I posted this on another forum a while ago and thought I would post it here.
I know many people are on budgets and don't know where to start with preparing so I decided to write about it. If you only read one thing in this post please read the end in big font.
It all boils down to fulfilling these categories:
Water
Shelter
Fire/Light
Weapons
Food
Medical
Sanitary
Communication/LandNavigation
I list alot of things that you don't NEED, especially when I talk about electronics. I hope you can see that you NEED a map and compass where you DON'T NEED an expensive GPS, scanner, radio, anything like that. Ask yourself: do I have a way to have water? do I have shelter? can I make fire? do I have weapons? do I have enough food? do I have medical items that I NEED? Can I find my way around?
Asking yourself that will help you decide what to get first. For example I DON'T NEED a GPS, but I might get one after I get the essentials.
Please read and comment on anything I missed. It was late when I wrote this and I feel like some things were left out.
The most important thing is water.
You can go for a long time without food but without water you will die in a few days. You know that money you were saving up for MRE's? Screw that, get a good portable water filter and some purification tablets instead. That will suit your mobile survival needs. Now for at home start by storing up some water in tight containers. It's not that hard to fill up empty 2-liter bottles, 5-6 gallons jugs from walmart, or anything of that nature. The best thing would be to get 55-gallon drums of water stored, but if you start with 2-liter bottles or something similar atleast you will have something to satisy water needs for a little while. Having nothing would just be stupid. Now buy a gallon of REGULAR (no fragrances or soaps) bleach to treat your water. Make sure you know how to treat it (with a thing called RESEARCH). Even if you have a well, make sure you store water.
Shelter.
I rank this higher than food, because the elements can kill you faster than starvation will. Break it down to the basics: You don't want to freeze to death, and you don't want to roast to death/get burned from the sun. Many factors include protecting yourself from wind, precipitation, sun, and the temperature itself. Tents are always great and they can protect you from just about anything. It will protect you from wind and rain, which really aren't good in the cold, as well as the hot rays of the sun. You can buy CHEAP 2-man military tents on ebay to satisfy your needs on a budget. You can also use tarp in place of a tent. I'd rather have the tent (or both), but you can use waterproof tarp to make your own shelter against the elements. You will also should get a sleeping bag. My choice would be the arctic type, since its better for colder environments. You don't want a sleeping bag that isn't specifically made for cold (there's alot of them out there). Now you need to keep off of the ground (the cold ground takes heat away faster than you could imagine) so buy a sleeping pad...pretty simple. Also get yourself an emergency blanket...they reflect something like 90% body heat and will keep you warm.
Shelter on our person:
It's crucial to have a type of winter hat. Get a tightlyknit skullcap or something similar. Also get a boonie hat or similar item for the hot weather.
I hate wearing scarves, but I have one just in case I need it, so one of those would be nice to keep your neck warm.
Some type of "longjohns"/long underwear are neccessary. Get a few of the "longjohn" pants and even a shirt too for extra layers.
You will also need a jacket and alot of people reccomend the M65 militarysurplus jacket. I wouldn't know as I don't own one. Also something to keep rain off of you is needed. Get a poncho or a military surplus poncho/liner.
Get a pair of gloves, preferably the ones the miltary uses (fingers cut out so you can do things easily).
Boots...make sure you get a good pair of boots as its extremely important to take care of your feet.
Notice alot of this "shelter" was what you might consider clothes? I did that intentionally.
Clothing
This depends on if you are milita, survivalist and what you plan for. Here is what I suggest either way.
BDU's matching your AO (even if you aren't militia, you might need to blend in the AO so carry a pair). Very cheap at goodwill stores, gun shows, or online if its woodland camo.
Regular civilian clothes (I highly reccomend this to militia in the need to blend in with the crowd). I have a somewhat baggy pair of jeans, dark shirts that don't catch the eye (including my OD green undershirts), a baseball hat (pick one that makes you blend in with the "gangsta" people who wear it for style. Who really likes the K.C. Royals anyway? Helps you blend in...), sunglasses if needed. Pants and shirts should be in a darker color.
Have a backup plan if you need to change identities for E&E (escape and evasion). Either having another shirt, different pants (I'd be using sweatpants as backups since they are lightweight and good for layering in cold, or you can use your camo pants) ditching the hat, putting on sunglasses...etc. Other E&E items could be instant tanning lotion, scissors to cut hair, razors to shave if you have lots of facial hair or the LACK of a razor if you want to grow it (just make sure you don't look like a dirtball...they will be looking for a guy who has been hiding in the woods and hasn't shaved in days.), and hair dye/bleach.
