how would you spend $5,000??

[sotarcat126]

Hey everyone, here is a somewhat theoretical question to you however i have plans along this line soon.
If you had $5000 to spend towards prepping how would you spend it?? lets say your already moderately prepped, several weapons and ammo bug out bags good for a week source of water sans power. I am considering taking money from investments and thinking silver, if things go south i dont expect to see any of it so the idea is to turn it into usable commodities, not for profit investment. However being relatively new to the prepper mindset i think i need to consider additional options. Thanks and looking forward to your comments

 

[Gazrok]

If you already have water and ammo covered, then more food (more than a week) would be priority 1. However, get canned goods and home-canned ones, don't blow it all on high-end prepper food.

Other concern is power, even some small solar-powered options and a generator (that works with diesel) is good. (diesel has SEVERAL options for fuel source, so much more prepper friendly).

This is all considering your location is already at least a little off the beaten path.

Another thing to invest in: potential trade goods. Cigarettes for example, or other items you may not use, that others will demand.

Information. Like a solar powered Kindle loaded with survival books, etc.

Night-vision tech. At night, those with it rule the battle. Simple as that. Can't tell you how much this makes a difference (especially if the grid is out). The world will be a DARK place after sundown.

 

[Trapper]

One thing rarely discussed here is financial prepping. Part of the things we need to prep for is finances. If you living on a shoe string budget with a high debt ratio the first thing you need to do is make some changes financially. If you have 5K pay down debt. Work on putting away things slowly. It does not matter how many beans, bullets and bandages you have if you don't have a roof over your head. I realize this does not directly answer your question but I am sure this thread will get several visitors and I feel what I posted had to be said.

If you can afford to put 5K into prepping I would put it into things I would use. I cant eat silver or gold. I can use or barter with lead (bullets). I don't put things away like cigarettes and such as they have a short shelf life and if they are not traded or used, what good were they?? You may sit on cartons of stale cigarettes for 10 years and never need them. A pail full of beans put away properly will out last cigarettes and you can always eat up your food storage and rotate it for fresh goods.

If your starting your preps put away the basics: food, water, security, shelter. With 5K you can make great strides in these areas most people only dream of. 5K can be gone through quickly if you buy a quality handgun and rifle and the ammo you want to put away. Before I bought night vision I would have a generator. I don't know of anyone that has night vision much less the skills to use it for fighting. To get night vision like the military uses you will have all your 5K spent with nothing more than night vision for your prepping. I would diversify my 5K and cover as many areas as possible. Buy 1K in long term food preps (NOT wise food stuff), 1K in a quality handgun & rifle w/ ammo, 1K into a sustainable water supply, 1K into making your home into a place to shelter in place in comfort (ex: generator), 1K set aside to cover run over expenses in the areas already mentioned.

If your plan is to buy 5K in silver and sit on it and use it to trade in the future to get what you need is not a prepping plan either. If you show up on my door step and want to trade silver for food
(or anything else) you would be sent on your way. It will be a long while before that silver is worth much. People don't want precious metals if their kids are slowly starving to death.

 

[Gazrok]

I don't put things away like cigarettes and such as they have a short shelf life and if they are not traded or used, what good were they?? You may sit on cartons of stale cigarettes for 10 years and never need them

Valid point. I didn't mean cases of them though, but I can see how that could be read that way, lol.

Before I bought night vision I would have a generator. I don't know of anyone that has night vision much less the skills to use it for fighting. To get night vision like the military uses you will have all your 5K spent with nothing more than night vision for your prepping.

I'm not talking military grade. Even 1st gen night vision is a game changer. When we tested this out in night paintball scenarios, it is simply no contest, even with 1st or 2nd gen nightvision, and these can start out at around $100, so not really breaking the bank.

Excellent advice on the "financial prepping" too.

 

[Roy Israely]

Night-vision tech. At night, those with it rule the battle. Simple as that. Can't tell you how much this makes a difference (especially if the grid is out). The world will be a DARK place after sundown.

How about something like this? Android Thermal Camera. Expensive for a $5k budget, but do not need electricity to run. Add a couple more batteries and you're covered for a while.. The claim is that you can detect a human target at 500m...

