# How extreme is too extreme in prepping?



## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

Storing food for a year is okay. Making water contingincies with sewer and electricity. Add to that comms. But, I have found a couple of sites...

www.whenshtf.com
www.survivalistboards.com

There is alot of good stuff in there. But how likely is an EMP? Possible? Yes. Likely? Not really. 

However, there are some folks that backup controls and electronics in a Faraday cage.

I guess for me, prepping for the likely such as power outages short or long term due to storms and such is enough. However, I would much prefer put my money into such things as food, water, basic living than to spend extra money on extra parts in the event of an EMP.

Granted, that person will be prepared for an EMP. But, if everyone elses comm is out, who ya going to talk to?

My point, I have read people like Texican and Cabinfever. I believe those two are much more prepped than I am. However, I would not call them extremists.

At the same time, I want to enjoy life and do prepping on the side. I don't want the prepping to be central focus of my life and finances.

THoughts?


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## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

I have instructed my wife that in the event of a national crisis, stay PUT! I instructed her as to a basic law of physics since I am a physics teacher. That two objects are less likely to collide if both are moving.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

mldollins said:


> I don't want the prepping to be central focus of my life and finances.


Why not ?

Have you been suckered into the lie that our efforts were to be focused on entertainment and idle pursuits, or the "American Dream" perhaps ?

For thousands of years, man realized that life was fragile and uncertain, at best. All of his energies were spent "prepping" every day.
Freedom, which everyone here pays lip service to but really doesn't want....
came at the high price of great risk, diligence and hard work.

Every so often, in the long train of history, some charismatic man, or several, would get together and gain followers to create a system, a welfare state in which everyone pools their resources and energies, even their morals. That system might take on the form of a fort in the wilderness, a walled city on the desert plain, a castle in the mountains. Invariably, given the tyrannical nature of man and the tendency for power to corrupt, the purse holders become the rulers and, shortly, what began as an innocent looking security system is now a full blown tyranny and what was once offered in neighborly and Brotherly charity is now demanded at the point of a sword or gun.

The storm we all see coming now is the direct result of what I believe to be the greatest betrayal of men ever to be executed. The lie of security and safety in one world government is about to be exposed.
For a thousand reasons, such a political/social/economic house of cards has no where to go but be leveled all the way back to the shaky foundation of deception on which it was constructed. 
People have been lulled for over a century into a sense of security so false and all pervasive that their parents, grandparents and great grandparents have dropped the ball of diligence and urgency in providing for progeny and passing that requisite for survival on by generation.

Preparing for the real events that are about to shake humanity to the core of its historical being will require stepping completely outside of the box that has been structured and maintained by government, media and educational establishment across the board. That box was meant to confine, to restrict....even to cripple our inherent capability and potential as men.
There is nothing so terrifying to any number of tyrants than one man who sees clearly, recognizes the truth and won't back down.

Forget retirements, 401Ks, social security, power grids, dollar bills, financial advisers, economic indicators, talking heads, politicians, preachers, etc. 
They are all falsehoods, distractions from the reality of hand to mouth existence. They would every one of them lie and soothe you to death if given the chance.
Get up tomorrow morning and, for the first time in your lives, pull your pants on and look at what's coming through the eyes of men who have been set upon the bare, vicious rock of earth with no one but themselves to look to for the survival of those whom they love. 
No one is coming to your aid, and no one will hold your hand and speak for you on that day when an account is required of what you did with your time here. 

"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of moral crisis, did nothing." Dante

For those who see any relevance or value in what has been represented to us to be the "Holy Scriptures", take heed the warning in 1 Timothy 5:8....

"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

At this late stage, dead faith aside, trusting in anything over which you have no control for the purpose of providing your family with future security is akin to suicide.


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## PhilJohnson (Dec 24, 2006)

I think when your constantly worrying about what ifs to the point that you can't enjoy life it might be time to step back and take a deep breath. 

I make it a point to pay attention to world events, usually things don't come out of no where and you can sorta predict when bad events will happen. If there are escalating tensions with a major power that might erupt into some sort of strike then perhaps at that point I would consider prepping for an EMP attack. 

The most sudden catastrophes after weather induced ones would be economic ones and for the most part being prepped for the former would help with the latter.


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## FarmerChick (Dec 28, 2009)

I am not a fanatic.

