Survive an Emergency on a Budget
Natural disasters seem to be occurring over widespread areas these days. We see first hand how quickly our daily lives can be disrupted by a natural climate event or a breakdown in the utility systems we depend on. Frequently we are learning how things play out after a major event. The empty grocery stores, the lack of clean water, the absence of power. Most people are not prepared to handle these occurrences for an extended amount of time in their urban lives. But you can be.
I want to help you arm yourself and your family a little better against certain common situations that seem to be happening more frequently, yet do it cheaply. It's easy and you can feel safe in knowing you have done something to protect yourself but stick to a small budget as well.
Disclaimer: I am technically not a prepper. I don't have 6 months of food in my pantry and there are no caches of gold or silver coins buried in my yard. I am, however, reasonably prepared for some foreseeable events that may cause a major inconvenience or disruptance in my routine: extended power outages, lack of clean water, depleted supplies at stores. It wasn't always this way though. It took several wake-up calls before I finally realized, I should better equip myself and my household against certain disturbances in my urban life.
First, I witnessed a tornado when I was a kid. One that hit our small community and tore the roof off of the only apartment building in the town. Not a devastating event for the area, but it left several people without a home for the next 6 months. Our family lost power for several hours and spent part of the night huddled in the root cellar of the basement. I was so young that it really didn't impact me at the time.
Then there was a terrible ice storm back in the 90's that froze the city I was living in for about a week. It was a few days before we could drive on the roads, and the ice was threatening to take out our power lines at any moment. Thousands of people went without power for days, some weeks in the middle of winter. Unfortunately, once the roads were clear, I went along in my everyday life, knowing it would likely happen again, but not considering to prepare myself.
In my early twenties, I lost power for 3 days in my apartment during a hurricane event that sent high winds knocking down several power lines. It was hot, humid, and very uncomfortable, but not a major disaster for our city. Unfortunately, I lost everything in the fridge, and the local stores were closed due to power failure as well, so no ice, and no food. But even that didn't awaken the urge for me to become better prepared.
These are wake-up calls that I have lived through in my urban life, yet seemed to ignore. Nothing major to speak of, luckily, but annoying inconveniences that I could have been better prepared for. It wasn't until I was standing for 45 minutes in a 12-person deep line at the grocery store trying to buy dog food before a snowstorm a few years ago that I thought "there has got to be an alternative".
I am now reasonably prepared to some degree for certain life-altering events. Long power outages, loss of water for days, severe weather conditions, and limited food and supplies at the stores during an emergency are all situations that can occur at any random time no matter where you live. You should consider evaluating your own home and see where you can improve your chances of being self-reliant in an emergency situation.
At the very least, my advice will keep you out of that long line at the grocery store the night before a major weather event. But, if you can use my tips then I can help you gain a little extra preparedness on a budget. Let's discuss some simple, easy, and cheap ideas to help you gain an advantage over certain circumstances.
The whole topic of preparedness can be a little overwhelming to some people. There is so much information, and so many situations that can occur, it's hard to narrow it down and find solutions that are ideal for your situation. So instead, I decided to aim my focus towards all the necessities I and my family need to survive for at least 30 days, not the actual event.
Now when I say I focus on the necessities, I mean it. I'm talking about securing food, water, shelter, and hygiene as your priority in any situation for 30 days. It won't be pretty, but it will get you through your tough times if ever needed, and it won't cost you hundreds of dollars to achieve a comfortable level of preparedness.
WATER
The number one resource that may be limited during an emergency may be water. Since this is so vital to life, I'll start here.
Assuming you will be able to take shelter in your own home, there are certain things you can do to make sure you can provide an unlimited supply of water. I have purchased a survival still for my own preparedness. This item allows you to distill water from almost any source while using no electricity. This was the second most expensive item I have purchased for emergencies but it is affordable for most households. I can tell you it's the perfect solution to any long-term water shortage and it's portable. I am not a paid affiliate of the company, this is just my honest opinion. You can use cheaper alternatives, but I think this is the way to go.
After researching several ideas on how to obtain clean drinking water in an emergency, the survival still was the winner. It had one decisive feature that sold me. You don't need electricity or filters to work it. Several other devices on the market offer clean drinking water using filters to achieve safe levels of decontamination. Purchasing costly filters as well as storing them could prove problematic in an emergency. Power outages are often accompanied by weather events, so if you lose water and power, your expensive water purifier is useless if it uses electricity and you have no way to run it.
The survival still offers you a great alternative to needing any other water filtration system which requires you to routinely purchase expensive filters. Filters that have no indication to alert you when they have failed. The still uses no filters, so there is no additional cost to use it.
