Living life with lessons learned from 2020

It all probably started with that gorilla... The year 2020 was definitely one for the history books, but I'm not going into details about the year itself. More of what it should have taught you that thousands of people already know: How to live life prepared for the unexpected. Everyone sees "Preppers" as doomsday nutjobs, wackos, paranoid and more, but let's take the camera away from the media and talk about what's actually behind the "scenes". I'll start off by saying that I'm not going to tell you to go build a bunker and stock up on 25 years' worth of food. What I will talk about is general preparedness and the ability to provide for you and your family in many different aspects of life. So let's jump into it!

A lot of times people think of being prepared as having a fully armored SUV, a bunker, 204,850,252 containers of food, water, and ammo. Let me tell you, on the extreme side this could be true. But being prepared for the common person is not quite that intensive.

When you go back and read some of the other blogs I've written, you'll see that depending on your family size, where you live, and the knowledge you have, being prepared varies widely.

To cut this blog down to a readable amount we will generalize most categories and talk about preparing for common or likely situations. Things like major storms, government shutdowns, shelter in place orders, and other events that are likely to happen or are common. Now it comes down to you as the reader to assess what you and yours truly will need and for how long. If a blizzard were to hit where I live today, power/utilities would likely be restored within 7 days or less, more than likely 1-3 days. Now that's not that rough to get through. For someone else that maybe lives in rural Maine or say Utah, that could be 7 days minimum till powers back on. So their need for a generator or alternative power is much greater than mine. A family of 7 needs much more food and water for a week than mine of 3. There is no one sheet or document or article that is tailored to you. YOU need to do the math and use some common sense about your situation for how little or much you may need to prepare for common things in life. For the next part, we are going to talk about common ways you can think and take action to help prepare your family for life when life isn't as it normally is.

Let's start off with the basics of living: Water, food, and shelter.

Water- It is commonly accepted that 1 gallon per day per person is needed. Take into consideration things like infants don't need as much, but they do need milk/formula. Some people consume higher amounts than 1 gallon a day. You need water to cook, clean, bathe, and flush toilets. Do you have crops that need water? How will you store the needed water and where?

Food- Most people consume between 1,500 and 2,000 cal a day. Those who are inactive need less to survive while those who will be doing labor-intensive jobs may need more. Does anyone have certain allergies or dietary restrictions (vegan, kosher, etc)? Are there animals/ livestock that need to be fed? In a situation that's abnormal, you are not looking to be full from every meal, you're looking to make sure you are healthy enough to keep living. Choose food wisely, well-balanced meals with good protein, and the appropriate amount of calories needed.

Shelter- For most cases, this would be your home, apartment, or where ever you live. You need to think and be realistic about what you can ride out. In a storm with heavy rain, will your house flood? How long or what would need to happen for it to do that? Without power from the pole how long will you be able to stay in your house? Heat, refrigeration, cooking food, source of water are all things you should take into consideration. If you come to the conclusion that there are limits, or certain scenarios where you would have to leave, have a plan on where to go and how to get there.

Other important items to consider:

Batteries/power sources: AA, AAA, etc, rechargeable batteries, battery banks, solar/wind-powered generators, dual fuel conventional generators, and other means of power supply.

Medications: Prescription and OTC meds: ask your doctor or pharmacist about larger prescription orders. If you commonly take OTC meds, buy 3 months supply of them and other common medications such as cold, flu, or allergy meds and so on. Other things to add to this are first aid supplies such as bandaids and splints, eyewash, etc.

Prescription eyewear and contacts: This could be expensive depending on insurance and script. Shop around for cheap frames or other ways to cut costs. One or two extra pairs of glasses and an extended supply of contacts is a good idea.

Fuels and household chemicals: Gas, oil, wd40, antifreeze, bleach, Draino, and other goods. Store them properly and with moderation. Safety is a big concern here, obviously.

General repair and maintenance items: General tool kit, assorted screws and nails, fuses, lightbulbs, glue, plastic drop sheets, and other general items needed for home repair. Sewing kit, pipe cleaners, and all that other stuff you commonly use from the junk draw.

There are more things to consider while making a list and a plan to be generally prepared for what life can throw at you. Many items can be easily overlooked and forgotten. How we do things at my house is to make an accurate list of things you will need. Keep your receipts for 1 month of buying household goods. Things like soap, cleaners, paper towels, and yes, toilet paper. Take that amount and double it, buy it in bulk to save money. This method holds true for many things- you could apply this to oil, animal food, windshield wiper fluid, and so forth. Having an extra week to a month of what you need is a great place to start. While some may find the cost of this unattractive or prohibitive, it's better than being dead or seriously hurt come the time you will need it.

Costs of living a more prepared lifestyle shouldn't be much more than what you spend now. Besides the initial stock-up of items, the cost should even out over time because you will end up using these items anyway, then replenishing them as you go, always having a constant "more than is needed for x amount of time". Adding a little more as time goes on is a good way to eventually reach a point that you will be comfortable with. most people are satisfied with a 3 month supply of what would be needed to live life in a somewhat comfortable manner. Make sure to check out my other blogs about being prepared and how to save money while doing it as well, as specific events you should prepare extra for.

Below are some links for some great gear to help you stay prepared in 2021 and beyond.

Stay comfortable in style! FSG style. check out our branded line up of wears.

some recommended gear:

Muscle pack 5 gal rugged storage tote(4pack)- https://amzn.to/3qVbOEF

Eton FRX 3 emergency AM/FM/NOAA radio - https://amzn.to/3cfzNdK ( FSG APPROVED!)

Augason farms freeze-dried breakfast and dinner (106 servings) - https://amzn.to/3a5KuN7

Champion dual fuel generator, 4750/3800 watts - https://amzn.to/2NGWYDp

Goplus portable 60-gallon rain/tap water collector with spigot- https://amzn.to/2MnWb9M

Jackery portable solar generator 240 WH. - https://amzn.to/2YhpVb3

The Good Stuff, water and fireproof document bag- https://amzn.to/3iQWjL8

Equipt motion sensor 360 hanging light - https://amzn.to/39m8ug0