In early 1988 I first heard the word survivalist from my then girlfriends father when he gave me several books related to survival including back issues of Kurt Saxons now defunct “The Survivor” newsletter.
Within two days I’d started my food storage program (25 lbs of dried beans) since that time I’ve manageged to build my preps up to an acceptable level (despite having to start over more than once) but along the way there have been many challenges and I’ve learned from each, so today I thought I’d create a list of 14 things, I wish someone had told me in when I started.
1. You Can’t Do It All At Once
This is a mistake that I, and I’m sure many others have made when starting out, we want to get it all done – yesterday. You run around all frantic, shaking and scatter brained determined to become prepared for a major disaster within a week of starting. But all you end up doing is wasting money and time. Relax, make a plan and work toward your goals and you’ll get there sooner than you think.
2. You Don’t Have To Be Rich
By reading some survival blogs (know who you are) and books you get the expression that you need to spend $100,000 to reach a suitable level of preparedness. Unfortunately, this causes many to give up before they start. You don’t have to prep like the rich – you just need to prep smart.
3. Make Your Own Plan
No two survival plans will be exactly the same - granted there will be some semblance but each will have to be different to meet the needs of the individual. For example, I often suggest wheat as the backbone of the survival food storage plan but a small percent of the population are allergic to wheat and will need to store other foods in equal or greater value. You need to take a long look at your location, skills and needs and plan accordingly. Make your own plan.
4. Preparedness Isn’t Measured By How Many Guns You Have
I’m sure many of you have made this mistake. When I started prepping I worried more about finding the perfect survival gun and building a battery than building my other survival preps. Guns are fun and it is easy to get lost in the appeal just don’t let other areas of you preps suffer while you try to build your dream arsenal.
5. Skills Are More Important Than Gear
We’ve all heard the expression “he who dies with the most toys wins”, I’m still trying to figure out what the winning prize is. I have nothing against using the latest technology and gear – just don’t depend on it. Things break, get lost, stolen or don’t work as intended. Your most important piece of survival gear is your brain – learning survival skills should be your number one priority.
6. You’re Not Rambo
Most of the Rambo want to be’s won’t last long. Many new survivors fall into what I call the Rambo mind-set, they can’t wait for the collapse and breakdown of law and order, then they will take to the woods and engage in one firefight after another. They see themselves as the ultimate killing machine taking down the bad guys in a burst of gunfire.
7. Get A Life
Preparedness is a serious business and it is easy to become obsessed – don’t do it. I love learning new skills, reading survival books and planning for different possibilities and all this takes a lot of time, but I’ve learned that unless I take time off the rest of my life tends to fall apart. Go see a movie, spend time with family and relax. Then when you come back to all this you will do so with a fresh and rested mind which will allow you to get more done and make fewer mistakes. The key is balance.
8. Don’t Just Read About How To Do Things
Most books on survival and self-reliance are never read or used. They are bought, flipped through and put away – never tested or learned from. This is a mistake. Read the books, study and try it for yourself. This is the only way to learn and know what actually works.
9. Have A Backup Plan
When I started prepping I thought all I needed to be prepared was a full pantry. We have all heard the warning “don’t put all your eggs in the same basket” this is good advice in life as well as in survival planning. To many things can go wrong and probably will. You need a back up plan, which brings us to our next point…
10. Remember The Number Three
You need to have at least three independent sources to meet all of your essential survival needs. Let’s take for heat, you could have a wood stove, propane heater and cold weather sleeping bags. Power might consist of a back up generator, small solar set-up and a stockpile of disposable batteries. Food could include in home food storage, home garden and secret cache in a secure location a way from home.
11. Include Your Family
If possible get your family on board so your prepping becomes a family affair, where you all can learn and spend time together. A family working together toward their preparedness is the best survival group. For example, take a first aid class, hunter safety course, self-defense class, or shop course together. Try to make it fun, interesting and include your family as much as possible.
12. Diversify (learn different skills)
Diversification ties in with number nine and ten above and the age-old advice of not putting all your eggs in one basket. Learn as many survival skills as possible. Being a master gardener for example is a great skill that can be made even more efficient by also learning to keep what you grow. An expert trapper can increase their chance of survival by also learning to find eatable plants. You get the idea.
13. Try To Do Something Every Week
The “what did you do to prep this week?” segment is included here to keep everyone motivated toward this end. At one time my preps were random – one week I would do a lot and the next two or three nothing. By setting a goal of doing at least one thing each week you will meet your goals earlier and be more efficient doing it.
14. Eat What You Store
Most of us have been guilty of this at one time or another, we fill our pantry with unfamiliar foods, thinking we will adapt our diet “when the time comes” but this is nonsense. You need to learn to prepare and use your storage foods now so they become familiar. What are you waiting for get cooking…
Write your own “lessons” list and let us know about it in comments below. If you enjoy this list you might also like to subscribe to my email updates to keep up to date on more posts like this on prepping and survival.
