Budget Prepping: 6 Ideas to Help You Get Started

For most of my adult life I have lived on an extremely tight budget. A huge amount of things in the prepping community are prohibitively expensive. I wanted to give you some guidance and encouragement to those who would like to be better prepared, but think it is too expensive. Here are some ideas for you to consider.

Taking Inventory

Prepping does involve some gear, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Furthermore, you might be surprised just how much you already have.

If you’ve read any of my Prepper 101 series you might notice that I repurpose many items:

• An old plastic box with a lid used for Christmas ornaments became my One Month Food Box.
• My camping stove I purchased 30 years ago is now in my Bug Out Bag (BOB).
• My sleeping bag is now my car emergency blanket.
• My backpack I use to carry my computer back and forth to work is my Get Home Bag (GHB).
• My old cell phones will now be placed in a homemade Faraday cage.
• I collect my old pool chemical and paint buckets for a variety of purposes such as storing food, makeshift toilet and water carrier.
• My 25 year old bicycle is in excellent condition and is my Bug Out Vehicle in the event my cars don’t work.
• My camping tent is my temporary Bug Out Shelter.
• A gimmie bag that came with one of my wife’s cosmetic purchases is my Dopp kit kept in my BOB.
• The lid that came off my old toilet is being repurposed for use with a 5 gallon bucket as my survival toilet.

Prepping Is an Investment

For some gear, don’t think of it as an expense when in reality it is an investment in a durable good. Let’s look at some of the things I have:

• I would still have the same bicycle I purchased when I was 14 if it were not for getting hit by cars and theft. I am on my fourth Peugeot bicycle which I purchased in 1990 for $400. It functions as good today as it did then. It has never broken down. The only things I have had to replace are the plastic and rubber parts (brake pads, tires, cables).
• All my camping gear is still in use. I purchased a new tent because I now have a family and needed a larger one.
• My bags are still in use although I have worn out a few of my Every Day Carry (EDC) backpacks (which still last several years).
• Most tools can last a lifetime if you don’t lose them or leave them out in the weather. I still have the same $25 socket set I purchased when I was 14. I also have some tools that belonged to my grandfather.
• The four guns my grandfather owned are still operating and now in my father’s possession. They were probably purchased shortly after WWII. The guns I now own I expect to give to my daughter.
• My fishing gear I used as a child is still very functional today.
• My books are reference materials and they don’t tend to become stale like most technology.

You might have sticker shock at some of the items we purchase. As an example, I purchased a $500 pistol last week. (Yeah, Salty, Spice and Uncle Paranoid have had an influence on me.) That seems like an extravagance because I never intend to “use” it. However, I plan to have it for the next 50 years. Amortized, it will cost me $10 per year to have a darn fine, capable piece of hardware designed to preserve the life of my family until help can arrive or if help is not available. Also, it is fun to shoot. I now have a new toy and that is not unlike my camera, diving or stereo equipment.

Salty’s decades-old bug-out vehicle., effective, multi-purpose and health promoting in the mean time

Make a Budget

Initially I gave myself a budget of $50 every paycheck to apply to prepping supplies. I wouldn’t miss $50. That’s beer money for me. Every two weeks I placed an order with Amazon from my Shopping List. It’s like Christmas a couple of times a month. I started by purchasing all the inexpensive items. When I got to the more expensive items I would just wait until I saved enough to make the larger purchase. You will be surprised how quickly you can acquire the things you need using this method.

Make Better Choices

I realized I needed to stock up on bullets. Bullets are freaking expensive (another reason I RELUCTANTLY began acquiring more guns). I used to spend $11 a day purchasing lunch at the restaurant in my office building. I now take my lunch to work every day with the expectation of using the money I save to purchase bullets. Funding my stockpile is a POWERFUL motivator for me. The tuna sandwich I eat today is one box of 9MM target bullets. That’s 250 bullets per week or 1,000 bullets per month. Using this technique, I will have a significant starter stockpile of bullets by the end of the year.

Make an Amazon Wish List

Every time I need to purchase something for someone I face the same challenge – what do I get them? Guess what, others are thinking the same darn thing about you. You can create an Amazon Wish List and make it public so that others can see it. Let those who purchase things for you buy the things you REALLY want instead of guessing. Heck, Amazon will automatically send it to you. The Givers don’t even need your address, have to go to the store, or wrap the thing. That’s AWESOME with a side of AWESOME SAUCE.

Be Your Own Advocate

How much money will everyone in your family spend on you for birthday and Christmas presents? Why not tell everyone that you want something expensive that individually you would never get, but collectively you could afford? In lieu of purchasing something, please consider applying the money to this thing which you really want, would really appreciate, and wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. At the end of the year you might have enough to purchase the thing or at least have a sizeable down payment.

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

As I stated previously, my grandfather owned four guns. My father hasn’t shot them since he passed away. He doesn’t even display them. I could probably explain to Dad that I would like to try hunting, but don’t want to spend a bunch of money to see if I liked it, and would he mind giving me one of the guns to try out to see if I like it. I bet he would just give it to me knowing my grandfather would appreciate his grandson wanting it. You might have a relative or two who has something you need that they don’t use. Consider asking them. You might even have an Uncle Salty who has a Mosin-Nagant he would give or sell you for a great price.

These are a few ideas for preppers get started without spending a lot of money or going into debt. Maybe you have some other good ideas. Please share them and let’s get prepared!