Budget-Savvy Prepping for Everyone

Send us a text

What if you could secure your future without draining your bank account? Welcome to Survival Sense, where I, Keith Thomas, promise to guide you through the maze of affordable disaster preparedness. This episode reveals ingenious methods to fortify your emergency readiness with just $10 to $20 a month. Learn to prioritize essentials like water, food, shelter, and first aid, while uncovering hidden gems at thrift stores, garage sales, and dollar stores. Whether you're a seasoned prepper or just starting out, these savvy strategies will empower you to build a comprehensive preparedness plan that fits your budget.

Get ready to revolutionize your approach to prepping with creative DIY solutions and bulk buying tips that maximize savings. From constructing your own fire starters to crafting cost-effective water filters, this episode is packed with hands-on projects designed to enhance your survival skills. Discover how to leverage grocery store apps for coupons and sales, and explore unconventional grocery options for budget-friendly alternatives. With consistency and strategic planning, you'll be well-prepared for emergencies without overspending. Join us in this enlightening episode and transform your survival sense into a cost-effective reality.


BOOKS;

The Lost Ways

No Grid Survival Projects

Email me at: [e-mail]

Free Hurricane Prep Guide

Episode resources: SAS Survival Handbook

Click HERE to check out all of the cool survival gear that Survival Frog has to offer!

This description may include affiliate links.
Assume that I will receive a commission from anything you buy from a link in the description at no added expense to you.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Welcome to Survival Sense, your go-to podcast for
all things disaster preparednessand survival skills.
I'm your host, keith Thomas,and today we're diving into a
crucial topic for anyone lookingto prepare for emergencies
without breaking the bank.
That's right.
Today's episode is all aboutprepping on a budget

(00:47):
Cost-effective strategies to getyou prepared, no matter your
financial situation.
Remember, if you have anyquestions or topics you'd like
us to cover, head over to our.
Send Us a Text Message link inthe show description and drop us
a message.
We love hearing from you.
Prepping doesn't have to beexpensive.

(01:09):
In fact, with a littlecreativity and planning, you can
build a solid emergencypreparedness kit and strategy
without spending a fortune.
Let's break down somecost-effective strategies to
help you get started.
First and foremost, it'sessential to have a budget plan.

(01:29):
Determine how much you canrealistically allocate each
month toward prepping.
Even a small amount like $10,$20 can add up over time.
Remember, consistency is key.
First, you want to setpriorities.
List the most critical itemsand skills you need to focus on.

(01:52):
First, think about theessentials water, food, shelter
and first aid.
Track your spending.
Keep track of what you spend.
This helps ensure you're notoverspending and allows you to
adjust your budget as needed.
Let's talk about specificstrategies to prep on a budget.

(02:17):
First, thrift stores and garagesales sales.
These are treasure troves forpreppers.
You can find camping gear,tools, clothing and other
supplies at a fraction of thecost.
Also, keep an eye out for salesin your local area, just as an
example, on a couple of trips tothe Goodwill here locally.

(02:43):
Some of the items that I founda Briggs Stratton service manual
for small engines.
I usually work on my own lawnand garden equipment.
You know I don't knoweverything and I've kind of
learned as I go and in bits andpieces.
So this book, I mean obviouslyhas been a lifesaver for me.
Something else that I found anImpulse sealer, the kind that

(03:10):
you can seal your Mylar bagswith for long-term storage Ten
bucks.
It was an older model.
It was in working condition Forten bucks.
It's worth the money.
Dollar stores Don'tunderestimate the value of
dollar stores.
You can stock up on basic firstaid supplies.
As a matter of fact, you canalmost build a complete first

(03:34):
aid kit from supplies that youpick up at like the Dollar Tree.
You can also get canned food,batteries and hygiene products
there.
Dollar stores also have sometools.
Some of the tools there forlight-duty stuff.
It all depends on what you'reusing the tools for.

(03:55):
As I said, if it's light-dutystuff, they're probably more
than sufficient.
For heavier-duty tasks, youprobably want to sink a little
bit money into better tools.
But some other thingsflashlights, electric lanterns
by electric I meanbattery-operated lanterns.

(04:16):
Also, glow sticks.
Most of these dollar storescarry a ton of glow sticks, so
don't underestimate your dollarstores.
Bulk buying Some of thewarehouse clubs around.
You're able to purchase itemsin bulk, and this can save you

(04:39):
money in the long run,especially on foods like rice,
beans, pasta and a lot of cannedgoods Excellent options for
buying in bulk.
And don't forget about DIYprojects.
Many prepping items can be madeat home with minimum cost.

(05:00):
For example, you can make yourown fire starters, water filters
and even some first aidsupplies.
There are plenty of tutorialsavailable online, and we're
going to leave a valuableresource for off-grid survival
projects down in the showdescription as well.

(05:22):
Always be on the lookout forcoupons and sales.
Stock up on items when they'rediscounted, and many grocery
stores have apps that offerdigital coupons and deals.
Have apps that offer digitalcoupons and deals.
And don't overlook some of thenot-so-popular grocery stores
around here there's like ValueMart and Save-A-Lot.

