Riots, EMP threats, NASA’s megadrought, clashes between religious fanatics, the U.S. debt increasing and the coming elections – all of these situations point to the same thing: the world may go down south at any time. I’m not saying they will – I hope they won’t – but are we really crazy for prepping for them?

Our minds are running in overdrive about prepping while the Government’s telling us everything is fine and we don’t need to worry. Sometimes they call us crazy… even though preppers are some of the nicest and friendliest people you’ll ever meet.

I wrote this piece to give you tips on how to prepare without appearing crazy or freaked out about what’s to come. You’ll find my prepping suggestions reasonable. Acting on them will make you feel safer and I can almost guarantee you’ll sleep sounder knowing you’re ready for what might come.

Seven Reasonable Prepping Tips

#1. Get Into Shape

Bad situations bring out the worst in people.  When push comes to shove, people will start thinking they have more of a right to something than you and you may need to fight one or more thugs one on one. You may need to jump, crawl, climb and run to save your life. You may need to pull or carry an injured loved one to safety. All of these require strength, flexibility, speed and stamina.

Fortunately, it’s easy to improve all of them. The easiest thing you can do is just walk more! I, for one, love walking and I always find excuses to leave my car in the garage and run errands on foot. Jogging, hiking and going to the gym will all improve your fitness levels and work your muscles. I suggest you focus on tactical fitness exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, jumping jacks and so on.  Remember, prepping is just as much about gaining skills as it is gathering gear.

#2. Get Out Of Debt

I don’t know if an economic collapse will come before the next major natural disaster or if it’s going to be the other way around. What I do know is that, in the case of either one, you don’t want to be owing money to banks or to anyone else.

We’ve always said that you should start of prepping by paying off your debts right now even if that means more effort or not eating out every day. You know what they say, the more you sweat, the less you bleed…

#3. Move Out Of The City

What usually happens during riots is that the downtown area of a city turns into a battlefield. That’s the last place you want to live because you can’t get in, you can’t get out meaning you might get stuck inside for days, even weeks. Even worse, you might get yourself injured trying to get home.

Try to find cheaper housing in the suburbs. You’ll have to be careful about the location, though, to avoid high-crime neighborhoods. You want to be safe before and after a riot, not just during, when those low-income rioters who also live in the suburbs decide to take justice into their own hands. You’ll also want a quick way out of the city if need be.

Fortunately, you needn’t go further than this website to learn about life in the suburbs.

#4. Start Stockpiling

No, you don’t have to fill an entire room with toilet paper.  You should, however, have a pantry full of foods with a long shelf-life such as canned veggies, jams, peanut butter and honey. All you need to do is buy a little more food than usual with each time you go to the supermarket.  Make sure you’re paying attention to the nutritional content of your stored food as well.  A healthy you is a stronger you.

Buy the things you like to eat so you can easily incorporate them into your diet. Food rotation is important because you don’t want to end up with a spoiled pantry. Of course, you can get other things in bulk such as the aforementioned toilet paper, floss, soap and other hygiene products. You should never run out of any of them – catastrophe or not.

#5. Find New Hobbies and Passions

Hiking, camping, fishing, woodworking, gardening, crafts – these can all make you better prepared without anyone suspecting the real reason why you’re doing them. If you thought about finding a new hobby, maybe now’s the time.

Who says you have to start a hobby on your own? You can do many of these things with your kids (and bond with them) or with your spouse (and possibly bring back the romance into your marriage). Hobbies are great bonding opportunities. Who knows, maybe one of them will turn into a passion.

#6. Prepping Your Car

Engine oil, transmission fluid, a toolbox, a spare tire, a shovel, these are things every driver should have in an emergency. To go the extra mile, why not add water and even a few snacks in your trunk? Not just for SHTF events but also in case you get stuck in traffic for longer periods of time. Add an AM/FM radio and a few blankets, too. If you’re stuck in heavy snow for hours, you don’t want to use fuel and your car’s battery to stay warm and hear the latest news.

Last but not least, make sure you have a good first aid kit. Not the basic one that came with the car, of course. You can make your own from scratch to make sure you have everything you need.  Keep an eye open for sales on first aid equipment and you should be able to do this step on the cheap.  For example, I bought some Ibuprofen last night and they had a “buy one get one free” promotion. Now, I can keep the extra pack with the other in my bug out bag or I can add it to my car’s survival kit.

