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One excuse that some people use for not beginning to prepare for disasters is the cost. They look at shows like Doomsday Preppers or view the advertisements on prepping or survival blogs and start mentally calculating the costs of everything they need in their head. When you look at Prepping or being prepared as a destination it is easy to see why this thought looms in the minds of people everywhere.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

I have said it many times before that Prepping is a lifestyle. Prepping is never something you can finish and for most of us we will never be as prepared as we like, but by taking slow, steady steps towards your goals you will be more prepared today than you were the last month. When you look back years from now you might be amazed at what you were able to accomplish.

Now after saying all of that, I will readily admit that prepping in many areas involves some financial commitment. The trick is to acquire prepping supplies as your financial resources allow, don’t break the bank, but save money at every opportunity. Today I wanted to share a couple of ideas I have used personally to save money. When you are prepping on a budget, you want to put a good bit more thought and research into purchases but this should save you some money in the long run.

Determine what you need to spend more money on

A highly rated, fixed blade survival knife for $25?

There are some items that basically do the same thing, but depending on who makes the item, the cost could be dramatically different. You could purchase an Audi or you could purchase a Ford. They will both do the job of getting you where you want to go in relative comfort, safety and dependability, but one car could be twice as much as another. Yes, the Audi might have different amenities, aesthetics and niceties. It is probably engineered better and will overall be a better investment, but you chose to spend more for one.

It is similar in some respects to many of the items we look at as necessary for prepping. We know we need a certain item and begin shopping, reading reviews or scouring the comments on prepping blogs for the perfect item. Many times this will lead you to an item that while very good, is not significantly better at doing the job you will require of it to warrant spending twice as much. Knives are perfect examples of this concept and firearms usually get into this territory as well.

Before anyone gets on to me, I firmly believe in the concept of you get what you pay for. I don’t advocate buying the cheapest thing you can find in all circumstances but sometimes, you just don’t need to buy the Audi when the Ford will be perfectly fine. Consumables are where I first looking at cutting cost. Disposable paper products, lighters, matches and toilet paper are easy targets. Dollar stores are great for some items but not everything. Yard sales are excellent bargains too if you have the discipline and can find the right deals. I have a friend who has some special power for finding ridiculous deals like a crossbow in a case with arrows for $50. About all I can find is books.

Something like a knife involves a little more research, but you can easily compare products on sites like Amazon.com. Should you spend $155 for a Cold Steel Espada with polished G10 handle knife or would something closer to the $24 Gerber Warrant Knife do just as well for saving your butt in a survival scenario? I know there is a case to be made for spending money on collectables or what you “must have” because it makes your soul smile, but we are talking about saving money here.

Military Surplus stores can be a good source of deals on some of your prepping supplies.

Purchase used items

Another good way to count pennies if you are prepping on a budget is to buy gently used items. Not every piece of prepping gear you get needs to be brand new for it to be perfectly suited to what you need and this almost always will cost you less than full price. One place to get some items used would be Ebay, military surplus stores and Craigslist. I wouldn’t get underwear or anything like that, but I have purchased used military sleeping bag systems and saved hundreds of dollars. You can shop for backpacks and other camping gear in the off-season (right now) that people are looking to get rid of because they got new equipment for Christmas.

Firearms are usually just as good when they are used as brand new, but you likely won’t save too much money going this route because firearms don’t typically lose their value. You could save$50 to $100 though if you shop around. Pawn shops and gun shows are two great places to legally purchase used firearms and save some money.

Buying rice in bulk is a huge cost savings.

Buy in bulk

Food is one of the first things that preppers stock up on and it makes sense because we all need food, pretty much every day but you can save money by purchasing in bulk. There are a few good candidates for this method, but Rice, Beans and Whole Wheat come to mind. Instead of buying the small bags of rice, you can buy a 50 pound bag of rice for about $20. This one bag provides 504 servings of rice. To keep it fresh, you can store it in sealed Mylar bags. You can also bulk purchase Salt, #10 cans of fruit and veggies and toilet paper if you have a Sam’s or Costco membership.

Another thing to buy in bulk is ammo because you can usually get a better rate if you purchase 1000 or 500 rounds at a time as opposed to a single box of 50. Freeze dried food in bulk supplies of 3 or 6 months will save you money and cut down on the number of trips the UPS man has to make to your door. Yes, these purchases cost more out of pocket, but it could actually save you money to wait until you have the funds for that bulk purchase. Naturally this assumes you have some supply at your disposal while you are saving.

Don’t buy during a panic

Do you know when the absolute worst time to buy a generator is? Immediately after a disaster. I have heard stories of the cost of generators doubling after a flood, tornado or other crisis and that is simply because the demand goes through the roof. Resist the urge to buy anything prepping related like this in the aftermath of a disaster unless it is absolutely necessary.

A good strategy is to wait until everyone who bought these generators are selling them 6 months down the road because they don’t believe they will ever need them again. Along with items like generators, food supplies are lower during a disaster as well. You don’t want to be running to the store when everyone else is.

One good thing you can do is to create a list of all the prepping supplies you think you need and prioritize the items in that list. Once you have them in priority order, you can be more selective about what you purchase and when. Take some time to shop around. The internet is a great tool for comparison shopping and you can easily see who has the lowest prices on items. With a little forethought you can strategically make purchases and save money.

What ideas do you have for prepping on a budget?

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One excuse that some people use for not beginning to prepare for disasters is the cost. They look at shows like Doomsday Preppers or view the advertisements on prepping or

In this article, we are going to take a look at five knots that you should know how to tie at all times. Why learning how to tie a knot you’re maybe wondering. Because they can save your life and these five important knots are a good start. The more of these dependable survival knots you learn, the better off you’ll be under adverse conditions.

If you have to navigate difficult terrain while hauling supplies, some types of knots will help make it easier and safer. If you’re lost, the right knots for fishing and trapping game can keep you from starving.

There’s a reason firefighters and Coast Guard rescue crews learn how to tie survival knots. In a life or death situation, a secure rope can save someone from a burning house or a raging storm.

So now that we know why we should know them, just find the details along with instructional videos below:

Bowline / One-Handed Bowline

A Bowline is one of those knots that’s useful for many applications, putting a loop into a knot that won’t seize upon you, or more importantly a One-Handed Bowline that could save your life one of these days.

It seems like I’m always tying a bowline to secure a line to a fixed point. It’s a great all-around knot and one you should definitely know both on its own and one-handed.

 

Here you can see how to do a one-handed bowline:

Survival Uses:

You can tie the bowline around things or through them, and tie it around yourself. Being able to tie it with just one hand can be a boon when you need to tie a knot in an emergency. It’s also useful for hanging items from tree limbs, like food and survival gear.

Taut-Line Hitch

I feel like the Taut-Line Hitch is one of the most underrated knots out there, it’s extremely versatile and great for applications where you can have varying tension, such as securing a load. It’s most common application is providing adjustable tension for guy lines on a tent or tarp.
Some interesting sliders and devices now appear on tents’ guy lines to adjust the tension. Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer a Taut-Line Hitch.

 

Image credits: https://www.101knots.com/taut-line-hitch.html

 

Here’s also a video on how to do it.

Survival Uses:

A taut-line hitch is what you use when sheltering under a tarp. Stringing a rope between two trees and laying your tarp over it is the first step in creating a buffer between you and the elements. 

Threaded Figure-Eight

Another knot that’s underrated in its ability to get you out of a jam is the Threaded Figure 8.

