Introducing Prepping to skeptics

Our Government says we should ALL prepare for disaster and even provides a website (Ready.gov) to tell us how.  To promote this, they have declared that September is National Preparedness Month.

Yet, we all know someone we care about who is not a Prepper or even thinks it is foolish.  These people fall in to three groups:

1. Likes the idea of prepping, but doesn't' have time, money &/or doesn't think it is urgent.
2. Not interested in prepping and even resents the idea if presented with it too often.
3. Thinks prepping is crazy and Preppers are lunatics; that a crisis will not happen, at least not one that will ever affect them.  Or if a disaster happens, the Government will take care of things. Despite our Government Recommending everyone prepare, these people think it is foolish. 

When one of our loved ones is like this, how do we handle it?  What can we do to help them?

The answer depends on what group they are in.

Group 1 is willing but just needs encouraging or help.  Having lunch with them, go hiking, camping, fishing or something together that you both enjoy.  Talk about prepping, tell them about a few basic preps that you have or would recommend to them.  Help them get started. Invite them to go to a camping store to buy a back pack, a.k.a. Bug Out Bag. Either that, or give them your old one. No one wants to have an empty Bug Out Bag; once you have it, you immediately want to start getting things to put in it. Share the Beginner Prepper List. Next trip together, go get a Water Straw or a fire starter, or something else.  Each month go do this.  Introduce them to the Rule of 3 to help set their priorities;  even better, the Step by Step Prepper Plan.

Group 2 requires a more strategic approach.  The first step is to realize how important it is to NOT push to hard nor too often.  Speak to them one on one, never as a group where you are out numbered.  Speak with love in your heart and avoid confrontation.  Back off if they resist, regroup and try another day and another way.  Gentle persistence over time is the key.

Giving strategic gifts that help them be better prepared is a good start.  For example: A good set of MURS Walkie Talkies for the nephew, kids or grand kids so they can play in the neighborhood and communicate. Play with the new toys with them. Pick “our channel” so they will know how to use them in the future if an emergency occurs.  

Give them a Crank Flashlight / radio and pretend a hurricane has taken out all communications and you are in the dark. Some of the Group 3 ideas below are also good for Group 2 and vice versa. If they start becoming responsive, send them a bucket of Beans, rice and oats and then share a prepper link and then back off for a while.

Group 3 is most likely impossible to reach.  They will be calling Preppers lunatics until a disaster occurs and then suddenly they wish they had listened. There is an old saying that you can't help someone who doesn't want help.

So your options are limited to Stealth Prepper Gifts and buying extra stores of your own so you can provide for them.  Even that may not work if they miss the Red Flag Warnings and wait too late and are lost before they can get to you.  Best case scenario, they are close to you and your preps.  If they are far away, you could lease a mini-warehouse near them and stock it with supplies.  This is not practical for most of us on a tight budget, but there are other less costly options.

Do NOT buy them a Gas Mask or other "Kook" preps (yet) as this will cause a major push back.

Start out giving them something sensible like rechargeable batteries and a nice charger, but also include a Solar Charger for when there is a power outage.  Another sensible gift are solar powered Lawn lights which provide "attractive highlights to the yard," an added element of security AND can double as indoor lights or solar battery chargers during a power outage.  After giving these gifts, allow them a chance to come in handy so that they see the value of having a few preparations.

If a Winter Storm is coming, loan them a Propane Heater or even a generator. but conveniently never get around to getting it back. IF they give it back to you while you are visiting them, set it somewhere it will be easy to "forget" and leave it at their house.


For each group, you can help in stealthy ways like this.  When visiting for a weekend BBQ, carry a large box of Strike Anywhere Kitchen matches to light the fire. When finished using them, put them away in their kitchen.  Also bring a manual can opener (not electric) and put it away in one of their kitchen drawers.

