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Thread: Preparation on a budget

  1. #1
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    Preparation on a budget

    We often hear how people pour thousands of dollars into SHTF gear buying the very best there is, now in todays economy most people are laid off, reduced working hours with ever mounting bills. So with a very limited SHTF budget say $1500.00 lets see what we can put together to help are fellow SHTF brothers and sisters survive in bad times. Lets not make this a wish list but what $1500.00 would actually buy in todays market.

    Just the basics

    If you See A Good Deal on Items which can be used in times of need then POST it up in this thread
    Last edited by PA PATRIOT; 11-17-09 at 15:08.

  2. #2
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    Having been furloughed 20 hours a week, my income has been reduced in half, and prospects for getting back on 40 are looking extremely slim.

    $1500 could assemble a very good amount of food. My actual preps primarily focus on food, and all else is secondary. I typically buy food with a long shelf life, that I normally eat, or wouldn't mind eating.

    Yesterday I bought 35 lbs of spaghetti for $21.00. A grocery store chain here in the Southeast was running a BOGO on Ronzoni. I may go back and get some more today.

    Also, the best deal on Rice is at COSTCO, where a 50 lb bag will set you bag a measly $15.00. I've been buying those when I get a chance, and stuffing them in Paint Buckets. At WAL*MART, the 5 gallon plastic paint buckets are approximately $4.00, and can hold roughly 30-35 lbs of rice. The best lids for these buckets are available at Home Depot, as the HD lids have rubber o-rings. If you go to the paint department at WAL*MART, the white 5-gallon buckets ARE food-grade, they're just not marketed as such.

    At $15.00 for 50 lbs of rice, you can hoard a ton of the stuff, and if you are working with a budget of $1500.00, it will barely put a dent in it.

    The good thing about prepping is that I'm still eating food I got at the end of '07/beginning of '08, that's still a year out from expiration.

    When you see how quickly prices go up, you can really appreciate the stockpiling factor. I bought canned Chicken of the Sea albacore for $0.65 back in '07, and the prices have gone up in a ridiculous way, making me truly appreciate buying as much as I did.

    Despite not nearly having enough 5.56 ammo on hand, gun stuff is taking a back seat to food, medical/first-aid supplies, etc.

    I used to be able to get lamp oil at the 'Mart, but they've since stopped carrying the Lamplighter brand in the giant bottles. It was insane cheap, and that was my only supplier of such, thusly I'm thinking I'm stuck with what I've got on hand.

    I was fortunate to be able to get my emergency candles at $1.00 for 10, but it's been awhile since I've seen those as well.

    The 'Mart has the best prices on Mountain House, as well, but the selection isn't anything close to REI's.

    My brother manages to beat me out on "doomer deals", hands down. He picked up a Windmill Trekker for $5.00, an in-line Camelbak water filter for $9.00, an Aquastar UV filter for $5.00, and a CFP-90 for $30, among other insane bargains.

    ETA: If you're staying on a budget, shopping deals, sales, and using coupons is mandatory. Here in the SE, there is an awesome site that acts as a pre-mission briefing on hitting the grocery stores like an apocalyptic commando:

    http://www.southernsavers.com/
    Last edited by Outlander Systems; 09-26-09 at 07:34.

  3. #3
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    WOW!!! Nice site, thanks for posting it!

    All the grocery stores here email their weekly specials every week. I normally only shop at 1 store, I only go somewhere else if they have real good deals and more than 1 good deal. Like when they have 4/$1 for canned vegetables or tuna.

    But back to the original post, food and water are the most important things when you are on a budget.

  4. #4
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    Something you can do that costs practically nothing is work on your skill sets. Fire building, snares/traps, morse code, etc. Taking all of your important documents and copying to a zip drive. Any good manuals or general shtf type information you find on the net can be printed off and hard copies saved for when the power goes out and might not be back on for a while.

  5. #5
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    I tend to be a bit of a scrounger.

    A couple months ago I was helping move some stuff at my office building and the manager was getting rid of two generators. I got one running, the other needs some work on the electrical side, probably brushes.

    I picked up a slightly used 2000 watt inverter for $10 and am looking for some used golf cart batteries so that I don't have to run the genny full time.

    My wife shops the sales. She picked up Life cereal for $1 a box the other day and maxed out the 10 box limit. Check out the clearance isle at your grocery store, they always have some good sales similar to what The Landlord found.

    I found her a Magic Mill at the pawn shop for $125. The same models are going for $450 on Ebay. We have ground corn, wheat, rice, and dried beans in it for different recipes. Dry goods are really cheap. Typically less than $10 for 50lbs of any of the above mentioned items.

