One of the main reasons people hold back on beginning their disaster preparedness is because they think it’s too expensive to prep.
Yes, stockpiling a whole year’s worth of survival supplies can end up heavily denting your bank account if you’re looking to buy everything all at once. But, the truth is, creative thinking is a critical prepping skill.
Thinking outside the box when you prep will help you see that you do not have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on survival supplies.
For instance, you can start purchasing cheap items and then use them to barter for necessities such as water and food.
No one typically knows what will happen during a disaster situation when SHTF. The best thing you can do is prepare for the worst and imagine possible outcomes.
The following survival items will probably be in very high demand in an SHTF scenario. Meaning you should think of stockpiling some of them, so you’re prepared for anything during this period.
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#1 Water
Having clean water is a must in SHTF situations. A human being can only survive 3 days without water, showing how important this particular item is.
It’s advised you stockpile at least 1-gallon of water per head for 3-days to cover both sanitation and hydration.
While this is a good prepping start, you might want to consider storing 30 days worth of drinking water just to be safe.
When it comes to prepping, the best first step would be to load up on water bottles. Unopened and FDA-approved bottled water can last for more than 2 years.
While this isn’t the most efficient or best way to stockpile 30 days’ worth of water, a family of 3 people would need to have access to at least 25 to 30 packs of bottled water.
If you think that might not be sustainable for you, you can go the water filtration system route. In case you’ll be on-the-go and won’t have access to clean drinking water, you will want to have a water filter on hand, preferably a portable one.
During SHTF situations, unless you’re sure the water source you have access to isn’t contaminated, you might want to consider using a water filter firmly.
If you’re going to be filtering a lot of water, go for the large water filtration systems. Although these aren’t usually very portable, they’re still not as heavy as most people think.
#2 Bulk Carbohydrates
The first type of food that preppers should start stockpiling is calorically dense foodstuffs that have a long shelf-life, are easy to store, and require little food preparation.
As far as calorically dense bulk foods are concerned, there’s a high chance you’re already thinking about foodstuffs that are high in carbs.
You can get many options online when it comes to these types of food.
#3 Bulk Protein
Protein is a macronutrient that you won’t usually find in survival foods. Knowing this, you might want to consider stockpiling concentrated sources of protein.
It will give you the ability to supplement your survival diet and ensure adequate protein consumption.
Your best bet here would be to go for whey protein powder. The fitness industry is loaded with many nonsense and ridiculous claims; however, as a prepper, all you need is any cheap, generic whey protein powder.
Typically, these products can last for a few years or so.
Other concentrated sources of protein are dried meats, such as beef jerky. Many of the beef jerky calories are protein-based, making it a great way to make sure you adequate protein consumption.
Beef jerky can typically last for at least one year.
Because these food items have shorter shelf lives than their carb counterparts, you will want to both use and replace them as often as possible.
#4 Bulk Fats
Whereas carbohydrates and proteins have around 4 to 5 calories per gram, fats, on the other hand, have around 9 to 10 calories per gram.
It leads them to have extremely high calorie counts for the amount of space they take up in storage. Cooking oils such as avocado oil, olive oil, and coconut oil are a fantastic way to add calories to your survival diet.
You can even drink tiny amounts of these oils for quick calorie bursts, although ingesting more significant amounts might lead to intestinal complications.
High-fat oils have varying shelf lives. However, most last between 1 to 2 years. Just like with the bulk proteins, you’ll want to both use and replace them as often as possible.
#5 Canned Goods
There are so many canned goods out there available, and if we were to list down all the different ones, the list would be almost endless.
However, we won’t make this article even longer by doing so. Here are some ideas that can help get you started:
- Canned fish and meats like tuna, chicken chunks, and beef chunks can last you well over 5 years when they’re stored properly.
- Canned stews and soups are usually good for around 1 to 6 years
- Canned veggies typically last around 1 to 4 years
- Peanut butter is good for up to one year.
#6 Fire Starting Supplies
In an SHTF scenario, you’ll most likely need to be able to start fires to survive at some point. You might want to consider coming up with a fire starting kit with different fire starting options.
The simplest way to start a fire is by using a torch/lighter. Get a good quality one, such as the Larruping Jet Torch, that you can refill with butane, and that’s not electric.
That said, you should also have access to a replacement butane. Matches are another great way to start a fire and are an excellent lighter alternative.
If both your matches and lighter get wet, you’ll definitely want another backup on hand. For this purpose, get your hands on at least one steel and flint kit. There you can find it cheaply on Amazon.