Image credits: https://www.101knots.com/figure-8-knot.html

While the application I’m mentioning almost needs to be paired with a Swiss Seat at the least, nothing beats the Threaded Figure 8 to safely get you down from heights, whether on purpose or in an emergency situation.

The figure-eight knot creates a stopper wherever you need one on a rope, though the steps are also steps you take to create several other knots.

Here’s how you can do it:

Survival Uses: 
A figure-eight knot at the end of a rope can keep you from sliding off it. Is also one of the most useful types of knots for climbing. It’s an important survival knot for anchoring, especially when working in high winds or carrying gear up or down a steep incline.

 

Double Fisherman’s Knot

Image credits: https://www.101knots.com/double-fishermans-knot.html

Image credits: https://www.101knots.com/double-fishermans-knot.html

For joining rope together or making an adjustable loop out of two of these knots, the Double Fisherman’s Knot can’t be beaten. Preferably the rope you’re joining together should be around the same diameter, as there’s better knots to join sections of different diameter rope such as a Beckett’s Bend or as it’s commonly known, a Sheet Bend.

Power Cinch Knot

Another little known and underrated knot is the Power Cinch. Another great way to add tension to a line without the possibility of it slipping loose like I’ve seen Taut-Line Hitches do, yet very easy to pull down in a hurry.

Image credits: https://www.101knots.com/truckers-hitch.html

This is what I use for any kind of trunk line while I’m camping or putting up a shelter. Tensioning knots are something you should know and the reason I’ve included two of them in these five. I always see people over-tying objects in the back of a truck or in many situations where all they’re doing is trying to secure a load. Regular half hitches work fine, but that extra effort both in tying and removing all those knots simply isn’t necessary if you know the right knots to use in the first place.

 

Honorable Mention – Chain Sinnet

One last knot I’d like to mention is the Chain Sinnet, I literally tie this multiple times a week into all my extension cords and I can’t tell you how much time and aggravation it’s saved me over the years.

I was first taught this by an old employer who wanted their extension cords tied this way and I’ve always remembered it because of its efficiency. Mark this down as one to take a look at too if you’ve got the time for a bonus knot.

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In this article, we are going to take a look at five knots that you should know how to tie at all times. Why learning how to tie a knot

In the millennia mankind has existed we have witnessed some small corrections. Nature, the things by which we are all bound, sets in motion events, unforeseen and undeniable. In an age where science strives to understand and alter mankind, I see efforts in a multitude of misdirection’s.

What nature provides us, science does so artificially. These efforts, while noble and well-meaning fall short of nature’s millions of years of experimentation finding what does and does not work. Mankind is nothing more than the product of that grand experiment. I will hear all the arguments that it is God who created mankind. Does it say God also created nature? Why should God create something if he had no intention of using it? So comes the corrections.

To mankind it means the extinction of blood lines that have become weak and corrupt. Many have learned of the plague that came abruptly to kill the multitude. A tragic event but it left mankind stronger. Other events that destroyed entire civilizations by the fact they looked to God for help and should instead have looked to themselves and adapt for survival. Now we are faced yet again the correction that will destroy mankind or make us stronger. We hear of future events of volcanoes, and asteroid’s, and even another sun with its planets that is coming. If there is truth among these events I haven’t found it.

The truth I do know comes from the threat of government. This is something that mankind has created but failed to control. Mankind doesn’t like violent change. We will tolerate much and will be pushed to the extreme before some, the ones with ability to lead react. They incite others to follow. We have seen the evidence within our history. How accurate that history is debatable but it divides the followers into the divisions of their particular mindset.

We have the Christian, Budist, Muslim, with leaders that profess radically different physiologic mindsets. All professing to know and teach their own difference between what is good or evil. This is not the focus of my writing. Each has given their section of mankind the abilities to adapt. This is the crux of my point, adapt to what?

Man will be it seems from the predictions called upon to adapt. If we believe the many predictions, it will be a natural event that will put man’s talents to survive to the test. In the end it will be the strongest and most versatile that will survive. Survival, the very thing that many prepare. Which do we prepare for? If I had that answer, I would indeed be a rich man. While most wait for the answer, the event springs itself upon us. Now it is assured that the multitude, unprepared will dash off directionless and leaderless. They are destined for extinction. They will assemble into gangs with a leader that has only force to insure safety and will revert to a society of the Stone Age level that consumes to survive. The probabilities that this level of survival could last depends on the food to be consumed. Many of “the followers” will gather behind these leaders for security. Does this sound like our government? They turn a blind eye to the atrocities that leadership and power bring. This multitude will survive moving from place to place using the resources until it comes upon the community that it can’t overcome and will choose to combine to survive or die.

I continue now about the correction event, not knowing what it may be or if we can oppose its force and survive. Survival being the goal we as individuals must decide what is best for each of us. The multitude must continue to make their living and support families. We must also think ahead and plan on a direction we must take in the event we are separated from our families and what we must do when we are back together.

With the multitude of websites showing us what we need or have to survive. They range from the pocket tin that is guaranteed to have everything one needs to survive. To the backpack so large that will draw notice of others and tell them you have what they need. I can say that I wouldn’t want to draw attention to myself. The description I do like is the grey man. The ability to blend and be the shadow. Sounds like a good idea for the crime fighter TV program.

When we address the problem everything and everyone must be considered an enemy. Even people you work with will in desperation act for their own survival. The people who are in a state of panic will be capable of anything. The ninety pound woman has been documented lifting a two ton car off her child. Panic and adrenaline can exhibit superhuman strength to a man or woman. You do not want to be the focus of that force. Sadly the strength is fleeting and needs an extreme event to activate. We cannot depend upon this so the rest must depend on our brain.

The brain is the best tool we have for survival. Teaching it to make the correct decisions by evaluating the conditions of the moment and projecting into the future. The future is the goal we want to get to. To be clear it will be yourself against everything else.

To get where you want to be you must have direction. Without direction you have no hope to survive not only hardship but the corrections nature imposes to cleanse its mistakes. What form will they take? Nature is creative and to survive it we adapt. Any living thing plant, animal, or microbe if it can’t adapt is extinct. With the many predictions that could come from nature or man the object still remains the same. Survival of yourself and family. World events at the moment seem to outweigh nature. It would seem the target will be the grid. If this is so then despite what plans we make they will be only temporary at best. The hordes the zombie flicks entrap our imagination with will show up. The difference they won’t be slow unthinking creatures. They will be armed and hungry and will take what you have. The only hope is to remain unnoticed until the majority have passed on looking for food. The odds of going unnoticed? Slim to none. If we have an attack like this its purpose won’t be to defeat America but destroy it. Any country wanting the resources wouldn’t destroy them. Leaving America intact would call for biological methods. Eliminate the people leaving its resources intact. Could we survive this?

Some will as has been proven with the plagues. Some will be immune to whatever is put out. The final question is how to prepare? Knowledge and as many skills as one can learn to use without power. It won’t be how much gold you have that will keep you alive but how valuable you will be in a community. Knowledge weighs nothing and the ability to adapt. The things that every animal alive must have to survive.

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In the millennia mankind has existed we have witnessed some small corrections. Nature, the things by which we are all bound, sets in motion events, unforeseen and undeniable. In an

Google is watching you. No matter which way you look at it, Google has a hand in what you search for, comment on, watch, download, share or publish. Every time you search for a location or use Google maps as a Sat-Nav that information is stored. If you type in the latest bestselling book, blockbuster movie or front-page celebrity, those searches are also saved. Websites send small packets of data known as Cookies, to help them remember your choices or personal information for the next time you visit. These Cookies help build an online profile which allows that creepy banner advert for the product you have just been looking at to pop up on a completely unrelated website, or your details to be remembered the next time you pay a visit your favorite online retailer. It’s like that odd shop assistant who always remembers who you are and what you want.

