New Year Preparedness Goals

In breaking down your preparedness goal you first need to determine exactly what you want to accomplish. If you plan to set aside a little money each week or month to go towards your family's preparedness, you will be surprised what you can afford.

To start, you could plan a budget for buying emergency supplies that deal with water. A reliable water storage system like the 55 gallon barrel and a 25 gallon boxed water kit is essential. Water is the first item we recommend to store because it is the most crucial item to have available during an emergency. It is recommended to have both portable and stationary water sources. You could also plan out a budget to buy a really good portable water filter or other unit to help purify water. There are also different types of prepackaged water you can purchase, such as water in pouches or foil-lined cardboard “juice boxes” filled with water. These small containers are excellent for small children and babies.


Another step to reach your preparedness goal is to set up a schedule of certain things you want to buy each month. Maybe you want to be prepared by having Emergency Kits for everyone in your family. Perhaps you want a total preparedness package consisting of emergency kits and a year's supply of food storage for each member of your family.


One month you could buy emergency preparedness items that deal with warmth, such as emergency blankets, sleeping bags, hand and body warmers, and wool blankets. Another month you could focus on purchasing items that deal with emergency lighting, such as 100 Hour Candles, propane lamps, light sticks, matches, or a flashlight. This may seem like a lot of items to buy, but purchasing them in stages will help ease the stress on your pocketbook.


The next step you need to think about is setting a goal to save enough money to buy food storage. You can accomplish this by setting aside a weekly amount, and then at the end of the month, buy food storage with that money. A good goal is to have on hand at least three months of items you normally eat. Then add items called the basics that are the foundation of your food storage and follow up with other dehydrated and freeze-dried #10 canned items to complete your food storage. Remember, normal canned vegetables and fruits come in smaller cans, have a shorter shelf life and can only stack so high. They are also packed with excess water. Freeze-dried or dehydrated #10 cans of food are a lot more compact in a smaller area and can store up to 30 years compared to the 1 to 2 year shelf life of store bought canned food.

Another New Year’s goal could be to encourage your neighbors and family members to start preparing as you are. Maybe this year you can decide to give gifts of preparedness to help your family members and loved ones get prepared.

When you are planning your New Year's resolutions, think about setting a goal of food storage and preparing for emergencies. If you make a plan and a budget, it will be easier to get the things that you need without added stress and worry. Now is a great time to get prepared, and remember, you can do it!