The still works by boiling water using any heat source which includes direct flame, and distilling it. This ends up being the cleanest water you can find in an emergency, using almost any water source for a great price compared to the costly alternatives. Think about it, if your water is shut off, and you have no electricity, do you have enough water stored? Do you have enough bottled water to last the crisis? Most urban households do not. Nor do most people have the storage space available to maintain an adequate supply for their families.
I found that it is simply impractical to store enough water for 30 days for a family in an urban home with little land available for storage tanks or home stockpiling. Additionally, if you need to vacate your home quickly in an emergency, you can't take that kind of volume of water bottles with you. You can reasonably pack up your survival still and take it with you, and use it reliably anywhere you have access to a flame and water to provide your family safe drinking water for an extended period of time.
The price of the initial system is $280. I know this seems like an exorbitant amount of money to spend on something that you won't be using every day, but it's well worth the one-time investment. You could reasonably make your own version if the still at home if you are imaginative, which brings your costs way down.
I recently had a 3-week period where my tap water was brown. My water company said that it was due to excess bromide caused by excess leaves and brown material in combination with EPA regulations limiting the amount of chlorine they could use to treat the drinking water.
Needless to say that after the Flint Michigan drinking water scandal, and the current color of our water, I was a little reluctant to drink it. It's times like this that the still pays for itself since I never have to buy a filter. Feel free to do your own research on it at: http://survivalstill.com/survivalstill
In addition to the survival still, I have found 1 other product that I think is necessary to ensure you can provide safe drinking water to your family in case of a major emergency where you cannot shelter in your home. The survival straw. This is a filtered straw that allows you to drink from most water sources. It lasts for an extended period of time and can be packed in any survival pack. I have 2 in my car just in case. Occasionally this item goes on sale and you can score one for $15. That is reasonably priced to be able to secure your water on the move or at home. Again, I'm not being paid to promote them, this is strictly my humble opinion.
One final tip regarding your water in an emergency. I used to hear that people filled up their bathtubs when an emergency was anticipated. When I was younger, I thought that was just a crazy waste of water. Since then I have learned the reasoning behind such wild ideas. In the event that you lose water, you will not be able to flush your toilet. That alone is enough to make me fill that tub if I think there will be a water outage. You can use the water to flush your toilets, wash your clothes, and even drink it if you have a way to boil it.
I fill all sorts of containers with water if I think my water will be turned off. I live in a city where the water pipes are aging rapidly, and we have frequent interruptions with our service. Water main breaks around here are quite common. So, I fill up any empty water jug in case I have an outage. That way, I can brush my teeth, have water to drink, and wash my hands. If I don't need to use the water in my bathtub, then I just use it to water plants.
FOOD
Let's face it, in an emergency, you can't rely on grocery stores to supply your family's needs. When the impending emergency announcements hit the airwaves, people flock to the stores, and quantities are quickly depleted possibly leaving your family stranded in an emergency. Don't be caught in this situation. You can easily stockpile cheap staples to feed your family for 30 days. For extra savings, you can even buy in bulk or wait until items go on sale to get a bulk bargain price.
For example, I have at least 30 cans of edible items stored in my cupboard along with a non-electric can opener. I keep this quantity available at all times. This ensures that I can provide some sort of sustenance daily for at least 30 days that doesn't require refrigeration. It may not be a complete meal, but in a survival situation, it can make a huge difference to have food available for an extended amount of time. Canned food is also the most affordable option available to most households. Simply use coupons or buy when your favorite canned items go on sale, and stock up for the future. Alternately, if you are a homesteader, you could be learning how to can your own food to solve this issue. There is nothing more cost-effective than canning your food, even if it's not your own produce.
I also believe in having other dry staples available. Flour, beans, rice, and lentils all provide a source of food that doesn't require electricity for storage. I usually have a few bags of dry beans and rice on hand which can provide well beyond 30 days of food for a family to survive. These bags take up little space in storage, are usually cheap, and can last for years while keeping nutritional values.
Cooking your food requires alternate means during certain events. Most people own a grill. I like to make sure I have a full tank of propane on hand at all times. If you can have two tanks on your property at all times, you will have plenty of gas for your 30 day needs. If you need to get a second tank, don't buy new. Most community dumps collect these tanks, and you can get them for free. Then, you can take it to the store and get propane for the price of a refill tank instead of the cost of a brand new tank. That's a 30% savings. You can also find empty propane tanks on Craigslist.
If you don't currently have a grill, you can always buy a hibachi for under $20, which may work in even an apartment scenario. If you have no access to a grill, you can always make a campfire if you have access to dry wood an open space.
