Category: Retreat Logistics

Letter Re: Garage Sale Prepping

This has been covered before, but I’d like to reinforce that use of garage sales for low-key cash purchases of essential survival items. In the past two months I’ve been making weekend trips to various community garage sales – spending an average of less than $20 per weekend. Most of the items cost me less than $10 each and I often only paid $1 or $2. The following is a partial list of the haul: 2 – Complete dissection kits with scalpels, forceps, etc 1 – Craftsman toolbox, steel, in good condition 1 – 19th Century wrench 1 – Drawknife …


Planning for Extra Mouths to Feed, by D.V.

As a regular reader of SurvivalBlog, I have found a fountain of information to be gleaned from the many great writings posted on here and wanted to quickly say thank you to all those who write in with their thoughts and experiences.  What I wanted to share was something that I experienced recently.  I found in all my prepping and plans something I had not realistically considered.  I have considered the possibility of many scenarios for a long time but I think it has been in just the past few years that I have felt that things are rather precarious.   …


Seven Letters Re: Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse

James: Some of the arguments made against J.I.R.’s article reminds me of a scene in Gone With the Wind, in which the southern gentry are talking of coming war and Rhett Butler steps in and tells everybody that the North is better equipped for war; and that all they, the southerners, have is “…cotton and dreams of victory.” Obviously this was met with indignation, but Rhett Butler was right. As preppers we are our own group who thinks we are better equipped for “war” and can also be blinded by our own arrogance. Even amongst the prepper/survivalist groups we must …


Six Letters Re: Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse

Jim, As the author of the article being discussed, I would like to address the concerns expressed by “Rocky in the Midwest” This is a good example of the kind of reactions you will undoubtedly run into if you attempt to confiscate someone’s property. He is exactly right and justified in being indignant. He has worked hard and accumulated his property lawfully and has every right to use it as he wishes. Morals aside, confiscating privately owned property not only causes anger and resentment, it’s just a bad idea on many levels. Doing so will destroy your local economy. I …


Four Letters Re: Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse

I read the article on Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse, by J.I.R. and was reminded by an incident that was related to me by several individuals involved, discussed in the local papers, and is well known . In the weeks after Hurricane Katrina, the State of Illinois sent a convoy of trucks and equipment down to help the citizens in New Orleans. This convoy consisted of dump trucks and low-boys carrying backhoes, bulldozers, boats, generators, etc. The convoy also had a half dozen or so tanker trucks full of fuel. The boats were to be used for search and …


Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse, by J.I.R.

I believe that in a severe crisis, most of the problems are going to have to be solved at the local level. State and federal government are too big and dependent on technology to survive a severe crisis once the grid drops and all services start to erode. Local governments, too, are ill prepared to assume this crushing responsibility, but they are much more resilient because their scope of control is smaller. Most of them have never even considered what they would do. This article is a discussion piece to stimulate thought on the subject of small community recovery after …


Letter Re: Coupon Warrior!

Mr. Rawles, I was very happy to read the recent SurvivalBlog article about the importance of couponing as a means of stocking up. Without using coupons there is no way my family could have the variety of food storage it has. I would like to add a couple of tips GRITS didn’t mention though. I like to use this web site Coupon Database to find coupons on products I want. You simply search for a product and it comes up with a list of everywhere you can find the coupon, whether you can print it online (coupons.com doesn’t seem to …


Coupon Warrior!, by GRITS (Girl Raised in the South)

You look at the economy, and you are alarmed. You see the direction the world appears to be headed, and your eyes glaze with near panic. You realize you must prepare for disasters and shortages, but you are overwhelmed by the scope of the project and wonder how you can ever afford to build a stockpile of necessities. I hope I can throw out a few ideas that will help you build up that stockpile over time with a painless, cost-effective method. I’ve always hated to shop. The grocery store was a place I raced through, snatching only what I …


A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI, by Dr. Bones

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As a recently-retired physician who is married to a nurse-midwife, my preparedness group looks to us as the post-TEOTWAWKI hospital and medical staff. Medical progress has been exponential and even just the last decade of scientific breakthroughs can equal a century of improvement in medical treatments, surgical techniques and pharmaceuticals. However, in the years (months?) ahead, the crumbling of the infrastructure and devolution of society in general will very likely throw us back to a medical system that existed in the 19th Century. Let’s take an example: When the U.S. was a young nation, the average woman could expect to …


Low Cost Preparedness, by J.E.

We, in the U.S.A., live on a knife edge.  Most of us take our life of ease (compared to the rest of the world) for granted, The ones who don’t are preppers and survivalists.  The television and radio give almost instant notification of the latest earthquake, hurricane, fire, or whatever and that makes many of us casual about disaster.  We get used to hearing about it so we ignore it beyond a “Gee that’s too bad!”  After all, disasters only happen to “the other guy.” Prepping for the individual and the way we go about it is different in almost …


An Alternative Approach to Lists For Beginning Preppers, by Margaret G.

All preppers rely on lists to a greater or lesser degree and each person’s list will be different according to the length of time they have been prepping, their location, their climate, their family needs and their financial situation. For those who are relatively new to prepping – better late than never – the amount of “stuff” needed to survive can be daunting and it can lead to purchases or acquisitions made on an ad hoc basis and without a great deal of thought. One way of getting rid of the feeling of being overwhelmed is to start small. Make …


Getting My Lists Together, by Old Dog in Wisconsin

A Life Altering Moment There are times in one’s life when everything changes.  For me it was it was in early May, just two months ago.   My wife and I were visiting my parents in Florida, and taking the opportunity to check out places where we thought we would like to retire in a few years.  We have been traveling to the west coast of Florida from Wisconsin for over 20 years and were trying to finalize the community we would choose.  As I am still employed, life is basically good. After another round of exploring we chose to escape …


Letter Re: The Importance of Garage Sales in Preparedness

Mr. Rawles; I thought I’d share this little bit of excitement from my corner of the world, that can serve as a reminder on the importance of scavenging yard and garage sales. So, I’ve wanted a grain mill for about a year and a half. Because they’re dead useful and I’m growing corn and amaranth in the garden this year. I was really lusting over the Country Living Grain Mill, because it seemed, well, awesome. But $395 plus shipping, plus extra parts was a little out of my reach. I’m a single girl tied by employment to the suburbs, so …


Letter Re: Pseudo-Currency: Items You Can Trade Like Cash Or Use Yourself if the Balloon Goes Up

Hello Jim, I just wanted to comment on the article, Pseudo-Currency: Items You Can Trade Like Cash Or Use Yourself if the Balloon Goes Up. I have been stocking up on most of the items Scott mentioned for my own use, but had not considered them for barter. I’ll be looking at them differently, now. One which I have given thought to bartering is tobacco. Your readers can forget stockpiling commercial cigarettes, they will go stale, shortly. As Scott mentioned, you’ll need to know how to roll your own, or purchase an inexpensive rolling machine. Cigarette tobacco can be bought …


Pseudo-Currency: Items You Can Trade Like Cash Or Use Yourself if the Balloon Goes Up, by Scott in Wisconsin

If the power grid fails for a weekend, dollar bills will always be accepted.  And I think it’s a good idea to keep at least $500 on hand in your home, in $5 and $10 denominations.  If the stores are open, but their credit card machines are not working, you’ll still be fine. But what happens if things really fall apart?  It’s easy to imagine a time when cash will no longer be king. What if an EMP knocks out all our electronic infrastructure?  If you’ve read “One Second After,” you get a feel for how quickly all our technology …