 

[hlrive]

If you have land I would say invest in chickens, and goats. Both will give you some food and you can trade the extra milk and eggs for other things needed later on. That along with putting away plenty of rice, beans, and Pastas. then add to that about 100 cans of canned goods. There are tons of things that I personally could use $5000 for, however each prepper is different.

 

[jimLE]

i live in a rent house..so im not only limited to what i can do with it..but i limit my self when it comes to what i will do with it as well.like anything i build,i can take it with me if i should move to my own place..

now lets say i have gotton my own place,and that im one step from moving into it.i'll walk through it just to see if i can improve on what i'm going with.like shelves cabinets and closets for storage..plus i would also walk through the rent home just to see what i can improve on while still living here.and i'll be making a list for both places at the time..and because of the transportation we have at the time..top of my list will be a pickup truck from 1987 on back.for 2 reason very few will be some where around 5000 or less.plus the truck can go cross country where the van we have now,won't...now for sake of argument.lets say i get a decent truck for 3000 or less.that means 2000 or more for other needs.i need more food and water.and ways to purify water..so that'll be at the top of my list.then solar power for recharging batteries that need charging..plus i'll be looking at hand tools and other items and think.do i really need this or not..

 

[realisticdude]

If I was "bugging out"............ a weeks worth of food is not what I would define as moderately prepped .......................... 5 grand could purchase a couple of rural "bug out " acres for you city dwellers.

 

[Gazrok]

How about something like this? Android Thermal Camera. Expensive for a $5k budget, but do not need electricity to run. Add a couple more batteries and you're covered for a while.. The claim is that you can detect a human target at 500m.

Pretty cool, but for that price ($4K), shouldn't need a cell phone to operate, should be self-contained. Not to mention you'd need to keep the phone charged up too.

Personally, we're just going with some Gen 2 night vision. Cheap enough to be attainable, but good enough to be functional. A post SHTF world is going to be very dark come nightfall.

 

[bruceb]

one thing that a lot of my friends are unprepped for is medication. We can stock up on ammo and food at will but the 'system' in place keeps us from stockpiling meds. I'll probably still have high blood pressure when the SHF so I'll most certainly still need my meds after my local CVS gets looted. Also, since we're all going to be well armed (bad guys included), it stands to chance that some of us are going to get knifed or shot at some point. That invariably means the need for antibiotics and I'm not part of the Fishmox school of thought. There needs to be more thought given to stocking meds, by import if necessary.

 

[jimLE]

bruceb..i have a app's program on my nook,and it's about herbs only..i've come across a couple of herbs that'll cut down on arthritis pain.and it seems like i seen 1 or 2 about high blood pressure..so you might want to look into that..and i'll have another look at the different herbs app to see if im correct about that or not..

 

[bruceb]

interested

 

[Gazrok]

thing that a lot of my friends are unprepped for is medication.

That is the challenge, isn't it? Not only that, but these expire too, so it is an ongoing challenge.
So far, this is the ONE prep area I really have difficulty with (Medical). So far, plan is to stock up what we can, loot what we can, and grow as many medicinal herbs as we can.

Oddly enough, you can legally grow poppies, you just can't make opiates from them (legally)....but, post SHTF, I have no problem doing so. I'm really hoping they fully legalize marijuana here in FL soon, or preferably, just decriminalize it. Not for why you think. My wife has several of the conditions where it helps...mostly it allows her to eat without being nauseous, which is a side effect of many medications. Doesn't take much to help her digest it better...and it is a natural herb. Only reason it is illegal now is the campaigning of big tobacco back in the day. Of course now, big tobacco is now behind the push for it, as they will be the ones controlling it.