Take them to the shooting range/lessons, or buy the kids a BB Gun or Air Soft gun so they can learn shooting basics.  Be sure to give them Gun Safety Lessons.  Take them camping and supply them with a sleeping bag, a pack and the usual Camping Gear.  Teach them how to find a good camp site.

Later as they have come to recognize the benefits of a few of your gifts, ship them (direct) some water treatment or a months supply of food like beans, rice and oats. Or get the premium meals if you can afford them.

There are an endless number of ways you can help without ever mentioning the word Prepare.  I'm sure you can come up with some good ones; if so, please share them with us using the comments option below, or e-mail us using the form at the right, or visit us on facebook. 

For additional information see the following links:

Blog Table of Contents
US Government Recommended Preparations;

List of Top 10 Lists 

Top 10 Prepper Websites 

Top 10 Posts 

See similar topics by clicking on the labels below

Power Outage Heater

Its freezing cold and the power is out for who knows how long.

Even if you have solar power with a battery back-up it won't last long using an electric heater.  A 100 Ah 12 VDC Battery will run a 1,500 watt heater for about 48 minutes. So here is what the author of the Prepper Handbook recommends.

This is a top rated heater that doesn't use electricity. It is safe for indoor or outdoor use.  This Mr Heater is one that I've tested and found to work great during cold winter nights.  I even used mine in a car when my heater was out. 

It uses these small propane bottles below  One bottle will last 6 hours on low and 3 hours on high, and produce about 2.6 times more heat than a 1500 watt electric heater.  Walmart sells these fuel bottles for $3.50 each.You can often get a multi-pack for even less per bottle.

Six of these cost about $21 and will keep you warm for 24 hours. This makes a good Prepper Gift for someone who does NOT have a fire place AND wood or natural gas.  If they have a fire place and NO wood or natural gas, they need help. They are also good for running a cooking stove.  For under $150, you can stay warm and cook your food.  These are also great for camping. 

For more information:
Blog Table of Contents
Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

List of Top 10 Lists 

Top 10 Prepper Websites 

Top 10 Posts 

See similar topics by clicking on the labels below

Rechargable Batteries

NO more batteries!!! Imagine what it would be like if our supply suddenly stopped.  We use them in just about everything.  In the next few days, notice how often, then try to go 24 hours without them.
Americans are addicted to batteries.

Things like:

1. Cell Phones,
2. Flash lights
3. Radio's
4. Smoke Detectors
5. Clocks 
6. Thermometers (kids have a fever)
7. Outdoor Lawn Lights
8. Walkie Talkies for Communication
9. Motion detecting driveway alarms (Intruder Detection)
10. Motion detecting game cameras 
11. Motion detecting lights (where electricity is not available but light is needed)
12. Home Security Alarm (backup power)
13. Emergency Weather Alarm (backup power)
14. Remote controls for TV's DVR's, Fans and more
15. Toys of all kinds and more

Panasonic K-KJ17MC124A Eneloop Power Pack

Rechargeable battery technology has made great progress. Having rechargeable batteries and Solar Power could be a huge benefit in a Power Outage, or even worse, a Nuke or EMP detonation.

Above is a great starter kit with AA, AAA, C & D capability, but you can start with as few as four AA Batteries (top right) and a $5.00 Solar Battery Charger and slowly change your home over to rechargeable batteries. I would store my chargers and batteries in a metal Ammo can. After years of testing and transitioning, my home is 90% Rechargeable with mostly odd sizes still using disposables. 

I would first buy a good "Smart" charger that can charge many different kinds of batteries like the MrBatt (below) or the Eneloop Power Pack (above center). The two above are great, but only charge AA and AAA batteries.  The PowerX 8 is similar, but can charge 8 AA or AAA batteries or a combination of the two sizes as shown below; I use this one the most.  The Solar 11-1 would be my second choice charger, followed by the PowerX 8 and then an extra Mr.Batt.

I would store my solar powered charger (11-1), My extra Mr Batt and a mix of batteries in a metal MIL STD Ammo Can for weather and EMP protection.

