Prepping is a Waste of Time and Money: Prove Me Wrong

[BillM]

This has always been the point I try and ask myself or others. "What do you prepare for"?

I used to watch that show on TV called doomsday preppers for pure entertainment. It's mind boggling that someone can think that the Yellowstone volcano is going to erupt and cause a national black out and then goes alllllllllll the way down the rabbit hole of just that scenario and fear that it's going to happen. Come on.

Looking at large natural disasters we should have learned a thing or 2 depending on what type and part of the country you live in. In OK I don't think we need to worry too much about a tsunami. But we should consider power outages, water source contamination, and other more realistic situations.
Most things within moderation. Some food stores, water, water containment, water purification, guns/ammo, etc....

I like the Mormon attitude towards prepping. You store the stuff you need for hard times. Recession, depression, crop failure, bad weather, and whatever else the world can throw at you. Food, fuel, clothing, tools of your trade and such. Also stuff for self and community defense.

I've been through several hurricanes, which are a large area effect, multiple tornados, which are generally a small area effect, got lucky and missed the major earthquakes in my former home in SoCal, been through exceptionally hot and cold weather, and documented a number of aircraft and automobile accidents. One of the houses I owned was near a school that did not get an aircraft dropped in their playground because the pilot rode it in to PREVENT it landing there at recess... We were here for the May 3rd, 99 super-Tornado, and for a time lived near the Gulf Coast beach in NW Florida. Tsunami's were a possibility there. Wherever you go, there are things that can happen. Bad things and good things.

Read about a guy who decided to get away from it all, and avoid all the bad stuff that was happening around the world in the early 30's. Found a beautiful island in the middle of nowhere. It's called Midway. You can run, but you can't hide. Pick your place, and make your stand. And deal with what comes.

 

[BillM]

You as well as some others keep asking "Prep for what?" Anyone with even the least amount of 'common-sense' between their ears can figure that out without having to ask!

Tornado? - prepping would be installing a tornado shelter. Power outage? - prepping would be to get a generator. Grocery supply issues? - prepping would be to stock extra groceries ahead of time. Natural Gas stoppage? - prepping includes having alternative methods of cooking (BBQ, fireplace, etc.). It's not 'rocket science'!

Look around at your location and decide what problem(s) is/are most likely to occur and then make preparations to keep you and your loved ones safe and comfortable during the event. Obviously Oklahomans do not have to be too concerned about things like tsunamis, volcano's, or MAJOR earthquakes, but things like tornado's, ice storms, and [in some areas] flooding are real events.

If you are jittery about things like nuclear war, EMP's, Zombies, civil anarchy, economic collapse, etc. then that says you've been lead around by your nose ring by scripted-reality shows like Extreme Prepper, which were filmed just entertainment.

Not necessarily. I've been a prepper much longer than they have been calling it that. My 2nd step-father was a Southern Baptist minister, and expected Armageddon any minute now. In 1965. And we were doing the Civil Defense things like hiding under our desks during drills at school back then, too.

Wouldn't be too sure about not worrying about quakes, either. Strange Happenings during the Earthquakes | New Madrid, MO - Official Website

That cluster of quakes was felt as far away as NYC, rang bells in Philadelphia. The area was lightly inhabited in 1811-12. The least powerful quake was the same magnitude as the one recently in Turkey, a 7.8. There was also an 8.1 and an 8.8! We're not all that far from the area, and it's had more than 200 years to build up pressure... Could be all the little quake we normally get here will prevent a really big one, but I'm not prepared to bet on that. And speaking of the quake in Turkey, the wife and I lived in Adana, Turkey, in the early-mid 80's. Could have happened just as easily then.

 

[user 51785]

I like the Mormon attitude towards prepping. You store the stuff you need for hard times. Recession, depression, crop failure, bad weather, and whatever else the world can throw at you. Food, fuel, clothing, tools of your trade and such. Also stuff for self and community defense.

I've been through several hurricanes, which are a large area effect, multiple tornados, which are generally a small area effect, got lucky and missed the major earthquakes in my former home in SoCal, been through exceptionally hot and cold weather, and documented a number of aircraft and automobile accidents. One of the houses I owned was near a school that did not get an aircraft dropped in their playground because the pilot rode it in to PREVENT it landing there at recess... We were here for the May 3rd, 99 super-Tornado, and for a time lived near the Gulf Coast beach in NW Florida. Tsunami's were a possibility there. Wherever you go, there are things that can happen. Bad things and good things.

Read about a guy who decided to get away from it all, and avoid all the bad stuff that was happening around the world in the early 30's. Found a beautiful island in the middle of nowhere. It's called Midway. You can run, but you can't hide. Pick your place, and make your stand. And deal with what comes.

sounds like youve been nearly as many close calls as david hogg. i aint even gonna ask what you do to be in so many situations.

 

[A.Hinkle]

No one can be prepared for everything , people need to be reasonably prepared for those things which will most likely and realistically impact your life. Have ample food and water on hand to get you through emergency events which occur every year due to weather . Keep a gun and ammo on hand for emergencies and no I am not just talking about intruders in your home. I have a small dog I love and yes I will dispatch a coyote or a bobcat to prevent my dog from being a potential meal , skunks carry rabies and armadillos dig leg breaking holes for humans and livestock .

