Are our preps actually going to help us?
Posted by AlternativePie7513@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 145 comments
I want to preface by saying this is by no means a confrontational post or a disrespectful post. If it comes across that way, I apologize.
I am also very new to the topic of prepping.
My idea is, wouldn't it be more beneficial to learn skills and obtain knowledge, rather than prep a bunch of (imo uneccesary) preps and rely on those items (that have a limited life).
I would agree that food and water is a good thing to prep, but that's about it. Things like multiple ways to cut down trees, 20 different knives, multitools, bunch of radios, generators, etc, etc. I don't think all that neccessary. Having a few of those tools are good though. Not to mention, a lot of those items will end up breaking. If you rely on those items and they break or you lose them, then what? Do you have the skills and/or knowledge to carry on without that item?
Personally though, I'd much rather have fewer items and make do, because that means less to account for and less to maintain and less to carry.
What do you guys think?
Puzzleheaded-Rub-396@reddit
Having a minimalistic approach in life, to not rely on certain tools, technology etc. is not a bad idea. However prepping will soften the impact in case it is needed.
Prepping can be a lot of things, it is not stereotypical. Prepping can ensure that you have at least 3 months of that medicine available in case of supply disruptions or lack of infrastructure. Prepping can be avoiding having to fight over a bowl of porridge in the emergency food line where you have to decide to stay hungry or punch the father with 3 kids. Prepping can be making sure you have the bare minimum essentials to produce heat or light. Prepping is also having the tools to defend yourself and your family in case society breaks down. Do tools break? Sure, but while you have them, they are an important part of your survival. Prepping is also very responsible and unselfish because as a prepper, you won't become a burden to society in case it doesn't function and you might even become a beacon and a life saver of your neighbor. Exaggerating in prepping can be almost like an addiction, however basic prudent inventory is something that will never be futile. Skills? Yes of course, but being a Gladiator in a post event world isn't always productive. Being a cornerstone for someone else, might be.
Mahartee@reddit
I'm not leaving my house so not going to carrying much of anything. We tend to fill our homes up with stuff. For instance have one of those old laundry crank wringers. Do I need it? No. Could it be useful? I think so. Have antibiotics and necessary medications in a cool place. Do you?
WowUToo@reddit
Where do you get antibiotics without a prescription?
SpringPowerful2870@reddit
What I did and I’m not plugging Amazon but I have an account. They have medical one and I’m paying 10.00 a month to telemedicine with a doctor. I can get a prescription through them but I know there are others.
Mahartee@reddit
Telyrx.com (florida based). When creating an account you have to pay an initial 'doctor' fee. $20 or so. They have a limited selection of drugs but not ridiculously priced. Ship fast. No insurance but an insurance discount so click that. They essentially have a below and above the belt choice for antibiotics. Think digestive bug and lung infection. Also Tamiflu, standard BP medications, etc.
Individual_Low_9204@reddit
Please don't forget to write the expiration date on your medications. They become less and less effective over time.
If they are being purchased in the case of potentially having a life threatening infection, keep them up to date.
616c@reddit
Those _are_ prescriptions, aren't they? They also sell doctor's notes to excuse people from working or school. But, even if shady, would still be coming from a qualified professional.
Mahartee@reddit
Yes I believe they are. You have to click agree to a long list of stuff. Actual doctor(s) are involved.
WowUToo@reddit
Thank you. That is a pretty good find.
dallas121469@reddit
I think many peppers are prepping to stay in place for an extended period of time so they can have lots of stuff to help them survive and be comfortable. I'm of the mindset that traveling light and quick will be more necessary if things go to hell but that's just me.
AdditionalAd9794@reddit
Not to the degree many think. For the most part being prepared isn't life vs death, it simply makes shitty situation less shitty. Look at fires, Hurricanes, and of these big shitty events, 95% of people aren't prepared, 99.9% of people survive.
Say it's a winter ice storm, power outage scenario. The unprepared most likely survive, they are just cold, miserable and hungry through the ordeal, while the prepared guy has a Mr buddy and a hot cup of noodles or whatever
TatlinsTower@reddit
Agreed, except in the Texas winter storm of 2021 where people actually did die in their homes :( Your point stands that most of the time the result is varying levels of discomfort, but with an unreliable grid and a freak storm, bad things do end up happening. After that, I decided I was never going to be unprepared again.
AdditionalAd9794@reddit
Even then, over 99.9% of people survived, most of whom were unprepared.
Generally those who died were an unfortunate combination of elderly, unprepared and unlucky
PhantomNomad@reddit
Also the ones that die in those situations is usually a mixture of stupidity and unprepared. Like firing up the BBQ inside the house to stay warm. Using a garden hose in a fire storm to save your house.
SpringPowerful2870@reddit
Every year someone fires up a generator in their home
SpringPowerful2870@reddit
That was bad! My sister lost power for 8 days and their water pipes burst
NewYorkRagdolls@reddit
May I ask why people didn’t go into their cars for heat and charge phones? Ask a neighbor to warm up in their car?I would def do this if I were going to freeze to death.
Ilike3dogs@reddit
Knowledge probably would have saved the people who died though. Texans were woefully unprepared for that. Texans didn’t know that bringing a barbecue grill inside was a bad idea. Carbon monoxide poisoning is what killed most of the people who died during that ice storm. Texans didn’t know how to layer their clothing. These are things that are taught from a young age in colder climates. So knowledge is a useful thing in any situation. And this is what I think op is saying. That said, people who had a working generator or propane heater were more likely to survive. And were more comfortable during the event
Fantastic_Baseball45@reddit
This also happened on the San Bernardino mountains in California.
evermorecoffee@reddit
I agree with your take, but I also think prepping makes shitty situations less shitty even after the threat is gone. As you say, 99.X% of people may survive, say, the LA fires BUT we don’t take into account the impact of preps on the aftermath.
How many will go on to develop cancer because they didn’t have good masks (respirators) and breathed in toxic smoke, inhaling ungodly amounts of nasty particulates at hazardous levels for days?
How many will suffer material losses because they were underinsured and did not have time to update their insurance policy or keep photos/videos of their belongings (for the lucky ones who were insured), did not keep copies of important documents, did not have access to funds to pay for travel/hotel so now they have credit card debt, etc ?
I believe every little prep can go a long way into making your life a lot less miserable once disaster hits, and especially in the days/weeks afterwards.
