Back To School My Friends.

What exactly is the first step to wading out into the world of prepping and where did everyone start? Before all else... before any planning, purchasing, or practicing... you'll need to do a bit of research.

 

Back to school my friends.

Just like everything other aspect in life, whether it be school, a job, or a hobby, you can't really start doing anything new unless you know what it is you're supposed to be doing. Just because you find out that the neighbors have years worth of food stored in their basement, hoards of weapons and ammo, and some mad survival skills doesn't mean that you need to just start going crazy gobbling up everything that comes in bulk or that has a survival sticker on it. While that may benefit you somewhat, you'll still be wasting a lot of valuable time and money. You need to create a method to this madness just like everyone else has, a plan if you will. Do you even know what everyone is preparing for? What will you need to actually be prepared for these things when the time comes? There are mountains of information online, in books and magazines, and even on movies and TV programs. I hope you'll take some time to go through the links below, I found all of these useful when I started taking baby steps into the prepper world. I hope you will find them informative and useful as well. This may take a while, so grab a cup of coffee (or drink of your choice) and settle in for a minute.

• This is the first thing I read when I heard about preppers (remember I started a couple years ago so this isn't a new article), it will give you the basics of what exactly it is everyone is preparing for... Why Are Millions Of Americans Preparing For Doomsday?  
• 'This is a 2 part series that will give you the basic fundamentals of how to start prepping, help you gain an understanding of why you need to have certain disaster supplies in place, and give insight on where to get those supplies.' (ReadyNutrition.com) Here's Part 1 and Part 2. Please read them both.
• Times of crisis aren't unfamiliar to us. Whether you have been through one yourself or seen it play out in the lives of others on the news, they're very real and very possible. It isn't a matter of if you will ever face one, it's a matter of when. Please read Food And Water For Short And Long Term Survival. Everyone has to eat, even in worst case scenarios. Read Ten Tips That Will Guarantee You Have Food If SHTF, 11 Emergency Food Items That Can Last A Lifetime, Food Preservation, Ten Most Common Food Fails, and Food Storage 101: What To Store.
• When the time comes, will you choose to bug in or bug out? It's good to have a plan for both. Urban Survival and Bugging In and This Is How You Make Real Bug Out Plans are both good articles to start with. No need to panic in either situation, you just need to know how to go about them.
• Of course we need food to survive, but there are some non-food items you should stock up on too. Non-Food Preparedness Items To Stockpile and Easy To Store Non-Food Items gives you a basic rundown.
• You can find guidelines for stocking a basic first aid kit here and you can check out trauma kit basics right here. You could always check out the Red Cross kit suggestions too. Whether you decide to buy a pre-made first aid kit or make your own, you are going to need at least one that is well stocked.
• While the list for needed tools is probably endless, Tools To Consider For Your SHTF Plan will give you a good idea where to start at.
• So many skills will come in useful when it comes time to providing for and protecting your family. Here are The 6 Most Valuable Survival Skills After SHTF.  You should also look into some Native American Survival Skills.
• Since you've clearly gained an interest in prepping for the inevitable, it's time you get your family in on the action too. Not everyone will see threats the way you do, but trying to open their eyes is well worth a try. How To Get Your Spouse On Board With Prepping and Prepping With Children: Managing Expectations. At least if you can't get them into the mind-set you are in (or will soon be in), you can prepare them mentally for what may eventually happen.

I hope you took some time to look at these links. While these don't completely cover every aspect of prepping, it's a very good start in understanding the basics. If you feel comfortable with what you have already learned, feel like you understand it and are ready to actually start prepping, now's the time to start making your plan. Please don't blindly dive into this without some proper planning. I suggest starting with a small prepping goal, such as 30 days of supplies for everyone who will be included in your plans. Keep reading up on other preppers and what they do, and don't get overwhelmed by the plethora of information you'll find in general searches on these topics. Remember, baby steps.



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I hope you enjoyed this post. I also hope the information you find here will interest you enough to keep coming back, and I pray it guides you as you take your first steps to getting prepared. I'm as eager to share my story with you as I am to hear your story. All questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome. I also invite well seasoned preppers to share some hints and tricks with us, and definitely make edit suggestions if I post something that's not quite right or if there's something else I should have included in this post. I'm still learning to ya know. I'm also interested in checking out other blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet. Please take a second to subscribe, share with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.