Some might say prepping is an obsession....to us it is therapy

Some may say you're talking to yourself...lol 😉

what is SHFT =
anything that affects our lives in a profound and often negative way! For me in the last two years alone;
lied to at property I rented, got sick from water very sick. Lost time working, ate some preps, used up supplies
-bought new water filter that filters out bacteria
downturn in economy, less customers so made do and bought more long term foods
shut down company, looked for work, got work
- got badly sick, lost 4 months no income no help, ate most preps, used up lots of supplies
- still sick looking for work, contemplating working for self again in time being
Van Stolen last night
- had extra money in pocket, took cab home
- ate food from cupboards (LOL.. not hard, but, see above)

There are other things, very bad luck I have, the point is thus;
without stockpiles of food, propane, TP and a few other things, I would have been SOOL so having supplies on hand help out.
Some people can not even go 2 days without buying food, what happens in a big storm, roads are closed for 2-3 days? What happens if your in your car and they close the road like they did in 2011 on the 402 for 3-4 days, with people in their cars! So have food in your vehicle, something to make fire, something to melt snow and or purify water, something to cook or heat food in and make hot beverages. Have emergency candles in vehicle or another heat source, that way if you go off the road or get stuck, your not in danger.
Helps to have backups as well for example; two different types of propane heaters, one big and one smaller, along with an adaptor cord and a few bottles of propane.

Help yourself first, so why prep because THEY will not always come along in the next HOUR or so to save you, help you out.

Nope. Not talking to myself yet. First it was Rain, then it was Snow 🙂 🙂 🙂

Where is the sleet? ❓ ❓ 😆

Doesn't that make slush??? 😆

😆 😆 😆 You're very clever...we don't make slush...we make rainbow slurpies... 😆 😆 😆

Here's a great reason :
Toronto Sun article today, U.S. cold snap torments those still without heat after Sandy
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/01/24/us-cold-snap-torments-those-still-without-heat-after-sandy

The biggest motivator most adults have is to avoid hearing a hungry child
cry.

I prep out of a sense of personal responsibility. I do not want to have to depend of government or the charity of others should the unforeseen occur. Ideally, not only will I be able to take responsibility for my own care in troubled times, I will be able to assist friends and family as well. Further, I will be able to contribute to a group of "like minded" people and enjoy the benefits of a prepared community.

Unfortunately, personal responsibility isn't exactly "in" at this time.

Antsy

I was in the miliscary so I have chewed a little dirt and was privy to some stuff that I rather would not know. I have also responded to natural disasters in the military and as a volunteer fireman so I have witnessed SHTF in Canada and other countries.
Plus the whole 2008 economic fiasco ruined a chance to be part of the 1%... I’m not bitter. 😡 💡
But the mess keeps getting worse and I keep meeting people who are awake but still don’t get how serious things could get. Now this whole Cyprus thing sends the alarm bells ringing, but wait…
We are next. 😮 😡
http://activist-post-forum.947009.n3.nabble.com/2013-Canadian-Federal-Budget-contains-a-bail-in-feature-for-collapsed-Canadian-Banks-td4026040.html
So why do I prep? Did I mention I lost everything in a house fire in 2010? Did you know bugging out is just like a camping trip, without the worry of being hung-over Monday morning…
SHTF could be just your world or everyone’s world. 💡 Be ready.

I could give a 1 word answer... "Murphy"...
I prep because stuff happens, in last 3 years had 2 "once in a 100 years" flood events.. that devestated vast regions of my home state, add in severe thunderstorms, cyclones (Hurricanes), power outages.. i live alone and am physically housebound.. i prep so that i can have enough supllies and knowledge to get through when basic services are disrupted.
In the 1st flood event 2-3yrs ago there was no home delivery/internet groceries, i was cut off from all but one family member.. i was fine but.. i can't just go to the shops..
i prep so that i lessen the posibility of someone hving to come get me.
Having a well stocked pantry and extras, water, medications, ways to cook with no power.. bloody sensible i think.

71By SurvivalBlog (Reporter)
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views

Now: 10
Last Hour: 128
Last 24 Hours: 823
Total: 823
So You Want to Become a Prepper — Now What?, by Daniel A.
Saturday, March 30, 2013 19:09% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.

0
(Before It's News)

History has shown that empires, nations, societies, and individuals all pass, and that the events of our lives can be, and oftentimes are, very uncertain.

About a year ago, my wife and I read the novel One Second After by William Forstchen. While this book is a fictional account of a catastrophic event and the resulting collapse of civilized society, it may depict a disturbingly accurate account of events that could occur in a real-life catastrophe in the near future. Reading this book resulted in a complete shift in our mindset and caused us to re-evaluate our pursuit of the “American Dream.” It opened our eyes to the realities that the near future may consist of issues far more serious than retirement and buying our dream home. While these things are still important, they are not the only factors to consider, or even necessarily the most important factors to consider.

Thus began our journey towards preparing our family for a future event that will change the lifestyles and priorities of our society.

Initially, we read blogs, books, magazine articles, and many other sources of information to educate ourselves in the necessities of preparedness. We immediately discovered that a person could spend a lifetime researching and learning, and still not know everything there is to know about prepping for a variety of catastrophic circumstances. We also discovered that prepping is costly, both in time and money.

As we began making plans, lists, and gathering supplies, my wife and I discovered that we each had a mindset unique to us. This difference was, and is an obstacle that has to be overcome and collaborated in order to maximize the effectiveness of our preparations.