Using rechargeable batteries cost more up front, but less in the long run, and they last much longer. 

Solar 11 in 1

PowerX 8 (above)

Mr. Batt

For additional information see the following links:

Blog Table of Contents

Starter Solar Power System 

$5 Solar Battery Charger

Solar Powered Home Design  

Sustainable Living System

Sustainable Lighting 

DIY Solar System

 

List of Top 10 Lists 

Top 10 Prepper Websites 

Top 10 Posts 

See similar topics by clicking on the labels below

Prepper Savings Plan

Getting ahead in life means saving your money, so here is what I believe is a good plan to be financially prepared.  Note:  A real Prepper is prepared for anything, including losing your job and getting old and retiring. Disclaimer: I am not a Financial Advisor. 

We will have short, medium and long term (retirement) savings.  Many Rich people get/stay rich by acting poor, while many Poor people got/stay poor by acting rich.  So it is important to live within our means, or even better, below.

1. First save have some Emergency Cash stored at your house. Start with enough to buy a weeks worth of groceries if the power & ATM's are out of service.  This Emergency Cash link can give you some ideas on how much and why.
2. Then save the equivalent of three months net income (minimum).  Loosing a job is fairly common in today's job market, and this will protect your home, automobile, and more importantly, your family. I would keep about 2/3 of this in the bank, and 1/3 in cash at home in a hidden safe. There are some very affordable fire proof boxes and wall safes.
3. At the same time, sign up for your company 401K for the maximum that the employer will match. For example, a small (5%) 401K savings deduction costing us $62.50, we will realize a huge savings of $192.31.  This should generally be invested in a mutual fund that is appropriate risk for your age, but there are many options.
   
   
   
4. Set up a budget and stick with it. Include savings as well as a modest Prepper Budget.  The Beginner Prepper Plan has a starter budget for just over $500.  You should also have several weeks worth of Food and Emergency Water, stored in your home.  These links will assist.
5. Short term savings for things like a car or down payment on a house are next. Don't buy new cars because they depreciate too much in the first year.  Instead buy a 2+ year old model that will cost much less but should be in good condition for many years to come.  The payments will be less, so take the difference between between the used car payment and the new car payment and save it to apply to your next car. When that savings account reaches a dollar amount sufficient for buying another car, then you can do so, but not before.
6. When it comes time to buy a house, select one below your means.  If you qualify for a $100,000 home loan (for round numbers and to make it easy to do the math), buy a $50,000 house and make payments as if it was a $100k house.  Within approximately 5 years, you will own this house.  Sell your $50K house, use this to make a down payment on your $100k house.  Make payments as if it was a $100k loan, and again in about 5 years, you will have this $100k house paid for.  Then take these house payments and start saving them, or at least 50%. At this point consider a Prepper Retreat.  Building your own energy efficient solar powered home is worth considering.  At the very least, you should have some Emergency DIY Power Supply for an Extended Power Outage.  
7. Where your home is located is important. There are Common Home Security elements however City Home Security is different from Country Home Security, and a country home with woods allows some Wilderness Survival potential as well as a Prepper Garden.
8. In time, you have a paid for house, a car you bought with cash, money being saved for your next car, so now you are ready for investing.  Diversity and regular additions to your investments are the key, but more important is that you start early. Let me explain why. 
9.  Suppose two twin brothers start saving $2,000 per year.  Brother 1 starts at age 21 and saves for 6 years.  Brother 2 starts saving at age 27 and saves for 36 years.  When they retire at 65 years of age, Brother 1 has more money than Brother 2, because of the magic of compound interest.  This is how the Rich get richer by investing and loaning money to Poor people who borrow money to buy everything and get poorer.
   
   
10. In our home buying example above(#6), IF we had financed a $100,000 house for 30 years and paid 7% compound interest, we would end up paying about $250,000.  This is again, how the Rich get richer and the Poor get poorer.  You want to be earning compound interest, NOT paying it!
11. Stock Market Mutual Funds,  Real Estate - rental property and about 10% Silver are my favorite investments, but there are many options that you can consider.  You should consult a financial advisor on where to put your money. This should give you a few ideas.