    We picked up 55 gallon soda syrup containers at the local bottling plant for $10 each. They needed rinsing a couple times to get the syrup out but once filled can be used for water storage.

    You can start a garden for next to nothing. $50 would get you a couple tools, seeds, and some fertilizer.

    If you can't afford an AR then get a shotgun. I have seen many deals on used Mossberg 500 and Remington 870 shotguns for $100-150. A couple boxes of 00 buck and a 100 pack of birdshot will get you started. You can defend your residence and bring home some game with it. As time goes on you can save up for something better but it will get you something that is reliable and will do the job.

    A friend recently was cleaning out his garage recently and gave me a 12 gauge MEC press, wads, 50 pounds of shot, and about 10 pounds of powder. All it needs is some shells and primers and it's ready to go.

    Start off with a 72 hour kit and work your way up from there. We started this a couple years ago and have amassed a huge amount of stuff by shopping around and having the cash in hand to snatch up the deal as it arose.
    Last edited by MarshallDodge; 09-26-09 at 22:26. Reason: added water storage
    "The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental." John Steinbeck

  6. #6
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    Here's how I list my priorities for a BUG-IN SHTF event,

    Water: Collecting, Purifying, Storing

    Food: Collecting, Preserving, Storing

    Security: Firearm, Ammunition, Maintenance and Repair, Securing the BUG-IN Location

    First AID: Kits for just about any emergency I can handle at my skill level

    Basics: Clothing for the seasons, inside Solar/Battery run LED lighting at night, Heat for the winter

    Secondary comfort items: A few items which reduce stress at extreme low cost.

  7. #7
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    FEMA Water Guide lines.

    From the FEMA Web Site.

    http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/water.shtm#2

    Simple, Next to no cost if you use the Soda Bottle Method, Easy to do.

    How Much Water do I Need?
    You should have at least a three-day supply of water and you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon of water daily just for drinking.

    Additionally, in determining adequate quantities, take the following into account:

    •Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate.
    •Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more water.
    •Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed.
    •A medical emergency might require additional water.

    How Should I Store Water?
    To prepare safest and most reliable emergency supply of water, it is recommended you purchase commercially bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it.

    Observe the expiration or “use by” date.

    If You are Preparing Your Own Containers of Water
    It is recommended you purchase food-grade water storage containers from surplus or camping supplies stores to use for water storage. Before filling with water, thoroughly clean the containers with dish washing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Follow directions below on filling the container with water.

    If you choose to use your own storage containers, choose two-liter plastic soft drink bottles – not plastic jugs or cardboard containers that have had milk or fruit juice in them. Milk protein and fruit sugars cannot be adequately removed from these containers and provide an environment for bacterial growth when water is stored in them. Cardboard containers also leak easily and are not designed for long-term storage of liquids. Also, do not use glass containers, because they can break and are heavy.

    If storing water in plastic soda bottles, follow these steps
    Thoroughly clean the bottles with dish washing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap.Sanitize the bottles by adding a solution of 1 teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water. Swish the sanitizing solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. After sanitizing the bottle, thoroughly rinse out the sanitizing solution with clean water.

    Filling Water Containers
    Fill the bottle to the top with regular tap water. If the tap water has been commercially treated from a water utility with chlorine, you do not need to add anything else to the water to keep it clean. If the water you are using comes from a well or water source that is not treated with chlorine, add two drops of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to the water.Tightly close the container using the original cap. Be careful not to contaminate the cap by touching the inside of it with your finger. Place a date on the outside of the container so that you know when you filled it. Store in a cool, dark place.Replace the water every six months if not using commercially bottled water.
    Last edited by PA PATRIOT; 09-26-09 at 23:39. Reason: Edit for adding the FEMA link

  8. #8
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    Food, BUG-IN USE.

    The cheapest place I have ever found which offers very high quality food items at the lowest of cost is ALDI's Food Chain. They are expanding in all regions of the U.S. so finding one unless you live in the sticks should not be that hard to do.

    Store Locater,

    http://aldi.us/us/html/service/store...?WT.z_src=main

    Checking the Date's on every can or food item you buy, buy in large lots so the date of expiration is the same on the entire lot of that item.

    Most canned items have at least 18 or more months before the "Use by Date" so rotating them allows a large window of use.

