How To Properly Prepare For Disaster
Disaster is often only around the corner as current times showcase. Preparing properly can be key and these tips aim to help.
1. Cut Down On Luxury Spending
It is not the ideal situation when you have to stock up using a line of credit. Hence the reason for cutting back on any luxuries you are spending money on. Alternatively, find ways to lower bills and save until you can start prepping out of your own pocket.
2. Think Before You Spend
When people start to panic buy, it is natural to want to join them. But when you buy under pressure, you will not be in a position to spend your money wisely. Always keep in mind that you have to be strategic if you want to prepare properly. In fact, you can find better deals if you practice some patience and shop around.
3. Pay Special Attention To Water
Yes, having food is very important. But having water is even more necessary. And you are going to use your water supply much quicker than you anticipate. However, this does not mean you have to spend all your money on bottled water. In fact, there are several ways you can start collecting water now and store it for later use.
4. Store Water In The Right Containers
While the idea of storing water in old milk jugs can seem like a logical step, you are likely to kick yourself afterward. For starters, getting the jugs clean without leaving anything behind is a challenge all by itself. And if the jugs are not properly clean, expect several things to start floating around. Then add the biodegradable elements of the plastic and you have a recipe for disaster.
5. Prep With Food Your Family Can Stand
Do not let a great deal on food make you blind to the reality of the situation. For example, stocking up on spinach when you know your family hates it will create several problems. Not only will the cans of spinach take up unnecessary space, but you run the risk of letting all those cans sit past the expiry date. Hence the reason for prepping with food your family can live with.
6. Prepping Involves More Than Canned Food
It is with good reason that people stock up on canned food. But you need more than canned food if you want to maintain a good balance in your diet. This is why you should look for dry and freeze-dried foods too. The same can be said for buying different types of canned food. It prevents you from getting bored with your meals, while you avoid all the sodium you are bound to eat if you just stick to canned foods.
7. Make Sure Shelves Can Handle The Weight
This is one area of prepping you do not want to compromise on. In other words, you want the shelves in your storage space to be capable and sturdy. Going with the inexpensive route, such as using particleboard shelves, will eventually see you picking up everything off the ground.
8. Store Supplies In Various Places
You are likely to going to store most of your supplies in one area. But you can never be sure where the disaster is going to strike. This is why you should keep supplies in other places too, such as the car or in the garage.
9. Preparation Requires Knowledge And Skill
Stocking up on supplies is only half the battle. If you want to survive during a disaster situation, you need skills and knowledge. Books can come in very handy here.
10. Don’t Forget About Hygiene
Just like food and water, you have to keep up with hygiene. The last thing you want is to get sick during desperate times because you have no idea whether medical help will be available.
11. Remember The Essentials
If you or a family member has a condition such as diabetes or they are handicapped, always keep this mind while you prep.