[Sagittarian]

Hello, I'm very new to the aspect of survival preparedness. And to be honest, I've no idea where to start.
I recently had a dream that told me I needed to be prepared for this by may of 2012. I dont remember the dream as much as I remember may being very important for me. I clearly remember saying to myself, "I'm not prepared for this"
I'm sitting here writing this, wondering if I'm just being paroniod. Or maybe it was something I ate that didnt exactly agree with me. (Feable attempt at rational.)??
Anyway, I would rather be safe then sorry. So I'm attempting to get as much "crash course" info as possible.
I have read through quite a few of the posts you have here, but I have yet to find anything that says "If you're new to this, here is a great starting point." Dont get me wrong, I'm not looking for handholding by any stretch of the imagination. But a nudge in the right direction would help tremendously.

[DJgang]

Welcome!

it doesn't matter what your reason for prepping or reason you came across that feeling...lots of people have different reasons..but the thing is and you've probably already come to realize...

No one is going to take care of you but yourself when TSHTF.

Be prepared, not scared!

Is it just you, or do you have a family? That might be a starting point for advice here.

[Emerald]

I don't think that you are far off in the worry department-for a few years now I have had the, almost uncontrollable urge to learn to do things that will help when things go to heck! I don't get any timetables going but I do get more feelings that what I am learning is going to come in handy.

All I can say is not to get too overwhelmed, slowly start reading everything on here(or fastly depending on your reading skills). Start buy picking up extra long storage foods when ever you can afford it.
Scope out bakeries for used buckets with lids, they sometimes give them to ya or I pay .99¢ each for them, they range from about 3 1/2 gallon to 5 gallon buckets... I can get 25 pounds of flour in the 3 1/2 gal. buckets easily.
Pasta and rice and beans are long storing foods. Look for can sales on what ever it is you like to eat-storing things that you don't eat or haven't made or eaten will probably not help in the long run--eat what you store and store what you eat.
Read up on Bug Out Bags, there are many threads here that will help.
Just start doing what you can, when you can and keep reading and working at it. Rome was not built in a day!

[*Andi]

Dreams are very cool... they can tell you alot about yourself. (but that is a very different thread.

Now, where do you start? Good guestion ... but (you knew there had to be a but. )

Being prepared is different for each person. So there is no right or wrong way ... just different ways for different folks. I garden and can etc. but that might not fit into your world. Sooooo

I always tell a person to start with food and water. The next time you go to the store buy a few (or more if you can) things and put them back. With that you are on your way.

[JayJay]

After you get a few buckets, this may help as you shop...and welcome.


How much bulk fits in a 5 gallon bucket ?

Food Item _____5 Gallon Bucket

White Flour _____ ___33 pounds
Cornmeal __________33 pounds
Popping Corn ___ ___37 pounds
Rolled Oats _____ ___20 pounds
White Rice ______ ___36 pounds
Spaghetti __________30 pounds
Macaroni ___________21 pounds
Dried Beans ____ ____35 pounds
White Sugar ____ ____35 pounds
Powdered Milk ______29 pounds
Powdered Eggs _____20 pounds

[Tirediron]

More people need to listen to them selves and their feelings about things
That being said Skills and knowledge are as or more important than things,
the fiction stories on this and many other prepper boards , are also a good way of getting a handle on what you may be facing ,SHTF Some people get too hung up on gathering stuff that they never learn how to do things for themselves, learn about air water shelter and food, as well as evasion and hiding.

[Cahri]

Originally Posted by Sagittarian

Hello, I'm very new to the aspect of survival preparedness. And to be honest, I've no idea where to start.
I recently had a dream that told me I needed to be prepared for this by may of 2012. I dont remember the dream as much as I remember may being very important for me. I clearly remember saying to myself, "I'm not prepared for this"
I'm sitting here writing this, wondering if I'm just being paroniod. Or maybe it was something I ate that didnt exactly agree with me. (Feable attempt at rational.)??
Anyway, I would rather be safe then sorry. So I'm attempting to get as much "crash course" info as possible.
I have read through quite a few of the posts you have here, but I have yet to find anything that says "If you're new to this, here is a great starting point." Dont get me wrong, I'm not looking for handholding by any stretch of the imagination. But a nudge in the right direction would help tremendously.

Doesn't matter how you got to this point, just remember that FEMA will NOT be there, they;ll be looking out for themselves and hopefully their families.
Read what others are doing, especially newbies to this, so that you understand survival......no one will be there to help so make yourself safe and your loved ones too. Your kids probably don't get it, but when the hammer comes down, and it will, they will finally understand. Be safe my friend

[Woody]

You are probably already started in prepping. Have you ever been snowed in for a few days or lost the electric or water? How did you fare, were you able to keep fed and warm? What did you find you did not have that you needed? Start with the basics, you will need water, food and shelter to start. Are you on a well or city water? City water will run for a while in most situations, a well needs electricity. Do you have a way to store water? A cooler or some empty 2-liter bottles make good emergency storage vessels. Plug the bathtub and let the water fill it for as long as it is running, there is a LOT of water in a bathtub. Do you live in a home or apartment? The pipes and water heater in the place hold lots of potable water, you just have to be able to get to it. Food does not have to be fancy, do you garden? Planting a little more and drying or canning is a great thing to do. What do your cupboards look like? How long do you figure you could maintain with what you have on hand, a day, a week, a month? I started by picking up a few extra items when shopping, 6 cans of tuna instead of 3. It is amazing how fast items accumulate and before you realize it you need to find more room to store things! Shop by expiration date also, it can vary by a year or more can by can.

Preps are also to help fight inflation, for me at least. Anything I buy today, with 2010 dollars is sure to cost more with tomorrow’s dollars. If toilet paper is on sale buy 2 or 3 - 12 packs instead of one. It doesn’t have an expiration date and because just about everything is brought by truck you KNOW prices will be going up.

It seems like a dauntless task to get started, I’m just trying to point out that you are already started and just need to bulk up in the areas you are lacking. Little things all add up, my saying is 10 pennies make a dime, 10 dimes make a dollar. All those pennies you save or store add up and faster than you might think.

[Sagittarian]

So, ok. I do have a small family, with one child under the age of 5. I do live in the city, but not the inner-city.
As far as length of time is concerned. I've concluded that it will be for a very, very long time. Seriously, how can it be a world changing event, and it only last a month or so.

[Halfway]

I would echo Emerald as well with learning skill sets.

Time is your enemy and skills require time to learn. Survival, brewing, sewing, repair of mechanical items, gardening, water collection/purification, etc.

List some skill sets you could use and throw them on a blank sheet of paper. List time required to proficiency and go from there.

Best of success!!!