If you have to leave your home in an emergency, try to remember to bring basic cooking gear or keep a supply in your car. A simple pot with a lid will work for most situations.
Hygiene
It can be quite difficult to maintain hygiene routines during an emergency. Besides filling up the bathtubs in your household, I have a few other tips.
I have a large supply of toilet paper. Yep, I said it. I stockpile the stuff so I always have a 30 day supply on hand. Every time there is a snow storm in my area, people rush to the store and quickly clear 3 items from all locations.....bread, milk, and toilet paper. It's a weird phenomenon, but a stunning reality all the same. If the weather is forecasted for even a dusting of snow, you will not be able to buy toilet paper in any store for the next 3 days. So my only solution for this is to have a 30 day supply on hand at all times. I make it a little cheaper by having the luxury of waiting until the stuff goes on sale, and I buy in bulk. Make sure you throw a roll or 2 into your car stored in a Ziploc in case you have to leave your home in a hurry.
Always have a travel bag packed with hygiene products like toothbrushes, combs (they take up less space than a brush and can be disinfected), baby wipes, soap, toothpaste and toothbrush, and deodorant. I get the small travel sizes so that my bag can be small, and they are cheap. You can even get these items for free if you stay in hotels, or have a friend who does. Along with some other items, I have this bag prepared in case I have to leave my home quickly. Better yet, have 2 bags and keep 1 in your car at all times. That way if you are out of the house and can't return home, you have some supplies.
Baby wipes can be a cost-effective way to help with hygiene needs in an emergency. They come in small packs which are easily portable, and they are fairly cheap. I keep them in my travel packs, the car, and a case in my home.
Shelter
If you are able to take shelter in your own home during any major event, you already have an advantage. With my tips, you can be prepared to wait it out for at least 30 days with enough food and water. Make sure you rotate your supplies to avoid having expired products when you need them the most.
If you lose power during a weather event, you need to have light and heat available. I recommend having at least 3 of those large $5 yellow flashlights, as well as plenty of candles. You can usually get the long straight candles at your local dollar store for a great price. Stock up whenever you can get a good price.
As for heat, the ideal source would be from a fireplace or wood-burning stove. Not many of us urbanites have either of these items. I use a heater supplied by a generator. I highly recommend investing your money a generator. The prices are getting cheaper and they are essential if you plan on saving anything in your refrigerator or freezer. If you don't have one, start saving $20 a week until you can get one. I've seen them sold for as little as $350.
If you can't afford the cost of a generator, then your heat source needs to be inventive. If you have a gas stove, learn how to light it properly without electricity and use it to warm your home on low heat, attended. Keep plenty of blankets available. You can also boil rocks or bricks and use them as warmers, but be very careful when doing so. Activity is also a great way to stay warm.
You should always keep a bottle of lighter fluid around. If you have some small logs, twigs, or paper, you will be able to start a fire outside. A tool to cut some wood would also be useful, but not necessary.
If for any reason you can't return to your home, go to your meeting place. Designate in advance an easily accessible place that you can walk to from your home. For my family, we chose the local high school parking lot as our emergency meeting place. This way, if we ever have to leave our home, but we can't communicate that to others outside the home, we all know in advance where to meet. Make this a priority, it's free and could help you avoid searching for your family during an emergency.
Other Supplies
Keep 50-100 dollars on hand for gas, food or water. This is necessary if you have to leave your home or there is a power outage. Credit cards may not work in an emergency, so instead, keep a little cash on hand.
Keep a 5-gallon tank of gasoline on your property. This allows you to at least some gas to run a generator for a few hours. Keep a spare 10-gallon gas tank on hand, and go fill it up as soon as you can during an emergency.
I can't stress the importance of having a 60 day supply of any and all medications. People who take medications may take them to sustain life, and you may not have quick access to refills during an emergency. Certain medications may not allow a 60-day supply, but do the best you can to secure any other medications for 60 days. Do the same with any supplies required to administer your medications. For example, if you use insulin, have a 60 day supply of syringes, test strips, lancets, and batteries.
Don't forget your pets in an emergency. Always keep a 30-day supply of their food and medicine on hand. That way, you don't get caught in that line at the grocery store!
One final piece of advice for an emergency. Make your own first-aid kits. The majority of the ones sold include many items that simply aren't needed in an emergency. You end up paying for the things you don't need, just to get a few necessary items from the pack. Making your own saves you money and is more useful. Keep one in your home and one in your vehicle.
I hope I have given you some ideas on how to prepare yourself in the event of an emergency on a budget. Most of my suggestions are relatively cheap and inexpensive and can be implemented rather quickly.
If you have an idea or suggestion, please feel free to send me your ideas.