Never will be. I don't waste my time in this life on BIG WHAT IFs

Life is here, now, in the moment to be enjoyed. And I think anyone who gives up life to prep for something that may or may not come, is just wasting life.

Some prep. Yes, we all should.
Some knowledge to hunt, survive, etc....yes
Some back up systems to continue to survive...yes

forget life (even if a society illusion) nope, not for me.

I enjoy everything out there. I want to take advantage of all life's pleasures...simple and insane..lol


So yes to prepping. Will I over prep to fanatic, nope. 

But others out there that want too....sure go for it. I am not one to tell anyone how to live their life. And I never want them telling me how to live mine.



just me...I like my freedom to think and do for myself. I will choose what to take from this life in my journey. And I will prep what I need to survive in the long term...as best as I can do within my limits.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

mldollins said:


> There is alot of good stuff in there. But how likely is an EMP? Possible? Yes. Likely? Not really.
> 
> However, there are some folks that backup controls and electronics in a Faraday cage.
> 
> ...


I'm not so worried about comms, because you're right.....who ya gonna talk to....BUT:

--I would like a vehicle that works, so I plan to pick up an old, completely non-electronic, air cooled VW around....with a spare coil and condensor for the distributor in a "faraday" box....hey, can't hurt to have those in any case.

--I wouldn't mind a short wave to listen to see what's going on in non-affected areas of the world IF an EMP strike hit here.

--DO keep a spare charge controller and inverter boards ( Outback ) for my solar power system, because already taken a lightning hit that took out my inverter....and took weeks to get the boards in from Outback.....so that's just preventive maintenance items......and the fact they are stored in a Faraday box is simply extra insurance......got to store them SOMEwhere, right ?

As to the likely hood of an EMP strike....low probability for sure....more likely a collapse of society when the world finally rejects the greenback that has been printed into oblivion.....but it could happen. I can see a low budget space program by a nation like Iran or North Korea putting a conventional explosive EMP device(s) in orbit and deciding "today is the day"......or an even more rinky dink bunch of ACTUAL terrorists blowing up a few dozen key power substations ( or just shooting holes in the transformers of enough of them one night and letting the cooling oil leak out ) that the power grid fails long enough to cause mass chaos.....those big transformers are custom items not sitting around on a shelf......picture the East Coast grid offline for a month......make Katrina look like a picnic.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

You're too extreme if you are staving today for not wanting to use the food on your shelf since it is 'for an emergency'.

You're too extreme if prepping is all that you do, all you think about, all you talk about.
You're too extreme if you go into debt for prepping items.
You're too extreme if you are afraid to leave your place to run to the store.
You're too extreme if you don't have friends because you are afraid they will come and take your stuff.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Forerunner said:


> Why not ?
> 
> Have you been suckered into the lie that our efforts were to be focused on entertainment and idle pursuits, or the "American Dream" perhaps ?
> 
> ...


Absolutely awesome post, sir......especially the last sentence.


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## PhilJohnson (Dec 24, 2006)

TnAndy said:


> --I would like a vehicle that works, so I plan to pick up an old, completely non-electronic, air cooled VW around....with a spare coil and condensor for the distributor in a "faraday" box....hey, can't hurt to have those in any case.


How about an old diesel? No electronics involved and if you have a manual you can push start it


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

I grew up with air cooled VWs and they are simple as dirt to work on.....and I can make alcohol fuel easier than bio-diesel.....but those would be a close second, for sure.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Callieslamb said:


> You're too extreme if you are staving today for not wanting to use the food on your shelf since it is 'for an emergency'.
> 
> You're too extreme if prepping is all that you do, all you think about, all you talk about.
> You're too extreme if you go into debt for prepping items.
> ...


Ironically, I concur.

"Prepping" as has been mentioned many times before, should be a given, a lifestyle.
There should be no panic, nor extremism (so far as that word has been recently defined), indeed, no fear.... 
For myself, it is a resolve, a tendency.... a seeking to identify and make provision for basics at the most primordial level. After that, it is all gravy.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

Prepping for if the SHTF becomes extreme if you forget to prep for if it doesn't.


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## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

mldollins said:


> Storing food for a year is okay. Making water contingincies with sewer and electricity. Add to that comms. But, I have found a couple of sites...
> 
> www.whenshtf.com
> www.survivalistboards.com
> ...


