It’s NOT Too Late to Start Prepping Right Where You Are

Kinda stumbled into this lifestyle more decades ago than I care to admit but just this past week had a “duh!” moment and realized I was no more prepared in that area than a friend from long ago who went to the grocery store daily for her family meal.
Preparedness is more a mindset than a stash. You’re improving your mindset just by coming to this website so everything you do becomes prepping.
Just take what is helpful at the moment. Even baby steps take you away from where you were.
Welcome to your new lifestyle.

One thing worth mentioning about moves to be closer to family. Over and over I’ve seen the cases where a widowed grandmother goes to terrific expense to sell her property, hire a moving company, and at great expense purchase a replacement house close to her little grandchildren. All is glorious for a year or two … until the parent(s)’ employer either shuts down the type of work that family depends on, or moves it to some distant city. That frequently mandates that the family must pick up and move as well.

The grandmother can’t afford to make another move to follow her grandkids and it breaks her heart.

The first remedy I thought of would have been for that grandmother to have rented for some time to give her the financial flexibility in case of that “unforeseeable” trail of tears. Then I remembered the classical European tradition of three generations all under the same roof — even though that seems to be largely abandoned on our side of the Atlantic.

In no way am I trying to do finger pointing or play busybody to anyone. I just think it’s worthwhile to share some observations from close experience and some possible ways to avoid the awful pain when things go awry.

–Lewis [unrepentent yaysayer advocate]

This is why I don’t comment often on sites. I’ve been verbally attacked and belittled. But I’m still here, I’ll continue to the best I can with what I’ve got.
I’ve been a thrifty mum for years and had a little stockpile . But only really started prepping last November when put together our bags etc. I totally agree start where you are and look at what you already have and I made up kits of what was spread through the house.
I’ve learnt life changes fast sometimes and try not to get complasiant about life . The most often comments I hear are, you’ll be first to go and you’ll get your prepps stolen. Not helpful ! I class myself as a newbie prepper with loads to learn . I try make to fun learning new skills with my family. Daisy this site is very important to encourage us newbies !

Thank you, this is such an encouraging article! I’m completely new and honestly was a bit overwhelmed when I started looking into prepping, especially seeing so many ahead of the game. Part of me just wanted to give up and just deal with whatever happens but I know this is what I want to do and it would give me peace of mind. It’s hard because I’m on my own with it, my fiance and I don’t see eye to eye on this subject but I plan to do little things on my own and do what I can do. I’m excited to order the preppers blueprint book this week!

Prepping (and survival) first and foremost requires wisdom. Not money or stuff, just wisdom. For example, Step 1 in prepping is to determine what you are prepping for. Very few have started with that foundation, and consequently have enthusiastically built inventories of supplies & gear (etc) that they’ll never need, not to mention wasted considerable resources. Prepping for a generic SHTF is futile, as it would take north of a $Trillion to get there. LoL, that’s what the Federal Gov is trying to do!

We have very specific weather cycles manifesting now, that are well known if not easily determined. That is the long pole in the tent that is driving EVERYTHING, especially the Government actions. Consequently, when you see all these irrational, absurd, illegal, and obscene Government laws being created and enforced, it readily lends itself to the realization that all they are doing is trying to capitalize on the pending weather events. They want to make sure they ride through the weather cycles with all their power, authority, and wealth intact.

From that perspective, your strategy is to develop a plan that will not only get you through the weather cycles, but keep you out of the crosshairs of the Gov Jackboots that want to take everything you own, and then either kill or incarcerate you. That paradigm is what we are up against, so now you have a very specific dual level scenario to prepare for.

Step 1 is to be fully informed. That means to research for yourself what the manifesting weather cycles are. I can easily find 4-5 that reach peak intensity in the next 10 years. Knowing and being able to characterize the catastrophic weather events, you can then observe and understand in context what the Gov is doing to prepare for as well. Fully informed on both levels: Catastrophic Weather Events, and Gov Jackboot strategies to capitalize on the weather and aggravate human suffering in the process. Fess up: Did you or do you really think the Gov agencies are going to HELP you when the lights go out? LoL!

Step 2 is to align yourself with like minded (fully informed) people. You MUST engage this step as your highest priority! There is no Step 3 if you don’t. The biggest threat to the Gov is people aligning and organizing themselves for protection. As in protection from the Gov Jackboots as well as protecting themselves from the catastrophic weather. That’s the basis for Lockdowns, Shelter in Place, and economic destruction — which has little to nothing to do with health!

This is a very revealing step on multiple levels. For example, the Gov KNOWS (and won’t reveal) the timeline of these weather events, so the way they play their cards is a poker “Tell” that we are very close to extreme weather events manifesting. Likewise, their rigid enforcement of the economic destruction measures even in the face of Court rulings that say they are Un-Constitutional tells you We Are There Now. So align yourself with like minded people. ASAP! Families, neighborhood watch, churches, companies, social media meet-ups, it doesn’t matter. Just get going with a network of people until you have 60-100 in your group.

