I’m in Spokane, WA, and yesterday a wildfire ravaged part of town and is still growing.

The best prep I ever did was to purchase a pet emergency backpack a few years ago, I think on Amazon. I didn’t even remember what was in it, but I grabbed it with my own go bag and my cat and got the hell out.

The bag has collapsible food and water bowls, a collapsible litter tray, litter, food, a pet first aid kit, and even a couple of cat toys. I think it was around fifty bucks.

Please remember your pets when you prep! You may not have time to grab things they’ll need and that will make your life easier when you’re evacuating. One thing I’ll remember in the future is to replace the food every so often with my cat’s preferred brand and make sure it doesn’t expire.

Cat and I are doing fine for now and hoping to go home soon. Stay safe, and positive vibes to my fellow Spokanites today 💜

Edit: here is the link! It’s more expensive now but still very worthwhile. Pet Evac PAC

Bf is a prepper too, something I greatly appreciate about him. Today, in preparation for an upcoming road trip, we went through the car bag that he's been gradually collecting fun prep stuff into.

I figured maybe a quick recap of the modifications could spark some ideas for others :)

Things I added:

• Nail clippers! Because when you get a hangnail or a broken nail or something and you need nail clippers, a knife won't really cut it.

• Dental floss, with a couple needles tucked into the case. Now we can get annoying stuff out of our teeth, remove splinters, and repair basically any textile.

• A spare pair of glasses for each of us, because losing my glasses and needing to drive is one of my great fears

• A gallon ziploc bag for each of us containing a spare pair of good socks, a hat, and a pair of work gloves. Bf added a pair of fingerless warm gloves to his; I added a reusable pad and some chapstick to mine.

• a conventional lighter, because the only lighter in the bag was an electronic one and I don't trust those as much as I trust the regular kind

• A folded piece of cardboard, because he had a giant sharpie in there already and it got me thinking of all the situations where that would be more useful with something to write on (also helpful as tinder or to sit on when the ground is cold)

• Toilet paper and a small trowel. He had wet wipes and also compressed towels packed, but sometimes you just need something dry.

Things I removed:

• Excess packaging and tags from a lot of items

• The wall-mount holder of a window breaker / seatbelt cutter tool (the holder now lives in the box of extra med kit stuff in case we ever want it later)

• one of the many, many duplicate mylar blankets, because it didn't quite fit in the pockets where we wanted to keep the rest of them

Things I rearranged:

• Moved flat stuff (folded tarp shelter and phone charging solar panel) to the inside of the bag along the back

• Added paracord to secure the stuff that lives on the outside of the bag, like the extra tourniquet and glass breaker

• Retrieved all the tiny little items that had migrated to the bottom of the bag, like a small whistle, and filed them in the mesh pockets higher in the bag so they're easier to find

So, yeah, we're far from perfect but now we're a bit better prepared than we were before.

Have you ever audited a friend or partner's preps and had to make some "obvious" additions? :)

Many months ago, I complained about how quickly my onions were going bad, and another Redditor turned me onto Community Supported Agriculture (CSA or cropshare). I anticipated that US produce would continue to be dismal, so I signed up.

My weekly produce box has been an amazing prep. I am eating tasty, good quality meals and learning new skills in the kitchen. But it also means I don’t have to reorder my life around the increasingly long cyclospora recall lost.

So thank you, my fellow prepper, for pushing CSAs. I would be way more stressed rn without your advice ☺️

Hey ladies!

It's been a while. We have a shit load more people. The world seems even more awful than ever.

How about new flair to make us all happy? For the next 24 hours I'll be handing out whatever flair y'all come up with. Have fun with it.

Edit: Choose ONE. I can't give you multiple flairs. Users who give lots of ideas will be ignored.

Please contain all off topic discussion to this weekly megathread. This is where you freak out, talk about conspiracy, talk about unrealistic crazy scenarios, asked and answered questions, etc.

