10 Simple Ideas on Beginning Prepping
If you’ve recently learned about prepping and the advantages of it, you might want to start prepping at home with your family. Being prepared for potential emergencies is essential. You never know what can happen, but you can make sure that you’re ready for anything by stocking up on essentials. Check out these ten simple ideas on beginning prepping that are easier than you might think!
10 Simple Ideas on Beginning Prepping
1. Start Collecting Non-Perishable Foods
It’s always a good idea to start collecting non-perishable foods to have at home. These foods included canned meats, canned tuna, containers of peanut butter, protein bars, and more. You don’t need to run out and buy the first non-perishable foods you can find. Instead, try to catch these items while they’re on sale. If you grab them on sale, you’ll save money and add them to your stockpile at the same time. Don’t waste money on food you know your loved ones won’t eat, even in an emergency! This may be one of those simple ideas on beginning prepping, but it’s an important one.
2. Store Plenty of Water For Everyone in the Household
Storing water is a must. You’ll need it to stay hydrated, but it can also come in handy for boiling pasta, rice, and other ingredients you can eat in an emergency. If you’re going to store water, you need to do it the right way. Don’t place it in old milk jugs. While it may seem like a good idea, it’s not because those jugs can easily break, causing the water to leak out and get everywhere.
It’s best to store water in storage containers with lids to keep the water free of dirt and debris. I have a few ideas I want to show you. Some of you know about these, I’m sure. But for those who are getting started and may not be familiar with various products, I want you to have some options to choose from. I store water in many ways, that’s what we need to do.
Please make sure you keep your water safe by storing it on 2 by 4’s to keep it off the ground or concrete. You don’t want chemicals to leach into the water container(s).
Blue Cans
You may want to look at these Blue Cans, they are truly my favorite water to store or the long haul. They are good up to 145 degrees outside, but they could freeze outside, depending on where you live. The heat is my issue. They taste better right out of the can than any water I have stored. The cheapest place to buy them is at Brownell’s. They sell out fast, so put your name on their email list if they are out of stock so they can notify you when to order. Brownell’s Website These do not need Water Preserver. A 50-year shelf-life is the best thing ever.
Yes, they may be a little pricey, but when you need water to survive, price really isn’t an issue.
WaterBricks
I love WaterBricks, I have several of the 3.5-gallon ones and a few of the 1.6-gallon size. The larger units are more practical because you can carry one in each hand to balance them. They each weigh about 27 pounds if filled with water. My guest room has 16 of the larger ones under a queen bed, so this means I have 56 gallons under that bed. No one knows they are under there. WaterBricks They are really handy since they have the carry handles, but also are designed so they can be stacked. You can see in the picture below the ridges and grooves for stacking purposes.
55-Gallon Barrels
I have four 55-gallon barrels on the side of my house. They are from my early days of prepping. They are inexpensive and need a pump to get the water out. Because I live in the desert, I cover them with UV water barrel covers to protect the plastic. 55-Gallon UV Water Barrel Covers I have only replaced them once in 15 years. This water may best be used for hygiene purposes, but could be put to use for cooking and drinking if needed. As a precaution, you may want to filter the water, or even boil it if you’re nervous, before you consume it in food or as drinking water.
3. Build a Garden in the Backyard
Focus on building your garden in the backyard. If you’re growing different fruits, vegetables, and herbs, you’ll have access to fresh food in an emergency. You can start small, especially if you don’t have much gardening experience or growing space. If you’re not sure what to grow, think of the vegetables and fruits that you eat and add to recipes more often than anything else. Those are the best fruits and vegetables to start growing if they work in your location. Consider planting lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, berries, and other produce that you can use in an emergency. These pictures show some of the items we have growing in our garden right now.
4. Use Coupons to Get Must-Have Prepping Items
When you know that you need specific items while prepping, such as mason jars with lids or flashlights, make a list of those items. Start looking through sales flyers or newspaper ads to see which stores are offering these items at discounted prices. The goal is to find what you need at a discounted price to save more money. You don’t need to rush out and spend all your money in a day while trying to get the prepping essentials. Take your time and collect what you can based on family size, budget, and storage space. When it comes to simple ideas on beginning prepping, this tip is essential.
5. Get a Storage System Set Up in a Convenient Spot
Invest in a sound storage system that you can place in a convenient spot, such as the basement. It’s out of sight and out of the way, but you can use it to hold some of the most critical items, including bottled water and canned foods. It would help if you had a safe place to put your things to prevent them from getting damaged. You can buy plastic or metal shelving units that are sturdy, reliable, and spacious. We keep our storage food on metal shelves from Costco. They almost fill one small bedroom in our home.