This detailed information is of course interesting to governments, law enforcement agencies and marketers, providing a very detailed map of a person’s movements, habits and preferences. Despite this unprecedented level of data collection and surveillance, there are ways to avoid being tracked and remain anonymous online.

It has never been so easy to track someone. Pretty much every person over the age of 5 has a small electronic device in their pocket that is constantly transmitting signals and revealing its location. Users even make tracking easier by searching for a nearby restaurant or asking Siri where the cheapest dog food can be found, giving away information on where we are going and why we are going there. All of this stored information can be accessed; Google Timeline provides a very spooky map of everywhere you’ve been since you created a Google account. Google also creates a nice history of every website you have searched for or visited. Yes, there’s the locally stored history everybody knows about and deletes after they’ve visited a website they’d prefer other computer users not to know about, but there’s also a more complex Google search history linked to your account. This can be accessed and cleared, unless you want Google to know exactly what you’ve been looking at since you created your account. You can also ask Google not to save your results or track your movements via your account preferences.

Sweeping Away a Search History – Molly Wood

Emails should be a safe haven. Traditional post is still considered to be pretty secure and letters can be sent anonymously, so online mail should reflect this. But this isn’t the case. Gmail messages carry your IP address, so the location you send an email from is logged and whenever you download a message, your location is given away again. These settings can be changed, but not many people realize this location sharing is a default setting.

Even your YouTube video watching habits are being monitored, stored and acted upon. Have you ever noticed that after spending a Sunday morning watching hilarious cat fails and shark attack videos that the next time you log in, there are many other cat and shark videos on your ‘recommended’ list? Guess what – it’s not a coincidence. Fear not however, your YouTube viewing history can also be cleared and settings tweaked so that anything you watch in the future can be forgotten instantly.

When it’s time to buy Grandma’s birthday gift, make sure the connection you are buying over is secure. Look for a padlock, https: prefix or green ‘verified’ box in the address bar or alternatively, shop using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN will encrypt any data transmitted and will make it difficult for snoopers to view sensitive details such as credit card details, or even what you are buying for Grandma.

If you type in the latest bestselling book, blockbuster movie or front-page celebrity, those searches are also saved. Websites send small packets of data known as Cookies, to help them remember you choices or personal information for the next time you visit.

If you’re going for a walk and don’t want anyone to know where you’re going, enter your phone’s settings and turn of location services. This is the software setting responsible for transmitting to applications like Google Maps exactly where you are, based on your phone’s GPS signal. This allows Google to build a detailed profile of where you’ve been, where you ate and what you’ve been doing for last four hours.

There are lots of easy ways for people to find out lots of information about you. If you have several social media accounts that use the same email address, there are intelligent Chrome web add-ons such as Prophet and search techniques that will allow a complex snapshot of your life to be created. If you use the same email address for Facebook and LinkedIn for example, and you don’t have strict privacy settings on Facebook, your real name, occupation, address, favorite football team, sexual preference, age, phone number, number of children, pets and names of your family and loved ones can be collated in seconds. For identity thieves, this makes things easy. Consider using a different email address for different social media accounts and make your Facebook profile inaccessible to strangers, or limit the amount of information you put on there. Did I mention Facebook also monitors and collates your likes, where you go and what you do as well?

As technology progresses and more is done with the information we give out freely, it will only get worse for people wishing to benefit from the digital world but remain off the grid at the same time. It is virtually impossible to live an online life without giving away more personal details than necessary, but with the right precautions, you can limit the amount of data that is freely available and decrease the chances of your personal data being taken advantage of.

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Google is watching you. No matter which way you look at it, Google has a hand in what you search for, comment on, watch, download, share or publish. Every time

In this day and age, we have plumbing and faucets. We have our own water bills and water heaters. We also have our own water pipelines which connects with the cities or counties pipeline. We drink our water from our faucets. We may have water filters so that we may stay away from unwanted bacteria and particles. But what happens if an earthquake or a natural disaster occurs and it destroys the pipelines? You have no more water!!!

Well that is a problem considering the fact that we humans can only live 3 days without water! How then can you get water when your water’s pipeline is destroyed? You may begin to worry, for that is okay. However, let me put your fears behind you, for you can survive! Sure it may not be easy or even fun, but even the most urban human being can collect water without a pipeline. Nevertheless, if you have a fresh body of water nearby, you’re probably going to be okay! You just need to boil all water that you collect from the wild. Now, if you have several plastic water bottles you may survive a little longer. But all your supplies may run out! So why not be a prepper and prepare your home with the prepper’s solar still kit.

You will need:

  • A bucket such as a 5 gallon bucket
  • A house-hold trash bag
  • A couple very small rocks
  • An empty 12 oz. cup or a small empty container
  • Some green vegetation such as grass or leaves
  • Duct Tape or 4 feet of semi-strong string

Making your kit:

  1. Gather all your required supplies. You do not need any vegetation for your kit.
  1. Take your bucket and place all your supplies within. You can make more than one kit which is ideal for a survival situation.
  1. I would personally make more than one kit. I would have at least two kits in your home and one in each of your vehicles.

Making the Prepper’s Solar Still:

  1. Take out all the supplies in your solar still kit.
  1. Find some nearby vegetation. Leaves, grass, branches with leaves, or any other plants. All vegetation must be green and alive at the time of obtaining.
  1. Once you have all your vegetation, which should be a fair amount, you can place it in your bucket.
  1. Then place your container or 12 oz. cup in the middle of the bucket.
  1. Take your trash bag and put it over the bucket. Then use your small rocks and put it in the middle of the trash bag which will push the bag down a bit. Use the duct tape or string and wrap or tie it around the bag to keep it in place. You can rip off any extra length of the trash bag if you want.
  1. Take your bucket outside and find a sunny spot to leave it in. If it is not a sunny day, place it in a non-shady area.
  1. Leave the bucket there for at least a day, if not more. If it is a sunny day it will work faster. After time, go check your bucket. Take the bag off and see if there is any water in the cup. There should be a fair amount of water. Be sure to filter and/or boil any water collect from the wild. You may want to have set more than one solar still at a time.

How the Prepper’s Solar Still works:

The vegetation has water within its system. Once it is plucked from the ground or a tree it dies. When you put it in the bucket and you seal it, the heat of the sun or day beats on the vegetation. Since it is inside the bucket it will get very warm, causing the water to evaporate from the plants. The water goes up unto the air and it then hits the trash bag. It then turns unto drops of water. The water begins to slide down the bag. It goes down to where the small rocks are weighing down the bag at. It then drops off the bag and falls unto the cup. The cup then begins to fill up.

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In this day and age, we have plumbing and faucets. We have our own water bills and water heaters. We also have our own water pipelines which connects with the

Have you ever run out of gas? Imagine running out of gas when gas stations are no longer pumping fuel or you are on route to your bug out location after some really bad stuff has gone down. You aren’t able to call AAA anymore and your buddy probably can’t come to pick you up. You thought ahead to carry some extra fuel, but long lines in traffic and multiple detours have depleted even your additional supplies.

If the situation called for it and you were desperate, would you know how to siphon gas from a car?

Many of us have tried this before with mixed results. I can remember shoving a length of garden hose in the tank of an old Ford truck I had and drawing the gas out with my mouth. In case you were wondering, a mouth full of gas is not a pleasant experience and it takes a whole lot of brushing to get that taste out.