Disclaimer: I am not a Financial Advisor.

For additional information see the following links:
Blog Table of Contents

Investing for Preppers

Group Security Drills

Urban Survival Perspective

Urban Survival Plan

Country Home Security Plan 

Home Invasion Response Plan

Intruder Detection

Modern Home Security 

Sustainable City Survival

 See similar topics by clicking on the labels below

Power Outage Preps

 

Drinking water for an extended Power Outage is important. Our post on Emergency Water is very complete and informative with a water storage and rotation plan that would work for any home.

But we must have a way to prepare food. The charcoal allows you to cook food as would an inexpensive cook stove like the one below.

  

 
Our post on Food Preparation & Preservation covers more detail on this topic.

Another nice item are these solar powered lights. 

With some inexpensive hardware, or a flower vase, you can spread them around your home to provide light.  

 

The quality ones use rechargeable AA or AAA batteries and can be used as a solar powered charger.  They are also brighter and last longer. Having a set of each (AA and AAA) is ideal so you can charge all your small batteries.

When you are not using these for lighting or to charge your batteries, they make attractive lights for your yard and provide an added measure of Home Security.  

For more information:
Blog Table of Contents
Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage
Complete Sustainable Living Plan 

Flood Bugout Bag

What should you have packed and ready to go in the event of a flood or hurricane?  

Here is a good list, but put each individual item in a water proof bag or case:

1. Water resistant backpack
2. Medicines, glasses, contacts, important documents, cash, and a First Aid kit
3. Rain poncho, rain boots, umbrella, children's floats or life vests (wear/carry these)
4. Change of clothes, & a blanket in a water proof bag (typical on all items)
5. Drinking water (stainless steel bottle, camel-back, refillable containers)
6. Dry foods, raisins, beef jerky, MRE's, cooked easy open can foods
7. Fully charged cell phone in a water proof case
8. Hand crank radio / flashlight / signal light in a water proof bag
9. Hand held MURS Communications Radios in a water proof bag
10. Chargers, cords and extra batteries in a water proof bag
11. Folding knife, fire starter, Bic lighter & waterproof matches
12. Area Map (waterproof) & compass in a water proof bag
13. Good handgun in a good moisture resistant holster & ammo in water proof bag
14. An inflatable raft, pool, float or wagon to carry some of your items

 For more information see:

Blog Table of Contents
Emergency Water Supply
Modern Home Security
Survive a 2 week power outage
Sustainable Lighting  

Riot & Looting Preparations
Natural & Man Made Disaster Preparation
Emergency Essentials Disaster Preparations  
Urban Security Plan

Hurricanes 

Beginner Prepper List   
Wilderness Survival Pack (Video) 
Wilderness Survival
Delivering Babies
Global Climate Facts

DIY Solar System

There are some good power systems like the enCube (left), with a 100 ah battery, and 150 watt solar panels, which are nicely packaged.  You can also build your own system with fewer bells and whistles but with more power for your money.  A Do It Yourself (DIY) system allows you to tailor it to your needs and it serves as good training too.

The first step is to determine your needs.  What do you want to power, and for how long?  The answer could range from powering a single outlet for a few hours to powering your entire house for ever.

Lower temperature settings on heating and cooling appliances will reduce energy consumption.

There are simple tools like the Kill-a-watt ($20) that will help you determine exactly what load you will need, or can run.  This is a wise investment to avoid building a system that doesn't meet your needs.

In this case, the small fan above is using 9.6 watts on its low setting and used 21 watts on its high setting.

So after we determine our power requirements, let's suppose that we need 2,000 watts per day under two scenarios.

1. The first scenario is to have only enough power to last for 1 day; 
2. The second scenario is to be sustainable at this level indefinitely. 

