5 Easy Survival Guide Steps You Must Know

Prepping can get a bit complicated, with all of the specialized gear on the market.

Survival certainly doesn’t require all of these items, even though they can be remarkably helpful. This article is going to keep things simple and provide some no brainer tips that can be implemented by any prepper, regardless of skill level.

Don’t Forget About Finances

In the world of prepping, it can be easy to forget how important finances are to survival. There are a number of ways that doomsday can occur, including financial crashes and other situations in which the value of money may plummet. It’s important to have a stable financial situation so that you can be prepared for these types of situations should they occur.

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Do your best to get out of debt, in whatever ways you can. Set aside money to pay off credit cards, and don’t take out loans to pay for survival supplies. You’ll also want to set aside a stock of cash, in the event that you must pay for items that way. Pay off any loans you already have, so that items such as your car can’t be repossessed if the financial market collapses. Invest in an identity protection service if you can, it may well protect you from thousands of dollars in theft. There are a number of services available, but you should consult a functional comparison before making a decision.

Don’t Worry If You Can’t Do Everything All at Once

When most non-preppers think of prepping, they tend to think of the extreme. They often picture bunkers, giant stockpiles of food, and generally someone who is more than ready for any possibility. Of course, this is the goal of many preppers but no prepper reaches this level of preparedness on day one.

Prepping on a budget is completely possible. Start with building your supplies over time and grow your prepping kit as you can.

One tip that many preppers share is to save for prepping is to live below your means. This is a concept that’s central for saving money for any large task or event. Save money where you can and build up your stockpile of supplies as you go.

Make Detailed Plans

Having a lot of supplies is good but it will only take you so far if you don’t have a plan. While having a plan for every single possibility can be intimidating, try making plans for specific situations you could find yourself in. For instance, what should your family do in the event of a natural disaster like a hurricane? When you make these plans, make sure that everyone in your household knows exactly what steps to take. It can help to run drills, especially if you’re trying to teach plans to younger family members.

It’s also important to know how to use any supplies that you have stowed away. The best example of this is a first aid kit. You can have the best stocked first-aid kit in the world but to make the most of it you need to know how to use the supplies in it properly.

Remember, a big part of planning is learning. There’s a lot of information out there but you can narrow it down by focusing on your biggest fear first. If you’re worried about global warming, look into what that change is likely to look like. It’s also helpful to pay attention to local crises that you’re likely to find yourself in. As an example, if you live on the west coast of the United States, you should look into earthquake preparedness.

Build Your Food and Water Supply

When it comes to basics, food and water cover your most basic needs. So, these should be the first items you add to your supply.

First, focus on water. Your body can technically handle up to three weeks without food but your body will start to struggle within days without water. Dehydration is one of the biggest threats in a survival situation and fresh water isn’t always easy to find. This means that you should start keeping plenty of distilled water handy. Luckily, buying water is one of the most inexpensive supplies to start stockpiling.

Then, you’re going to need food. Of course, not just any food you buy will work well in the long term. Fresh fruits and veggies might be some of the best foods you can give your body but items that spoil quickly like these don’t lend themselves well to long term storage. It’s better to lean towards non-perishables. Surprisingly to most new preppers, it’s a good idea to create a mix of foods that need to be and don’t need to be cooked. Because of this, you won’t want to forget to have cooking utensils around which is pretty easy when you’re prepping in your home.

Have a Bug Out Bag

A bug out bag is a pack that has your necessities in it. It isn’t meant to have the same volume of supplies as a stationary stockpile. Instead, it’s meant to give you the basics of what you need in a portable form.

These are made for you to grab and go when you need to flee from your homestead. This is an essential item during situations such as a natural disaster evacuation or if your home itself is a part of the disaster such as in a house fire. These types of bags will help you have a mobile option and add an extra layer of preparedness to your plan.

Many preppers also recommend that you don’t “double-dip” when it comes to creating your bug out bag. In other words, don’t assume that you’ll have time to grab water from your main stock to throw in your bug out bag before you go. In the same vein, if you keep your bug out bag in your car, don’t assume you’ll be able to run and get your first aid kit out of it when you’re bunkered down in your home.

Getting started on prepping might seem like a pretty daunting task at first. However, you can break it down and start a little at a time to make the task easier and less intimidating. When you follow tips like these, you’ll be prepared for anything that might come your way.