Were to start?

[jessie_fishbio]

Hello.
I have a family of 4. Live in rual Missouri on an acre. We have rabbits, chickens, a large garden and several young berry bushes. I want to get more prepared. I don't have alot of money that I can invest all at once. Were is the best place to start? How did everyone else start out? What do I need to buy first and how much? I need help. I have read alot about storing food and what we need but nothing I have found really gives it in a managable starting point.

[FrontPorch]

Sounds like you already have a good start. I would suggest you just start stocking up on things your family already eats while the item is on sale. For instance, if your family likes peanut butter and it is on sale buy as many as you can afford that week. The next week it might be tuna or whatever. Or if there is no sale, just buy two of whatever you normally buy anyway instead of one. You don't need to do it all at once. You'll be surprised how quickly it will pile up.

I keep a homestead priority list. Things I want to aquire like tools and such in addition to food items I feel I want more of. Before you shop always check the list, it will help you remember what you need to keep an eye out for. There is no rule book on what you should buy first.

[beaglebiz]

do you know how to preserve your own food?? Do you have the equipment?? (canning jars, canners, waterbath and pressure, dehydrator (you can make a solar dehydrator))
Id start with that, what you can produce for yourself and put by for the future. Then look at what you cant grow (wheat?? rice??) and start figuriing out how much your family needs of that. we go through 100 lbs of rice a year easy, so 2 50 lb sacks stored correctly would be first...then beans...then wheat

[SquashNut]

do a budget and figure out what you do have to spend.
if possible allow at least $20 for each visit to the grocery store more than you do now.
Make a list of your normal meals, easy to fix meals, easy to eat meals.
look for the items that you need to make these with and start watching sales.
if these items include dry goods, start looking for free or very cheap ways to store them away from rodents.
then rotate those items in normal meals so they don't get stale.
As you go along you'll find your self buying nothing unless it is on sale.
you might want to start looking for alternative lighting, heating. Ways to quickly leave home if needed.
Look in thrift stores for a few extra out fits for each member of the family just in case. And make up a back pk with a few small esentials just in case you have to leave on foot.
Learn how to make things from scratch, it's cheaper and will free up cash for your prepping. look for the best place possible to buy in bulk in your area also.
Eat what you store, Store what you eat.

[megafatcat]

Start with skills. This can be very inexpensive. Help a neighbor who has a successful garden. Help another with canning or plucking a chicken. Find the folks with the skills and trade some labor for knowlege. Blacksmithing or basic veternary?
Think small. Do not try to store a year's worth of food at once, you will make mistakes and waste too much.
Buy a large bag of rice next shopping trip. Research how and store that properly. Perhaps next time a bag of beans or some canned goods. Water filter may be a priority, or not with the right well. Do it a step at a time, only as you are comfortable and you will enjoy.

[mpillow]

Maybe adjust your diet to cheaper more store-able foods...healthier too. Beans rice oats wheat kind of stuffs.

Pay down any debt.

[sgl42]

Originally Posted by jessie_fishbio

I want to get more prepared.

for what? answering that is your starting point.

everyone's starting point is different, because everyone starts with a different purpose for their preparations. some what to be prepared for a storm taking out power, others want to be prepared for losing a job, others want to be prepared for rioting.

i started by:

1) identifying what scenarios i was interested in preparing for, and estimating the likelyhood that each would happen. (i was/am mostly concerned with the state of the economy, and the likely social and political fallout from that.)

2) what do i need to survive each of the scenarios identified above? while step (1) was overwhelming due to the huge number of potential scenarios, when you boil them all down, there's a few basic things that cover most situations -- water, shelter, protection, food, etc.

3) set a series of goals with timelines you want to reach those goals. my first goal was to have 3 days worth of food/water in case of power outage, and means to cook without power. next goal was to have 2 weeks, then 3 months, then a year.

4) make a list of equipment and/or skills that you buy/learn, and the rough order you want to buy/learn them in. the first equipment i bought was basic camping gear - tent, sleeping bag, backpack, camping stove. quickly gives a basic means to cook and keep warm if the power goes out, and also gives the basics of a bug-out-bag.

