[Crutch]

My best prep is my savings and debt free living... to an extent.

My house and land are paid off. My cars are paid off. I have a 100.00 credit card bill, I use to give me a good credit score.

If the S doesn't hit the fan, I have my children whom I have spent time with working on the farm. I have my wife whom has grown closer to me through the adversity of achieving the homestead.

I have my North Carolina survivalist group, who are the best people you could ever meet. None of us care what car you drive, nor if you live in a house, cabin, camper, make shift barn, or trailer. We see the potential where others would see poor. We see the fiscal responsibility, where others would be offended at you not buying into the consumerism. These are people who know your blood type, just in case they have to lend you some.

I have my health. By not eatting GMO foods, and Saturated fatty everything, I will live much longer, much healthier and a much fuller life. By watching what goes on, or in my body, I will less likely to obtain Cancer, Alzheimer's, or the many other problems Americans seem to be oblivious to.

And finally if the S doesn't HTF, I will have left the world a cleaner, healthier place where my children will hopefully continue what I have taught them.

 

[Gallo Pazzesco]

What this thread is teaching me so far is that there really is no "one" (1) best thing, is there.

 

[Peter]

Nope!
Different as there are people...
If a persons interest in survival goes only as far as having basic disaster preps, and thats all they want to do, then they haven't really altered there existing lifestyle ...Having preps in that situation, and not using them is kinda like getting all dressed up with no place to go.

On the otherhand, some people enjoy the lifestyle and they would still prep, practice and expand their knowledge base, even though there's not a dark cloud or immediate danger in sight...Truth, some people like the lifestyle...

 

[Kingfish]

I've loved going through these forum posts over the past year or two. Particularly the stories. My problem is, I spend too much time reading it all and tend to lose a little perspective. Am I alone? I guess it hit me when I was looking at some posts in the financial forums and one fellow was asking about cashing in all his retirement and buying metals. I was starting to rationalize it and then I realized I needed a break.

Don't get me wrong, it's great to prepare for the worst, and to hope for the best, but where do you draw the line? I love reading the stories, but too many and I'm expecting the flash in the sky at any moment. What a relief it was to read a book about something completely different.

So what provisions have you made for live as we know it, for the rest of your long and natural lives? What if we as Americans trundle along, at least another hundred years or so as the greatest experiment in freedom that the world has ever known?

I'm sure it's a balance. For me I started an orchard several years ago, when I first began thinking along these lines. The first year it was just a lot of work. The second year I thought I certainly wouldn't be doing it if it weren't for my preparatory mentality. The fruit cost far more than if I just bought it and it certainly wouldn't require the work I'd put into it.

The last couple of years I finally got it. I was creating a little order in nature. Reaping the benefits of God's blessing. Enjoying the process rather than fighting the "have to" mentality.

I'm an optimist.

I did the same thing for a while then decided that I was not prepping any more. My goal is not to survive the end of the world as I know it but every day life today. I have decided that self reliance is the most important prep of all. How much do we need from the outside world to live full and free? Not much really. I don't need near as much cash to buy food because we grow , raise and harvest most of it. So we dont play the paycheck to paycheck game any more. W e still buy things because we can but we dont have to buy things to live. We can survive right now so we have become self reliant to some extent. I enjoy working the land now and raising the animals. I cleaned out the barn today. Rabbits can generate a lot of stink ha ha ha . But it felt good to disc up that manure into the ground for next years corn and tomatoes ,beans and alfalfa . I am also starting a small orchard 6 apple trees and 4 pear trees. I cant wait to see the first crop of fruit. We already have grapes and wild strawberries, blackberries and Rasberries all over the property. The best prep is self reliance. Kingfish

 

[LEPER]

Health
Nice sized pantry
Skills
Family
Savings
Land( with water source)
Self reliance(in all its terms)
Simple ways to enjoy life

These are things that are important no matter what may, or may not, happen.

 

[ISS]

The worst case scenario if nothing happens: A closer, better quality life with my family and good friends. My long term plan is to someday beat my wife at Cribbage two games in a row.

If things go bad: I guess Ranger School training and three tours of duty in Vietnam weren't completely wasted.

ISS
sua sponte...

 

[Bladed]

As most have said first your health and then time for playing and being with your kids. your kids are the most valuable prep you can have in any situation, they are your immortality.

 

[KDOG]

I like that water filter! The only thing is he said it still taste like the creek water though.....