This manual method is only slightly better with clear plastic tubing but you still run the risk of getting some amount of gas in your mouth.

Would this be acceptable in a grid down situation? Of course, if there was no other option. However, with a little planning and practice now, you can have a solution to your fuel needs in an emergency.

How to get gas out of a car

It would stand to reason that in even the most dire, apocalyptic scenarios you can imagine, there will be gas somewhere. We have gas in cars obviously, stashed in lawnmowers and in spare cans in sheds. Businesses have diesel stored in forklifts and heavy equipment. Gas at fuel stations can even be tapped into with a little know-how even if the electricity isn’t working. Gas is a vitally important resource and even if we have some global EMP, this fuel will still be valuable to the people who can obtain it but not everyone has experience with getting gas out of their car short of driving it around all day.

Cars that have been abandoned would seem to be some of the best and easiest places to acquire extra fuel to keep you going. I am not advocating stealing but should you determine that your situation requires it, siphoning gas can be a pretty simple way to get an extra few gallons in an emergency. Even 3 extra gallons could potentially get you dozens of miles away from danger or just closer to your destination.

Another good reason to keep an empty fuel tank in your car. Carol is always prepared…

Older cars didn’t have some of the anti-theft measures that more modern vehicles have now that make getting gas from a car more of a challenge. Depending on your situation, even with anti-theft devices, you can still get fuel. The process is basically the same regardless of the vehicle but the methods might need to change. You simply need to draw or drain the fuel in one tank to a container. The easiest way to do this requires gravity and a little help from a siphon. The siphon you choose can be the suction you create with your mouth (not ideal) or from a pump. There are manual hand pumps and electric pumps that I’ll discuss in a minute but it might make sense to procure one of these methods now before you find yourself needing gas and have no way to get it.

Siphon gas from an older car

A manual fuel pump could help you easily siphon gas from many cars

There are two methods I think that are brilliantly simple to siphon gas from older cars. When I say older, that is a general term because no two cars are exactly the same. In newer cars, probably from the 90’s forward, there are flaps installed on virtually all gas tanks now that would make it harder for you to remove the hose, but in older vehicles, it was pretty much a straight opening into the tank. You also have round balls in the tank hose that prevent hoses from being easily stuck down into the tank so older cars are easier to get fuel out of. If possible, an older model car would make the best targets for siphoning gas.

There are dozens of manual fuel pumps on the market like the 3 in 1 Hand Pump on Amazon. You can use this not only for siphoning gas from a car, but you could also use it to get other fuels into or out of containers. Maybe you have a 50-gallon drum of kerosene and you need to fill your lanterns and heater. This manual pump would be handy.

You can also use a modified method of manual siphoning with your mouth that I haven’t seen before but I wish I knew about a long time ago. You would insert the hose into the gas tank as you would on any siphoning method, but instead of sucking fuel up the line, another hose creates the pressure needed to push fuel into your hose. You can see a great video of the concept below.

How to siphon gas without a pump

The manual pump method works great on older cars, but what about newer vehicles? If you are desperate enough you can puncture the fuel tank with a hammer and screwdriver but this destroys the tank first of all and is riskier from the standpoint of creating a spark around fumes. Along with that, you would make more noise and have to get under the car so that might prevent you from observing the area as closely as you need to.

The Gastapper is a system that runs with an electric pump and it is supposed to get around the anti-theft devices on modern cars. The video below shows the process which is a little more involved than the manual pump method but could be a great alternative if you do have electricity. This could also be a good device for obtaining fuel from underground fuel storage tanks at a gas station.

How to siphon gas from a newer vehicle

So there are a few methods of obtaining fuel in an emergency. I think I am going to get a manual fuel pump and stash that in my vehicle EDC kit for emergencies. What is your method of choice to siphon gas from a car?

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Have you ever run out of gas? Imagine running out of gas when gas stations are no longer pumping fuel or you are on route to your bug out location

Surviving in cold geographical areas can be challenging even to plants. No season is as harsh to both indoor and outdoor plants and flowers as winter. The biting cold temperatures and extreme weather conditions can take toll on our once healthy garden plants. Without taking care of your plants during winter, you could risk losing all your favorite blooms.
I bet no gardener would appreciate starting anew each year. Fortunately, you can do a few simple things to help your lovely plants make it through the winter and maintain their best health. Let us learn about a few tips that can help save your plants in the harsh winter weather.

Caring For Indoor Plants During Winter

Winter conditions are never better for indoor plants. Even with the protection from certain environmental elements, the cold weather and relatively shorter days during winter months can interfere a lot with the life of indoor plants. Here a few things you can do to care for your in-house plants during winter

Provide Light

The amount of daytime light during the middle months of winter may be too little for plants to survive healthily. The problem is compounded if your house is not situated to receive the most light. Move your plants close to windows and areas that get adequate sunlight during winter. To promote the entry of more light, ensure you clean the windows thoroughly. Clean off any dust that might have settled on the leaves of the plants to maximize their light absorption.

Change Watering Routine

People make a mistake of soaking their indoor plants with water during winter. This can damage your plants during the cold months. This is because water loss due to evaporation is nearly nonexistent. Besides, plants tend to grow slower during winter. Combined, these factors demand that you reduce the watering routine of your plants. A golden rule to determine when to water the plants involves sticking your finger about two inches into the soil. If it results in a dry finger then you need to water.

Mist Your Plants

If yours are indoor tropical plants, it would be wise to spray them with a light mist a couple of times a day – preferably twice or thrice a day. This is because tropical plants thrive in humid conditions. Alternatively, you can place the plants in a humid environment such as the bathroom or where there is a water feature.

Dilute or Avoid Fertilizer

As we mentioned previously, all plants have reduced growth rate during winter. This means their nutritional need will also reduce. In case your plants are healthy, there is no need to fertilize them. If you really need to then you can dilute the fertilizer by at least 50 percent before applying. A better time to fertilize is during the fall.

 

Caring For Outdoor Plants During Winter

For obvious reasons, outdoor plants need much more attention during winter. Also the cold temperatures and extreme weather conditions can rein terror on these plants. Here are the most important things you can do to care for your outdoor plants during winter:

Remove Any Debris from the Plants

Summer plants are usually vegetative and bushy in response to the higher temperatures. As the temperatures start to plummet, they begin to die in preparation for what we call floral hibernation. You cannot prevent this process from happening. However, you can help the plants by clearing away any debris. You must also shield the delicate parts of the plant to protect them from biting cold.

Spread a New Layer of Mulch

The extreme winter temperatures can take a toll on your garden soil causing it to crack. The frost caused by cold temperatures can harden the ground especially the soil type in your garden. Such cracks are bad news, especially for bulb beds. This is because the cracks in the soil can cause the bulbs to rise to the surface. The result will be catastrophic to your plants. A good tip is to spread new mulch (I’d preferably evergreen boughs) on the garden to protect the soil and the plants. The mulch will also prove help in the coming spring.

Trim Your Plants Back

Trimming is an important practice when it comes to taking care of your plants during winter. This is especially true with annual flowers, vegetables, and plants. While trimming, remove blackened stems and withering foliage completely. Such dying stems and foliage provide hiding grounds for pest and diseases that could compromise the health of your plants.

Do Not Fertilize Outdoor Plants During Winter

As with all plants, growth rate reduces considerably during the cold temperatures of winter. Overgrowth will predispose them to frost vulnerability. An important tip in taking care of your outdoor plants during winter is to avoid applying fertilizer completely in order to minimize foliage growth. In fact, you should stop fertilizing them from midsummer. However, you can water them regularly but ensure you do not over water them. Test the amount of water in the soil with your finger.

