It's not easy for someone barely making it to store up extra food and water, but it is possible. It can be annoying, frustrating and gratifying. It requires a conscious decision to actually do it. For those on a tight budget, going out and buying things willy-nilly is a bad idea. It's a bad idea for anyone, but it would really hurt those trying to stock up on a tight budget.
My daughter cannot afford to prepare to the extent I can. She has a three day supply, for now, that will hold her family over. She and her husband, like so many others, are struggling to make ends meet and feed their three children. They were both laid off from their jobs within a few months of each other. He found another job, but she couldn't. It has been a year and she is still looking. But, through planning, she has managed to gather supplies to last them a few days to a week. She stopped there, because that is what she is comfortable with - for now.
Sit down and make a plan. Research. Prioritize. Set a budget! It is easy to start going out of control if you're not careful. Think about your life and your lifestyle. What do you use a lot of? Do you or your child need medication or special foods? Do you have enough if the power goes out for three days? What about a week? 2 weeks? Do you need an alternate heat source? A place to sleep if the air conditioning goes out? Think of what you would need to survive three days of no power in every season. Obviously, your current season is your priority.
First shoot for one day of emergency storage. Then work up to three, a week, two weeks, a month, etc. Stop whenever you feel okay with what you have. Buy what you eat and eat what you buy. When you go to the store, can you fit in an extra jar of peanut butter/sun butter? Tuna? A can of corn? A box of cereal? Rice? Pasta? Jerky? Even one item helps you. It's one thing you will know you have in an emergency. If you have a family, it should be things the whole family eats.
What about sales?
Use coupons matched to sales - it does work. There are even websites that do it for you. For instance, the kids' dad eats canned soup for his work lunches. Let's say your budget is about $5.00 per week for extra food. Our local store had Progresso soup he likes for 10 for $10 (normally $1.89 each). You have to buy the 10 cans. Our store will double coupons, but has a limit of 6 identical coupons. I had 3 "$.75 off of three cans". I bought 10 cans of soup. $10 - 4.50 (the three doubled coupons) = $5.50 (actual retail: $18.90). So, for a budget of about $5.00 for "prepping" you just got 10 cans of soup. Obviously, your mileage may vary due to store coupon policies. Bug family, friends, work, church, etc. for coupons if they don't use them.
The one downside to sales shopping is that your supply will be uneven. Soup may be on sale this week, cereal next week, canned veggies another week, the ravioli the kids love another week. Make those coupons work for you. You don't even need to buy a Sunday paper anymore. If you have a printer and internet (obviously since you're reading this) you can take advantage of many free coupon sites. I haven't paid for toothbrushes in... hmm, don't remember the last time. Same with toothpaste.
Keep in mind, no power = no refrigeration, so keep your canned items proportionate to your meal plan.
Even a budget of two dollars a week will buy a can of corn, soup or small bag of rice. The idea is to have some things on hand for an emergency, not to stock up for the Zombie Apocalypse. Well, unless you want to. Totally your choice.
If you go shopping once a week, buy an extra box of cereal, and rotate the boxes. When you're almost done with the first, re-buy and put the new one behind the older two. Keep two boxes at all times. Don't use the extra box, because you don't feel like going to the store. Trust me, if the power goes out for an extended period, you will regret it. Stay within your budget.
You now have an extra box of cereal. Buy an extra jar of peanut butter the next week. Now you have cereal and peanut butter stocked for your three days. Or buy a can of soup. Buy as many non-perishable items as you can. Over time, your back up food supply will grow. Concentrate on what you NEED over what you WANT and what you will actually USE. Finding a great deal on tomato soup is worthless if no one will eat it. While you could use it to barter with, your goal right now is to feed your family.
If you live in a hot area, look for a used tent or portable screen room in good condition. Sleeping outside may be cooler than inside. Put the word out that you are looking but don't have much money. You'd be surprised how many people may suddenly remember a tent in the attic or garage they haven't touched in years. Even if it only sleeps two, and you need to sleep 5, take it. If one that sleeps 5 comes along, then you can save the first one or give it to someone else who may need it. Or you could end up with three two-man tents.
If you live in the frozen tundra, then obviously heat will be important. Do you have a fireplace? Wood stove? Do you need to find a portable heater? Sleeping bags? Warm clothes? Don't forget to look at second hand shops! I don't know that I'd buy a portable heater from one, but sleeping bags, blankets and clothes would be cheaper.
Join forces with a friend who would like to have some emergency supplies on hand as well. Make sure you guys are on the same page though.
One way of getting things, that many don't even think about, is bartering. You have a friend who cans food. Can you exchange a couple hours of babysitting or dog walking for some of his/her canned items? Maybe clean her kitchen after a canning session? Or, even better, teach you how to can if you don't already know. Your neighbor owns a sporting goods store. Ask him if he's interested in bartering. It doesn't hurt to ask. You don't know unless you try. All they can say is "no".
I know a guy who hates to garden but loves homegrown vegetables. His neighbor, who rents and can't tear up the yard to garden, loves to grow her own food and can it. He lets her use his land in exchange for fresh and canned food. He hunts. She cans the meat in exchange for some. They are both happy and have food on hand.
Get creative. Think outside the box.
You don't need to buy water. Wash out and recycle bottles. It is recommended that you don't reuse milk jugs, because they are designed to break down quickly. If you happen to have one and a storm warning is out, go ahead and fill it for short term use.
Juice bottles need to be scrubbed very well to remove all the sugar and fruit. It is advised to treat them with a bleach water solution and rinse well to kill any bacteria in the container. You will need to add a small amount of bleach to the water for long term storage. You can find the ratios online. Check them periodically to make sure they aren't growing sweaters or anything.
But what if you want to go for a month or longer? What then? Keep going. Set a time goal. "We made it to a two week supply. Now let's stock up for a month." If you're doing "sales", you may already be stocked up for a month on certain items. Start looking at 5+ gallon water storage containers and other long term items.
Now you've hit the one month mark. You're on a roll. Maybe you decide to stop. Maybe you decide you like knowing you can feed your family if you suddenly get laid off, so you decide to go for a year just to be safe. Most foods have a shelf life of 1-2 years. As long as you do "first in; first out" you should be fine.
If something goes past it's expiration date, don't panic. It's a guide not a hard and fast rule. Use common sense. If the corn taste like day old mashed potatoes - don't eat it! If the can is bulging - don't open it. If you see bugs in the rice - that's up to you.
"I've hit a year... but I want to keep stocking for (insert whatever reason here)."
This is where skills are needed. Can you grow anything where you live? Is there a community garden you can get a plot in? Can you learn to can veggies and fruits from local farms? Is there anyone you can barter with? Think of any skills you have or would like to learn. Maybe you've always wanted to learn to bake bread in a solar oven. Do it! You can find cardboard oven plans online. Go to the store and ask for a box that fits what you need. Be adventurous! Maybe it's something simple as learning knots. Maybe you've always wanted to learn bow hunting (Hey, bows make great "from the whole family" presents). Been thinking about raising chickens? Go for it! This is called a self-sufficient lifestyle and some find it very gratifying.
And lastly - don't forget your pets! Plan for them also. We currently keep an extra bag of food on hand at all times for each species. I've gotten small boxes of cat food for free with coupons. If something bad were to happen, I could let the cat go outside and eat mice. He's an excellent mouser. You chose to have pets. It's your job to plan for them as well.
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