: it is 150]
If you really want to learn how often we have put men on foreign soil to actually fight then try reading this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations
Basically, we spend far more time in foreign war than we spend at peace with the world. That second link has literally hundreds of belligerent foreign deployments by the US. The longest stretch we ever went leaving the rest of the world alone was our Civil War. Name just about any country and it is very likely we went there putting our rifles in someone's face at some point in the last 238 years.
While it should bother you about the vast scope and regularity of our "interventions", you simply cannot let the anxiety of any of them individually get to you because you will never get any sleep.
Getting back to your windfall, your best bet is dealing with any debt first. Yes, I know that sounds dull and boring but in the end paying down any debt will return that spent money eventually in saved debt interest costs.
Next important issue is an emergency fund. Even fixed income folks can run into payment stoppages or unexpected expenses. You should always have several months worth of living income saved at all times.
If you happen to be debt free and have an emergency fund then look to the fundamentals first. Water, food, security, and shelter. If you don't have a high quality water filtration system then look there first. Sawyer and Katadyn both make filters approved by many here.
I would get a monolithic dome filter kit on amazon for $40, 2 5 gallon buckets from Lowes for $10, there is your large capacity gravity drip filter. add a 1lb bag of powdered bleach, certain varieties of "pool shock" for $7. then get a couple 55 gallon barrels, spigots and flexible gutter piping and make a couple rain barrels. Water is done for $100.
then I would look for a lightly used Mossberg or Remington 12ga Pump action shotgun.
That takes care of the extra money. then try to budget a couple boxes of a variety of shells over each payday, #7 birdshot, 00 Buckshot, maybe larger birdshot or slugs if you find a use for them
Get in the habit of buying a couple extra cans of whatever you currently eat. this will build up over awhile and you can worry about long term stuff when you get to the 90 day mark.
then I would look for a lightly used Mossberg or Remington 12ga Pump action shotgun.
That takes care of the extra money. then try to budget a couple boxes of a variety of shells over each payday, #7 birdshot, 00 Buckshot, maybe larger birdshot or slugs if you find a use for them
Get in the habit of buying a couple extra cans of whatever you currently eat. this will build up over awhile and you can worry about long term stuff when you get to the 90 day mark.
A suggestion that might be a good prep for all sorts of situations.
Deep cycle battery $75-$100
Small charger about $25
1000watt inverter $100 or less
Keep your battery charged and if your power goes out you will have power for lights, radio, TV, or for charging your other devices.
You can run a 13w cfl for about 50 hours (if my math is right, I've never actually tried)
Having access to 120volt power without running a genset can be a real asset in an emergency.
Deep cycle battery $75-$100
Small charger about $25
1000watt inverter $100 or less
Keep your battery charged and if your power goes out you will have power for lights, radio, TV, or for charging your other devices.
You can run a 13w cfl for about 50 hours (if my math is right, I've never actually tried)
Having access to 120volt power without running a genset can be a real asset in an emergency.
:
Heaps of cheap generic brand canned fruits and vegetables, cheap brown rice, cheap wholemeal pasta, cheap wholemeal flour and a few mylar bags and de-oxygenator pouches to store it in, water drums, candles and matches, cheap bar soap.
If you already have a way to cook that you can count on:
Water & filter $150.
Rice 50 pounds = $20-25.
Beans 25 pounds = $20.
Oatmeal 50 pounds = $25.
Canned meat/tuna= $50
Canned veggies/fruit = $35
This weekend I am spending an extra $100 on food preps that I've saved out of my grocery money. I bulk buy when things are at a good price or I can take care of extra good prices.
I'm getting: 60 cans of ravioli (.77) = $46.20
Chicken boneless breast to can: 25 lbs @ $1.79 = $44.75
Sugar 2 bags = $3.38
Jiff peanut butter 2 jars = $1.80
Cereal 4 boxes = $4.00
That's because I already have a good stock of the previous items. I'm going to can the chicken.
Water & filter $150.
Rice 50 pounds = $20-25.
Beans 25 pounds = $20.
Oatmeal 50 pounds = $25.
Canned meat/tuna= $50
Canned veggies/fruit = $35
This weekend I am spending an extra $100 on food preps that I've saved out of my grocery money. I bulk buy when things are at a good price or I can take care of extra good prices.
I'm getting: 60 cans of ravioli (.77) = $46.20
Chicken boneless breast to can: 25 lbs @ $1.79 = $44.75
Sugar 2 bags = $3.38
Jiff peanut butter 2 jars = $1.80
Cereal 4 boxes = $4.00
That's because I already have a good stock of the previous items. I'm going to can the chicken.
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