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In my opinion there is only 2 wrong ways to prep.

-The people that stock only guns and ammo and plan to take what they need.

-The people that do nothing with the plan to have the government take care of them or the classic I will just go to your house when SHTF.

Reads accurate to me...

 

For the most part there is no correct way to prep. Everyone's needs are different. Maybe there is a medical issue, special needs children etc. Now that I have grown adult children, I prep differently. Once I have grandkids it will change again.
If I had a stream full of fish on my land I'd have a lot of fishing gear and concentrate on growing and preserving veggies and fruit. Water and protein would be further down on my list.
Now that I have 8 very productive chickens and a moble coup I put a lot of emphasis on the garden, and growing grain like oats, wheat, and plants like kale etc. to supplement the chicken feed.

 

I'd say that the "only guns and ammo" folks are a single example of a broader failure mode: assuming that good preparedness in one area will be enough to compensate for poor preparedness in another.

We see that a lot in the media's depictions of "preppers", especially as they show up in media about hoarders: someone might really nail it on food or clothing or tools, but neglect the basics of personal finance. Conversely, some folks (less often overtly prepper-identified) do awesome financial preparedness but neglect to keep an appropriate amount of necessities to handle being stuck at home for a couple weeks for any reason.

I actually consider organization, or ability to find stuff you own and retrieve it in good condition at a moment's notice, to be one of the most underrated aspects of preparedness. Minimalist influencers absolutely excel at organization -- if they own a thing, they know precisely where it is and can get it whenever they want it and it's probably kept in excellent shape -- but this often comes at the cost of not owning quite enough consumables to tide them over if supply chains get interrupted.

 

I actually consider organization, or ability to find stuff you own and retrieve it in good condition at a moment's notice, to be one of the most underrated aspects of preparedness. Minimalist influencers absolutely excel at organization -- if they own a thing, they know precisely where it is and can get it whenever they want it and it's probably kept in excellent shape -- but this often comes at the cost of not owning quite enough consumables to tide them over if supply chains get interrupted.

100%. I came to the same conclusion when I moved to my homestead. All my tools, preps, and stuff in general was a mess for 6 months. I spent longer searching for the tools than to do a project. Then we had a power outage and trying to find 1 of dozens of flashlights I had took an hour. I spent a lot of time and money building storage and organizing everything. Money well spent.

 

Years ago I concluded that prepping is a free form sport. You can do it anyway you like. Prepping is really just proactive home economics on steroids.

But while we are on the subject it always surprises when people go overboard with guns and ammo. Don't get me wrong, if you like to shoot then by all means shoot all you want but don't call that prepping. If some guy buys his 9th AR-15 that isn't prepping. He is barking up the wrong tree.

If someone is prepping to be on the receiving end of a military assault they aren't really prepping, they are indulging a fantasy.

 

Rich,

My view also: a modified home economics.

I grew up hammering out bent nails into as straight as I could get 'em.

Of course the traditional economics era was augmented by the Civil Defense programs and the courses of Red Cross, Scouts and a few other regional ones like 4H.

 

Is not having a rule, actually a rule?

 

I think that's fair for the most part. I'd also add "Prepared in fantasy and not reality or experience" to the list. There are many who spend a lot of time fantasizing about Walking Dead or other post apocalyptic scenarios. Many come to this or other forums inspired by this sort of entertainment or shows like Alone, Naked and Afraid or some other survivalist "reality" TV.

That is all fine and good and all of us, including myself, were immature in their "survivalist" mindset. Some progress this to buying knives, guns, MREs or survival buckets and maybe even know how to make just about anything out of para-cord. Often people will fetish into one particular area as you talked about like guns, knives or what have you but others will mature further through working hard to acquire skillsets, experiences, methods, alliances, assets, plans etc. If get get stuck in the immature mostly fantasy stage, you are likely to make yourself a victim to circumstances.

