The Dollar Store is My Friend - Emergency Preps on a Budget:
Money is tight for most of us. We're living paycheck to paycheck, trying to make ends meet. We have very little in the way of extra funds we can put toward preps. Sure, we'd all love to be able to drop a few thousand dollars on dehydrated food every other month but that just isn't going to happen for most of us. So, here are some ways we can stretch our dollars to get the most bang for our bucks. FIRST: If you are new to prepping, start slow but steady. It's easy to become overwhelmed and spend more than you have or need. Take Baby Steps; they will quickly add up to a very long way and stop frustration. Even my favorite Dollar Store (Dollar Tree) has been inflated to $1.25 but consumables still go right down the drain or in the trash. Why spend top dollar? With my shift to a Conserver Lifestyle and "Needs vs. Wants" approach to buying, I have a new-found friend; the Dollar Store. These types of stores have different names, depending on where you live, but each item in the store is about $1.25 (as of this posting date - Feb 2023). These stores buy discontinued, B-rated or near-expired goods in mass quantities. Because of this, they get them cheap and can sell them cheap; even paper products. Supplies don't need to be expensive. Dollar Stores, Pawn Shops, Surplus Stores and Yard Sales are some local options. Search for free stuff web sites. If you're adventurous, take a Dumpster Diving excursion. Don't just get stuff because it's free unless you can barter (trade) it for stuff you actually need/want before, or during, a crisis when stores will run out of inventory and people will run out of their supplies. Store, organize and prioritize supplies in easy-to-move containers for quick access and relocation if evacuation is necessary. Electric and fuel may be unavailable for power tools; get hand tools for repairs. Brainstorm about ways to stretch dollars to get the most bang for the buck. Now, it's doubtful that you will find your "favorite brand" and, if you do, it may be near its expiration, but part of being a Conserver is being a good shopper. Now and then I have found cheaper items in my regular grocery store or Walmart but, generally, this is my go-to place for cheap stuff that will go down the drain, toilet or in the trash anyway like shave cream, after shave, razor blades, toothpaste, cleaners, laundry detergent; you get the picture. And, chances are, the next time I visit, the brands that were there before, won't be there again. I don't recommend buying ingestibles (things you will eat, swallow or drink) unless, (1) they are not expired and, (2) you intend to use them before the expiration date. Unless you have money-to-burn or need that expensive perfume or cologne, I highly recommend these types of stores to save money. Suggestions for Inexpensive or Free Preps: Yard Sales Military Surplus Stores Pawn Shops Flea Markets Thrift Stores Consignment Shops Dumpster Diving freecycle.org/ It's been mentioned, throughout this web site, to start slow and small with Emergency Preparations otherwise it's easy to become overwhelmed and go crazy buying stuff you don't need and over-spending. Like anything we want to purchase, we should make our shopping list, budget for it and stay within that spending limit. Budget Prepping Suggestions: Live below your means Learn survival and prepping skills Learn to barter Do It Yourself (self-reliance) Related Resources: Eat for $10 a Week: The Dollar Tree Budget Meal Plan Dumpster Diving and Acquisition Guidelines Reduce Waste Find Low Cost Survival and Emergency Preps from Pawn Shops and Flea Markets 25 Prepper Items To Look For at Flea Markets and Thrift Stores 50 Preparedness Items for Less Than $5 Each Organizing Your Emergency Preps Prepping is Small Living Spaces Battery-Less Devices [Author's Reference Link]
[11-Cs Basic Emergency Kit] [14-Point Emergency Preps Checklist] [Immediate Steps to Take When Disaster Strikes] [Learn to be More Self-Sufficient] [The Ultimate Preparation] [P4T Main Index]
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