I was hoping to get some different views on the pros and cons of Buggin' In vs. Buggin' Out. Sure, both would be best, but maybe some of us (at least myself) are only able to concentrate on one of them. Thus far, I've been putting all my efforts into buggin' out, but after reading many of these posts, it seems more of us are buggin' in. I'm wondering if I over looked any key benifits of buggin' in. Or maybe it's that I failed to see the fatal flaw of buggin' out. But as I said, I currently planning to bug out, and here's why:
I have a lot more time than I do money. I have the time to learn survival skills and practice them, but do not have the money I think I'd need to stockpile foodstuffs, water and tp.
Mobility (again, just my opinion) is better suited to adapt to any type of disaster, as opposed to a permanent building. Flooding, earthquakes, fire, windstorms (all four elements) could destroy it, instantly leaving the prepper unprepared. Whereas a B.O.B. will always be hanging on yer shoulders.
Houses make good targets, and a habited house is a sure winner. People will be scavaging all houses. Once one scavenger knows there are people living inside a house, he also knows there is food and water. And if one scavanger knows this, then the rest of the town/city knows. Soon the house will be confronted with a small war band, and I don't think even a small military platoon could withstand the onslaught. On the other hand, a B.O.B. toting individual is more likely to blend in, and even if attacked he/she will have a better chance of escape or defending against one, two, even three attackers as opposed to an organized war band.
The benefit of buggin' in is it's longevity. If the house doesn't succumb to a wildfire, and goes undetected by passerby's, then I can see it being a nice place to ride out the fallout. A B.O.B., if prepared adequately, will get you three days. After that, skill and luck takes over.
And lastly, on a more personal point, I prefer to die fighting to live, as opposed to building a coffin and hoping to live.
Those are the reasons why I'm buggin' out. But hey, I may have overlooked a key component. So if you have any thoughts on the subject, please tell.
Bug in, bug in, bug in, bug in....unless you really have to bug out... 2cents
"I think that I am very reasonable therefore ......." ICRCC
Bugging out requires you have a place to bug out to...we don't...it's that simple.
We do not have the financial means to have a bug out location nor family in the situation of living in an appropriate place that could accommodate us.
We're stuck in the city so plan to make the best of it.
I don't truly believe we'll be in a "Mad Max" situation in the near future.
I do envision tough times, rationing, depression era style of survival.
I'm the lady you're stuck behind in the grocery store with the over loaded cart filled with cases of tuna, peanut butter, huge bags of rice and the weary looking husband
For me, bugging in has never been an option. Even when all I had was my B.O.B. there was never a doubt that in a true SHTF scenario, I,d be outta there. Now that I do have a place to go, I put in a lot of effort to ensure that it's ready. I just feel that if you're in the city and you're going to bug in, you had better disguise your location to look abandoned. Even then, eventually some one will clue in to your presence. You won't be able to fight off everyone.
Not everyone (for whatever reason) has the option to bug out. Not everyone thinks the same as I do and there are inherent flaws in bugging out. Recently, I've started to wonder what I would do if the option to bug out was taken from me. Now I have to start thinking up new plans (contingencies).
I would guess that whichever you plan to do, try to plan for the other too. Just planning to bug in isn't a great way to go if you happen to be in the path of the giant tsunami rolling in. Bugging out isn't much of an option if you get caught up in martial law and all the checkpoints have shoot to kill orders. Bugging out or bugging in, there is no right way that fits everyone.
Remember - All plans are perfect, until the battle starts.
Those who are unwilling to defend freedom, will become unfree.
Bugging in is my only option. I've put too much Time, Money and Effort into my home to just walk away and as a result of this investment I honestly, like a few others here, really don't have or see a feasible alternative Bug Out Location. Although I do keep a couple B.O.B.'s ready at all times, the only real way I'd be grabbing them and running for the door will be if I truly have no alternative (House Fire that I can't contain or supress).
With that in mind my entire SHTF Survival plan is centered around hunkering down and waiting it out. My location, although not perfect, makes bugging in a feasable option. The only real Natural disasters I'll have to content with are Winter Storms, Flooding and wind damage. Forest fires, earthquakes and Tsunami's are not very likey so its unlikely that my home will at risk from natural events.
Without a preset and well stocked Bug Out Location your really rolling the dice. Your B.O.B. will only hold so much and without shelter its only a matter of time before you succumb to the elements (especially in a winter SHTF Scenerio).