Lately I have read here and other places people claiming their way is the best and correct way to prep. It could be the amount of time you prep for, the location you live, you have to grow food instead of store it, or stocking precious metals is dumb for just a few recent examples.

I put forth the thought there is no correct way to prep but there is a few wrong ways to prep. Lets understand every person is unique and the circumstances that they are dealing with will dictate what and how they prepare. We should assume that they are going about it the best way possible that they can at this time. Is there better or more efficient methods? Probably but there is also a reason why people don't go that route.

In my opinion there is only 2 wrong ways to prep.

-The people that stock only guns and ammo and plan to take what they need.

-The people that do nothing with the plan to have the government take care of them or the classic I will just go to your house when SHTF.

 

It’s hotter where I live than cold. The typical prepper scenario of “20 cords of season firewood and a bubbling pot on the warm wood stove while I wear my Carhardt thermal underwear” applies to about 7 days a year where I live.

My preparedness is often centered about refrigeration, cooling and warm weather pest mitigation. That’s probably not on the lid for the Upper New Alaska Prepper.

 

Comdot,

My approach to this is to give a "seasoned" Forum Member the most favorable interpretation of posted aspect - at least initially.

Thus, using my common denominator method is to call the "20 chords of wood" as matter of climate control, outdoors or indoors.

 

Humans often seek the approval of others. Maybe a little. Maybe a lot. The other part is that prepping as a strategy to survive major civilization-ending catastrophes is essentially an untested discipline. We seek to meet the consensus because honestly, we don't know, and we'd prefer to think we're moving in the right direction.

But it's important to eventually reach beyond "feeling" that you're doing all the right stuff, and eventually be closer to "knowing" that you are. No we don't have a crystal ball and so we can never be certain. But once you break it down into a systems style of thinking, identify the basics, the inputs and outputs, look at some history, get some practical experience, you start to figure out what might actually work and what is just wishful thinking.

Practice gives experience. Experience give confidence. And with experienced confidence, you find yourself less needing the approval of others to inform your thinking about the right way to go.

 

Very well said Merlin. I've been doing just that since Nam.

 

There certainly is a correct way to prep, the problem is nobody can be certain that that's the correct way to do it unless they have the gift if foresight to know Exactly what is going to happen.

So it's more accurate to say there is indeed an exact and proper way to prep for every individual. but nobody is capable of knowing exactly what that is and thereby be able to eliminate their own risks of being wrong/unprepared.

It's kind of like saying that there is indeed objective truth, but nobody can be certain of what that is be it that they are humans who's every thought is based upon their own subjective perception.

 

There certainly is a correct way to prep, the problem is nobody can be certain that that's the correct way to do it unless they have the gift if foresight to know Exactly what is going to happen.

Exactly. And not all information has the same value at all times. The value of knowing this pre-SHTF is high. The value of knowing it post-SHTF is low.

 

Eagle,

A valid position to take.

I must add that individuals cannot make the evaluation needed to determine if matters are plotted out for preparedness efforts.

Some sort of group is needed for this.

Yes, of course: "Be Prepared".

 

None of us knows exactly when or how the **** will Hit The Fan.

One person has chosen to live in an inner city, and has tried to work out a plan that seems best for them.

I live rural in dense forest, what seems to be the best plan for me is going to be different.

The only 'plan' that I have objected to has been those to only stock firearms and ammo, and who admit that their plan is to loot from everyone else.

 

I would guess that Joseph was one of the few who have had exact knowledge of what was happening, and when.
The rest of us have to study ancient and current trends. Hundred year floods notwithstanding, all we have to go on is what we’ve heard and what we choose to believe. In the LDS faith they’ve been told for an hundred years that they need to have a “years supply” of food. There are pamphlets around, from the church, that give information about financial preps, & medical advice, food storage, and emergency shelter. I’m sure that theres even a place on the interweb where all of the literature can be found.

Revelations in The Bible has a lot of stuff to consider for we who like to read. And if we take a moment to look around, we might actually see these goings on in different parts of the world. Droughts, floods, whirlwinds, wars, etc. have all happened, and some of them have involved us personally.