The items that aren’t affected by temperature changes, like our 72-hour kits (bug out bags), Sun Ovens, Dutch ovens, cooking fuel sources like charcoal, etc. are on the same kind of selves but located in our garage.
6. Buy Batteries While They’re on Sale
If you’re going to start prepping, you’ll need to have plenty of batteries. If you don’t have a power source, batteries are a must-have because you can put them in flashlights to see where you’re going and what you’re doing. Try to buy batteries when they’re on sale. You can find batteries at many different stores, including your local home goods store and grocery store, but it’s best to get them when they’re available at a discounted price. While the brand doesn’t necessarily matter, you might want to choose a brand known for its reliability. Please invest in some solar items as well. Solar Lanterns or Solar Flashlights Make sure you rotate batteries as needed. Nothing worse than grabbing some in an emergency only to find your stored batteries are depleted.
7. Put Multiple First-Aid Kits Together
Work on putting multiple first-aid kits together. If you have several people living in the household, it’s best to have a first-aid kit for each person. You can collect different items for the kits over time, such as rubbing alcohol, bandages in assorted sizes, gauze pads, ointments, allergy medication, and other helpful first-aid products. It’s always good to have these items in case someone gets injured or ends up in pain. In case you missed this post, First Aid Kits-What You Need To Survive
I highly recommend this book: The Survival Medicine Handbook
8. Invest in the Right Cookware
Try to buy the best cookware for emergencies. You can find a portable grill, emergency stoves, pie irons, and other items that you can use to prepare meals without a traditional power source. You might also want to invest in wood to use for fires in emergencies. If you have a garage, you can store the wood there until you’re ready to use it. Pie Irons for Cooking
Please invest in Cast Iron Pans and a 6-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven. You can survive with a cast-iron Dutch oven if you have charcoal and some matches stored, or have a fire starter.
9. Work on Eliminating Your Debt
Try to get out of debt. Being prepared isn’t just about having water, food, and a first-aid kit, but also about getting your finances in order so you can still meet your financial obligations when out of work or if your home or car are damaged. You can start with your smallest debt and work your way up to the most significant debt to get everything paid off within a reasonable amount of time. Once you’ve eliminated most or all of your debt, you’ll feel much better prepared for the future. You can also start saving some extra cash in a safe at home to become more financially secure.
10. Learn How to Start Canning
Don’t forget to learn how to start canning different foods at home. It can save you money in the long run when you’re trying to build your stockpile full of foods that your family will eat. Learn about different canning methods, such as pressure canning, before you even get started. You can get the supplies needed and get started, canning some of your favorite foods, including vegetables, jams, fruits, and meats. Please invest in one of these canning books: USDA Canning Guide or The Ball Canning/Preserving Book
Final Word
If you’re just getting started with prepping, these helpful ideas are worth considering. You don’t need to rush out and spend your last dollar on essential prepping items. Consider making a list of what you need, take your time, and get items while they’re on sale to save more money. You can focus on slowly, but steadily, building your stockpile until you feel comfortable with what you have at home. What are some simple ideas for beginning prepping you’d like to share? May God Bless this world, Linda.
Linda, this is another good post! I have a water brick and want to get several more. I just have to bide my time. LOL Larry’s not big on prepping like I am. He thinks stocking water is silly. He’ll be glad I stored some when we need some.
Hi Deborah, I get it, he is not alone. So many people learn very quickly when they have to drive to the city to get ONE 24 pack of water for their entire family after a disaster. I get thirsty saying that! LOL! Just order a few here and there. You know what we need to do and he will be so thankful when you pull those out after an unforeseen disaster. Linda
Train on what you don’t know, attend meetings and conferences as things open back up and get in shape because it’s hard during emergencies and events.
Hi Matt, great reminder, we must be in good shape, physically and mentally. It’s all about learning! Great comment, Linda
That’s what I’m planning on doing. We do have some 5 gallon bottles, but that’s not going to be enough.
Great comment Matt. That’s what I’m trying to do.get back in top shape. It’s just a long process for this almost 70 year old. LOL Especially since I’ve been having a lot of lower back pain. Even standing at times seems it to “catch” and hurts. I know I need to see a doctor, but I already have appointments every month through August. And that’s just so far.
Just be the best you that you can be. I’m not 30 and in the army anymore either.
Matt, great comment, you rock! Linda
Hi Deborah, I’m 71 and exercise…..LOL! Need I say more. I get geared up to walk, and I don’t. LOL!