LOTS of socks. 6 pairs is ideal for me
Underwear
Fire/Light
Matches
Cottonballs soaked in petrolleum jelly (REALLY ignite and burn good to start fires)
(Keep the above in waterproof pill bottles so they don't get wet)
Lighters (you can use the sparks of a empty lighter to ignite tinder)
Magnesium Firestarter. They work very good.
Flashlight (with secondary red lens for night time tactical. I made a flashlight into a red flashlight by using red lens from 3D glasses. It works...)
Extra flashlight(s) would be good
I also recommend having LED lights. I have 3 of the hat lights (you put them on the brim of your hat to make a headlamp) and will use them for more long term lighting if needed since they last for so long.
Hand-crank battery free LED light. I have one of these somewhere but I lost it. Great to have and are only a few bucks at the family dollar store.
Spare bulbs for the flashlights if possible.
Communication/Land navigation/Electronics
Topographical maps of your area (I don't have one yet but I have road maps. Atleast its something and I can figure out where I am from which road I crossed. So if you have a road map toss it in the BOB and get a topo asap).
Print out some good googleearth maps of bugout/important locations
Good lensatic compass
Spare compass...because you can't have enough.
The "know how" of using a compass and finding north without a compass. You better bring this with you.
Type of weather/am/fm radio so you know what's going on.
Scanner with programmed fire/ems/police/whoever you can imagine frequencies.
Some type of 2-way radios. Preferably HAM so you can go long distance and call for help. Any 2-way radios are good for you and another person communication while venturing not far off.
A prepaid cell phone might not be a bad idea. Even an unpaid phone can dial 911.
GPS would be helpful.
Batteries. Everything I have uses AA batteries (with a few exceptions). This makes things alot easier and interchangeable. Get lots of them.
Food
You will need about 2,000 calories a day (not entirely true as if you are very active then you will need more), and preferably not the same thing over and over...for your own sanity. You should have atleast 3 days of mobile food for your BOB. For mobile food I would invest in a case of MRE's. Make sure they are good mil-spec MRE's. Some civilian MRE's are just horrible (and I don't mean how they taste). MRE's are expensive, but there is hope for you people who can't spend much for bulk MRE's. You can buy those survival bars often called "coastguard rations." I think for $5 you can get a 3,600 calorie bar or something like that. I hear they are like a giant cookie and make you really thirsty, but hey its something right? You can make up the most of your calorie intake with those. You can buy some powerbars, breakfast bars, beef jerky, instant oatmeal, top ramen (so cheap to buy), instant rice, bullion cubes for making broth (though I think using the top ramen packets is a better idea), assorted hard candy, and whatever you can thing of to add variety to your survival food. For the sake of sanity you can get some powdered koolaid/gatoraid, instant coffe, tea bags, salt, sugar, pepper, and maybe some hot sauce. Salt and sugar will come in handy when treating someone dehydrated (8 teaspoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1 liter of water. Mix and drink...or insert rectally if they aren't conscious. You can also add 1/8 teaspoon of "salt substitute" to get potassium in the person but it isn't neccessary.) as well as for making food. Get yourself a pot or something to boil water in/cook in as well as eating utensils and a canteen or similar item.
Just keep in mind the MRE's are great to have. The other options like top ramen and coast guard rations aren't the most nutritious thing in the world, but I liste dit for you folks who want SOMETHING.
Food long term
For the long haul good things to buy are big 25-50 lb bags of rice and beans. Make sure you know how to store them. Starting off small you can get canned items, LOTS of top ramen noodles (they're EXTREMELY cheap. about $2 for a box of 6 and they should last a long time), maybe bags of flour for cooking. There are better threads on this and I suggest you do your research. Just remember that you don't have to buy everything at once. Everytime you go to the store pick out some things you would like to stock up.
Also get a fishing set to keep with your BOB in your vehicle. Rod, various strength line, various hooks, sinkers, different types of bait hooks are good too. If need be, ditch the rod and you have a fishing kit for smaller fish in your BOB. Animal snares are good and learn how to use them. A book of edible plants is another good thing to have when the food you brought runs out.
