How to Prepare When You’re The Only One- Part 3, by Patriotman

 Print This Post Email This Post Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit Google LinkedIn LinkedIn

I’m a man in his mid 20s trying to prepare for when SHTF to care for 21 family members and guide another 21, none of which are really contributing in any significant way. I’m also part of a fireteam group, but they are not walking the walk on preparations either. My girlfriend is supportive, but I feel generally alone in my preparations. I’ve outlined the problems I have in each group– family and fireteam– in Part 1 of this article series. In Part 2, I went over how I am resolving these problems and my specific plans as well as began outlining the details of steps I’m taking. I just began with a summary of how I am dealing with food and water and provided tables that consider the various sizes of groups I might have to support.

Let’s continue looking at the details of my plan. Food had been classified as Tier One and Tier Two. Let’s take a look at the items in these tiers and their estimated expense and then move into other categories.

TIER ONE

  • Corn – $34.99/50 lbs * 3 = $104.97
  • Wheat (hard red wheat berries) – $15.29/25 lbs * 46 = $703.34
  • Steel Cut Oats – $15.17/25 lbs * 6 = $91.02
  • Beans – $21.00 (avg)/25 lbs * 13 = $273
  • Split Peas – $10 / 20 lbs * 8 = $80
  • Vegetables – $23 (avg) / 36 lbs * 26 (case is six cans ~ 36lbs) = $598
  • Lentils – $17 / 20 lbs * 6 = $102
  • Sweet Potatoes – $37 / 36 lbs * 4 (case is six cans ~ 36lbs) = $148
  • 6 gallon buckets – $8.47 * 59 = $499.73
  • Mylar Bags + O2 packets (50) = $107.05
  • Total = $2707.11 / 21 people = $128.91

TIER TWO

  • Honey – $92.00/60lbs * 1 = $92
  • Granulated Sugar – $13.49/25 lbs * 9 = $121.41
  • Brown Sugar – $15.49/25 lbs * 1 = $15.49
  • Salt – $27/25 lbs * 1 = $27 (already have 56lbs)
  • Powdered Milk – $113/50 lbs * 2 = $226
  • Olive Oil – $30/1 gallon * 10 = $300
  • Vegetable Oil – $10.99/5 quarts * 10 = $109.90
  • Molasses – $29/5 gallons * 1 = $29
  • Chia Seeds – $39 / 25 lbs * 4 = $156
  • Quinoa – $17 / 4 lbs * 13 = $221
  • Shortening – $4 / 3 lbs * 7 = $28
  • Baking Powder – $3 / 1 lb * 42 = $126
  • Baking Soda – $1.50 / 2 lbs * 21 = $31.50
  • Corn Syrup – $22 / 1 gallon * 2 = $44
  • Maple Syrup – $60 / 1 gallon * 2 = $120
  • Canned Butter – $89 / 12 cans * 3 = $267
  • Vinegar (3 gallons) – $10 / gallon * 16 = $160
  • Coffee, Instant (10) – $6 / 12 oz * 66 = $396
  • Cornstarch (5) – $20 / 50 lbs * 1 = $20
  • Flax Seed (10) – $22 / 25 lbs * 3 = $66
  • Potato Flakes (10) – $54 / 40 lbs * 2 = $108
  • Drink Mix (3) – $25 / 9 lbs * 5 = $125
  • 6 gallon buckets – $8.47 * 39 = $330.33
  • Mylar Bags + O2 packets (50) = $107.05
  • Total – $3226.68 / 21 people = $153.65
  • Combined total: $128.91 + $153.65 = $282.56

Medical

For medical preparedness, all of the items in the world are useless if you don’t know how to use them. I am not going to rehash a list of much needed supplies for medical preparedness since that list mostly came from Mr. Rawles and the Survival Medicine podcast series, but I have tried to gather as much as I can in terms of reading material and illustrated guides. It doesn’t help you if you get wounded during the move to your retreat location and no one knows how to treat you, but it at least allows for a crash course after the SHTF as well as a reference book.

The books I have on my shelf (in no particular order) are:

Security

If you look back at my problem list for the family group, this is one of them– lack of firearms experience. I have approached this problem in two ways.

Personal Defense Kits

For starters, I have assembled three bare-bones personal defense kits. The kits consist of a mil-surp load bearing vest with mag pouches, canteen, IFAK pouch (which will eventually have supplies in it), and a very basic AR-15 rifle that will be zeroed by myself and checked periodically. This is my point and click set-up. Basically, I’ll tell them, “There are bad guys coming, put this vest on, here is a quick tutorial, get this sight on the bad guy, and shoot.” Is this ideal? Of course not! But, it is really all I can afford to do, and it is better than nothing. Now, the kit I assembled for the girl and I are much more tailored to our needs. It consists of a battle belt and a plate carrier with Level III armor alongside her Colt LE6920 and my Stag-15. (I took the slightly heavier rifle.) We are actively training in using them, disassembling them, and will be moving into movement tactics soon. We try and shoot in all conditions in order to “get comfortable with being uncomfortable”.