Linda
Deborah, I’d like to suggest you get an Internal Medicine doctor, if you can. There’s less ‘referral’ to other doctors when you find a good one. Another idea is to ask for a Nurse Practitioner, rather than a general practitioner doctor. They seem to listen and Hear our complaints far better than most doctors. And know what tests to order. It is dang hard to try to just maintain our health, let alone get in better shape with each passing year. I did something recently that helps me to actually Do a bit of exercise: I put it on my To Do list each day! I try to have a daily to-do list anyway, so I just added an exercise to it. Ex: lift a can of beans 10 times with each arm while sitting (it’s like doing weight lifting for the young, lol). Next days lists include walking to the mailbox carrying a small bag of trash (my bins and mailbox are next to each other quite aways from my home), or walking in place while watching half an hour of local news. You get my point, I’m sure. Thing is, it’s very important to set time aside for doing physical activity that can, at the least, maintain current strength. I’m doing a lot more of exercising than I did before, just by putting it on my daily to-do list. Hope these ideas help.
Wendy, we had an interest before the doctor we have now. All he did was take x-rays of the chest, and blood work every 3 months. He missed my having Chronic Kidney disease. And thyroid disease.
Deborah, the best person to tell your medical history is you. I learned long ago that doctors don’t have the time to review medical history before they see you. Frankly, the ‘histories’ are online but Not easily read, including by a doctor. Lol, because every dang appt/diagnoses is interspersed with the meds ordered, when dispensed, tests ordered, test results, blah blah. I’ve looked at my chart online and understand why my internal medicine doctor knows very little about my history. It’s my job to tell her about things, maybe long ago, but which can affect me now.
Linda, kudos on this article, especially the parts on water storage. I think the first step in Prepping is to realize it is the duty of every adult human being to protect their family during any emergency. Taken in this light, Prepping is just good, common sense.
Hi Ray, I totally agree with the water storage. I’m amazed when I see people on the news lined up to get a 24 pack of water. I don’t get it. I really don’t. Plus it tastes awful. LOL! Linda
Linda, when Jane and I lived in Las Vegas we stored 36 pack cases of Arrowhead water. (That was before I got our Aquarain 400 filtration/purification system). When we moved to Kingman, I brought that old stored water along. After being stored in a closet for 6 years it finally started to taste like plastic so I used it to water my garden beds.
But I didn’t think six years was bad at all, so when we next go to Costco, I’ll stock us up with a few more cases. You can’t have too much water stored if you live in a desert and don’t have a well.
Hi Ray, is the Aquarain 400 deal like reverse osmosis or like a Big Berkey? You know I love to hear stuff like this. You are so right we can never have too much water stored living in the desert!! Linda
Linda, it’s like the big berkey but better in that it is tested far more rigorously. I talk about it in Bugging In. I’ve had mine for ten years now and I’m still using the same filter with no end of its usefulness in sight. They can be cleaned up to 200 times. The device is an amazing money saver. It’s been used to filter raw sewage to perfectly safe, potable water after the filter was abraded to 10% below it’s useful life. Check out the links in the chapter on Water.
Hi Ray, WHAT????? Oh my gosh!!! I. have got to check that out! Berkey sent me mine, but I need to check out the one you are talking about in your book. If the filter can be cleaned, that’s a game-changer. I’m loving your book by the way. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! If anyone wants to read Ray’s book, here it is. Linda https://amzn.to/35bNmWQ
Lots of great advice & tips in this post.
I think if folks aren’t knowledgeable about herbal medicine & the useful wild edible and medicinal plants growing, it would be helpful to start studying!
Attend herbal conferences, take classes with herbalists etc. A day may come when we can’t get to a doctor!
Hi Amy, I agree about herbal medicine and edible and medicinal plants. I would have to say Leanne who is in this group is an expert on them. Thank you for your kind words. Linda
I sent this to my son and daughter-in-law. They do have some things but, they have lived overseas for the last 6 years. So I am hoping that this will help them.
HI Brenda, I totally understand about living overseas and not wanting to ship stuff around the world. Hopefully, this list can get them started. Just a little at a time will work. Thank you for sharing it. Linda
Linda, thank you once again for promoting my book. I hereby grant you permission to use information from it, with proper attribution.
For those who don’t have my book here’s the link to AquaRain products. Just click on the link and start checking out their products. Don’t get me wrong Berkeys are good, but most of the people I know who have Berkey’s have put Aquarain filters in them.
https://www.aquarain.com/
Hi Ray, thank you for sharing the link! I love it! Linda