I agree with you. At one time I was a member of one of those sites, but I got really disgusted with the Rambo mentality and constant profanity/anti-Christian posts. This site is much more my style.

I think when people become so obsessed with preparedness that they revert to an animal dog-eat-dog mentality, it's overkill. I mean, if things get THAT bad I wouldn't want to "survive" anyway! Who wants to live in a world with no hope for a better future? I'll stick to my emergency weather preps, keep researching a more self-sufficient lifestyle and let others worry about "The end of the world." I already know where I'm going when that happens.:angel:


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

If prepping interferes with normal life, then I think it's over the top. 

If someone spends a fortune on buckets of storage foods that they may never use, then yes, that's over the top. But if they can, dehydrate, and store food that they rotate with normal use, then it's good sense prepping.

I think of prepping as a lifestyle. It's being as self sufficient as possible. I don't think about the bad things that might happen near as much as I think about the good things I'm looking forward to in the future. I prep so I can enjoy those good things.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Do not forget the good words:

"We are here from the gobermint . . and we are here to help you"
"Gobermint says to have three (3) days of food stored"
"FEMA will come help you after that"



Those that believe that are gonna be in a world of hurt.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

This talk of extreme prepping and survival always makes me chuckle. Especially on this site.

I'd expect the whole site to be somewhat a prep site. Isn't that what homesteaders did? Survive and pay attention, learn enough, get enough stuff to make do to keep life going regardless of circumstances - and when opportunity arose - have a barn raising or a church social to help and enjoy each other.

Yes, there are sites that will scare the stuffings out of a less fanatic person - I think I still have a log in to one or two of them. 

But, my thoughts for this forum is that there is a lot of everyday things to prepare for and survive. Many have been mentioned, layoffs, illness, extreme weather, money becoming worth-less, and everything up to warlike happenings on North American soil.

One thing for sure; if you are preparing the best you can for the worse, you'll be okay for the medium and lite emergencies. 

So, balance is the key. Learn, get ready and then take some enjoyment time. It's nothing more than insurance. 

Angie


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> If there are *escalating tensions *with a major power that *might erupt into some sort of strike *then perhaps at that point I would consider prepping for an EMP attack.


Have you heard of IRAN?


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## DianeWV (Feb 1, 2007)

Forerunner said:


> Why not ?
> 
> Have you been suckered into the lie that our efforts were to be focused on entertainment and idle pursuits, or the "American Dream" perhaps ?
> 
> ...



Well said! Hats off to you!


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## FourDeuce (Jun 27, 2002)

"There is alot of good stuff in there. But how likely is an EMP? Possible? Yes. Likely? Not really."

*Depends on the math involved. I've seen and heard many people calling one thing or another likely or unlikely, but one important thing to remember about ANY calculation like that is that they are ALL based on incomplete data since we don't have complete data on anything. In other words, they are all guesses based on other guesses. Some of them seem to be better guesses based on their performance since they were made, but that doesn't mean they should be accepted as fact.
For example, most people consider it extremely unlikely that a large celestial object will strike the Earth some time soon. If you look for data to support that conclusion, you'll find there isn't much real data, just a lot of hopeful thinking. Astronomers(the people who should know if there is some real data for that conclusion) admit they've only thoroughly studied about 2% of the sky, and even admit that they can't say positively that there are no potential big rocks in that 2% heading for us.
If there's one thing we can learn from history, it's that humans are often wrong when we make predictions. Remember the "Unsinkable" Titanic? Other people have made some other interesting predictions. Some people said man would never achieve heavier-than-air flight. It's kind of funny, but people usually tend to forget the wrong predictions for some reason.:banana02:
Even with all that uncertainty(which people really don't like), that doesn't mean you need to live your life constantly worrying about the sky falling.*
"At the same time, I want to enjoy life and do prepping on the side. I don't want the prepping to be central focus of my life and finances."

*Then all you have to do is talk to the person in charge of your life.:cowboy:
Once you identify them, just let them know what YOU want to do. For me, I long ago decided that I only need to prep until I am comfortable with what I've done(since I am in charge of running my life).*


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## TurnerHill (Jun 8, 2009)

deaconjim said:


> Prepping for if the SHTF becomes extreme if you forget to prep for if it doesn't.


I agree.

If you don't fill your propane tank when propane is cheap in the summer, because you "don't have the money right now", but keep buying "preps", that is too extreme. The end of the world as we know it might, maybe, possible come. Winter is coming, for sure.