5) look for the easy/inexpensive solutions, not just expensive solution. eg, the very first thing i did was take some empty 3-liter soda bottles, and fill them with tap water. cost -- $0. sense of peace -- priceless. later i bought a berkey water filter, and 5-gal water bottles, but the original solution was cheap and very effective. same with food -- you don't need expensive MREs or freeze-dried food, basic beans and rice will work fine in many many scenarios.

6) don't forget "financial preps". have money saved for unexpected car repairs, home repairs. make sure your insurance is up-to-date and complete.

7) don't believe all the prepping "mythology"; don't get sucked into worry about all the extreme scenarios. focus on getting the basics done. don't believe what everyone says is "going to happen".

--sgl

[jessie_fishbio]

My pressure canner is on the stove right now with salsa and tomatoe sauce in it. I have a 925 all american,( Picked up at a flea market for $10) I also have a excalibur food dehidrator that my mil found at a rumage sale. Both are older but still funcionable. I can field dress and process a deer and dress rabbits and chickens. I can sew clothing and I quilt. We dont eat alot of rice and beans but we do eat alot of pasta. Last year the wal-mart in town was closing out the whole wheat pastas and were bought about 200 lbs. What type of containers do you prefer? I dont have alot of storage unless we put it under the house in the craw space. We dont have any LDS store around here. Were do you get your supplies. I looked into EE but after reading the tread about shipping Im not sure I want to order from them. We have several guns how much ammo should we have? I have never canned meat and have a whole freezer of venison. But Im afraid to can meat. Im looking into a hand pump for the well but cant throw over $1000 at it right now we are still paying on the hole itself with the electric pump.

[Txsteader]

Jessie, I'd like to encourage not to be afraid to can meat. If you already know how to can, and aren't afraid to eat your canned food, then canning meat isn't really any different (you can get just as sick from eating improperly canned veggies as you can improperly canned meats). It's just a matter of preparing the meat and longer processing time.

Actually, it sounds to me like you're off to a great start. Definitely on the right track.

[radiofish]

Well does your family have enough food, water, and other items to make it a week or longer, without going to the store for additional supplies. That would be a starting point.

Fill some 2 liter soda bottles or other suitable containers with potable drinking water (1 gallon per person per day). Get enough canned foods or other ready to eat items that you currently eat to keep you fed for at least a week. You may have a power outage, loose your water supply, or have to be on your own for a week or longer. Beans, rice, and other items require cooking, before they can be eaten..

The dollar stores can be your helpful starting place. Flashlights and extra batteries for a dollar, some food items also that will store well - plus some hard candies for when craving sweets/ for the kids. Personal hygene items, cheap sunglasses, candles, refillable butane lighters, different sizes of zip-loc baggies for storage, and other 'necessities' can be found there. I have even found first-aid supplies at the dollar store. Have you taken a 1st aid course ,say from the American Red Cross? It helps if you have a medical emergency, and can't get to a doctor/ clinic/ hospital.

See if you can scrounge or find at least a couple of food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids to store some items in, in case you have to grab and go. I also use large military surplus metal ammunition boxes to store some items into a crush proof/ water proof container.

Do you have any camping gear? If so, that is another good start for prepping. Sleeping bags, tents, cooking gear, lanterns, etc. Just make sure to keep extra fuel supplies for those items requiring it.

You may have more prep items than you thought, if you think of other uses for them.
Hand tools, leather gloves, buckets, fasteners, and other items - you may have allready at your place.

I'l leave the firearms and ammunition issues, for another time.

[beaglebiz]

reading the monthly prep journal might give you some ideas about what other folks are doing

[jamala]

sounds like you are off to a great start, one other thing I did was start shopping the clearance racks at target and walmart and such and using coupons to get free items to stock up (toothpaste,deodorant, etc.) Tonight with my coupons and clearance I got large 48 count trash bags (free) baby wipes 100 count (free) toothpaste (free) and some other items really for just pennys.

[bee]

My best advice in a single word is BALANCE. Don't go overboard on any one thing; be it water, prescious metals or whatever. Try to cover all your needs as you have been advised for a 3 day period, then increase your amounts evenly up to as much as you have resources and time for. To put it simpley; if the first thing you do is buy in enough bottled water for your family for a year and things fall apart tommorrow then all you have is water for a year instead of all your needs for say a month.

