Episode-2835- From Zero to Prepped Fast, Cheap and Easy
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:30:26 — 20.7MB)
This is the show I have been promising since the great Texas Black Out a few weeks ago. A show designed to help you get prepared for the most likely failures you can expect to occur in our country. These preps will revolve around 6 survival needs and one more item, they are
- Need – Food
- Need – Water
- Need – Energy
- Need – Security
- Need – Shelter
- Need – Health and Sanitation
- Nice to Have – Comfort Items
These seven Items can be thought of like walls around a room, as soon as you define the purpose of the room the walls give you the restrictions that make design and lay out simple. Think of it like a “living room”. If I give you furniture and electronics and say set up a living room with no defined walls or windows it is difficult to lay out. But as soon as I give you an actual defined room it is easy. The TV goes there, so seating should be here and there is a window there so we don’t want to block that, etc.
Sound too simple? As you will see today, it actually is that simple. Define the areas where you are dependent on outside systems, consider what happens if they fail, then fill in the gaps.
Join Me Today to Discuss…
- All of this is cheap vs. the alternative, some does cost money, you control your budget and priorities
- Survival Tenet #12 – What you do matters, you must write and execute your own plan
- Everything we discuss today focuses on self reliance for all needs and basic wants for just 7 days, here is why
- Need One – Food
- The Food Journal (don’t skip this)
- Copy Canning (boxing)
- Basic dry good storage
- A chest freezer
- Ice Storage (the cold battery)
- A garden (and storing excess production)
- Need Two – Water
- Fill and store jugs at least 50 gallons worth
- Get a good water filter system
- Identify any sources of water you might normally ignore
- Store additional water if you can (rain catch, IBCs, etc.)
- Don’t forget your pool if you have one
- Identify ground water you may be able to access
- Keep items for sanitation that don’t require a full shower
- Energy
- Have an EDC light, here is why
- Keep battery powered lights around the house
- Build a simple black out kit
- Consider getting a back up heater (propane or kerosene)
- If you have a fire place get an insert for it
- Have a means to cook with beyond an electric stove (camp stove, grill, etc.)
- Get at least a small generator (about 200-400 dollars)
- Store 60 gallons of gas in 5 gallon cans (the gas doesn’t really cost anything)
- Get a small energy efficient window AC unit
- Consider a larger generator (even a whole hose unit)
- Security
- Mindset – yes bad shit can happen where you live, don’t ever think otherwise
- Develop protocols and procedures based on the situation
- Eliminate scum bag bait
- If you are armed great, have the mental and physical training to go along with it
- Realize the majority of your security is in meeting your other 5 needs and your desire for comfort
- Shelter
- Have a place to go if your safety is compromised in your home and at least a Go Bag
- Have a means to repair (even temporarily) things like leaking roofs or things that provide your other needs
- Inventory (mentally and physically) your resources
- Keep your vehicles in good repair at all times
- Think about your kids and your animals
- Health and Sanitation
- If you have done the rest up to here you are at least 50% there already
- Think about how to deal with human waste and bathing
- Any maintenance meds never have less than 15 days on hand, 30 if life supporting
- Have a good first aid kit and the knowledge to use it
- Don’t take stupid risks in the middle of a disaster
- Comfort Items
- What ever it may be, food, candy, a bit of booze, keep some in reserve
- Have board games, cards, things like that
- Occasionally run “drills” so it is not a shock to your kids or spouse
- Keep some cash on hand, always
- Keep a contact book (not electronic) of supporting services/vendors
- This isn’t everything but it is a fast and relatively cheap path to getting though most emergencies in comfort
Resources for today’s show…
- Follow Life With Jack on Instagram
- TSP Facebook Group
- Join the Members Brigade
- Join Our Forum
- Walking To Freedom
- TspAz.com
- TSPC on Discord
- TSPC Group on Telegram (group chat)
- TSPC Telegram Channel (just messages from me)
- Jack on Parler
- Jack on MeWe
- Join Me on Odysee
- PreSearch.org – Get paid when you search!