General Tip

Transfer outdoor plants indoors to mitigate the effects of winter whenever possible. Indoors, the plants will be closer to you and therefore you can take better care of them. Besides, the conditions indoors are much better and your plants will most likely survive.

If you have tender plants then you will do well by moving them to a frost-free location such as a garage, a shed, indoors or in a greenhouse prior to the first frost. This is especially true for outdoor potted plants since frost can pierce the exposed sides of the pot thus damaging plant roots. Temper this with regular and extended exposure to sunlight.

Final Verdict

That’s all we have for you today. If you love your plants then you will deal with the burden of taking care of them. If you care well for them, you will not have to start anew when spring finally comes. It does not matter whether your plants are outdoor or indoor. We believe these are the most valuable tips you can ever find online on how to care for your plants during winter.

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Surviving in cold geographical areas can be challenging even to plants. No season is as harsh to both indoor and outdoor plants and flowers as winter. The biting cold temperatures

Rock beats scissors and paper thrashes rock, but nothing beats paperclips. If I were to erect a statue for one of the many household objects that saved my sorry can more than I can count, I would definitely do it for the paperclip.

Yup, the same goggle-eyed Microsoft Word assistant that obstinately wanted to help you is the best possible tool a prepper could hope to have should he find himself corned and SHTF.

Forget about lockpicking – sure, paperclips can serve that purpose as well, but there are many other ways these bendable delights can help you. Seeing that you people are always on the lookout for multipurpose B.O.B items, in today’s article, I’m going to show you the many uses of an office paperclip. So, without further ado, here’s my roundup of paperclip survival uses.

  1. Crafting a compass

In the darkest night or brightest day, the compass will always point the way. But what happens when the compass goes missing or, worse, damaged by a fall or something? Well, it may be possible to get back on the road again using a makeshift compass. Even better, you can do this anywhere using only your B.O.B. Here’s how to make your own compass. Bend the paperclip until you get a long segment. Use your multitool or sharp rock to cut it.

Then, take out your survival knife and magnetize the paperclip segment (most survival knives are made from steel which is known for its kick-ass magnetic properties). You can also use the cap of a Philips screwdriver or any piece of magnetized metal.

After adding some kick to the paperclip segment, grab a bowl or any kind of water container and fill it with water. Take a small leaf, put the metallic filament on it, and place it in the bowl. The small fragment will point out the north-south direction.

  1. Signal-boosting

As you know, the worst thing that could happen to you in any SHTF situation is not being able to get in touch with the emergency services or your family.

This can happen for any number of reasons – land features (yup, some land formations won’t allow phone or short-wave signals to get through, acting like some sort of cage), carrier not having enough coverage or signal amplifier in that area might have been damaged, electromagnetic interferences, and the list goes on. You can’t do much about the smartphone since with the emergent 5G technology you will need more than a paperclip for a signal boost.

However, if you have a walkie-talkie or one of those hand-cranked portable AM\FM radios, it may be possible to amplify the signal long enough for you to get in touch with, well, anyone.

Take a paperclip out of your B.O.B and bend it until you get an L-shape. Attach your make-shift booster to the nob on the upper part of the device’s antenna and give it another try. Also works wonders for portable radios, especially when you need to tune in to NOAA’s weather radio or, perhaps, one of your local emergency broadcast stations.

  1. Reset gadgets to factory settings

I don’t know about you, but I always had this mortal dread of gadgets dying on me during an emergency. And it happens more often than you realize. With all these new updates and drivers clogging up the memory of our smartphones, there’s no wonder that the damned thing stops working. And the last thing you’ll want in an SHTF situation is to debug your gadget.

Now, if you haven’t already switched to one of those survival phones (more battery, almost indestructible case, and fewer apps and updates), there might be a way to jump-start your phone in the field, provided that your battery still has some juice left in it. Take a small paperclip and bend it until you get a small segment.

Pop open the phone’s back cover and remove the battery. Look around for a small hole. It should have a little “reset” label on top of it. Use the tip of your bent paper clip to push the button. Keep it pressed for at least five seconds. The phone will reboot and return to factory settings – make sure you have enough battery, as this procedure will siphon at least 10 percent. You can also do the same for other devices like laptops or tablets.

  1. Making small field repairs

Since paperclips are made from malleable steel, it doesn’t take too much imagination to realize that they can be used for just about any kind of odd job. For instance, if you’re the proud owner of a pair of prescription glasses, you may be able to replace a missing frame screw with a small piece of a paperclip.

Thorn clothes can also be fixed by securing the holes with a long piece of paperclip bent into the desired shape with a multitool. Don’t have a smartphone stand? No problem. Grab one of those heavy-duty paperclips and start bending it until you get a little seesaw-style stand.

In case you lost your fishing tools, you can always improvise some hooks using paperclips. Just secure them to the other end of a dental floss thread, and you’ll be enjoying a fish dinner in no time.

  1. Hunting small game

They call it “survival of the fittest.” I’d rather go with the wittiest. In any SHTF situation, securing another food source become a priority, and hunting’s the way to go. Don’t go for the big game, because you won’t do shit without a hunting rifle and those things are far too heavy to carry around – the chances are that you won’t have enough time to grab your pea-shooter before scooting.

Anyway, for hunting small game like rabbits, birds, ferrets, and badgers, a blow-dart gun will provide you with all the firepower you’ll ever need. As for ammo, take out a couple of paperclips, straighten them out using your multitool, and sharpen them.

For the weapon itself, you can use a small plastic tube or a hollowed-out piece of reed (bamboo stems are also good for crafting blowguns). Place you darts inside, bait your game, aim for the head, and fire. Won’t look pretty but at least food’s back on the menu.

  1. Small bone-splinting jobs

Nothing’s worse than stubbing your toes in a piece of furniture (those of you who have the midnight munchies will certainly know the struggle). However, there are far nastier things that could happen in the field, especially during one of those charming SHTF situation. Now, in case you someone manage to stub your toe or break a finger, you can whip out a field splint using two straight pieces of paperclips.

Put one below, one above, and use a clean cloth to secure the splints to the damaged finger or toe. Don’t forget about rubbing a bit of baking soda or washing the area with a saline solution to cut down on the swelling. Yes, I know it looks like exactly the same thing you would get after visiting a sleazy back-alley clinic, but at least you get to keep your kidneys and fingers.

  1. Cleaning fingernail dirt

Yeah, I know that the last thing on your mind during a survival situation is a manicure, but hygiene’s very important, no matter how shitty things get. And, in this case, it’s more about preventing some nasty medical conditions than adhering to some outdated beauty rituals.

Fact one: your hands will get into contact with lots of stuff. Fact two: no matter what you do, you’ll always end up with dirt under your fingernails. Which brings us to fact number three – if you don’t remove the dirt fast enough, you can end with pleasant things like tetanus. Want more? How about panaritium? Never heard of it?

Well, it’s an infection caused by a bacterium that seeps in the tissue beneath your fingernail. The result – inflammation and, in most cases, abscess pockets forming underneath. Do you know how panaritium is treated? Surgical removal of the nail, which in your case must be done with whatever you have on hand and without any kind of anesthetic. So, If I were you, I would take out a piece of a paperclip and start removing that dirt as soon as possible. You’re welcome!

  1. Crafting mini skewers

In the hopes that I didn’t frighten you too much with the above statements, here’s another crafty way of using skewers for those rare and relished moments spent with friends and family – cooking over a firepit.