IMHO, we ought to look around us and see what has happened nearby, and what might happen in the future and prepare for that. And zombies too of course.

Living where there are extremes of weather makes it harder.

 

Your ideas on where to live to avoid extremes of weather?

 

Ford,

Also add organizational matters.

I am no cheerleader and not in LDS but still must say, the best 19th century (at least the first half of it) organizer was Brigham Young.

Prior to becoming a Territorial Governor, he was governing areas of 4 states with a land mass about the same size as modern France w/o their Algeria.

Organization is up there in preparedness importance.

 

Brigham Young was a cult leader and NOTHING more. Period. End of subject.

 

I feel that my way of prepping is a bit different than a lot of others,, I stock/store extra food both canned/dry goods/frozen [store bought] as well as produce and can/dehydrate/freeze as much of my own as I can,, but a larger part of my preps is the ability to make my property more productive both now and in the future ,, with less "work" and more production ,,

the other "group" of preps is sort of things like tools,, from spare cheap fishing gear to garage sale tools like shovels/axes etc. even if it is just the metal heads,, will/would be a lot easier to rehandle than to make them from raw materials

a couple hundred fishing hooks is a "cheap" prep that can/could be made after SHTF ,,but why?? when its easy/cheap to get them and store

above gear I bought on end of season sale ,,think they were $ 9.99 each ,, this and a few nightcrawlers/minnows could turn 6 people with a little skills into a valuable food producing group ,,so 60$ in them and another $40 in hooks/line just makes good sense to me

 

I feel that my way of prepping is a bit different than a lot of others,, I stock/store extra food both canned/dry goods/frozen [store bought] as well as produce and can/dehydrate/freeze as much of my own as I can,, but a larger part of my preps is the ability to make my property more productive both now and in the future ,, with less "work" and more production ,,

the other "group" of preps is sort of things like tools,, from spare cheap fishing gear to garage sale tools like shovels/axes etc. even if it is just the metal heads,, will/would be a lot easier to rehandle than to make them from raw materials

a couple hundred fishing hooks is a "cheap" prep that can/could be made after SHTF ,,but why?? when its easy/cheap to get them and store View attachment 568599

above gear I bought on end of season sale ,,think they were $ 9.99 each ,, this and a few nightcrawlers/minnows could turn 6 people with a little skills into a valuable food producing group ,,so 60$ in them and another $40 in hooks/line just makes good sense to me

I would be shocked if I had more than 3 fishing hooks in my possession. Fishing isn't a part of my preps. Nearest place with water that has fish isn't worth the effort of traveling to it. I have the worst luck with fishing.

I do like buying hand tools and shovels when they are dirt cheap.

 

Think of all the things that will disappear when electricity is gone, and police are but a memory.
Gone as forever gone, not just a temporary disruption in the flow of things.
You prepared but your good neighbors did not. Your family did not.
You kept it secret best you could, but some one blabbed and now your a target.
In the US a lot more people have guns and plan to use them. not for hunting.
In other countries people have guns, and or other weapons they have put away for such an event.
They with organizational skills will be in conflict with others believing to have these skills as well, many do not want to be told what to do. Building a wall or digging a ditch WHO says what gets done?
I might differ to some one with far greater experience, but if no one in my group has real experience to draw from, how long do you debate this issue? What, when, where, how, and why, are all serious considerations.
Can you grow food and not be seen?
Do you have a reliable water source?
I ponder these issues where I live, and for the most part I have very little confidence in the group I now live with, mostly because they are millennials with only a single skill, untrained in anything more than that, and not interested in much more. Some of them spend money like things are only going to get better. Very wasteful.

 

SHTF, like you said NO-MORE ELECTRICITY, NO MORE POPO, NO MORE ANYTHING YOU ONCE KNEW. Unless you planned and prepared for anything coming down the pike, oops on your part. I'll have no sympathy for ANYONE OUTSIDE MY FAMILY, AND NOTHING FOR YOU BUT GRIEF IF YOU TRY US. Prep on, hit fast, hit hard and hit often.

