Cost of Preparedness?

[Solus]

Might want to check out this site.  Could find some good ideas and info there.

http://surviveinplace.com/

[MikeBjerum]

Rastus,

I could go the poll route if this doesn't work.  However, I don't think I'm asking anything that would make the black birds hover, and I am really trying to use open ended questions to allow people to give their opinions and specialties.

Sous,

My hope is to hear from those actually doing it, rather than one expert's opinion.  I may be reinventing the wheel in terms of research, but that is how we find changing views.

Also, I know that sometimes sharing amongst friends helps everyone either get the ball moving that they have been intending, or catch a glitch in their system that they hadn't noticed.

[tombogan03884]

In perishable supplies I (for myself alone ) spend about 10% more than I really need on things like Groceries, meds are nothing extra as I'll be taking them anyway .

[cookie62]

We have bug out kits for all family members, cost mainly just the bag. First aid is kept in a plastic tote that we use out of and replace as needed, cost maybe 30 to 50 bucks total. Well stocked pantry, about 100 bucks. Water storage is gal. jugs @ 1.00 each. Water purifacation pump was 50 bucks. Tent we had for awhile. Training, my wife and I are both first responders so its free. Also our situation is a little different, We are both first line responders to natural or manmade disasters. If it is a evacuation type emergency we have an EOC that we will go to and work out of. But we also have our bug outs if we need to get out of dodge.

[fightingquaker13]

If you are planning to "bug in" preparedness is almost free. Where I live, in Hurricane country, preparedness is an annual event. I can't bug out, minus an ocean going boat, as the roads will be clogged. So the bugout bag is just a backpack with 5 days food, a camp stove, tent, water filter, bag and raingear and weapons and money (hidden). The extreme "bug out" is the extended camping trip in the Glades. There, its what I can fit in a canoe.
Real life? I prep for 30 days cut off. This is easy and cheap. A good first aid kit (bought piece meal, not off the shelf, figure $150)'
Food, as others have said, buy stuff you'll eat anyway. Rice, beans, diced tomatoes, corn, kippers, no-refrig bacon, just add water pancake mix,  and ramen etc.. If you don't use it? Donate it at Thanksgiving and and restock. It really doesn't cost much. No pricy MREs. Just buy 4 rather than one and keep the larder up.
Same deal with water. The rule is one gallon per man, per day. I keep thirty gallons of water bottles and rotate as I drink. Its not much of an extra cost.
As far as flushing? Buy 5 5 gallon buckets, $.75 each at the dollar store. I live on a golf course and have a pond in the back yard. No problem.
I bought a bunch of battery lanterns and a ton of flashlights (figure $150 if you're not a light nerd, and less is easy). Every two years I hit Sams and buy a bunch of Duracells (maybe $150).
As far as cooking? I've got a Weber and a campstove. I use them anyway. Cost? $0.
My only luxury is a Honda propane generator and 11 bottles of gas. That's about $2000 and will get me through two to three weeks. I've also got the gas to use on the grill. So discount that by the propane bill.
 
Basically, I'm good in my house for a month. I really am out very little money per year, as most of what I buy, minus the generator and batteries, and stuff like ramen and instant mashed potatoes, gets used anyway. 
The bugout gear and first aid kit are a different story. But, if you are like me and plan on hunkering down for lack of a better option; staying warm, dry, and fed needn't be all that daunting. If you have to move? Well, that's a whole different game. I can talk about it, but here in South Florida, unless you've got a boat, demographics and geography are against you.
FQ13

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

A rather obvious comment, but some one mentioned buying plastic jugs to store water.
Go green    rinsing and reusing milk jugs saves money and keeps them out of the land fill.
Not to mention the ones you do not use for water are useful for other non survival purposes such as mixing paint, making Ice blocks for the cooler (they keep the beer cold much longer than cubes, and are more convenient than full size blocks) or various craft projects

FQ, be real careful with that pond water, while you may get away with drinking untreated water from a fast moving stream, standing water MUST be treated, especially if it is popular with wild life such as ducks.

If you plan on "Bugging in" you can, as FQ points out, do it fairly comfortably, if you intend to travel to a safer location do not plan on taking more than your party can carry on their backs. Vehicles don't run when they have no fuel, whether it's because Stations ran out, or the lack of electricity means pumps aren't working. The first traffic jam you run into, all those supplies in your vehicle turn you into a target just like a Spanish treasure galleon, you are better off being able to, if needed, and with out regret, abandoning the vehicle and continuing on foot

[fightingquaker13]

Its not the ducks I'm worried about Tom. Its the pesticides and herbicides that go into a golf course. The enviromentalists are right when they cal golf courses "green desserts".I've got a great water purifier. It will take out any bacteria on earth (MSR miniworks ceramic, about $80 and mil issue). It won't do crap for chemicals. Neither will the iodine I add for viruses. I won't eat the fish or drink the water unless its that or nothing. Its just for flushing and bathing.
FQ13

[twyacht]

+1 on the milk jugs for water, PLUS, if one has a deep freezer, or large freezer, freeze some gallon jugs of water. If the power goes down, they make great ice packs, for other perishables, and when they melt, is totally usable.

It's a shame, as FQ pointed out, the canals and waterways, here in S. Florida, I won't eat from either. The Bass, Brim, Perch, Catfish, have ingested everything and anything that is in "runoff".....

Never was a super catch and release angler, but now??? Take a picture, and throw back....Unless it's a snake-head.....than you kill them and throw back...

[tombogan03884]

+1 on the milk jugs for water, PLUS, if one has a deep freezer, or large freezer, freeze some gallon jugs of water. If the power goes down, they make great ice packs, for other perishables, and when they melt, is totally usable.

It's a shame, as FQ pointed out, the canals and waterways, here in S. Florida, I won't eat from either. The Bass, Brim, Perch, Catfish, have ingested everything and anything that is in "runoff".....

Never was a super catch and release angler, but now??? Take a picture, and throw back....Unless it's a snake-head.....than you kill them and throw back...

I think you better explain that TW.
The only "Snakeheads" I ever heard of belonged to an Asian gang by that name.
If they are in the canal chances are they are already dead   
                                 

[Timothy]

Snakeheads are an Asian fish that was illegally imported and subsequently released into North American waterways.  Like the Russian Boar, they've taken up residence all over the US and are breeding faster than rabbits or rats or "insert your scourge here!" animals.

Nasty, mean, voracious and very, very dangerous species that will be nearly impossible to get rid of.  If them make their way into the Great lakes, there is nothing to stop them from destroying that ecosystem.