Some people have probably been in a dollar store many times and never realized that a dollar store is a great resource for many survival items and the best thing is that everything is a dollar. when I finally decided to make a list of things that would make great prepper items I was surprized at how many things on my list were on the shelves at my local dollar store.
I put $100 in my pocket before I headed out to the dollar store thinking that I would have quite a bit of change when I was done. This was NOT the case.
When the wife and I were done we had between us 4 carts full. I guess the catagory with the most items were medicines and hygiene. toothbrushes, tooth paste, soap, deoderant, tooth pickes, several of those long lighters for starting BBQ pits or getting the kindling started in your wood burning stove.
When we had made several trips down each isle we literally had 4 carts full over the top. Every item we chose were more than just one of anything. We are lucky to have enough room for everything and you have to forget about getting name brand things.
Batteries, matches, small to medium sized plastic containers with removable lids, aspirin, vitamins, tooth brushes/paste, eye wash or any of the hundreds of items may come in handy when you least expect it.
I did spend more than the hundred dollars I stashed away in my pocket and I think it was well worth the 4 carts we had and I learned to NOT be in a hurry and to honestly evaluate each item for it's potential to be a valuable item.
It was well worth the trip and instead of buying all these things at wally-mart, we shopped at a dollar store and saved big time buying the off brands. Our dollar was well spent. Credit goes to the wife for keeping a leash on me and keeping me at 25mph instead of 100mph where I could notice many items I would have missed.
All in all it was a good idea to decide to at least go give it a look. The 4 carts full of potentially great items cost us $139. I even put together a mechanics emergency go bag with tools to fix most minor things including epoxy, electrical tape, bag-o-rags and some dry soap (hand cleaner) for when you don't have water to spare. everyones needs are different but if you give yourself a chance to walk through a dollar store take note of the things you may find useful in just the first 5 minutes of looking. I bet you'll spend more time in a serious search.
Bringing this to your attention is an attempt to help anyone with options to stock up on useful items you may not have thought of and to save some money wherever money can be saved.
Happy shopping preppers. I hope at least one person finds this helpful.......God Bless.
Some of the following information was resourced from:
Copyright © 2017 - Survival at Home - Read more at: http://survivalathome.com/dollar-store-preps
Fire Starters It’s always good to have multiple options for starting fires. Matches can be found in large and small packs. I would recommend trying to find strike anywhere matches – you won’t have to worry about the striking surface because the phosphorous is in the match head. If you get matches, you can wrap the stick with a couple of layers of toilet paper, and dip them (one end at a time) in melted paraffin wax. When you’re ready to light, you pop the wax off the match head and fray the toilet paper a little so when you light it, you’ve in essence got yourself a long-burning fire starter that will hold its flame for a long time.
You can also pick up a pack of lighters. The thing to remember about these cheap-o lighters is that if you push down the little button, the fuel inside will come out whether you’re trying to light it or not. It could be dangerous if you’re already near flame, but just as important, if you’re in a SHTF scenario, you won’t have any fluid in your lighter. If you’re putting a lighter in your bug-out bag, tie a little cordage around the top of the lighter so the button can’t be pressed down.
Note: If you carry a lighter and it runs out of fluid, keep it! You can still get a spark from the flint. If you’re in a survival situation, pop the metal shield off of the lighter and you get direct access to the spark. This can come in handy if you have a fire starter straw that can catch a spark and ignite.
Be sure to keep matches and lighters in water-tight containers.
Medicines Let’s face it, even in the best of situations, people get headaches, sore throats and have allergic reactions to one thing or another. Put yourself in a SHTF situation and the issue could become dire – especially if you don’t have food or water readily available. A bad reaction to a bee sting, ant bite, or poison ivy could really make life miserable… well, more miserable, considering you’re already potentially in a state of emergency. Ibuprofen, aspirin and allergy medicine should all be kept on hand. If you can find these at the dollar store in the little individual packages are a bonus! If not, you can always put a couple in a straw and seal the ends (kind of like I did with the fire starter straws). These can be added to even the smallest survival kit.
First Aid Supplies
Hygiene Supplies
Like first aid supplies, hygiene supplies are a necessity. Being in an emergency situation is no reason to not be clean. Also, being clean will ultimately cut down on the amount of first aid you may need. Soap and shampoo are a good start. You can get the travel sizes for your bug-out bag – just be sure to put them in a waterproof toiletry bag to keep them from leaking all over everything in your pack. A toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash help, too. A tooth ache can be crippling if infection sets-in! The floss can also double as fishing line, sewing thread to repair ripped clothing and bags, or even sutures in a pinch! Hand sanitizer is a great item to keep in your bug-out bag. Not only will it help you stay clean and potentially keep you from getting sick, but the alcohol content makes it flammable. Use hand sanitizer to help start fires in emergency situations.
Lighting One main source of lighting at night is your campfire, but if you’re inside, you can’t take the campfire with you. Indoors you’ll need flashlights and candles – both of which you can get at the dollar store. (Don’t forget the batteries for the flashlights!) You can also shave off tiny bits of wax from your candle to help start your fire if you’re making fire without matches or a lighter. You may even find some glow-sticks at the dollar store. While they may not be top-of-the-line light sources, they’ll do for a quick way to light your tent or hang in a tree near your camp in case you have to wander-off for a midnight nature call.
