I just read a great article which helped me HUGE on understanding a project I am currently diving into... Solar power and batteries. The trick for me was in the understanding of amps and volts and so forth and how to put it all together. This article did that for me.

So... for the beginner... solar power.
http://www.prepperlink.com/index.php/prepare/energy/item/57-solar-project-ammo-can

Here is also a whole thread dedicated to related information. Solar panels can get pretty pricey I know but if you happen into one for cheap.. this info is invaluable.
http://preparednessadvice.com/?s=battery+pack

Once the romance of running off to the woods and living off the land wore out and I came back to reality... one of the things I have begun researching is edible plants. I need to learn how to garden in my home base location but just in case... if i have to run... here is some info on that subject.
http://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/slow-starvation/
http://preparednessadvice.com/category/edible_plants/
Bottom line... learn... nothing wrong with that but start with home gardening.
http://preparednessadvice.com/category/gardening/

Those were all great ideas that I would agree with. The only other thing I might add is to shop on sale if you don't already. I go through all the flyers every week and pick up plenty of whatever is on sale. We stock up on pasta for about a dollar a package, spaghetti sauce for .77 cents a can, rice when it goes on sale can be cheap if bought in big ten pound or larger bags. I like to store it then in my unused mason jars to make sure nothing gets into it. My other favourite thing is to buy books usually used from amazon. That way you're being practical by having the information without worrying about all kinds of expensive gear. Remember you just need to have the basics covered. Food, water, heat, really. I remember being so overwhelmed worrying about not having gas masks, and water filters, and an expensive rocket stove. Knowledge is the best tool you can have and with it, you'll be able to make do with whatever you have.

Heating can be a tricky one. Like you I learned about the rocket stoves and more. Ideally... we should all be focussing on buggin in. With a bug in scenario heat should be considered. In my house... a rental, I would have to modify it should the grid go out and it most likely will. An easy fix is to put a wood stove in a room with some kind of heat shield behind it and run the pipe out the window by putting a hole in a board and replacing the window with it. Simple enough. Challenge then is coming up with this stuff. Wood in the form of plywood can be found in nearly any alley way or you can even strip a fence. The heat shield can be more of a challenge. Hope someone has idea's on how to get a really cheap wood stove and the chimney flashing as well as a heat shield somewhere in this thread at some point. It would be a wise investment for us all even if it was only so small it could heat just one room. That could be the difference of life and death. One thing that is a hurdle however is masking your smoke signature so others dont know you are there in your bug in location.

If you have an existing fireplace, you might try one of these:

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-sporting-goods-exercise-fishing-camping-outdoors-Yukon-Stoves-W0QQAdIdZ407888986

or there are similar 'camping/hunting stoves' at princess auto and canadian tire, but they are more expensive. I bought one of the yukon ones from kijiji and am pleased with the construction.

If you have no fireplace, you would have to work out an insulated elbow joint to run through a wall, or if you are renting, perhaps through a plywood insert that you can make fit into an existing open window. Just make sure you have an equivalent source of combustion air equal to the diameter of your chimney, or you will burn all your oxygen. And invest in a Carbon Monoxide monitor. All fire safety rules apply.

If you are looking for cheap power-outage cooking, I still stand by the old fondue set. The methyl alcohol (methyl hydrate) can be bought by the gallon in the paint aisle (its sold as paint thinner - exactly the same as 'fondue fuel' but waaayyy cheaper) and it burns cleanly, producing only CO2 and H2) - no carbon monoxide and no smoke!

If you cannot work out a heating solution, hey, that's what networking is for. Your grid-down winter BOL could just be the neighbor down the street who does have a woodstove in his or her house. You don't have to go far, just far enough to survive.

haha, I was looking at that very adv just a few days ago myself. Ironic. Hard to tell the condition based on those pics but if decent then they are a good buy. I see them for $250 and up at the camping stores.

Interesting about the methyl alchohol lead. Thanks

ScottyRE....Re heat shield. You can use bricks for on the floor as a barrier to the stove heat. As for the sides and / or rear all you need is a couple of sheets of metal... steel or aluminum... with a stand off distance between the sheet and the wall. Very simple and effective.

I would say start with a plan. That's not going to cost any money but might save you some.
I assume everybody has some sort of plan and didn't just start piling stuff up.

First isolate the problem, what are you prepping for. Make a list with your shtf nightmares and create some scenarios. Order them by chance of happening and impact. See if you can find real life examples you can learn from or read some books / watch movies and documentaries and use common sense. Then decide what your approach will be for each scenario depending on your situation and have a back up plan for each. When you know what you're going to do see what you need in order to do that. Make a list and split them in basic and non basic. For instance grains and beans are basics, chocolate is not (well, that depends).

The most likely high impact scenario for SHTF for Canada is an ice storm that can cut power off for several days. In this case unless you have a better alternative like a family farm or cottage you'd be better bugging in than out. The situation will come back to normal eventually and shouldn't escalate to a level where you would need to leave the city. But without power there is no heat, no water, no shopping for food, no internet, no TV etc. On the other hand if situation goes bad and bugging out is the lesser of two evils and you spent lots of time and money canning but didn't plan on how to get it out of the city, than it's a waste of time and money.