Undesirable Target With Barriers

The second method of dealing with this issue is focusing on area denial. I have no illusions about winning a shootout with a larger force and, quite honestly, not a similarly sized force without the fireteam present. (The fireteam may not have food, but they can definitely shoot.) What I can do is try to make ourselves an undesirable target.However, this involves using natural barriers, razor wire, steel cable, pits, and fences to make ourselves a harder target and to potentially cause the attackers to question both our size and our combat capabilities. Once again, is it ideal? Nope. But it is all I’ve got at the moment.

Communications

No one else on my team has Ham experience. I have blame here as well, because mine is severely limited. It was hard to study that during graduate school, and I only just finished recently. As such, my main focus is on short range GMRS/MURS/FRS comms that have a low learning curve and shortwave radios for monitoring. I am a proud member of AmRRON, however, and that has helped me to close the gap in my skills. I look forward to getting my licenses and join them on Nets. But in the meantime, my communications set-up at least allows for local comms and long distance monitoring. Once I get my license, however, I will have at least the ability to communicate and teach others, if the SHTF. (If an EMP hits us, I don’t think the FCC will care if I teach some people how to use Hams. Of course, don’t transmit unlicensed during anything less than utter disaster, or the FCC will most certainly get ya.)

Physical Fitness

I have actually had the best success with this area. Nearly all members of both the family and the fireteam groups are actively engaged in improving their health. I have made some wonderful equipment purchases on Craigslist that have allowed those without gym memberships to work out on that equipment instead. Of course, equipment is certainly not needed to get in shape, so don’t use that as an excuse (and don’t let your team use it either). Make arguments about health and about longevity (especially to the older individuals in your groups).

Final Thoughts

Well, a final thought is that this was a little longer than I expected. I guess my biggest point that I want to leave you all with is that we need to remember why we prepare. It may seem hopeless. (It has felt that way.) You may give up temporarily. (I have.) I cannot begin to explain how my frustration has boiled over (to the point of a few tears) in many a rant to the girlfriend about my situation. At the end of the day, however, what good does that do? I cannot express how blessed I am to have a rock, like her, in my life who will look at me after my rant and simply say “Feel better? Good. Now get back on the grind”.

Continue To Try and Move Forward

As Morpheus said in The Matrix: “I’m trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it.” You can, and you must, continue to try and move your family and your preparedness groups towards a more prepared and sustainable lifestyle. As you do that, however, be sure to remain focused on the task at hand and continue doing whatever you can to put yourself into a better position to survive when things go bad. And, of course, continue to pray for discernment and for God to help your team members have the revelations they need to begin their preparations in earnest.

Suggestions and Ideas?

I am very much open to suggestions and ideas from any of you about this topic. I imagine that many of us are in a similar situation, and we have all approached it differently. Please leave comments with any tips or ideas that you may have. I intend this article to be a conversation starter more than anything else.

God bless you all, and good luck on your preparedness endeavors.

See Also:

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This has been part one of a three part entry for Round 75 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value), and
  8. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  6. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 75 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.


44 Comments

  1. Something we all should remember with our attempts to prepare for the worst is the old truism, ‘with any plan, battle or otherwise usually snarls at first contact with the enemy and I have always taken on any task with that in mind and had contingencies! Good article though and very well thought out and presented. Arkie Jack (wa5rop)

  2. I noticed on your “bucket list” you would spend over $800 for buckets. Just ask at restaurants you visit. Some are more than happy to give them to you, especially if it keeps bringing you back. My wife and I are known as the “bucket people” at our favorite Chinese restaurant ! I also noted “steel” cut oats. Not everyone can eat these, little kids and the elderly sometimes choke on them.

    1. I agree with Old Sarge. You can typically get food grade buckets for free from your local grocery stores’ baking department. They are required by law to wash out the frosting buckets before recycling them anyways. Might take a while to get as many as you need, but it’ll save you some money that you can put towards other purchases, too.

  3. A well written article, and thank you for taking the time to do this, and for being so honest. I truly wish you well on your journey, and understand some of what you are going through. A side note, if your Fire Team knows you have that much food, and can shoot better….you might have an issue if things get really desperate.