The first scenario (1 day) can be achieved with sufficient battery capacity, charged by your household electricity.  This is shown below.  Note that this includes using only 50% of the battery capacity which will extend the life. An alternative would be to have 6 of the enCube's ($1,000 each) above strategically located around your home to achieve the same results but at a much higher cost.

This is 126% of our daily needs.

The second scenario (indefinitely) will require the addition of power generating solar panels capable of generating the daily needs of electricity.

Here is the math: 4 - 100 watt solar panels ($600) with 8 hours of sun delivers  the following wattage/day:

Power generated (theoretical) = 4 X 100 X 8 = 3,200 watts.

At a realistic 70% efficiency (3,200 X 0.7 = 2,240 watts/day) the actual watts/day generated is 112% of our daily needs which would allow an additional safety factor.

Our 4 solar panels will generate 100% of our 2000 watt daily power needs plus 12% extra per day.  The battery will handle our daily needs (using only 50% of the battery capacity to extend its life) and hold an extra 26%.  This Solar Power Kit sells for $1,500.

It will take the extra solar generation capacity two days to charge our battery's extra storage capacity.  This extra will deliver 3 hours of extra power per day, or 6 hours (1/4 day) of extra power every other day. Any extra power generated beyond two days will be lost as there is no more battery storage capacity.
 
So suppose we add additional battery capacity.  This gives us 168% of our daily storage needs or an extra 16 hours.  However, it will take our extra solar generating capacity about 5-6 days to charge this extra battery storage.

Supposed we add two additional batteries. This gives us 210% of our daily storage needs or an extra 26 hours.  However, it will take our extra solar generating capacity about 9-10 days to charge this extra battery storage.

Our next step would be to add additional solar power generation, providing that our electrical infrastructure can handle it.  This may include our wiring, charge controller and 12 VDC to 120 VAC inverter.  With this (below), it would only take 3 average days or 24 hours to charge the extra battery power.

Below is a rough example of what a simple standby system would look like.  Buying a Solar Power Kit will make your first solar project much easier. 

In most cases, home solar systems require a licensed installer, but small stand-alone systems are something most handy men can do, but do NOT try to integrate them into your home wiring unless you are an electrician. 

E-mail us with questions; good luck.


Continue to watch this blog and for additional information see the following links:

Blog Table of Contents

$5 Solar Battery Charger
Solar Powered Home Design  

Sustainable Living System
Sustainable Lighting

Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

Or select topics below for related articles

The SHTF Day One

THE BIG EVENT HAS HIT, things are in TOTAL CHAOS. Thanks to the Red Flag Warnings, we are safe at our Retreat.

What now?

What do we do first?

1. Set up 24-7 Security with Night Vision and Communications.  Our post on Country Security can help.  If you are stuck in the city, put together a neighborhood security watch.  See Urban Security Plan. and the Security Patrol Pack post.  City dwellers should be prepared for Rioting and Looting.  The Prepper Handbook, available for $4.99 on Amazon, outlines a detailed home security plan.
2. Set up your Intruder Alarm systems and trip wires so you can detect unwanted visitors. Expect a Power Outage soon, if it has not already occurred. If you do have power, black it out at night, so you do not attract people to your home during the most difficult time to defend it.
3. Move your cars to set up a protective cover around your house to better secure the area. Block the road/drive to restrict access to unwanted guests.
4. Distribute Ammo at strategic lookout points and cache some off site for future needs (should already be done).  Hopefully you have enough Ammo.
5. If conditions permit, make one last trip out (armed) to stock up on any last minute supplies as in the future, Salvaging may be the only way left. Use credit cards as long as they are accepted. Then you should have enough cash to cover inflated prices while "Only Cash" is being accepted.  Then have enough Silver and goods for Barter after paper money becomes worthless. First Aid supplies will become important soon.
6. Store all the Water you can.  Fill tubs, pots, bottles, etc.
7. Reach out to your neighbors.  Set up Communications and begin to develop Actionable Intelligence.
8. Initiate Pandemic precautions if necessary. 
9. Rehearse your Group Security Drills (should already be done).
10. Along the road, or near the church, plant some Turnip seeds for the masses, perhaps some other Seeds for Survival. Turnips are cheap, grow well and are ready to eat in 20 days. This is for your defense because if people are starving, they will be willing to kill to feed their children. 
11. Hunker down, stay hidden and quite.  Do not draw attention to yourself.  Communicate only with trusted neighbors.  Try to survive the next few days without any casualties. Then start trying to organize your neighborhood. The Prepper Handbook, available for $4.99 on Amazon, outlines a detailed neighborhood organization plan. 

