Prepping Without Buying Anything New
You deffo don’t need to blow your paycheck on tactical flashlights or freeze-dried chicken alfredo to be reasonably prepared. In fact, if you’re on a tight budget, overwhelmed, or just don’t want to buy more stuff that will sit around and gather dust, this one’s for you.
Because here’s the truth: you already own most of what you need. The trick is just pulling it together and making it findable before something goes sideways.
Start with a five-minute apartment inventory
Set a timer. Five minutes, tops. Then get up off your butt and walk around your place with your phone and take pictures of anything useful in a power outage or emergency. This includes:
- Flashlights (even if they’re buried in a junk drawer)
- Chargers and backup batteries
- That one candle you got in a gift set that you haven’t successfully re-gifted yet
- Lighters and matches
- Duct-tape
- Any shelf-stable food (yes, even the dusty soup cans)
You probably have more emergency gear than you think! It’s just scattered, or you haven’t thought of it that way yet. Step one is gathering it all in one place, even if that place is just a grocery bag in your closet.
2. Make a Lazy Go-Bag From Stuff You Already Own
Make a lazy person’s go-bag from stuff you already own
Look, a fancy bug-out bag is cool. Buying new things can also be super satisfying. But a basic emergency pack is more about function than flair. Without spending a dime, you can fill an old bookbag or totebag with:
- A couple pairs of socks and underwear
- Toothbrush/paste, wipes, deodorant – throw in little travel sizes you won’t miss
- Painkillers and allergy meds
- A phone charger and a notepad with emergency contacts
- Photos of your existing insurance card and ID (or write down some of the basics of them onto that aforementioned notepad)
Add some snacks from your kitchen (granola bars, nuts, etc.) and rotate them every so often and voila!
It’s not sexy, but it’s ready. And that’s better than nothing when things get weird.
Use your brain, not your wallet
Being prepared isn’t about gear. It’s about forethought. Without buying anything new, get that handy dandy notepad and write down an emergency contact list. This includes information like phone numbers and physical addresses for folks.
Really want to prepare? Then during some of your spare time, think through stuff like:
- A power outage plan (how will you stay warm/cool depending on the season? who do you need to check on?)
- How you can do the basics of purifying water with what’s already in your kitchen
- What’s your “grab if I have to evacuate and run” list
Guess what! This costs zero dollars. But it can make a big difference spending 15 minutes now in helping you be proactive instead of reactive if shit happens.
It’s easy to feel like prepping is only for people who can afford solar generators or custom bug-out vehicles. But honestly? Most crises are boring, local, and short-term. And you can get through them a hell of a lot easier if you’ve taken a few hours to organize what you already have.
You don’t need to buy more. You just need to notice more.
3 Takeaways
1. Gather and organize the useful stuff you already own. You probably have more than you think.
2. A basic go-bag made from old stuff is infinitely better than waiting to build the perfect one.
3. Preparation is mostly about planning, not purchases. Just by reading this article you’re already thinking ahead a bit. Way to go, you.
Feature image courtesy Stephanie Ho/Pexels
