When things go wrong and my family looks at me and says, “What now?” I can’t imagine looking them in the eye and saying, “I don’t know.” — Josh, a Mom with a Prep reader.
Those of us who try to live a more prepared life have a ton of reasons why we do it. Here are 10 reasons to be more prepared and 10 reasons to NOT be more prepared.
Many of us are just regular folk who like to have a bit of food and water and safety plans in place for all sorts of reasons. A few might be a little more hard core and a few might just like to have an emergency bag handy.
So, a few of my friends and I got together and started talking about all the reasons why we feel it necessary to be more prepared for life, regardless of where we fell along the spectrum of being a homesteading/self-sufficient family to prepared for a natural disaster to being a full-fledged prepper.
These are sometimes personal stories of how being prepared helped these families, how being self-reliant meant not having to rely on the system to get through a troubling time, and how just being aware of the possibilities gave them a sense of security that they could handle whatever comes, no matter how big or how small. These may not be all the reasons you could possibly come up with to have a more prepared outlook on life, but these are a lot of really personal ones!
- 150 Preparedness Items You Need to Stock
- 150 Preparedness & Homesteading Skills You Need
- 150 Reasons to Prepare for Life!
150 Reasons to be Prepared for Life!
Maybe some of these scenarios will resonate with you, and encourage you to get started today!
- You decide to run to the grocery store after work and get stuck in a torrential downpour. No problem, you reach in the back seat and grab a rain jacket and umbrella from your Get Home Bag.
- No grocery money this week and the kids are hungry – I love the security of a stocked pantry.
- You think a mid-west blizzard will just last a couple of hours and then you can get into town.
- Out of work for 5 months, and still have full bellies!
- The tornado makes a beeline for your town…
- You are in the hospital for an extended amount of time. Your family at home has food and can take care of themselves, and there’s still food when you return home. No need to worry.
- You come across an accident that just happened, you have supplies in your trunk until emergency crews get there. Gloves, blankets, gauze, bottled water, small snack and stuff animal to calm down a little one etc.
- Price of everything keep skyrocketing
- Hurricane season
- Extended power outages in seasonal weather or repairs.
- Job Loss
- You get to work and there is no power in the office. Nobody has flashlights. I have one on my keychain, two in my desk, and three in my Get Home Bag and car.
- Ice storms take out power for more than a few hours.
- You are camping and someone gets hurt, but you have your portable first aid kit ready to render aid.
- Unexpected company for supper and can throw a meal together without shopping
- You are ready to grill a rack of ribs and your husband tells you that we are out of charcoal. You tell him to grab some out of the stack of egg carton full of charcoal briquettes you have as fire starters.
- Family gets the flu all at the same time. No one spreads the flu further(and risks public embarassment) by getting meds and gatorade at the store.
- Mandatory warnings to stay indoors due to police presence and active crime in the area.
- You break three crowns in one day and go to the dentist and need a root canal and now your bill is $5k…good thing to have a pantry full of food so that you can divert that money to pay off the dentist. (or alternatively, having an emergency fund that can pay that)
- Family members move in and have no groceries or money to help until they can get to their new place.
- You find yourself stuck and alone on a highway, but have at least a little protection to defend yourself until help arrives.
- I was in a car wreck and can’t work right now. So thank goodness for food storage.
- Bridge collapse trucks can’t deliver the food or delays route time.
- Floods keep you from being able to get into town or wipes out the local economy.
- Hurricanes and the aftermath in the area.
- Living alone and disabled, and family is over an hour’s drive away, it snows hard and you don’t like to drive in the winter.
- You get diagnosed with cancer (or other illness) and surgery is scheduled right away. Then you have to spend many weeks at home recovering.
- Your only car breaks down and you have no way to get back and forth to work for several days, let alone the grocery store. Money in the emergency fund can help get the car fixed and get a rental, and you’ve got enough food and sundry at home so unnecessary trips aren’t a problem.
- That simple snow expected turns out to be an ice storm. no power for days… no problem. We had everything we needed for the duration. No reason to slide around on the roads during a state of emergency.
- Being stocked up as things go on sale to save money from rising food prices and having the product when I really need it!
- You don’t like people. (got a huge giggle out of this one – for you introverts…this keeps you from having to go to the store so much!!)
- Illness in the family and you suddenly have grandkids to tend to for several days.
- Being able to barter with friends and neighbors when money gets tight.
- You happen to watch the news and realize civil unrest has broken out in your area and it isn’t safe to go anywhere for at least a few days…no problem, have everything we need.