Later, plant any crops you can for this time of the year. See our post on Vegetable Planting Dates. Start as soon as you safely can because the Vegetable Days to Harvest is 20 to 120 days IF it is the right season.  You must have enough food stored to carry you through to the spring when planting normally occurs for most vegetables.

Do NOT expect to live on Wilderness Survival alone.

IF  you are NOT ready, see our Step by Step Prepper Plan to help get you there.

Print this out, along with other key information and save it in a file or note book.
Good Luck!

For more information:
Blog Table of Contents
Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

Alone Survival Show Pack Contents

Step by Step Prepper Plan

We can't afford to go out and buy everything we need at once, so we must develop a Step by Step Prepper Plan that can be used by anyone. Here is that plan:

Establish a Prepper Budget and stick to it. Suppose you start with a lump sum of $400 and then budget $50 per week.  Regardless of what your budget is, set the money (cash) aside until you have enough for your next Prepper Purchase.  Our plan will follow the Rule of 3 till bare minimum needs are met, then continue to reach advanced preparedness. As you read, you will see a number of recommended links (like this Rule of 3) with additional recommended reading that goes in to more detail.

1. Have a gun.  Learn gun safety and take a class if you don't know how to shoot one. Save/share a copy of the gun safety rules, so you can teach others. If you are asking why a gun is the first item, read the link titled Rule of 3 or the Dark Perspective. For help on gun selection see the following links: Beginner Prepper Plan, item #1 & 2; The Best Gun; Best Handgun Selection Criteria.  I prefer a name brand AR-15 with a thermal scope, a Glock 17 (9mm) and a stainless steel Ruger 10/22 as shown on the Beginner Prepper Plan. At the same time, at no cost, you can be putting some security plans in place. Here are some suggested links for this: Urban Security Plan; Group Security Drills; Red Flag Warnings; Blog Table of Contents.  Train others in your family/group to use the gun.
2. Get at least 100 rounds of ammo.  See the link: The right amount of Ammo.
3. Water is one of the most over looked preparations.  So you must store water, locate back up sources and have several means of making it safe to drink.  The following link:  Emergency Water, has everything you need to know about water.  The first step is building a reserve of water; something like this below is a good start.  If not this, then cases of bottled water. Savings your household jugs and storing water in the is a no cost source of water stores.
   
   
4. Emergency Cash is important.  Set aside enough for a few weeks worth of groceries.  Nothing larger than a $20 bill.  Some cash in coins is good for vending machines.
   
5. Silver could be essential to buying needed supplies if paper dollars become worthless.  Spend your next two months of budget buying US Silver Eagles, then spend one more months of budget buying some pre 1964 US Quarters and Dimes. Barter and Salvaging will be the other options for acquiring supplies.
   
6. Food is next, but unfortunately, many people want to start here and skip the previous steps.  A manual can opener (or two) is the first thing you need to buy.  After that, then buy one of these food rotation systems.
   
    
   Above is the largest (275 cans), and a smaller one below (60 cans), with many sizes in between. Sixty (60) cans equates to about a 30 day supply of vegetables for 1 person based on an 8 ounce serving for lunch and dinner of 2 vegetables.  275 cans will feed a family of 4 vegetables for over a month.
   
