Prepping on a budget

[urban fox]

probably a subject thats done to death but in this economic climate. its a cause for concern.
im interested to know peoples views because.
due to inability to work my income has gone to almost un noticable plus having a sick family member to visit in hospital on an almost daily basis for over 6 months. the food preps ive had stored for years have gone to nothing. and loads of the gear ive amassed over the years have gone to car boot sales and ebay to pay bills and suppliment normal living expences. now i find myself with hardly any food stored aside from the kitchen cupboard and fridge and i feel very panicy that ive had to sell stuff i considered vital even my air rifle has gone. if anything was to kick off now. id probably be ok cos living off the land is ok for me. but my loved ones would be in a right state. i know i shouldnt have sold stuff i truly feel was needed. but at the time desparation drove me to it. we got through ok up to now and i suppose the stuff i sold which was survival gear and the survival food stocks all behaved exactly as i had envisaged. for survival it was all purchased. and for survival it was all used. but if fact the crisis is not yet over. so how do i replace when there isnt funding to replace the food stocks. and equipment.
any help guys.? am not feeling too foxy just now!!!

[ForgeCorvus]

First things first.
Are you sure that the Gov. doesn't owe you anything (the whole idea behind the welfare state is that it is a hand-up to those in need, not a hand-out to those who can't be arsed)

Next, is there anything that you are paying for that you don't need ? (please note, Insurance is something that you need....Preps are just another form of insurance after all) If you're keeping your head above water ATM, cut out the unneeded expense and use that money as your prep-budget (or part of the prep-budget)


Sorry if this reads like an egg-sucking lesson

[mushroom]

It might help to think of it as working towards self- sufficiency at the moment. Sometimes prepping can seem to be all about stockpiling - food, meds, tools, gear etc - none of which comes cheap!

Perhaps focus on your skills and reading and making 'something from nothing' which is probably the best prepping possible really! Do you have a garden - can you 'grow your own'?
Making stuff like an alcohol stove from a tin can, a rocket stove from old bricks?

I'd have a read through nickdutch's posts - he seems to be great at prepping on a budget and making something from nothing!
Good luck

[piglet]

Fox
I hear what you are saying.
Sometimes we find ourselves in situations, in that, the way we are living goes against our natural instincts.

But, does it matter too much if you no longer own those possessions? Is it not the abilities of each and everyone here, to overcome difficult situations that separate those who prep from the rest of the general population?
I would think that Prepper’s are those who plan for a number of possible futures, but should a situation arise that was not expected they 'adapt' more easily than others.

I know that the prices of just about everything are rising, and that we don’t live in the world I grew up in. And I don’t think it has really improved that much.

I don’t know if I am a Prepper because I barely have any of the items people discuss on here i.e. Specialist vehicle, weapons, EDC, BOB, or BOL.

I don’t have foods stock’s, over and above what I have always kept.
I don’t have a garden or allotment to grow things on.
I no longer hunt or fish.
I no longer keep any livestock.
And I live in the centre of town in quite a rough/violent area.
And finally, I have to commute miles every day to work which leaves me very little time to do much of the things I would like to do.

I moved here to keep an eye on my elderly parents as I am the only member of the family still living in this country. And I am going to be in this situation for a while yet.
So, I come here to learn ‘stuff’... To learn how I can save money in the future when I have to rely upon my meagre pension. I hope to, one day, move out of this area and find a little place where I can once again do all those things I mentioned.
Maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t, but in the meantime I will keep trying to learn things that will make my life just that little bit easier in the future.

But, if this world should ever decide to turn its self upside down, I hope that even though I don’t have very much in the way of items that might be considered of worth to others, I will have knowledge that would be of use, and therefore enable me to continue to contribute to whatever form of society that may exist.

You have chosen the name 'Urban Fox' .... An animal that has proven it’s self, excellent at adapting in today’s world.

piglet

[Arzosah]

Fox, you posted in the middle of the night, I'm not surprised you were feeling bad ... you've done a good thing in looking after your family, like piglet is, thats what matters. And prepping *is* an attitude, not just stuff.

As far as money's concerned, I'd say ForgeCorvus is right, check that you're claiming all you're entitled to - note I say "entitled" - you have rights. Also in relation to money, is there anything you can make to sell stuff? Just occurs to me - plant *all* the seeds you've saved from the garden, grow the plants and sell them, or even pot up cuttings from the garden - I have strawberry plants growing like weeds in my garden, literally.

And yes, check at least 6 months of bank statements - or your account status, if you do online banking, you may find all sorts of outgoings that you'd forgotten, or realise you don't want to pay for any more.

Outgoings ... are you good at shopping? Making stuff from scratch, using value brands, coupons, shopping at the time of day when the supermarket has lots of stuff going cheap cos its the last day, that sort of thing? For ways to make your money stretch, go to the forum on www.moneysavingexpert.com, and look for the board that says "Old Style" - there are hundreds and hundreds of tips to make things go further.

Good luck.

[junmist]

Hi Fox I'm a full time carer who's health went and I can no longer work full time even working part time is sometimes hard, I just have about enough money coming in to pay my bills what money is over goes in getting me to work and god help me in a 5week month that goes on the credit card I know I shouldn't use the CC but I couldn't get to work with out it. Like you I have sold every thing I can except the horses but I would rather cut off my right arm then sell them but family and friends have been warned that they my have a pony in there back gardens so watch out. Every now and then I buy an extra can or rice making sure that it has a long best before date and have now got about a month of extra food. I forage to help with the food I know 3 mushrooms that wont kill me and leave the rest to the expert's I do a bit of container gardening for food. I use freecycle freegle and skips to get stuff that might be useful and go to boot sales when I have a few penny's to spare which is really. I have joined the local wildlife group as this gets me out into the wilds with out me having to pay for petrol and I get to know the area a lot more. So for me my preps are knowledge based from books I have learnt to make a fish trap learnt extra foraging skills and so on this year I am looking at making a rocket stove/heater if I can find the bits for it and seeing if I can make string from nettles.
Would I like to do more god yes do I get depressed because I cant yes but then I look at what I can do and that gives me comfort so hard though it is try to remember what you can do and not what you do not have.

[urban fox]

thank you all for loads of useful advice. It has worried me and still does but i feel a bit better today. having said what i thought to people who i knew would listen. i will check out the benefits bit i didnt think to do that. and i do work on need not greed.
i will pull round I know that. just it will take time. I did a bit of swapping on another forum last night and someone must be smiling on me cos i got one of the items id lost. to earlier times. the belts have been tightened so there is room for expansion.
the item i got was a solar charger its not much but its a start. if you get what i mean i was angry with myself cos i was sinking into despair am not going to do that anymore cheers guys...you have helped lift my spirits more than you know.
foxy

[Arzosah]

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better, Fox - and I understand working on need not greed, but you *are* in need right now - but its great to hear that you've already taken action thats pulled you out of the despair, good for you.

[nickdutch]

If you are surviving then you are prepared anyway.

Try making oatcakes and try sprouting beans and lentils as a way of having a healthy diet on a budget.

Financially I have always been pretty screwed, but through learning good attitudes here, I have learned more about household management on a low income and have had fun on the way.

[ForgeCorvus]

I'll just jump back in here.

Prepping is about state of mind, not how many toys we have.

You got into the kak and your preps have kept you afloat (one way or another), just think how much worse off you'd be if you hadn't had them ?

Look on it this way, you have a much better idea of your "Needs, Wants & Would-likes"



We're all here because we refuse to be victims of circumstance, stuff happens but we don't take it lying down... We Plan, we Prepare and we Persevere


Anyone got a soapbox I can borrow