Category: Survival Mindset

The Skills of Spotting, Scrounging, and Scavenging

The best prepping will only take you so far. Just like when folks go on a vacation, things are forgotten, not anticipated, or broken. In a TEOTWAWKI situation, having a plan and stocking is great, but there needs to more after that, as well. Think about: What if you’re mugged or carjacked for your BOB and equipment? What if you’re away from home when it hits the fan? Although you thought you had everything, what things escaped your prep lists? Your last spare broke, now what? A TEOTWAWKI situation will likely last years, if not decades or longer. Your thoughts …


Letter Re: Barter Coins

Dear Mr. Latimer, I am trying to build a barter collection of coins. I would like to know if the coins need to be all pre-1965, and if so, do they need to be “new” coins or can old coins that have a readable date on them be used? I bought a set of 2014 1oz Silver American Eagle coins. I think they are supposed to have the same silver content as the pre-1965 coins. Are these okay or should I get rid of them? I also (about 15-20 years ago) bought commemorative bars and round Christmas, Easter, and other …


Being Prepared, by JRR

(Forward by HJL: This article presents some controversial subjects such as milk and eggs without refrigeration. Make sure you perform due diligence on any concept presented as the issue may be more complicated than presented.) Getting started being prepared isn’t hard, but it does take tenacity. It’s not always easy and can be downright mentally and physically draining, at times. There are busy seasons, and there are slower seasons (usually winter). Always looking ahead (what to plant/grow/harvest) and keeping one eye on the weather. What we can’t change, we just have to roll with what nature brings us, but we …


Raising Joyful Soldiers: Practical Methods for Teaching Children to be Responsible, Productive Leaders in a Survival Situation – Part II, by Dr. W

Infants and Toddlers Obtaining sleep is critical, and one wailing baby in the night can have devastating effects on everyone’s ability to make sound judgments and work cohesively the next day. We eventually learned (the hard way) the value of training babies to sleep in many conditions, whether alone in a bed or sharing bed or tent space, in an atmosphere of quiet, or in an atmosphere of chaos. We often used a sound machine that had several different sounds on it, and made sure there were some nights without it, so they would not become dependent on the noise …


Raising Joyful Soldiers: Practical Methods for Teaching Children to be Responsible, Productive Leaders in a Survival Situation – Part 1, by Dr. W

The very first writing prize on this blog was awarded to an article titled “Preparing Your Children”, which explored the mindset and general principles of nurturing our children to become responsible adults who can survive and thrive in a post-collapse setting. This article will guide readers away from the general to the specific, exploring, in detail, easy-to-implement principles and activities that parents can begin to apply now, regardless of their children’s ages and stages, to the nitty-gritty details of raising our children day to day. As a homeschooling family with several children, we aimed to raise our kids to love …


Letter Re: Readiness Matrix

Every so often one of your contributors writes an article that hits one out of the ballpark, as in the case of the Readiness Matrix by BKB. This well thought out and well-written article made me think, which is a miracle in itself. I reread it several times, and the simple truth was undeniable. Also, it was not an attempt to take a “selfie”, like our current White House resident does most of the time. It was a simple but refreshing article. This is why I enjoy this site and also why it is in my mind “the place” to …


Readiness Matrix, by BKB

If you are reading this, you are a member of a relatively small, unique group of people. You have pulled your head from the sand and are no longer blinded by Normalcy Bias: the belief that tomorrow will be like any other day, week after week, year after year. You see the signs and know that the relative tranquility we have enjoyed won’t last. You feel deeply that preparation is essential; you want to live. There are a lucky few, with a stone castle and moat high in a mountain retreat, who clutch their custom AR-15s to their chest while …


