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With the abundance of bad info out there, it’s easy for new preppers to make a lot of mistakes. I, myself, am a new prepper by some standards. I’ve made many mistakes and I’m sure I’ll make more, but that’s part of the learning process. To help you speed up this process, here are some common prepping mistakes you’ll want to avoid:

Yes, You Can Survive The Coming Economic Nightmare – One Family In California Grows 6,000 Pounds Of Produce On Just 1/10th Of An Acre If you work hard and get prepared, you can survive the economic nightmare that is coming. All over the United States and around the world there are millions of people that are learning how to become more self-sufficient. For example, there is one family that is actually producing 6000 pounds of produce on just 1/10th of an acre right in the middle of Pasadena, California. In fact, they grow so much food that they are able...

Terror threats appear to be on the rise as FEMA has rushed a $1 Billion order of dehydrated food in the event of attacks on domestic targets in the US. This is also coming on the heels of one of the largest terror drills performed by the US Navy on American soil, as Operation Solid Curtain is taking place this week. In an article Tuesday from the Beaufort Observer, many of the largest suppliers of dehydrated foods in the country are dropping their distributors and customers to dedicate their resources to supplying a billion dollar FEMA request and purchase.

A new breed of survivalists is emerging in this country. I affectionately refer to them as Suburban Survivalists. She (yes, she) is most likely a minivan driving soccer mom who spends most of her time running the household, brushing up on her survival skills by watching Bear Grylls, and practicing target shooting on the weekends. Advertisers already know the power and influence of these women. They make almost 80% of the family purchasing decisions, thus wielding significant power over a large portion of the GDP. While the husband is bringing home the bacon, she is figuring out how she can...

1 When society breaks down, people look for whatever weapons they can find. Over this past week, abandoned police stations throughout Egypt have been stripped of their arsenals by looters. 2 When society breaks down, nobody is safe. Average Egyptians “armed with sticks and razors” have formed vigilante groups to protect their homes from the crazed looters that have emerged during the rioting. 3 When society breaks down, you better protect your women and children. At least 60 rapes have been officially reported since the rioting began. The unofficial number is surely far higher than that. 4 When society breaks...

I know that there are some Freepers who buy from Honeyville Grains, so have any of you brought Honeyville Meals? [IMG]http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/images/products/display/84%20SERVING%20Grab%20and%20Go.jpg[/IMG] http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/84servingfoodbucket.aspx They are on sale right now for $159.99 and with the present %10 coupon that would make it $144.00. That's just a bit less than $1.75 a meal!

It was during that conversation with Ray a few days ago that he nailed me with that question. We had been talking for about an hour about how things went down here in Argentina, the similarities, inflation, how “shopping carts” keep getting more and more expensive, how crime affects your lifestyle. But what to do? The person now gets it, the person not only understands the wisdom in preparing for disasters large and small but comprehends that due to the current economic situation, life in general is going to change from now on, unemployment, inflation, loss of life quality in...

If you’ve been keeping up with being prepared, then most likely you have made careful decisions on what to stockpile. The regular use and replenishment (‘Cycling’) of these supplies is an important part of this process. You will want to establish replacement time lines guided by use-by dates, grouping together supplies with a similar shelf life. Keep in mind that longer periods mean higher probabilities that they will be unusable in times of emergency. These are just a few examples of use-by dates from our own supplies. As with everything else, you will need to check though your supplies and...

So you’ve begun or are beginning the essential process of obtaining and storing foods and supplies. And you’ve done your first assessment of what you will need. In this article, we will discuss the in-and outs of the buying process. It should go without saying that you need to follow good dietary guidelines using the four food groups when making your plans. Now, there are certain advantages to buying your supplies on an incremental basis instead of all at once. Incremental buying doesn’t require as much of an outlay of cash and it doesn’t attract as much attention. The Importance...

It's been a crazy past few years. We've seen gas prices hit all-time highs, been hit by major and catastrophic weather disasters, and watched as banks and major financial institutions disappear overnight in the midst of what appears to be an actual, real-life economic depression. Our stable, comfortable lives suddenly don't seem so stable any more. Here are 10 things you can do to improve your chances of riding out a major disaster without looking like a total lunatic. If you get all 10 of these items checked off, let me know so I can come crash at your place...

