[preparedmama]

Due to the huge increase of people coming into my work in desperate need I have been thinking alot about priorities and what mine are. What are yours? Mine are:

1. housing - need a place to live
2. food - have to eat
3. lights/heat - pipes freeze in the winter, summer gives me blistering heat with humidity
4. taxes - have to pay the house taxes but they can slide up to 3 years before they start hassling you, my goal is to always keep them managable
5. preps - have to have something to eat in case plus it is security against lost income or unforseen emergencies (like dental work)
6. house maintence - keeping things up saves money, stress and it becoming a 'professional' job
7. clothing - I am always buying ahead so we always have something to wear. I always buy second hand except underwear, socks, shoes and bathing suits
8. gardening/canning supplies - I have a lot but I am always keeping stocked up
9. toys/educational supplies - the kids have lots of things like board games, lego etc that are not 'boring', I buy books when I find them for 25 cents or less, again it is about stocking up so you are never with out and also de-materalizing the kids so they are happy with what they have
10. household items - we are a BI family so if I may be in my house for weeks on end, and sometimes it is like that in the winter anyway, I like the house to be nicely decorated, warm and family friendly. I also include in this group cleaning supplies, personal supplies, craft supplies to make gifts, books for me, towels, sheets blankets etc.

What is the one item that you insist on stocking up on that isn't a must? Liquor, p orn - whats your poison lol?

 

[Panekleroy]

Perhaps the reason we are prepared is that we have skipped the guilty pleasures

 

[electrick]

I need access to the internet and/or my phone because otherwise I feel totally isolated from the world. Of course, if SHTF I won't have either, but I think because everyone's communication dynamics would change it would be easier to adjust than if I had them removed in my current lifestyle.

 

[Highplains]

There are 5 things one needs absolutely. Air, Water, Food, Shelter and Society. I have all of those covered for most disaster scenarios. I have been sitting here trying to come up with anything that I have stocked up on that is NOT a must. Total Blank! I guess my pleasure comes from full shelves and adequate equipment.

 

[LastManStandin]

Perhaps the reason we are prepared is that we have skipped the guilty pleasures

That's where I went wrong in the begining. I had to have the nicest truck, 4wheeler, Mustangs, dirtbikes, and all the other stuff I didnt need.
The old saying like "spendin' money I dont have to buy things I dont need to impress people I dont know".
Now I am way behind in getting started on my preps.

 

[Genevieve]

whats a BI family?

 

[PartisonConfederat]

2nd on the BI family, what is that? Good post.

 

[Heatherli]

My priorites:

#1. Food (hard candy and sourdough bread...I know,...weird!)
#2. Water
#3. Medicine
#4. Internet (gotta keep up on the news)
#5. Bug Out Bag
#6. Leather Notebook (writing keeps me sane...well, sort of, depending
on your definition of sanity)
#7. warmth (feel the cold easily)
#8. Eventually (and hopefully) a little cabin in the middle of the northwoods
of Northern Ontario. That one will probably never happen unless I win the lotto.

 

[miss becky]

bug in??????????

 

[Ramona M. Faunce]

I'm set up pretty good with food, water, ammo and extra clothing. I am working on expanding the garden and gearing my property more on the line of permaculture to take advantage of what nature already offers.

If things work out for my husbands future plans, I may be able to retire next year. Then I can get back to chickens, rabbits and even a few dairy goats. Everyone pray for us.

 

[tadbitangelny]

That's funny because I used to just love buying brand name clothes, shoes, etc all the girly stuff we females so love. Since I have gotten into prepping I've found my guilty pleasures have changed now it's cast iron cookware or another hand tool to add to the growing gardening supplies. LOL ok where'd that girly girl go

 

[harlequin]

BI family = basic income family?

i agree with maslow -

1 - water
2- food -
3 - shelter - no sense having a place to live if you die of starvation in your nice house
4 - security - i have food and a home, i want to keep it
5 - comfort items - clothes, recreation items. books.

i will stock up on booze and porn, even though they are not necessary for survival, they will make it so much more fun.