 

The original poster is absolutely right, there´s no "right way to prep", but if there´s one thing that will help you survive an thrive, anytime, anywhere, every time, it´s knowledge.
To know how to repair, fix or at least rig things, to know mechanics, cooking, gardening, hunting, fishing, chemistry, physics, software, electronics, organization, medical knowledge, name it, will always be an asset, for yourself, for your kin, for friends and even for strangers.
Nobody can steal or plunder knowledge, but you can always share or trade knowledge.

 

The original poster is absolutely right, there´s no "right way to prep", but if there´s one thing that will help you survive an thrive, anytime, anywhere, every time, it´s knowledge.
To know how to repair, fix or at least rig things, to know mechanics, cooking, gardening, hunting, fishing, chemistry, physics, software, electronics, organization, medical knowledge, name it, will always be an asset, for yourself, for your kin, for friends and even for strangers.
Nobody can steal or plunder knowledge, but you can always share or trade knowledge.

Knowledge comes from doing.

 

Lately I have read here and other places people claiming their way is the best and correct way to prep. It could be the amount of time you prep for, the location you live, you have to grow food instead of store it, or stocking precious metals is dumb for just a few recent examples.

I put forth the thought there is no correct way to prep but there is a few wrong ways to prep. Lets understand every person is unique and the circumstances that they are dealing with will dictate what and how they prepare. We should assume that they are going about it the best way possible that they can at this time. Is there better or more efficient methods? Probably but there is also a reason why people don't go that route.

In my opinion there is only 2 wrong ways to prep.

-The people that stock only guns and ammo and plan to take what they need.

-The people that do nothing with the plan to have the government take care of them or the classic I will just go to your house when SHTF.

I think you nailed it so what else is there to say? Well done.

 

Lately I have read here and other places people claiming their way is the best and correct way to prep. It could be the amount of time you prep for, the location you live, you have to grow food instead of store it, or stocking precious metals is dumb for just a few recent examples.

I put forth the thought there is no correct way to prep but there is a few wrong ways to prep. Lets understand every person is unique and the circumstances that they are dealing with will dictate what and how they prepare. We should assume that they are going about it the best way possible that they can at this time. Is there better or more efficient methods? Probably but there is also a reason why people don't go that route.

In my opinion there is only 2 wrong ways to prep.

-The people that stock only guns and ammo and plan to take what they need.

-The people that do nothing with the plan to have the government take care of them or the classic I will just go to your house when SHTF.

Yup. All humans have the exact same needs for survival. Food, water, shelter, security, first-aid/medical, ect. The order of importance for those needs may vary from person to person. For example, someone who lives in the desert would need to prep the water category much more thoroughly than a person who lives in an area with abundant fresh water.

 

I agree with the OPs assessment. The single dude who lives off-grid in Upper Buttwater County on his parent's life insurance payout and monthly disability check has little useful knowledge to offer the suburban working Mom and Dad with two small children. The vice versa is also probably true. The goal is to prep as correctly and thoroughly as possible for YOUR situation, and NOT seek some unobtainable idealistic pedestal.

 

I have fishing gear, but when I lived on boats and in the FL Keys, I relied on nets, shrimp traps, and long lines to get fish. Or a pole spear.

I used to feel my wife's and my military and construction/welding/auto skills would enable us to offer security services and skilled labor in exchange for food we can't produce where we are. That or become the regional warlord.

But now that I'm nearly 70, though I'm loathe to admit it, my warlord days are probably past. I see soon, if not already, I would be more of a liability than benefit to a group. So our preparations are trending more toward surviving a slow burn or limited time event where supplies may be short, but procurable.

But a full, no return, TEOTWAWKI event, national collapse, dozens of millions lost, maybe billions, when the pantry runs dry and no hope in sight, I can see an opt out point.