If you don't contribute to your 401(k) or IRA, because you "can't afford to", but keep buying "preps", that is too extreme. The end of the world as we know it might, maybe, possible come. Old age is coming, for sure.

If you don't buy medical insurance because it is "too expensive", but keep buying "preps", that is too extreme. The end of the world as we know it might, maybe, possible come. But sickness is a lot more likely to come.

If you don't buy life insurance because you don't want to spend....

Anyway, you get the idea.

Prepare for what is most likely first. Then, if you want to prepare for less likely events, do so to the extent you have the reserves of money and interest to do so.


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## Jakk (Aug 14, 2008)

Forerunner said:


> Why not ?
> 
> Have you been suckered into the lie that our efforts were to be focused on entertainment and idle pursuits, or the "American Dream" perhaps ?
> 
> ...


Ditto.. very well put!


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## Guest (Dec 31, 2009)

PhilJohnson said:


> I think when your constantly worrying about what ifs to the point that you can't enjoy life it might be time to step back and take a deep breath.





Spinner said:


> If prepping interferes with normal life, then I think it's over the top.


Yep and yep.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I think the term "prepping" is part of the difficulty. The word itself leads us to think - a one time event - or in the midst of something - as if you can do it for a while and then it is accomplished. I would rather think of it as a certain lifestyle, which I choose to live over the "now I have prepped" idea.


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## Guest (Dec 31, 2009)

Callieslamb said:


> I think the term "prepping" is part of the difficulty. The word itself leads us to think - a one time event - or in the midst of something - as if you can do it for a while and then it is accomplished. I would rather think of it as a certain lifestyle, which I choose to live over the "now I have prepped" idea.


I grew up with the phrase "stocking up". 

The word "prepping" means getting a patient ready for surgery.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

As long as my inventory is below that of the grocery store down the street's, I figure I haven't hit "extreme" yet.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

The problem with may prepping plans is it relies of "STUFF" having enough TP, having enough food, water,etc and thats good if you get to stay where your stuff is. If your forced to move, be it weather calamity, biological, chemical or simply an action that forces you out of your home. Yea I know some of you will not leave you home for any reason, but I suspect if a tanker truck spill clorine gas near you home and your told to leave or die you will make the correct choice. Now your away from home and have little to nothing.

Your best prep item is knowledge, How do make things from little, How to make do with what you have around you. how to fix what you have or find.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Gary in ohio said:


> Your best prep item is knowledge, How do make things from little, How to make do with what you have around you. how to fix what you have or find.


I believe in this statement. I can stockpile all my life for things that might go wrong. Eventually, my stockpile will dwindle down to nothing as we use it up. However, if I have the knowledge to make new preps by growing foodstuffs, etc... I can take care of my family indefinitely.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I believe that Gary in Ohio has hit the nail on the head. In my experience, there are two categories of preppers: stockpilers and learners. Category 1 (&#8220;stockpilers&#8221 are preppers who attempt to collect enough food, water, batteries, fuel, first aid supplies, etc. to survive in reasonable comfort for a predetermined length of time&#8212;a week, a month, a year. 

Category 2 (&#8220;learners&#8221 are preppers who prepare themselves for indefinite survival. People in this category don&#8217;t necessarily &#8220;stockpile&#8221; humongous quantities of supplies. Preppers in Category 2 try to &#8220;learn&#8221; more than &#8220;stockpile.&#8221; What do I mean by this? Category 2 people attempt to educate themselves and, as much as possible, put into practice an older ways of living. These preppers practice living off of the land and doing without modern-day comforts such as electricity, communications and other umbilical cords that make them dependent of others and the &#8220;system&#8221;. 

In order to survive &#8220;indefinitely,&#8221; Category 2 preppers learn about and practice things like food preservation (canning, drying, smoking, salting, fermentation, cheese-making, etc), water supply and purification, first aid and folk (herbal) medicine, heating and lighting without electricity or outside fuel sources, animal husbandry, blacksmithing, tanning, fiber arts, woodworking/carpentry, wild edibles, hunting, ...the list is almost endless. Category 2 preppers also know the importance of growing open pollinated crops and raising perennial fruits and vegetables.

