This has been an interesting last six months, hasn’t it? While I have been deemed an essential worker and am living in a state that did not shut down, this pandemic has affected me a little bit. It has affected my kids a lot although some more than others. We went from a household of two as of March 15th to a household of seven as of April 30th. Schools shut down. Colleges shut down. Jobs were impacted for many…
The key to surviving and thriving in most situations is being adaptable. Adapting as well as somewhat conforming will help keep you alive. Adapting makes sense because you are trying to survive. Some preppers do not want to be adaptable because they see it as an infringement on their rights and freedoms. Some preppers want to make sure the prepping message gets out there which is important but can attract unwanted attention. Some people don’t care if everyone knows they…
Food storage is one of the most fundamental facets of prepping, homesteading, and self-sufficiency. You want to make sure you have your needs for water, food, and shelter covered before all else. That is basic prepping, but in this day and age, you might want to take your food storage to the next level. To increase food storage (and take it to the next level), a lot of people (including me) really push growing your own food to help supply your…
For many preppers, bartering is part of their plans. Bartering is the exchange of goods and services without the exchange of money. Say you needed eggs from your neighbor, but didn’t have any money to pay for them. You might offer some produce from your garden as payment for the eggs. Your neighbor and you are bartering goods with the outcome that it will be beneficial to both of you.Bartering works if you are practical about what you have and…
(Updated 3/24/2026. Note from author: This was originally written in 2020. Even though we are not currently in a pandemic, we are facing much uncertainty in this world and from its leaders. The advice is still the same. You need to anticipate what is coming and be prepared for it.) Depending on what part of the country you are in, the coronavirus restrictions are lifting in time for the summer. Although many businesses and other places are being cautious about…
Besides water, food is the next critical thing to store for any prepper. Food is one of the seven core areas of preparedness. You can live three days without water and three weeks without food, but who wants to do that if you can be prepared ahead of time. Having a good supply of shelf-stable foods is essential for your well-being as well as for survival. Most of the food you store will be shelf-stable (meaning you don’t need a refrigerator…