* Get Your Prepping On Track With the 3 List System
To hear some survival experts talk, if you don’t spend a lot of money on getting prepared, you’re dead meat. Well, I disagree. In fact, some of the most effective things you can do to get ready for an uncertain future are completely free, and if not free, then very inexpensive.
The problem for most of us is keeping track of getting prepped in 3 different areas: things we need to learn, things we need to do, and finally, things we need to buy. For the most part, the learning and doing are free. It costs nothing to clear out closets, cabinets, and cupboards, to make room for stored food and water. Watching YouTube videos and learning how to properly store wheat in a bucket is free.
When it comes to the list, To Buy, it’s highly likely you will find that you already own a few of the items on the list and forgot you had them! It’s just as likely you’ll find many items in thrift stores and at estate and yard sales. That’s the beauty of the list. It keeps you on track for what is most necessary, away from the lure of all the products sold on survival websites.
So, either download our SPI 3-list printable or grab a piece of paper, divide it into thirds and begin making notes.
List #1: To Learn
On this list you’ll keep track of skills and knowledge you realize will be important. A few examples on my own list are: Learn to tie various knots and know when to use them; work on creating recipes from my food-storage ingredients; and push my knitting skills to a higher level and knit a pair of socks.
Interestingly, many items on this list won’t cost a dime. If your budget is already strained, and buying even a few extra cans of tuna is a stretch, put more time and energy into learning skills, gaining knowledge, and seeking out other preppers as resources.
List #2: To Do
Here’s another list that doesn’t have to empty out your bank account. Have you been meaning to compile all your important documents or inventory a garage filled with tools? Do you need to prepare your garden for the spring season?
There are simply dozens of things we intend to do, but they flicker in and out of our minds and are then . . . gone! As you learn more here at SPI, start adding tasks to a To Do list and keep track of what you accomplish. It’s very empowering to see progress, although you will likely never have an empty To Do list!
List #3: To Buy
Although Lists 1 and 2 will keep you busy, there’s really no way around List 3. Stocking up on food, extra toiletries, good quality tools, and other supplies requires money. However, the good news is that a master To Buy list will help set priorities, keep you on budget, and even provide a shopping list when hitting the garage sale circuit.
Without a To Buy list, you may very well find yourself (a) spending money on things you later discover tucked away in a back cupboard or (b) snatching up purchases in a panic. This list helps save money as well as time.
You can thank me later!
Keep these 3 lists handy, in whatever form is easiest for you. The printable, a small notebook, even saved on your smartphone. Evernote is handy for that. When you read a book or article that reminds you that something should be done, learned, or purchased, just add it to your lists, and when you begin feeling overwhelmed, stay focused on the progress you’ve made. You’re already 100% more prepared than nearly everyone else around you!