Medical
Get medical training. I'd take my EMT knowledge and my hands over having any piece of medical equipment at all.
Don't bother buying premade first aid kits. They SUCK and you couldn't save a life with anything in there. Make sure you have extra perscription meds if you need them. Get everything you need to control airway, bleeding and shock:
4x4's Sterile
2x2's Sterile
Large trauma dressings (5x9 or 8x10 type)
12x30 dressing(s)
Occlusive dressings (can use plastic wrap from the 12x30) or even a ziplock bag
Kling/rollergauze for wrapping
A tourniquet
Quickclot sponges (optional)
Medical tape
rubber gloves
Really that is what you NEED. I decided not to list any more items than that because those of you who get medical training and experience figure out what other stuff you need. Bleeding is the most important IMO on that list. Learn how to stop bleeding and manage an airway.
For long term wound care you're goign to need alot of 4x4s and rollergauze/kling. Stock up on these the most. Supplies for bleeding should be bought before anything else. There are numerous other lists out there of reccommended medical supplies you can look at, but you NEED to be able to manage bleeding.
Sanitary
Don't think you need to buy a million rolls of toilet paper, you can use telephone books if you have to What you do need is sanitation to keep you healthy. Clean toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, even some mouthwash. Basically stuff you would take with you on vacation for the bathroom should come. Have a way to bury your "leavings." For toilet paper in a BOB just take of the cardboard in the middle to make it compact. Remember that the neccessary thing is dental care and doing something with your feces. Oh also cleaning your eating utensils is very imporant.
Weapons/Tools
Rifle. should be semi-automatic in a common caliber. If you don't have the money, the mosin nagant is a very cheap rifle (though bolt action) and the SKS is cheap also. Should have 1,000 rounds of ammo for each gun and in a way to easily acess them (clips/magazines in a vest for example). Store more ammo than that for the long run if you can.
You should get a handgun in case it becomes important to conceal a weapon when SHTF. I think this may be the case for alot of people, especially when they are bugging out. Again get a common caliber semi auto pistol. I'd go with something .40 .45 or 9mm.
I'm deffinately no gun expert so I won't say much about them. If you need a gun though, you don't have to go spend 500-1000 dollars right away. There are plenty of options. The number one rule is to have a gun! I barely had any money so I bought a Mosin Nagant 100 rds of ammo. Sure it isn't the best gun but it will hold me off until I can get a better one and more ammo. It's reliable and sure as hell is better than my semi .22 that always jams. if you show up to a gun fight, you better had brought A GUN.
Get a good fixed blade combat knife. Marine K-Bar seems to be the best bet.
Get a Good folder knife for your BOB. I use a tasco one and I like it. It's what I'd use for anything besides fighting. Very good knife.
Get a folder knide to carry every day. Out of all the cheap knives, gerber makes the best low price knives.
Get a backup fixed blade knife. Mine is the S&W Special Ops dagger. It's very pointy but that makes it probably will break easily. It's a pain to sharpen by the way...so I suggest not getting S&W knives. I'd be keeping it in my boot as a backup.
I'd suggest getting a small crowbar, bolt cutters, a hacksaw with extra blade taped on the top, a folding shovel, a multitool, maybe a hatchet or machette it you want. Any tool you think you might need.
This isn't any way to do things, its merely a suggestion for people just starting. The biggest tip is whenever you go to a store look for things you can buy for survival. Alot of things you can get for a small amount of money, like the top ramen, and you will be surprised at how big your stockpile grows. Just starting is being alot more prepared than most other people. Always try to startof by getting items that you really NEED to survive. That's why I said the water filter/tabs should be the most important. Also remember that you don't NEED the best. I have crappy knives but I still have knives that work. I'd rather use my cheap knives until I get other essential items, then I'll upgrade to a better quality knife...just like guns. Water, shelter, food, fire/light, comm/land nav, weapons, medical, sanitary....having them fulfilled is the main goal.
If you have a water filter/tabs, a tarp, some clothes (long underwear for cold), a sleeping bag&pad, 3 days worth of coast guard rations, a magnesium firestarter and some petrolleum soaked cottonballs, a flashlight and batteries, a map and compass, a knife, a gun (optional), basic medical items to control bleeding and deal with wounds, and a means of hunting small (snare) and medium-big game (gun)/fishing then you are prepared in my book. Forget the extra stuff until you get the basics done.
