Prepography
The Art & Study of Self-Reliance
Top 10 Preparedness Uses of WD-40 (2,102)
Snake Eater – How to Field Dress a Snake (660)
Prepping with Garage Sales (646)
OCOKA – A Key Survival Acronym (637)
Fan of the Ammo Can – Top 10 Uses (612)
Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Mineral Oil (571)
Top 10 Initial Steps to Preparation (534)
Don’t Be ‘That Prepper Guy’ (456)
Prepper SALUTE Report – An Observation and Reporting Tool (360)
Physical Security and the Forms of Protection (302)
Situational Awareness – An Introduction (275)
Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Diatomaceous Earth (257)
Top 10 Preparedness Gifts for Father’s Day
Whether your Dad’s a prepper or you just wish he were… here are the Top 10 Preparedness Gifts for Father’s Day:
1. One Second After
One Second After by Dr. William R. Forstchen
One Second After tells the story of a group survivors in a small college town as they live through the aftereffects of an EMP. The only thing you have to worry about if you buy this for your Dad for Father’s Day is if he’ll loan it to you when he’s finished.
Cost: ~$9.00 for Paperback
Continue reading
Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Mineral Oil
Top 10 preparedness uses of mineral oil…mineral oil is a colorless, odorless and tasteless liquid byproduct of petroleum refinement. Mineral oil is often used for it’s hydrophobic properties which means that it repels water. Mineral oil is non-conductive and will also air. Mineral oil doesn’t expand when heated which is why it’s often used for hydraulic and heating (like space heaters) applications. There are a number of different grades of mineral oil available including ‘food grade.’
Mineral oil can be purchased at pharmacies, grocery stores, pet shops, veterinary supply houses, hardware stores or online but you should only stock and store ‘food grade’ mineral oil to have the most potential uses and reduce the risk of using the wrong type for your application. Some grades that aren’t as refined are believed to be carcinogenic so stick with ‘food grade.’
Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Mineral Oil: Continue reading
Don’t Be ‘That Prepper Guy’
Every workplace, club, school, group and even families have their own version of ‘that guy.’ ‘That guy’ is the one who ducks out when it’s time to work, shoots down every idea without offering alternative solutions, makes the obscene gesture whenever a picture is snapped and generally makes a nuisance of him or herself. Because obnoxious is equal opportunity…that guy can even be a girl. In today’s article we examine the Top 10 That Prepper Guys you don’t want to be.
1. Doom & Gloom Prepper Guy: This is the guy that goes around telling everyone everything bad that’s going on and how everything good is about to end. ‘The end is near’ is his mantra and it may well be…but then again maybe not…this guy needs to learn to balance his/her preparedness efforts within a rewarding life…and not live for the ‘end.’
2. Overly Focused Prepper Guy: This guy geeks on just one of the ten preparedness foundations of Full Spectrum Preparedness (or a subset of one foundation. He’s a wealth of knowledge on his topic of choice but will become an annoyance when he/she needs your help because there are holes in his/her preps that you could drive a deuce and a half through.
3. No Focus Prepper Guy: Long before I developed the Full Spectrum Preparedness doctrine this was me. I had all the water I needed but no hygiene items or a hundred toothbrushes without any toothpaste because I got a good deal. I’m not opposed to good deals but without a balanced approach to prepping this guy will become annoying when he needs your help because he didn’t balance his preps…at least he’ll have toothbrushes to trade!
4. Lazy Prepper Guy: If you’ve ever been in any kind of group then you know who that (lazy) guy is. Now picture having that guy in your preparedness group after life becomes more difficult, people are more stressed and the work product means the difference between survival or not. Beware Lazy Prepper Guy.
5. Scary Prepper Guy: Continue reading
Top 10 Prepper Mistakes
The bad news is that I’ve made most of these prepper mistakes…the good news is that you can learn from my mistakes:
- Focusing On Just One Type of SHTF Event: Admit it…you have a prejudice towards one or two types of SHTF events. For some it’s economic collapse or Civil War II…for me it was electromagnetic pulse (EMP) or coronal mass ejection (CME). If you focus just on one type of event in your preps it may leave you more vulnerable if you guess wrong…as in if you prep for a two week power outage and experience a 24 month period of unemployment. If you guess wrong you also run the risk of overwhelming yourself…take my CME example…if I focus on prepping for a CME the level of preparedness required stretches out to years… if you get it into your head that you have to prep for years then you’ll become depressed if you’ve only achieved months of preparation. You should celebrate each prepping milestone, not beat yourself up because you haven’t achieved everything you want based on your pet scenario…keep building to years but do it as you can and don’t beat yourself up…every little bit counts.