SpringPowerful2870@reddit
Read books on every aspect of a shitty situation. Non of us knows what might happen next another pandemic? War? Just having knowledge is the best resource and you can learn what you should do first. We’re preparing like we might have a blizzard or a hurricane. I bought a lot of different books from thrift books. They’re like new. I am experienced with both blizzards and hurricanes. I feel confident in both situations. I’m schooled in self defense but realize if someone plows through my front door I most likely won’t be ready. I think any preps are better than none. Not everyone can afford a year or two of food, preps will give you piece of mind and make it easier whatever it is.
Marokiii@reddit
If society truly starts collapsing and things like the govt fail and it becomes a free for all, than in reality no amount of preparing is going to save you outside of you having a compound that's highly defensable with enough space and resources to farm all your vegetables(and it's a lot more space than you would think, a 100% vegetarian diet requires about 1/4 of a football field per person, per year. If you want to raise animals than you need about 3 football fields per year per person.)
Having a bunch of supplies and food stored will help you in the short term, but if you were to actually survive for years than you need lots of secure arable land, and the guns and people to defend it.
chaos-gardening@reddit
Just going to point out the humor of you asking if preps are helpful while then listing useful skills, supplies, knowledge, and ways to prep that you find helpful.
verticallyblessed84@reddit
Or ask, "why have twenty knives" and then, "what if it breaks?" ...well, i would grab one of my other 19 knives.
AlternativePie7513@reddit (OP)
True. I was more thinking along the line of more tangible preps aside from food and water. But yes, knowledge and skills are a type of prep.
Traditional-Leader54@reddit
I’m pretty certain posts like this are just karma farming for new users. This is one of the better subs for getting a lot of comments on a general post.
OnTheEdgeOfFreedom@reddit
I think you need to tell me what you think prepping is for.
When I lived in New England, my preps were a generator, extra gas for it, propane for cooking, extra firewood, batteries and lights, and food and water in case I got snowed in. I used them all. Without a generator I'd have lost the food in the chest freezer, which would have been a lot of loss. I might also have had problems keeping the house warm enough to avoid frozen pipes, which could have been thousands of dollars in damages.
Maybe you think prepping is only for doomsday; or maybe you live somewhere where eh, it's "cold" out, no huge deal, it'll thaw tomorrow. If it's the doomsday thing... In my opinion prepping for doomsday, depending on how you define it, is pretty much a lost cause and if you think you're going to jury rig solutions in a US collapse, you're kidding yourself. You'll be too busy dodging bullets from the 80%+ of the population who are desperate for food and acquired guns. But maybe my vision of doomsday is a little more sweeping than yours?
I think a lot of doomsday preppers, at least in the rural US, have this vision that they'll be shucking corn with Ellie Mae on the front porch, with the trusty shotgun nearby in case any city folk need scaring off, and granma'll making soup in the kitchen over hickory coals. There won't be any more taxes and rules and life will basically be Denver's Thank God I'm a Country Boy.
I'm reasonably certain they're wrong - and you definitely won't want to be Ellie Mae when society comes crashing down.
But if you are prepping for more realistic events, I recommend the generator. And some decent light sources, antibacterial soap, stay current on vaccinations, have some cash saved away, keep an AM radio, have a way to travel quickly away from the worst weather events, and get your retirement account in shape if you can. Skills are also nice to have.
flying_wrenches@reddit
It’s the small stuff that counts.
I forgot my daily prep of my multi tool I carry on my hip.
My tire went flat when I was running errands..
I have a plug patch kit, and a can of compressed air to reinflate my tire..
You know what I didn’t have? My car tool kit or my multi tool with pliers to actually remove the dang nail..
You live and learn.
Ciarrai_IRL@reddit
Gotta use your teeth, amigo.
Ilike3dogs@reddit
Your teeth are always with ya! Unless you break them 😱😭
Ciarrai_IRL@reddit
So funny you mention... In my late teens I was at the beach with friends and asked someone to hand me a beer. They did, and just as I turned the bottle hit and chipped a tooth. It was repaired so well that I even forgot which tooth it was. Nearly 20 years later I think the resin fell off. I woke up and my tooth was chipped just like it was nearly 20 years ago. Waiting to get to the dentist so he can fix it again. Hopefully it will last another 20 years. My point is, even if you break your teeth, they're still with ya! ...as long as you have a good dentist.
Ilike3dogs@reddit
Moneybags here can afford medical care 😂🤣😳
Ciarrai_IRL@reddit
Lololol.
That_Bet_8104@reddit
"My idea is, wouldn't it be more beneficial to learn skills and obtain knowledge, rather than prep a bunch of (imo uneccesary) preps and rely on those items (that have a limited life)."
Do you love under a rock!? This is literally one of the most discussed ideas on this subreddit. Of course you need skills, and of course you need resources. There are comments about this every single day and still people manage to act like they came up with some crazy idea.
BaylisAscaris@reddit
My preps help me in big and small ways every day. I don't stock a bunch of stuff for the apocalypse, but things I use on a regular basis that make life easier/safer when disasters happen. Things I use all the time:
garfield529@reddit
Community is essential in my opinion.
BaylisAscaris@reddit
Community and financial are great ways to fill in gaps in your other preps. You'd be surprised how many problems can be solved by money and social connections.
FartingAliceRisible@reddit
Underrated prep and probably the most important.
MArkansas-254@reddit
Yep, this! I prep for Tuesday, not doomsday. 👍
Discontented_Beaver@reddit
Every item on your list would help anyone. Good list.
koookiekrisp@reddit
Exactly this. I feel like tackling the basics first and then maybe expanding to some other situation preparedness should be the natural progression. Very easy to get caught up in the “I need -blank- or I’m going to die”.
Traditional-Leader54@reddit
This ^
QuantumAttic@reddit
I think you're very new to the topic
AlternativePie7513@reddit (OP)
I sure am. Trying my best to learn as much as I can. The LA fires were a real eye opener
FiguringItOut346@reddit
I live in Los Angeles and this last fire catastrophe was legit pressure test for my readiness. We were not directly impacted but know many who were and things coulda gone south for us multiple times.