If you’re a camper, then you know that as much as you try convincing yourself and others to bring all the stuff needed for the great outdoor cookout, there’s always something left behind or overlooked. It’s easy to forget skewers after packing everything but the kitchen’s sink.

For those great moments spent around the campfire, you can improvise tiny skewers from paper clips – just bend one of those heavy-duty office paperclips until you get a long and straight piece. Goes along great with marshmallows, but call also be used to cook meat – my wife enjoys making mini chicken and pork skewers.

  1. Keeping your keys together

If you find yourself with no space on the keychain left for another key or token, you can always make more room by making a paperclip loop and attaching it to the chain. Keep in mind that this is a temporary solution. I would advise you against putting heavier stuff on this improv loop and to keep then entire chain inside your pocket.

You can always turn it into a more permanent solution, by looping two or more paperclips and welding them together (makes for a nice DIY keychain).

  1. Zipper tab replacement

If I were to make a list of the most annoying things that could happen in the field, a broken zipper tab would take second place right after ripped shoelaces. Fact is that most of us remember to pack at least one extra pair of shoelaces before going camping or whatever, but never to pack replacement zipper tabs. Sure, if it’s an interior pocket, then it’s no reason for concern.

However, if the zipper tab of your parka or backpack break or go missing, that’s when shit really hits the fan. Still, if you have a pack of paperclips inside your B.O.B, a broken tab shouldn’t be a problem – just remove the broken part, make a loop out of a paperclip, attach it to the zipper, and you’re good to good.

You can do the same for your parka, side pockets, and other things that come with a zipper.

That’s it for my kick-ass list of mind-boggling ways to repurpose a dull pack of office paperclips. If you have other uses in mind, don’t be a stranger and hit the comments section.

Before you go, you may also like:

This is more than just about your guns…
10 Easy Steps to Secure your privacy
Secret Military Solution For Power Independence
DIY Unlimited water source
Why a food reserve is way better than the Federal Reserve
Lost Skills of our Ancestors that still work today

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Rock beats scissors and paper thrashes rock, but nothing beats paperclips. If I were to erect a statue for one of the many household objects that saved my sorry can

Life in plastic is, without a doubt, fantastic, especially when you find yourself in a shit hits the fan situation. Can’t say that I’m a big fan of plastic. Anyway, one has to agree that plastic’s not that good for the environment, and yes, we should do our best to recycle as often as possible. As for today’s topic, a plastic bottle, no matter, if it’s Coca-Cola, sprite or the common milk jug, can serve a lot of purposes, apart from storing liquids. So, without further ado, here are 8 ingenious ways you can use a plastic bottle in a shit hits the fan situation.

Improv trash can

When you’re hiking or camping, you won’t always have the luxury of having a trash can around, especially if you decide to go off the beaten path. Now, if the trash starts piling up, you can always use an empty plastic bottle as a trash can. Normally, a carry a small bottle with me filled with a little bit of sand and water to use as an ashtray.

Watering can for flowers and veggies

Don’t have the time to go and look for a new watering can? No problem. Grab the largest plastic bottle you can find, poke some holes in the lid, and use it to water your daisies or veggies.

Emergency mask

If you need to traverse an area filled with toxic fumes, it may be possible to improvise a mask using a plastic bottle, some charcoal, an empty tin can, and duct tape. Here’s what you will need to do. Use a pair of scissors to cut the bottom of a plastic bottle. Next, remove one of the bottle’s sides so that you can create a space for your face. Place some duct on the jagged edge to protect your forehead.

Now take an empty tin can and poke a couple of holes in the bottom. Use the scissors to cut the bottom of the can. Place a clean gauze on the bottom of the tin can and sprinkle some charcoal. Remove the bottle’s cap, position the tin can with charcoal, and use some duct tape to secure it in place. Congrats! You’ve just made your first dust mask.

Solar still

Since I already covered water purification using charcoal, sand, pebbles, and a plastic bottle, I’m now going to show you another way to make water safe to drink. In the field, it’s possible to construct a small solar using a plastic bottle and an empty beer can. Here’s how to do it. Take a 2-liter plastic bottle and snip the bottom. Using your fingers, fold the edges inwards, as to create a small pocket.

Now take an empty beer can and completely remove the top (leave the rim) using a survival knife. Pour some water in the beer can, put the water bottle on top, and place in the sun. After a couple of hours, you will see some condensation on the walls of your bottle. Lift your bottle, unscrew the cap, and pour the water trapped in the pocket in a clean glass.

Craft a raft

A large body of water to cross but can’t find anything that floats? No problem, as long as you have some plastic bottles at your disposal. Grab a couple of beams or large pieces of wood and arrange them in a rectangular shape.  Secure your beams using hammer or nails or tie the joints with your cordage of choice. After creating the frame, create compartments using boards or anything you have on hand.

Fill these compartments with as many plastic bottles as you can. Don’t forget to secure them to your boat. When you’re done, find yourself a pole or a very long piece of wood to use as a paddle. Cast that makeshift raft of your in the water and enjoy the trip up shit’s creek but with a paddle.

Waterproof tinder box

No place left to store your fire-starting gear? Well, if your tinder box is out of commission, you can always keep your stuff in a plastic bottle, to make sure everything stays dry.

Fire-starter

On the topic of fire-starters, you can use a clean plastic bottle in order to concentrate the sun rays on some kindling or tinder. Rip the label, fill the bottle with clear water, and rotate it in order to focus the beam. It will take a while, but it beats sitting there and praying for fire.

Fish and small animal trap

If you don’t know how to make a simple body-gripping trap, you can always turn a plastic bottle into one. To do that, use a pair of scissors or your survival knife to cut the top of the bottle. Remove the cap, reverse the top, and place it inside the trap. Use some duct tape to secure the top part of the bottle. For small fish, you need to place that thing inside a stream or something. If the water’s clean, that thing will be invisible. For a small game like field mice, place something sweet inside the bottle.

Makeshift kettle

Because boiling is the most efficient way to sterilize water, it may be possible to do that in the field with a bottle. To make an improv kettle, start by removing the top part of the bottle using your survival knife or a very sharp rock. Place the dirty water inside. Now, start a fire using your method of choice and pile as much fuel as you can find. When the fire picks up in the head, place a couple of small stones inside the flame and wait.

When they begin to change color, using some tongs or anything else, retrieve the stones and drop them in the water bottle. Wait for the water to boil, allow it to cool down, and serve.

That’s it for my article on ingenious ways to repurpose plastic bottles. Anything missing from the list? Head to the comments section and let me know.

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Life in plastic is, without a doubt, fantastic, especially when you find yourself in a shit hits the fan situation. Can’t say that I’m a big fan of plastic. Anyway,

Waterproof matches are expensive, but you can make your own for only a fraction of the price.

Today’s featured video is from YouTuber’s JoeandZachSurvival and they share a simple but effective way to waterproof your matches. As preppers we spend a fair amount of time talking about cooking when the grid goes down and there are numerous ways to start a fire out of natural materials, but I think having a lighter or matches is just easier.

I personally have a firesteel for times when I don’t have a lighter but unless I want to practice making a fire, I will go the easy route and just light that Bic or strike a match.

When it comes to packing fire making materials in my Bug Out Bag or even just stocking up my supplies, lighters and matches are something I don’t leave out.

You can purchase a few packs of Bic lighters and throw those in a plastic tub and they will last for a very long time. Matches, may last even longer and if you take steps to protect them from the elements, you can use these in a lot of situations.

