The process of building up a surplus of supplies for emergency situations can end up being a large financial worry, especially in an economy like ours. Folks are currently living paycheck-to-paycheck thanks to the horrific policies of the Biden administration. Not only are you having to set back financial resources for emergencies, but also for daily use by your family. And if you have been to the grocery store lately, you know that the budgeting for all of this is not going to be cheap.
But that doesn’t mean you can forego planning for when things hit the skids. You will need to have supplies like food and water put back. There are other important items you’ll want to have stockpiled as well, and believe it or not, most of them are very affordable and could end up saving your life. I know that sounds dramatic, but we’re talking about dire situations here.
The Homestead Survival Site took a tour of the local Dollar Store and found a number of inexpensive items that could be beneficial when the world around you falls apart. Some of these items not only are good for use during such a situation, but you could also use them for bartering with other survivors who might have things you need.
Here are a few they recommend:
1. Tarps
Plastic tarps – even the cheap kind – can serve multiple purposes. For example, you can use them to collect rainwater, to cover a broken window, and as a shelter. They are also reusable and they’re easy to carry and store.
Sure, it’s important to learn how to start a fire without matches, but why not stock up on a large supply of matches so you may not have to worry about it? Boxes of matches are cheap and stackable.
3. Toilet Paper
Toilet paper is one of those items we take for granted – until we don’t have it. The dollar store is not the best place to buy this essential item in bulk, but you can find name brands in bulk quantities in warehouse stores.
4. Feminine Hygiene Items
Once again, the dollar store sells these times at dirt-cheap prices, but you still might be better off looking online or in your local warehouse store for bulk prices on pads and tampons for the women in your family.
5. Soap
Bar soap is an inexpensive item and very useful to add to your stockpile. Ivory soap is a good option since it does not contain perfumes or dyes.
6. Disinfectants
Hand sanitizer and alcohol wipes will be important in the unsanitary conditions a disaster might bring. In addition, liquid bleach is cheap and useful for disinfecting contaminated water. Keep in mind that chlorine bleach does have a short shelf life and may lose up to 50 percent of its effectiveness within a year, so be sure to rotate out this item.
And that, of course, is not everything:
- Batteries
- Cooking oil
- Face Masks
I can already hear the groans concerning the face masks, but listen, if the collapse of society happens as the result of an illness outbreak, it’s not going to be something like COVID. It’s going to be something super contagious and deadly, thus, masking up will be necessary.
- Pain medication
- Over-the-counter medication
- Bandages
- Dental Supplies
- Vinyl gloves
- Candles
- Sewing kit
- Scissors
- Socks
- Duct Tape
- Zip ties
- Rope/chain
- Aluminum foil
- Small flashlights
- Rain Ponchos
- Baby Wipes
- Coffee filters
- Safety pins
- Trash bags
- Cotton balls
- Lip balm
- Plates/cookware/utensils
- Paper/pens/pencils
- Seeds
- Baking soda
- Books
- Cleaning supplies
- Peanut butter
- Pet food
- Water purification tablets
- Can openers
- Fishing supplies
- Kleenex
- Plastic sheets
- Sunscreen
Superglue
Superglue is a very versatile substance and can be used for all kinds of different things, including first aid. You can use it to close up shallow wounds or seal up holes in a torn tent, or prevent ropes from fraying.
Towels
It should go without saying, but towels are a crucial item to have on hand. You can use them to cover broken windows or stop up leaks, as well as to keep yourself dry.
A few other items you want to have in your survival kit includes firewood, Ziploc bags, and propane heaters.
Again, you can find almost all of these items at your local dollar store, which means it won’t cost you an arm-and-a-leg to prepare for a worst case scenario.
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