Here’s what I learned: - broadly, super thankful to have all my preps, made decision making way easier as a whole and gave us peace of mind, which helps keep things calm - water + food storage and document case made evacuation prep a breeze (learning: have a dedicated evacuation clothing bag - we had limited emergency clothing in bug out bags but not enough for multiple days) - having area maps helped inform potential escape routes (learning: w a sharpie, mark key locations like family members houses or safe spaces along w potential routes there - I had not done that prior but now it’s done) - a good stock of flashlights, tools, and emergency supplies allowed me to take action faster and without disturbing our daily routines given how long this all lasted - having preps helped my wife stay calmer and allowed for the whole family to be fully on board w action plans as new info developed (key to not waste time in denial nor arguing over what to do) - family members needed help and we were able to be there for them bc we ourselves were prepared, they were not
I also identified my weaknesses: - bought a new 100 ft long metal hose that allows me to water down most of my property and withstand some level of high heat - bought 2 hose splitters so now I have capacity for 4 hoses, will be DIY’ing a quick to deploy home sprinkler system
Agreeable-Can-7841@reddit
Have you read "One Second After"?
Willpower and moral certitude are what you are going to need.
Luffyhaymaker@reddit
You personally came to the same conclusion selco did (survived collapse in Bosnia I think in the 90's) did, prepping is useful but skills are way more useful to know (he recommends both but emphasizes learning useful skills). Read shtf survival boot camp by selco begovic and toby cowern and concrete jungle by Clay Martin (former green beret), useful stuff in those two books, their on Amazon
AlternativePie7513@reddit (OP)
I'll check those books out, thanks!
stream_inspector@reddit
I've used my generator multiple times - not a useless item at all. Covid even taught us that common things like toilet paper can become pretty important.
hellhound_wrangler@reddit
Idk bro, our chainsaw won't last forever if the world ends, but it sure made getting the big fucking tree out of my road so I could go to work after a windstorm a hell of a lot easier than it would be if I had to handcraft a flint axe to chop it up with.
AlternativePie7513@reddit (OP)
Haha touché
Adventurous_Egg4605@reddit
Definitely knowledge and tools help your preps. We have plenty of meat and grow our own vegetables. Having things that would disappear like medicine, salt, soap ( however know how to make my own if needed), knowing how to purify water or pump from a well without electricity, are things you should definitely think about
funnysasquatch@reddit
No. Because you can’t eat knowledge.
And just knowing how to cook isn’t going to help you if you don’t have anything to cook. Knowing multiple ways to build a campfire isn’t helpful if you’re in apartment without a fireplace
While Doomsday prepping gets the headlines- Mother Nature is what you have to be prepared for.
Fundamental of prepping is having: 2 weeks of water for every human & pet 2 weeks of food 2 week additional supply of prescription medication Way to heat food and water Shelter for everyone Lights like flashlights for everyone Clothing First Aid
2 weeks is the minimum. Best would be a year.
throwawayt44c@reddit
If you sleep better then it’s already paid off.
Icy-Medicine-495@reddit
A years worth of food bought me way more peace of mind than equal cost of therapy did.
Environmental_Art852@reddit
My husband should hear this.
Traditional-Leader54@reddit
Especially true if my wife sleeps better.
RichardBonham@reddit
Skills, knowledge, gear, fitness and community are not mutually exclusive.
Knowing how to be able to handle a power failure and having the equipment to do so have been mighty useful to me over the past thirty years of living in rural areas.
Using my camping gear keeps me in shape, is fun and can be used in power failures.
Being on good terms with the neighbors on my road is pleasant and also helpful (like when we’ve had major storms).
thomas533@reddit
This idea that you are prepping to head out into the woods with a backpack full of tools to survive with needs to die. No one serious is prepping that way.
I am prepping for a big earthquake and I need supplies and tools to keep my family alive until services are restored.
I am prepping for a pandemic where supply lines are disrupted for weeks or months.
I am prepping for an urban disaster (something like large fires spreading through a major city) where I need to pack everything I can into my car and get to a safe space.
None of those things involve me carrying a backpack full of tools.
allyboballykins@reddit
The water went out in the entire city of Richmond. My non potable water helped me enough to flush my toilet.
Silence_1999@reddit
Depends what you are prepping for
Suspicious-Agent8932@reddit
Depends. If you have a cellar or pantry, basement or cellar chock full of canned, bottled and freeze dried food, but you have to evacuate by car or on foot, then that prep won’t help you. If you have your bug out bag and your car already packed with your food, tents, etc and have to evacuate, then that plan depends on lack of gridlock. Can you leave your car just with what you can carry? It’s a situational question. Every emergency has to be covered, i.e. can you even get to your Bug Out place without your car? Will someone be there before you? There are so many variables! I have a Book Series on Amazon that can scale you several ways, on a budget called, ‘Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators’ that lets you get your house in order. The most important prep is your big out bag, and possible routes you can take by car, bike or on foot. This is the time to plan! Make sure your preps cover those 4 scenarios, shelter in place, evacuate by vehicle, evacuate by foot and have a place of safety prepared for you and yours to get to if needed.
MArkansas-254@reddit
It depends on what you are prepping for. Personally, I prep for Tuesday, not doomsday. 🤷♂️👍
SheistyPenguin@reddit
What kind of crisis and timeline do you have in mind? Otherwise these conversations turn into a game of moving goalposts.
On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
J-Bone357@reddit
Depends what you are prepping for. End of civilization and mankind? Yeah an extra multi tool prob won’t help. A hurricane or tornado? You’ll want as much stuff as you can to stay comfortable and helpful.
SpeckenZeDich@reddit
Nope
Spiley_spile@reddit
A person's scenario makes a difference in not only what they prepare, but how.
If your scenario is living in the woods the rest of your life without a grocery store etc And your outlook on how long you think your life could realistically last with xyz skills, you should invest in xyz skills.
If my scenario is a 3-day, city-wide, winter power outage, I won't be hunting and dressing animals or rotatilling my balcony etc. However, I could also still benefit from some skills. How to effectively layer clothing (also useful for camping and backpacking), how to weatherize one's house. Downed powerline safety, etc. If it's a large city 9.0 megaquake, that's another, although overlapping scenario.
As a community prepper, my preps don't go to waste. There are always disasters small and large. No sense only preparing myself when how my community fares could massively impact my survival chances. I prepare with supplies, as well as skill development and free skill shares, as well as supplies. Adopting this approach means my supplies won't go to waste. I donated several hundred pounds of dried beans to disaster relief efforts some years back. Next time a snow storm strands motorists along the freeway, my snowshoes and the pulk sled Ive since built will come in handy delivering blankets and such to the start of a mororist supply chain. Or, if I need to evacuate the city during a snowy winter, these same supplies will benefit that effort as well.
