Guide to Survival: Adapting the “Prepper” Lifestyle
Disasters such as natural calamities, pandemics, or any kinds of life-threatening events can happen in just a blink of an eye. That is why being prepared is one of the most important aspects of life that every household or individual should consider doing.
However, not all are keen on implementing a “prepper” lifestyle because of a fixated mindset. Some are just lazy, while others are too positive about a certain situation thinking that nothing bad will happen. There are even others that would rather die than having to prepare for a disaster.
Being a survivalist is overlooked by a fraction of the entirety of the world. But we can’t blame them, especially the less fortunate ones who don’t have the money to prepare for a potential crisis. This is why some are reliant on the government in times of disasters because it is the job of the higher-ups to provide shelter, relief goods, and other necessities each household needs.
But if you are given the chance to become a prepper, will you accept it? Or will you just shove it away just like what others do? In this article, let’s talk about some essential tips on how to become a prepper to save yourself, and your family in times of an emergency.
Save Money for Emergency Purposes
If you are an earner, don’t spend your money too much on unnecessary things. Instead, have a separate money jar that you can put some cash on. Try to discipline yourself by putting at least 30% of your earnings in there on a weekly basis.
You can also tell your family to contribute to this emergency funding too. If you have a sister who is also an earner, you can convince her to share some of its earnings into the money jar so that it will quickly fill up. Alternatively, you can also create a secondary bank account for your emergency funding.
But doing so is a little time-consuming. And the hassle of driving to your local bank just to withdraw some cash when an emergency strikes just adds to the frustration. But whatever suits you, then go for it.
Make it a Habit to Stockpile on Supplies as Early as Possible
Now that you have the cash to spend on emergency supplies, make sure to get all the necessary items such as food, medicine, toiletries, and others such as flashlights, gloves, or power packs. Store them in a safe place such as putting these items inside an emergency crate so they are compiled into one place.
Containing them into a single compartment lets you easily grab these items without scouting around the house just to find them. When it comes to food, make sure to follow storage etiquette so that they will last for long inside your pantry. Normally, emergency food items such as dehydrated or freeze-dried products have a shelf life of 15 – 25 years.
Stockpiling is what preppers do best. And if you really want to become a full-blown prepper, then you should always put stockpiling as top priority because these items are the essentials you will need when a crisis strikes.
Discuss the Importance of Becoming a Prepper with Your Family
Of course, no man shall be left behind when it comes to an emergency. That’s why it is important to educate the entire family about the importance of becoming a prepper. Let them know why prepping is a must, and why one shouldn’t always rely on the government when a disaster has already taken into place.
We are the ones who can save ourselves in challenging situations. And what better way to use our “prepper” skills is by working together as one when disaster strikes. Communication is the key to convincing one another to become a prepper. This is why having a serious discussion about prepping is a must for each household.
Having Trouble Encouraging Everyone? Try Some Alternatives
Don’t worry if you can’t convince your family for now about becoming a prepper. You can try a different approach instead such as an indirect conversation, for example. You can do this by having a topic and indirectly switch it towards prepping. So if your mom or dad will ask how your day was, you can reply to them about going to the supermarket because you are stockpiling on food supplies for emergency purposes.
In this way, curiosity begins to spark into place, especially if they saw a tangible proof (which are the groceries you just did) of you becoming a prepper. There’s no denying that convincing is not a walk in the park. But as long as you are persistent and patient about it, then the rest will follow on.
Another one is by letting your family watch movies or TV shows about disasters. Netflix has an ample amount of movies about the topic, let alone TV channels such as “The Discovery” and “The National Geographic” where they have some mini-series about world apocalypse, natural calamities, Armageddon stuff, and the like.
Being creative about encouraging your family to become a prepper is fun instead of just relying on boring discussions that can go on for hours. So don’t be afraid to try different approaches just like we stated above. Let them feel the importance of being prepared together instead of just waiting for our deaths for a free trip to the afterlife.
Educate Yourself Too
Life is a never-ending learning process, and this includes becoming a prepper. So make yourself starve for more prepper knowledge. Read some books about survival, or indulge yourself in fictional novels that tackle about the end of the world.
You can also have fun by playing prepper games with your family as well. There are some fun games such as the Fallout Board Game, or the Munchkin Apocalypse card game that involves surviving an apocalypse as a game mechanic. Playing these kinds of games is a lighter way of dealing with such a serious topic. We’ll never know, these board/card games may be the key to finally convince everyone in your home about being a prepper.