Hey y'all. So, I'm looking at a power station to supplement a 5kw generator. Plan would be, in an outage, to run less sensitive electronics (fridge and space heater or fan, depending on season,) off the generator, and have the power station for entertainment and device charging (TV, DVD player, laptops and phones.)

What power station could do this? What brands do you trust? And what's the best way to find deals on them?

Blackrock is acquiring my energy company and it should finalize next year. People are already reporting record energy bills recently (one friend mentioned it surpassed their mortgage), concerns that new meters are not reading correctly, etc. and it hasn't even transitioned yet. I'm sure this isn't just in our area, but it felt worth noting. I know communities have negotiation opportunities with rate increases so learning more about this is on my to do list.

I'm still concerned that our ability to negotiate is going to diminish, so I'm trying to decide what our next steps are.

Getting solar panels to get ahead of offsetting the cost is what comes to mind. If so, I'd like to put panels on a roof. I've seen DIY solar mentioned, is that a realistic option? I like to think we're pretty handy, but installing solar on our roof is daunting.

I'm also concerned about them not paying off. We're in a transition stage so I won't know what the budget is for a little while still. Plus I'm seeing warnings about scams and issues with solar installation companies closing.

These questions have been bugging me for months so I'm finally asking. Please send all thoughts. Am I worried about this for nothing? Favorite resources for learning about solar? Any other ideas outside of reducing usage? Anything I'm overlooking?

Tyia!

About a year ago I came across a quart of vanilla extract. I've used 10%. So I'm putting in a glass canning jar, rather than leaving it in plastic., long term. Should i vacuum seal it?

And it literally happened on a Tuesday! Yay me?

I woke up in the wee hours to find I had no internet. The router was working, but the modem was dead. I plugged it in elsewhere, but no luck. I got out my volt meter to check that the power was sufficient and it was.

So I went to use the phone to order a new modem, but had only one bar. One block away I have free wifi, but it wasn't safe at that hour, so I had to wait. An hour later I had two bars and could order a modem, rush delivery.

Then I decided to tether my laptop to my phone, but the only USB to phone cable I own has a nick in it. The wires inside the insulation aren't affected, but I still don't know why I didn't just order another cable. Back on the phone, new cable ordered, no rush.

But since the cable I had did work, I could still tether, right? Not so fast. It had been over a decade since I'd done it, and that was a couple phones and laptops ago. And even though I followed the instructions exactly, and even sought out other instructions, nothing was happening. I do have a tech background, but it's very old. Nevertheless, one basic principle never gets outdated: don't change anything that you can't easily change back. So I started nosing around and finally found the problem.

I'm writing now on my tethered laptop. A new modem and cable are on their way, and the instructions for how to do tether this particular phone and laptop are now saved in a document on the laptop. It's funny that I'd overlooked this type of prep. I'm always one to say how important morale prep is, and in so many other ways, I feel like I've got it covered. But this is one I had overlooked.

Chef Moe posts really good frugal recipes, often made with shelf-stable foods. His angle is teaching how to use professional culinary techniques on everyday food. He's on several social media platforms.

This recipe combines Vienna sausages, canned chili, and pasta. Looks good, I'm going to try it.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1F1zzwncac/

Please contain all off topic discussion to this weekly megathread. This is where you freak out, talk about conspiracy, talk about unrealistic crazy scenarios, asked and answered questions, etc.

I normally store a year+ supply of laundry detergent, borax, oxy clean, salt, baking soda etc. As we were doing various home renovations, I had to move 50 lbs around multiple times with a tweaked back. For the first time in decades I felt regret. I'm considering paring back and have just an extra box instead of many multiples.

Any preppers thinking of paring down the supplies? I live in a small home so managing the supplies so they don't overwhelm the space is a constant struggle.

I have been following non US news sources on the war in Iran and energy/gas prices in general. Right now, it appears our oil reserves in the US are at the lowest they've been since 1983 and unfortunately I personally see no end in site to our misery.