7. Our next step is to Build your Food Stores the right way with the can goods we normally eat. Start out by buying extra can goods each time you go to the grocery store with your prepping budget money. The link (above) will guide you. At the same time, you must have a way to cook and prepare your food in a disaster that resulted in a Power Blackout. Once your can goods are stocked up, then we will talk about long term survival foods.  At the same time, at no cost, you can be learning about Wilderness Survival and Edible Plants.
8. Before we move to long term foods, buy a large first aid kit, a tube of triple antibiotic cream, a bottle of alcohol and hydrogen peroxide for disinfectants. Also keep a bottle of acetaminophen, ibuprofen and cold/flu medicine. These are things you should have in your home anyway.
9. Communications are important because what you don't know CAN hurt you in a disaster.
10. Long Term Foods - Budget and add a few cans of long term dried foods monthly, starting with some #10 cans. I recommend that you join the Thrive Life Q program.  Here you can set a budget and a list of foods and each month, they send your budgeted amount of food from your list.  My first items would include 3 cans of instant beans, 3 cans of instant rice and 3 cans of instant oatmeal.  This will cost a little over $100 and provide two people enough food for 30 days.  These 25 to 30-year shelf life foods are in addition to your 1-2 year shelf life supply of regular can goods. 
    
     
    
    
    Get the 30 day supply above (or more depending on the size of your family) and add one can of instant milk for the family, possibly a few cans of your favorite vegetables.  After this, start with one pail per month of these same dried foods as shown below.  Round out your order to meet your budget with a few more #10 cans of pasta, wheat, vegetables and fruit.  
    
    
    
    This adds a 90 day supply of food for two people and costs less than $250.  If you are set up on the Q as recommended above, each month you will automatically be receiving another shipment of food to supplement your supplies.  Even if it is only one pail or can per month, get signed up as this will build up a good supply of food over time.
     
11.  Next step, improve security, because now you have a lot that is worth stealing. I suggest you start out by adding more ammo. Then I recommend having about 8 of these solar powered yard lights that use AA batteries.  They will light up the yard so you can see anyone approaching at night during a power outage.You can carry them in the house each evening to provide light or to harvest and use the rechargeable batteries in your radio(s).
12. Acquire more ammo. How much is enough ammo?  Bottom line is you can't have too much.  In a serious event with more than 50% casualties, there will be guns laying around, but no ammo for them.  A Bow and Arrow make a good back up for when the ammo runs out and it is a quite hunting tool. 
13. Buy a Military 3-day Assault Pack and stock it as shown in our Survival Pack post.
14. Buy another round of silver coins.
15. At this point, you are fairly well supplied and could last a year, but still not an advanced Prepper. But what if you need to survive for many years?  In this case, you must have Heirloom Seeds (& tools) to plant a Garden, you must Salvage for Supplies and Barter with others.  
16. Group Security - To survive this long, you must be part of a group that works together as there will be far more severe events that you need to be prepared for than just having enough food. Highly populated areas will get ugly fast.  Even the rural areas will see mass hoards of people migrating out of the cities.  Your biggest threat will be large groups of starving desperate people with guns that will do what ever is necessary to eat and feed their children. Many people foolishly think they will take to the woods to survive using their Wilderness Survival Skills, but there is only enough wild game for every American to have a few pounds of meat per year. Others have lots of guns and ammo and simply plan to take what they need to survive. You will need group security plans, with Rules of Engagement, like those found in the Prepper Handbook.
17. An even bigger threat may be our "Government" coming to seize your supplies, or even worse, Foreign Assistance coming to "help" us, and make us do things their way going forward.  They would like to see our US Constitution become a thing of the past, especially the Second Amendment, which is the only obstacle to them easily taking over completely. When you think about this, you realize the need for hidden caches of supplies, including weapons and ammo. Now we are talking about Advanced Preparations.

For additional information see the following links: 
Blog Table of Contents;
Riot & Looting Preparations Terrorist Attack - Best Preparations

Or click on a label below for similar topics.