- Focusing On Just One Type of Prep: New preppers and fair weather preppers often focus on just one type of prep. By far the worse culprit for the type of prep many focus on is Security. There’s something addicting and exciting about firearms and firearm accessories in particular. Think of the Full Spectrum Foundations as links in your preparedness chain. Some preps are definitely more important than others but unless your entire ‘chain’ is strong the weak link will bring you down. I’ve heard otherwise intelligent (and I thought moral) individuals proclaim “I don’t need food, water, etc. because I’ve got guns and ammo so my family won’t have to go without.” Moral arguments aside if you think you’re a tactical ninja and can take what you need by force all you have to do is look at what happened recently to the battle tested former U.S. Navy Seal Chris Kyle…combat ready doesn’t mean invincible. Conversely, if you focus all your energies on your Food preps and neglect Security then you won’t be able to protect yourself, your family or your preps from even the most unseasoned, but armed hooligans.
- Not Fully Integrating Your Family into Your Preparedness Activities: This can be tough…and depends primarily on the foresight, moral strength and awareness of your spouse. Many, including prepper spouses just aren’t ready to confront the reality of our current lifestyle’s fragility. If your husband or wife is tolerant you’re lucky, if they’re an active participant…count your blessings. Integrate your family into your preparedness activities (or dual use hobbies) to the greatest extent possible without sacrificing your relationships. I’ve seen prepping tear families apart and I’ve seen it bring families even closer together…it’s all up to you….that is you and your family.
- Continue reading
Cold Weather Canteen Tips – Top 10
Keeping hydrated in cold weather is just as important as keeping hydrated in hot weather but presents the additional challenge of making sure your water source stays liquid. Here are the Top 10 Cold Weather Canteen Tips
- The only place better to store water than inside your canteen is inside your body…drink plenty of water as staying hydrated helps your body regulate temperature better.
- If possible, select a canteen that allows for some expansion when freezing without breaking.
- When freezing can’t be avoided leave room for expansion by filling your canteen about 2/3 full.
- Carry your canteen as close to your body as possible to keep it from freezing. Canteen can be carried inside your jacket or between your layers of clothing.
- Continue reading
Preparedness Uses of Baking Soda – Top 10 Uses
Today we add another article in our Top 10 series…this time it’s the Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Baking Soda
What is Baking Soda?
Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate, also known as sodium hydrogen carbonate is a naturally occurring compound but can also be produced using the solvay process.
Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Baking Soda
- Odor Neutralization: There’s a reason your mama kept an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator…it absorbs and neutralizes odors by neutralizing the pH of odor producing nastiness. It can do the same thing when sprinkled on odor producing garbage, spills or even carpets (let stand for at least 15 minutes). It can also be used to remove an odor from a container…use with hot water and leave the water and Baking Soda mixture in the container overnight. Add to animal litter or bedding to reduce odor.
- Personal Hygiene: Apply directly under arms or mix with warm water and apply with a cloth after bathing to reduce body odor smells during the day. Mix with hydrogen peroxide or use directly as a toothpaste substitute. Wash your hands with Baking Soda to remove odors.
- Medicinal: Soothe heartburn with a teaspoon of Baking Soda added to six ounces of water. Mix into a paste with water to soothe skin if mildly sunburned, bitten by insects or suffering from poison ivy. It can also be added to bathwater to soothe mild rashes. A paste made from Baking Soda will reportedly extract splinters. Mix with water and gargle to soothe canker sores (reportedly freshens mouth as well). Continue reading
Top 10 Firearms Items to Buy NOW
Renewed calls for increased gun control are gaining ground on the national stage, panic buying is in full swing and hopefully it’s in vain, but I wouldn’t count on it. If you have the money available and can find deals at reputable local establishments or online I encourage you to do so. You’ll have to be persistent but there are still buys out there. Here are the Top 10 Firearms Items to Buy Now:
- Modern Military Rifles and Carbines: You’re taking a risk buying these ‘assault rifles’ now as there is proposed legislation to confiscate these semi-automatic rifles and carbines from private owners. However, most firearms bans in the past have grandfathered weapons already in private hands. The rush to pass some form of gun control may force the anti-gun crowd to compromise with a grandfathered law…in which case your modern military rifles will not only be a good Security Preparedness item but also a good Financial Preparedness item as they skyrocket in value.
