Why to Start Prepping

To understand how to prepare you must first understand why you should. Below are examples that could cause you to use some of your financial, food, water or first-aid preparations.

Unemployment/Economic Problems

These two go hand in hand. If you become unemployed you will certainly feel the impact. This can vary depending on the level of preparedness you have in the areas we will touch on later. Economic problems could effect you in a number of ways. Prices could go up on certain goods, hours could be reduced at work, or your savings, such as 401k or other stocks, could decrease. You have some control over this and prepare by having different types of savings, including a savings account, 401k, bonds, or cash on hand.

Cyber Attack

With all the modern advantages technology has to offer, there is also a major flaw. Many technologies require Internet connectivity, whether directly or indirectly. For example, utility companies use the Internet to help create, monitor, and distribute their services. If a cyber attack is able to bring down or degrade their systems, it could cause major issues for the average person.

How to Start Prepping

You need to know what and how to start prepping. Let’s discuss the following categories: financial, water, food, first-aid/medical, home, and transportation. These are not the only areas you should prepare for, but they are a good starting point and have the biggest impact on your daily life.

Water

Water is vital, you cannot live without it. You use it for cooking, cleaning, drinking, and much more. At least two weeks of water should be stored on hand. The standard minimum is considered two gallons per day for each person. That comes to 14 gallons per week for each person in the household. If you have room to store more then all the better. To store water you can use a combination of containers such as 55 gallon drums, five gallon containers, or cases of water. Your type of home and storage capacity will help determine what is best for you. If your water is not stored correctly, it will all be for nothing. Download our guide on how to safely store your water, absolutely FREE, at the end of this section.

Keep in mind quick ways to store water in case there may be an upcoming water supply disruption. Five gallon buckets can be filled or there is a bladder system for your bathtub to safely hold over 50 gallons, depending on the model. For extended periods of need, you can prepare for gathering water. One of the easiest ways is to tap into your gutter downspouts. Just make sure you have a way to make the water safe to drink after collecting it. Learn more by downloading our guide or continue reading for more prepping categories.

Home

Your home is a important prep and should be treated so. Keep up with maintenance like changing the air filter in your AC/heater, clean out gutters, fix leaking facets, and address any electrical switches or outlets that may be acting up. This can save money in the long run and help prevent an avoidable disaster in your home. For example, if you never change the air filter in your AC/heater, it makes it harder to push the air through your home and works the fan more. You do not want your system going out during the hottest part of the year or the coldest nights. That can range from unpleasant to dangerous depending on who lives in the home and could cost extra to get someone out to fix it the same day. You want to have options in case of power outages also. A portable generator is a good option for people who live in suburbs or metro areas where a permanent backup generator may not be allowed due to zoning issues. You can get one for about the price it would cost to replace everything in your refrigerator if it went bad.

Time to Start

Now that you have an idea on how to start, make a small goal and complete it. Setup a savings account if you do not already have one and start adding to it. Decide the amount that is right for you, maybe $10 a week is a good starting point while you are compiling your other preparations. We recommend setting up automatic transfers so you never forget. Soon you will not think twice about that $10 a week, it is just there adding up when you need it. After savings, food and water should be next. Get yourself to having two weeks of food in your kitchen and if you already have that, start building up your Deep Pantry. You are now on the way to STACK THE ODDS in your favor.