I’ve had lots of people ask me how to get started prepping, or worse, explain how they have to “sneak” preps from their spouse, or that they simply “don’t have the money” to prep at all, but there’s ways to do affordable prepping.
To help those folks I have put together a list of items that can be bought on the cheap, roughly about $5 each.
Some of the important items are more, but most are less than five dollars. The goal of this list is to demonstrate that prepping can be done for as little as $ 5.00 per week because I don’t know anyone who can’t spare five bucks a week.
A lot of times “I don’t have the money to prep” really means “I don’t think prepping is really necessary right now so it’s not a priority”. This list gives you no excuses. Invest in the ability to save your life and the life of your family in an emergency.
It’s pretty easy to explain to the wife where $5 went, although I highly suggest getting your spouse on your side when it comes to prepping.
Pro Tip
Wait until the fridge is low (so there’s no food to spoil), then go to your main breaker and shut the power off and cut your water off at the main valve for a full 24 hours. Go a whole weekend if you’re brave enough.
There is no better way to convince someone that they are unprepared for a disaster or SHTF scenario.
Some of the items below go for less than five bucks, some go for more. Some items might require you to save your $5 for a few weeks, most notably the ammo.
This isn’t a strict list so if you can afford it pull a $10 or $20 out one week and buy a few of the more expensive items. If you really can’t afford to do that either skip those items or save your $5 for a couple of weeks.
Also, you should buy whatever you want whenever you want on this list. Look for what is on sale that week and focus on those items.
FOOD ITEMS
- Five packages of Idahoan instant potatoes (flavored)
- A case of ramen noodles (20 pkgs)
- five cans of sardines
- five gallons of purified water
- nearly two cases of bottled water
- four cans of peaches, pears or fruit cocktail
- 2 jars of mandarin oranges
- five pounds of rice
- three to four pounds of spaghetti
- Two cans of spaghetti sauce
- three bags of egg noodles
- eight packages of gravy mix
- four cans of whole or sliced new potatoes
- four cans of green beans or at least three cans of carrots, greens, peas or mixed veggies
- Two cans of Yams
- six cans of pork and beans
- one 40 ounce can of beef stew
- Two 12 ounce cans of chicken, tuna or roast beef
- One 1lb canned ham
- three cans of refried beans
- three 12 oz cans of raviolis or spaghetti O’s.
- Two 12.5 ounce cans of Salmon
- Five pounds of Oatmeal
- Four packages boxed or bagged heat and eat meals
- five packages of corn bread mix
- Four pounds of Sugar
- Five pound of Flour
- 1.5 quarts of cooking oil
- three one pound bags of dry beans
- two cans of apple juice
- a jar of peanut butter
- two boxes of yeast
- two bags of generic breakfast cereal
- 10 8 oz cans of tomato paste/tomato sauce
- four cans of soup
- four cans of Chunky soup
- 8-10 pounds of Iodized salt
- two bottles of garlic powder or other spices
- Two boxes of kool aid
- A can of coffee
- 2 bottles of powdered coffee creamer
Non-Food Items
- one manual can opener
- two bottles of camp stove fuel
- 100 rounds of .22lr ammo
- 25 rounds of 12 ga birdshot or small game loads
- 20 rounds of Monarch 7.62×39 ammo
- a spool of 12lb test monofilament fishing line
- 2 packages of hooks and some sinkers or corks.
- artificial lure
- two packages of soft plastic worms
- three Bic Lighters or two big boxes of matches
- A package of tea lights
- 50 ft of para cord
- a roll of duct tape
- a box of nails or other fasteners
- a flashlight
- two D-batteries, four AA or AAA batteries or two 9v batteries
- a toothbrush and tooth paste
- a bag of disposable razors
- eight bars of ivory soap (it floats)
- a box or tampons or bag of pads for the ladies
- two gallons of bleach
- needles and thread
- a ball of yarn
OTC Medications (at Dollar General)
- 2 bottles 1000 count 500 mg generic Tylenol (acetometaphin)
- 2 bottles 500 count 200 mg generic advil (ibuprofen)
- 2 boxes 24 cound 25 mg generic Benadryl (diphenhydramine HCI)
- 4 bottles 500 count 325 mg aspirin
- 2 boxes of generic sudafed
- 4 bottles of alcohol
- a box of bandages (4×4)
There you have it, for roughly $5 you can buy anything on this list. Commit yourself to buy one item a week, or even one a day if you can and pretty soon you’ll have a nice collection of survival gear.