Regardless of scenario, multi-purpose skills and supplies are the way to go, in my opinion. Whereas only holding supplies or skills with very narrow application for an unlikely scenario, they could easily expire in a shed or rust from lack of practice.
lastnamelava@reddit
Yup, as a person who went through a fire in L.A., it will help you get back to normal faster than folks who have not prepared. I would alter my "Go Bag" prepping in the future to be about living in a hotel and eating takeout for the next 6 months rather than camping in the wilderness and expecting to build a fire from scratch.
You'll spend less time running around replenishing and worrying, and focus on regrouping somewhere safe!
bvogel7475@reddit
I agree. I also keep a mini prep set in my car that could provide water and food for a day or so in an emergency. I store my water in 5 gallon food grade containers and could even grab one on the way out. We always have our valuable documents, precious metals, guns and some clothing ready to go at a moments notice. We had to evacuate for a fire in 2008 and that was scary because I could see the fire coming at us. There wasn't any evacuation notice either.
Venaalex@reddit
I've been in multiple hurricanes, terrible ice storms, tornados, flood events. My new house is in an area that loses power, why on earth would I let my fridge go bad and have no heat or air and risk health complications with either when I can have a generator?
I've had times when I can't afford groceries but I can shop my freezer and pantry and find a nutritious meal.
Prepped for Tuesday.
MotoXwolf@reddit
I think my answer to you in regards to why have all these tools and items for preparedness would have to be: I hope you understand where your food comes from? In other words if a catastrophic situation caused the supply chain to break and you cannot go to stores because they have all shut down and the trucking and shipping is all shut down, how do you acquire food and sustenance to survive? How will you continue to live and survive after all of your food preps are eaten up or taken from you by people who are armed and of questionable moral character? What will you use to survive?
Having guns, knives, axes, hatchets, cooking pots, fishing gear, other items and the knowledge to employ these tools will be paramount to staying alive after you’re driven from the city or suburbs in search of food and water.
AverageIowan@reddit
Skills are key. Any serious prepped will stress that. As far as items - tools, food, supplies, etc - they were originally created to make a difficult life a bit easier.
I don’t know about you, but just because I can raise chickens and rabbits, hunt and fish, and grow a garden, I certainly don’t want to do that because of a power outage. Or a tornado. Or any number of disasters that are t the end of the world (the much more likely ones).
NewYorkRagdolls@reddit
No not if we die 😂All kidding aside….If it is only you or you rent that all would be fine but if you have others relying on you and own your home not so much! I personally like to live comfortably and will not bug out no matter what. Everything I need and needs me is here in my home so yes I have multiple forms of everything needed just in case and really we are very over due for a hurricane any way. 😂 I’m ready lol
dank_tre@reddit
There’s a huge difference between prepping & hoarding
No-Ad-4142@reddit
I think people confuse prepping with hoarding or assume they are the same.
What good is first aid training if you don’t have equipment and bandages?
What good is an evacuation plan if you do not have a compass, flashlight, flare, pen, carabiner, sturdy go bag?
For me, prepping is more of a mindset and there are also levels to preparedness.
Do I have room to store all that I want to store? Nope.
Do I have enough food that if I was stranded in my place for two weeks without access to outside food and water, could I do it?
Do I still have a lot to learn about prepping and being prepared for multiple emergency scenarios?
Yes.
I have survived power outages, fires, lockdown, gas/fuel disruption, and earthquakes.
DannyWarlegs@reddit
Prepping is not about buying stuff, it's about having the skills, the physical fitness and mental state to overcome those unforseen events life throws at you.
My preps have helped me more times than I can count. From having what my dad calls "my personal hardware store" in my truck storage behind the back seat helping us out of dozens of jams, to having extra meds when my doctor forgot to send my refills in during Christmas this year, to keeping us all alive during several bad winter storms leaving us without power.
Do I also have a bunch of guns and tactical gear like night vision goggles, and wireless radio headsets? Sure do. But 99% of the time those guns are for fun. The night vision is for watching the deer at night on my land, or finding out wtf is digging up my driveway. The wireless headsets are for when I'm mowing my lawn, and I'm being told to come in for dinner. My winter survival stuff doubles as camping stuff.
My hard drives full of movies, TV shows, music, books, etc I share with friends and family when they want to watch some old show that's not on streaming.
I hope to God that I never have to use any of my stuff to save my life or someone else's. But I have it just in case. I hope the world doesn't fall apart, but if it does at least I'll be comfortable for a bit longer than most.
Lazy_Transportation5@reddit
I mean, I think a lot of guys spend most their time buying guns and ammo and training shooting drills because they are gonna Phil Team 6 through the apocalypse. They are gonna be disappointed when they find out they can’t outshoot dehydration and poor cardio.
Ultimately, you can’t prep for anything so prep for what you can and just be aware… We all gotta die someday.
optimallydubious@reddit
Phil Team Six had me rolling.
Wingdings244k@reddit
Very subjective based on what you’re preparing for. There’s an expression here “prepping for Tuesday” and the other general alternative you’re referring to most likely is doomsday prepping or “sh*t hits the fan” (SHTF).
I prep for Tuesday, and occasionally SHTF like a world war scenario with supply chain disruptions and potential public resource depletions, unstable power grids etc.
Prepping for Tuesday is your everyday nightmares like being a motor vehicle accident, getting affected by a large storm, losing power, severe injuries etc.
There’s something quite fulfilling to me about increasing equally my skills and my practical items that make life more sustainable.
I live in the country and have a long treed driveway with plenty of half dead trees that can and sometimes do fall toward the driveway. A simple prep for me is having a maintained chainsaw that I can quickly call on to deal with being blocked in. That’s what I mean by prepping for Tuesday.
And just for fun I’ll share, that’s exactly what happened the first big snow storm after moving here. There was a foot of snow on the driveway I went to plow with the ATV and discovered several large trees bent over the driveway that had to mostly be removed to get out that day.
milspecspud@reddit
Tools and skills go hand in hand to give you capabilities. Skills are perishable and there are few people on earth who are able to survive long term with no equipment.