{ 26 comments }
Lessons I’ve learned about survival preparations:
1) Thinking I can survive on my own is unrealistic. Longterm survival (which is the ultimate goal) will require a community. It remains to be seen whether that community consists of only family members or it consists of hundreds of strangers. All I know is I cannot survive for long without support.
2) Ingenuity and creativity will save me some money. I try to repurpose old items into new ones. Whenever possible, I buy things which have the potential to serve multiple purposes.
3) A bugout bag will do me no good if I don’t live long enough to grab it and go. I must learn and practice the best ways to survive the initial impact of a flashflood, flashfire, earthquake, or tornado so that I can get to the BOB and leave. I must learn when to leave so that I don’t risk your life needlessly.
4) Practice. Practice. Practice. I must learn how to use my gear and my skills BEFORE I need them in a SHTF scenario.
5) Recognize that I may lose some of the people I love if a TEOTWAWKI situation develops. With that in mind, I will show my loved ones as much love and appreciation as possible TODAY, while I can.
6) Pray. Be charitable. But keep my powder dry.
Good luck everybody, and may all Americans, at home and in our Armed Forces, have a Happy Thanksgiving. Be safe. Eat lots. Give thanks.
#15 – Prepare as if the S will HTF tomorrow and don’t spend any time worrying when it will happen.
I have been doing this in differing degrees since about 1980. I let it go when times were really really good and started again when they got lean, Funny how that worked. I have had t
Community – Community – Community.
It is no wonder why (when people began to develop a sense of specialization and property ownership) humans formed communities rather then hunker down on “their” property. Very rarely are there examples of marauding, nomadic, man-killing hoards of “bad guys” in history after the establishment of agriculture and domestication of animals. Even the bad guys form communities. Understanding the concept of group psychology and dynamics is a priority for any survival situation.
Along the same vein, since community is so important, survivalists need to be sensitive to the cultural sensibilities of those around them. Sure, you may feel that stockpiling wheat is the most important survival cornerstone, and you are very likely right, but frankly you know that if you start talking up your wheat stores with your neighbors, friends, and family, you are going to get the “crazy prepper” stare. Know and adapt to your audience – start with more mainstream emergency prep gear and advice – car emergency kits, NOAA radios, wind-up flashlights…talk about the everyday applications, and not the SHTF applications, and your preparedness community will grow. When your preparedness communities grow, your ability to survive grows too. No one knows everything, and the neighbor you win over with talk of weather preparedness may very well be a doctor or other professional that will save your bacon down the line.
Awesome post, MD.
Thanks for passing on the wisdom.
Well said M.D. I’ve been prepping all my life under the Boy Scout motto “BE PREPARED”. My father was an eagle scout, I’m a boy scout leader and my son is an eagle scout. My father has passed away but my son and I live by the term ” A good boy scout is always prepared”. My father taught me well as I teach my son. It’s in all phases of life, cover your butt and be prepared.
#4 #6 What,I don’t win cause I have the most guns? And Rambo could have a belly like me. Ha Ha. Happy Thanksgiving Creekmore!Keep up the great work!
China
III
Nice post, MD. Being new to prepping (extremely new), #1 is very important to keep in mind. That’s the main issue we’re facing right now – the fact that once you come to the realization that you should be prepping, you feel almost panicked because you realize how un-prepared you and nearly everyone you know is. But we’re settling down, getting through that panic stage, and we’re making a plan, and fulfilling that plan as efficiently ass we can, though it seems to evolve the more info we get. At least we’re headed in the right direction.
I have learned that too soon is better than too late.
I have learned to know what the weather is going to be like by paying attention to wind direction, animals etc. In my area, especially the wind. Knowing what the wind does has given me a heads up more than once in fire season.
Like Lint Picker, I am starting to let more people in my life. I know that it is risky but like he says you can’t do it alone. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone – and thank you all for the great comments and help you provide here.
Same to you and yours. Typing slowly due to tryptophan buzz.
So what happened to the girl friend? LOL
Or is that a list for another day?
I particularly like #7.
I don’t think it deserves a number on a list, but no matter what you do, it is guarenteed someone will tell you what a foolish idea it is.
Doing something imperfectly is better than doing nothing. At the very least you will learn a lesson before the cost of the lesson is too high.
Best Post you have had so far M.D. Thanks for all your work!
:)
Excellent list and you really put it together nicely. I have learned that I must stay on top of things and not allow myself to take a break, especially when I am physically tired, until they are done otherwise incomplete tasks will pile up and I will be overloaded which will stress me out. When there is wood that needs cut, it needs to be done asap. When there is laundry to do, I have to get it done. When there is car maintenance, it must not be put off to get other things done which can be handled later. When there are supplies that need purchased, I get as many as I can each month. I have also learned that to keep the bigger picture in mind with a goal or plan as you have suggested helps me stay on track. Recently, I have gone through a bit of financial difficulties in trying to prep but I am not going to let this bit of delay stop me. I am going to keep on keepin’ on because I know I will get there even if it is not as I have planned. I am DETERMINED! :)
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I have relaxed from the net, the last couple of days, and found something else to do.