Note that you haven’t spent a nickle yet on Prepping. More, way more, than 99% of what you need to do is the above two steps. It is pointless to go any further with prepping if you don’t have a “Clan” of like minded people. Preferably within walking distance of each other.

Step 3. Begin preparations as the situation calls for. You know from Step 1 it is weather related, and you know the Gov is going to go into the Full Jackboot Mode for the remainder of the decade. Then your preparations begin with being able to muster your Clan of 60-100 people, and lining up tasks & responsibilities based upon people’s skill sets and desires. Things naturally and easily fall into place from there. For example, how are you going to communicate with each other? Ham Radios?

The above 3 steps are all you need to prepare for everything coming our way. Jackboots at first, and then really nasty weather, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, extreme temperature and winds, and a number of events that results in food shortages, health challenges, and security (etc) from a collapse of most everything we take for granted now.

One short example and then I’ll quit. There are 16 cures or preventative measures from COVID-19 that you can find with about 10 minutes of internet research. All 16 work with 100% effectiveness if you apply them properly or at the right time. Even late in the game (on a Vent) the cures and preventative measures work with about 90% effectiveness. However, the Gov Jackboots have a plan (military strategy) to force everyone to take a COVID-19 vaccine. In other words, it will be Mandatory!

The only way they can justify the Vaccine as being Mandatory is if there are no other cures. Consequently, ALL other cures & measures (and doctors!) are discredited and marginalized. The only legal cure will come from the Gov approved Vaccine.

If you are home alone and the Jackboots show up to administer your Mandatory Vaccine, you will be faced with a difficult situation. In other words, there will be a half dozen heavily armed Jackboots against you and your family. Not good! However, if you can muster your Clan of 60-100 when the Jackboots are in your neighborhood, then it allows you your best chance to politely decline.

(I’m not against vaccines, just Mandatory Vaccines that are not really a vaccine. They are “Experimental Biological Injectables” that will be called a vaccine for legal liability purposes. Which removes the legal liability. See the FDA classifications on Injectables.)

In just about every scenario you come across (weather or gov agencies), your best outcome will be from having a Clan of 60-100 people organized to deal with the problem. This has been the best answer in all of human history. This Weather/Collapse/Gov Jackboot cycle has played out as many as 1400 times before. Lots of history to study and draw wisdom from.

Step 1: Be Fully Informed.
Step 2: Align Yourself with Like Minded and Fully Informed People (60-100)
Step 3: Begin Preparations or Take Action as the Situation Calls For.

It really is that easy.

Thanks for this article, Daisy. Also, thanks for the term “yaysayer!” It’s a good one. I also think it’s good when anyone takes any steps toward preparedness – whatever they may be. It’s moving in a direction of personal responsibility and making sure there’s one more person who isn’t straining the supply lines quite as much when things go bad. Besides, even if something terrible doesn’t happen, there are always natural disasters, job shortages, money shortages, etc to prepare for. This used to be second nature to more people.

Don’t overlook skills. Can you start a fire, how about in crappy conditions? Have you been camping? Survival camping is better but being able to set up a basic campsite and cook a meal is important. Do you have proper clothing for your climate? I recommend trying to switch to biweekly grocery shopping. Saves a ton of money and you learn quick what you need and to use what you have. A month would be better but most fresh foods last two weeks reasonably well(not everything but it isn’t to hard).

If I were to offer advice to a new “prepper” ( a term I never use to describe myself), I would recommend that they buy canned foods that are a complete meal in a can that they can and will eat–like Wolf Chile con Carne, Dinty-Moore beef stew, Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs and/or Ravioli or Campbell’s Chunky Soups. They can–if necessary–be eaten cold, are more like a balanced diet than canned meat and canned veggies alone, and will offer better–if only slightly–nutrition than most other options. Tomato-based soups or foods or sauces can spoil within in the can within a few years. If you try to open the can, and the contents spurt out when the opener punctures the can–discard the entire can immediately–think Botulism. Whenever one can add a handful of pre-cooked rice to any canned meal, one can increase caloric intake (critical in the face of severe cold temps or physical hardships), and extend the meal. Rice–and beans–can be bought right now fairly inexpensively at Walmart, and will store almost forever inside plastic buckets. Walmart also sells food-grade buckets and lids. One can buy as much–or as little– as one can afford every payday, and store it–whatever you have will be more than you had. To shorten the time–and fuel–needed to cook the beans or tough cuts of meat (think pigeons or doves) purchase a stove-top pressure cooker–which can be used over a campfire as needed. I would avoid most “survival” type foods, as they tend to be expensive an don’t often taste all that good, and in the case of MRE’s, cause constipation. If you can store salt, sugar, spices etc in large amounts inside plastic buckets, so much the better. Instant mashed potatoes–Kroger often offers packages at 10 for $10.00–as well as dehydrated milk can be used to thicken soups/gravies, adding to their caloric/nutritional value. If one can acquire a a Volcano stove, so much the better. these can burn wood, charcoal, or if one buys the upgraded version, Propane. Toilet paper from Dollar tree and water from Walmart always a good investment…