- Full Capacity Long Gun Magazines: Back in September 2012 we warned that the administration would come after some full capacity magazines. You can already hear the narrative in the media demonizing ‘high capacity magazines’…how can it be a high capacity magazine if that’s how many rounds the gun was designed to hold. I imagine that the administration and their allies in Congress will seek to ban magazines with more than five or ten rounds. I suggest that if you do nothing else, you buy every magazine you’ll ever need for each of your rifles and carbines. You’ll have to be diligent, they’re sold out most places but the manufacturers have to be ramping up production for the current increased demand. After much searching I found 30 round AR-15 magazines available from Prepography advertiser Security Pro USA this week…shortly after I placed the order I received a call from the company saying that inventory had run out but they went out of their way to substitute other style of magazine that I was happy to have. Continue reading
Top 10 Tips to Build Resilience to Stress
The military has put a great deal of effort recently to helping service members build resilience because increased resilience or ‘resistance to stress’ makes it much easier for a person to ‘continue their mission’ or keep taking care of their family when danger, fear and discomfort intrude. Resilience is important to preparedness as well. Here are Prepography’s Top 10 Tips to Build Resilience to Stress:
- Focus on Your Goal or Mission: By keeping the end in mind you can work through the adversities necessary to get there.
- Develop a Community of Support: A community that you are comfortable asking for help but often don’t have to ask.
- Remain Optimistic: No matter how bad things get…know that they will get better. General Colin Powell said that “optimism is a force multiplier.”
- Anticipate Change: By building a mental model that anticipates change and potential outcomes you will be able to better react when faced with change.
- Be Proactive: The Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared” for good reasons. By anticipating future needs and taking steps now to make life easier then you will smooth the transition and better handle change. Continue reading
Today’s Top 10 It’s Not This It’s That for Preppers
Sometimes preparedness is about seeing the potential alternate uses of everyday items, sometimes preparedness is about keeping the ‘end’ in mind while dealing with the ‘ways’ and the ‘means.’ These were the inspirations for this periodic column on Prepography called… It’s Not This It’s That (INTIT):
- It’s not a salt lick for livestock, it’s brining material for salting that livestock’s meat
- It’s not 550 cord it’s a solar clothes dryer
- It’s not a pile of old tires…it’s an Earthship (or maybe just an Earthboat) waiting to be built (thanks to PennyPincher for the tip)
- It’s not a flower garden…it’s a survival garden just waiting to have the flowers replaced with beautiful vegetables
- It’s not a dog…it’s an early warning system…or if it’s like mine it’s a ‘come and get my master we live over here’ system Continue reading
Today’s Top 10 It’s Not This It’s That for Preppers
Sometimes preparedness is about seeing the potential alternate uses of everyday items, sometimes preparedness is about keeping the ‘end’ in mind while dealing with the ‘ways’ and the ‘means.’ These were the inspirations for a new periodic column here on Prepography called… It’s Not This It’s That (INTIT):
- It’s not your old army pistol belt with attached molle pouches…it’s your very own batman utility belt
- It’s not a gallon of unscented bleach it’s up to 3,000 gallons of potable water
- It’s not a .22 long rifle shell that cost you 3.9 cents it’s 1.318 lbs (583 calories, 111.46 grams of protein) of cottontail rabbit
- That multi-pound box or bag of salt isn’t food seasoning it’s a food preservative
- It’s not an out of date phone book for downtown Possom Trot, it’s 500 pages of outhouse cleanliness Continue reading
Top 10 Names for Winter Storms, Suggestions for the Weather Channel
You may have read earlier this week that the Weather Channel has decided to begin naming winter storms. As you may be aware, the National Hurricane Center names tropical storms and hurricanes but this is the first time a private media company in the U.S. will name weather events. Their thinking is that “a storm with a name is easier to follow, which means fewer surprises and more preparation.” We thought we’d get a jump on the competition and suggest our Top 10 Names for Winter Storms (really 19 but who’s counting):
- The Big Chill: Good name for either a Nor’Easter or Hillary Clinton’s next layover at the home she shares with Bill
- Frosty: For obvious reasons
- S.H.O.E.: An acronym for Stay Home Or Else. This would be a good name for any storm that drops snow South of the Mason Dixon line.
