Getting all you need for survival for $100 for the home

[AirborneEagles]

Having all the basics for survival in the home for under $100.

Some just don't have the funding to get all the goodies most others are getting for survival, so I drew up a small list of things they can get that over time (month or two) they can start with and work up from there.

Food: 50 pound bag of rice (even smaller bags of rice). Buying in bulk saves a lot of money. You can get a lot of meals out of 50 pounds of rice. Even 25 pounds will last a long time. It will keep you alive and fill your stomach. Store the bags in a sealed 5 gallon bucket to keep any bugs out and keep it lasting longer. 5 gallon buckets are $3.00 bucks each. Add a few basil leaves for keeping it dry inside the buckets. (Some areas sell these cheaper than other areas, so just buy what you can at the cheapest price.)

50 pounds of red beans. (high in protein and healthy, can be mixed with rice.) Stored in a sealed 5 gallon sealed buckets. Add basil leaves to keep it dry.

Bag of sea salt and black pepper. (For seasoning and for keeping salt in your diet, also for cooking).

Assorted spices at the dollar store. For flavoring.

Water filter: Some sell as cheap at $15 dollars. You can shop around, maybe find some on Ebay for cheaper.

Some P-51 can openers (found at army navy stores or ask around for who has them) or just a dollar store can opener that is not electric to have on hand.

Candles: Can be used for light and for cooking. A small pot or pan will cook on a candle. Find some rocks or bricks laying around and make a small stove. The dollar store has 4 inch candles (if they don't other places will) for a buck or two for a box.

Plastic bags: Just a nice sized box of garbage bags (construction) for all sorts of purposes. $4.00 bucks.

Keep your glass bottles (about a dozen stored) to be used as gathering water from places outside the home if need be. If you have a larger water bucket or clean 5 gallon bucket on hand, that would work too.

Solar blankets for each person in the family. (In case the heat goes out and its winter till other forms or heat are improvised). $3.00 each. If you have enough winter clothing, then you may not want solar blankets.

A few dollar store flash lights and dollar store batteries for the flash lights. A few bucks gives you some light for the night time.

That is all you will need to at least have a bite to eat and have clean water. (The more expensive water filters can also be purchased later when money is there, if not then you work with what you have on hand.) You can also make your own water filters for just a few dollars. Remember also using sand (not contaminated sand that has oil or garbage in it) can also be used in a plastic bag to filter water like nature does. Just put sand in, dump water on top and poke a tiny hole at bottom and catch the water as it comes out the bottom of the bag. Simple water filter for emergency purposes. If you worry about bacteria, boiling the water for 10 minutes kills all the germs in the water. Then just add rice and beans and you have a meal.

Then you can keep adding as the money comes in over time. A little here and there and you have all that you need to survive including any other little things you find in yard sales, flea markets or second hand stores for cheap.

Now if you add up these things, some you may have in your home, other things you will have to purchase so giving and taking in consideration you can buy a lot of the rice and beans, candles and other assortments for around $100 dollars. Still for a 100 bucks you can get a lot unless you live in a very high priced area and then its time to order from online to get it cheaper in some cases. Call around and shop around, you can find good deals in all areas.

It doesn't take a whole lot to just have a few things on hand to keep you alive for months at a time, but it does require you having it on hand in order for you to use it.

If anyone has other ideas, please add them since every bit helps those who just don't have the bucks to buy everything with. Any other ideas surely will give them that variety to choose from that fits their budget.

[Rick]

The 5 gallon buckets (or 2.5 gallon) can be picked up for free at many bakeries. Even stores like Kroger bakeries. They use them for icing for the their cakes then discard when empty.

You don't need a water filter. Just boil the water. You can strain it through cloth if it contains organic matter. And you don't need to boil for 10 minutes. Bringing it to a boil is sufficient to kill common pathogens.

I picked up a kerosene lamp yesterday from Goodwill for 3.99 so better lighting is out there if you look for it.

Don't forget being able to manage human waste. If you have an electric water well then you might not have water if the power goes out. You can line the toilet with a garbage bag for solid waste. If hauling water is plentiful you can still use the toilet by hand filling the tank.

You need about 1 gallon of water per person per day. 1/2 gallon for drinking and 1/2 gallon for hygiene and cooking. Of course, more is better.

[hunter63]

A cheapo toilet seat, 5 gal bucket, bag/bucket of sawdust/peat moss, ceder bedding, and a place to dump it (hole, designated compost bin), will work as a efective way to handle "waste".
To start with, and if you not gonna use it right away, just a cheapo toilet seat to add to the stash, any bucket would work.

I have used one at "The Place" for a long time, prior to "Indoor plumbing". Free info:

http://weblife.org/humanure/

[LowKey]

Everybody has a plan or advice on how to survive on this or that for money.
Not dissing the post. It's always better to have something than nothing and even a little preparation can go a long way.