[Rourke]

Good reply slg42 - here's my take:

There are some common steps that I recommend to people that are interested in preparedness -

1st: Plan - Get out a notebook and write down what it is you are preparing for. Then think about what you may need in order to survive through "the event".
The purpose of this is to get your mind focussed on "the event" and from that point forward - decisions made on purchases/acquisitions will be considering their benefit to the final goal.

2nd: Food - Sounds like your gardening skills will assist greatly with this. Food is absolutly the first thing that should be stocked up on.

First off—I recommend buying food items that are on sale—and buying in qty. Don’t buy just one can of corn that is on sale 2 for $1.00—buy 10. That way you will not have to buy canned corn again until it goes on sale again. This stretches your $1.00 .

Second—There are discount grocery stores that sell their own brand food items at tremendous discounts—one example of such a chain is Aldi’s. Often you can purchase food for close to half of what you would pay at the name brand food stores.

Third - I have posted about this on my blog several times—but you can save a lot of money by cutting coupons and combining the coupons with grocery store sales. I know it may not be the most manly thing to do—but I cut a lot of coupons—and save a lot of money. As an example—soup is on sale for .40 cents a can—and you have a .40 cents off of 4 cans coupon—you can get 4 cans of soup for $1.20 . That is .30 cents a can. Many grocery stores double the value of coupons to attract shoppers—thus in the same scenario those 4 cans of soup would cost you a total of .80 cents—or .20 cents a can. Spend $10.00 on soup and you have 50 cans of soup!!!!

3rd: Stock Up on Misc Supplies - This really has to be determined by the person doing the preparing. Common things such as first aid, firearms, cooking equipment, extra gasoline for vehicles, flashlights, candles, batteries, etc. Really depends upon what it is that is bbeing prepared for. There is a big differance in preparing for a winter storm where the power might be out for several hours to maybe a day or two -and a total economic collapse. Again - get out that notebook and plan/organize to build supplies evenly. It is not very usefull to have 10 years worth of band aids and no method of cooking your food.

Lastly - learn......read the forums here as well as other blogs and website to educate yourself to what may be happen and what is needed to survive thru it.

Good luck and take care all -

Rourke
www.ModernSurvivalOnline.com

[Callieslamb]

Jessie- Welcome to the forum!

Ditto what the others have said. Desire is the first step. You have seen the need and now you are working to fill it. I wouldn't worry about EE shipping boxes so much as I would worry about having food for my family. Just don't buy 100 of them at one time. Let it be known around town that you are learning to make your own bread....or something like that. There are much cheaper places the EE to find emergency supplies anyway. They carry a lot of the "fluff" products you don't really have to have. Can and dehydrate your own and save a TON of money. Build your own first aid kit - again, save a ton of money.

Make sure your garden spot is a productive as possible. Look at the soil nutrients, pH, etc. Make it as large as you can - if it's too big to take care of, plant part of it in soil- building plants, like clover or alfalfa. Then when you do use it- it will be great, productive soil.

When we started storing food, I didn't have much money either. I looked for cheap, but most nutritional food-stuffs that I could afford and then learned to use them. Wheat being #1 and beans #2. Many tell you to store what you eat, so I just have to get that in there - learn to eat those things that are cheap! You can make a LOT of your own pasta if you have a few chickens and stored wheat or flour.......

Each of us has to formulate our own plan on what to do. Each plan will be different.

Look at each scenario that you would like to be prepared for. Example: Missouri ice storm. What do you need for that situation? Alternative heat, elec? Food & water. Communication ability. Remember what the animals need also.

Make your list. Frequently update it. You will be able to do more than you think.