For example, I am a Law Enforcement Officer in a small, rural town in the Rocky Mountains. I am also an avid outdoorsman, survivalist, and gun enthusiast. These qualities tend to guide my mind towards preparing a “bug out” location in the mountains, far away from human populations, and living off the land. It also causes me to consider tactical preparations as a primary issue. While there are some positive things to be said for this, I have learned that there is far more to prepping than living off the land and shooting the bad guys.

My wife on the other hand, is a stay at home mom who home schools our two children and keeps the home. Her mindset is to prepare our home to be a safe haven, well stocked with the necessities to survive. She tends a garden, cans food, sews, cooks, collects and stores food and water, and makes plans to “hunker down” and thrive on our collected resources in our “bug in” home.

These very different mindsets are both important, but must be melded in a manner that creates a balance. This, along with a limited budget, made it imperative that we prioritize our preparations by order of immediate importance. To successfully accomplish this prioritization, there are several factors to consider.

Factor #1 – What circumstances are you preparing for?
People prep for many reasons. In our minds, the most logical preparations take into consideration a wide variety of realistic circumstances, and prioritize the supplies and skills that will prepare you for many different circumstances. For example, if you prepare exclusively for a worldwide pandemic, but do not prepare for a complete collapse of our current society, your family may starve to death. This is along the same lines as the commonly quoted idiom, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Our personal opinion is that there are numerous circumstances that may lead to the collapse of our society, creating a shortage of necessities, and a breakdown of civil order. Therefore, because it covers such a broad spectrum of circumstances, it makes sense to us to be prepared for that situation. When those preps are complete, then narrow down your continuing preps for a particular situation. We scour web sites such as www.survivalblog.com, www.preppingtosurvive.com, www.americanpreppersnetwork.com, and www.shtfblog.com for useful and practical prepping information.

Factor #2 – Financial limitations.
Prepping is not cheap. You could spend infinite amounts of money preparing for the end of the world as we know it, but, if you are like my family, you do not have infinite financial resources. Thus, you must carefully prioritize, plan, and shop in a manner that maximizes the financial resources that are presently available to you. For example, if you don’t presently have the financial ability to purchase a solar power system to power your home, you may have enough money to purchase a large supply of non-hybrid seeds, enabling you to plant a garden. The point is, purchase necessities of survival when you can, and plan to save up your money for the large expense items. We visit internet sites such as www.preppingonabudget.com, and www.prepareyourselftosurvive.com for information and ideas on prepping with a limited budget.

Factor #3 – Organization
When my wife and I first began prepping, we had all kinds of great ideas, priorities, and purchases which we wanted to implement. What we quickly discovered was that we often times were making something an immediate priority when there were other items or skills which were a more pressing priority. We decided to get organized and began to make lists of what items and skills we needed for our preparations. What we then discovered, is that these lists are always growing, and that, while having a list is great, the items and skills on the lists must be prioritized by order of importance, and must be adaptable to ever changing circumstances. This organization requires time and effort to create and maintain, but will ultimately result in a more efficient preparedness plan. This organization and planning is unique to each individual and family, but there are innumerable web sites on the internet that provide insight and opinions into this topic.

Factor #4 – What is truly important?
This is a question that can also be relatively unique to each family or individual. With that being said, there are several factors that are universally important. These factors are: clean water, shelter, and food. It is our personal opinion that these necessities should be prioritized in above order because, while you can live for a while without food, you can’t survive without water for very long, and shelter may be just as important, depending on the situation. Other factors may be relative to a person’s marital situation or geographic location, but every human on earth requires these needs be met. That will never change, so make these a #1 priority. Beyond these necessities, each individual and/or family must decide for themselves what preparations are most important. One family’s plan may not be the best plan for the family next door. The point is, meet the necessities first, then prioritize and implement the other preparations. There are many great books and web sites devoted to these topics. One web site we have found particularly helpful is www.shelfreliance.com, and our favorite book so far has been JWR's How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It.

Factor #5 – Who are you prepping for?
This is a very important issue to think about. Are you prepping for your family? You’re extended family? You’re friends or neighbors? Or all of the above? The point is, when these people come knocking at your door and looking for help, what are you going to do? This needs to be thought out and planned for so that when the time comes, you are not caught unprepared. Personally, my wife and I feel that the more people we educate on this topic, the less people there are that will be knocking on our door (or knocking down our door), looking for help.

Factor #6 - Learn what you can.
There are almost unlimited resources to assist you in preparedness. Make use of as many resources as possible. Learn from other people’s mistakes or successes, and do the best you can to avoid making mistakes of your own. Remember, knowledge and wisdom are two different things, but both can help you survive and thrive in a bad situation.

My wife and I are still very new to the world of preparedness. We learn new things every day and struggle with balancing prepping with living our lives in way that does not require us to stress or obsess to the point of unhealthy mental strain.

Prepping can be exhausting and stressful. Or it can be rewarding, exciting, and fun. Be diligent, but don’t be militaristic. Include your entire family and work at your preparations at a pace which best suits your family. Find ways to make your prepping fun and adventuresome. Prepping can be used to bond families together.

Our world is ever changing and we must adapt to, and overcome the challenges that arise with these changes if we are to survive them. If you wait until the last minute and don’t plan for the unexpected, you may find yourself unprepared to face the potentially life altering, or life threatening circumstances you may encounter. Better to be prepared and not need to be, than to be unprepared when necessity strikes!

Good luck and happy prepping.