- Water boil orders for your area.
- Sewer backs up and system is blocked.
- Wild fire downs power lines or causes evacuation.
- A water pipe breaks while you are canning. No problem, we have a 55 gallon drum of water to use. Just kept on canning until repairs can be made.
- Identity theft taps your bank account and you just moved to a new town and must have groceries. Able to go to preps to get by until another check arrives.
- Someone needs a bandaide or tampon, got it covered! I have them in my purse!
- The main breadwinner gets arrested and put into jail.
- Unexpected bill to pay…
- Financial crisis hits your area (think Venuzuela, Greece, etc.)
- A family member must leave home immediately with nothing more than what she and her kids have in hand.
- Sickness takes over the area. Think about those times when a rotovirus sweeps through an elementary school and they close down for a few days.
- Spouse dies leaving you with the kids and he/she was the one income for the family.
- Death in the family or death of a friend. Sometimes travel is called for, sometimes putting up family and friends is called for… sometimes a complete change in life/lifestyle is called for.
- Too busy canning to get to the store, dinner time comes and Oh my goodness! Luckily I have food stored.
- Getting emergency custody of a child in need. Thank goodness for extra toiletries and food supplies.
- Birth in the family. Always a bigger change than new parents ever expected.
- Unexpected large expense tanks the usual budget…we won’t starve, We are all set to stay home, save gas, we have food, meds, everything we need.
- Car breaks down on the interstate, you’re female and alone. I always have my pistol with me, a charged cell phone, and AAA. along with my Get Home Bag and other essentials.
- Chemical spill keeping you home and supplies not able to come to town.
- Large disaster in your area and you have the ways and means to help out with first aid, supplies and comfort.
- A friend lost everything in a housefire. She called to tell me and I showed up at their hotel an hour later and was able to help them with toiletries, food, clothes and supplies.
- A tornado in the area. We weren’t prepared when it came to town and learend the hard way. Now we have supplies and equipement just in case.
- Large, unexpected auto repair bill came today, and I can pay it off in the next month and not have to worry about getting groceries, etc.
- Get Home Bag in case you are stuck on the highway due to weather or accident that leaves you stranded for several hours.
- Road closures due to landslide or flooding taking out bridges which leaves you stranded in your area.
- Only ferry from island to mainland is not in service.
- Labor disputes cause trucks/ships to stop delivering.
- High price of gas causes food prices to soar.
- Bird flu causes egg prices to increase dramatically or be unavailable.
- Earthquake: water lines are very shaken and the water should not be drank for awhile…roads may be blocked, stores may not have electricity to even do business…water is a priority.
- Pandemic or epidemic
- Never having to buy hand warmers for a foootball game!
- Solar flare causes communications to be down… people panic, but you can be safe and fed at home.
- I hate to shop, so the less I have to do it the better.
- I never know how long a depression cycle will last. Could be hours, could be weeks. But I’m ready for it.
- Unexpected death in family or close friends. You may need to have extra food on hand for them or yourself. A change in household status can make an impact on the pocketbook.
- Tornadoes: we have our safe place, with the supplies we need including a whistle if we can’t get out…water and granola bars are packed in our safe spot, including hard hats, gloves and dust masks.
- Any natural disaster or man-made disaster that causes conflict in the area.
- In case a major kitchen appliance breaks down… stove, fridge, freezer, and repairs is days away. You still have alternate forms of foods to eat and ways to preserve that food which may have been lost otherwise
- Teen comes home from school and says, “Mom, I have to have a <insert dish type here> for tomorrow’s potluck.”
- Unexpected retirement or disability. You may still have a check coming, but you may not have been ready for the drastic change in personal economy – thank goodness for food storage and emergency funds!
- Moved to country further from town. Saves gas, groceries, and running time. Hate going to town.
- Mother Nature in all of her glory.
- Protestors shut down the highway as happened in our area recently. We were fine not to have to try to go to town until it faded away.
- Bulk buying, buying on sale = savings. Fewer trips to the store = gas saved! Savings x 2!
- Pay cuts
- Loss of job or injury that causes time off from job.
- The unexpected expense that suddenly comes up!
- Northern winter blizzards, Southern winter ice storms, both = power outage possibilities for days.
- Because it’s pretty much inevitable that something will happen and we want to be ready for how it impacts our family, no matter how large or small “it” is.
- Your husband gets a random call from the boss: Don’t show up tomorrow. Good thing the freezer, pantry and emergency savings are full.
- Seasonal work downtime.
