Are you looking for ways to prep for the future without spending a fortune? From building a stockpile of food and water to getting equipped with survival gear, the costs of prepping can quickly add up – but don’t let budget constraints keep you from being prepared.
Prepping on a budget is entirely possible, and with a bit of planning and the right strategy, you can watch your stockpile grow without draining your bank account.
There are plenty of simple ways to stretch your dollars, prep frugally, and still get the supplies you need for an emergency.
In this blog post we’ll discuss how to prep on a budget and go over strategies and tips to help you get prepared without breaking the bank.
Set a Budget & Prioritize Your Preps
First things first – start by assessing how much money you can reasonably afford to spend on prepping supplies each month and set your budget accordingly. Once your budget is established, prioritize what items should come first.
Make a list of what kinds of items and supplies are essential for survival — think food, water, shelter, and medical supplies — and focus on getting those can’t-live-without items first. Once you’ve stocked up on necessities, then you can start worrying about other supplies.
Pinch Pennies in Other Areas
If you’re serious about prepping on a budget, it might be time to cut back in other areas. Do you really need that new phone or pricey cable package? Think of what you’d rather have if SHTF and consider cutting out unnecessary luxuries so that you can put more money towards prepping supplies each month.
Strategies for Saving Money on Supplies
One of the best ways to save money on prepping and stretch your prepping dollars is to shop strategically. Here are a few tips for getting the most for your money.
Buy in Bulk
If you know you're going to need a lot of one item, buying in bulk gives you the best price per unit and best bang for your buck. Just make sure when you get bulk food items they won't spoil or expire too quickly. Canned goods are usually good options.
Shop Second-hand
Shopping second-hand is a great way to save money on preps. Thrift stores, garage sales, and online marketplaces can be great places to find prepping items at a fraction of the cost.
Just make sure you check the quality before buying something used – it’s not worth the savings if it doesn't work!
Wait for Sales and Discounts
If you follow some of your favorite brands or stores, you can often find great discounts or coupon codes that help stretch your spending power. Most stores also offer seasonal sales and other special promotions throughout the year. As the saying goes, the best time to prepare was yesterday – but patience pays off when you’re prepping on a budget.
Join a Prepper Group
Joining forces with other like-minded individuals can also be beneficial when it comes to stretching your dollars further. By teaming up with others in your community, you can purchase bulk items together and split the costs among everyone involved — great way of getting essential supplies without breaking the bank!
Other Budget-Friendly Prepping Strategies
Budget-friendly prepping goes beyond shopping for a good deal on what you need. In fact, some strategies aren’t just cheaper – they’re completely free.
Learn Survival Skills
Learning as many survival and prepping skills as you can is one of the best ways to save money on prepping, because the more skills you have, the less supplies you'll need.
For example, if you’ve got basic knowledge of hunting and fishing, you won’t need to buy as much canned and freeze-dried food. And knowing how to build a solid shelter means that you can forgo buying expensive gear like tents.
Plus, there are countless other skills to learn—such as:
- Finding water sources in emergencies
- Herbal medicine
- Foraging for edible plants
- Navigation and orienteering by the sun
- Food preservation techniques (drying, canning etc.)
Investing time in learning these survival skills now will pay dividends in the future when emergency strikes. For starters, developing survival skills will help decrease your reliance on store-bought items and save you money.
More importantly, knowledge is power. Not only will survival know-how be easier on your pocketbook, but it could also mean the difference between life and death one day.
There are many online tutorials available where you can learn valuable skills like homesteading and survival tactics — often at no cost!
DIY Your Prepping Projects & Reuse Old Items
There are plenty of ways old items can be repurposed into useful tools or survival gear – from turning empty tin cans into mini cooking stoves or old tires into sandals. Reusing everyday items creatively can save money as you build out your stockpile.
Investigate Buy Nothing Groups
So-called (and aptly named) “Buy Nothing Groups” are becoming increasingly popular online these days – they’re great places for connecting with neighbors who may be willing to give away their unwanted items instead of throwing them away. From clothes and furniture, camping equipment and tools – you never know what treasures await. Similarly, you could search the “Free” category on Craigslist in your area.
Bottom Line: Prepping Doesn’t Need to Break the Bank
Prepping is an investment in your family’s safety and security, but it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. There are many low-cost (and even no-cost) solutions to stretch your dollars further while stockpiling emergency supplies and adding to your prepper toolkit.
With just a bit of careful planning, creativity, and resourcefulness – surviving any crisis doesn't have break the bank.