 

[jimLE]

just to point this out to ya..a doctor and/or specialist im not..so by all means look into them and ask your doctor who prescribe your blood pressure med(s) to ya..

might work.but not sure...Astragalus...chamomile..

more chance of working..garlic...ginseng....nettle..skullcap..

in the app.they suggest European mistletoe and apple bark

 

[Silent Bob]

Hey everyone, here is a somewhat theoretical question to you however i have plans along this line soon.
If you had $5000 to spend towards prepping how would you spend it?? lets say your already moderately prepped, several weapons and ammo bug out bags good for a week source of water sans power. I am considering taking money from investments and thinking silver, if things go south i dont expect to see any of it so the idea is to turn it into usable commodities, not for profit investment. However being relatively new to the prepper mindset i think i need to consider additional options. Thanks and looking forward to your comments

Can I up this request to $500,000, call me a needy person, who wants to have a stockpile and a hardened place to keep it.

 

[realisticdude]

Hard to stock antibiotics specific to every infection.................. prevent infection by supplies for cleaning / wound care .............................if you get a bad infection in a true WTSHTF scenario..................." your toast "

 

[Silent Bob]

Hard to stock antibiotics specific to every infection.................. prevent infection by supplies for cleaning / wound care .............................if you get a bad infection in a true WTSHTF scenario..................." your toast "

You are right on wound care and cleaning. Sterile field and sterile equipment/bandages with multiple changes. I would at least keep some simple general antibiotics if your family doctor will write a prescription...example: Zpak, Levoquin, or Avalox (one of the three) for Respiratory. The standard antibiotics in both oral and if you can get an injectable from your doctor...one of the "cycline" family (Doxy since it has multiple uses), and the old standard pen-vK. Also an alternative drug for Pen. resistant bacteria. But your right...if you have a bad infection in a true event, your going to really have to make the call on expending resources on a bad...infection.

I also have a good number of medical books that address amputation...I know no one wants to discuss this issue, but if your back is against the wall regarding sepsis. Their might not be another option. We will move from the advancement in medicine where because of new philosophy on tourniquet use, the decrease in time for medical evac and the advancement in relation to saving limbs that if the SHTF, we will drop back into Civil War days.

Maybe one day, I will provide the statistical information on the number of battle and non-battle injuries caused by poor sanitation, treatment and post treatment protocols of the civil war. More Americans lost their lives in the surgery room and recuperating from injuries than were incurred on the battle field.

 

[renaissanceman]

Regarding the high blood pressure, both cholesterol and HBP can be completely maintained with high quality fish oil. Talk with a chiropractor. Mine recommended the ones from Energy First. They dropped my cholesterol 90 points within six months and my BP was perfect. I took nine to ten tablets a day with a meal and these will not cause you to have a higher propensity to diabetes as statins have been proven to do. I am assuming that fish oil will be a lot easier to come by than meds during a SHTF scenario.

one thing that a lot of my friends are unprepped for is medication. We can stock up on ammo and food at will but the 'system' in place keeps us from stockpiling meds. I'll probably still have high blood pressure when the SHF so I'll most certainly still need my meds after my local CVS gets looted. Also, since we're all going to be well armed (bad guys included), it stands to chance that some of us are going to get knifed or shot at some point. That invariably means the need for antibiotics and I'm not part of the Fishmox school of thought. There needs to be more thought given to stocking meds, by import if necessary.

one thing that a lot of my friends are unprepped for is medication. We can stock up on ammo and food at will but the 'system' in place keeps us from stockpiling meds. I'll probably still have high blood pressure when the SHF so I'll most certainly still need my meds after my local CVS gets looted. Also, since we're all going to be well armed (bad guys included), it stands to chance that some of us are going to get knifed or shot at some point. That invariably means the need for antibiotics and I'm not part of the Fishmox school of thought. There needs to be more thought given to stocking meds, by import if necessary.

 

[QuietH3art]

My food "preps" are pretty much taken care of in my gardening. And, I do save seeds and have a lot of them that I could easily carry with if I had to leave the area. With life straws and other filtering resources, water is fairly easily taken care of as well. I'm with all of you on the medication worries, though. I've posted before on where to get antibiotics. Amoxicillin or Penicillin and Cephalexin are good broad-spectrum antibiotics but here's one I'd consider an essential: Metronidazole aka Flagyll. This is what you take when you get giardia from drinking contaminated water. It's also very good for some female infections. The Cephalexin is good for upper respiratory and urinary tract, but you can also buy cranberry pills to help prevent UTI. Many have recommended storing vitamins. If you're going to do that, make sure it's something very high-quality like ALIVE which you can get at Wal-Mart, which is more a concentrated Super Food than just a vitamin. Texas Super Foods is another good resource. I'm sure there are many, many more. I checked out renaissanceman's Energy First Fish Oils capsules and think that's a good idea, as well. But keep in mind that many vitamins contained in supplements cannot be assimilated into the body without the addition of actual food containing that vitamin. Yes, all of these things will have expiration dates. Rotate them just like you do your food. Keep them in the dark and cool to prolong their viability. The items I have mentioned here do not suddenly become toxic when they reach their expiration date, they just become less effective but if kept dark and cool, could last much longer than their expiration date.