But a lot can be had for a bargain, as Rick pointed out.
The proper way to go about getting stuff is to actually sit down and come up with a plan for what you need. If you really don't know, don't wait for a survival situation to find out. It's very easy to throw the main breaker to your house for several days and find out what happens, what you absolutely can't live without, what you might not need.
You might want to be sure your freezer and fridge are near empty before doing this and if you do it in winter, make sure your pipes don't freeze.

Once you have an idea, come up with a budget. Don't try to get it all at once. Start with the essentials and work backward. Sure 50lbs of rice and a case of beans will fill your belly. But maybe you want to throw in a case of canned carrots and/or green leafies to get your essential vitamins. They aren't that great an expense and warehouse stores like BJs or Sams makes case quantities a little cheaper than the grocery

It all depends on what you are planning for. A few days without power? A week? A month? A year? TEOTW? Each scenario requires a different set of priorities but builds on the same set of basics.

[kyratshooter]

The oriental people found out many milinia ago that rice is a pretty bland diet all by itself. That is why most oriental food is very spicey, and why fried rice has chips of veggies and such in it.

In western culture bread was the staple. Not the light-weight bread we use for sandwiches, but heavy, coarse breads that would fill you up with carbs and keep you going. Gravies, stews and sauces were what spiced up that bland diet.

My preps include a case each of canned carrots, green beans, green peas, corn and mixed cans to break the monotony. For a single man like me just that 100 cans would keep me alive for 3 months. Mix it up with a 5 gallon bucket of oats, dried beans, potato flakes and (my favorite) grits and i am good for a year for about $75.

I also keep a couple of large bottles of multivitimins to round out the health part of things.

One thing many forget is oil. Fats and oil add flavor and make cooking easier. In addition, you can get olive oil in large rectangular metal tins. They make a dandy oversized hobo stove for cooking and heating.

You come here to advocate cheap survival goodies and you'll find yourself preaching to the chior!

[Rick]

I...uh...didn't see any mention of vittles for that neighbor lady. If she's good enough to bring forth lacy stuff...you know...for the windows (wink) the least you can do is feed her when the SHTF.

[BENESSE]

I...uh...didn't see any mention of vittles for that neighbor lady. If she's good enough to bring forth lacy stuff...you know...for the windows (wink) the least you can do is feed her when the SHTF.

Kyrat said she was married...therefore someone else's problem. But an extra glass of firewater won't hurt.

[BENESSE]

Probably a dumb question about storing large quantities of dry rice and beans:
Don't they take a long of time to cook? (30-40 min. last time I did it) And if you're using any kind of a fuel type small stove aren't you gonna use up a lot of it on a meal?
I know it's more expensive, but for that very reason I'm storing boil-in bags of minute rice and canned beans.

[crashdive123]

B - I know it's not an option for where you live, but cooking with a wood fire in my little chiminea is kind of simple and fun. If that's not an option, there's 15 or so camp stoves laying around.

[BENESSE]

Crash, I only wish I had a fireplace. That would solve a lot of food prep challenges here in a highrise apt.
As it is, I have to consider what I can safely use indoors if there's no electricity or gas (I have a gas range).
So far, I got several options for bugging out: Esbit Pocket Stove, JetBoil Cooking System & MSR Pocket Rocket; I think I could use the last two indoors with lots of ventilation but not for extended cooking. This is why I'm more inclined to store cans, jars & freeze dried food.
Of course I'm always looking for new and improved solutions--like moving to Wyoming.

[crashdive123]

B - does your apartment have a boiler and use hot water radiators for heat? If so, you can at least heat your canned food on your radiators or some cooking by wrapping it in foil first.

[kyratshooter]

Rice only takes a quick boil and 20 minutes soak time. Oatmeal is about the same.

Beans do take a while, but you can soak them overnight and cut the cook time considerably. Here in KY you can pick up enough sticks in the yard to cook up a pot in an afternoon. In cold weather you can cook them on the wood stove. There is also the gas grill, and the stove in the camper, they both use propane. I have 5 tanks so I am good for cooking for several months.

Even in an apartment a habachi and charcoal will do a lot of cooking on the porch or balcony.

One nice thing about most canned goods is that they only require a quick warm up. A tea candle in a tuna can with holes punched all around will serve that purpose.

[Winnie]

Probably a dumb question about storing large quantities of dry rice and beans:
Don't they take a long of time to cook? (30-40 min. last time I did it) And if you're using any kind of a fuel type small stove aren't you gonna use up a lot of it on a meal?
I know it's more expensive, but for that very reason I'm storing boil-in bags of minute rice and canned beans.

Bee, two words. Pressure Cooker.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ressure+cooker
Mac uses one all the time, I use mine a lot too. cuts cooking time down a lot.

There's loads of recipes and info out there, I know Mac gave some instructions on how he cooks too, but I can't find it!

[Rick]

Post 44...

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...070#post139070

[Winnie]

Post 44...

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...070#post139070

That's the one! I couldn't find it for looking!!

[Batch]

Bee, two words. Pressure Cooker.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ressure+cooker
Mac uses one all the time, I use mine a lot too. cuts cooking time down a lot.

