No-buying Prepping ideas
Many people are discouraged from prepping because of the expense, they often only think prepping means buy buy buy from all those over-priced prepping outlets they see on youtube. But, there are a TON of things you can do that are free or almost free if you use your imagination. Here are a few tips:
-Download free online diy and how-to manuals (look up military field manuals, survival guides, bushcraft, first aid, self-defence)
-Draw up important phone number lists to keep in your vehicles, and evac kits
-Take photos of all your possessions, rooms in your house, etc. for insurance purposes
-Watch yt and other videos on how to repair tools, learn foraging, new/old skills, etc.
-Form or join a mutual aid group to volunteer teaching your skills and learning new skills from others such as canning food, repairing machinery, etc.
-If you have useful stuff you don't want, attend swap meets and bartering events
-Practice in the field with your gear such as starting a fire in the rain/snow, (without fuel or dry matches) Set up a tent in the wind. Hitch/unhitch a trailer in the dark at 3 AM.
-Organize your house, store rooms, gear, and make notes and lists of what you have/need
-Build evac kits from what you already have around the house with notes to add to when funds allow. You might be surprised at how many items you have in duplicate, like flashlights, etc.
-Find old maps or free ones from tourist info centres of your area and label important infrastructure such as main roads, back roads, bridges, tunnels, water sources, visit these sites and make notes for things like possible road obstructions in storms, and detours, hazards in extreme weather, and how to overcome them. Also, make a note of the location of institutions such as hospitals, police, fire departments, ambulance & paramedic, forest service centres, emergency communication centres, and locations that have been pre-determined as evacuation centres or meeting points for your family/group
-Make fire starters with paper egg cartons, saw dust, dryer lint, old wax. Make em fancy with dry cones, etc. and give as gifts. Also, most of the above could be given as gifts as well, such as printing out manuals, etc. Bartered or traded items. Not free but cheap.
Also, the most important thing to remember is that the best prep is knowledge. Learn as much as you can and you will be resourceful enough to, as they say in the military, Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.
#prepping #getprepared #disasterprep #selfreliance
