Stocking up for SHTF

Apocalypse. Armageddon. End of the world. We keep hearing these phrases from preppers. It gets reinforced from movies and from television. Many consider preppers a little off their rocker, with some screws missing in the their, screws that keep the brain in place. “Nothing like that is ever going to happen,” is a common refrain. In fact we were discussing a basic prepping workshop in a gated colony in Delhi and the person in charge of security of the colony disdainfully brushed us aside with the confidence that nothing will ever happen and that worst that was possible was a mild earthquake. Well, positive thinking is always a good idea, but what is a better idea is to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Yes, some people consider it fatalistic and tempting fate, but wouldn’t it better to have a cellar full of stuff when things go South and the shit does actually hit the fan? Like money … it does not buy everything but it sure makes living with poverty a lot easier!

Let us look at some of the stuff that you can and should stock up on. Buy it, stock it, forget about it (almost). This list is by no means exhaustive and you can actually stock up as if you are under siege for years inside a fort. When you have run out of food and water, even three days is a very long time. In an urban, bug-in situation (or in your bug-out location) stock up for at least three weeks, by which time things should have started getting back to normal. Anything upwards of three weeks is your choice, as is the number of things you will stock up on.

Much of the stuff listed below is essential. Things that will sustain you and not spoil. Things that will provide you nutrition and stuff that will help keep boredom at bay. Take a look at the list and feel free to add on to it or replace some stuff with others that you might prefer. Use the list as a guideline and go from there.

  • Honey
  • Sugar and salt
  • Rice and wheat
  • Dry fruits
  • Cooking oil
  • Canned/ready-to-eat food
  • Tea/Coffee/Chocolate
  • Chewing gum
  • Popcorn
  • Peanut butter
  • Milk powder
  • Water Containers
  • Can openers
  • Water Filters/Purifiers
  • Portable LPG cylinders
  • Cigarettes and liquor
  • Ice box
  • Camp Stove
  • Disposable crockery
  • Candles
  • Glue, nails, nuts, screws
  • Hammer
  • Knives
  • Scissors
  • Candles
  • Generators
  • Spare batteries
  • Small hand pump
  • Portable Toilets
  • Toilet paper
  • Torch
  • Paper towels
  • Paper napkins
  • Garbage bags
  • Duffel bag
  • Sewing kit
  • Matchboxes
  • Paper and pencils
  • Mosquito coils/repellent
  • Cordage
  • Indoor games
  • Rain suit
  • Woollens
  • Spectacles
  • Gloves
  • Socks
  • Undergarments
  • Sleeping bags
  • Inflatable mattress
  • Blankets/pillows/mats
  • Vitamins
  • Prescriptions medicines
  • First aid kit
  • Survival kit

And always stock more than necessary. You might have unwanted guests who will dip into your stock. So, if you have catered for a family of four for three weeks and you end up with your in-laws landing up for the period, the extra mouths to feed will deplete your stock pretty quickly!

Please do not ignore this often ignored activity of stocking up for a SHTF scenario.

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