Take Notes, Make A Plan.

Yesterday I shared some links to information that would help you understand the world of prepping. I know it didn't cover everything, but it should have been a good start. I hope you took some times to actually check out the links, and I hope you did some extra research of your own. If you did and feel comfortable with the information you do have, you should probably get started. Making a plan is the first and most important step after a bit of research. If you aren't sure where to start, here are a few key things to think about. Planning is fairly simple, grab a notebook and a pen.

Can you answer all of these?

1. Who all will be included in your plans?
2. Do you own or rent your home?
3. If you chance losing your home due to unemployment, where else you could go?
4. Do you have a exit strategy if you have to relocate?
5. What means of transportation would you use?
6. How big is your yard if you own your home?
7. Can you plant a garden or some fruit trees to provide additional food sources?
8. Can you have food animals? Even if it's just some chickens.
9. Do you know how to hunt or fish as a means of providing meat?
10. Do you know how to properly clean and prepare meat animals for storage if you don't have access to a freezer due to power outages?
11. Can you stock enough food and water to provide until order is restored or until your can start providing through gardening or raising animals?
12. Do you know how to store water?
13. Do you know how to purify water so it's drinkable?
14. Do you know how to store foods so they have a longer shelf life?
15. Where will you stash your stock of food, water, and supplies?
16. How will you cook?
17. How will you heat your home?
18. How will you provide light?
19. How will you keep yourself clean?
20. How will you clean your clothing?
21. How will you protect yourself, your family, your shelter, and supplies?
22. Which guns are better for protection and which are better for hunting?
23. Do you know how to break down, clean, and reassemble your gun(s)?
24. Do you know how to assemble your own ammo if it came down to it?
25. How will you keep up on information or communicate with others?
26. Do you have any survival skills?
27. Can you start a fire without a lighter or matches?
28. What kind of first aid supplies can you get your hands on?
29. Do you know how to provide medical care in a minor situation? What about something more critical?
30. How are your bartering skills?
31. How much can you afford to spend on prepping per week or month?

I am going to leave you with these questions for now. Answer as many as you can, and answer them honestly. The things you answered no to or can't answer at all are the first areas you need to focus on. Knowledge is free and the more you have, the better off you are. If the last question is a tough one because you're on a tight budget, don't worry. Prepping can be done on the smallest of budgets. We'll get to that in a future post.




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I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope the questions guide 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 ask any questions that I may have forgotten, share some hints and tricks with us, and definitely make edit suggestions if I post something that's not quite right. 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.