- Vanilla Ice: Sure to be a quick storm that unexpectedly shows up for another 15 minutes (of fame) every few years
- Ice-T: Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time that Ice-T has graced the pages on Prepography. Check out what Ice (as I presume his friends call him) said in an interview a few months back about not wanting to be the only one without a gun. Continue reading
Top 10 Preparedness Uses of Diatomaceous Earth
What is Diatomaceous Earth:
Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is the fossilized remains of waterborne diatoms and algae. DE is mined product…wonder if the job description is “fossil miner?” DE has the consistency of and looks like an off-white version of baby or talcum powder. DE is non-toxic and is sold in both food and non-food grades (see warning below about pool filter DE). While DE is mammal safe (even to eat if food grade) wear a mask while handling it as you wouldn’t want DE to get into your lungs. WARNING: Don’t use DE sold as pool filter media for any other purpose as the silica count is too high and breathing this DE in particular could create health issues).
DE’s primary use is for organic, non-toxic pest control. I discovered DE years ago as a heaven sent solution to keep my wife happy…you see she went back and forth on whether she hated the ants invading our house or the poisons I sprayed to keep the ants out more. The product works by scratching up the exoskeleton of insects so that they dehydrate and die. Here are the Top 10 ways to use (food grade and only food grade) DE:
- Grain Storage: Food grade DE has been used for centuries to keep stored grain pest free. According to Diatomite Canada the proper mix is 1 cup of food grade DE to 50 lbs of grain. It can even be ground with the grain into meal or flour and you’ll never notice it in the final product (bread, muffins, cereal, etc.).
- Construction: Any time I build a wall I spread a good amount of DE along the 2×4 base before closing up the drywall for permanent, non-toxic pest control. If I have to open up a wall or repair drywall I dump in a few scoops as well. We’re fortunate that we’ve never had a cockroach infestation…and I intend to keep it that way.
- Ant Barrier: My favorite use is as an ant barrier because it keeps my wife happy…and if the wife is happy, everybody’s happy. Simply sprinkle your DE around the foundation where you see the ants trooping in and your ant problems are over. You will need to refresh the DE periodically…I just wait until I see the little ant scouts inside the house again.
- Gardening: Keep pests away from your garden plants. You can dust your garden plants and spread food grade DE around the plant bases to keep bugs and slugs off. Continue reading
Top 10 Preparedness Oxymorons
As a Military Intelligence officer I generally cringe when anyone uses the term ‘Oxymoron’ because it’s usually followed by a moronic statement that disparages the noble and honorable profession of Military Intelligence. Before we look at the Top 10 Preparedness Oxymorons let’s review the definition of an oxymoron and some non-preparedness examples:
Oxymoron: a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (as cruel kindness); broadly : something (as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements
via Oxymoron – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Some additional examples of oxymorons from the folks over at www.oxymoronlist.com include: anarchy rules, abundant poverty, border control, centrally planned economy, congressional accountability, free rent, great depression, government efficiency, honest politician, politically correct, United Nations, withheld contribution, zero deficit and my favorite… communist party (Stalin, Tito and Mao were probably more effective as boogie-men than at boogieing down).
We generate and perpetuate our own oxymorons in the preparedness movement and media…here are the Top 10 Preparedness Oxymorons:
- Completely Safe: Because nothing is. Just because ‘completely safe’ isn’t possible doesn’t mean that our society and each successive layer of our government isn’t trying to protect us from everything… up to and including our own decisions. Roll yourselves in bubble wrap; never go outside; don’t try anything new, novel, or heaven forbid…dangerous and you are guaranteed not to grow as a person or a prepper…and you won’t enjoy life much for that matter.
- Totally Prepared: No such thing. That’s why we discuss preparedness as a journey to a destination that can’t be reached…doesn’t mean that the journey isn’t useful, important, necessary, interesting or potentially life saving.
- Disaster Preparedness: Hey, it isn’t such a disaster if you’re prepared…right! Continue reading
Top 10 Preparedness Myths
There are a number of preparedness myths and myths about preppers. Get your C-4, blasting caps and clacker out of your engineer’s bag, because today we’re going to explode 10 of those myths:
- Preppers Prepare for Doomsday: While most preppers have a worse case scenario in mind their preparations are suitable for local, national, regional and truly international disasters…both man made and natural. Additionally, preppers are more resilient when it comes to individual and family disasters because of their mental paradigm, the knowledge and skills they develop as well as their physical and financial preps.
- Preppers are Crazy: There’s a great video by Sootch00 discussing this myth, but the truth is that preparedness is the only reasonable and logical response to an unknown future and even a cursory study of history.