  4. A few years back I was selling rabbits on Craigslist and through that met a family that was into prepping. Being an avid prepper myself, and looking to form a group, we quickly befriended this family and made many plans for grouping up when SHTF.

    At first all was well, but after a while I realized they were all talk. We would plan and plan, but they never made any progress with food storage or any important goals. I realized that we were their backup plan. Once SHTF hit they would show up and our food storage would be cut in half.

    It was difficult, but I told them I was disbanning the group. The friendship went cold, but I soon found another group of serious preppers that I’m very happy to be a part of.

    You would be an asset to any serious prepper group, but as it stands now, your fireteam and lazy family is dead weight. They will show up, eat your food, then what? You’ll need to produce over 20 million calories a year from I sustain a 21 person group. To do that takes a lot of animals, vegetables and land. One person alone can’t prep for a group that size, at least not in a way that will sustain the group long term without being very wealthy.

    Stop throwing your pearls to swine. Marry your girl. Find a few serious preppers and move your food to their retreat. Don’t tell a soul where that is. Stop talking about prepping with your family and fireteam unless they bring it up.

    Focus on immediate family (wife and kids). Extended family. Friends. Community. In that order.

    1. I’ve read all three parts of your article and I don’t envy you the position you’re in, but I agree with Gault 100%. They are the grasshoppers. You are the ant. Hard times are coming and you are working hard to prepare. When the hard times come, they will show up and eat through everything you’ve laid aside or, worse, could tell someone under duress who you are and where you’re at and they’ll come kill you and take everything you’ve laid aside. You need to cut them off now and practice some rigid OPSEC and get a new location for your long term preps or you stand to lose everything when the SHTF.

  5. Patriotman, I enjoyed your article and I’m glad you have made the move to emergency preparation. But like other long time preppers have said, you will destroy your current optimism and end up angry with your 21 free loaders if you continue along this path. You live with your parents so for now prep for them. Unless some of your siblings are under 16 years old, they need to provide for themselves. As for your long distance relationship you need to take action one way or the other. All other folks need to take care of themselves and spend their own money and time to get prepared. Stop trying to convince people who don’t care; be quiet about what you have and your future plans. God bless you.

  6. Just passing on some advice that a SF Sergeant once passed on to me: “You don’t have to train to be miserable”.
    So getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is only useful if you are testing the effectiveness of your gear.
    Just my 2 cents.

  7. A good article about a common problem many of us are facing. I’d like to add a suggested book to your medical book stash: “The Physicians Desk Reference”. It’s a thick, heavy monster with every drug listed in it, along with prescribing information, chemical composition, what the drug treats, interactions, side effects, etc. This is the book doctors rely on, so it’s very technical and has information that I don’t even understand. But I have a recent copy I found in a free box at a bookstore, and consider it one of my luckiest finds. It isn’t necessary to have the very newest, just one not too old.

  8. Great articles. Great read. I wish you success in your ventures. Here’s some more constructive criticism. The way I see it, is that you have some major liabilities right now. I think your fireteam will come for your preps and food, if not all of them, perhaps a small contingent of a few members to split larger portions between them. I would focus on buying your own piece of rural property, without telling anyone. Get utilities on it and move a mobile home or a camper out there if you had to. Marry the girl. Move there as fast as you can and drop cold turkey all contact with the fireteam. Bury your stores in different locations, maybe cache some between you and your family, for them or for you. Work on establishing a homestead and your castle. And buy more salt. Lots more salt. Good luck and God bless!

  9. I certainly admire the time you took to write all of this. So I don’t mean for this to sound cruel but I agree completely with “Stop trying to convince people who don’t care…”

    I have learned this the hard way; in fact I had an article titled “My Long Lesson” published here a few years ago. Summary: if people don’t have skin in the game (like buying their own firearms/ammo/food/gear) they will eventually resent you for providing to them when the chips are down. And then your plans will fall apart.

  10. For references about the use of antibiotics, you might consider:

    Microbiology Nuts & Bolts: Key Concepts of Microbiology & Infection by by David Garner

    Kucers’ The Use of Antibiotics: A Clinical Review of Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antiparasitic, and Antiviral Drugs

  11. Great Article. The only pieces of advice that I can offer is to suggest to the older members is that they direct some of their their retirement savings into tangible, on-site assets (Gold and Silver) and that they develop some practical skills to enjoy in retirement (gardening, sewing, wood working…).

