# Why Do You Prep?



## Gunn (Jan 1, 2016)

I have been prepping for awhile now. An old co-worker came by that is just starting to prep. I showed him some of the things I do and some of my mistakes. The big question came up Why?
First, my church has always suggested we be prepared, so I think that may have started me thinking. Second, find it kind of enjoyable. Third, I lived in Greece in the early to mid seventies, what I see in my country today, I saw there then. I have some expat friends that still live there and it is worse than we hear, they would leave but are stuck due to grandkids live there. They tell me there are restrictions on "Hoarding". And I guess the thought of an EMP or such from the crazy in N. Korea has me a tad nervous.
So why do you prep?


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

Just common sense, given what I see, read and hear these days. 

Voltaire was right, there is nothing common about common sense since it requires good judgment and good judgment is not all that common.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Because I can and want to.
For me almost four decades of it has made it a way of life.
At any time conditions could change socially speaking that would be detrimental to our lives.
It will keep us from becoming dependent on GOV handouts, or the lack of them if they decide to practice eugenics.
My preparedness has carried us through winter and summer storms whose aftermaths have lasted for weeks.
Every time one of those events occurred it reinforced the need to.


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

Living in Hurricane Country, we get tested every season on our Emergency Preparedness in one manner or another. A week waiting for electricity to be restored to living under a tarp roof until shingles and lumber make it's way down. Being prepared in Hurricane Country is just a way of life, even if it's only having a well stocked bar.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Natural disaster, civil unrest. Need a reason look around. There are basically 3 types those on the roof with a save me sign, those standing in water cold hungry and scared waiting on a government rescue. Then there are those with the sign that say we are ok go help them. I prefer to take care of our self rather that reply on others.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

So I can sleep. I can't imagine NOT being ready for a fire, storm, a breakin, whatever. It's in my genes, I guess.


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## Doc Holliday (Dec 22, 2012)

My Dad started in the 70's because we lived in California and there were earthquakes that take out power and water.. We always had cabinets full of food in the garage just in case.


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## SittingElf (Feb 9, 2016)

I continue to increase our preps...because I read the news every day.

The world is going to a hand-basket...and in an ever-increasingly fast pace. Very disturbing times.


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## Sedition (Mar 22, 2016)

Like M118LR said.
Something IS going to happen. May be EMP pulse, may be collapse of economy/society, foreign attack, attack from our own government, you name it.
Around these parts, I've already had twisters touch down a few miles north and south of my area...did a lot of damage. We are WAAAAY overdue for a hurricane so odds are it'll be within the next couple of years at least.

I always tell people who ask that question it's not a matter of "if", but "what" and "when".


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## SittingElf (Feb 9, 2016)

Sedition said:


> Like M118LR said.
> Something IS going to happen. May be EMP pulse, may be collapse of economy/society, foreign attack, attack from our own government, you name it.
> Around these parts, I've already had twisters touch down a few miles north and south of my area...did a lot of damage. We are WAAAAY overdue for a hurricane so odds are it'll be withing the next couple of years at least.
> 
> I always tell people who ask that question it's not a matter if "if", but "what" and "when".


Yup! A tornado touched down on Robins Air Force Base yesterday, and wind gusts of 80+ MPH in the area. We still don't know if the house we rent while my wife is stationed there is damaged yet because she and my son won't return until tomorrow, following a Disney Cruise they've been on while I toil away here in Nigeria. Expecting downed limbs in the yard, and the pool overflowing with lots of debris. Hopefully, the roof is intact!


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

I refuse to be totally dependent on another in the event of a catastrophe.


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## Sedition (Mar 22, 2016)

LOL...you would have to quote me with all of the typos I made with these damn glasses on. My contacts need cleaning with all the pollen storming around and all I have left is glasses good for distance vision.

ps SittingElf...best wishes that they arive back and find no damage.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

As I sit here in Wisconsin yesterday was a nice day cool but nice. 0730 this morning snow couple inches. No big deal for Wisconsin . Then wind ,right now 45mph again not the end of the world here. But it is adding up dropping temps. The chance of power lines going down, struck by vehicle accidents ect are high. Power companies do not have employees to fix it, they share contractors that would not show up here for days if a major city had problems. LEO office will be busy in the city, they would have no time for us if needed.
If power went off here life would go on as normal for a long time for us. Others would suffer losses and get very cold. Being prepared means we did not have to do anything to be ready for this, nor will we lose on second of sleep over it. Makes sense to me.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

When Hurricane Andrew hit south Florida ,, we were not ready for anything ,, we just boarded up windows ,, and got out of dodge ,, we can back and the house was " GONE " ,, everything was gone ,, so that point on we had to regroup and buy everything we needed all over again ,, we only had what we had on ,, That's why I prep.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

Better to have and not need rather than need and not have.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Something will happen. Maybe not today or tomorrow, maybe not in my lifetime. But it will happen. 
With the muslim extremists capable of building simple dirty nukes, that is one of my biggest fears 
today followed by terrorists getting their hands on real, true nukes because I am to our unprotected 
southern border. Thanks mr obama.


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## Yeti-2015 (Dec 15, 2015)

Mainly for natural disasters and for the "peace of mind" if one of us was not able to work. Also a prime example was our rural water had some major issues and we had to use some of our stored water for meal. You never know when you are going to need something you have stored. Just have to replace all of it now, but it was worth it.


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## Mosinator762x54r (Nov 4, 2015)

Aliens.



Gunn said:


> I have been prepping for awhile now. An old co-worker came by that is just starting to prep. I showed him some of the things I do and some of my mistakes. The big question came up Why?
> First, my church has always suggested we be prepared, so I think that may have started me thinking. Second, find it kind of enjoyable. Third, I lived in Greece in the early to mid seventies, what I see in my country today, I saw there then. I have some expat friends that still live there and it is worse than we hear, they would leave but are stuck due to grandkids live there. They tell me there are restrictions on "Hoarding". And I guess the thought of an EMP or such from the crazy in N. Korea has me a tad nervous.
> So why do you prep?