Visit your local dollar store and see what you may be able to save.
I put $100 in my pocket before I headed out to the dollar store thinking that I would have quite a bit of change when I was done. This was NOT the case.
When the wife and I were done we had between us 4 carts full. I guess the catagory with the most items were medicines and hygiene. toothbrushes, tooth paste, soap, deoderant, tooth pickes, several of those long lighters for starting BBQ pits or getting the kindling started in your wood burning stove.
When we had made several trips down each isle we literally had 4 carts full over the top. Every item we chose were more than just one of anything. We are lucky to have enough room for everything and you have to forget about getting name brand things.
Batteries, matches, small to medium sized plastic containers with removable lids, aspirin, vitamins, tooth brushes/paste, eye wash or any of the hundreds of items may come in handy when you least expect it.
I did spend more than the hundred dollars I stashed away in my pocket and I think it was well worth the 4 carts we had and I learned to NOT be in a hurry and to honestly evaluate each item for it's potential to be a valuable item.
It was well worth the trip and instead of buying all these things at wally-mart, we shopped at a dollar store and saved big time buying the off brands. Our dollar was well spent. Credit goes to the wife for keeping a leash on me and keeping me at 25mph instead of 100mph where I could notice many items I would have missed.
All in all it was a good idea to decide to at least go give it a look. The 4 carts full of potentially great items cost us $139. I even put together a mechanics emergency go bag with tools to fix most minor things including epoxy, electrical tape, bag-o-rags and some dry soap (hand cleaner) for when you don't have water to spare. everyones needs are different but if you give yourself a chance to walk through a dollar store take note of the things you may find useful in just the first 5 minutes of looking. I bet you'll spend more time in a serious search.
Bringing this to your attention is an attempt to help anyone with options to stock up on useful items you may not have thought of and to save some money wherever money can be saved.
Happy shopping preppers. I hope at least one person finds this helpful.......God Bless.
Some of the following information was resourced from:
Copyright © 2017 - Survival at Home - Read more at: http://survivalathome.com/dollar-store-preps
Fire Starters It’s always good to have multiple options for starting fires. Matches can be found in large and small packs. I would recommend trying to find strike anywhere matches – you won’t have to worry about the striking surface because the phosphorous is in the match head. If you get matches, you can wrap the stick with a couple of layers of toilet paper, and dip them (one end at a time) in melted paraffin wax. When you’re ready to light, you pop the wax off the match head and fray the toilet paper a little so when you light it, you’ve in essence got yourself a long-burning fire starter that will hold its flame for a long time.
You can also pick up a pack of lighters. The thing to remember about these cheap-o lighters is that if you push down the little button, the fuel inside will come out whether you’re trying to light it or not. It could be dangerous if you’re already near flame, but just as important, if you’re in a SHTF scenario, you won’t have any fluid in your lighter. If you’re putting a lighter in your bug-out bag, tie a little cordage around the top of the lighter so the button can’t be pressed down.
Note: If you carry a lighter and it runs out of fluid, keep it! You can still get a spark from the flint. If you’re in a survival situation, pop the metal shield off of the lighter and you get direct access to the spark. This can come in handy if you have a fire starter straw that can catch a spark and ignite.
Be sure to keep matches and lighters in water-tight containers.
Medicines Let’s face it, even in the best of situations, people get headaches, sore throats and have allergic reactions to one thing or another. Put yourself in a SHTF situation and the issue could become dire – especially if you don’t have food or water readily available. A bad reaction to a bee sting, ant bite, or poison ivy could really make life miserable… well, more miserable, considering you’re already potentially in a state of emergency. Ibuprofen, aspirin and allergy medicine should all be kept on hand. If you can find these at the dollar store in the little individual packages are a bonus! If not, you can always put a couple in a straw and seal the ends (kind of like I did with the fire starter straws). These can be added to even the smallest survival kit.
First Aid Supplies
Hygiene Supplies
Like first aid supplies, hygiene supplies are a necessity. Being in an emergency situation is no reason to not be clean. Also, being clean will ultimately cut down on the amount of first aid you may need. Soap and shampoo are a good start. You can get the travel sizes for your bug-out bag – just be sure to put them in a waterproof toiletry bag to keep them from leaking all over everything in your pack. A toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash help, too. A tooth ache can be crippling if infection sets-in! The floss can also double as fishing line, sewing thread to repair ripped clothing and bags, or even sutures in a pinch! Hand sanitizer is a great item to keep in your bug-out bag. Not only will it help you stay clean and potentially keep you from getting sick, but the alcohol content makes it flammable. Use hand sanitizer to help start fires in emergency situations.
Lighting One main source of lighting at night is your campfire, but if you’re inside, you can’t take the campfire with you. Indoors you’ll need flashlights and candles – both of which you can get at the dollar store. (Don’t forget the batteries for the flashlights!) You can also shave off tiny bits of wax from your candle to help start your fire if you’re making fire without matches or a lighter. You may even find some glow-sticks at the dollar store. While they may not be top-of-the-line light sources, they’ll do for a quick way to light your tent or hang in a tree near your camp in case you have to wander-off for a midnight nature call.
Visit your local dollar store and see what you may be able to save.