In this video, Joe and Zach show you how to make waterproof matches easily that can save you a little money. Hope you enjoy!

What do you think? If you’re curious to find out 4 other ways to waterproof your matches, there’s more.

Listed below are a number of effective and proven ways to make waterproof matches you can use for camping, backpacking, and emergencies.

Note: All the methods below involve some risk. If you are a minor, do not carry out any of these activities without the permission of a competent adult supervisor. The list is ranked from safest to least safe. The best and safest method is to use turpentine. (Turpentine has a higher “flash point” relative to acetone, which is commonly used in nail polish and does not involve the use of flame as is needed in the Wax or Paraffin methods.)

Method One of Four: Use Turpentine

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1. Pour 2 to 3 large tablespoons of turpentine into a small (tumbler sized) glass.
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2. Place the matches, (head down) into the turpentine and allow the matches to soak for 5 minutes. During that time the turpentine will soak into the head as well as the stem. All the water will be driven off by the turpentine.
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3. Remove the matches and spread them out to dry out on a sheet of newspaper.Generally, 20 minutes for excess turpentine to evaporate is recommended. Matches treated in this way remain waterproof for several months or longer.

Method Two of Four: Use Nail Polish

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1. Dip the head end of the match into clear nail polish far enough to cover at least an eighth of an inch (3 millimeters) of the stick below the head.
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2. Hold the match for a few seconds to allow the polish to dry and then place the match on a table or counter so that the head is suspended off the edge of the surface.
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3. Place a sheet of newsprint below to catch anything that may drip off.

Method Three of Four: Use a Candle

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1. Light a candle and let it burn down until you have a good amount of liquid wax (about a half of an inch or 1 centimeter).
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2. Extinguish the candle.
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3. Dip the head end of the match into the wax far enough to cover at least an eighth of an inch (3 millimeters) of the stick below the head.
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4. Hold the match for a few seconds to allow the wax to harden slightly and then place the match on a table or counter so that the head is suspended off the edge of the surface.
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5. When the wax has cooled, but not completely hardened, pinch the end of the wax coating (towards the stick), forming a tight seal.

Method Four of Four: Using Paraffin Wax

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1. Melt enough paraffin wax in a double boiler to be able to coat with wax about a half of an inch (1 centimeter) deep.
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2. Wrap some twine or jute string around several matches from the bottom, to just below the wax quickly. 
This makes a torch that can burn for 10 or more minutes.

On a different note, here’s some other self-sufficiency and preparedness solutions recommended for you:

The Lost Ways (The vital self-sufficiency lessons our great grand-fathers left us)
Survival MD (Knowledge to survive any medical crisis situation)
Backyard Liberty (Liberal’s hidden agenda: more than just your guns…)
Alive After the Fall (Build yourself the only unlimited water source you’ll ever need)
The Lost ways II (4 Important Forgotten Skills used by our Ancestors that can help you in any crisis)
The Patriot Privacy Kit (Secure your privacy in just 10 simple steps)

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Waterproof matches are expensive, but you can make your own for only a fraction of the price. Today’s featured video is from YouTuber’s JoeandZachSurvival and they share a simple but effective

Who knows what could happen tomorrow? This is the philosophy that most preppers live by. No matter the situation, when danger suddenly appears, a prepper’s heightened organization and awareness will greatly increase their chances of survival. There are roughly 3.7 million preppers in the United States, and each one most likely understands that being a prepper takes a lot of time and money. So how do you make sure that you’re being efficient? Apart from the necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, what are the other tools and tricks you need to survive? Check out this list of five tools and five skills to have under your belt in case of an emergency.

5 Handy Skills

Navigation and compass skills

Being able to navigate yourself in an unknown area is a skill that will get you far. Literally. In times of danger, who knows where you could end up? You may have to escape your house on foot, escape your town or state and in extreme cases, the country. In its most basic form, practicing a good sense of direction can be great, but also mastering the use of your compass can be better to avoid getting lost in an unknown area like a forest or even an unfamiliar city.

First aid

Performing first aid is essential to ensuring that you and those around you are out of any immediate danger that could lead to serious injury or fatality. This could be especially helpful in natural disasters in which people are prone to drowning, suffocating or choking. But there are many dangerous situations where people may need assistance through mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or other first aid techniques.

 

Finding and producing water

More so than food, enough water is an absolute necessity to survive. And with such an abundant supply of water all over the earth, it’s just a matter of knowing where to find it. Even if you feel like Tom Hanks in “Castaway,” you may be able to find your very own coconut to feast on. Apart from collecting rainwater, there are other ways to be creative. When in snow or ice, boiling it can be a great way to make water safe from bacteria, however, this requires fire or another heating source. If you find yourself in a mountain, make your way down it, as water always runs to the lowest point. In a desert, finding water can be a bit trickier, but try digging a few feet below creek beds or building a solar still.

Fire making

This skill is one that will help you with a number of things — cooking food, boiling water to make it potable and staying warm. While it doesn’t take many materials to start a fire, it does take some practice. In order to prepare for this, try out different fire starters and see which works best for you. After that, it’s a matter of practicing how to collect the right wood and branches and correctly arranging them for a fire.

Knowledge of flora and fauna

In extreme circumstances, you may find yourself out of food, water, and shelter and may be forced to use the natural resources around you. However, with so many different species of plants and animals, a sound knowledge of flora and fauna can go a long way. This is a way of making the environment work for you and knowing what can be used as food or as survival materials, as well as what can be potentially harmful.

5 Handy Tools For A Prepper

Multi-function survival tool

It’s always important to make sure you have as many tools on you as possible without taking up too much space because you never know what you might need. A multi-tool can be used as a knife, screwdriver, can opener, ruler, bottle cap opener, 4 position wrench, saw blade, butterfly screw, wrench, direction ancillary wrench, 2 position wrench and other configurations based upon what you select.

Hunting knife

Keeping the need for food in mind, a hunting knife is a useful tool to carry in case you’re stuck in a situation where you have to hunt for your food. Matched with educating yourself about hunting, this tool can be the difference in feeding you and your family or not.

Fire starter

As mentioned, the use of a fire is multifaceted, so it’s important to make it a major focus. Experiment with different types and brands of fire starters to see what you like best. They often come in different styles and can have other things attached to them such as torches or whistles.

Water tools

Water is essential and should be included in any prepper’s schedule. As a base, preparing hydration packs is a great way to ensure that everyone stays hydrated, especially in a circumstance when you’re leaving on foot and will be prone to exhaustion and dehydration. Once your water supply ends, another great water tool to carry is filtration tablets. When added to dirty or bacteria-infested water, these tablets kill the germs and make the water drinkable.

Flashlight

One of the worst parts of natural disasters or other dangerous situations is that you’re often left without electricity or a source of light. Having a readily available flashlight can mean that you’re able to not only find food and water at all times but can also remain aware of your surroundings and therefore avoid any further danger.

As a prepper, remaining organized for any situation is vital. And there’s usually a fear that you’re forgetting something, which could end up putting you and your family in even more danger. Make use of these five tools and five skills to ensure you’re always prepared to keep you and your loved ones safe in a variety of scenarios.

