3 Months Is All You Need As A Prepper – Here’s Why

[iamwhatiseem]

You are correct. Those dehydrated and/or freeze dried emergency meals would be OK as a supplement but not as the only food source.

My nephew is a die hard Prepper. He has what he thinks is several years supply of food for his family. He has a three prong approach. Lots of long storage beans, rice and some other grains as the basic. Then a good supply of the dehydrated/freeze dried. Third he keeps a tremendous supply of canned and packaged food on hand. He rotates the canned and packaged stuff with fresh during his typical household grocery stock.

He lives in a rural area and keeps chickens, a milking cow and beef on the hoof. He has a pretty large vegetable garden. He keeps a large stock of canning supllies on hand.

He and people like him will be the survivors in a real SHTF situation. Providing he can protect his operation from somebody taking it away.

In all likelihood it would all be taken from him within a month, two at most.
Rural areas have the illusion of safety. The fact is the millions of people who live in metro areas are the truly fucked ones. Their system collapses to it's knees in hours, not even days. These people will leave the cities, armed and building organized gangs along their journey. They will be starving and desperate. 100% they will be raiding homes everywhere. Millions of them.
So unless he lives at least 100 miles from the nearest - even medium sized town - he will likely lose it all unless he, himself, builds a "gang" of area neighbors that all join together in one location to defend against marauders.

 

[Vastator]

One of the biggest fails I see preppers make, is not having a plan to transition from consumption of stored goods, to production of goods. When their stores run out they're just as screwed as the sheeple were on day one. Depending on what time of year your stores run out, can heavily dictate how many months of preps one needs on hand, because there will be overlap. Meaning one must get the production phase up, and running, while surviving under the consumption phase.

 

[Flash]

In all likelihood it would all be taken from him within a month, two at most.
Rural areas have the illusion of safety. The fact is the millions of people who live in metro areas are the truly fucked ones. Their system collapses to it's knees in hours, not even days. These people will leave the cities, armed and building organized gangs along their journey. They will be starving and desperate. 100% they will be raiding homes everywhere. Millions of them.
So unless he lives at least 100 miles from the nearest - even medium sized town - he will likely lose it all unless he, himself, builds a "gang" of area neighbors that all join together in one location to defend against marauders.

You are correct. Security would be the biggest concern of any prepper and for anybody that has the means for sustainability.

The best strategy for rural people with the means for sustainability is to group together with their own militia.

I told my prepper nephew the same thing. He lives in a rural area but it is about 20 miles from the outskirts of a medium size city. It is not enough for him to have everything he needs but he has to defend it. His family can't do it by themselves.

 

[Vastator]

You are correct. Security would be the biggest concern of any prepper and for anybody that has the means for sustainability.

The best strategy for rural people with the means for sustainability is to group together with their own militia.

I told my prepper nephew the same thing. He lives in a rural area but it is about 20 miles from the outskirts of a medium size city. It is not enough for him to have everything he needs but he has to defend it. His family can't do it by themselves.

Nor is it prudent to keep all your preps in one pile. Cache it in various areas. While most people would prefer to bug-in; only a fool would fail to come up with a bug-out plan. No matter where they live.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

One of the biggest fails I see preppers make, is not having a plan to transition from consumption of stored goods, to production of goods. When their stores run out they're just a screwed as the sheeple were on day one. Depending on what time of year your stores run out, can heavily dictate how many months of preps one needs on hand, because there will be overlap. Meaning one must get the production phase up, and running, while surviving under the consumption phase.

People have completely lost the knowledge that everyone use to have.
At minimum 90% of Americans couldn't last a week on what they have.
Imagine the sorry folks that live within 50 miles of Chicago as an example.
Within a matter of days - 3,000,000 people will be starving and desperate. 100,000s of them will quickly realize they are fucked if they stay. No chance to survive in an area where 3 million people live in just a handful of square miles. Zero chance. True hell on earth is what American cities would become.
These people will be armed, and form large gangs while leaving the city. They will be starving and willing to do anything for food.
And all of the people who have stored up mass quantities of food - they are only building it up for someone else to take. And they will take it.

