So, remember back in our steps of our 12 Step Program of Prepping (Creating your own store in your house and first aid?) I told you to start looking around your home and locating items that you can use. Well, I'm going to ask you to do that again before you purchase anything for your bug out bag- and for goodness sake, please don't purchase a "complete kit" off the internet. I was just looking at one that cost almost $200 and the contents were so pathetic. 4 ibuprofen, one zip lock bag, 2 energy bars, other random things...come on, friend, we can do better than that!
The picture above shows a sampling of items we (mostly) collected from around the house. The radio is a hand crank with a flashlight on the end of it, the two rolled up od green with black seam are combat casualty blankets. Everything else is self explanatory.
In the upper left hand corner are some cheap and free ideas to stick in your bug out bag for light, extra goodies. Using a dollar store for prepping has not been as wonderful as some claim on YouTube, but I have gotten some instant coffee packets, hot cocoa, dry soups, hard candy, and spices that are good to never open and put in storage. I also never leave a motel room empty handed. I paid for everything there they left for me to use. All of the soaps and shampoos as well as the coffee, creamers and sugars come home with me. In fast food places, I will grab a handful of napkins, salt and pepper packs and ketchup packets, bring them home and throw them in my food storage. They are now going to be in my bug out bag. Leaving a restaurant, there may be a candy bowl. Take a couple extra and stick them away. I'm always looking for things to snatch up. Who doesn't like free?
The binoculars and my 1911 with the extra clip (and lots of ammunition) are important for safety. I'm not likely to hunt deer with her, but I do plan on keeping what is mine.
My next baby steps are to find a good laminated map of the state, make a decision on communication tools, and start preparing quick, nutritious dehydrated meals to go. There is a lot of inspiration on YouTube in the area of preparing food for camping trips- all the way down to making and dehydrating spaghetti sauce! Yum! We might be in a disaster/emergency situation, but that in no way means that we won't be eating well!
There is a tremendous amount of work left to be done, but I am working towards the goal every day. I hope you will consider your own situation and get started today.
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