RiverRattle@reddit
I am an emergency prepper only, so I don't know why I keep getting this on my feed but my prep helps me with power outages most often. This has happened every season since I've been living here. It's usually from weather, ice, wind etc and it can be out for up to 3 weeks at times depending on what's going on.
Being able to feed, entertain, and care for my children during those times when "outside" wasn't safe and inside was either freezing cold with no electric heat or sweltering hot with no electric air and no kitchen use was priceless.
I don't worry about my children as adults now because they've seen what it looks like to be prepared for the unexpected vs their friend's parents complaining on Facebook that all the restaurants in the area are out of power as well and they need dinner.
If things get bad you'll want to have some kind of plan.
PrettyAcanthisitta95@reddit
Not sure about your preps but mine have already been battle tested and yes, they have and will continue to help me.
alriclofgar@reddit
Help us with what, is the question I think.
I’ve used my first aid training. I eat the cans in my pantry. I use my battery backup.
None of that will help me if I trip and die, but none of us get out of life in one piece.
I try to prep for things that I think are likely, and to prep in ways that don’t derail the rest of my life. That way, prepping helps me live, for however long I’ve got.
sbinjax@reddit
I prep for loss of power during a snowstorm. It's not the end of the world, but I'd like to be as comfortable as possible.
NWYthesearelocalboys@reddit
I use everything. Two way radios are used camping/hunting, ATVing and other outdoor emergencies.
When the power is out it ends up being a movie night thanks to back up power.
I use my multiple variations of saws to limb trees, cut firewood and DIY projects around the house.
Peace of mind. I could go several months without income and I can use my preps like my tractor to grow more food and make money during SHTF. It's almost already paid for itself in projects I've been able to comlete without having to hire out help.
1970s_again@reddit
You need to do both, we say one is none.
Is your seatbelt going to help you? Still better buckle up every time you drive.
Thoth-long-bill@reddit
You do it your way. It’s fine . Nobody is forcing you to be on this sub.
Ilike3dogs@reddit
If I’m hearing you correctly, you’re saying that you would prefer to learn how to raise a garden rather than rely solely upon dehydrated vegetables. You’re saying that you would rather learn to can your own fruits and vegetables than have a year’s supply in the closet. I agree. Skills are more valuable than objects. Learn how to grow and can your own food. But each time you’re at the grocery store, pick up a few extra canned or dehydrated foods. Prepping takes time. Growing a garden takes time. Don’t just do one or the other. Do both. You don’t need to put a lot of cash into a prepper oriented business. And it doesn’t have to be immediate. Just a few extra cans from the store now and then. And continue to grow foodstuffs. Plant fruit and nut trees now. And continue to quietly learn how to can your own foods. Fly under the government’s radar while learning. Meet with local, like-minded people who you trust. You have more of a handle on prepping than what’s typically depicted on television
Radiant_Lychee_7477@reddit
Skills and knowledge ARE a prep.
What you describe as prepping is tacticool cosplay.
The neighbor who has 20 different pricey flashlights still hasn't learned basic stop-the-bleed.
Jose_De_Munck@reddit
Hello there. I am from Venezuela. I would say that it depends a lot, but in my case, I would resume it as follows.
Responsible-Sun55@reddit
I view prepping as a form of insurance. A tool can break, so it’s better to have a couple of backups for it. And you can’t have enough batteries and flashlights. Power goes out all the time.
Then a first aid kit is always useful. A well stocked medical cabinet with OTC medication, gauze, rubbing alcohol, bandages, etc.
A good stockpile of a pantry that you rotate through regularly will help you save money.
Maintenance of your home and vehicles are part of prepping. Keeping your vehicle gas tank at least half full is prepping. You never know when you’ll be stuck in traffic or have to evacuate like the CA wildfires.
I don’t view having piles of guns as prepping. I do not know how to use them, and nor do I want to. Realistically, people will die in their first or second gunfight. Not interested in that. I’ll evacuate if I’m in physical danger from another human.
I think it’s about what realistically could happen. Like a pandemic. Or if you’re out west, wildfires and quakes. More east, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards.
And of course, people have financial issues. Prepping helps address that. So I think there’s a misunderstanding of what prepping is about. It isn’t prepping for an invasion. It’s prepping for natural disasters, medical emergencies, financial hardships, and property damage.
foofoo300@reddit
why not both?
every little thing in the right direction helps your case, the more you do for your goal, the better prepared you are. If you have water and food and other don't you can either help out, or use the time to plan the next steps, while everybody else gathers food and water.
Then you can use your skills to strengthen your already built community within your local group, or make new friends along the way.
There are people in here, only hoarding stuff and never using it or acquiring skills, but more people are prepping for Tuesday than doomsday i suppose.
The last time i used my go bag, was emergency evacuation of a few blocks, due to a ww2 bomb.
I sleep better with my inflatable, my blanket and a set of clothes and my toothbrush, than with stuff given by the authorities.
I have a bag in my car, to take naps on long drives, use the stored bottles if i am thirsty or gave a friend some band aids out of my boo boo kit in the bag, when he cut himself with a knife.
My preps are mostly my hiking pack (which is also my go bag + about the same in the car) and a deep pantry at home. works for me. Bushcraft is hobby and most skills transitioning to daily life is knots
Dmau27@reddit
I'm kind of worried that you have done any research and question if prepping anything outside of food and water is useful. Skills are great but waiting until it happens means you now have 83 things you need and must obtain or do because you didn't prepare. You need medical supplies, fuel, power, lighting, clothing, etc. Another big one is firearms and that's a skill you NEED have experience with.
You can't defend yourself if you're not a practiced shooter and being knowledgeable about firearms is essential to keeping what's yours in a variety of scenarios. Prepping isn't about the end of the world for most. It's about ready for natural disasters, unnatural disasters, power outages, winter storms and pandemics.
oybiva@reddit
I sure hope so. I chose to live in the country, fully self sufficiently. The weather is mild and the land is fertile. I have fresh water, well, solar and secluded 12 acres. I can grow food, and hunt if necessary. I have endless firewood. I am healthy and fit. What more can I ask for, really.
temerairevm@reddit
I think this is a good question to ask about your preps, but the answer is certainly an individual one.
Certainly in our case a lot of the camping stuff we have is useful during power outages but it’s not entirely necessary. It’s just as accurate to say we’re camping hobbyists and that’s really why we own most of it.
