Cheap and easy ways to prepare for long periods of martial law or civil war without power or water in case not everything "goes to plan".

Cheap and easy ways to prepare for long periods of martial law or civil war without power or water in case not everything "goes to plan". (QRV)

submitted 5.4 years ago by 3342525?

Is your family prepared for a lengthy period of martial law or civil war without power or water?

During such times, the difference between a helpless family and one that thrives can be a matter of $100 worth of supplies, a bit more if you don't already own a gun.

Buy a gun and learn how to use it ~ here's a great guide for cheap and reliable guns. If you can't afford a gun then buy a long-handled hammer or an aluminum baseball bat.
Have an agreed meeting place for your loved ones if the mobile phone network fails.
You can make a first aid survival kit for about $35 if you buy all of this stuff separately and it will be superior to most $300 kits! Most hardcore preppers and medical students will throw a conniption fit over cutting corners for medical supplies, but having the basics is far better than nothing at all!
Bottled water lasts forever and large water containers can be filled from river or rainwater. Refer to this official CDC guide for using bleach to treat contaminated water. A standard bottle of bleach will treat up to 4,500 gallons of water or 12 years supply for one person. Consider adding food coloring to treated water so there's never any confusion. LifeStraw Family cost $69 and will purify 4,755 gallons / three years of water needs for a family of five - see this demonstration video. Adults need about a gallon of water per day. These are also possible sources of emergency water.
Do you have plenty of long-life rations? You don't need fancy stuff, just food with very long expiry dates that you'll use anyway is perfect. These non-perishable foods will last forever if stored correctly... just make sure you have a non-powered can opener! Dehydrated beans and rice make a perfect meal that can be prepared only with water and without heat.
Do you have plenty of extra blankets to keep warm on cold nights if the power is out? Don't forget about your old camping sleeping bags which are great when it's cold!
Are you stocked-up on meds that your family depend on, such as diabetic medication or heart pills? If not, get extra - you'll use it so the peace of mind won't cost you a cent. If anyone frowns at you, tell your doctor you lost the last script and tell your chemist you're stocking up for a 3 month vacation in India. Pet stores sell fish and bird antibiotics with precisely the same ingredients as human antibiotics.
Do you have candles, matches, stove-lighters and a couple of $5 LED hand-crank torches? Tealight candles can provide eight hours of light and costs about 20 cents each. Your family's morale will be boosted if they aren't forced to sit in total darkness. Put tealights in a glass for safety. Solar powered Christmas lights are cheap and effective too - leave 'em outside to charge and bring them in at night. Removing the stems from solar garden lights and keeping them near windows to charge during the day is effective too.
Do you have a full BBQ gas tank and a cooker to fit it? You can connect a small camping stove to a large 20 Lb propane tank using an adapter cable which provides about 70 hours of cooking at maximum heat. This video explains how.
Hand-crank or solar USB rechargers for your iPhone or hand-crank or solar radio will allow you to listen to President Trump's emergency broadcasts if the power is out. Ear-buds will extend the length of the battery charge but not all emergency radios have headphone jacks. WARNING: "cheap" USB chargers likely won't work with the newer smartphones because despite providing 5 volt, newer smartphones require a full ampere of charge which the cheaper USB rechargers do not provide.
Children need structure. Cheap iPhone speakers and a USB recharger can provide your family with thousands of hours of entertainment. Fill your iPod with award-wining audio-books, short-stores and podcasts your family will enjoy. My sons love science fiction and creepy stories, so I downloaded 10,000 hours of Art Bell's Coast to Coast AM shows, Doctor Who audio-books and classics short story. Your kids will LOVE an hour of candlelit classic storytelling before bedtime!
Isolationism isn't ideal because your community will wonder what resources you are hiding. Conceal what you have but remain informed by being socially active. Wait in line for humanitarian supplies as if you are starving and have nothing (worth stealing).
Finally, don't allow apocalyptic scenarios to dissuade you from sensible prepping. Water and power failure is far more likely than civil war which is more likely than nuclear holocaust. Start small by preparing for two weeks without food, water and power and expand when you're ready. Also remember to buy extra toilet paper, toothbrushes and feminine hygiene products!

These are just some of the bare basics that will dramatically increase your family's ability to survive.

Note that Voat has a dedicated preparedness community: /v/preppers

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43 comments

20759198? 5.2 years ago

I live in a desert. Good luck with water.

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20759249? 5.2 years ago

Would you like to leave some advice to other preppers who live in a desert?

I only ask because most preppers don't rely on "good luck".