You’re right about that MD, you have to take a break and enjoy life.
Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful to our Creator for all His Blessings, that many take for granted.
I thank God for a full stomach, and pray that God will Bless those with food who don’t!
I thank God, my Grandmother took me to church, to hear the Gospel, which led me to accept Christ at a very young age, although I have strayed from the path many times.
But He is a forgiving God, if we will repent and turn back to Him.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Anyway God Bless all, even those that mock me and think I am a loon.
Found this tonight if anyone is interested.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-11/24/content_11599087.htm
China, Russia quit dollar
St. Petersburg, Russia – China and Russia have decided to renounce the US dollar and resort to using their own currencies for bilateral trade,.. ………………………………………………….
Jr, the China-Russia decision to drop the dollar in their bilateral transactions was a big topic of discussion at the Thanksgiving dinner table tonight. We were trying to determine the near-term ramifications as well as the longterm effects of this anti-American decision. The Russians always claimed they would destroy America without firing a shot. With this action, they may just do it.
BTW, I don’t mock you and I don’t think you’re a loon, but I’ve learned through the years that sometimes a small dose of medicine spread over several hours works better than one huge dose taken all at once. And that being subtle is often more effective than being overly zealous. Slow and steady wins the race.
Your BTW was very well put, thank you.
Folks I hear you. I understand what you are saying, about the small dose.
I am not here to hurt people, but to show what is “really,” going on.
This is spiritual.
But as a Christian and someone who has read how God Judged Israel, (His chosen people), (http://www.allabouttruth.org/gods-chosen-people-faq.htm), when they disobeyed Him, is something to be taken very seriously.
Christians, and even a Rabbi, (can’t recall where offhand I read about him, had a vision of a tremendous earthquake splitting America in two, so far apart a bridge cannot be built across it.)
Visions of a nuclear attack on us to punish for our rejection of God’s ways, was given to us to warn us.
Amos 3:7 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
This is depressing I know, it depresses me too, but my hope is in God, “because I know,” “There is no where else to go!”
I believe this is coming and to pretend it is not, is simply “To Pretend!”
No one has to believe it.
But God is our only hope here!
Thank you for your suggestions.
I don’t know how to sugarcoat this information, and, God’s prophets did not sugarcoat the disasters coming on Israel, but, they would not listen to the prophets either.
God Bless all!
God Bless you and remember you MD for letting me share this info.
Let me add this;
Remember Jonah and the whale?
God told Jonah to go and tell the city Ninevah that God was going to destroy them.
Jonah did not want to and went the other way and ended up in the belly of a fish. (Read the Book of Jonah, if you want all the details).
Anyway after being in the fish, he changed his mind, and decided, (good idea), to do what God wanted.
Ninevah repented after hearing Jonah preach, and God relented from destroying the city, at that time.
God has relented from destroying America several times, as is my understanding, because of Christians praying.
(Prayer is Powerful!)
Bur America still goes it’s own way and I think God is not going to relent much longer.
How many people have I convinced on here to repent???????????????????????????????????????
So you see, the truth has been shared, but……………………….?
MD, or anyone on, can you answer this for me?
I see Menards’ has a 5 hour sale tomorrow for a generator 1200/1000 watt.
2 hp, 2 stroke, air cooled.
Has one 120V and one DC 12V outlet.
8.5 hrs runtime.
It’s on sale for $79.
Is a generator this low in power for this price, better than no generator at all?
I am figuring something this low in power would not be worth stealing.
Thanks.
Junior
God Bless!
JR,
The generator I use is a 1000-Watt 2-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator it does what I need. What do you intend to use the generator for?
Emergency backup for refrigerator, furnace, but I don’t think it is powerful enough.
Saw another on sale 3000/3500 for a decent price.
$250.
I think it would work better.
What about 55 gallon water barrels? Is there a best place/price to purchase one online?
Hi there ladies and gents !
As a long term prepper down under, here is a link that may be of great interest to you all, one of the biggest banks here in Australia is having a computer ” glitch ” as they call it, millions of account holders are not getting their pay checks issued and if it goes on for another week, then it has the potential to be really catastrophic.
Interestingly the talk back radios have all been humming with the notion that people are living week to week on their pay check ( I could have told them that) so people are getting freaked out !.
to me shows what a messed up system we have with just in time delivery. All the more to be prepared for a WTSHTF scenario
In the mean time have a great Holiday……
Big Al
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/nab-computer-glitch-hits-wage-centrelink-payments/story-e6frf7l6-1225961012671
What part of Australia do you live in? My wife grew up in North Balgowlah, a suburb of Sydney.
I love it down under, am a big VB fan & would like to retire somewhere in New South Wales or Queensland.
Thanks, for the un-common ,amount of well grounded and thoughtful common sense.I applaude a site with enough intestinal fortitude to put out a list as non-commercial as yours.Thanks again you just picked up another fan.
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