    Best Wishes

  12. I think that you have taken far too much upon yourself. These people, most likely never open your emails. I think that there is a way to send them that will let you know what happens to your efforts. I too was trying to get a few people to prepare but to no avail. I finally came to the realization that no one really cared and just laughed behind my back. I did find a small group that actually ‘Walked the Walk’ and we have been close friends for years.
    Marry your girlfriend and move a good distance away from “Family”. Be on your own with your mate… You will make it! ( I moved to Alaska with my wife and 2 small children) It was a great move.
    The family already thinks that your nuts. What you are doing is a good thing. Very few at any age see what you see and prepare for hard times. Keep up the good work and don’t let others get you down. God bless and keep you and may His countenance shine upon you.

  13. I hesitate to post this but …If we take you at your word that this is the plan you are implementing and basing your purchases and persuasive efforts on, I would advise you to review your lists and spreadsheet (chart) a bit more thoroughly. I will not address your assumptions re/ lbs of foods per person per year or the lack of water etc. I’m sure that there are hundreds of opinions about those items/amounts and hopefully water is included in your plan although not described.
    The unfortunate fact is that your basic math is seriously flawed in calculating your baseline 3 month supply in many cases. A brief review of the chart and a quick calculation to multiply the annual targets by 25% to achieve a 3 month supply target shows this quite clearly.
    The Tier 1 supply amounts are within 15% (of 25%) of your chart targets for the most part but you neglected to include Rice in your list and cost calcs. (but include it in your chart).
    The Tier 2 supply amounts in your list and cost calcs. are off by massive amounts when compared to (25% of) your chart targets across the board, ranging from -60% of target to over 300% of target.
    If this is a theoretical exercise on your part then I guess the point is moot, if you are serious, then math matters.

    Respectfully,

    Grey Woman

  14. Patriotman:
    Wow!
    Your three-part piece is well written, and your thoughts are well laid out.
    The problem is that your plan is not only unworkable – it is faulty.
    I’m sure you have heard the saying “The lord helps those who help themselves.
    Have you thought about the down-side of that?
    If the lord won’t help those who won’t help themselves, why should you?

    I would suggest that you “quieten down” about your plans. Once you have your own space (hopefully with your good lady!) move over your supplies and ONLY invite the relatives who showed genuine interest.

    I have no doubt that you will feel that this is hard-hearted, but you need to pull your head from your third point of contact!

    There has been a LOT of good advice in the responses.,
    I hope you can overcome your kind heart and try to be more realistic.

    God bless….

  15. I think you are trying to do too much for those who are too complacent to do anything for themselves. Not good for survival.
    There are those who like to “play” at all kinds of things, and one of the newer and trendier things to do is play lets survive a disaster, except that none of them are really concerned about surviving anything, they just want to play.
    You need to be able to discern who is playing and who really understands the need to be prepared for surviving a disaster.
    Offering to do things for them is not going to get them doing things for themselves, they just get you to play their game. You don’t get kids to clean their rooms by doing it for them, and you don’t get someone to prepare by doing it for them either.
    Set an example. Be the one that is preparing, and not the one who is trying to get everyone on the Titanic into one life boat.
    You can’t save someone that does not want to be saved. You will only put yourself into their situation.
    Caring about people is not a bad thing to do, but when they don’t care about themselves, there is not much you can do for them.
    Spend more of your time and money on what you can do, and not on what you can’t do.

  16. My biggest question after reading these are what happens to your preps if nothing happens? Will u be able to eat what is close to spoiling? Donate it and start stock piling all over again?

    I highly commend you on your ideals and willingness to provide, but it seems to me you are setting yourself up to fail… sorry. I truly hope not.

  17. Patriotman, I thank you again for sharing your efforts with us here. You have done far more than 95% of the hundreds of millions people on this continent. Good job!!!

    Now that you’ve gotten our input, many of us would love to hear your feedback. You have helped many with your articles here, and we care about your further success.

    Please tell us what and if any of our feedback will benefit you.

    God Bless.

  18. This article raises an issue many of us face, for those of us who are the only genuine preppers in our families or circle of friends. To what extent can I prepare for & support those who show little or no interest in preparedness? I plan for my wife & me. For some yrs, I planned for our daughter & her guy, but then they moved over 150 miles away. She & her guy did nothing to help prepare, but I didn’t see them as dead weight b/c I love them. I guess it was so ingrained in me in my formative years, that the man of the family is the main provider, that I expect for provide for more than just myself. Doesn’t loving one’s family mean that one is will to put out for them? If we love/provide for only those who can provide mutual support in return, well, I don’t see that as the kind of agape love that Jesus talked about. If you’re not a believer, fine. But how can one follow Christ & fail to love/provide for one’s loved ones? Having said that, I would agree that one person trying to support a family of 21, is an awfully huge load of responsibility. If that was me, I may consider different levels of support & how to share the load when the S hits the fan. For ex, when TEOTWAWKI hits, one could give seeds, fertilizer, hand garden tools & some gardening instructions to equip 2-5 of them to grow their own foods. Tell those who have firearm/security skills that they have to provide security & help w/ chores if they want to eat tomorrow. Charitable giving has limits, but delegating tasks spreads the workload.