 

[sparky]

Meaning one must get the production phase up, and running, while surviving under the consumption phase.

I'm on it......

~S~

 

[Vastator]

People have completely lost the knowledge that everyone use to have.
At minimum 90% of Americans couldn't last a week on what they have.
Imagine the sorry folks that live within 50 miles of Chicago as an example.
Within a matter of days - 3,000,000 people will be starving and desperate. 100,000s of them will quickly realize they are fucked if they stay. No chance to survive in an area where 3 million people live in just a handful of square miles. Zero chance. True hell on earth is what American cities would become.
These people will be armed, and form large gangs while leaving the city. They will be starving and willing to do anything for food.
And all of the people who have stored up mass quantities of food - they are only building it up for someone else to take. And they will take it.

The highest concentration of wares and goods, are in the cities. Fighting over these resources could drag out for quite some time. While eventually many will leave the cities looking for greener pastures; it will be the weakest who flee first. And they will be in for a rude awakening if they think they'll find easy pickings in the the spread out, unfamiliar turf of rural areas. Familiarity, and home field advantage, will be quite lethal to many marauders.

 

[Vastator]

For any of you bookworms out there who are also interested Prepping, there is an outstanding book series by A. American call the Survivalist series, the first book being "Going Home". It offers really good insight as to what folks could likely expect in a SHTF scenario. Not the least of which is the manner in which society could, and likely would break down.
Particularly, the likelihood of the unprepared in your immediate AO becoming a threat, long before the Golden Horde sets out for the major metro areas...

 

[Flash]

People have completely lost the knowledge that everyone use to have.
At minimum 90% of Americans couldn't last a week on what they have.
Imagine the sorry folks that live within 50 miles of Chicago as an example.
Within a matter of days - 3,000,000 people will be starving and desperate. 100,000s of them will quickly realize they are fucked if they stay. No chance to survive in an area where 3 million people live in just a handful of square miles. Zero chance. True hell on earth is what American cities would become.
These people will be armed, and form large gangs while leaving the city. They will be starving and willing to do anything for food.
And all of the people who have stored up mass quantities of food - they are only building it up for someone else to take. And they will take it.

I have the inclination to be a prepper but except for prudent hurricane preparedness I am not one for the reason you articulated.

In a real SHTF it will be a savage world. It will be dog eat dog. At my age and where I live I really don't have much of a chance even with my more than adequate supply of firearms and ammo.

Being able to survive would be a young man's game, not someone like me that was born when Harry Truman was President.

I am not willing to put much resources into prepping. If the SHTF happens then I am pretty well screwed. At least with my guns and ammo I hopefully will be able to take a few of the bastards down before they get me, but even that would be dependent upon luck.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

The highest concentration of wares and goods, are in the cities. Fighting over these resources could drag out for quite some time. While eventually many will leave the cities looking for greener pastures; it will be the weakest who flee first. And they will be in for a rude awakening if they think they'll find easy pickings in the the spread out, unfamiliar turf of rural areas. Familiarity, and home field advantage, will be quite lethal to many marauders.

An excellent book where the author did a ton of research to write a story of civilization collapse in the modern world. The book is hailed by many as quite accurate to what would happen in America should their be a "fast crash" like a nuclear attack or an EMP - One Second After.
It is a sobering read. And illustrates how 70% of the population will die within the first year. 10% within the first few days.
Imagine the state of mind of people when they truly realize there are no grocery stores, and there will be no grocery stores for months - even longer. No where to get food. No where.
Everyday people will turn into murdering looters faster than you think.
I myself have a few months worth of food stored, 3 guns with a fair amount of ammunition. But I am not foolish enough to believe we would not face serious attacks on our property within 48 hours once people realize the power is not coming back on.
The vast majority of people have almost no non perishable goods at all. And they will be very-very desperate to find people who do.

