Everyone worries about what to put in an emergency bag, or bug out bag if you want to call it that. With this I will try to show you an easy way to think about it. I was able to make one in an hour with things I had around the house.

First of all, forget any list of fancy gadgets and cool camping gear you could buy. Think instead of satisfying certain "areas" of survival. I will list these "areas" and then discuss their importance and how to satisfy them. You must realize that there is no list of items you need. You simply must satisfy all categories of survival.

Water
Shelter
Fire/Light
Weapons
Food
Medical
Sanitary
Communication/LandNavigation

Pack: Do you have something to carry your stuff in? It doesn't have to be military. I have a military pack but I made a simple 72-hour BOB with a sturdy school backpack recently for keeping in my vehicle. ALICE packs are mil surplus and very cheap.

Water: Do you have it and can you make it? A few bottles of water ready for drinking and water purification tablets (sold at walmart) for when that runs out. Something to filter or strain it with is a plus, as tablets do not remove sediments.

Shelter: Do you have adequate shelter? You need either a tent or a tarp and some rope. The tent is obviously more comfortable, but weighs more and costs more. I also consider a decent sleeping bag rated for winter temperature to be necessary, though optional when considering a bare minimum survival kit.

Shelter - Clothes: Clothing counts as shelter. Do you have the clothes to let you survive bad weather? 3 pairs of socks and 3 pairs of underwear in a ziplock bag. Spare shirt, spare pants are also something you would benefit from having. You must also have cold weather clothes. A wool hat, gloves, long johns, and an old jacket you don't want anymore to go into the pack.

Fire: Can you make fire? Technically, a pack of BIC lighters will make the answer to this question "yes" but a few extra alternatives are cheap. I would add a pack or two of matches to the lighters as well as a handful of dryer lint. The dryer lint is cheap and makes good tinder. Magnesium firestarters are cheap and last forever, but I am strictly speaking of bare minimum stuff you can find around the house or find very cheap.

Light: Can you make light? You need a flashlight. Do yourself a favor and don't buy one at the dollar store that will break easy. I recommend AA batteries but that's just because I use them in ALL of my survival gear to keep things uniform. Emergency candles would be a good addition too, since they are not electronic. Remember, if you can make light then you have satisfied the "light" category.

Weapons: Do you have a gun? Do you have a knife? If the answer is yes, then you are armed. I will not go into a "which gun is the best" conversation but I think it is important to have a handgun. When SHTF do you really want to be walking around with a rifle if you don't want to attract attention?

Tools: You must have a good knife. This is not only a weapon, but a tool. Get one that is a decent brand and not a cheap $5 gas station knife which will become dull way to quick. I would also recommend a knife sharpener, and a leatherman tool. These are not mandatory however.

Food: Do you have atleast 3 days of food for your BOB? Assuming a 2,000 calorie diet, you need about 6,000 calories of food. MRE's are the best in my opinion, but they are pricey. Find what you can that is ready to eat without cooking, and doesn't go bad quickly.

Medical: Can you stop bleeding, take care of wounds, and keep up with your current health situations? Get basic first aid training and also learn about taking care of wounds. To stop bleeding you need cheap supplies like 4x4 gauze (I recommend buying a lot of these) and kerlix (roller gauze) to bandage. Make sure you have perscription medications you need to keep you alive. Over the counter medications are nice, but are the really something you NEED?

Sanitary: Can you keep clean? Now I do think you should have a roll of toilet paper, toothbrush and some hand sanitizer, but if we are talking bare minimum barbaric times then they aren't technically something you NEED to survive. I think you should get them though, especially the toothbrush.

Land Navigation: Can you navigate somewhere? You will need a compass and a map. Topographical maps are supposed to be the best, but in mine I just have a ADC map book. One map is of Maryland and the other is a similar map with every state in it. GPS is great, but don't depend on satellites.

Communication: Can you communicate when the phones don't work? I really suggest you get into HAM radio. When the earthquake happened this year the phones may have been jammed, but I immediately was able to make contact with friends on HAM radio. IF you have a HAM radio, I HIGHLY suggest you get an adapter that lets you use AA batteries, as the power grid may be down and not let you recharge. Absent this, you should get a AM/FM radio so you can atleast know what is going on around you. Also a scanner would be nice too, which would allow you to listen to HAM frequencies by the way.

Now, I hope you see how easy and cheap it is to really put together a 72-hour survival kit. This is meant for bare minimum, and does not mean you shouldn't improve your kit the best you can. However, this is good for those people who put making a BOB off because they fear the costs and supplies you must get.

Thanks for reading!