Being prepared is more than the Doomsday Zombie Apocalypse Survival Scenario. You’ve seen me talk about how it’s about the little things. Be prepared for weather things (Polar Vortex, Hurricane Sandy, Moore, OK anyone?). But really, why bother?
Top 10 List on Why You Might Not Be Prepared:
10. It takes up too much space. You have a small house or not enough storage. So..think up, think under, think over. Use some fun organizational things you find on Pinterest, put them to work, and make some room! Do you have 50 pairs of shoes? Really? Get rid of 20 and make some storage space for extra food, water, blankets and more!
9. Beans and Spam are yucky. Well, I totally agree with you there. But find other forms of protein like quinoa, canned meats, and hummus (yes, technically made of beans but it tastes much better after you’ve spiced it up).
8. It costs too much money. By adding just $5 or $10 a week to your grocery budget to stock up on, it won’t take long to get to a full pantry for 3 months. You can also barter, sell off some of those shoes from #10 and fund some camping gear. Drop a monthly expense you aren’t really using anyway. You CAN find a way to come up with a few extra dollars every week to make this work.
7. My friends and family will think I’m weird. (shh..they already do!) Didn’t you know it’s kinda hip to be prepared now? Having a 72 hour pack ready, and some water set aside is all the rage. Besides, I’m not asking you to go build a bunker in the American Redoubt and hole yourself up with 50 cases of MRE’s and enough ammo to take out an invading army. What I am asking is that you make sure that you and your family have enough prepared to be able to sustain yourselves for up to a week (more is much much better, but small steps are good) with food, water, shelter, clothing and personal documentation so that you don’t HAVE to be reliant on someone else if you can. Besides, who said that you have to tell your friends and family?
6. You only eat organics. So, stockpile organics. You can get all the organics you already use and put them away for a rainy day. Dehydrate vegetables that you’ve sourced locally or grown yourself, can them, and make them work for long-term.
5. You’re a vegetarian. Again, can, dehydrate, dry can, make it work for you. It’s really easy to dehydrate even things like raw-food crackers then dry can them to make them last. You CAN be prepared, even on a vegetarian diet.
4. Nothing bad happens to us in this area. Nothing bad at all, huh? Have you ever lost your job? Has someone gone onto long-term disability for an illness. Has a plant that makes harmful chemicals blown up and ruined half your town? Has a chemical plant allowed thousands of gallons of a harmful chemical to leak into the local water supply? Has there ever been a weather event in your area that kept you indoors for a few days?
3. You live close to a nuclear facility and will die in a first strike, anyway. Well, that is a defeatist attitude, and one I used to have if I’m honest. But being prepared is about more than just a global thermonuclear war. It’s about being prepared for the small ways our lives can change as well as the big ones.
2. Zombies aren’t real. HEY – TAKE THAT BACK!
1. It’s okay – the government will step in and take care of everything. And I’m sure residents of New Jersey and New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf coast, West, Texas, the VA and other numerous areas of disaster can tell you the government swoops in and makes everything all better just after 24 hours, and everyone lives happily ever after (said no one ever). Not that the government doesn’t have the ability to come and help rescue, but they can’t possibly do it all, they can’t possibly do it quickly enough for your comfort, nor should you rely on someone else to take care of your family! You are responsible, to the best of your ability, to make sure they are as safe and sound as you can possibly get them.
Share Your Thoughts: What are some things that are holding you back?
Want to know WHY you need to be prepared?