- What’s the World Coming To? – Fleetwood Mac
Sponsors of the Day
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.
Join the MSB Today
Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?
Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.
I love these episodes… it’s always good to go back to the basics.
I just wish that Jack could tame his speech for these episodes that he would like us to share. He did clean it up from what it usually is, but I noticed several “shits” and at least one “ass.” My audience is largely made up of Scouts and similar people, so I had to put a disclaimer on my FB post. What am I doing on FB? That’s where the people are. I hope a few of them will listen.
Oh quit bitching like a fricken child! I swear I may just go Miyagi Mornings level everywhere, the damn nation has turned into nothing but a bunch of offended by everything pussies.
Kitty litter in your bucket works good also a good shake after use keeps the smell down
Hello Jack,
Thanks for this episode, I shared this with some family members who recently survived the ice storm in the rural section of Clackamas County, Oregon.
They are %^&$$@@!! tolerant, so no issues there.
Thanks again.
Great podcast, thanks Jack – I bought mylar bags and bulk foods a day before hearing this, so I’m filling in some gaps… ironically I had been doing the petrol thing with 5 litre tins, and when bushfires came our way my new car wouldn’t take the nozzle – is this a problem for others with newer cars? Any way to remedy this?
Also, I had previously stocked up on the 15 litre containers of store bought water and had them in my garage, to go back a couple of years later and find the mice or rats had eaten through the corners of everyone of them and all were useless – 1/2 empty with perhaps disease from the rodents 🙁 They were used to damp down the brush when bushfires were burning close by.
Thanks for the episode. I will push back on your opinions about heating a home with a fireplace. We’ve successfully heated our 2,500 square foot home (three stories) with a wood burning fireplace for 15 years. We live in zone 6 and burn mostly soft wood. The proper fireplace can be your sole source of heat, provided your home is well insulted and designed for good air circulation.
Key word is PROPER and 99% are not proper, I said very clearly that if it was a masonry fireplace or one with specific design that was different.
Thanks! Just what I need to send to my team. More than one of them left their vehicle in the middle of the street trying to go grocery shopping in the middle of an ice storm because they needed food. Some asked if we took our 4wd to go grocery shopping. The answer is, “No, 4wd doesn’t help on ice” and “No, we have at least 30 days of all major grocery dry goods stuff.”
Interesting thing about the shortages at the beginning of COVID – I had what would normally be 3 months of peanut butter (have some junkies here) – but during times of stress, PB on a spoon is apparently our comfort food. We burned through 3 month’s worth in 45 days – right about the time our favorite brand was back on the shelf in quantities where I felt good about buying a few extras here and there. Lessons learned – stock more PB – because a junkie always goes to their drug of choice during stress times! … we are still lamenting the end of Vanilla Caramel coffee creamer – but we at least had some 30 days longer than most people… but who knew we would not see it again.
Thanks for this show. Will be sharing it around.
The point in this show that hits home most to me is that you can’t help anyone if your family isn’t prepared and safe first. It’s simply doing your part to be a good neighbor.
They make kits for newer cars that is basically a larger tube with a smaller one inside but they are designed aroundaking gas theft proof. AL vehicles are different but you could do some research on how to disconnect your file line to the engine and jumping a fuel relay to let the 12v battery pump it out. Odnt burn the car up doing this however.
Jack, a quick comment about heaters; Everybody in this country has access to abundant, reasonably priced kerosene.
Some times it is called Jet-A, sometimes it is JP-8. That’s right, jet fuel can be used in kerosene heaters.
It is actually a better refined kerosene that you find at Tractor Supply, for $10.00 a gallon.
I paid $2.83 a gallon last October to use in my parts washer. (A parts washer is NOT an approved use for kerosene, I was desperate, though.)
Any small (Or large) airport has Jet-A. I live near Ennis, TX, and it is actually self serve.
(The heaters can also operate on diesel, but it will give off an odor.)