One thing we all can't live without for long is water. I've had people say they are good, they have a well. Some seem to forget their well or their access to it, may run on electricity. So no, that isn't a sure thing. Having water stored and then filters and a way to boil it, should be first priority. There are barrels you can buy, jugs and other containers, that you can fill right now with enough water to last your family at least 2 weeks.
After water, next, would of course be food. I've heard a lot of people say how they have no worries because they are ready and have their freezers stocked with meat. What if the electric grid goes down? Canning meat would probably be a good thing to, alongside your freezer stock. But what concerns me is the amount of meat that most Americans consume every day, most eating meat at every single meal! In times of famine cannibalism could be rampant if people can't get meat. So, I'll just slide right in here that you should definitely have weapons to defend yourself and your family.
One of the things I've always advocated as of late is to know how to make meals without meat. Is this because I'm vegan or anti-meat? NO! There may come a time when we can't buy meat or it may even be rationed, like in a war.
Knowing how to feed your family delicious and satisfying meals without meat is a skill that every homemaker should possess. It is easy to get because you simply start cooking meatless meals and keep note of the recipes that you like and before long, you have a notebook full and know-how.Stock up on food in canned form and even maybe longer-lasting forms like with freeze-dried foods. Some people garden but I've found that is risky in times of famine because do you really think your starving neighbors are going to just sit there and look at your food growing and not steal it? In times of war, it may not be safe to 1. go outside or 2. eat what grows outside from the smoke/ash. Just some things I've thought about. Again, these are worst case scenarios but I think we all have seen things we've never thought would happen - happen - the past 2 years. Think like Joseph - stock up in times of plenty.
It would be a good time to go on a diet and lose that excess weight that's literally holding you down! Get healthy, get off pharmaceuticals, exercise and make sure your body is mobile and able to sustain you - should you have to flee or run for your life, or even stay and fight for your homeland. Most Americans think this would never happen here but you can't honestly think that a land won by fighting couldn't fall by fighting. We never know what God may allow. Think Hitler, Stalin... God allowed that. Americans have a false sense of security that evil can't befall them. The first Christians sure didn't have that - they stood in the face of evil, fully well knowing they could lose their heads for it! Find me real preachers like that today, very few in number indeed.
We've talked about water, food, weapons, health and mobility and now let's talk about heating. If hard times come in the winter and you live in a place that you need heat to survive, you should definitely have something in place for times when the electricity isn't available (or how about you just can't afford it!!). Wool blankets, layers of clothing, wool socks, extreme-cold weather items like coats, gloves, etc. would all be good to have on hand. If you don't have a wood-burning stove, maybe even having a firepit or stove outside would be beneficial, if not for heating your hands and body, for cooking on. Remember, moving around makes your body warm up, so don't just sit there and die! Do jumping jacks, run around the house... something to keep your blood pumping and keep you alive. I understand that elderly people may be unable to do this and unfortunately they are the ones most likely to die in the cold.
Something most people never think about and that has killed many a people is sanitation. When your toilet isn't working, when the sewers are down and backed up - what will you do? You need a lot of trash bags and kitty litter. The kitty litter absorbs and goes in the trash bag, which goes on top of your toilet. Anytime you go #2, you need to bury it, yes, just like a cat lol! Have a spot dug (you'd need a shovel by the way), far away from your house and put your deposits there. If you have the money, build an outhouse now! Or, get a composting toilet like some people have in RVs or off grid houses. However, the trash bags, kitty litter and burial method works fine for emergencies. Also, have a way to sanitize your hands if there's no running water, sanitizer should be pretty easy to find these days. I think having baby wipes on hand is always a good thing, definitely get ones that are hypoallergenic/sensitive/fragrance-free.
These are the basics, there are plenty more that I could write about (radios, inverter, medical/dental items, etc.). Having a detailed prepping or survival guide on hand is a must! I recommend The Prepper's Blueprint and/or Snyder's Get Prepared Now.