 

[Vastator]

An excellent book where the author did a ton of research to write a story of civilization collapse in the modern world. The book is hailed by many as quite accurate to what would happen in America should their be a "fast crash" like a nuclear attack or an EMP - One Second After.
It is a sobering read. And illustrates how 70% of the population will die within the first year. 10% within the first few days.
Imagine the state of mind of people when they truly realize there are no grocery stores, and there will be no grocery stores for months - even longer. No where to get food. No where.
Everyday people will turn into murdering looters faster than you think.
I myself have a few months worth of food stored, 3 guns with a fair amount of ammunition. But I am not foolish enough to believe we would not face serious attacks on our property within 48 hours once people realize the power is not coming back on.
The vast majority of people have almost no non perishable goods at all. And they will be very-very desperate to find people who do.

Definitely a classic, and the sequels are just as good. However the A. American series brings things up to a bit more of a modern tone, with current tech and all .

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Definitely a classic, and the sequels are just as good. However the A. American series brings things up to a bit more of a modern tone, with current tech and all .

I will check those out

 

[BULLDOG]

An excellent book where the author did a ton of research to write a story of civilization collapse in the modern world. The book is hailed by many as quite accurate to what would happen in America should their be a "fast crash" like a nuclear attack or an EMP - One Second After.
It is a sobering read. And illustrates how 70% of the population will die within the first year. 10% within the first few days.
Imagine the state of mind of people when they truly realize there are no grocery stores, and there will be no grocery stores for months - even longer. No where to get food. No where.
Everyday people will turn into murdering looters faster than you think.
I myself have a few months worth of food stored, 3 guns with a fair amount of ammunition. But I am not foolish enough to believe we would not face serious attacks on our property within 48 hours once people realize the power is not coming back on.
The vast majority of people have almost no non perishable goods at all. And they will be very-very desperate to find people who do.

It's sad that so many people see post-apocalyptic movies as some sort of doccumentary. You realze all that shit only happens in the author's imagination, don't you?

 

[westwall]

It's sad that so many people see post-apocalyptic movies as some sort of doccumentary. You realze all that shit only happens in the author's imagination, don't you?

Tell that to every civilization that has failed through history.

But by all means don't prepare.

You won't be missed.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

It's sad that so many people see post-apocalyptic movies as some sort of doccumentary. You realze all that shit only happens in the author's imagination, don't you?

Not this book.
It includes a long introduction of his sources, discussions with military experts about the book and even a letter from the then speaker of the house.
The author intended the book to as realistic as possible while still telling a story. You can look the book up and it's authenticity. It is considered to be one of the best illustrations of what would happen if a large civilization like America sustains a "fast crash".

 

[Vastator]

It's sad that so many people see post-apocalyptic movies as some sort of doccumentary. You realze all that shit only happens in the author's imagination, don't you?

We see countries and governments fail all the time, and natural disasters are ever present. It doesn't take a genius to transfer real life accounts of semi regular calamities, and apply them to your own area, and life. That's how you blunt the worst of the effects should these regularly occurring events happen to you.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I for one hope nothing like this happens.
I carry the same realistic outlook as Flash stated above.
I take 100mg of Atenolol a day. If I forget to take it in the morning, by early afternoon I will start having PVC's. I could halve the pills and try and string them out, but unless I am lucky enough to have the full or close to full 90 days supply - I would be in serious trouble. The physicality necessary to survive no electricity, especially during a winter - with no heart medicine... yeah.

 

[1srelluc]

Fine. So let the zombies eat you. I don't care. More twinkeys for me.

You will be left with Snoballs.

 

[BULLDOG]

Tell that to every civilization that has failed through history.

But by all means don't prepare.

You won't be missed.

It all comes down to who holds the conch, doesn't it?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

It all comes down to who holds the conch, doesn't it?

You haven't really been paying attention have you?
America's grid system is under very realistic risk of systematic failures.
It won't be a long term failure, but like California this year - intermittent black outs. But they are in some of the best weather in the country. Other states - WILL - start seeing serious power outages by the winter of 2024. That is not some doomsday conspiracy theory - real as you are right now.
And nothing is being done. In fact it is being made worse by the government insisting on electric vehicles which further exacerbates the problem.
The single greatest threat, by far, that if nothing is done - now - is a widespread grid failure.
And because most people are like you, ignoring the problem and laughing at people who do realize there is a problem - is exactly why the inevitable is going to happen.