Whichever category they are in, or a blend of both categories, most preppers believe in protecting what they have. The majority of the population has not prepped at all....they will want what we have....and will do just about anything to get it.

And there are an endless number of preppers who but do not but themselves in either Category 1 and 2...they are a blend of both. I suppose we are somewhere in the middle and striving toward Category 2. Is learning to become a Category 2 prepper too extreme? Will &#8220;learning&#8221; cost us too much? The answer for us is &#8220;No.&#8221; As we work toward Category 2, the bond between my wife and I becomes closer. This is a goal both of us believe in. This is something we do together. It&#8217;s fun.


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## Aintlifegrand (Jun 3, 2005)

Cabin Fever said:


> I believe that Gary in Ohio has hit the nail on the head. In my experience, there are two categories of preppers: stockpilers and learners. Category 1 (&#8220;stockpilers&#8221 are preppers who attempt to collect enough food, water, batteries, fuel, first aid supplies, etc. to survive in reasonable comfort for a predetermined length of time&#8212;a week, a month, a year.
> 
> Category 2 (&#8220;learners&#8221 are preppers who prepare themselves for indefinite survival. People in this category don&#8217;t necessarily &#8220;stockpile&#8221; humongous quantities of supplies. Preppers in Category 2 try to &#8220;learn&#8221; more than &#8220;stockpile.&#8221; What do I mean by this? Category 2 people attempt to educate themselves and, as much as possible, put into practice an older ways of living. These preppers practice living off of the land and doing without modern-day comforts such as electricity, communications and other umbilical cords that make them dependent of others and the &#8220;system&#8221;.
> 
> ...



I completely agree.. I find ourselves in between Cat 1 and Cat 2.. I look at our moving from 1 to 2 as growth.. at first, I wanted to stock up on everything...until I started to think what we would do when that ran out... then I started to teach myself and learning from others how to do many things from raising farm animals, gardening, canning, butchering, etc...things no way would a city girl and city boy would ever know...now I am looking at how to live off what is naturally there out in the wild like hunting and nature harvests like mushrooms, plants, wild berries..how to feed animals on what natural grows..what the best choices for survival animals/food are.. I look at things like what three ways can I do this one thing.. ( ie..I need three ways to get water such as rain harvesting, purification of lake water/well water/and so on) DH and I along with our DS have been on our learning journey for a couple of years now..and there is so much left to learn.


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## cast iron (Oct 4, 2004)

mldollins said:


> I have instructed my wife that in the event of a national crisis, stay PUT! I instructed her as to a basic law of physics since I am a physics teacher. That two objects are less likely to collide if both are moving.


LOL, you can't be too extreme yet, you still have your sense of humor. Prep as you can, to the level that makes common sense to you. You will know if your efforts are 'too extreme' because your gut will tell you so. If it is bothering you to the level of needing ask about it on an internet chat forum, it may be time to step away from the computer for awhile. We only get one shot at life, don't live it obsessively. Is it really going to matter that while lying on your death bed the only thing you can proclaim as your proudest moment in life is that you have two years worth of TP stored in your garage?


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

My prepping is second nature...

Go for a couple years on the lam (from real work) and one learns that having stuff beats having nothing. Near the end of my bum stage, I thought having a fruit tree or two might be nice... and the seeds of my homestead bloomed inside my head, and I acted on it.

Ever since my self built home was dried in, I filled the pantry and cupboards with groceries. Made lots of mistakes (if only the internet had been around, and wonderful folks like Alan had been around, with his Food Storage book!), but the costs were part of my education. Later mistakes were eased by having poultry to eat the mistakes.

I read "One Second After" last week. I knew and had dark doomy thoughts sometimes about EMP, but now I've had more education, and will start planning faraday cages for my surplus electronics gear. I think I have the 'cages' already, know I have the extra gear... why not take out an EMP insurance policy to be safe..... basically put gear in boxes and seal... nothing lost buy time... and the electronics will have more protection from the elements inside the boxes...

Do I forego current pleasures for possible future ones? Well, I haven't ever been one to partake of many of the fleeting ephemeral pleasures in the first place. And, we eat pretty high on the hog right now!

Having lived the ascetic life once, (back before I actively prepped) I'm enjoying everything the world has to offer... if things get rough-some, I'll go back without too much problem.

Maybe it's a character (or mental ) flaw, but I don't know how I could go overboard.