The same could be said of a lot of weapons. Chances are you won’t ever need them, some reasonable number can be attributed to prepping, and at some point you’re a collector.
A generator might start to feel more necessary as you get older and need something like a CPAP or just if your tolerance for discomfort declines. It happens.
DwarvenRedshirt@reddit
I think that's pretty much what you'll see whenever it comes up in the subreddit. Especially when it's someone under 18 or so. Skills/knowledge over gear. The problem is that it can take a lengthy amount of time to get skills/knowledge. So it's a tradeoff. If it takes you 6 months to learn 10 different ways to make fire at a consistently useable skill level, or $50 to buy a box of 50 Bic lighters, which is a better use of your time and money?
kkinnison@reddit
your knowledge and skills mean jack if you are inured in an accident get have a major illness and cannot work for 6 months. knowing how to cut trees or having 20 differant knives isn't going to really help you
My Basic level of prepping is having enough funds, food, and water you can be self-sufficient and no need of external aid for 6 months. Everything else is extra
that level of security really helps with anxiety and you almost never need to worry about shortages, and panic buying
Eurogal2023@reddit
It might help you of you imagine preps as "what people used to du before the advent of supermarkets".
My grandparent generation (not just cause of the recent war, but outbof common sense and tradition) store food for around a year in their cellar.
A friend of mine said her grandparents used to buy one big casket of sardines and store it in the cellar, enough for one year.
Having like a literal ton of potatoes stored also was standard, there used to be adesignated potato cellar for this. Then came preserves, jams and stuff like homemade pickles. During the war people shared with neighbors on keeping and feeding a pig or two penned somewhere in the forest (in occupied Norway people had to get very creative to keep some food sources under the radar of the nazis).
And so on.
A parallell today would be to get two of everything you buy and stash the one away, thus over a year building a larder of food and necessities for one more year.
Waratail@reddit
That is actually a super good way of thinking about it
AdManNick@reddit
Entirely depends on what you’re prepping for. Everyone has to do their own threat modeling based of what’s likely to happen vs how devastating it could be. It just so happens that prepping for natural disasters or civil unrest puts you in a much better position for the big stuff.
sjb2971@reddit
My preps are for tuesday, not doomsday. Deep pantry, redundant heat and power. Things that will get me through a couple months. I also have plenty of land to expand the garden if need be. Plenty of land to hunt. Plenty of access to fresh water including a backup hand pump well. I'd rather not revert back to a pre powerline world but I know how to make charcoal and how to blacksmith. I know how to make pottery. I know how to cure and preserve meat. I know how to ferment and preserve produce. Most importantly I live in a rural area with great neighbors who are also prepared and resilient individuals. A strong community is the most important prep.
koookiekrisp@reddit
I think it’s a balance. Knowledge is very important but having something like ready-to-go power banks to charge phones (and knowing where they are) during an outage is good to have. Chances are a power bank isn’t going to be life or death, but it’s going to make the situation nicer. An extra can opener, a spare change of clothes in the car, a phone charger in a convenient location, etc.
I wouldn’t say I’m a prepper, personally, but I like emergency preparedness (harkens back to the Boy Scout days I guess) and this sub is where I can scratch that itch.
Came in handy during COVID when, for whatever reason, my cat’s favorite canned food was hard to find. No idea why, just couldn’t find it as much. Well I already had a box or two in reserve and just cycled through them a little more than I would’ve otherwise and replaced what I took out when I found it on the shelf. Same with jars of pasta sauce, rice, batteries, etc. One in, one out with some buffer. I didn’t “survive” because I stored cat food, but it was nice to not be fully without. Plus kitty was able to get her favorite food.
Plus the same kitty decided to run outside and I needed a flashlight to find her, good thing I always kept a fully charged headlamp in a table drawer.
So to answer your questions, they SHOULD help you, but only if you prepare for likely scenarios. As for the unlikely scenarios, I guess you could say they would decrease your suffering.
cashRb@reddit
That’s like asking if saving and investing will help you in retirement.
ExtraplanetJanet@reddit
I think you have a prepping philosophy that is longer term than most preppers, and that’s going to give you a different perspective. I’m not prepping for the collapse of civilization and a life of subsistence without society. I’m prepping for the next hurricane or long power outage or job loss or supply chain disruption, all those inevitable but generally short term disasters. If I were planning for the end of the electrical grid forever, I would learn to make candles, melt tallow, etc. Instead, I will buy flashlights and make sure I have batteries, because I would much rather have that efficiency and comfort in a power outage.
Every-Nebula6882@reddit
Community is the most important prep. If you don’t have community you will live the rest of your days paranoid in a bunker with your ammo to keep you company. Community is the only path back to a normal life.
pinewoods_ranger@reddit
Survive vs Thrive
I do not expect a zombie apocalypse or nuclear war. At least for a little while longer. Prepping lots of tools and supplies is necessary because I believe we will have an economic emergency before anything else.
Preps also vary widely by region, so since I’m in the suburbs I’m not worried about living in the woods for weeks on end but I do want to be able to stay in my house without having to leave for a week if for example there was bad rioting and looting in my area.
Essentially, preparedness isn’t all about being Survivorman in a wasteland. It’s about being able to continue on for as long as possible with no major degradation in quality of life or access to the everyday essentials before you have to start scrounging.
dreadedowl@reddit
Personally, I look at prepping in three major ways. Physically. Am I in shape and able to actually do work? That answer is yes, but involves going to the gym and keeping myself in relatively good condition. Financially, am I able to take a significant loss from income and be okay? Currently, I have the ability to retire on my savings. I am perfectly fine financially right now but that could change any day and I keep saving and I keep giving to those who need it. Security, not in the bang bang sense. I have at least one year of food and one year of water . If I can't figure out how to make life work within a year of everything going to hell, I suppose I don't want to be alive anyways.
Raddish3030@reddit
You ever wonder how much really evil/heinous stuff you will be forced to do in order to live?
I'm not saying I don't have that in me. But man, I don't want to be forced into that mode.
breastfedbeer@reddit
Learning skills IS prepping.
Icy-Medicine-495@reddit
Congrats you skipped a trap most people fall for when you start prepping including myself.
Almost every new preppers see a cool gador gimic device that is advertised to be the ultimate prepping gear you need to survive the apocalypse. When in reality it's overpriced low quality junk.
