I'm not ready

So I just finished reading One Second After, Lights Out and and almost done with Patriots...and crap, now I can't sleep at night because it's clear I am not even close to being prepared.

Luckily my wife is on board for getting stocked up on supplies. I have 1700 feet of unfinished basement that has nothing but a reloading room so I think I'll start filling it up. I think I'll start by buying one extra bulk TP, an extra flat or two of canned food and a bag of flour or rice every time I go to Costco. I usually only buy these things when I am almost out but what's an extra $30-40 added to each Costco trip? At least it's a start.

Time to replenish my reloading supplies and actually load far more than I shoot rather than just what I need. I agree with the lesson learned in Lights Out...the ammo and guns are for me and not to be used as currency. I don't want some a-hole turning around and killing me with the gun and ammo I just traded him.

As another cheap first step I'm also going to setup a kit of seeds. My Dad has a bit of expertise in that area and knows how to store them for long term, and how to select and grow them correctly in different climates and seasons. I grew up with a large garden so I already know how to grow and store/can/dry the crops.

I just sold my '65 Bug which was the only old car I had so I'm screwed in case of the dreaded EMP. Dang. Although I think the economic/social collapse like in Patriots is far more likely. Store some gas.

I am also throwing around the idea of buying some land. I have wanted to for hunting purposes but now after scaring myself with all those books I want it even more. The one thing I took away from those books was that all the preparations in the world can mean shit in a heartbeat. It's best to have second, third and forth options. A remote hunting cabin that is well stocked for long term living in case of a bug-out situation is one of my top priorities now...even if my current location is prepared for the long haul. You never know when you might have to leave all those preps behind.

Who else is starting to dive in to getting prepared and what our your first steps? It's hard to prioritize and budget for this, huh?

The hardest part may be budget but if you do it step by step and shop around you can do it. Me personally over the years have set up what I feel works for me.With out giving away all my options I will say that we are set up with plans for long term stay where we are, mobile with our trailer, worst case living out of a car with pcks or on foot, and we are in the process of looking for land to have a go to if necessary. We do have a couple places to bug out to if necessary but we have decided to look into our own stand alone site/hunting fishing camp. I can tell you from experience that the new show on TV about coupons works. we do it to a smaller scale but we have lots of stuff stashed because we can save aton on items we use.

I would study the events following the fall of Soviet Union - how each town was forced to be independent with lack of fuel and energy. The law enforcement and police and many local governing structures broke down after a couple months of backpay and so on.

I think if anything - crashing economy is the most likely event within context.

Do some research into Ronald Reagan's 7% military budget which caused the panic in the SU and eventually was responded with huge increased in their part also. This caused the crash in their economy. Now think how the U.S. will be trying to keep up with the Chicom in a decade or so. [Weight]

I'm concerned that if we ever tried to get to any of our other "properties" that the locals wouldn't know us and let us in anyway.

Take a look at some of the threads here. http://www.co-ar15.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20019
http://www.co-ar15.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19906

http://www.co-ar15.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19976

http://www.co-ar15.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22229

Some of these should get you started.

My priorities are food and water. That said, I try to keep a balance with other items as well.

They say those that have the money have the power. But when the sh!t goes down, he who has the weapons and the fire power wins!! Then they have all the water, food, money, fire power and the Chicks to!! [Beer]

Yup, finished both books and I liked them all.. Tried to buy lights out at barns and noble but they dont carry it... Stocking up on food and water...

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Originally Posted by Wally

Yup, finished both books and I liked them all.. Tried to buy lights out at barns and noble but they dont carry it... Stocking up on food and water...

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Focus primarily on the "likelies" if you can. What's more likely to happen? For example, an EMP attack could happen but they're not nearly as dangerous as the hype.
But look at the news, and wildfires are happening a lot. Do you have a few bags ready to be thrown into the car to evacuate with? Spare cash, credit cards, everything you need to stay in hopefully a hotel but more likely a Red Cross evacuation center?
And of course, just getting firearms is not prepping except for your own personal disaster. Anyone with anything you're going to want to raid from is going to be just as well armed. Firearms are for defense of what you have, not offense.