  19. I agree with the mass here saying that you’re on a fools’ errand to try and get 21 people even lightly prepared. It’s the nature of the situation. People don’t do preps because they don’t think things will change radically, and they don’t want to see the storm clouds even when they appear, because it scares them. That’s the reason for so many initial casualties and deaths when the SHTF. Most people just refuse to accept the situation. Not being prepared is their way of saying it’s not going to happen. And then it happens, and they die needlessly. Remember that in lifesaving a drowning person, the lifesaver gets in the most danger when they approach the victim, because the victim will invariably be panicked and unable to stop themselves from grabbing the lifesaver and drowning THEM. Prepping is very much like that. You want to help, but you don’t want to get killed doing it. Harden your heart. They’ve had their chance. When it hits, they will show up, eat the food, and do little else. You’ll have to be a judge. If you don’t, you’ll be at the mercy of a bunch of weaklings who will die anyway.

  20. Ok, now that I’ve read all three parts, I’ll offer an assessment (for free!)

    #1: You can’t make people want to prep. Focus on Patriotman, and Patriotman alone for now. Invest in the most basic preps to see Patriotman through 3 months of trouble:
    a. protection. You mentioned an AR-15. Acquire one and invest the time and money to be proficient.
    a.1. Forget optics. Iron sights are fundamental, and durable. Optics fail. Make an optic of some kind a tier 3 acquisition.
    a.2. Ammunition. Figure out how much ammunition you think you will need, double it, and begin acquiring it.

    #2. Food storage. acquire for 1, Patriotman. Assembling a ton of food stores for people who don’t want to invest in your venture is a fools errand.
    a.1 Find the local LDS store and purchase some dehydrated food. Rice, beans, and oats will get old real fast. Name brand hiking food is sexy, and expensive.

    #3. Shelter. Are you really planning on surviving Armageddon at mom’s house in suburbia? This is a fundamental failure of the plan. Find gainful (maybe even meaningful) employment and begin establishing Patriotman as his own man, not Susie’s prepper son.
    a.1. Learn to camp. Start off with car access. Progress to backcountry camping/hiking.
    a.2. Learn to prepare camp ration food with three means of heating it up.
    a.3. Learn to fish and hunt. Learn how to gut and prep your harvest for cooking, and storing. (Storage will involve an investment in salt.)
    b.1. Once income is flowing, consider purchasing a little piece of dirt for your future bug out location.
    b.2. Once said BOL is secured, learn how to develop it, i.e. well, building foundation, framing, etc.. Getting Uncle Joe to help you frame your ‘cabin’ would probably go a long way to showing him this ‘prepper thing’ is not some dalliance of youth. A man who can build his own place merits some level of respect (IMO)

    #4. Water. Where is mom’s house going to get sufficient water to keep 42 people alive. I didn’t pick up on how this fundamental building block of survival will be acquired. Bottles/jugs only last so long.

    #5. Prayer. Your Quixotic story needs to be grounded in something. If you don’t believe all those who have commented on the subject, ask GOD what he thinks you should do. One does not have to close off their hearts because they removed non-participants in their endeavor. This ties back into points 1-4. Help yourself. Career, independence, making a decent woman of your gf, eliminate debt, prep for one (then two). The lack of ‘real world’ experience hinders your ability to rally the prospective troops. Getting yourself on track will go a long way toward credibility with the family and friends.

    Afterthought: While JWRs books are a fine starting point, each person must evaluate what is important to them, what their means can provide for, and determine their own solution to the prepping question.

  21. Re: food for a group
    Don’t even think about trying to set aside enough grains for a large group at the prices you have listed. Wheat sells for about $5.00 per bushel (60 pounds) . Find a farmer who will work with you, visit his or her farm with 55-gal drums in your pick-up, pay farmer $40 per filled barrel. One barrel will provide almost enough calories for one person per year.
    If you can get money up front, consider buying in bulk(such as, IBC totes) . You need TONS to get your group to the other side of the SHTF.

  22. Patriotman: You, of course, will do what you’ll do, but I’d suggest that you assess the participatory resolve of your two groups, by simply refraining from talking to any of them about prepping, until, and unless, he/she brings up some aspect of the subject in conversation. Any who would be of any help, would (knowing your advocacy and personal efforts) express their own interest.

    Anyone who takes no personal interest in prepping for even so much as an extended power outage, will probably only have interest in consuming your preps, until you run out. I understand covering the needs of your closest and most immediate loved ones, but if you’re willing to be cannibalized by casual backslapping ingrates… oh, well!