- Peace of mind. I feed a family of 7 with a garden, chickens, pigs, and canning. I loved walking down the aisles and not needing to pick up those items.
- You have a flat tire, the tire is sliced open and are told you have a 3 hr wait for a tow. Due to a back injury you would rather not change the flat yourself. When the tow truck driver arrives, you are sitting in the shade on a camp mattress. You are watching YouTube with your phone on a solar charger. You have tea ready, a fan and a blow up pillow. You have your sunscreen on with a good hat.
- With the right supplies, knowledge and training, you can save a life. Put out a car fire, break out a window and rescue a child, blanket wrap a shock victim and treat first aide issues.
- Divorce. …going from 4000/month to 400/month
- Because it is not the governments job to take care of us in an emergency natural disaster situation.
- I am a medical professional, so I keep a well stocked mediical/first aid kit…I always think in a disaster, I may be the only medical help around my community.
- There are about 7 ways in to my house and ALL have low-water crossings, so in heavy rains, we stay home. In both those cases we tend to lose power. We’d be foold to not prepare for such likely events!
- I am in a commission only business. I still have a job, but if commissions are low, I can still provide for my family.
- Being able to supply first aid assistance to our homestead animals without having to rely on a vet far away.
- Receiving unexpected long-term company in the form of adult children with children moving home due to a crisis and taking on an in-law that needed extra living help. Everyone is well fed and well kept with what we have on hand until we can sort things out for everyone.
- Storms was so bad it knocked out power to the area, water treatment couldn’t keep up and the rain flooded the sewers and available water supply.
- Because sometimes it’s inconvenient to drop everything and run to the store when you run out of a single ingredient or have a sick child, or have babies.
- Broken leg, broken arm, broken foot, broken ankle… some injuries are highly inconvenient.
- Natural disasters in one area cause a natural disaster chain-effect in other areas of the world.
- You just made a major meat/produce purchase… only to get home and find out that it’s on a recall list. Thank goodness it’s not the only food you have in the house.
- A major earthquake in California knocks out the supply hub at the ports.
- Hubby gets hurt at work and workmens comp hasn’t kicked in yet or are dragging their feet.
- Military retirement and the VA says it’ll be at least six months before they can process your disability claim. You might start getting paid by 12 months.
- Going from just you and a good job to adding grandchildren in need of emergency care and no job.
- Parents don’t come prepared for sporting events. Don’t worry, we always keep a case of water in the car.
- Always expect the unexpected to happen.
- Accident closing road has you stopped for HOURS. You have food, water, hand crank radio in your bag.
- Snow storm while in my car and ran out of gas (the gage was stuck) with 4 girls under 6 and I had to wait 2+ hours for help.
- Sickness, snow, and skyrocketing food prices.
- Long commute home. Need protection in my car… as well as snacks ….. emergency blanket lights that dont require batteries.
- Ran off the road at night going down the mountain and you go off the side. You are invisible to traffic. You must stay protected, warm and fed until you can get yourself to safety or daylight brings responders.
- Not having to rely on the food markets and retailers to provide food and meat for my family. We grow as much as we possibly can and barter with neighbors or purchase from farmer’s markets for the rest.
- Got stuck in a traffic jam once on the way home from the beach for four hours!
- Bus crash leaves kids on the side of the road in the country. Having extra food and water in backpack can help. Alternatively, supplies stocked in the bus along with the first aid kit help.
- Active shooter situations where kids are trapped in classroom or you are trapped in a building until all clear.
- 1″ of snow in our area shuts everything down.
- Something medical (heart attack) happens to the main bread winner in the family and there are no pay checks for a few months.
- Children loose jobs and need a hand-up until they can get back on their feet. Thankful for savings and food/supplies to help them rebuild.
- Broke down on the expressway a few weeks ago. Had a BOB with me and other preps. Sat in the van for three hours with plenty of water/snacks. Since it was going to be a while for a ride I changed my shoes, threw on my bag and started walking.
- You have a blizzard and it’s 21 below 0 F and you give birth at home with just your dh there.
- How about government rationing? That could be caused by any number of things. (Think Venuzuela and Greece)
- Contaminated water supply from chemical accidents, natural disasters, natural occurrences (like algae bloom)
- We wanted to create a healthier lifestyle for our family so grow, raise, can and preserve as much as we can on our own.
- Civil unrest due to racial tension that causes problems in your area.
- You walk into a hornets nest. Having meds and first aid ready was a life saver.
- The commodity market exploding due to unrest in other parts of the world.
- You wake up to divorce papers and have three small kids.
- Because I want to protect my child from “fill in the blank.”