 

[preparedmama]

whats a BI family?

bug in family

 

[CowboyPride]

In getting started on my preps while I live in my apartment I am at the crossroad as we speak. Currently trying to decide on food preps, weapons, comms, etc. I live on a fixed income, not fixed in the sense I have live on below average income, but fixed in meaning everything is being sent toward paying of debts. I was doing fantastically this year and was starting on a savings plan until I got smacked with a tax lien from 2004 that I didn't even know about until I received my credit report this year. I'm more worried about civil unrest and protecting myself and seem to lean towards getting two more weapons to go with my .40 Springfield XD

My item that I am trying to break away from is computers. I have two many computers and while I use them to keep my skills up on various things, i don't really need them yet at the same time can't seem to let go of them. But provided I have electricity when SHTF, they may have uses.

Also I am thinking about upgrading my wardrobe. I'm still wearing clothing from high school, granted it's still tasteful at least in Wyoming. Wrangler Jeans, Western Shirts and Cowboy boots, but thinking about leaning more towards changing my wardrobe to 5.11 tactical pants so that I can always be prepared for anything. Lots of pockets on those pants. Of course I would keep 3 / 4 good shirts and a few wangler jeans for nights out but I don't kneed a walk-in closet full of clothing like I have now.

 

[SgtBooker44]

My priorities are like a milk stool,

Food
Family
Faith

Two will not stand alone and one is no more or less important

 

[Herd Sniper]

My main priorities are food, water, shelter and ammo.

My secondary issues are tools, maps of my area, communications, trapping needs, fishing needs and hunting needs. Books, games and decks of cards for entertainment come next.

In other words, what will I need first and foremost to survive and what's next after that?

 

[Thunder]

1. Obeying the will of God .

2. Taking care of my family .

3. Keeping and protecting my job .

Do those three things , and everything else will work itself out .

 

[MikeK]

Water is probably my top priority here. I store about 1,500 gallons and had planned to add another 500 or so.

I think I had been focusing more on comfort foods and luxury items mostly, since my food storage was pretty well filled out. With the economy so bad, I haven't been buying much of anything lately though.

Then there's my comically large collection of toilet paper. I've wiped on cattails and sticks too many times when camping. I discovered all sort of plants that are just as irritating as poison ivy/oak/sumac. I don't intend to do that again if I can help it! :

 

[querulous]

priorities. hm, probably grad school first and foremost. a master's will give me more capital to pay down my debt and invest in savings (and also survival gear). other than that, in the event of SHTF, keeping my family safe is my number one priority, and in descending order of importance as i perceive things, water, defense/safety, food, fire, shelter. order them how you want, they're all important. i only just recently started putting together my bug out bag and can say that without a doubt the most important item in it (thus far) is my seal pup elite, then probably my firestarter. the bag satisfies most of the above concerns. purchasing a ruger 10/22, krebs AK, and m1911 for everyday concealed carry in a month or two. now all i need to do is move from california to a real state.

 

[Panekleroy]

A longer answer on priorities.

1. Water- well and 11,000 gallon rain water cistern which collects water from roof...no softner required.

2. Shelter and heat- house paid off, use fuel oil as back up to forced air wood furnace. Started winter with 12 f/c have 6 left; another 12 being delivered split. Have trees to harvest but will use bought wood to save standing wood for an emergency.

3. Food- primarily canned goods and freezer- 3 month supply

4. Light- camp lanterns, kersene lamps and candles- keep 18 gallons kero in cans 7 gallons in salamander type heater for the shop.....use the heater to rotate kerosene.
Couple hundred lbs of propane in 40 gallon tanks.

5. three years of gardening fuel, diesel for tractor gas for troybuilt tiller. Still on Hybrid seeds and transplants. Will change that this year.

6 Bug out- 5th wheel and four wheel drive truck.

7. Security- motion lights, double locks, security system, the remainder is for me to know but I would like to thank Mr. Colt, Mr. Ruger, Mr. Winchester and Mr. Mauser for their great ideas

Part time business (christmas tree farm ) that I use to pay for all prepping. The equipment doubles as gardening equipment, the small income pays for preps without disturbing normal income. Even help the Democratic Republic of New York pay for their liberal agenda through sales and income taxes on this farm. There are set backs, fighting needle blight this year. Alsways happy customers though

Next project....wood gas converter for 1953 Ford tractor. Will run same equipment as diesel Kubota. Get a PTO generator so I can produce electricity and charge deep cells. Quieter and longer lasting than coleman generator.