Dilemma (y'all decide)

[Maverick]

People face these kinds of situations all the time when prepping for various reasons.

Figured I'll post what I am contemplating since the Wife limited our budget this month (familiar theme for many) due to vet month next month. I'll let y'all decide my fate

Since we are spending more and more time at the Wife's house here in town (not too awfully far from the property) bear in mind this house is fully stocked for 30 days kindly a mini-me of the provisions on the property.

So, do I 1) purchase another 55 gallon water storage barrel for the house in town or 2) put together 2 fully stocked with 3 day provisions GHB/BOB?

Our INCHbag stayes on the property, I have a Heavy/GHB that stays in the truck though the truck generally stays on the property unless I go in the back country or pulling a trailer.

One could never have too much water for longer bugging in but for what ever reason we need to evac to the property by foot 22 mile trek with a little less then half way being in rugged country if we need to stay off the roads, certainly couldn't do it in one day if off road.

 

[psalm 7]

Buy a barrel for town or even be willing to give one up from the property and bring it to town or since this is not a permanate SHTF location get one of the bath tub storage bladders and fill it when needed having bottled water onhand also .

 

[TheShadowKnows]

It sounds to me like the majority of your preps are focused on the property, so I would vote for the bag setup because all that food, water, security, and wherever else you've got at the property won't do you a lick of good if you can't reach that property when the time comes. Why spend money on supplies for the townhouse when you have already invested so much in the bug out location? I would continue to focus on the BoL and make sure you can safely reach it. Just my two cents.

 

[Brent S]

I figure you will work it out yourself, but I'm a lot like you as far as liking to hear other views before making my final decision on most things. Sometimes others see things from a different perspective.

 

[Silent Earth]

Hells bells are you Americans made of money? Buy this, Buy That whats wrong with going to places like fast food joints, farm store suppliers, boat yards, going online to places like Craigslist or Gumtree and find people GIVING water or food grade containers away. I have six 25 liter water containers and I did not pay for any.

Oh and go for the bags they will serve at both locations and everywhere inbetween, Isnt Washington state one of the WETTEST places in CONUS? surely you could tap into the rain water gutter pipe for extra supplies?.

 

[Brent S]

Hells bells are you Americans made of money? Buy this, Buy That whats wrong with going to places like fast food joints, farm store suppliers, boat yards, going online to places like Craigslist or Gumtree and find people GIVING water or food grade containers away. I have six 25 liter water containers and I did not pay for any.

Oh and go for the bags they will serve at both locations and everywhere inbetween, Isnt Washington state one of the WETTEST places in CONUS? surely you could tap into the rain water gutter pipe for extra supplies?.

I agree, you can prep on a budget with a little looking around. I bought two used 30 gal barrels with lids for my winemaking, and am still a little worried about what was in them before. Even though the guy told me it was baking soda, who knows what was really in it. Sometimes new may be healthier for you.
I do agree that the bags serve more situations, a good portable filter is a smart idea in them. Those straws are nice, but don't last long, I prefer the ceramic filters. With the filter you have plenty of water on the go.

 

[Silent Earth]

Very often fast food joints and hotels throw out 5 gallon and 10 gallon food grade containers that had stuff like Jam, Sugar, Flour, Salt, Concentrated fruit juice, etc, Some car washes and cleaning companies use large containers of distilled water and their containers are food grade as well.

If I lived in your fair land of plenty I would try to keep hold of my money if I could by recycling and salvaging stuff and of course reloading my own ammo.

 

[Brent S]

Very often fast food joints and hotels throw out 5 gallon and 10 gallon food grade containers that had stuff like Jam, Sugar, Flour, Salt, Concentrated fruit juice, etc, Some car washes and cleaning companies use large containers of distilled water and their containers are food grade as well.

If I lived in your fair land of plenty I would try to keep hold of my money if I could by recycling and salvaging stuff and of course reloading my own ammo.

I'm still waiting to make all that money, but I agree that we throw out way more than we should. I looked into the ammo reloading, but it really is cheaper to just buy it. I am still torn by the self reliant part though.
You're so right though, to survive, and thrive, your resourcefulness is way more valuable than money.
One note on plastic containers. At least here in the states, there are numbers stamped/moulded into them. A #1 is the best food grade, meaning safe, and the higher the number is less safe. I've read that you do not use anything higher than a three for food or water. I've read that you can line the less desirable buckets with a Mylar bag, but why risk it.

 

[Silent Earth]

I agree bulk buying good quality ammo is good practice when its on offer, my old mate John in KS who I considered a GOD in survivalism kept 5000 rounds of 223, 10,000 rounds of 22LR and something called 30-06 for his favourite guns and I don't think he knew how much of that was lying around.
BUT right next to a huge freezer where he kept about 200 tins of Dr Pepper he had a bench with reloading gear. Living in SW KS he said it would be insane to rely on WallyMart getting deliveries of ammo in a crisis, his guns would be nice ornaments if he could not get ammo so he used to reload a good deal especially his pistol ammo.

John also had some black powder 6 shot revolvers and a rifle as backup if cased ammo was no longer available.

Yeah we have grades for food grade containers as well, it makes looking for suitable caching containers that bit easier

 

[lonewolf]

I got a load of food grade buckets and lids from a bakery, food mixes are delivered in it, it gets used and the empty bucket is not reused but put out on the pavement for anyone to take.

 

[Maverick]

Yes Washington is one of the wettest but doesn't always rain, we have gone a month without rain sometimes 6 weeks. Figuring it out on my own wasn't the point though
Not every situation requires a evac such as earthquakes/grid down, this is were the extra water would come in handy but if there is ever a case were we need to bug out then having the bags specifically to get us to the property would be beneficial. I have my heavy GHB with me but this bag is specifically setup from starting out in rough terrain (why I generally keep it in the truck) when I'm in the back country, I wanted to get everyone else thoughts and takes if faced with a similar delemma

 

[Silent Earth]

What about getting an inflatable water bladder? that way you can always empty it and take it with you back to your place if you have to leave hers?

Is their a maritime or riverine route you can take between the two houses?

 

[Maverick]

What about getting an inflatable water bladder? that way you can always empty it and take it with you back to your place if you have to leave hers?

Is their a maritime or riverine route you can take between the two houses?

I do have the water bladder though I'm thinking in line of proactive and not reactive such as the case with the bladder, we have have a river 2 lakes and numerous creeks between locations that can be pooled from if I need to evac by foot. I see it as being more likely of hunkering down on a short term bases then that of lasting longer then 30 days but because of the uncertainty bugging out is also a possibility.

I'm comfortable going either way from my original post, I wanted to see what the consensus is as Brent S alluded to above "hear other views" on this subject given this dilemma is something many face and it might be helpful to someone struggling with 'what do I do and get first'

whatever the consensus is here is what I will do