- Preppers are Paranoid and Live In Fear: Maybe some do, but not many in my experience (every ‘movement’ has it’s fringe elements though). I find that most preppers are intelligent, fun-loving people. They plan ahead but they also make the most of each and every day because they’ve built an awareness to the fragility of our current society. Continue reading
Andrew’s Top 10 Preparedness Websites
While I’m kind of partial to Prepography…there are a number of other preparedness related websites out there worth checking out as well. Here are my current Top 10 Favorite Preparedness Websites:
- reThinkSurvival: A great preparedness site written out of the Midwest. The publisher is a heck of a nice guy I’ve corresponded with several times, great content and he offers a free e-book he’s written to subscribers.
- SHTF Plan: Probably my favorite site these days. New content every day in an easy to read format.
- Prep-Blog: Nice site written by a couple of bi-coastal buddies. I like the clean look of the site and the articles are written from a ‘exploratory’ perspective. It’s almost as if you’re reading one side of a discussion and you are free to chime in to keep the talk going.
- Modern Survival Online: A great, common sense preparedness site run by a nice guy named Rourke.
- SouthernPrepper1: YouTube Site of a former U.S. Army Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer. His scenario videos I find especially compelling as it puts you through a mental rehearsal for a world a lot different than we enjoy today. The site’s ‘star’ has a preparedness consulting business in the Carolinas with Engineer 775. Continue reading
Today’s Top 10 Prepping Motivators
September is Preparedness Month. Here are 10 headlines from the past few days on diverse topics to help keep you focused on your prepping:
- Yosemite doubles scope of hantavirus warning to 22,000; third death confirmed: Many diseases including hantavirus can be prevented through proper pest control and sanitation (personal and environmental). Stock what you need and know what to do. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information on preventing hantavirus can be found here.
- Drug shortages down overall, but some linger longer: Stocking the medicines your family needs to stay healthy is important for both mundane ‘drug shortages’ as well as societal upsets that could potentially break down the medical or drug distribution systems. Make sure you stockpile legally by talking with your doctor or hiring a new one like Dr. Bob Olson. Until recently Dr. Olson conducted his consultations by telephone to help preppers safely and knowledgeably stockpile critical medications. The State of Missouri actually changed its law to close down Dr. Olson’s tele-practice. You can still visit him in person or find a like-minded medical provider in your area.
- Rescuers told to keep at it after China quake kills 80: Nature’s fury can strike anywhere at any time. Keep on prepping and if you want to see a map showing 2.5 Magnitude or greater quakes for the last week…check out this map at the U.S. Geological Survey (as of this writing the earthquake map looks a lot like the Pacific’s Ring of Fire…it usually does).
- Yet another pig flu virus infects people: Zoonotic diseases (capable of cross species transmission) aren’t just creepy…they’re also scary because of their ability to mutate. We wrote about this particular flu strain earlier this summer in Beware the Fair. Continue reading
Fan of the Ammo Can – Top 10 Uses
Even as a child I was a big fan of the ammo can. The military issue ammo cans are sturdy metal boxes with latched lids that can be used for a number purposes besides their original. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes but all are designed to be air and water tight thanks to the a rubber gasket and latched lid with friction lock. Additionally, these boxes each have one or more handles so that they are easy to carry. I’ve been thinking a lot about the various uses of these boxes since a buddy and I recently got a steal of a deal on two pallets full through Government Liquidation. Here are the Top 10 uses for your ammo can:
- First Aid Kit for a Rafting Expedition: It’s perfect because it’s watertight and floats…just don’t forget to paint it a bright color so it’s easy to spot along the shore after you flip your raft.
- Tackle Box: One of the most common uses besides that originally intended. Again, it’s perfect because it’s watertight and floats…but also because it will tend to hold in the stench if you’re using stink bait to catch those catfish.
- Letterboxing: Letterboxing is a hobby that uses GPS or maps to ‘treasure hunt’ with the treasure being a rubber stamp that you use to mark a small book you carry for that purpose. There are many variations and it’s a great ‘game’ to get children and teens outside and teach them how to use GPS and maps. Letterbox Caches are usually stored in a weatherproof box and an ammo can is a perfect choice. Discover more about letterboxing here or here.
- Cache: Need to store something outside and keep it safe and dry…consider an ammo can. Don’t forget to drop in a desiccant package in case of ‘sweating.’ Wrap the ammunition can in a couple of plastic bags to help protect it from the water…rust is the ammo can’s only real enemy.