Prepping is not very exciting when you do it practical even if you prepare for a 1 week disaster or 10 year one.
Of course skills are important but that takes effort and most people want to solve their fear with a 100 dollar purchase.
potorthegreat@reddit
For the most part, you just need bushcraft training and equipment.
I'd be skeptical of anything specifically advertising to preppers.
Icy-Medicine-495@reddit
Personally I am going homesteading route but there is just as much garbage marketed to bushcraft and homesteading.
EffinBob@reddit
Yes. If you feel something isn't what you need, don't have one. Skills are never a bad thing to have.
Fantastic_Baseball45@reddit
I learned how to select vines and learn how to make them into cord, and I'm working on learning to tie knots. I know how to take chickens from the coop to the cook pot, and I have a lot of seeds for the garden. If I have to bug out, I have a foraging book specific to my region. I live near a forest. It's wild to imagine there may be at least hundreds of people nearby with the same idea.
RonJohnJr@reddit
Your idea is definitely 25 years old, and almost certainly 50 years old.
Spoken like a true Survivalist ready to run out into the woods. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivalism
You're gonna die out in the woods a heck of a lot sooner than I will.
ChevyJim72@reddit
You prep for you. I prep for allot of different things which require different items. Training, knowledge and understanding is the first prep, Item's are second and community is 3rd.
ZroFksGvn69@reddit
Depends entirely on the circumstances. Ultimately, both skills and stocks/equipment may be important or essential to survival.
ResolutionMaterial81@reddit
If there is serious enough issue that causes a total collapse of modern commerce (e.g. Just-In-Time-Delivery), I would surmise most people (especially those in urban/suburban areas that do not have a grasp on exactly what Farm-to-Market entails) would not survive it, as the world would likely have the 1st widespread sustainence issue possibly since "The Year without Summer"...200 years ago. The latter Congressional Commissions on EMP estimated up to 90% Fatalities in the US, & there are far worse scenarios than that. So maybe 33 million ramaining living out of 330 million...if that.
Most have no concept of the calories expended just trying to stay alive. Foraging...farming...ranching....but without modern equipment. The event itself could negate those methods, and that only leaves what you have stored or what you can scavenge & even that comes with hazards.
So yes...I prep extensively not only for me & mine to survive many most worst case scenarios, but to thrive. But yes, that entails having a knowledge base & skillsets ...along with physical preps.
Iron_lion-zion@reddit
The question is valid
But in return, I would ask how many pairs of shoes do you own?
One pair?.. why even on shoes at all there are people who walk barefoot every day and actually have better gait than us
Many pairs ?? well that’s wasteful. You only need one pair at a time.
Different pairs of shoes do different things some boots meant to get dirty and rugged some running shoes some are just for comfort around the house
Does that mean I should get rid of all my shoes and learn to walk barefoot for the day when I don’t have shoes -no I already know how to walk this just makes it a little more comfortable
For me personally, 70% of my preps seamlessly integrate into my hunting and camping equipment
10% is geared around items specific to the dogs and my wife
20% is house specific food/ water / power
If I have knives, they every day carry hunting knives or cooking knives
We try to make our shelf stable foods as healthy as possible beans rices, canned tuna, things like that I can be rotated etc
Absolutely there are some people who overdo it as with anything addictions can form
Dessertcrazy@reddit
I don’t think most of us here are prepping for the end of the world. I prep for emergencies. I’ve needed my preps several times. Blizzards, power outages, civil unrest, water outages. So food gor at least a month. Water. Lighting. Heat if needed. Just pretend you can’t go to the grocery store for two to 4 weeks. What would you need? Most importantly, money. Prep for job loss. And prep for the disaster every one of us will face, retirement. I’m lucky, I retired well. But I have friends who didn’t plan, and they aren’t having a good retirement
Ryan_e3p@reddit
If you're just buying things without learning new things, you didn't prep.
PrisonerV@reddit
I'm not prepping to live like Les Stroud in the wilderness after the fungus takes over America (season 2 of Last of Us coming soon!).
I'm prepping for Tuesday. My generator catches fire. I'll get another one.
I'm pretty for peace of mind and the ability to just keep going about my business with minor inconvenience, even if it's a week in the summer.
Nonchalant_Khan@reddit
A lot of my prepping has to do with my line of work. I build and troubleshoot all day. Electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, you name it. So, with that being said . . .
Yes. Skills are FAR more important AND creativity. I have a musical, creative writing skill set that I KNOW has wired my brain differently for the work that I do to make a living and has helped me see problems from a different perspective than a traditional type of tradesman.
And that, in my mind, is what prepping is all about. Seeing potential problems and solutions before they arise.
When you're first starting out tools and gear may be the way to go to supplement for lack of skills, but you should be building skills in parallel to "building" your gear too. As your skill set increases in any given area you begin to see what tools are effective and necessary, and which you can do without.
That's just my two sense. Ol' Dad out.
NotAnotherRedditAcc2@reddit
Go to any general thread about prepping, and it's filled with "learn some skills."
silasmoeckel@reddit
Stuff and skills are needed in equal measure to give you the best chances.
Stuff deals with 99.9% of the scenarios if you know how to at least use it.
Skills alone is a good way to die unless you live in the tropics and have a ready supply of everything.
Moving preps shouldn't be a concern, you prep your house you prep your bug out locations and never assume anything will go from one to another. One is none here, always assume your arriving naked at your bug outs. Yes I plan on moving stuff, it's great to go from N+1 to +6 for expensive critical things.
Take what should be a very basic prep of solar/bat/gen it's literally one of the few that saves you money today preps. This give you a huge advantage is most things and gets you ready for deep freeze as well as pantry as you can assume stable power for all but a couple corner cases.
Now skills are also important, take that power prep if it's a black box you cant fix or troubleshoot your SOL if it breaks. Do you need a masters in EE like me no but at least know the basic of how to troubleshoot have simple hand tools like a multimeter and soldering iron for the task.
In all things it's about planning to degrade, I have freezers but can also smoke and otherwise process meat for long term storage. We do some of this out of wanting to eat those foods so its reasonable to get that done in the worse case before it would spoil.