  23. Thank you for your articles and I pray for your success. I have been prepping for a long time (raised Mormon) and have learned along the way.

    ***Time has a way of changing the rules are trashing your best plans!

    Your numbers do not include all the “others” that may show up. I learned this during Katrina! Invited six and got twenty! All I can say is they would never be invited again. Which brings me to the primary point!

    ***Pray, Plan, and Keep Your Mouth Shut!

    People will justify anything and put themselves first! Not only are you endangering yourself now, but all those you care about by advertising your actions.

    I would love to have a group like Mr. Rawles has wrote about. That is not the case with my church, friends, or family. Even good people may not be good for much!

    My solutions is to prep for as many as I can and keep it to myself. Decisions can be made when something happens and you know what your dealing with. My best running buddy is a great guy with serious skills, but his choice in mates is another matter.

    I have went to great deal of effort to get my grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, interested in camping, fishing, and hunting. Some success and some failure.

  24. I feel bad saying this, but I’d bet that 20 of the 21 people you are sending emails to just hit delete as soon as it pops up. Be careful you don’t just become a nuisance. At some point you will just be known in the group as “the guy that never shuts up about the end of the world.” Trust me, I know from experience. You will lose friends over it. Drop hints here and there but if they are interested, they will ask you to tell them more about it.

    Think of it this way. If someone knocked on your door every week trying to sell you something that you didn’t want, would you get annoyed? Just my 2 cents.

  25. I honestly feel that many times before I forward a good article over to friends and family who are asleep to what is happening that the Lord Asks me in my spirit “you know they are totally asleep at the wheel right?”
    Seriously.
    Take all this good advice you been reading in response dude

  26. As I cautioned you the other day about your “Fireteam” and where this may lead, you again wrote “the fireteam may not have any food but they definitely know how to shoot”. These are people with families, this will not turn out well for you, and quite possibly your closest family members. If things go south why would they fight for you and share your food when they will decide their kids come first and they don’t want to share your food with your family? You need to get away as many have cautioned you and start on your own….stay quite. I wish you luck and hope this does not come to pass for any of us, but if it does you already have 40 (so far worthless individuals) who know exactly where they will go, and continue to be worthless!

  27. I mentioned giving them a link to your article. I wouldn’t do anything else for them if they won’t lift a finger. It’s all bordering on ridiculous. Some serious rethinking about what your doing is in order. So much time and energy could be going into so many other parts of your life. I can only imagine all the people they have been telling all about what you’re doing.Laughing at your paranoia and now many other people will show up at your doorstep.OPSEC is gone. Your taking to much upon yourself. Sorry to ramble.Your heart is in the right place. A thought.If you are active military on a base.Much of your personal ability to survive would be either taken care of or made much easier.

  28. It speaks well of you that you are trying to look after your family. But all you can really do is plant the seed in their minds and wait for it to sprout (or not) in their own time frame. Plant those seeds, water them every once in a while, and save the bulk of your energies for your own personal orchard.

    If the time comes that they show up starving on your door, you will have set aside some small amount of supplies to get them started but the rest is up to them. It’s their choice to hear the call or not. You tried. If they choose to be among the clueless masses, that is their adult decision to make– and the consequences of it are also theirs to discover.

    Incidentally, salt is about $4.00 per 25 lb. bag at Sam’s Club.

  29. To all my fellow Bloggers, check out the web site “standforthesecond”.com, you might like what you read, I was impressed with it. Enjoy.
    God Bless this Great Nation. Semper Fi!

  30. Please listen to the Group We want you to Save your Self your GF an Your Folks. The others are Dragging you Down.

    Get a good Job an Get married.

    This from an 80 year old prepper , not fully preped , but working on IT

  31. I think it’s commendable that you want to look out for so many family and other associates but I have to echo the wise words of many other responses – you can’t save those who won’t help themselves, they’ll only get you killed in the end.
    Go ahead and marry your girlfriend, and then move to a secure place where you can balance work and life.
    Definitely re-evaluate your food plan with attention to real caloric requirements for the two of you performing hard work 18 hours/day. I would think in terms of 2500/day minimum and 3500-4000 for maintaining your homestead and security patrols.
    Refer to JWR’s List of Lists in the SB Archives for more things you may not have considered, some of the links are dead now but it’s still good info.
    Going it alone is not ideal but one GOOD partner is worth a lot. Most of the people you are preparing to help are probably going to cause you nothing but trouble because their attitudes pre-collapse will not change afterward. People tend to take the path of least resistance, like water and other stuff that rolls downhill, and all of them and all their “friends” will arrive at your doorstep cold, tired, hungry and defenseless.
    I decided 5 years ago to not prep for others. It’s beyond my finances, and really, I feel no obligation to save people that won’t make even minimal efforts on their own behalf.

