#survival help

[amazynglyme]

I had to evacuate because of a fire and now I don’t know what’s going to happen to my belongings or apartment. The money I had was for rent and now I have to use it on motels and adjacent costs and might lose housing altogether. Please help. Anything helps.

Support Angela

Support Angela

[theameba8065]

Alright, I guess this is something.

Well since the country is going to shit and back. I'm going to open up my ko-fi for tips or something to try and save money for me and my partner's survival. You don't have to give money but sharing dose help.

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[okieprepper556]

The awakening: Skill sets vs. laptop vs. your necktop

Somewhere in the dark waters of what we are and where we are, YOU dared to ask.  It was dangerous and thrilling and scary all at once.  YOU questioned the status quo.  Many use the metaphor of "Taking the red pill" or "Taking the blue pill".  All that means is you made a consious choice to look at the world around you from a new perspective.  Awe CRAP!!!!!!!   Now your awake, you see the world with new glasses and it is scary.  You have to surive and you have to do something NOW.  You want to protect your loved ones and you need to start now!!!!!

Take a deep breath and breath.  Really- do it right now-  Actually, take a nice deep breath and hold it for the count of three and then let it out.  Now take a nice deep breath and then slowly exhale normally.  Release all that tension in your neck.  Shake it off.   Thats better- now lets talk!

The panic you felt is normal.  It is like a fish not wanting to leave the water.  It is something we all have felt.  It is something that will change somewhat over time- trust me. 

Now, if you are a "new prepper" or have not been doing it long- I can tell you exactly what you are thinking right now.  Here it is:  "I need to buy food and supplies and stockpile at least (enter a time frame) of food for me and or my family! If you have been prepping for a short time you have already started down that road.   I want to tell you a secret:  The reason for this is a natural reaction that gives you a false sense of security because you are in effect that fish getting back into the water!  Your just doing it subconsciously.  Thats right.  The panic hit and you started to do what you have been programed to do- BUY.  You are a creature of habit and you fell back to what you know- its called a CONSUMER. 

WOW-  wake up call just hit you did it not?.  Dont feel bad, we all did it at first, including myself.  I was no diffrent.  The diffrence now is you have heard it here before you had to figure it all out on your own.  See, you did not get the memo- but now that your here let me start out:

"Hi I am Okie Prepper 5.56 and I am a prepper."  It has been 11 days since.... well you get the point here.  We are all in this together and I hope I can help you right now. 

The biggest question you may have is, and the one most often asked is something like this:  "I would like to start my food storage and am on a limited budget.  What is the best thing I can do to make my money go as far as possible?".   Now, if your more a "hunter vs. a gatherer" you may alter the question: "I only have limited funds to spend- what is the best firearm I can get for the money?"   Humm..... I bet you are feeling strange right now.  Even if you have been at it for awhile you are now remembering those first weeks or months since you awoke from the dream and decided to prep.   Remember those days?   There is good news no matter where you are right now.  That is most preppers- not all but most- have been there done that and are very kind to give you any help that they can to get you through it.  Along the road you have also figured out that you need information.  There is a huge vacuum in you that wants to suck up knowledge and get all the information you can get.  That may be why you landed here on my blog in the first place. 

I am going to give you some advice and like any, you can take it or leave it.  But, I can tell you this about my advice:  I am giving it to you with a measure of care, a true desire to help you, and from understanding- because I was once where you are now. This is what I would tell my very best friend.  Ready? Breathe.  Take a breath- let it out- here we go.

1.  Your not alone and what your feeling is normal.  There are so many like you that are out there and they are good people (for the most part).  I would encourage you to find some like minded friends.   This is going to be harder that you think at first because prepping is a closet activity for many.  Some are preppers and don't even know it!  Others have been doing it for awhile and understand this thing called OPSEC- its "operational security".  This is a good too, as that means they have invested time and money in taking care of themselves or family and dont want to loose that to some stranger who wants to take it away.  The sooner you understand the privacy thing- and know its not about you personally, the sooner you will find good friends.   For instance- you should not ask someone you just met how much food / ammo / guns that they have.  Its bad form and will get you banished even if you asked in innocence.  Take your time and look for other key words that are used- like "sustainable life style", "permaculture" "homestead".  Those are people you will want to meet. 

2. If you just woke up and you MUST go satisfy the need to buy food- dont panic buy.  Here is a plan- alter it how you like- but its a start for those of you that want to have a food storage NOW.  For very little you can get alot of food that will last years.  If you must do it- and have the cash- start with 4 ea 5 gallon plastic buckets with lids.  Look for the number 2 in a triangle.  Those are food grade. You can use 1,4 and 5 but the number 2 are best for long term.   Clean them out- wash and dry fully- I mean bone dry not towel dry.  When new they have oils that are used to release them from the molds and other things on them from transport and storage- so clean them up. Then go to Sams or Costco or even just a wal-mart or other large store- whatever you have near you- and get BULK bags of Dried Beans, Dried Rice (not instant), quick rolled oats, sugar and other bulk dried foods- NOT ready made- you want INGREDIENTS.  For very little you can get a lot and if you want to get more but cant afford it, then just start with 5# bags of each and then move up as you can.    Now, start "copy canning" on normal trips to the store- just the basics like canned veggies, beans, fruit.  If you would normally buy two cans of corn on this shopping trip- buy a third and put it away but before you do mark the date you purchased it with a sharpie.  You are soon going to have to start FIFO.  Thats first in first out, but right now- just get a little extra as you can.  You will find it starts to add up over a short time! 

3.  Now, glean information everywhere.  Your already doing this righ now.  But take it, save it and put it away.  Get everything from recipies to ideas and file them away.  You need to be able to USE what you have to the maximum ability.  This will mean learning new skill sets.  There is no use in having all this stuff if you cant use it.  Trust me on this- skill sets are more valuable than storage.  The old saying " Give a man a fish- feed him for a day, teach a man to fish- feed him for a lifetime" should become your new mantra.  You want to live- a long life not live as long as you have food stored!!!!  Dont ever forget that!!!  Pearls my friends- pearls I am giving you now. 

4.  Take from our laptop and put it in your necktop.  Take these ideas and put them to use.  Dont just read or watch a video on how to make a fire- GO DO IT.  I taught my son how to make fire early on.  He could do it most of the time- I could do it every time no matter the weather, tinder, or what have you.  He recently asked me what he was doing wrong when he got a flame but it did not last long.  I told him your not doing anything "wrong" you just don't have the experience yet to tickle the flame to life from that first spark every time.  He asked how he would get that experience- easy I said- keep building fires!  Watching a video is good- doing it yourself is priceless. 

Lastly- find some mentors to teach you.  This may be a long list of people for diffrent skillsets.  If you need to learn to shoot you may find a good instructor for shooting but that may be all he is really great at.  In those cases- only talk shooting it that person- not the rest of your preps.  Be aware that there are people that are good at doing something but not teaching it.  Likewise some people think they can teach something but they are not good at doing it.  Well- that should be an obvious clue- keep looking.  Find someone that YOU feel good about and pick their brain= but take what they give you and make it YOURS. 

Well my friends, my post has gone long enough.  I am tired of typing.  Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.  Stay safe, be ready, live a full life!