Advice for a female wannabe prepper?

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SaltAndPrepper

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Joined
Apr 23, 2017
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Hi, I'm new here, I've introduced myself on the forum earlier. I came to this site mostly for advice. I wouldn't really say I'm a prepper yet, but I think I want start because nuclear war is something I've always been terrified of going though. I've read a lot of PDFs and websites that explain how to prepare for a nuclear war, fallout, etc., but it seems that you would need to be fairly strong to do most of these things, like building a shelter. So here's the deal:

  • I am a 28 year old woman, the youngest in my household and the only person in my household who is seriously considering prepping.
  • I live with my grandma, who is fairly unhealthy, and my aunt who cannot get out of bed. I take care of both of them.
  • The living conditions in my 100 year old house are awful. The basement is not a suitable place to build a shelter because ground water leaks in through the walls frequently. And I am not skilled in carpentry.
  • I don't know if I can even afford supplies.
  • There are no local fallout shelters in my area.
  • The only weapon I have is a knife.
So what I'm asking is, what should I do? We live in a rural area so it would probably be the fallout that ends up killing us, but I just want to keep my family safe and comfortable as long as I possibly can. Should I bug out or stay home? Any advice would be much appreciated. Sorry that this post is so long, I'm not used to forums.
 
Hi, I'm new here, I've introduced myself on the forum earlier. I came to this site mostly for advice. I wouldn't really say I'm a prepper yet, but I think I want start because nuclear war is something I've always been terrified of going though. I've read a lot of PDFs and websites that explain how to prepare for a nuclear war, fallout, etc., but it seems that you would need to be fairly strong to do most of these things, like building a shelter. So here's the deal:

  • I am a 28 year old woman, the youngest in my household and the only person in my household who is seriously considering prepping.
  • I live with my grandma, who is fairly unhealthy, and my aunt who cannot get out of bed. I take care of both of them.
  • The living conditions in my 100 year old house are awful. The basement is not a suitable place to build a shelter because ground water leaks in through the walls frequently. And I am not skilled in carpentry.
  • I don't know if I can even afford supplies.
  • There are no local fallout shelters in my area.
  • The only weapon I have is a knife.
So what I'm asking is, what should I do? We live in a rural area so it would probably be the fallout that ends up killing us, but I just want to keep my family safe and comfortable as long as I possibly can. Should I bug out or stay home? Any advice would be much appreciated. Sorry that this post is so long, I'm not used to forums.
Prepping isn't about having a ton of money or buying supplies, or at least it shouldn't be. My advice to you is the same as to anyone getting started. Think about the things you really need in life. Water, food, and security are three major things. I would start with water. Do you have a water source that dosent require electricity? Like access to a pond, stream, or even barrels to collect rainwater. Then, do you have a way to make it safe to drink? Filters, boiling, etc? This should be your number one thing to start getting in order. Also, prepping involves a backup for your backup, meaning get two ways, at least, to filter/clean water to make it safe to drink. There's lots of info on how to make water safe to drink, including many homemade filters. Learning to do this is free. Do it now, before you ever need it.
Second, you need food to live. Learn to grow it, raise it, slaughter it, and really important is how to preserve it. Don't wait until the grocery stores are empty to try to learn how to grow things. Trust me, it's more of a skill than I thought. I could kill a plant by looking at it four years ago. I'm just now getting somewhat passable at it. You also need to learn to harvest seeds from the things you grow, in case you can't go to the local store to buy them one day.
Lastly, I mentioned security. I think having some sort of firearm is really important. A knife is a good last resort, but most of the people in this country have a gun. If you only have a knife and someone with a gun wants your resources, your screwed. Find a used 12 ga shotgun. You can buy a new one for just over 200.00 at Walmart even. It can be used for security and hunting, and takes no real skill to use.
There are a lot more of things you can learn about, but I feel these are the most important basics.
Welcome to the forum, and I hope you take advantage of the loads of information available in he old posts here. Good luck.
 
Hi, I'm new here, I've introduced myself on the forum earlier. I came to this site mostly for advice. I wouldn't really say I'm a prepper yet, but I think I want start because nuclear war is something I've always been terrified of going though. I've read a lot of PDFs and websites that explain how to prepare for a nuclear war, fallout, etc., but it seems that you would need to be fairly strong to do most of these things, like building a shelter. So here's the deal:

  • I am a 28 year old woman, the youngest in my household and the only person in my household who is seriously considering prepping.
  • I live with my grandma, who is fairly unhealthy, and my aunt who cannot get out of bed. I take care of both of them.
  • The living conditions in my 100 year old house are awful. The basement is not a suitable place to build a shelter because ground water leaks in through the walls frequently. And I am not skilled in carpentry.
  • I don't know if I can even afford supplies.
  • There are no local fallout shelters in my area.
  • The only weapon I have is a knife.
So what I'm asking is, what should I do? We live in a rural area so it would probably be the fallout that ends up killing us, but I just want to keep my family safe and comfortable as long as I possibly can. Should I bug out or stay home? Any advice would be much appreciated. Sorry that this post is so long, I'm not used to forums.

When resources are scarce it becomes more important to maximize efficiency in spending. Your mind is your most important asset. Try to make friends and prioritize your life essentials. Everything else will fall into place.
 
take baby steps my friend,we all had to learn to crawl,before we could walk and then run.
always think twice,what you need,can I learn to do it myself and so on. as toexist said,and so would many more say;your mind is your main asset.
 
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Thank you everyone, this is wonderful advice so far. I definitely think I should get a gun, and I do have some experience with gardening.
 
Welcome. I would learn as many basic skills as possable and pick at least one to excellence at. You can use those skills to network and join others when the time comes to survive.
 
Concerns should be related to self-reliance.

Improve your economic status, and focus on learning and research before stockpiling supplies.

You should get your hands on a book called Wild, by Cheryl Strayed...and possibly see the movie (with Reese Witherspoon).

A young woman who is devistated by the death of her mother and strung out on heroin becomes obsessed with the Pacific Coast Trail, and hikes 1,300 miles of it with no training, no practice, no camping experience, little or no money, and no research. It should also be noted that she started in one of the harshest places in North America...namely the Mojave Desert.

This book made me believe that raw determination, mental flexibility, and a positive outlook are far more condusive to survival than stockpiles of stuff...and it should be noted that these commodities are free.

I hope this helps.
 
Teaching.there will always,be someone that needs to learn something..be reading,writing,math,to what ever..there's a spray paint that allows a person to make their own chalk board.
 
Salt And Pepper, are you still a member of this website? If so I would love to hear how you are coming along with prepping. Give us a shout out, if you are still around. Stay strong, and may God bless you. You are a special lady to take care of your elders, and try not to lose yourself in doubt. because you can do all things through Christ. He is with you and will carry you through.
 
Salt And Pepper, are you still a member of this website?
Coffee, first of all, Howdy from Georgia! and welcome to the board.

If you click on the avatar, it will tell you the last time the person was on. Salt and Pepper is still a member, technically, but...

"SaltAndPrepper was last seen: Apr 28, 2017"
 

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