Poll: Are you really preparing?

[Tired of Lies]

I think we're more in this category than any of the other answers in the poll. We first started seeing disaster on the horizon about 1988. Since then, we have mainly either been living in a bus or camper traveling the country trying to warn others to get right with God, or living in a homestead situation. Much of the time we've been homesteading we were living off-the-grid, although we're not right now.

None of the answers on the poll fit us. We are more mentally and spiritually prepared, I guess, than we are physically prepared. Main reason is we've been unemployed or underemployed for the past 4 years, which limits our resources. We don't eat out, because we can't afford it. Can't plant a large garden where we are because the topsoil is too thin. I have a small garden up next to the house. But we have some really good dairy goats, livestock guardian dogs, and chickens, which I see as a major "prep." Animals reproduce.

Dh buys and sells guns and radios. He's good at that, and it brings in a little side income. It also means that most of the time we have guns and radios....although not all the time.

I also have maybe 2 months' food stored (if we ration it). The only alternate sources of water we have are a wet-weather pond and buckets under the downspouts of the house.

As I said above, we've lived off the grid before, and we're presently working toward getting there again. But as far as "prepping" in your terminology -- buying up guns and ammo, years' supply of MREs, etc., we don't do that.

Actually grower I think you DO fit the more prepped than not. I lived for over a year off the grid in that cabin in Alaska. It is harder than most here realize and it takes alot of "alternative thinking" to be successful at it. That would bring you a long way towards surviving. And, as you said you lived in a bus going around trying to get others right with God or homesteading. You sound spirtually prepared. Homesteading skills are another thing you don't pick up in a short time period but very valuable.

Don't sell yourself short grower. You are way ahead of the crowd that lives in a McMansion with 3 days food in the cabinets and not a clue how to grow it, store it, forage for it or maybe even cook it from scratch.

And..radios and guns are two things that would be very valuable in an emergency. My husband wants a ham radio or good bas CB. I used to see them at yard sales and thrift shops. I haven't seen one in over a year.

[Alder]

We have been doing this a long time. How I was raised. Rock farmers, woodsies and homesteader/pioneer type family for MANY generations, (going back in this country to about 1640) canning, preserving, harvesting from the wild, gardening like it matters, and raising meat critters.

Have wood heat, propane tanks, off grid food prep, heat and light, hand pump on well plus trout stream on property. As much for comms as I can stand. Have stashed away LTS, a stocked and constantly restocked full pantry. Sure not a shortage of eats around here...and wouldn't be for a long time.

Tools, firearms, equipment, parts, and know how to fix most stuff. Lots of reference material and "school of hard knocks" learning.

Really...after a while "prepping" just gets to be a way of life.

[packyderms_wife]

we homestead.. i dont consider that prepping.. although it all goes pretty much hand in hand..

This^ We are working on urban homesteading/sustainability where we are at. Neither of us feel that the Lord is moving us to bug outside the area we are currently living. If money were no object we'd move to the outside of town to a small acerage. If things go sour we want to be close enough to town that OC can either walk or ride his bike to work, no vehicle needed.

K-

[AlaskaSue]

While not absolutely every cent goes toward prepping, it is our first focus in life after (or maybe I should say 'with') God and family. We all work hard physically - though for me that takes extra effort and time because I work a very long day at a computer, but worth it to be fit come what may.
Saving, saving, saving everything I can for my land and the cabin I'll build....and getting closer every month. We do garden, hunt, fish, and put up the produce. I sew, knit and am learning to spin and weave. I have my ham license and first radio, and learning more in that line as well. I've kept bees and will again in another year or so, along with chickens. One niece is the queen of the goats, in a manner of speaking, and will help me when I'm moved to start my little goat-herd for meat, milk and fiber.
Still need to learn trapping and to cure and sew furs, to reload ammo -- so much to do but I'm in a very good place to pursue it (even if I do envy your long green season Outside)! I am triple-blessed because my family is also on board and even if they can't help financially they are behind me and also working on it.

[Lenno]

Take your pick. Wars, rumors of wars, famine, draught, depression, loss of work, inflation, invasion, Obama being relected.

nope, I got what's in the fridge, that's good enough

[timbo]

Alder said it well with 'prepping is a way of life'. Been bringing it into a way of life since 1999 or so.

After awhile there is no hard thought process that 'I HAVE TO PREP!' it just comes naturally.

Always looking for holes in the physical preps and with the thought process that smugness or just plain laziness that could cause us to get complacent.

But spend every dime on preps? Nope. We learned years ago that if you don't live life in the NOW, you miss so much.

Balance has to come to us, that is what we strive for.

[Tired of Lies]

While not absolutely every cent goes toward prepping, it is our first focus in life after (or maybe I should say 'with') God and family. We all work hard physically - though for me that takes extra effort and time because I work a very long day at a computer, but worth it to be fit come what may.
Saving, saving, saving everything I can for my land and the cabin I'll build....and getting closer every month. We do garden, hunt, fish, and put up the produce. I sew, knit and am learning to spin and weave. I have my ham license and first radio, and learning more in that line as well. I've kept bees and will again in another year or so, along with chickens. One niece is the queen of the goats, in a manner of speaking, and will help me when I'm moved to start my little goat-herd for meat, milk and fiber.
Still need to learn trapping and to cure and sew furs, to reload ammo -- so much to do but I'm in a very good place to pursue it (even if I do envy your long green season Outside)! I am triple-blessed because my family is also on board and even if they can't help financially they are behind me and also working on it.

Have you picked your land out yet? We tried to buy the 20 adjacent to ours but they didn't want to sell. The kid staying in our cabin in exchange for finishing it said they put a sign up for sale by owner for 32k. Good price. It has road access but way off the beaten path. No utilies in area. Good timber on that property. PM me if you are interested.

[chicom]

None of the above.

[microcarl]

I would consider myself a serious prepper.

I have a list that I have been working on for nearly 4 years and it's nearly complete.

The wife and I sometims get side-tracked because we often see something that will be useful in a SHTF situation and we deviate a bit from the master list.

Case in point... Last week I took a week of my vacation so that we could take a medical course that is put on by the folks at KIO3. We had planned on taking this medical course since the beginning of the year but hat to wait this long because earlier classes were full and it took this long to get in.

While the medical course was a deviation, it was a worthwhile endevour because the knowledge and skills learned will be valuable in a SHTF scenario.

EVERY spare dime goes into prepping!

Now that the wife and I have completed this medical course, there is a whole new list of medical supplied we have to start working on, as well as completing the old list.

As for my siblings - all seven of them - are NOT on-board and could not be bothered with what I have to tell them about what is coming - IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE IN AMERICA - they keep telling me. To my siblings, I am a kook that has gone off the deep end!

[rlm1966]

Alder said it well with 'prepping is a way of life'. Been bringing it into a way of life since 1999 or so.

After awhile there is no hard thought process that 'I HAVE TO PREP!' it just comes naturally.

Always looking for holes in the physical preps and with the thought process that smugness or just plain laziness that could cause us to get complacent.

But spend every dime on preps? Nope. We learned years ago that if you don't live life in the NOW, you miss so much.

Balance has to come to us, that is what we strive for.

This is the best answer I have read. Balance is the key and living your life not just prepping for the worst and waiting for it to happen. I have enough supplies to last most natural disasters, enough basics that if one or both become unemployeed we can still eat more than beans, have garden for both cost and flavor, working towards place in the country and better financial stability, but still make sure that we have time and budget for hobbies and vacations. Guess that goes to my general philosophy that it is the quality of life rather than quantity that matters to me.