If you have made the decision to become a survival prepper, you are on the right path that will serve your family well in terms of their well-being and peace of mind. But one thing you have to know before you get started is that there is no one-size-fits-all plan that will work for each family.
A prepper plan for survival is an individualized strategy that takes into consideration your current knowledge and skills, the geographic location you reside (or work) in, the demographics of your family unit and more.
You want to be prepared on every level – from the literal survival supplies needed to the comfort items, mindset, finances, etc. Preparedness is not something you put off for a rainy day.
The time is now to get set up to withstand any event, whether it’s a grid going down in a winter storm or a solar flare, civil unrest, financial collapse or something else. It’s unpredictable, and this is why you have to get started now.
In the past, people shied away from a prepper mentality because the only people being shown living this lifestyle were made out to look crazy – until the pandemic occurred and suddenly, people were wishing they’d stocked up on things or been ready when many businesses shuttered.
By having the supplies you need, your finances secure and a strategic plan in place, you’ll feel empowered to withstand any event – whether it’s something natural that occurs, or manmade.
Whatever you do, don’t rely on the government or an agency to rescue you when you’re in a dire circumstance. While this might be suitable for a smaller event, if something catastrophic occurs, these entities will be overwhelmed and you’ll be on your own.
It’s More Than Just Planning for Emergencies
One big mistake many new preppers make is in preparing for a short term emergency. Instead of approaching it this way, think of it as a lifestyle that you need to adopt in order to have permanent peace of mind and security for your family.
It’s about having your finances under control so that you can live a life that is happy and content, about wasting fewer resources, improving your health, and being ready for anything that may come your way and cause stress for you.
You want to be self reliant in this world, and embracing prepper skills will allow you to adapt to any and all situations with ease. If there ever came a time that you couldn’t afford some sort of product or service you were used to using, you would have some sort of backup system that would allow you to take care of your needs and wants.
If you are new to survival prepping, immerse yourself in a community that is welcoming and willing to teach you the ropes. It’s always good to have contacts for this purpose because you never know what situation you will be in when you need to rely on others to help you with resources or knowledge.
You might befriend someone in your general location who you can barter with or trade skills with if a big survival event ever unfolds and this type of community may prove invaluable.
Every Person’s Plan Will Be Unique
As mentioned before, your plan is going to be different from others. It won’t be identical to other family members, your neighbors, friends or strangers you’ve communicated with online.
Your prepper plan will not only be based on your geographic location and family demographics, but other elements as well. For example, your budget might be smaller or larger than others.
If you only have a little to invest, you might not be able to afford a top notch generator for power, but you could buy things like solar cookers or lamps instead. You’ll need to tailor your plan based on your budget and not what everyone else says they’re getting.
Another thing that will be unique to you is personal preferences. You might want foods different from what others recommend in survival forums. Or you may have loyalty to specific brands for your gear.
Everything from your entertainment to any luxury items that you want to stock up on or the clothing you choose to wear during a survival event can be a personal preference that can only be determined by you.
You may have to tailor your individual prepping plan according to whether or not you have children (and how old those kids are) or if you have pets and what their needs are. You could even have to make changes based on the medical needs of your loved ones.
You might have to stock up on certain medications or prepare for food storage based on someone’s dietary needs, like gluten free if they have food allergies. While this isn’t a life or death situation, being as comfortable as possible during a survival event is important.
When it comes to the geographic location, it’s not just about cold versus hot climates. A rural prepper plan will be different from how an urban survivalist makes plans. Even laws may govern what you can and can’t do, such as storing rain water.
Prepping Requires You to Prioritize and Organize
The one thing everyone has to do when it comes to survival prepping is be organized and know how to prioritize your needs. There are certain priorities that are going to be the same for everyone.
For example, while many mistakenly stock up on food first, water is actually the first thing you need to have an ample supply of or the ability to purify because you can survive fewer days without water than you can food.
However, you may already have that system in place, allowing you to move on to the next item in your list of priorities. If you are starting from scratch, you want to prioritize your water before your food, followed by shelter and first aid supplies.
Organizing your survival supplies is important so that you can find something whenever you need it. Whether you are organizing a small bug out bag or an entire storage room full of your supplies, it’s important that you have everything in a certain place for quick and easy access.
For example, have your food organized according to canned goods, and rotate the expiration dates so that you are using up things that are about to expire and putting your new purchases at the back.
You can also have a special place just for your comfort, entertainment or luxury items. Reserve these for a special occasion so that you have something whenever times are extremely tough during a survival event and you can lift the mood for all who are involved.
You might have an area set aside for supplies that you want to use to barter with, In a major survival event, things such as chocolate, cigarettes, or alcohol might be easy trades to make with others for items you need like tools or food.
Make sure your organization system allows for your supplies to be raided or spoiled. That means you need to have supplies stashed in a variety of locations, both inside your home and elsewhere.
You might have some supplies that are kept in your car, others in a bug out bag, and some even stored at a secondary location that you could get to in the event that you could not access what was in your home.
By being prepared, organized and ready for anything and everything, your family will be set for success to not only get by, but to thrive in a survival event that occurs with or without warning.
Now that you know how to get started with your very personal, unique Prepping Plan, let’s check out article No 2:
Survival Prepping 101 Series Part 2: Why You Need a Water Purification and Storage Strategy