Introduction. Part one of these articles introduced the concept of sequential food storage. This will deal with how you can assess your lifestyle so that if the TSHTF you will have a relatively new stock of food and supplies that will be useful to you and your family. Some have compared this process to doing the laundry. It is an ongoing process that is vital to you and your family’s survival in an emergency. I realize that it’s that this isn’t as interesting as it could be, but as Napoleon Bonaparte once said “An army marches on its stomach”. It...

Anyway, I can hear all Y’all saying, “What in Tarnation is Old Doctor Prepper rambling about?” Well, here it is: We all need to provide for our families on a budget and provide food they will eat and; as a little side note, not get certain parties (Ahem) noticing what we are all doing. This is a system developed to do just that. Survival experts will tell you to “Store what you eat, and eat what you store”, But what does that really mean? This saying means buying food and supplies and storing them for the approximate time of their...

1. Guns! Shotgun – most commonly a simple 12-gauge pump (20-gauge if weaker-statured people will be using it.) Pistol – If you live in a state where it’s legal to own/carry a pistol for self defense, then you should be doing it. Battle Rifle – We’re talking those mean, state-of-the art, misnamed “assault” rifles. Mine’s in .223 caliber, and I make no excuses for it. It’s accurate out to long distances, accepts a 30-round magazine, and puts out a high rate of suppressive fire. And make sure you have plenty of ammo. (We’re talking thousands of rounds. No one ever...

In the opening article of this series I painted the following picture: Close your eyes and imagine a world without electricity: no Fox News, no facebook, no email, no Blackberry, no cold drinks, no heat in the winter, no automobiles, no food and no way to cook it even if you had it. It’s the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) and you and your family are going to die. That’s a pretty bleak picture. But I left you with a little hope. I clarified it by saying: “Unless, of course, you are prepared.”

(An expert explains when bigger really is better — and when it isn't.) Buying a membership to a wholesale shopping club certainly can pay off — but it doesn’t always. Toss giant boxes of this or jumbo-size canisters of that in your cart without giving a second thought to price tags, and you probably won’t save enough to cover the cost of your membership. If you want to save a bundle when you buy in bulk, you need to shop smart — and we have the experts who can tell you how. Read on to learn where the real savings...

Either our nation's obesity problem is just as bad as they say, or Costco knows something we don't, because the aircraft carrier-scaled big box store is now offering enough (horrifying) food to last you a year for a cool $800. The monstrous, 5,011 serving package, courtesy of food outfitter Shelf Reliance (hey, at least we'll have kept our senses of humor during doomsday!) claims their end days buffet contains "only top-of-the-line products," "developed with everyday menu planning in mind." Which makes sense, of course, because the only thing worse than knowing that the entire eastern seaboard has been leveled by...

1. Following the wrong advice: Many new survivalist become fixated upon the advice given by others. They read the latest preparedness book or blog post and automatically assume the advice given is best them, without considering their individual needs, skill level or location. In order to be self-reliant you need to learn to think for yourself. 2. Not eating what they store: Many new survivalist fill their pantry with unfamiliar foods, thinking they will adapt their diet “when the time comes” this is nonsense. You need to learn how to prepare and use these foods now, so they become a...

From the outside, Jerry Erwin's home in the northwestern US state of Oregon is a nondescript house with a manicured front lawn and little to differentiate it from those of his neighbors. But tucked away out of sight in his backyard are the signs of his preparations for doomsday, a catastrophic societal collapse that Erwin, 45, now believes is likely within his lifetime. "I've got, under an awning, stacks of firewood, rain catching in barrels, I've got a shed with barbed concertina wire, like the military uses," he told AFP.

Coming Chaos: No Banks, No Public Facilities, No Food And Rampaging Gangs Of Desperate People Politics / Social Issues Jul 05, 2010 - 02:18 PM By: Mac_Slavo Bob Chapman, of The International Forecaster, says it’s time to prepare for the worst, comparing our impending economic crisis to that which was experienced at the onset of 1348 and the following century and a half. Flashback to 1348: The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30% to 60% of Europe’s population, reducing the world’s population from an estimated 450 million to between 350 and 375 million in 1400. This has been...

If you are just getting started preparing your family survival kit, it probably seems like a huge, daunting task. You are not alone, and I was in the same boat just a few months ago. So I decided to get started and make my first purchase. The difficult task for most people will be how to balance the cost of long term emergency supplies and food for your family, while still balancing the monthly budget. The only advice I can give is the way things are going, money doesn’t appear to be worth anything in the future. And in fact...