I'm aiming for "one plan fits all" but it's hard. For instance I'm planning to buy a folding stove that I can use at home, in a camper and is small and light enough to be used in a tent in case of bugging out on foot.
Food is a big issue for me, and that's not necessarily because of budget restriction. Space is one problem. One year of basics can take a lot of space. Another one is, like I said above, getting it with me in case of bugging out. Let's say I buy a truck and a trailer. That would be a solution but what if the streets are blocked? I could store some at a storage facility but what guarantees do I have that I will find there when I need it? And it keeps on going. 🙁

The plan will never be complete, will change over time and you don't have to wait to finish it to start the actual prepping but like with everything else having a plan can make a big difference.

All the best

I just bought a kerosene heater from Canadian Tire. It's 23000 btu and can easily heat 1000 square feet. Kerosene can be expensive but it's an excellent heating fuel. And it does not give off any emissions which helps with your security.

Thanks bitbybit.
Here is more info on kerosene heaters for everyone.
http://reviews.ebay.ca/Is-it-safe-to-use-a-Kerosene-heater-indoors?ugid=10000000004124725
Did you catch how much fuel costs by chance? If used to heat 24 hrs during winter in a blackout for example... Any idea how much fuel might get consumed? Cost on the unit you bought if I may ask?
Is this the unit here... http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/1/Hunting/Heaters/PRDOVR~0762134P/Kero-World+Convection+Kerosene+Heater.jsp?locale=en

Scotty,

You say you want to start, but you have a limited budget to work with. Well that makes most of us on here, the big difference is when you started. Now we are all guessing when we will need to use the stuff we have stored, hopefully it will be never.

Frugal is in my blood, in goodtimes and poortimes. So, I try to have a feel of what things cost, so when I find an item that is at a good or great price, I do not have to go home and check flyers or the internet to support my hunch. I buy good or great priced items that I need when I find them, because if I have to leave the store and then return the item may be gone by the time I get back. Real life example. Superstore in Westhills, a number of years ago, had top-loading backpacks with a snowboard carrier on them. It had a roll down top closure, basically waterproof. This backpack was knock-off of a well made pack sold at MEC for $248, the normal price at Superstore was about $65, I happened to go in for some lunch/snack items for work and found these packs on the discount shelf at the end of the season for $10, I bought 3. In fact, the end of the season shopping at Superstore is now a habit for me. Got a propane tree one year for $4.98. Ski gloves $2.98 - $4.98. Those little 3 packs of stretch wool gloves for $0.97. This list goes on and on. Last week at Sobey's they had those Sidekick mash potatoes and gravy packages on for $1. We had chicken the other day and that $1 package of mashed potatoes and gravy fed the 3 of us - with the chicken and peas. MRE's are expensive but you can find replacement items at the store to make do.

Keep posting. Keep asking questions. One step at a time.

Oh, that question about buying a wood stove and modifying the landlord's house - if you have insurance best be sure such things do not null and void your policy. Instead of spending $200 - $500 on a woodstove system you might want to research buying really good down filled sleeping bags and overbags and bivy bags. Just a thought. You can pack a sleeping bag system with you no matter how you travel, wood stove, not so much.

Just my two cents,

Mountainman.

Great advice mountain man. Really

I just bought a kerosene heater from Canadian Tire. It's 23000 btu and can easily heat 1000 square feet. Kerosene can be expensive but it's an excellent heating fuel. And it does not give off any emissions which helps with your security.[/quote
Any hydrocarbon will give off emissions when it is burned. Normally these will be carbon dioxide and water. In a closed space, as the oxygen is used up, it will produce carbon monoxide. You MUST have ventilation with any flame type heater.

I love thrift stores and yard sales, I got a 10 pack of de-boning knifes for 2 bucks, a bob (bugoutbag) ruck sack for 6 bucks and matching winter sleeping bag for 10 bucks, and a small car 1st aid kit for 2 bucks and a pair of 4 by 9 binoculars for 4 bucks. 50% sale days are great and if you have one near by check in a lot if you can to get the good stuff before others have had a chance to go though it. I have also gotten a lot of free stuff from people at yard sales, and people just throwing things out. I always make a point to be friendly and talk with my neighbour's as I have gotten a lot of free stuff this way too. I simpily mention I'm looking for stuff for my camper and camping and hiking and such and once in a blue moon they'll give you something great, even if it's a cheap coffee maker for over the camp fire, great for making soup and boiling water with pine needles. There is a good wealth of info from people on here and I hope you can take a little bit from each and everyone. Oh and if you get something free ask if it's alright if you try and sell it to raise some money. I sold a few movies and such for my buddies and split the profits. sincerely coinzero

Today I made a blog post on this subject directed towards the beginner. I included a link to this site as well. Take a look and comment if you would? I would love to hear your stories as they relate to the post.

http://aliveandthrive.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/beginner-prepping/

Cheers