There's loads of recipes and info out there, I know Mac gave some instructions on how he cooks too, but I can't find it!

In response to Benesse's fuel concerns. What would be available?

Could you use a pressure cooker if the gas and electricity is out? What about the radiator? Is it going to work?

A small grill gives you options but in a city like New York how quickly are the resources going to used up?

I would think you would cook extra portions and either reheat or or eat it cold. To extend your fuel could you use fuel to boil and then use a solar reflector to simmer and reheat.

I know working on the road we would just put lunch on the dash to reheat it.

[Winnie]

Yes you can use a pressure cooker if the mains gas/ electricity is out. I use my camping gas cooker with my pressure cooker because I have a ceramic hob and that won't hold the cooker at pressure because of it's design.
I can cook a stew from scratch in 25 mins. Dry beans in about 30 mins depending on the size rice takes about 10 mins. Soup from scratch takes about 10 mins.
Depending on what type of fuel cooker you have available will dictate your cooking technique. If you only have an esbit, there's no point in trying to cook in a dutch oven or pressure cooker. If you only have a gas cooker, well a pressure cooker becomes more realisic. If you only have a barbecue what about open coal cooking or dutch oven. It's horses for courses. I completely understand Bee's concerns. Her situation is pretty unique, and fuel sources other than the regular utilities are pretty limited. Anything that will reduce fuel consumption whilst still providing a tasty nutritious meal is worth a looksee surely.

[Rick]

B - I would suggest a solar cooker for your environment. You can make them on the cheap with a couple of cardboard boxes and some tin foil. Keeping some MRE/APack meals around would also be a wise precaution, I think.

[LowKey]

This is a pretty interesting article I found a while back.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/hagan59.html
Gets you going on the basics anyway.

[AirborneEagles]

Also, for a different source of cooking in the city there is another option which would require using it outside, perhaps a group effort type of cooking since you can use a burn barrel and just fill it with paper and boxes to burn, then making a lid to fit the barrel with a chimney before hand that would allow not just one family in an apartment building, but several families to take turns cooking on.

Lid made of steel, chimney attached that goes up just a few feet. Cook on the steel lid.

Or there are smaller versions, in which a group I know of had a woman from India come and show a wood gasifier stove, which used nothing except small wood chips or saw dust and a small coffee can filled with saw dust burned for 5 hours and boiled water the whole time. The coffee can had a small 1 inch hole cut in the lower side of the can to place a 1 inch pipe into that was about 6 inches long to act as the flew to draw air into and up through the can. Then the can was filled with saw dust or small wood chips and then a 2 inch pipe was twisted down through the middle of the saw dust in the can to make a 2 inch hole all the way to the air intake pipe sticking inside the bottom of the can. The bottom pipe stays as it is needed for airflow, the 2 inch pipe was taken back out leaving a 2 inch hole through the middle of the saw dust all the way to the bottom of the coffee can. Now there is a 2 inch open hole all the way to the bottom of the coffee can and the fire is started at the bottom using just a drop or two of rubbing alcohol and a match to start the fire from the bottom that will slowly burn its way to the top. Now, after a minute or two it is ready to have a small grate put over the top of the coffee can (or just use two metal rods in which the cooking pot will be placed on). It will burn for several hours just smoldering with the saw dust and will boil water in a gallon steel bucket. Even a 5 gallon steel bucket was used and it did boil the water in that even after about 15-20 minutes. Pretty easy to build, an old paint can will work or any small steel can will work. Just add some 1 inch pipe and use even a stick to make the hole in the saw dust and that is all that is required (perhaps adding some fire starter like rubbing alcohol since it is cheap).

The other handy cook/heat stove is called a rocket stove. The stove uses small chips or wood or small sticks (tree branches, even leaves) to burn at high efficiency and you can put a vented grate over the top of the strengthened chimney to cook on from the hot wood gas. Or modify it so you can cook on top as the above mentioned burn barrel (55 gallon steel barrel) and have an area on the rocker stove to cook on. I have built both the rocket stove and the wood gasifier. (Wood gas to run my generator on.)

There is the other option if you live out in the country of using methane gas from bio waste (waste food and poop) to create usable gas to burn in any propane stove. A friend built a nice sized one and we tested it out with a propane stove and it worked great, no stink from the flame either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGSl72xZHNk

Now most of what I talked about is also found here. Those who work at ARTI have been to Montana to demonstrate and help build all of these units, which I went to several of the meetings where Nundu and his daughter talked about all of the above including growing plants and using sugar mixed with water as fertilizer.
http://www.bioenergylists.org/taxonomy/term/100?page=3

A different version (perm fitted in home).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdoZVDSggYs

Anyway, a variety of choices to choose from. What ever fits the area you live in, but usually those who live in the country who have wood stoves will cook on a wood stove, but if you don't have a wood stove, at least there are other things that work.

Maybe someone will find a use for some of these ideas. I for one like to have a few backups in case a crowd shows up at my house and I need to cook more meals.