#7 Medications
Those of you who take prescription meds always ensure you have enough of a supply at all times, especially if you’re taking medicine to treat life-threatening issues.
If possible, start refilling the prescriptions early whenever you can, instead of refilling them when they’re almost done. If the medicine you take needs to be refrigerated, start thinking about alternative energy sources.
In an SHTF situation, you might not be able to get a doctor that can give you antibiotics. We aren’t medical doctors here and don’t recommend this, but most preppers suggest using fish antibiotics to treat certain illnesses and infections.
Most antibiotics intended for fish are very similar to the ones made for humans.
While over-the-counter meds aren’t known to save lives, they can help treat some symptoms. Consider stocking up on medications like Advil as well as Cold/Flu symptom treating meds.
#8 Survival Knife/Multi-Tool
Picking the right multi-tool/survival knife is a decision that’s very personal in nature. Find gear with features that align well with your skills and what you think you might end up doing in an SHTF scenario.
You’ll also want a survival knife/multi-tool that’s appropriate weight and size. You want it to fit comfortably in your survival kit.
Most folks claim to feel safer when they can get their hands on a good-quality knife or blade.
However, others don’t want to attract too much attention and would much rather carry around a multi-tool instead of a full-blown survival knife.
As far as multi-tools are concerned, Leatherman’s Style CS is arguably one of the best and most popular multi-tools in the market.
It has many useful and essential tools, including a knife, a mini screwdriver, tweezers, a bottle opener, scissors, and a file.
You can even consider buying a few tactical pens in the event your emergency plan will involve you jotting and scribbling down notes.
#9 First Aid Kit
First aid kits can be the difference between life and death in an SHTF scenario, especially if you’ve gotten into that situation due to illness or an accident.
Don’t only think of the antibiotic treatments you’re going to use for scrapes and cuts. Think beyond that and stockpile things that can be used as survival tools.
You can use ACE bandages in very many different ways; you can use gauze pads for the big wounds, steri-strips to close wounds with uneven edges, fractures can be supported with splints, etc.
Alcohol prep-pads are typically incredibly versatile items that can do several different things.
Avoid having to guess when buying a first aid kit or medical kit, especially one you intend to use in SHTF situations. Ensure you have access to a medical kit at all times.
You don’t want a scenario where you need a first aid kit, but it’s in your car, miles, and miles away from where you’re from. Consider getting a separate kit that you’ll store in the car.
#10 Topographic Map And Compass
Topographic maps are things you’ll probably need when you’re in an SHTF situation. In some cases, you might end up getting lost trying to look for help or get back to civilization, even if you know the area well.
While it’s not easy to get lost on a simple backpacking or hiking trip, you might want to consider understanding how to read a topographic map strongly. Besides, it’s also an exciting way to know a lot more about a place.
Like topographic maps, compasses are things you might need in certain SHTF situations.
Not only is a compass easy to use, but it is also very light and analog (which is ideal in scenarios where there’s no power to charge the device). Learning how to read compasses could what will end up getting you out of a tight situation.
Attend orientation classes with hiking organizations to learn how to use these classic survival items.
#11 Space Blanket
In certain SHTF scenarios, keeping your body warm can be hard to do sometimes, even in situations you didn’t expect it would be.
When the sun sets, it can get cold very quickly, especially in desert environments. Humidity and moisture can affect how the body usually retains heat, even though you might have enjoyed warm temperatures when the sun was still out.
If either your body or clothes get wet, keeping a safe body temperature can prove even harder to do. As much as a space blanket can’t double up as a sleeping bag, they’re fantastic when you’re in certain SHTF situations.
They reflect heat quite effectively, making it easier for you to keep your body dry and warm.
Besides helping keep you warm and dry, another space blanket use is turning it into a reflector and then harnessing the sun’s power to cook food. Pretty cool, no?
It can also be used as a guiding light and a signal for help. Last but certainly not least, you can use a space blanket to supplement your tarp or ground pad when setting up a shelter.
#12 Emergency Whistle
Good quality emergency whistles can be very useful in some SHTF situations. It might just end up being one of the most critical items to have in such scenarios.
A whistle measuring 100dB will produce a sound that can travel far and wide and cut through most ambient sounds. It can help you signal for help in the event you get lost.
It can tell animals that you’re around as well. You should have it close to you at all times.
Wrapping Up
One of the hardest things about buying the essential SHTF gear is figuring out what you’ll need. Every SHTF scenario is different, and not all tools are ideal for all situations.
That said, you can’t buy and carry with all that gear all the time, even if you’re a diligent prepper. Just get the most important ones, and you should be just fine. Hopefully, you now know which the important ones are.
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