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## homegrownrose (Mar 24, 2016)

I grew up in a house that rarely had food, or if we did it was usually close to spoiled, if not already. We ate at friend's houses, or we didn't eat. We would usually get one good home-cooked meal from my mom every week, sometimes more if things were looking good. We were poor, and my single-mom did the best she could with what she had and with who she is. As I've grown up, I've seen that a lot of that had to do with her personal proclivities and just the way she operates (day to day instead of preparing). I refuse to let my kids live in that same situation. As a result I've been prepping for years in regards to our food without even realizing that it was a "thing." 

We are stepping up our prepping to prepare for a longer-term SHTF situation. This means more long-term preps (years of food instead of months), security/defense, off-grid possibilities, etc. We want to be prepared for as many situations as are likely/possible in our area as we can, though the most pressing I believe is a crash in our economy (like we had in 2008 but MUCH worse), and the loss of food, order, assistance, etc.


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

call it a gut feeling..... and it would seem irresponsible to ignore myself..


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Habits in inherited from my parents who grew up during the Great Depression.


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

I love my family!


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## Mosinator762x54r (Nov 4, 2015)

A
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## PrepperFF712 (Nov 12, 2015)

Natural Disaster, Fire, Economic Collapse, Social Unrest, Hard times. 





And Aliens.


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## warrior4 (Oct 16, 2013)

The first motto I subscribed to came from the Boy Scouts. "Be Prepared." Now as an adult and knowing what things can happen I don't want to be like the people on the roof waiting for the helicopter. I want to be the one who can take care of my family, myself, and my neighbor if possible. If I never need it, great. If I ever do, I'll be glad for it when that day comes.


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## beach23bum (Jan 27, 2015)

Natural Disaster, Fire, Economic Collapse, Social Unrest, Hard times.


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## Slippy's-Attorney (Sep 23, 2015)

If a picture is worth 1,000 words


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## BuckB (Jan 14, 2016)

Because it is much cheaper and FAR more enjoyable to live life being self-sustaining than living life as cattle in a slaughterhouse.


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## Gunn (Jan 1, 2016)

You all gave me great reasons. And it was enough for my sister in Calif to get the idea. She lives right on the San Andreas did not see any reason to be prepared. Her "Paranoid" brother could not get to her. But she read this post and her husband says he thinks she might be coming around. She will listen to complete strangers, but not her brother. Her husband just texted me she is on this site right now and reading and taking notes. People THANK YOU for possibly turning my sister around (Hopefully).


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## coates776 (Sep 4, 2015)

I like to prep/accumulate because I see what happens to the food supply chains/supermarkets when ANY crises happens they are wiped out by the people driving the fastest cars. 

I am happier sitting in the couch watching the tv show us how to panic and say to myself. 'Idiots'.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Raised by Great Depression era kin..think some of us old codgers learned to be frugal early on. Then along come boyscouts and our world famous motto we all know of "Be Prepared." Then along came Jimmy Carter and like to skerred everybody to death..similar to what Obummer is doing now...then along came my pal Howard Ruff. With his book..."How to survive the coming Ruff times." or similar. Anyway he is a good old Mormon and got me on the road to serious prepping going back to the 70s. After some detours in the road..right now we are just trying to survive till Jesus gets us out of this mess. We are pre trib rapture Bapticostals. We have watched enough John Wayne movies to know to also save the last of the ammo for ourselves.


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## BuckB (Jan 14, 2016)

bigwheel said:


> Raised by Great Depression era kin..think some of us old codgers learned to be frugal early on. Then along come boyscouts and our world famous motto we all know of "Be Prepared." Then along came Jimmy Carter and like to skerred everybody to death..similar to what Obummer is doing now...then along came my pal Howard Ruff. With his book..."How to survive the coming Ruff times." or similar. Anyway he is a good old Mormon and got me on the road to serious prepping going back to the 70s. After some detours in the road..right now we are just trying to survive till Jesus gets us out of this mess. We are pre trib rapture Bapticostals. We have watched enough John Wayne movies to know to also save the last of the ammo for ourselves.


^^^ Post of the day right there boys and girls !^^^ That's some wisdom.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I lived mostly hand to mouth as a kid and I was always uneasy about what the next day will bring. Being prepared alleviates that to a degree. Beyond the Hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding, common to the gulf coast you only have to look at what's really happening in the world to motivate you further. We are in deep shit so I prepare.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

As I have said before, many times, the blizzard of 78 started me.

As the years progressed there were many other concerns that caused the storing of other items to meet the conditions.

Today, all I do is enhance what I have, there is no area that is critically short of anything.

The hardest thing was to keep from going overboard in the beginning after a few incidents like a storm and oil embargo.

For the most part, tempered purchases were the order of the day, based on theoretical projections.

Present day, the largest part of the prep budget goes for foodstuffs, mostly dry goods such as rice, beans, corn and wheat.

Conditions, here in country are on a downward spiral, if there is a large scale attack this year here,

I will go and buy 5K worth of food in a week and pack it away.

As I said in 1978, NEVER AGAIN.


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## kevincali (Nov 15, 2012)

Why do I prep? Because of my rocky employment record. I'm not known to have money all the time. So when times are good, I pack away extra for when the times get tough. Working construction taught me that it's feast for the summer and famine for the winter. If the world ends, having food put away is just a bonus


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

to be able to tell my in-laws.... "How ya like me now??"!!!!


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## baldman (Apr 5, 2016)

Because I like knowing that my family and I can go a year and not leave the house.


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