#7. Start a Medicine Cabinet

Keeping in mind that I’m not a doctor and that you should only use my advice for information purposes only, I want you to build on the previous idea of assembling a custom first aid kit. You can take it even further by buying things such as:

• Bandages (triangular, 2×2, 4×4, H bandages etc.)
• Nitrile Gloves
• Burn and Trauma Dressings
• Sam Splint
• Instant Cold Packs
• Dental Kits (dental care is going to be tough in a post-collapse world)
• …and more.

Note: You shouldn’t store your medicine in your bathroom. Keep them in a dark, cool place because the heat and moisture from your shower will decrease their shelf life.

Final Word

Truth be told, I could write another five articles with all the basic prepping actions you could take and not look crazy. This one should give you a great head start in tackling all sorts of scenarios, including a natural disaster, riots or an economic collapse.

Everyone knows that anything can happen at any time, especially on the road.  Whether you’re with your family, your fishing buddies or taking a Sunday drive by yourself, you need to be prepared for anything that may come up.  With that fact in find, we’ve compiled a list of must have automobile EDC items to keep you ready for any situation.

Tire Blowout

• Spare Tire
• Car Jack
• Flashlight
• Wrench/Socket Wrench Kit

One of the most common things that can happen on the road is a tire blowout.  Whether it happens to you or you pass by someone else with this problem, you should have the above tools on-hand to get yourself back on the road as fast, and painlessly, as possible.  The spare tire in itself is pretty self-explanatory.  The car jack (this 2-ton Craftsman model should be sufficient) is necessary to lift the car high enough to take the tire off and replace it¹.  A good socket/wrench kit is needed to take off the nuts that hold the tire in place. An Ace Gear 30 piece socket/wrench kit should be sufficient for any vehicle.

Locked Outside Your Car

• Spare Key

An extremely common emergency with a rather simple solution. A spare car key, usually placed on the underside of the vehicle, will work just fine for when you accidentally forget that you left your keys are in your car.  Also, if you car is equipped with a keyless entry feature (usually a numeric keypad of some kind), be sure to know the combination so that you may gain access quickly.

Injury

• First Aid Kit

There is always a chance of injury when on the road, whether occurring while driving or while on a trip. It is important to have an up-to-date First Aid kit available, should the need arise. A standard American Red Cross kit or a AAA model would be more than efficient to tend to any wounds that may arise. Any major injuries should be tended to by a doctor at the nearest hospital.

Crashing Into A River

• Glass Cutter

While many think these situations only occur in movies and TV shows, crashing off of a bridge or falling into a river happens more frequently than one would expect it to. Due to the pressure the water creates on the vehicle, being able to apply force strong enough to break a window can be problematic at its minimum, fatal at worst. This is especially true if water has entered the vehicle. A glass cutter would save any life when used efficiently. Kolbat makes a quality glass cutter and comes highly recommended.

Running Out Of Gas/Oil

• Spare Gas Can
• Spare Oil Can

Sometimes when on road trips with friends and family, especially out in the middle of nowhere, you simply just run out of gas or oil. Whether gas stations just ended up being few and far in between, or you just forgot to take care of that oil change, you need to be ready for such an occasion. A spare gas can or spare oil can will remedy this issue without a hitch.

Miscellaneous For The Odd Situation

• Bottles of Water
• Spare Clothes
• Hygiene Equipment
• Bungee Cords
• Utility Knife
• Flashlight
• Flares

When all is said and done, there are situations that can arise that one simply just can’t account for. It is important to have certain things on hand to deal with these events. Such as bottles of water in case of a heat/dehydration emergency or spare clothes if yours get soiled or ruined. If stranded in an unknown area for a prolonged period of time, hygiene equipment will be necessary should you have to go to the bathroom or have other needs. Bungee cords are needed if something breaks and you need to strap something down. A utility knife can be used for defense, cutting something, or opening a can of beans if the need calls for it. Finally a sturdy flashlight, such as a Maglite model, is needed when things get dark and you need help to see. Flares will work when all else fails and you need to signal the nearest authorities and call for help.

Conclusion

With all the above equipment on hand, you should be more than ready to handle any emergency. Whether by yourself, with your drinking buddies, or with the family, you will be prepared for any situation. Everyone needs to be well prepared for anything, and no one will doubt that you have the situation under control.

Editor’s Notes:

1. While the third-party car jack is convenient and easy to use, most vehicles come with a OEM jack that is designed to work with that vehicle.  Limited financial funds may be better spent elsewhere if your vehicle already has a OEM jack.

Think we missed something?  Be sure to let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

photo credit: aaron_anderer via photopin cc