Letter Re: Advice on Investing

HJL, I’m a long time reader here and understand you are terribly busy, but I have a question about investment. I have a small sum of junk silver that I’m thinking of using to buy the Backwoods Home Magazine Whole Sheebang with. I’d be getting $400 worth of fine homesteading material for $17.20 in junk silver, and I’m just wondering what your thoughts are on this. They say knowledge is power. Thanks – T.Z. HJL Replies: Only you can make the decision as to whether the trade is worthwhile or not, but here are a few thoughts. Information is power, …


Saving Your Marriage for the End of the World – Part III, by Cottage Mom

This is the final portion of the three-part article, outlining ways to embark on a prepping journey with a prepping-adverse spouse. The list of suggestions continues below: Use Current Events as a Springboard for Purchases Many non-preppers don’t give much thought to the future, and they only see the need to prepare while they are in the eye of the storm. Use mini-emergencies or news stories to support purchases and advanced preparation. That latest tornado warning is a reason to get a weather radio. The cell tower outage is a reason to develop a family communication plan. The energy tax …


Saving Your Marriage for the End of the World – Part 2, by Cottage Mom

Today, we continue the second portion of this three part article. Yesterday, we read that the purpose of prepping is to take care of your closest loved ones with wisdom and protection, not to hurt them and drive them away. Prepping should make your life better in the long run, not worse. If you are hitched to a spouse, here are my continued suggestions for embarking on your prepping journey: Don’t Play Tug-of-War Over Prepping or Anything Else; Instead, Negotiate This is human nature at its most counter-productive, but it is hard to identify when the tug-of-war begins to happen. …


Three Letters Re: Time “OUT”

Hugh, Thanks for publishing the pertinent article by KT entitled, “Time OUT”. Timing and coordination with other group members can and will be very critical ability in the future. Many of us grew up watching old World War 2 war movies, and this article reminded me of memorable scenes from some of these classics, to-wit: a scene with a bombing group having a pre-raid briefing and the closing of the meeting would conclude with the commanding officer having all pilots and crew members “setting” their watches. This was done by a “hacking” mechanism in the watch movement. One can pull …


Saving Your Marriage for the End of the World – Part 1, by Cottage Mom

Could there be a greater, more important survival topic than building a stronger marital union, which is the bedrock of civilization? This topic reminds me of a young man I once spoke with. He noticed a young lady and heard the Lord telling him that she was to marry him. Even though he barely knew her, he intended to declare God’s will to her, go to the altar, check off the wife box on his bucket list, and move on, clueless to the reality that winning her is a journey. I counseled him that he was trying to barge in, …


Letter Re: Time “OUT”

Sirs I believe that K.T.’s well-meaning recommendations regarding timepieces for survivalist situations is flawed, and incomplete. The best choice would be a Seiko SN007 Coutura Kinetic Perpetual Watch or other similarly-featured model from Seiko. As documented in the links below, it is widely acknowledged that electronic movements are more accurate than even the best mechanical movements (even in the $20,000 and upwards range), though as with all things made by men, some items will by “luck” be right on the money, even a cheap Timex. However, since we are talking about survival, it would be best to go with what …


Pre- and Post-SHTF Vehicle Operations and Preparation, By C.C.K.

Ask yourself this question: How will you get to your retreat when the SHTF? Do you imagine it will be easy? Even if you live at your retreat, there is still a good chance you work away from home. What about you city dwellers planning to jet out hundreds of miles away to a safer place? While getting there now may not be to difficult, this can all change in a heartbeat. Are you even prepared to deal with a simple breakdown, getting stranded, or a roadside medical emergency? Chances are that your pre- and post-SHTF travel plans aren’t as …


Letter Re: Time “OUT”

Hugh, I very much enjoyed the article. Great information. This is something that I have thought about for quite some time. My question is how do I re-synchronize my watch to the proper time if I forget and let it die overnight? Thanks for the awesome blog and all the insight. – MRM HJL Replies: There are a variety of ways that you can use to determine the time without another watch, some more accurate than others. A Google search will reveal at least 20 different ways. There are two that I remember right off the cuff, but you have …