So we are prepping now more to make it through an event, but realistically, do I have 5 years? Ten years? Two weeks? I don't know - I could wake up dead with an unexpected heart attack or trip over the cat tonight and get an anurysm. So at some point, do you want to starve and fight zombies for five years just to croak at the end? If I miss a couple years of misery it might be acceptable. Only time will tell.

But my wife is a lot younger, she has half a lifetime ahead, so our planning includes ensuring she can manage going forward, no matter the circumstance. And that interferes with option one. There's no simple answers or directions. You do what you can do and try to get good advice and knowledge, or pass it along.

 

PS - This thread kind of plays to my poll on where do folks live. The rural family has a whole different circumstance than someone in a high rise condo in Houston.

That new Civil War movie showed it. Unrest / war in the cities, while the country town was mostly ignoring the war. I saw that way back in Nicaragua, my friend's family lived on the edge of Estelí, which was mostly destroyed, even their house had damage. But you could drive ten miles into the countryside and have a sit down meal in a restaurant. Crazy stuff happens in war.

 

Absolutely this! Every person's circumstances are different, as are the weather conditions where they are located. For me here in southern Arizona, cold weather gear is NOT needed, but ways to cool off and get plenty of water ARE needed (hence the rain barrels, well etc.) Solar systems do VERY well here, not so much up in the "wet" side of Washington. Each person needs to prep for their own personal circumstances, family size, location, etc, so every person's prepping needs will be different.

 

When I first stumbled in here years ago, there were a couple of folks who made it known (repeatedly) that this was the "survivalist boards" not a prepping site. In their minds the only right way way their way, and the rest of us were fooling ourselves. Scenario prepping will leave you wanting. You HAVE to prepare for TEOTWAWKI or you're wrong. You have to have a compound and small army or you'll never make it. You can't be a survivalist if you are a normal human with a normal life.

I almost let those people run me out of here. I've learned a lot, and know I have more to learn, but I also know I can never achieve that level of prepping. I've been able to accept that I am different from them, and doing the best I can with what I have to work with.

I appreciate y'all tolerateing me. We are most certainly all different and will have different ways of prepping.

 

When I first stumbled in here years ago, there were a couple of folks who made it known (repeatedly) that this was the "survivalist boards" not a prepping site. In their minds the only right way way their way, and the rest of us were fooling ourselves. Scenario prepping will leave you wanting. You HAVE to prepare for TEOTWAWKI or you're wrong. You have to have a compound and small army or you'll never make it. You can't be a survivalist if you are a normal human with a normal life.

I almost let those people run me out of here. I've learned a lot, and know I have more to learn, but I also know I can never achieve that level of prepping. I've been able to accept that I am different from them, and doing the best I can with what I have to work with.

I appreciate y'all tolerateing me. We are most certainly all different and will have different ways of prepping.

That is part of the reason I made this thread. I am a more extreme prepper with years of food and a homestead but I don't want to scare people off thinking you have to have a year worth of supplies to be welcome here. Personally my goal is to advocate all new preppers to aim for 1 month supply. If they stop there I would be content. Of course I would be happier if they kept going.

This is actually the 2nd account I made for this forum. I tried joining 2008/2009 and remember being overwhelmed with this site compare to others. Eventually I came back but forgot my password.

Glad you stuck around. We need every kind of perspective here.

 

In my opinion there is only 2 wrong ways to prep.

-The people that stock only guns and ammo and plan to take what they need.

While I clearly do "NOT" endorse or encourage those who think that way. History validates that percentage wise they will survive. It is unfortunate, but pretending it ain't so, is naive at best and likely fatal, (OR WORSE).

 

Where in history can we find that lone wolves with arms and without other significant resources survive societal collapse primarily through pillaging from others who have more resources than them?

 

If a person owns a firearm, some fishing gear, a bag of beans, a bag of rice, some canned goods and some camping gear, they’re probably better prepared than 90% of Americans.

Just my personal opinion. No stats or source for me to back it up.