DaScribbler
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In my situation, buggin' in is the #1 option. We have everything we need here but will have the ultimate bug in location/situation once we can get a farm (been working on that for years now to make it happen). Buggin' out would seriously be the LAST resort. We have a place to go to but the only benefit is that that place is 150ft above where we live now. Well, a second place as well but it is just a small lot of land with no shelter but our tent. But it is there if we need it. Extreme last resort.
When my oldest was little we were evacuated due to a forest fire and we literally had 2 garbage bags from our house full of clothes and blankets and our car, that was it. It really hurt to walk away and not take that all with us. (we were able to return 24 hours later... to our relief the fire ws under control and extinguished!)
That would be one reason to leave.... water levels rising is the only other. Now we have even considered sand bags in the yard JIC. The neighbours would be on to us then though and it would be a little extreme so not a good option. lol
We know how high we are from sea level, we actually did a bug out scenario for my son's social studies project last year, how high would the water have to be for us to leave? What if an earthquake hit? What if this happened or that happened? He got an A and we now know what would absolutely have to happen in order for us to leave.
I have a BOB ready. well 2 and a rubbermaid container. We also have land to go to JIC but, it would be getting there that would be the hassle and then surviving for more than a couple of weeks once there.
Staying in is the best option for us but, I could see the benefits to leaving for some people.
I think it's about your best option for comfortable survival. Unless there's some life threatening event at your home, why would you leave?
In Ontario we get no earthquakes to speak of, no hurricanes. The odd tornado but your basement is the best option there. Tsunami in N. Ontario? Not likely.
We don't face the same threats as other people - think about the threats first - plan for that.
Home fire or forced evac from some industrial accident, train derailment is about the only reason I'm leaving. If the Bruce nuke plant melts down both my house and cottage are in the fallout path and I'll have to head out somewhere else. 1 hour and I'll be packed.
Forrest fires in some areas could be a problem. Steel roof and a good sized clearing around the house is probably the best idea if your area is prone.
Not tsunami is in what happened in Japan but, if there was an atlantic tsunami, the water would make its way through the St Lawrence to lake Ontario like it was rain water through a gutter. Levels would rise a bit at the very least. If you live along the shore, sand bags are a good option. I do live considerably close to the water right now. Close enough that when we saw what happened in Sendai, we discussed what to do just in case that did happen here.
The mid atlantic ridge is fairly active. And we never know what is going to happen.
Home is where the heart is. In my case, my heart is at my cabin. However, my wife prefers to live in our little second story condo in the city. I only plan to work a couple more years, then come hell or high water, I'm moving to the cabin. I've been trying to interpret that funny look my wife gives me every time I tell her that she can come visit on the weekends.
If I move to the cabin I can bug-in. That's much more comfortable than bugging-out.
mamaizzy, I've read several of your posts on the various threads in this forum and I have one thing to say to you.
Wanna get married?
Oh crap, I'm already married. Never mind
Those who are unwilling to defend freedom, will become unfree.
bug in for the time being, burn through what supplies you have, if your area becomes comprimised, have a back up plan then bug out, remember to travel light.
Bug out for sure! I have a few places picked out. I think the further you can get from everyone else the better, less problems! plus I love the bush i wish i could live there full time now.
:twisted:I`m not carzy everyone else is!:twisted:
Bug out for sure! I have a few places picked out. I think the further you can get from everyone else the better, less problems! plus I love the bush i wish i could live there full time now.
Me too brotha! Too bad we have to work!
I've got a few remote cabins picked out if it was ever to get bad. They are boat access only, which removes 99.9% of the trash. I also could use a boat to bug out on. Being able to get away from road traffic gets you away from the biggest problem during shtf, people.
bug in for the time being, burn through what supplies you have, if your area becomes comprimised, have a back up plan then bug out, remember to travel light.
That sounds like the most likely/realistic thing I'll be doing for sure
cheers
I dont have to work but my wife wont let me go.. plus i wold miss my kids and i wont take them out of school to go with me.