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20751856? 5.2 years ago

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20296120? 5.3 years ago

Thank you for this!

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20130884? 5.4 years ago

You might want to add board games, because if the power goes out, electonic devices on batteries wont last long

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20131020? 5.4 years ago

Thank you. I added your suggestion to my post description.

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20130205? 5.4 years ago

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19813045? 5.4 years ago

A couple of additions from my personal experience:

One of the most useful, field expedient, and concealable water filtration systems is the new system called Grayl. I have one. It works. I also use it when I travel. The ultralight version is even more mobile...great for bug out bags.
On top of "buy a gun and learn how to use it" I would add "buy a decent optic (red dot/scope/whatever is appropriate) and learn how to zero it." This is best not done under stress.
I would add...don't make your bug-out/survival materials look too tactical....go easy...aim for the "Grey Man" philosophy
Some will scoff at this but it's a major problem during crisis....DON't FORGET TO PREP FOR FIDO and FREDDIE! - Yes, make sure you have extra food or meds for your dog or cats. They make vests for dogs so they can carry their own food. If things start to go south start to custom your pets to eat small portions of the food that you will have available....which is what people did before dog food.
I second the idea of fish antibiotics....there is one particular brand that is made in the same factory as the human brand,..they are identical. There is a pepper website that goes into this.
Make sure you have ammo...in a pinch is can be as good as gold...same for alcohol - Vodka is a great thing to stock up on, it can be used medicinally, to relax from stress, disinfect, or barter for other goods, or even to make Molotov cocktails for defense.

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19812674? 5.4 years ago

ThanQ for crucial info OP :)

Water can be easily captured from your roof and used as a (renewable) barter item:

https://morningchores.com/rainwater-harvesting/

(Refer to OP link for treating it for drinking)

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19812054? 5.4 years ago

As slow as this has trickled to keep people from rising up, you think there will be martial law?

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19811088? 5.4 years ago

There's a Kindle book on (free) offer today: "DIY Survival Weapons - Learn to Create Homemade Weapons That Will Save Your Life".

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19811050? 5.4 years ago

Yeah just don't give that criminal RFB $1,500 for a backpack!

Fucker put used shit in it. He violates weapons laws. In his vehicle. Get him.

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19810813? 5.4 years ago

thank you

archived http://archive.is/0DORR

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19810637? 5.4 years ago

Keep some firewood stacked onsite as well

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19810489? 5.4 years ago

Become really good friends with the Mormon family down the street.

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19811370? 5.4 years ago

Mormons are pedo-worshippers just like mudslimes

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19810394? 5.4 years ago

When do we expect the SHTF moment?

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19810794? 5.4 years ago

12 minutes 42 seconds

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19809440? 5.4 years ago

Don't worry about it Q will save us! If you don't trust Q then get the fuck out! Q is totally everyone's hero! trust the plan! As long as Q is in charge we will never need food again! Q made the economy the best its ever been! Blacks have jobs! Record-breaking stocks, just don't look at the bond market! I trust Q with your life and everyone else's! So what, if I've never met Q and I don't know who Q is! I trust the plan. Foods for fags! I'm a boomer we went to the Moon! WWG1WGA. And we're going back to the Moon, then Mars, bitches! Yeah I racked up 22 trillion in debt! Who cares Boomers don't have to pay it back. Trust the plan!

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19810829? 5.4 years ago

Rosie..is that you again...why you mad bro? BTW your new haircut looks like Kim Jun Un's brother...

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19811254? 5.4 years ago

Trust the plan! Money's free we don't have to pay anything back ever! Next time we go to the Moon I'm wearing my Moon shoes so I can jump higher! Trust the plan. I don't need to stock up on food we are all Americans and we can share yours. Sharing is caring WWG1WGA! Trust the plan! I got my hair from Kim jun Uns brother, it was a fair trade! Trust the plan!

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19812533? 5.4 years ago

Must be Rosie... no way in hell could there be any normal person that dumb.

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19812736? 5.4 years ago

No need to think, trust to plan! We always cut interest rates when the economy is booming! I signed up for the space force today! I'm going to Mars, I should bring my jacket it might get cold. On the way back if we have enough fuel we're going to stop at the Moon. I'll make a video of me bouncing around and playing golf. Trust the plan I know how to moonwalk! The economy is the best it's ever been! We are all rich! I'm going to buy a Lamborghini and give it away to a beluga whale! Trust the plan! I'm almost tired of winning all the time! We're rich bich! Trust the plan!