 

[bruceb]

I have decided to proactively stock up on all my meds by using Canada and Indian web pharmacies. I will use that Doc K list that is floating around as a starting point.

I will take care storing them in airtight containers and will rotate use them just like my stored food, water, and Glock springs. (Thank God ammo properly kept lasts so much longer....) Yes, there are exp. dates, but most research points to them lasting a lot longer.

 

[jimLE]

meds is the reason im looking into herbs..the meds will be on hand at first..but yet they'll all be gone after a certain length of time.and thats where herbs come in at..herbs for arthritis is one i've been looking into somewhat.

 

[QuietH3art]

meds is the reason im looking into herbs..the meds will be on hand at first..but yet they'll all be gone after a certain length of time.and thats where herbs come in at..herbs for arthritis is one i've been looking into somewhat.

Jim, I've found some real good eBooks on that subject. Have you downloaded the kindle app for your pc yet? If so, I'll find my kindle and give you a list of the freebies I've found.

 

[jimLE]

i aint sure to what all i have on my pc and cd yet..but i do have a app on my nook,in which i haven't finished going through yet..

 

[110035]

Hey everyone, here is a somewhat theoretical question to you however i have plans along this line soon.
If you had $5000 to spend towards prepping how would you spend it?? lets say your already moderately prepped, several weapons and ammo bug out bags good for a week source of water sans power. I am considering taking money from investments and thinking silver, if things go south i dont expect to see any of it so the idea is to turn it into usable commodities, not for profit investment. However being relatively new to the prepper mindset i think i need to consider additional options. Thanks and looking forward to your comments

Coming from a ex-military background in U.S. & Spetz SPEC OPS. I wouldn't waste my time staying in the city, town or rural area when SHTF occurs. I completely understand if you and your neighbors have a Lock-Down Plan or means of surviving the area your in. Personally you would soon find yourself knee deep in Raiders (Opportunists) rapists, murders, and even the crazy people who would do ANYTHING to get what they want.
I have spent long weeks in a fox hole moving every so often, surviving on chocolate podding powder, water and maggots, flies, and worms mixed in one.

For the five thousand dollar question:

For when the time to bug out comes.

Weapons: (optional) "However would strongly advise adding it your your kit"
1. Fairly inexpensive recurve bow and 12 arrows ($200-400) If not already owned or similar.
2. Pellet gun or .22LR hand or rifle. ($100-300) Pellet gun is nice if you know your area is still on a .22LR ammo scare.

Gear:
1. Pocket knife. ($50-100) absolutely necessary in any situation. Stay away from the cheap $20 pocket knives, they do not have quality.
2. Camouflage clothing. Military - Multicam or Digital. Civilian - Mossy Oak, etc. ($200) And don't forget extra SOCKS!!!
3. Medical. ($20-50) Obtain a cheap presorted First Aid Kit and add to it. 3x4 compress non adhesive pads and gauze are life savers! Lightweight and they compress to carry more. Expiration time is long if packed right.
4. Bag. ($20-100) depending on the bag size and type. Personally I would recommend a MOLLE 3-Day "Black or Multi-camo" Assault Pack. Usually runs around $60-100 and has MOLLE loops which allows for additional MOLLE packs to be added and you can tie on additional items to the pack.
5. Solar charged Radio or wind up. ($50).
6. Food "MRE's, Space food "lightweight", podding powder, nuts, dried meats. And do not forget water purification system. ($250).
7. Durable Footwear. "Combat PJ Boots" can be found at most Surplus websites ($150-400).
8. NVG - Night Vision Goggles. 1st. Gen ($200-500).
9. Compact/collapsible shovel. ($30-50).
10. Poncho and E-Blanket ($20).
11. Tarp. A nice 10x15 camouflage tarp can serve all types of purposes. ($20-50).