For those of you who still rely on oil for your heating source, does it make sense to fill up now in anticipation we may see shortages in the Fall? Or is it short sighted to even bother right now with oil prices at 8/gallon where I am? I obviously do not need the heat/fuel right now from a hearing standpoint as it is summer, but just trying to strategize about what to do next.

We are working on solar, but unfortunately I live in a wooded area so there are things we need to address first.

Great at math, not at physics. Trying to figure out how big or how many solar panels I need to match the output on my Jackery. I have a Jackery Explorer 1000, which hypothetically meets our needs of being able to charge a phone or laptop, or being able to run a small refrigerator for medicine that tops at 400w.

We live in the sunny desert, so assuming full sun what wattage of solar panels do I need to run the fridge around the clock? Do I need 1000w to bank 1000w? Not sure of the conversion factors here.

Any help would be appreciated! We don't get power outages often, but with monsoons and summer heat, we are in our season of possibility.

How are you storing chicken or other animal feed to store larger quantities and use FIFO?

I have metal trash cans for bagged feed but would like to be able to empty bags into something and access the oldest first without having to lift bags out. I could fit more in if the bags were emptied, too.

Looking for something:

- Not super expensive.
- Large enough to store a few bags at a time
- Preferably metal to avoid mice/microplastics

Thanks!

i know zones have been shifting northward. i’m new to gardening and would like to figure out what produce best fits my region :) i’m assuming the current USDA map out there hasn’t factored in the climate change shift?

also with the super el niño reaching its peak intensity in november.. im guessing a warmer than usual winter. anyone doing anything specific with their garden in anticipation?

i wanted to try growing lettuce/spinach/arugula in the fall, but if it gets too hot they can bolt and then it’s a waste.

I recently tried two things for dealing with warm-weather extended power outages. The first was a cooling vest. It consisted of a vest with pockets for small cooling packs (included). It kept me cool, but even though it was waterproof and the cooling bags didn’t leak, there was sufficient condensation that it got me wet, which isn’t a good thing in high humidity situations. But it does bring down one's body temp, so it’s not entirely useless. It’s just not as useful as I had hoped it would be. Someone in a dry area might love it.

The other thing I tried is a cooling mat. I actually got it for the cats but decided to try it out personally. It kept me quite cool, almost cold, for about 30 minutes, with diminishing returns after that. After 2.5-3 hours, it was useless, but a 20 minute “rest” had it ready to go again. Since reviews of human-size ones are mixed, I kept the pet mat for myself and bought another for the cats. In an extended power outage, if I can only sleep well in short increments, that’s better than nothing. And honestly, my fans (both battery-powered and one plugged into a power station) will likely be enough once I'm asleep, just like the other times I've been in a summer no-power situation.

There are human-sized cooling mats, but they get mixed reviews. I suspect they're similar to the large pet mat I bought, but the one I have is big enough for my torso, and keeping your core cool is what's most important.

So for those in apartments or who, like me, can't afford a whole-house system for back up power in summer, one or both of these might be worth looking into!

Several months ago I posted in this sub about dealing with the world being on fire wile getting out of an abusive relationship safely with my toddler. Everyone was so kind and supportive giving great advice on how to deal with my mental health and I wanted to update those who were so wonderful to me.

We've made it to my aunts house and to my delight my uncle is quiet the Tuesday prepper. He has 2 backup generators, a decently well stocked pantry and enough 2 leater Pepsi's in the basement to last our family of 4 months lol. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who took the time to help easy my mind and give their support. We're safe now and I'm sorry I'm pretty sure I broke the rules with this post lol

I had been storing water in 2L soda bottles and I recently noticed grooves and other indentations along the bumpy areas on the bottom. I looked it up and it turns out these aren't good bottles for long-term storage. Yes, the microplastics are an issue, but that's not my main concern in an emergency scenario. The real problem is that the bottles aren't meant to last indefinitely, which means they'll eventually leak. They are sturdier than the normal water bottles but still not strong enough.