A word on keeping extra food , DON't buy anything you won't actually eat, if you're not rotating it and actually eating what you have you're doing it wrong.


Keep some cash on hand for emergenices its a good idea, but If you have a pile of gold and silver coins on hand thinking the apocalyspe is coming and you'll be the warrior king of south central Oklahoma you're doing it wrong again.

A final word about guns, I have a few but I am not looking to arm all my neighbors with AR15 rifles and that idea is plain dumb.

of course YMMV and do what makes you feel good even if its stupid.

Thank you, the people who think gold will be helpful in a prep situation have spent very little time thinking through how they are going to use it.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

SHTF is different, zombies and democrats are synonymous with zombie the more correct term.

BTW, not advocating treating democrat's like zombies, at least they haven't resorted to eating humans, just crickets and tofu.

 

[A.Hinkle]

no. insurance is a scam so I don't have any and just stack that cash back like scrooge mcduck.

This is a form of insurance, its just self-insurance. It can absolutely be more 'profitable' but with that higher possible return comes more risk. Which is all traditional insurance is, offloading risk onto another party in exchange for a premium. The number of years it would take to self-insure for things like health insurance or life insurance to cover the mortgage balance for your spouse/kids would defeat the point.

 

[BillM]

sounds like youve been nearly as many close calls as david hogg. i aint even gonna ask what you do to be in so many situations.

I'm a retired USAF Master Sergeant. Started as an F-111D crew chief, wrecked my knees bad enough to get out of being crew chief, but not bad enough to be medically retired, so retrained to become a photographer. Did that for ten year. When I made Technical Sergeant, they chained me to a desk, and wouldn't let me do photography any more, and it had been one of my hobbies before I enlisted. Field was also over in TSgt's, so they offered to let me retrain again, and I did my final 12 years in SATCOM. Which got combined with Wideband and HF Radio towards the end of my career. Two tours in Turkey, one in Germany, and several states. Born in SoCal, and moved to Colorado as a teen. Trained in Texas, Colorado, Mississippi, and Georgia, stationed in New Mexico, Florida twice, Nevada, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. Also did Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia, and a few days in Thumrait, Oman. Did I mention 3 different bases in Germany?

"Just Lucky, I guess!"

 

[user 51785]

I'm a retired USAF Master Sergeant. Started as an F-111D crew chief, wrecked my knees bad enough to get out of being crew chief, but not bad enough to be medically retired, so retrained to become a photographer. Did that for ten year. When I made Technical Sergeant, they chained me to a desk, and wouldn't let me do photography any more, and it had been one of my hobbies before I enlisted. Field was also over in TSgt's, so they offered to let me retrain again, and I did my final 12 years in SATCOM. Which got combined with Wideband and HF Radio towards the end of my career. Two tours in Turkey, one in Germany, and several states. Born in SoCal, and moved to Colorado as a teen. Trained in Texas, Colorado, Mississippi, and Georgia, stationed in New Mexico, Florida twice, Nevada, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. Also did Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia, and a few days in Thumrait, Oman. Did I mention 3 different bases in Germany?

"Just Lucky, I guess!"

sorry to hear about the injuries but thank you for your service.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Personally I think if you have 3 months of food and potable water for a larger disaster one is doing well towards preparedness. If you have a tornado shelter with that even better.

What really cracks me up is those who invest in luxury shelters at 1.5 million and up. Great idea, but if the worst happens how will one get there? First you need an emp proof off road vehicle or the ability to hike long distances. EMP strike first, then actual bombs will be the MO. Roads will be blocked. First day or so people will try to shop, then loot. After that all bets are of off. As a hiker with lots of gear you will be a target. If it's during the winter you will have cold weather to contend with as well. All of this depends on if you are healthy or not. Finally, if you do get there what if your shelter won't let you in? What if guards have "gone feral" and invited friends and family and displaced you?

Ideal for a shelter (and if you have much, much money is to have your own land with/or underground facilities (bomb or fallout shelter.) Again you will need to get to it, so you will need a vehicle that is emp immune and good health. Yeah, you can get loans, but then you still need to worry about a bad but working economy, or the bank gets you in the end if the worst doesn't happen.

 

[Chuckie]

Not necessarily. I've been a prepper much longer than they have been calling it that. My 2nd step-father was a Southern Baptist minister, and expected Armageddon any minute now. In 1965. And we were doing the Civil Defense things like hiding under our desks during drills at school back then, too.

Wouldn't be too sure about not worrying about quakes, either. Strange Happenings during the Earthquakes | New Madrid, MO - Official Website

That cluster of quakes was felt as far away as NYC, rang bells in Philadelphia. The area was lightly inhabited in 1811-12. The least powerful quake was the same magnitude as the one recently in Turkey, a 7.8. There was also an 8.1 and an 8.8! We're not all that far from the area, and it's had more than 200 years to build up pressure... Could be all the little quake we normally get here will prevent a really big one, but I'm not prepared to bet on that. And speaking of the quake in Turkey, the wife and I lived in Adana, Turkey, in the early-mid 80's. Could have happened just as easily then.

Yes, a MAJOR earthquake is always possible but not probable. That is why I worded my comment as I did " . . . problem(s) is/are most likely to occur . . . ". Being a witness to things like the installment of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and the 'Cuban Missile Crisis' in 1963 among other events, I learned early in life to be prepared for the unexpected.