I did spend my 'cigarette money' on a sword from a gun show a few months back...:duel: just in case I run out of ammunition in a zombie invasion :lookout:.... would that be overkill? I'm trying to find a legitimate homestead use for it... might use it to clear some trails come springtime.... It was a 25$ purchase, not a professionally made sword or anything... The purchase didn't break the bank. My 'cigarette' money is a mental game I started a long time ago. I figured out how much a tobacco habit would cost, and used that money on something useful. Later realized I had alcohol money, drug money, and wild women money, available to spend.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Callieslamb said:


> You're too extreme if you are staving today for not wanting to use the food on your shelf since it is 'for an emergency'.
> 
> You're too extreme if prepping is all that you do, all you think about, all you talk about.
> You're too extreme if you go into debt for prepping items.
> ...


Good defination.


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## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

I think y'all are too extreme and overly obsessed. In order to help you I think you should give all your preps to me. I will take on the burden of prepping so that you don't have to think about these things.

Mike


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Mike in Ohio said:


> I think y'all are too extreme and overly obsessed. In order to help you I think you should give all your preps to me. I will take on the burden of prepping so that you don't have to think about these things.
> 
> Mike


Oh, thank you Mike in Ohio - thats such a relief, can we keep a 3 day supply so we can hold out til FEMA gets here to take care of us?


:croc:


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

AngieM2 said:


> This talk of extreme prepping and survival always makes me chuckle. Especially on this site.
> 
> I'd expect the whole site to be somewhat a prep site. Isn't that what homesteaders did? Survive and pay attention, learn enough, get enough stuff to make do to keep life going regardless of circumstances - and when opportunity arose - have a barn raising or a church social to help and enjoy each other.
> 
> ...


I agree Angie. Some (if not most) of the other sites promote a "survival bunker" mentality which some have referred to as the Rawles doctrine. I don't frequent these types of sites as many of the posters, it seems are just itching for the world to fall apart so they can hole up in their retreat and fend off all...no matter their intention.

I like this forum as even though it meanders a bit, there is still a healthy balance of people who are prepping for less austere reasons then what is espoused on other more extreme forums, blogs and websites.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

mldollins said:


> ...
> www.survivalistboards.com


Already a poster there. 





> ...
> There is alot of good stuff in there. But how likely is an EMP? Possible? Yes. Likely? Not really.
> 
> However, there are some folks that backup controls and electronics in a Faraday cage.
> ...


Our house is a faraday cage.

You are correct about asking how you would talk to.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

'Homesteading' [building a home homestead to become 95% self-sufficient, producing all that your family needs, and a surplus with which to barter] and 'prepping' go largely hand-in-hand.


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

moderation is the key, be informed of what "could happen" and aware of what you eventually need to do to upgrade your preps to meet the possibilities of that event from overwhelming you and your family-friends.
An example, I do not have a fall out shelter, i do haave knowledge to build an expediant one should the need arise and I have a few hours of prep time, I do not reside in an area where other than an "off target" warhead might explode to be so worried as to have a bunker built right now nor have the funds to build one, at least in a rental house, ergo I fit under category 2 from Cabin Fever's post knowledge gathering rather than category 1 "toy buyer". Yet I have toys to play with and that i use all the time, rakes, shovels, and so forth for gardening and raising of livestock [which i dont have any right now in town] have at least 2 maybe three days of food in reserve without going to the market, used to have firearms [tough times ya know] but i know how to acquire more and still know how to use them once i get them [category 2] and we still have that historical boxing ring for sale if anyone is interested.... extreme prep for entertainment, all ya have to do is build a cage [thunderdome] around it and sell tickets...ya know!

Extremist is easy to become, but living in moderation is a whole lot better. 

William
Idaho


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Mike in Ohio said:


> I think y'all are too extreme and overly obsessed. In order to help you I think you should give all your preps to me. I will take on the burden of prepping so that you don't have to think about these things.
> 
> Mike


Unfortunately, the couple of dozen of tractor trailer rigs you'd need to haul all of this stuff off will have a hard time turning around down here...

thanks for the offer, though!!!


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## triana1326 (Feb 13, 2006)

ladycat said:


> I grew up with the phrase "stocking up".
> 
> The word "prepping" means getting a patient ready for surgery.


In my household, it called "visiting Mom's grocery store". 