Rough Estimate Subtotal: $2500

Bug out vehicle:
1. Fuel. Depending on your current pricing. National average currently is $3.60. I currently have a F-150 with two 100gal reserve tanks in my bed and not including the two 17gal factory tanks, is about $720 in fuel.
2. If your using a bug out vehicle more FOOD is a good way to go and Don't forget the toilet paper!
3. Spare parts if you plan on using it alot. Like Oil, belts, plugs, TIRES!.




Please feel free to add or remove listed items. Everyone has their own style.

 

[Gazrok]

Never really answered what "I" personally would do.
Gen 2 night vision, three of them.
A couple of good long rifles, ammo.
Bullet-proof vests for the group.
Complete the water reserve and catchment system.
Window bars (decorative but also functional ones).

 

[Maverick]

1k on hard liquor (indefinite shelf life multiple uses plus barter), 2k on mountain house F/D 30yr, 2k on canned water 30yr

 

[carhugger_prep]

Well if I was given 5,000 dollars by someone or I earned it I would buy a AK-47/AR-15/some type of rifle (because I don't have one just a revolver), some ammo, and some needed supplies.

 

[lonewolf]

probably a nice small second hand van.

 

[doc pops]

[quotarapper, post: 48094, member: 950"]One thing rarely discussed here is financial prepping. Part of the things we need to prep for is finances. If you living on a shoe string budget with a high debt ratio the first thing you need to do is make some changes financially. If you have 5K pay down debt. Work on putting away things slowly. It does not matter how many beans, bullets and bandages you have if you don't have a roof over your head. I realize this does not directly answer your question but I am sure this thread will get several visitors and I feel what I posted had to be said.

If you can afford to put 5K into prepping I would put it into things I would use. I cant eat silver or gold. I can use or barter with lead (bullets). I don't put things away like cigarettes and such as they have a short shelf life and if they are not traded or used, what good were they?? You may sit on cartons of stale cigarettes for 10 years and never need them. A pail full of beans put away properly will out last cigarettes and you can always eat up your food storage and rotate it for fresh goods.

If your starting your preps put away the basics: food, water, security, shelter. With 5K you can make great strides in these areas most people only dream of. 5K can be gone through quickly if you buy a quality handgun and rifle and the ammo you want to put away. Before I bought night vision I would have a generator. I don't know of anyone that has night vision much less the skills to use it for fighting. To get night vision like the military uses you will have all your 5K spent with nothing more than night vision for your prepping. I would diversify my 5K and cover as many areas as possible. Buy 1K in long term food preps (NOT wise food stuff), 1K in a quality handgun & rifle w/ ammo, 1K into a sustainable water supply, 1K into making your home into a place to shelter in place in comfort (ex: generator), 1K set aside to cover run over expenses in the areas already mentioned.

If your plan is to buy 5K in silver and sit on it and use it to trade in the future to get what you need is not a prepping plan either. If you show up on my door step and want to trade silver for food
(or anything else) you would be sent on your way. It will be a long while before that silver is worth much. People don't want precious metals if their kids are slowly starving to death.[/quote]

FYI, cigarettes, cigar's can be stored for a long long time! Case in point. I bought a box of cigar's that went in an estate sale. These cigar's were Cubans, they were pretty embargo. That's 40 years +\- that these smokes had been in storage/ humidor. Just food for thought! Barter supplies are a must! Booze, tobaccos, med supplies, drugs of any kind. Soaps= dish, body, Antibacterial, laundry soaps that will work in cold water. Condoms bazillion uses.
If you think you could use it, someone will need it! Just about any thing can be stored long term, youonly need to rresearch how to do it and is it cost effective. With the answers being yes to most before the grid goes down.
As with most prepping, research, deep thought, and common scene goes a long way, beat the ideas around with other like minded people.
Good luck, be safe, God bless