- Storing Nickels: James Rawles over at Survivalblog has featured a number of articles about storing nickels in ammo cans. If you’re wondering why you might want to store nickels read his article here. Continue reading
Top 10 After the Hurricane or Flood Safety Tips
Hurricanes and floods are dangerous natural disasters. Once the storm has blown over and the floodwaters have receded dangers still persists. Here are the Top 10 Safety Tips for After the Hurricane or Flood adapted from the Centers For Disease Control suggestions.
1. Don’t poison yourself or anyone else
Apparently after a disaster a lot of folks use equipment they aren’t familiar with to provide electricity, heat or clean up and give themselves carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is an ordorless and colorless gas put off by many types of combustion engines as well as cooking and heating appliances. To keep yourself safe read the instruction manual for all your appliances and don’t use equipment like generators, pressure washers, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline or charcoal burning equipment inside of buildings or within 20 feet of a door, window or vent. Additionally, don’t leave any vehicles running inside buildings or garages. Use a carbon monoxide detector with a battery backup (in case the power is out) and leave the house immediately if is sounds or if you feel dizzy, light-headed or nauseated. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect poisoning. See Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After a Disaster for additional information.
2. Stay out of the floodwaters
Don’t reenter the area until floodwaters have receded and there is no rainfall forecast for your area or upstream. Don’t drive vehicles or equipment through floodwaters and avoid bodily contact with floodwaters due to injury (tripping, lacerations, etc.), drowning, disease and pollution dangers. Wear a life jacket if there are still floodwaters in the area. See Flood Waters or Standing Waters for more information.
3. Watch out for critters, big and small
With the multitude of tick and mosquito borne diseases (including a spike in West Nile infections this year) make sure to wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and insect repellent containing DEET or Picaridin (Information Regarding Insect Repellents). Watch out for larger critters as well. Wild animals and strays may act aggressively and/or carry diseases including rabies (Rabies Exposure: What You Need to Know ). Continue reading
Top 10 Preparedness Reasons to Carry Cash
Our world is so digitized and automated that a lot of folks have stopped carrying cash. Think about it…when you’re checking out at the grocery or hardware store…how many people in front of you whip out a piece of plastic to pay for their purchases. Some days it seems like the era of the good old American greenback is over (we’ll leave the discussion of real money versus fiat currency for another day). You can now even make some payments at the checkout counter with your cellphone. As attractive as the idea of going cash free is to me…after all my wife knows where I keep my wallet…I refuse to stop carrying cash for the following reasons:
- Purchasing Privacy: I’m just old fashioned enough that I want to keep my business to myself. I know it’s becoming an outdated notion in this overly digitized world full of instant electronic over-sharing, but that’s how I feel. Read my article The Top 10 Reasons to Be a Stealth Prepper for more information on why privacy is so important.
- Service Interruptions: There have been a number of credit/debit system service interruptions over the last few years including at least one that lasted several weeks. When traveling I make it a point to carry enough cash to get home without any help from plastic. Make sure that you can get yourself home if a computer glitch or cyber attack shuts down your plastic
- Cash is King! Cash Discounts… by offering cash you can often strike a better deal when making purchases. I use this technique all the time when dealing with tradesmen and contractors.
- Cash Only Establishments: There are also places where cash is the only option like garage sales (good for purchasing inexpensive preps and may not take checks) and restaurants in smaller towns (I still see the ‘no out of town checks’ signs as I travel the back roads).
- Rise of the Underground Economy: Increasing taxes and regulations are driving more and more commerce underground (a variation of what Arthur Laffer discussed with his Laffer Curve…to be discussed in a future article). I can foresee the possibility that in order to purchase certain good or services in the future you can only do so with cash as whole segments of the economy potentially go underground. Continue reading
Top 10 Tips for Buying Your First Gun, Part 2
In Part 1 of the Top 10 Tips for Buying Your First Gun (published on Saturday) we discussed, in detail the first five steps I recommended to my brother-in-law and a few buddies the steps to buy their first firearm for home or self defense. I’ll outline those steps (italicized) here and proceed to explain steps six through ten. Please return to Part 1 to read about the first five steps in detail if you missed that article. Also remember that firearms regulations vary tremendously across the U.S. Make sure that you keep it legal.
1. Determine whether you are mentally capable of using lethal force to protect yourself and your loved ones.
2. Decide what type of firearm is right for your situation.
3. Learn the rules of gun safety.
4. Take a class or hire an individual instructor.
5. Decide how to safely store your firearm.
6. Purchase Your Gun: Your options include private purchase, gun shop/dealer, gun show or buying your gun from the government through the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP).