Other Self-sufficiency and Preparedness solutions recommended for you:

The Lost Ways (The vital self-sufficiency lessons our great grand-fathers left us)
Survival MD (Knowledge to survive any medical crisis situation)
Backyard Liberty (Liberal’s hidden agenda: more than just your guns…)
Alive After the Fall (Build yourself the only unlimited water source you’ll ever need)
The Lost ways II (4 Important Forgotten Skills used by our Ancestors that can help you in any crisis)
The Patriot Privacy Kit (Secure your privacy in just 10 simple steps)

5 Comments

Who knows what could happen tomorrow? This is the philosophy that most preppers live by. No matter the situation, when danger suddenly appears, a prepper’s heightened organization and awareness will

Over the years I have heard preppers lumped into the same boat as Hoarders. This is always with a negative connotation but I think that the connection, while it makes a certain amount of sense if viewed in the proper context,  is instead almost always linked to the more severe and unrelated Psychological condition of Compulsive Hording. The conflation of these two terms takes the very real, natural instincts of preppers and equates them to people with psychological issues who live is squalor. We have seen in the news even now how the label of ‘hoarder’ is used to demean and even criminalize what should be considered rational behavior in my opinion.

Hoarding is normal by humans during times of scarcity. It is how the smart survive while the foolish perish. You accumulate or store additional provisions that you likely will need later but due to forces beyond your control, are unable to get. Hoarding by preppers is usually associated with food because if you can’t get food you die. It makes perfect sense to me that if I know there will be a shortage of food and I won’t be able to go down to the local grocery store to purchase more, that I should make plans before the scarcity arrives to obtain more food. My children still need to eat regardless of what is available for me on the shelves. To not plan for their needs when I have the ability and foreknowledge to do so would seem to be a type of willful neglect.

Animals hoard food all the time and we don’t look at them as having some type of mental deformity do we? Animals certainly don’t have access to grocery stores or shopping malls, but that doesn’t mean they don’t consider the very real fact that they have to provide for themselves in times when food is less plentiful.

Compulsive hoarding is completely different and has been the subject of at least one reality TV Show. Compulsive hoarders aren’t stocking up on food because the supply is inconsistent and prone to rationing. The compulsive hoarders simply don’t throw anything away. They feel attached to certain items and the space these items take up in their homes eventually cause health issues. To compare a father stocking up food because the lines at the grocery store stretch on for blocks and rationing has begun to someone who is living in a house of useless items they purchased on the Home Shopping Network, but can’t bear to throw away, is logically fallacious.

This is not prepping.

This is not prepping and I don’t believe any prepper actually lives like this.

Why should I worry about hoarding anything

Preppers have a very real and valid reason of stockpiling basic supplies in my opinion. We stock up food and water for just the very possibility that we will need them and be unable to acquire them. This could be due to a disaster or sickness that forces everyone to stay inside until conditions are safe. It could be for something like the beginnings of an economic collapse where food supplies simply aren’t reliable as they once were.

Today in Venezuela they are experiencing this very thing. Venezuela is heavily dependent on imports for their food and medicine but their economy is in such bad shape that all of their supply lines are being disrupted. Things are so bad already that they are arresting store managers under the charge that they have been hoarding food. In this case, the managers allegedly were holding back supplies and selling them at higher prices.

They are also taking steps to prevent people from buying more food and stocking up by installing fingerprint scanners in grocery stores. This is done directly to enforce the policy of government rationing that is currently in place. They are demonizing people who want to store extra for their families and in the process they are creating less stability.

GroceryLineVenezuela

Should I be worried about being viewed as someone who is hoarding?

Can you envision a scenario like this in the United States? Venezuela’s inflation rate is expected to rise from 270% to over 720% this year alone. Earlier in the year, there were shortages of toilet paper and daily the citizens of Venezuela are already forced by rationing policies to limit their shopping to one day a week where they are only able to get what is available and have to stand in line all day. Even the electricity is being rationed.

This is not hoarding.

This is not hoarding.

No, the economic condition in the U.S. is not the same as in Venezuela. We aren’t as dependent on selling our oil to other countries and we don’t import a majority of our food. We actually export our food to countries like Venezuela. But the factors that lead to shortages and rationing don’t have to be the same for the threat to be realized. There are any number of reasons why in our future, events could conspire to cause shortages at the grocery store. We could be forced to abide by rationing policies on certain items or even shopping in general. We could be faced with electricity rationing or outages due to terrorist actions or even failures in fragile grid systems.

This is not aberrant behavior.

This is not aberrant behavior. I might prefer a little higher food to condiment ratio, but this is still perfectly normal.

What items should I be hoarding now?

400 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit can keep the lights on when electricity is rationed and give you a bartering resource.

If you don’t want to be that poor mother who has to lock her children in doors as she goes down to the store to wait in line for hours for a chance to purchase the few remaining items on the shelf you can do something about that.

  • Take stock of items that you use every day that your family depends on for survival. The categories are pretty basic: Food, Water, and Medicine. You can use our Food Storage Calculator to figure out how much you need to store. The foods you regularly eat are the best, but long-term storable freeze-dried foods give you more flexibility.
  • Identify storage locations in your home and develop a good food storage rotation plan for the items you eat every day. Long-term storage is your back up.
  • Consider items that might sell out first or your family needs a little more urgently. Baby formula and diapers come to mind although both can be supplemented or even replaced by nursing and cloth diapers. Medicines your children or older loved ones need are more difficult. Try to gain additional supplies from your doctor by saying you will be traveling soon.
  • Firearms and ammunition usually seem to be confiscated at some point in a collapsing/tyrannical government. Venezuela instituted mandatory gun disarmament centers after they declared private ownership of firearms illegal. This was done they said to ‘make cities safer’ which they always conveniently forget to say that criminals don’t obey laws (hence the name criminal) and won’t turn in their illegal guns. In spite of every citizen turning in their legal firearms, Venezuela has the highest murder rate in the world. So if you don’t want to go quietly into the night make sure you have some firearms and enough ammunition stored safely away before this happens.
  • Backup Power Options – If the electric grid is compromised, having a backup solar power system could have multiple benefits. Obviously, with the means to provide yourself with power in the absence of grid-based options you can power electric devices like refrigerators to keep medicine cool or fans to offset the effects of a heat wave. You can charge your portable electronics like cell phones and tablets, recharge batteries for hand radios and if you have enough capacity you can also barter your electric charging ability for other items. You may be able to trade recharging a battery for food, medicine or ammunition.
  • Precious metals and extra cash – Banks around the world are already charging negative interest rates. They charge you to keep your money which they turn around and lend out at interest. Eventually they will limit the amount of money you can take out. Make sure you have alternate sources to purchase the supplies you need. It may eventually be on a black market type of system.
  • Have a backup plan to leave – You may find in the worst type of situation that leaving is your only option. Do you have passports for your entire family? Do you have bug out bags if you are forced to leave on foot? Do you have suitable transportation?

Prepping is about foreseeing bad situations and planning ahead so your family will be safe. Venezuela is only one example where the habits and traits of preppers could be helpful for survival. Let’s hope we never have to worry about that here, but prepare anyway in case we do. Your family will appreciate your efforts if you are forced into this type of scenario.

Other Self-sufficiency and Preparedness solutions recommended for you:

The Lost Ways (The vital self-sufficiency lessons our great grand-fathers left us)

Survival MD (Knowledge to survive any medical crisis situation)

Backyard Liberty (Liberal’s hidden agenda: more than just your guns…)

Alive After the Fall (Build yourself the only unlimited water source you’ll ever need)

The Lost ways II (4 Important Forgotten Skills used by our Ancestors that can help you in any crisis)

The Patriot Privacy Kit (Secure your privacy in just 10 simple steps)

0 Comments

Over the years I have heard preppers lumped into the same boat as Hoarders. This is always with a negative connotation but I think that the connection, while it makes