Prepping Intensive: Module 10

Where Do You Go From Here?

This is the last week of your prepping intensive, and now, we want you to do a very similar assessment to the one you did when you started. This will help you make a plan of where you will go from here and it will also help you to see how far you’ve come since you began if you compare your answers here with your original assessment.

• Are your family members on board with preparedness? Have you made any progress toward gaining their interest and cooperation?
• How long could you feed your family with only the supplies you have on hand?
• How long could you go without running water with the supply you have on hand?
• Have you adapted your plans for any family members with chronic illnesses or health concerns?
• Do you have a way to purify water?
• Do an inventory – how much have your increased your food supply?
• Do you have a way to stay warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather (that does not depend on the grid)?
• Do you have back-up lighting?
• Have you prepped for your pets?
• Do you have a personal evacuation plan?
• Do you have a plan for medical emergencies that includes written information, medications, and first aid supplies?
• Are you producing any food for yourself? Do you have a plan to do so?
• Have you taken steps to make your home more secure?
• Have your concerns about disasters that could befall your family changed since you began the session?

Using the answers to these questions and the information you’ve learned, develop a plan for the next steps that you will take. Put your plan in writing. We’ll use the forum and upcoming classes in the membership site to help you make it happen!

No Cost Preps

Learn a skill.  There are many different skills that can help you survive in a long-term scenario. Pick one and learn it. You can learn through books, find a mentor, or take a class. Bonus points if your chosen skill has value for barter, too.

Get organized.  It’s time to organize your home so that, in the event of a crisis, you can easily find your supplies. Take the time to make certain everything is stored optimally so that all of your supplies will last longer.

Build community. While it’s essential to be careful about letting others know that you’re prepped, you can build relationships that could be essential in a long-term situation. Find people you can trust and be the king of neighbor that they can rely on too. You can do all of this without sacrificing your OPSEC. Keep in mind that during a stressful situation, people can change dramatically, so be careful about sharing too much information.

Make some changes. We still want you to enjoy your life! But you can make some adjustments if you rely too much on running to the store, watching television for entertainment, or being on your phone constantly. You certainly don’t have to stop any of those things, but you can work on relying on them just a little bit less. Then, if a long-term situation occurs, the transition won’t be so difficult.

Live frugally. We live in an instant-gratification society. Focus on living more frugally now. It will teach you good habits that will help in a long-term scenario, and it will also free up money for preps.

Don’t worry. By taking the steps you have taken (and are planning) you are already way ahead of the curve. Most people haven’t even considered that the world we know could undergo major changes. Remember Module 1? Accept, Plan, Act?  You’ve worked your way through steps 1 and 2 already. We are positive that you’ll have no problem acting should the time to do so arrive.

Remember your list of most-used vegetables from week 2? With the list in had, do some research into which varieties will grow best in your own backyard. This will require a trip to a local nursery, staffed by at least 1 master gardener who is familiar with your area. Avoid buying plants at big box stores, since those are selected by what will sell, not necessarily what will grow in your area.

Get a long-term calendar.   You can make a 5-year calendar on the computer and print it out. (Here’s a free printable.)  Keeping track of passing time can help in a long-term emergency. (alsocan aslo buy a 5-year calendar.)

Low-Cost Preps

Choose an emergency feminine hygiene method. Cloth pads can be purchased or sewn at home. Other options are menstrual cups or natural sea sponges.  Purchase or make your method of choice. Be sure to get enough for all of the females in your group, even if they aren’t old enough to menstruate yet.

Look for old cookbooks. If you frequent yard sales or thrift stores, keep your eyes open for older cookbooks. If you look for books published before industrial food took over, the recipes will work nicely with your garden produce and stored pantry items.

Stock up on some things for celebrations. Even if you’re in the middle of a crisis, birthdays and special occasions should still be celebrated. Put back some supplies like cake mixes, frosting, birthday candles, party hats, and multi-purpose decorations.

Stash away some cosmetics. If you normally wear make-up, purchase duplicates of the most essential items.

This week, make an investment in sustainability. Purchase seeds and store them away properly.

Pick up a homesteading guide. The Encyclopedia of Country Living has been around for a long time and is constantly updated.

Do you know how to can yet? If not, now is the time to learn. For a very small investment (a canner, some jars, some sugar and some in-season fruit) you can easily make and process your own homemade jam. Check out Daisy’s book that you got when we started the class for simple instructions. Once you’ve made jam, you will feel much more confident about preserving other goodies

Start gearing up for long-term survival. Purchase a guide like The Prepper’s Blueprint  and/or Prepper’s Longterm Survival Guide to put yourself on the right path.

Stock up on seeds for medicinal herbs. You’ll want to be able to grow your own medicine garden in a long-term disaster. Use Prepper’s Natural Medicine to figure out what you need to be growing.

Buy ammo. If you use firearms, make a plan to purchase ammo on a monthly basis to build your supplies.

Investment Preps

If you have enough outdoor space, keep on hand the supplies to build an outhouse. (Don’t forget the lime!)

Get an industrial mop bucket with a wringer for doing laundry off-grid.

Install a secondary heat system in your home. If you plan to stay in your home during a long-term crisis, investigate the possibility of installing a woodstove or other secondary heating system that will work off the grid.

Set up a permanent water catchment system at your home and/or retreat. Methods will vary based on your structure and your environment.

A wide assortment of heirloom seeds

Gardening supplies and tools

Soil testing kits

Menstrual cups

Cloth menstrual pads (or the supplies to make them yourself)

The Prepper’s Blueprint by Tess Pennington

The Encyclopedia of Country Living

Prepper’s Longterm Survival Guide by Jim Cobb