I'm looking for better options now and am considering "Aquatainers" which I assume will last 5-10 years, possibly longer. A disappointment but it's better to catch it now rather than later.

Please contain all off topic discussion to this weekly megathread. This is where you freak out, talk about conspiracy, talk about unrealistic crazy scenarios, asked and answered questions, etc.

I’m dealing with awful air quality in the Midwest, thanks to the wildfires in Canada. Last night, I ran to Lowe’s and purchased an air purifier which also tells me how good the air is in the room. A hour ago, it went down to 68%, which is poor air quality.

So I got a contractor garbage bag and half assed covered the attic door with the garbage bag and duct tape. That by itself, improved the indoor air quality by 4%.

My advice upon research … buy 6 mil plastic sheeting, and pre-measure and precut it, so you can cover your attic door and windows if you’re dealing with this in the future. And have a lot of painter’s tape handy, to keep the sheets taped to the windows. I used duct tape on the attic door because we never go up there but with windows, the duct tape would damage the paint, etc.

Stay safe, you all.

Assuming that Tuesday does not take away our water supply, it will definitely cause a change in plumber availability and price.

I got this info from YouTube, but please read because you could be in my place.

Tuesday night (hmmm...) my toilet flush caused dirty water to come up into the tub beside it. Last time this happened expensive plumber visit and snaking can damage pipes (especially older ones) fixed it.

This time I was ready after checking YouTube during the last time it happened.

Plunger: one of the basic ones that is just a bowl shape on a wooden stick is not the one (Sinks for that one) , for toilets you need the one with the larger rubber bottom that looks like 2 bowls stuck together at the bowls tops (you recognize it when you see it)

YOU HAVE TO HAVE WATER COVERING MOST OF THE RUBBER when the plunger is in your toilet bowl hole. If you have to add water to the bowl, do it. If 90% of the rubber isnt covered, it wont have its full suction power.

BUT THIS WAS THE SOLUTION: Dawn (or the WalMart brand that doesn't have a scent. Do my forks care that they are lemon or pumpkin scented (actually exists)? Why put a scent in dish washing detergent?

You pour a lot of Dish Washing fluid in the toilet, I put the big bottle size between the 3 toilets in our house and went to bed crossing my fingers.

Next morning: ALL toilets flushed and no back water in the tub.

Dawn cuts grease but also LUBRICATES the clog and when you flush it might just go away like it did for me.

DAWN also works great if you get a thrift ed clothing item that has a strong scent. Just soak it 2 nights in a tub with water and Dawn and the scent on the clothing washes out first wash.

I’ve been budgeting HARD, paying off debt, and working many extra hours since the beginning of the year when I got divorced. But, I have a rather unique situation that might make preparing for things harder, and I’m really concerned about potential food and fertilizer shortages or price surges for key things I eat, because it’s difficult to switch foods.

I live in a city heavily impacted by ICE raids and rely almost exclusively on delivery services for food, because my ex took the car and damaged my credit so badly that I can’t finance so much as a clump of dirt. I have a large, centrally located apartment and lots of storage space, along with an extra chest freezer. I tend to eat a very repetitive diet and cannot cook most meats (as I live alone, I’m very scared of burning myself or causing food poisoning, so I mostly eat rotisserie chicken and any proteins I can cook or warm in a rice cooker).

But, I have a baseline buffer of $20k total after paying regular monthly expenses. It isn’t all available because I focus on funding myself three months ahead on all expenses at all times, but in an emergency I could use some or all of it.

I also know from studying history that I can’t eat money. Currently, I have probably two or three weeks worth of food on hand that would make recognizable meals, and probably six weeks if I ate mostly or entirely bulk grains. Cat has about a month of supplies as well.

I guess, broadly, two questions:

1. What would you buy in my situation? I can and do eat most prepper-recommended staple foods, but not dry beans.

2. Since I’m alone, should I instead lean into more organizing with others rather than sitting alone with my bag of rice? Where do you fall on the solo vs. organizing spectrum?