I do prefer stocking up over prepping - prepping sounds like it's a one time thing and can be fully completed - stocking up is a never-ending thing...


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

Mine used to be prepping as I wasn't stocked up on anything, now it is indeed stocking up as we are pretty well prepped, but live from our stores, so we have to re-stock to keep the level we want.

I think extreme is when it consumes ones life to the point that he/she no longer enjoys living, but lives to prep. I did this at the beginning to some degree because I saw the declining condition of the country's affairs and economy and I felt the urgency and need to do so. Now that my family has a comfort zone established, I can slow down, enjoy life as it comes, but still keep in mind that I need to continue to add things as we see fit. I enjoy gardening and canning, so this is something that I will not only continue, but will increase as time goes on. It is sometimes an extreme amount of time that I spend canning, but that is because that is when the crop comes in.


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2010)

firegirl969 said:


> I saw the declining condition of the country's affairs and economy and I felt the urgency and need to do so. Now that my family has a comfort zone established, I can slow down, enjoy life as it comes, but still keep in mind that I need to continue to add things as we see fit.


Pretty much the same here. I've slowed down. I just wish I could have a solar set up. But have enough of most stuff (food and various supplies).


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## FrontPorch (Mar 27, 2008)

ladycat said:


> I grew up with the phrase "stocking up".
> 
> The word "prepping" means getting a patient ready for surgery.


Yep, me too. That's why I don't call myself a prepper. I'm just a country girl who is stocking up.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I keep thinking - granny's pantry and grandpa's barn. 
With those two things and the animals and garden and a few fruit trees.

You're doing pretty good.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Cabin Fever said:


> I believe that Gary in Ohio has hit the nail on the head. In my experience, there are two categories of preppers: stockpilers and learners. Category 1 (âstockpilersâ) are preppers who attempt to collect enough food, water, batteries, fuel, first aid supplies, etc. to survive in reasonable comfort for a predetermined length of timeâa week, a month, a year.
> 
> Category 2 (âlearnersâ) are preppers who prepare themselves for indefinite survival. People in this category donât necessarily âstockpileâ humongous quantities of supplies. Preppers in Category 2 try to âlearnâ more than âstockpile.â What do I mean by this? Category 2 people attempt to educate themselves and, as much as possible, put into practice an older ways of living. These preppers practice living off of the land and doing without modern-day comforts such as electricity, communications and other umbilical cords that make them dependent of others and the âsystemâ.
> 
> ...


Good definition, CF. I'm still a blend of Cat 2 and Cat 1, and hubby is just a step behind. I feel comfortable with where I am - Still more to learn, and always more things I could buy, but feeling a little more like I've helped provide for the family if things get tough. I don't think many people could be totally self sufficient, with only herbal remedies, making all their own food and clothes, and not depending on the outside world for anything. But learning the old skills, arming ourselves, learning to grow our own garden and livestock, putting by money or gold/silver, and stopping the spend spend spend lifestyle so common these days is a good start.


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## sgl42 (Jan 20, 2004)

mldollins said:


> But how likely is an EMP? Possible? Yes. Likely? Not really.


warren buffett, second richest man in the US, and involved in the insurance industry, knows a little bit about probabilities. while something may have only a small chance of happening any particular year, the cummulative chance of it happening at some point become very high. based on that, it's almost inevitable that there will be some sort of nuclear event on US soil sometime in the next 50 years, which is well within the lifetime of many people on this forum.



> http://surviveanukeattack.com/2008/01/21/warren-buffet-on-nuclear-bombs/
> 
> 
> 
> ...


that said, i'm not personally prepped for any NBC attacks, as I think there are a lot more pressing issues with the economy that will arrive first.



mldollins said:


> At the same time, I want to enjoy life and do prepping on the side. I don't want the prepping to be central focus of my life and finances.


if a particular event happens, are you going to be able to look back and say that you made wise choices? if you're spending lots of money on eating out, and a big screen tv, and nothing on any sort of preps, are you going to be happy looking into your children's eyes when they're suffering in some way, knowing that they got to watch "american idol" on the big screen? on the other hand, if you were providing them a good education, a few select extracurricular activities they enjoyed, then you're probably making pretty wise choices. 

lastly, as for giving up a "normal" life, i think forerunner has it correct, in that what people today consider "normal" is an extreme abberation in human history, and the last 20 years is not likely to be repeated anytime soon.

--sgl


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