  32. I agree with several key points listed in the reply of BinWY (just above). I also think it’s commendable to be concerned and try to plan for others, as well as yourself — but you will need more wisdom in trying to carry dead weight. I’m a single man of 68 years, and I have seven family members (one sister and her offspring) living in the same general area. I’ve tried, over several years, to encourage them to make preparations for themselves, and prod them to expand whatever hobbies and interests fit in with a prepper’s mindset — camping, storage, etc. but there’s only so much one person can do. Among other things, I started buying some gear for ’emergency use’ as Christmas gifts (a propane camp stove, water containers, etc.), and I’ve picked up local/area/emergency situations (like Puerto Rico, Venezuala, and my state’s wild-fires this past year) to mention, but I’ve backed off from pushing.

    When my sister started mentioning my ‘interests’ in prepping to others, and her (semi-)serious comments that “she knew where to go if things ever broke down, I made two clear responses:
    1. If the situation would become serious enough that she’d try to bring the family to my place here, it would probably be serious enough that I would be ‘gone to ground’ and not available anymore. I’d have ‘bugged out’.
    2. Even if I was available, and had as much as a full year’s supply of food (for myself), that amount of food would only keep eight people going for six or seven weeks, IF they could get to me through the chaos of a breakdown.

    I do plan, if there’s enough time and money in the event of a breakdown to do a final buying run for bulk foods, like your proposed stock, and drop off some supplies for them — but that’s no guarantee. And if they should show up at my door anyway, I might give them enough for a limited time as a ‘bridge’, providing information on how and where they might find more for themselves, and saying that is ALL I can can do.

    Regarding your proposed list, I agree that you should carefully review the total calorie count of your stocks. And I’d also recommend that you lay in a supply of vitamins, as well as plan on sprouting, growing foods that are vitamin rich, and researching (wild) foraging plants that are know for vitamin content (dandelions come to mind, and there are lots of others).

  34. You are to be commended for your heart in wanting to help. I like many others stopped talking about it. They think I’m weird. I have also stopped preparing for them. It is above my means. It is very hard to go through when you have loved ones and they won’t consider it for themselves. But in my old church when you went for help to the pastor, first he would assign you a book to read. He would help after you read the book. I found that a lasting life lesson for me. It weeds out dead weight who have no desire to do anything anyway. If you were in need you would stay up all night finishing the book. They loved to help those people. I think we are the same today. It’s heartbreaking how many prefer not to talk about it.
    A point about your preps. They are all going to run out. It’s not long term. My thought would be get land, 10 acres min. and get a cabin. Make sure you have year round water source. That is gold. The soil needs to get sun and to be fertile. Check the soil. Learn to raise rabbits, chickens etc. This way you are taking care of yourself first. That sounds selfish but it isn’t. If you are not there and you have the knowledge then how can you help them? If you really want to help, buy 40 shovels and hoes. Buy seeds for the freezer. Check what grows in the area and buy heirloom. Stock up on garden supplies, they won’t expire. This way anyone who comes can work for their food. I think this plan kills 2 birds with one stone. You have done all you can do and you don’t have the problem of a expired food you can’t eat and money waisted.
    As a side note, read the book of Jeremiah in the bible. His job was to warn, not save the people. They didn’t want to be saved. He did his job. It is uncanny how it is so similar to today. Also the book of Revelation in the last chapter says “let those who do evil, do evil still and those who do righteous do righteous still.” God is basically saying, let the cards fall where they will. Each will reap their own decisions. It is a bit freeing to know God didn’t put the burden on my shoulders to try to help those who don’t want to help themselves. The bible also says if they don’t work they don’t eat. (proverbs)

    I have a prayer I found that will bring you peace:

    I love you. I shed my own blood for you to make you clean. You are new, so believe it’s true. You are lovely in my eyes, and I created you to be just as you are. Do not criticize yourself or get down for not being perfect in your own eyes. This leads only to fustration. I want you to trust Me, and take one day at a time. Dwell in My power and love and be free. Be yourself. Don’t allow other people to run you.

    I will guide you if you let Me. Be aware of My presence in everything. I give you patience, love, joy and peace. Look to Me for answers. I am your Shepherd and will lead you. Follow Me only. Do not ever forget this. Listen and I will tell you My will. My sheep hear My voice. I love you. Let if flow from you, spilling over to all you touch.