(05:46):
I suggest go in there.
Buy a few canned goods thatmatch up what you've been buying
like brand name stuff at someof the bigger supermarkets.
Try them out.
I think you're going to findthat most of them and a lot of
them have a better taste thanwhat you're getting at your
regular supermarket.

(06:07):
Make sure that you like it.
On your next trip back you cango in and buy stuff by case lots
in most of those, because theprices are much cheaper there
than they are in your normalsupermarkets.
Let's talk about building youremergency kit without spending a
lot of money.

(06:27):
First off, for water storage.
Water is essential.
Instead of buying expensivebottled water, use clean, empty
soda bottles or milk jugs.
Be sure to sanitize themproperly before use, and I will
have to say I've used the twoliter bottles in the past.

(06:47):
They work fine, never had aproblem.
But I can tell you that milkcartons, the plastic milk jugs
that you get from the grocerystore.
After about a year you'll findthat your milk jugs begin to
leak because the plastic beginsto break down.

(07:09):
It's recyclable plastic.
Now I can't say whether youknow some gases or something
come off of the recyclableplastic and get into your water
or not, but I do know that formilk jugs, those they're only
good for about a year and thenthey'll start to leak.

(07:30):
Secondly, food storage.
Start with inexpensive,non-perishable items like rice,
beans, pasta, canned goods, androtate your stock on a regular
basis to ensure nothing goes towaste.
And, as we'd said in the lastepisode, rotate these things and

(07:50):
buy the foods that you wouldnormally buy and you're just
stocking extras.
That way, when you pull out acan, you're using this stuff as
you go.
It's not going to the date'snot going to run out and it's
not going to go to the trash.

(08:10):
First aid kit you can build yourown first aid kit by purchasing
items individually.
You can find affordablebandages, antiseptics and other
supplies at dollar stores orduring sales.
Another good place are thelarge flea markets.
A lot of times these people arebuying liquidated drugstore

(08:34):
items, so you can get some gooddeals on first aid equipment
there or supplies there.
Filter and warmth Look for usedtents, tarps and sleeping bags
at thrift stores or onlinemarketplaces.
Space blankets are alsoinexpensive and effective for

(08:57):
retaining body heat.
I do recommend that somewherein your kit you have these
little space blankets, thelittle silver fold-up things
that are in like a two inch bythree inch square in their
little plastic packaging.
You need to have at least onefor each family member in there.

(09:19):
Those things are awesome forholding in body heat or helping
to hold body heat.
Tools and supplies, multi-tools, flashlights and basic tools
can often be found cheaply atgarage sales and discount stores
.
And remember quality isimportant, but you don't always

(09:42):
need the top-of-the-line gear tobe prepared.
One of the most cost-efficientways to prepare is by acquiring
skills.
Skills can't be lost, stolen orbroken.
Learn basic first aid.
Take advantage of free orlow-cost first aid courses

(10:05):
offered by community centers oronline platforms.
Gardening Grow your own food.
Growing your own food is afantastic way to ensure a fresh
supply of produce.
Start with a small garden oreven container gardening if
space is limited.

(10:25):
Booking from scratch Learningto cook from scratch can save
money and help you make the mostof your food storage.
There are countless freeresources online to help you get
started and do-it-yourselfrepairs Basic repair skills for

(10:48):
clothing, tools and otheressentials can save you money
and keep your gear in goodworking order.
As I was saying earlier, Ialways like to look at the
Goodwill local Goodwill in thebooks section, because people
are always donating books.
I've found books on herbgardening, on vegetable

(11:10):
gardening, equipment repair,automobile repair Just tons of
how-to books at these places,and you can usually get them for
less than $2.
And don't forget the power ofcommunity.
Sharing resources and knowledgewith others can significantly

(11:32):
reduce costs.
Bartering Trading skills oritems with friends and neighbors
For example, you might tradehomemade canned foods for fresh
produce or vice versa.
Community gardens you can joinor start a community garden.
This not only provides accessto fresh food, but also fosters

(12:01):
a sense of community and sharedknowledge.
And local prepping groups youcan connect with local prepping
groups.
These groups often shareresources, hold workshops and
offer support.
Remember that prepping on abudget is entirely feasible with
the right mindset andstrategies.
Prioritize your spending, takeadvantage of sales and discounts

(12:23):
and focus on building essentialskills.
Before we go, I want to mentiona couple of fantastic resources
that align perfectly withtoday's topic.
The first, the Lost Ways, is abook packed with old-fashioned
skills and knowledge that canhelp you become more
self-sufficient.
It's a treasure trove ofinformation for anyone looking

(12:47):
to prepare on a budget.
Check out the link in our showdescription to learn more.
The second is our friends atSurvival Frog.
Here you can find everythingfrom food and water storage to
survival tools, camping gear andeven survival kits all in a
reasonable price range.
That's Survival Frog.

(13:08):
Check out the link in the showdescription to visit them today,
and don't forget to send usyour questions or topics you'd
like to see us cover by usingthe send us a text message link
in the show description.
We'd love to hear from you.
Well, thanks for tuning intothis episode of Survival Sense.

(13:29):
If you enjoyed the show, pleasesubscribe and leave us a review
.
It really helps us reach morepeople and share valuable
information.
Stay safe, stay prepared anduntil next time.
This is Keith Thomas signingoff from Survival Sense.