:twisted:I`m not carzy everyone else is!:twisted:
i'm a little confused...
you pick a handle like Homesteader but you don't plan to stay there?
now please understand i'm not picking a fight or being a jerk, but i really feel i need to make some points here.
others have posted some really good replies and i agree with some of them. . .(the ones that share my opinion lol 😀 )
but seriously, this is a question that depends on the severity of events, if my house is on fire, i'm leaving it, but i'll come back. if mutant zombie bikers show up, well i might be forced out but i'm taking it all with me.
i lived in a smaller city, 30K pop, and while things are nice there, i wouldn't stay there if i couldn't survive there. while there was good and bad about living there, it wasn't the best place to have a home when living this lifestyle. so i moved.
i live on a small farm, i grow some of my food (i'm learning to grow more) i've invested in this land, i plan on staying here. if all hell breaks loose, i have few neighbours, i'm out of the city, it's a long walk to get to me from just about any where, and if "they" are driving, i'm off the beaten path.
but to get up and leave the food i've stored, the land i can grow off of, and my shelter, my well, my water storage, my pond. i'd be leaving the three most required survival items behind (food, water, protection from the weather)
sure i've camped, i've done winter camping, i've done it with my one dog. . . it's hard to live out of a tent with pets or kids. (i don't have kids but still) that's not a long term solution. no matter how skilled you are, you haven't practiced living off the land for months on end with season after season hitting you. even the army has a long supply line to get food/water to troops for a "weekend exercise".
bugging out should be the last effort, to a long term problem. . . you become a refugee.
you have a lot of time but little money?
at least you have time! find ways to make your place safer, a security system, dogs, tools of self defence etc.
find ways to making bugging in long term.
if those two things can't be done, consider moving.
if that can't be done network, find some good people with land in the country, get to know each other, learn from them, help them out during planting season and at harvest times, become friends, start a group, make plans to bug out there, and work with them to protect their land, food and home, if things get that bad. invest in your future some how, that is more then living in a forest, hunting and fishing for your meals. (it takes a lot of calories to keep that up long term, more then a back pack, and game is low on fat, you'll need that.) and even if you have a great shelter build, and you have endless fish, deer, rabbit, and the ability to keep it long enough to eat it, you start to grow something. . .(you've ended up with a homestead in the forest) it beats packing up and walking every day. so start out with a homestead in the country, or on the edge of town.
as for houses are targets, yes i agree, but i have protections in my house, and i've made me as a target less attractive.
it takes a larger force to push out an defending force. but since i don't have an army to defend this position, i've used what "southernprepper1" says far to many times on his YouTube videos 😀 as force multipliers.
you're attacking my house? well i heard you coming before you got here, and as you got closer i could see you. my dogs may not even know your coming yet? (that's if you can get here lol) since i know you are there, and you don't know i have heard, and seen you before you got here, i'm going to be sitting in a nice spot to see you as you get closer. LONG before you know i even know you are there.
as for your house putting a stop to weather problems. i'm not a firefighter, i've never lived near a forest fire, but you can plan for that too. there is this really cool gel you spray on your roof to stop it from catching fire, there are water tanks, and pumps to use to help stop fires as they get closer, there are ways to make fire lines around your home to stop fire from getting to close.
as for other elements, my home has stood here 25 years without falling down (yeah i know. . .) but my less place was build 80+ years ago. but i lost a strong built tent to winds when camping on an island in the ocean off the coast of Maine. bent the "very strong" poles, i was unable to bend them back by hand. . .
prepping takes time, thought, effort and a LOT more time.
i didn't get here over night, and i've got a long way to go, i have friends that have been doing it since before i was born, they have been more help then you can imagine.
i'm not saying you shouldn't plan to bug out, i have a number of bug out plans written down, i have comms for the road, i have maps coming out my zigzag, i have trucks and trailers to carry all that i'd need for many months, but more over i have a place to go with friendly people, one place here, one place there, one place WAY over there. (and when i show up, i will not be a burden to those friendly people 😉
and if those trucks break down on the way, and can't be fixed, i'll be living out of that dreaded back pack! (but i can do it for a while)
one last thing, die fighting? for what? you life? (join the army, you can die fighting for our country, or helping another nation breaking it's ties to oppression) why not plan to live and live well? i don't plan to fight at all, but if i have too, i plan to win. i have the tools and training to make this possible.
when i first started prepping i was so proud of my case of beans, soup, extra pack of TP and a couple 2L of water.
we all have to start some where, bugging out seems cheapest, "and tough", but "don't cheap yourself to death" buy good gear to bug out with, but buy real security, and if you're going to die fighting, make it for your family, your home/land, for you life! (but train your family to fight too, and if you have too, you can win!)
don't be a lone wolf, have a pack of allies to make you way safer and stronger. there is much more fulfillment that way.
adsum. . . aut viam inveniam aut faciam