Ciarrai_IRL@reddit
The more I prep the more I realize it's not necessary to go balls to the wall. I have a go bag with a few necessities and 3 days worth of bare minimum food (high calorie energy bars), box of ammo, knife, emergency blankets, duct tape, cash, etc. Then I have a go tote with more of the same, plus some camping stuff, wool blankets, etc. I'm more concerned now about in home preparation. Power grid being down for extended period, grocery stores empty shelves... So I've upgraded to a larger generator, larger food pantry, and so on. Idk if that answers your question.
theuniverseofme@reddit
Learning skills are part of prepping, along with any essential items or other preps (e.g., financial) needed for a time of emergency.
attorneyatslaw@reddit
In my experience, the most useful thing I've prepped has been a generator. That, I have actually used a couple of times, including a long post tropical storm outage and it made a huge difference. I think its very unlikely that I am going to have to flee my home so I'm not a minimalist.
xikbdexhi6@reddit
Preps help in the short term, possibly long term if your really plan well. Skills prep you for a lifetime.
simonsurreal1@reddit
Prep for your area. Fires, prep for that. Floods, prep for that. Snowstorms power outages, prep for that. The adult LARPING with the rest of the stuff is mental masturbation for adults that still want to play capture the flag or some crap. The bailout bag is crucial but you better hope that you can just maintain at your spot and don't go anywhere when things go down. Learn from events like the LA fires.
Serpico2@reddit
I don’t prep to survive the apocalypse. And I live in an area, fingers crossed, where natural disasters really don’t happen. I prep because the Chinese have infected every major utility you can name pretty much nationwide with malware. And if hostilities break out over Taiwan, even in a limited way, they might spike our punchbowl and if it takes the government a month to figure out how to squirrel the water treatment plants or the grid, I want to be able to shepherd my kids through that in a reasonably normal way. Because you can bet there’ll be runs on food and potable water if that happens.
RealWolfmeis@reddit
In my experience, preparation is simply to get through an event. Any exhaustible resource is finite by it's very nature. Our preps have served us well through hurricanes, winter storms and covid shutdowns.
BUT part of our preparation has been learning the old ways. We garden, make fabric, preserve food, learn ways to clean water and provide first aid. We grow community.
You're spot on that preparation cannot be static, it always has to have a view on what is next.
Counterboudd@reddit
That is how I prep though. While yeah, I do keep short term food supplies (because if shtf in February and I couldn’t harvest crops again until September, yes I would like to make it that far), most of what I prep are items that would be useful, books on how to do things, and getting items that I would need but wouldn’t be able to buy if supply chains went down. A lot of tools, seed saving, and items that would be hard to replace make up the bulk of my preps. My hope would be to move into a situation where I’m producing my own food and sustaining myself, but getting there requires short term and medium term stuff.
Odd_Mountain_3583@reddit
Prepping is a sliding scale. Examples:
-Loss of employment(minor emergency) Prep: Have an emergency fund in your bank.
-Hurricane/wildfire (major emergency) Prep - A well maintained vehicle with extra gas to evacuate. Bugout bag with vital records, cash, food, water, ifak, firearm?, tools.
Yes. I think Prepping can help, if for peace of mind, if nothing else. It could be as simple as keeping a spare tire and a jack in your vehicle. Or you could build a 10,000 square foot bomb shelter 40 feet underground. Prep to your comfort level and hope you don't ever need them.
CCinCO@reddit
Having tools and skills help you to be self-reliant. Having food and resources allows piece of mind, kind of like the grasshopper and ant analogy. Everyone has their own household to maintain and nobody's plan is going to be like yours.
Kradget@reddit
I don't keep a ton of equipment, but having basics covered means I can do more stuff more easily or more safely.
As a fr'instance, we had a major wind storm a few months ago. I got out and helped an elderly neighbor cut up and move some fallen limbs and get them off a small outbuilding. It took about 20 minutes, because I had a $20 pruning saw on hand because I live near a bunch of trees and it's nice to be able to section fallen limbs up with something a little more aggressive than a basic handsaw, it's safer than my hatchet for that kind of work, and cheaper and handier than a chainsaw.
popsblack@reddit
For me at least not everything I do has a practical excuse. I have way more pocket knives than I will ever need for example. I also have practiced lots of skills that I have no doubt I will die before they ever come into use. But I find those things enjoyable, some fish, some play video games, to each their own.
Sildaor@reddit
I understand where you’re coming from, like anything else some people like more. Consider it investing in ease of existence. The more niche things you have, the easier some things will be. You can get by with minimal gear, and I applaud those that go simple. It really shows with the gun gear types, that can arm a small army, but maybe lack gardening tools. At the end of the day, having multiple types creates a barter style community. I have a lot of tools as I enjoy working on cars. I have more tools than I need to work on the vehicles I have, but say you bring me a chainsaw that has an oddball sized bolt you need removed. I probably have that tool, and would be happy to take care of it. In exchange, could you cut up that log real quick? Its a give and take, and I totally get overkill. But to each their own, and you never know when they can help you, or you help them.
learn2cook@reddit
I think it’s not an either or. Maybe the people who are best prepared go either way yes and
Mipo64@reddit
Remember all those 'extra' items are also useful in trades.
MountainManMT406@reddit
In the end, your knowledge and mental capacity will help you more than your physical preps
infinitum3d@reddit
I post this frequently-
Preparedness
Fitness and Knowledge are free, weightless, always with you and can’t be stolen from your bag.
Focus on getting healthy/strong. Walk. Climb stairs. Build endurance. Stretch. Eat right. Quit soda pop and choose water.
Make yourself valuable to a society.
Learn CPR, first aid, and basic life support. Maybe take a lifeguard course.
Learn what wild edibles you can forage. Every region has them. Get a local Field Guide to Wild Edibles and see what is near you.
Get a bike. If you have to travel, a bike is far easier and faster than walking. Learn how to maintain it and repair it when something breaks.
Get a partner, friend, buddy who has a skill you don’t. Then learn a skill that they don’t have. One person alone can’t do everything.
Don’t stress.
You got this.
Hot-Profession4091@reddit
Some amount of stuff is helpful. A supply of food and water, lighting and cooling methods that don’t require AC electricity, generators, tools, etc. but stocking up a bunker full of beans and rice is a fool’s errand.
incruente@reddit
If you want fewer things to account for and carry, you can always pick up the few things you prefer to keep and leave the rest behind. It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Decent-Cricket-5315@reddit
They should be helping you now.