[mpillow]

ldscatalog.com (free shipping) (click on welfare services, then home storage)
cheapest place for beans rice oats wheat in longterm #10cans...I also get the water filter they carry for up to 100gal. (boxes are marked) Some folks here use waltonfeed on a group order but its not available here in MAine.

at honeyvillegrain.com I buy the fruit and veg combo when they send a coupon via email. I also get my kidney beans from here

Emergency Essentials has a great selection...the group specials are good deals for "groups" or Christmas presents and shipping is free with group specials

another good one for bulk http://www.freshroastedalmondco.com (decent shipping rates)

[sgl42]

for food storage, the following will answer more questions than you could think to ask all by yourself:

Alan's Stuff: The Prudent Food Storage FAQ and more.
http://athagan.members.atlantic.net/Index.html

--sgl

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Originally Posted by jessie_fishbio

My pressure canner is on the stove right now with salsa and tomatoe sauce in it. I have a 925 all american,( Picked up at a flea market for $10) I also have a excalibur food dehidrator that my mil found at a rumage sale. Both are older but still funcionable. I can field dress and process a deer and dress rabbits and chickens. I can sew clothing and I quilt. We dont eat alot of rice and beans but we do eat alot of pasta. Last year the wal-mart in town was closing out the whole wheat pastas and were bought about 200 lbs. What type of containers do you prefer? I dont have alot of storage unless we put it under the house in the craw space. We dont have any LDS store around here. Were do you get your supplies. I looked into EE but after reading the tread about shipping Im not sure I want to order from them. We have several guns how much ammo should we have? I have never canned meat and have a whole freezer of venison. But Im afraid to can meat. Im looking into a hand pump for the well but cant throw over $1000 at it right now we are still paying on the hole itself with the electric pump.

canning meat is a simple enough proccess .just keep it clean follow a recipie and maintain time and temps , really not hard at all just follow the instructions

a small generator may make more scence than a expensive deep well hand pump
ammo a question that has as many answers as people answering it , what do you shoot each year , think that thru , most ammo lasts decades easily , save your money buy on good sales each person should be shooting about a 100-300 rounds to keep current each year that doesn't mean 100 rounds of 30-06 hunting ammo it could be 50 handgun fmj target ammo one mag of self defence pistol loads and 50 of 22lr that might be it for the wife if she is not a fan of shooting, for you you may add 3-5 rounds of your hunting rifle ammo to make sure the sights are where they should be before season , and whatever you use to take your game durring the hunt. a few clay pigions and some shot shells make a fun afternoon and get you ready for moving targets better. there is no set number of rouns a person should or shouldn't fire , but making sure every one who should knows how to handle what they should be trained on is important , think about it this way armed security gaurds here have to qualify at an aproved range the i forget the exat target size but basicaly a man sized target at 21-25 feet and they have sto score somthing reasonably doable one guy may walk in fire one mag in the practice target and the second in the score taget walk out and be done for the year the next spends 5 boxes getting a target that he can score on it depends very much on wich guy you are as to how many rounds you should fire , neither should let that be thier only proctice for the year 3-4 times a year it is good to get some familiarization with you gun more is better but that seams reasonable.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

all that said , being said , it is all about doing what you can do with your time and money budget.

from someone with not a lot of money , do what you can do , and it's better than doing nothing at all.

learning to incoporate less expensive meals that keep well like your paste , or oatmeal , rice , beans , making your own bread and working that into the way you live will help.
to start a good goal is to just get 1 ahead on every thing you stock so if you keep 1 pack extra toilet paper and when the last roll goes on the toilet you buy more get so that there is a whole package more when the last roll goes on from one package you buy another while there is still a package sitting on the shelf, then 2 then 3 then 3 months then 6 months the way the modern economy works expecting to be layed off 6 months and a week is common (at 6 months at least here you loose your benifits , vacation , and stored sick leave , any seiniority) just keep doing the same for every thing you buy

back to ammo if you have thaught out how much you shoot of each in a year , a 10 year supply would be a good goal but work slowly if you are going to buy a box buy 2 put 1 away yes bulk spam cans are good if you cna aford the cost at that time.
most important is clean and care for your tools (guns) and all other tools , if you neglect your backsilding and waste is the enemy of preperation it wastes time and money that could have been spent else where. some things do have to get chalked up to education and not waste and education is often not cheap.

we have bulk foods country store here were we buy flour , oats , sugar and other thinsg in 50 and 25# sacks oil buy the gallon , and such

[SquashNut]

you need to learn to can meat. Just in case your freezer fails, if nothing else.
I raw pk it in pints for boneless and for things with bones I use wide mouth quarts. There are 2 of us.