    Stocking a 30 to 60 day supply of SHTF food which includes Canned Fish, Beef, Spam and chicken adding to that dry beans, rice and pasta and then the canned veggies, fruits and pasta sauces. You maybe eating out of a can, bottle or plastic storage container but your eating good tasting high quality items which ran us $275.00 for a 60 day supply.

    I'm sure there are many other discount places one could shop at but to this date I have not found one that offered what ALDI's could in the Philadelphia and surrounds area stores.

  9. #9
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    Firearms,

    This is a subject of much debate on what type, manufacture or caliber a firearm should be for SHTF use. If we stay with local common for your area manufacturers which have a long history of dependable service out of the box, are simple to clean and repair plus ammunition for this choice is common to the area you live in and procurable then most may find that the good old boys like the .22LR, 12 and 20 gauge, 30-30, 308 and 3006 and the 9mm, .40S&W and the .45acp are most available and affordable. Ammunition can be had at affordable prices at the local Wally World in White Box, UMC and Federal American Eagle form so as long as you find out when Wally World stock their ammo counters then hopefully you should be able to place a few boxes in the safe. Since we are on a tight budget of $1500.00 and we already spent funds on food and water storage and we still have to shell out cash for Securing the BUG-IN Location, First AID, Clothing for the seasons, inside Solar/Battery run LED lighting at night, Heat for the winter and Secondary comfort items we just cant blow all the remaining cash on guns and ammo.

    So Gentlemen, what should the SHTF firearms be which allows us to have some funds left to cover the listed tasks?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheLandlord View Post
    Having been furloughed 20 hours a week, my income has been reduced in half, and prospects for getting back on 40 are looking extremely slim.

    $1500 could assemble a very good amount of food. My actual preps primarily focus on food, and all else is secondary. I typically buy food with a long shelf life, that I normally eat, or wouldn't mind eating.

    Yesterday I bought 35 lbs of spaghetti for $21.00. A grocery store chain here in the Southeast was running a BOGO on Ronzoni. I may go back and get some more today.

    Also, the best deal on Rice is at COSTCO, where a 50 lb bag will set you bag a measly $15.00. I've been buying those when I get a chance, and stuffing them in Paint Buckets. At WAL*MART, the 5 gallon plastic paint buckets are approximately $4.00, and can hold roughly 30-35 lbs of rice. The best lids for these buckets are available at Home Depot, as the HD lids have rubber o-rings. If you go to the paint department at WAL*MART, the white 5-gallon buckets ARE food-grade, they're just not marketed as such.

    At $15.00 for 50 lbs of rice, you can hoard a ton of the stuff, and if you are working with a budget of $1500.00, it will barely put a dent in it.

    The good thing about prepping is that I'm still eating food I got at the end of '07/beginning of '08, that's still a year out from expiration.

    When you see how quickly prices go up, you can really appreciate the stockpiling factor. I bought canned Chicken of the Sea albacore for $0.65 back in '07, and the prices have gone up in a ridiculous way, making me truly appreciate buying as much as I did.

    Despite not nearly having enough 5.56 ammo on hand, gun stuff is taking a back seat to food, medical/first-aid supplies, etc.

    I used to be able to get lamp oil at the 'Mart, but they've since stopped carrying the Lamplighter brand in the giant bottles. It was insane cheap, and that was my only supplier of such, thusly I'm thinking I'm stuck with what I've got on hand.

    I was fortunate to be able to get my emergency candles at $1.00 for 10, but it's been awhile since I've seen those as well.

    The 'Mart has the best prices on Mountain House, as well, but the selection isn't anything close to REI's.

    My brother manages to beat me out on "doomer deals", hands down. He picked up a Windmill Trekker for $5.00, an in-line Camelbak water filter for $9.00, an Aquastar UV filter for $5.00, and a CFP-90 for $30, among other insane bargains.

    ETA: If you're staying on a budget, shopping deals, sales, and using coupons is mandatory. Here in the SE, there is an awesome site that acts as a pre-mission briefing on hitting the grocery stores like an apocalyptic commando:

    http://www.southernsavers.com/
    I would assume that the containers for the rice and pasta are sealed, no? I am employed by this certain grocery chain and he have issues in the summer with contaminated rice and pasta. Primarily weevils, the heat and humidity especially when being warehoused seem to be the largest issue..of course, per our regulations, the product is a "dispose at store level" which means scan and trash...

    on a side note...toward the end of hurricane season, many of our items like tarps, larger flashlights, self heating meals, etc...are marked down for inventory control purposes and weather band radios are currently on sale right now
    Democracy is two wolves and a sheep discussing lunch, Liberty is a well armed sheep contesting the vote.

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