# New Prepper...



## Schramm (Feb 9, 2014)

What do you consider the first lets say 10 things I should start hording/doing. Basic bio of my family, My hubby, my self, a 3 yr old boy, a 10 month old boy, and 2 cats (strictly indoors). I live in a Metro city, busy highway like road behind me (there is a cement barrier but there is an access opening there. house is a split level built in 1975 with orig. windows. Going to the mountains will be a no go since I have no land out there. I am having a hard time figuring out where to start so anything will help... I have been starting on water already, that one I know is an absolute MUST HAVE! I am on a budget since I was laid off and my husband is only worker.


----------



## LunaticFringeInc (Nov 20, 2012)

First start with a simple 72 hour bag. It will contain the things such as flash light, batteries, first aid kit, food and other basic neccesities should the lights go out, a storm blows though town or other similar hick ups that life sometimes throws your way.

Right now many parts of the US are being hammered by ice storms knocking out power. The first order of business is staying warm and trying to stay fed. The ability to heat a closed off room with a oil lamp or similar heating(kerosene or propane) and lighting device with warm clothes and food that doesn't have to be heated would be a major priority. You may not have that issue where you live but you get the idea of where I am going on this I am sure.

Once you have the 72 hour bag now its time to sit down and think. "What do I need to have to make it a week without power or storm disaster?". Storing these items in a 12 gallon totes in the garage or closet will keep them together and make them readily available. Once you have accomplished that start looking to extend it by a week when you can.

Once you have several weeks of items on hand, start looking at ways to be more sustainable and unreliant on daily deliveries of food and gas and energy. Mount a couple of 120 watt solar panels on the roof and wire them to a couple of 8D deep cycle batteries so you have power for a light, cell phone or lap top or fan. Buy a couple of Oil Lamps and a couple of 5 gallon jugs of Kerosene. That will provide light or enough heat to keep you from freezing to death and additionally if you take the globe off and adjust the flame you can actually cook soups over one or heat up can food items in a pan. If you have a fire place rat hole a cord of wood as back up. Instead of getting a propane grill this summer for those back yard BBQ's buy a coal briquette model and get a galvanized trash can or two and fill it will coals. It will last you a while and let you heat water or cook food. Build a small raised garden bed and grow some of your food. It wont supply all your food needs but it could extend what you got and shave a little off the weekly grocery bill in the mean time freeing up money to be spent else where on the family.

The bottom line is there are lots of things you can do, most of them little but they will all make a big difference to you if things should go south whether its a temp issue or long term. Just remember, Rome wasn't built in a day...think of it as a marathon not a sprint!


----------



## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Being in Utah you have a great resource, the LDS folks. They have some good resources on their website as well as publishing several books on the subject.

Provident Living | Self-Reliance

We are not LDS. But my wife and I are VERY thankful to them for giving us a bunch of good information. Also, most of the LDS canneries will sell to non-Mormon folks too. I have ordered a bunch of wheat and oats from their online store as well.


----------



## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Welcome from Texas


----------



## KYPrepper (Jan 17, 2014)

Welcome from Kentucky. and BTW Inor, thanks for that information and link. like you and your's, Me and mine are not LDS either, but we don't discriminate and they offer a lot of very useful information. Thanks again!


----------



## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

You need about 5 gallons of water a day for your family. You should have at least a two week supply on hand so 5x14 is 70 gallons as a minimum. Then you need at least two weeks worth of food that you can eat without cooking. The rest of your food and water supply can be as easy as keeping a list of what you use and buying twice as much as you used until you get about a six - twelve month supply in storage (it will take six months to a year to get that much doing it as described. First aid stuff that you know how to use along with a supply of medicines you need or might need - you can talk to your doctor about this for help. Products for hygiene are going to be necessary if the stores close their doors or can't get supplies.

When you start accumulating all this stuff you will have to ask if you are willing to protect it from being taken. If you decide you can defend yourself and your family then a shotgun is the best to start with. I recommend a 12 ga or 20 ga pump action for its ease of use and versatility. (the 12 ga. is best but only if you are not afraid to use it.)


----------