- Severe heat wave. Causes problems with power, people dying because of lack of cooling abilities, etc.
- Power outage and a boil water advisory in a newish all electric subdivision- “family sized” life straw kept the neighborhood in drinking water for three days– from the pond. Now all of us have propane back ups and a few of us have taken it quite a few steps further – best part of this, was finding neighbors who think like me!!
- So when the AC goes out in August, like ours did today, you have money for the repairs and fans to keep the house cool.
- Ebola outbreak or other widespread health events. Keeping medical supplies on hand we can protect our family from being infected or have quick response at home to help until we can get help from professionals.
- Zombie apocalypse. It could happen!
- In the winter they close off portions of the highway with no warning because of snow storms, and there is nowhere to go.
- Gas explosions in the neighborhood leaving you without a means to cook, heat or cool your home.
- Terrorist activity creates havoc in your area. Medical supplies, help for friends/family effected, emergency knowledge to help save yourself. 9/11 taught me a lot.
- A man choked on something and stopped breathing at the restaurant we were at. My emergency first aid class really came in handy to help out!
- Chemical plant blows up in the area, having to prepare to protect your home and family in the aftermath.
- Car breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no phone service. Must walk to find help. Having a Get Home Bag with maps, shoes and supplies helps get you somewhere safely.
- Wildfires in the area causing friends and family to lose their homes and you can step in to help
- Wildfires in the area that you have to evacuate from, usually with little time. We have bags prepared, police band radios to follow activity and are ready to go.
- Major war breaks out.
- Having a child with a major medical issue – we have to keep prepared both at home and while we’re away from home in case issues arise. Can’t just assume that nothing will flare up. He even keeps a small medical bag with him at all times for it.
- Mandatory water rationing – our city puts us on restrictive water rationing during drought season, so we keep 55 gallon water drums from rainy times to help water our garden when they won’t allow water gardening. But also good reason to keep extra water onhand for times your may find that your area goes into a drought situation and water is hard to come by and extremely expensive to purchase or rationed.
- I want to be sure I know how to take of my kids https://simplefamilypreparedness.com/take-cpr-first-aid-class/ or kids’ friends if something were to happen at home like a cut, broken bone, etc.
- Home invasions — we keep our house secured to prevent against this. Better doors, longer screws, better locks, etc.
- House fire. Do you have extinguishers and escape plans. Are your children trained for it as well?
- General economic depression. These last few years have been hard on families and having had emergency food storage, canned goods and such have certainly helped us get through the time!
- To give me peace of mind that no matter what happens to me, my family might be able to take care of themselves easily.
- Winter storms at home we’re preared for with extra salts for drives, snow shovels, winter clothing gear and heat for our home.
- We and our children have taken CPR classes and first aid classes through local groups to make sure we know how to take care of first aid emergencies.
- Hostess goes out of business again – we’ve got enough Twinkies even for the dude in Zombieland! 😉
There are so many more compelling stories about why you need to begin to develop a mindset of preparedness. This doesn’t mean nothing bad will ever happen to you, but that, if things happen and you’ve been given the ability to respond, that you may do so with more care, more knowledge, and more resources to help make the world a better place!
- 150 Preparedness Items You Need to Stock
- 150 Preparedness & Homesteading Skills You Need (coming soon)
- 150 Reasons to Prepare for Life!
Katy Willis is a writer, lifelong homesteader, and master herbalist, master gardener, and canine nutritionist. Katy is a preparedness expert and modern homesteader practicing everyday preparedness, sustainability, and a holistic lifestyle.
She knows how important it is to be prepared for whatever life throws at you, because you just never know what's coming. And preparedness helps you give your family the best chance to thrive in any situation.
Katy is passionate about living naturally, growing food, keeping livestock, foraging, and making and using herbal remedies. Katy is an experienced herbalist and a member of the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).
Her preparedness skills go beyond just being "ready", she's ready to survive the initial disaster, and thrive afterward, too. She grows 100% organic food on roughly 15 acres and raises goats, chickens, and ducks. She also lovingly tends her orchard, where she grows many different fruit trees. And, because she likes to know exactly what she's feeding her family, she's a seasoned from-scratch cook and gluten-free baker.
Katy teaches foraging and environmental education classes, too, including self-sufficient living, modern homesteading, seed saving, and organic vegetable gardening.
Katy helps others learn forgotten skills, including basic survival skills and self-reliance.
She's been published on sites such as MSN, Angi, Home Advisor, Family Handyman, Wealth of Geeks, Readers Digest, and more.