    Be not concerned with yourself, you are My responsibility. I will change you without you hardly knowing it. You are to love yourself and love others simply because I love you. Take your eyes off yourself; look only to Me. I lead, I change, I make but not when you are trying; I won’t fight your efforts.

    You are mine. Let me have the joy of making you like Myself. Let Me give you joy, peace and kindness. No one else can. You’re not your own. You have been bought with blood and now belong to Me. your only demand is to look to Me and only Me, never to yourself and never to others. Don’t struggle. Relax in My love. Stop trying. Let Me make you what I want. My will is perfect, My love sufficient. Look to Me. I love you.

    Blessings to you and hope:)

  35. I commend you for your prepping and serious intent at such a young age. My first advice would be to think hard and pray about who it is you truly have a moral responsibility to take care of…..perhaps parents, your soon-to-be wife, and ? I would prep for that much smaller group. And when you’ve completed the basics for that group, you can add resources for others, if you choose. You may have some relatives who’d be open to the idea but have no clue where to start. Perhaps your help for them could be in your experience: tell them what it would cost to have a year’s supply of basics and then help them in getting and storing it. Most people understand the concept of insurance, and the security it brings, and they might be willing to do that. It gives them some skin in the game as well. Good luck!

  36. My wife and I live in a small Northern Idaho town, kind of a bedroom community. We have very limited associations with neighbors, such as they are. We’re retired and most others work. I was quite pleased when I met another retired law enforcement type that was into prepping and survival. We seemed to hit it off good and in the ensuing two years, we shared ideas, preps, etc. He was much better “moneyed” than me, but I had a huge jump time and knowledge wise. I met another real prepper at a yard sale, introduced him to my other friend and we had a threesome, a group, all living within a few blocks of each other, all on a similar plane of ideas, preps and politics. We would meet once or twice a week for coffee and “debriefs,” and all seemed to be going well.

    Recently, I called the original friend, the retired deputy, to set up a meet. No answer at any of his three phone numbers. I sent him messages, no reply, e mails also unanswered. Mentioning the lack of communication to my other friend, wondering if I had done something to piss #1 off…………he got a cat/canary look…..I knew something was up. He said he didn’t want to get caught in the middle, but told me that “Tom” was pissed about me not replying to his phone messages, which I didn’t see for three days or so. To this day, about a month now, “Tom” hasn’t called or spoken to me, doesn’t even walk down the street, choosing to go another way. My initial feeling was to contact him and apologize for whatever slight I had made, but then………No way! Hell, I wasn’t even sure what I had done…..If “Tom” was so shallow as to be terminally offended by something so petty, and not man enough to let me know in person that something was wrong, he was not the type of person that I would want to hitch my wagon to. Not too sure about friend #2, not wanting to be in the middle. I’m of the opinion that if you’re not with me you’re “agin me!” There is no middle ground in a shtf situation. I’ve always felt that it’s better to get an issue out in the open and settle it, as opposed to being childish and “taking your toys and going home!”

    This brings me to the current issue: While I didn’t bare my soul to either of these “friends” I did share enough information to give me heartburn! They have a fair idea of what I have and where I have it, they certainly know my politics. And while I have an equal amount of knowledge about them, I also know I would never turn on or burn them. I’m not too sure about them………If they are so shallow as to get mad and stay mad over what is/was something really petty, essentially nothing, what would they do in a shtf situation?

    My point, be careful, VERY CAREFUL, of who and what you take into confidence and what you share with “friends!” Currently my thoughts about what to do run from ignoring the situation, to moving to a different area entirely. For certain, my association with friend #1 is over, and tenuous with #2. And I now have a completely different view of op sec for future times!

  37. Great articles! Along the lines of having weaponry available to protect your assets, I have also included many different caliber reloaders. Lee Reloaders have single mechanical loaders that are small and will fit in a small pack. Course you have to have the means to create bullets and powder, but there are lots of articles on YouTube that you can learn how. Caching supplies in remote locations that you can revisit and dig up your weapon supplies is another option. I’m still unable to convert my spouse into my way of thinking, but she does allow me to work on preps and storage.

  38. would like to know how to prepare when “your the only one” as in being the only sole involved, family’s attitude is ” when my number comes up…..” or its destiny , or in God’s plan. so i am all alone, i save water jugs, dry beans and other food , medical student and cancer survivor has me with plenty of medical supplies and knowledge, but bugging out, or HAULING my pack to another location- don’t see it happening…

    very informative article enjoyed it– jetta

  39. I totally understand your frustration and I’m in a similar situation myself. I’ve literally stopped trying, I can’t help someone who doesn’t want to help themselves.

    Even though there is only oh so much I can do by myself I just focus on my immediate family.

Comments are closed.