What prepping mistakes have you made?

[lonewolf]

The rampaging hordes still have gas...(petrol for you blokes across the pond )

not over here they don't, most people drive on empty, only filling up when the fuel warning light comes on, and once you get out of the cities rural filling stations are few in number and well spread out, not much money in selling fuel and a lot closed down.
we are now being warned about possible power cuts if too many power workers get the virus, fuel pumps don't work without electricity + a lot of other things too!

 

[BillMasen]

I’m trying to find a doctor who would be willing to join my survivalist group, as long as he’s not a proctologist.

Why? everyone on here keeps telling us Brits that California is full of inflamed ********?

 

[JackDW]

Mistake??? I don't make mistakes!

But, I sure seem to make a lot of errors...

 

[chihuahuasniper]

One of my "mistakes" is prepping during a time when there's no disasters, and then some of my tech becomes obsolete a few years later. I use a lot of my prep stuff in my hobbies, but some of the things need to be replaced because better products have hit the market.

A few examples:

Red dot sights for rifles
Water filters
Connection cables
Anything solar related
Backpacking equipment/tools
Survival food

 

[GaRp58]

No mistakes here. Not many know, just family who need to. No crap, only the best. The few things which were not expensive are for trading or giving to immediate family and still function. The food choices, storage choices, additional clothing, silent weapons, chemicals, solar, chem-toilets, lighting and fishing...BOL is good and ready. BOV is 4X4, Bug-out-trailer renovated, gasoline, propanes, 14 stoves, 6 kinds of light...NOPE no mistakes visible yet. The only problem is the physical and mental health of my wife. Her heart is too soft to turn away any beggars, dogs or stray cats...I think that is why she married me anyway...GP

 

[Jayson]

Why? everyone on here keeps telling us Brits that California is full of inflamed ********?

Well, most of them are in Hollywood and Sacramento.

 

[Brent S]

I figure any mistakes were just the cost of the education you got! Hopefully a lot cheaper than a college education.

 

[Dani]

One of my "mistakes" is prepping during a time when there's no disasters, and then some of my tech becomes obsolete a few years later. I use a lot of my prep stuff in my hobbies, but some of the things need to be replaced because better products have hit the market.

A few examples:

Red dot sights for rifles
Water filters
Connection cables
Anything solar related
Backpacking equipment/tools
Survival food

I can understand the upgrading for better equipment but why is survival food on the list? Here we prep what we eat and rotate as needed so there would be no waste. Are you buying just to store?

 

[GaRp58]

I figure any mistakes were just the cost of the education you got! Hopefully a lot cheaper than a college education.
The best part of an education is: it prepares you for the tests and exams in life...The only problem and difference with education and LIFE:
When you get an school education---first comes the lesson and then the test.
When you get a life education---First comes the test and then you learn your lesson!!
Real life is like drawing; just without an erasure.
Remember, if a person wants to have something he has never had before, then he must be prepared to do something he has never done before...GP

 

[Brent S]

Well said!

 

[chihuahuasniper]

I can understand the upgrading for better equipment but why is survival food on the list? Here we prep what we eat and rotate as needed so there would be no waste. Are you buying just to store?

There are different types and qualities of survival food. Some expire after five years. Some taste like dirt. Lots of survival foods use nasty preservatives and chemicals. Buying the right foods/prepping techniques is so important, but lots of amateur preppers will just buy whatever says "survival" on it.

 

[GaRp58]

Just got an offer from a silent member of my prepper team. $60 for a new case of MRE class B. Makes out to be $5 for a meal...25 years storage life...2 cases ordered just for fun...GP

 

[Brent S]

Just got an offer from a silent member of my prepper team. $60 for a new case of MRE class B. Makes out to be $5 for a meal...25 years storage life...2 cases ordered just for fun...GP

I had some mre’s that were only a three year shelf life. 25 is fantastic! I got #10 cans of freeze dried foods due to the cost being the most effective. The drawback is you have a whole can to eat in a relatively short time once opened. I like the idea of single servings so you don’t get sick of eating the same thing.

 

[GaRp58]

Well, I was happy with the fact that the MRE shipment is a new one. Many MREs on the market are older and do not have a longer lifetime left...I only wanted them to make the final stitch in the final packing of a BOB/INCH bag. Everything else is finished. My wife can't carry a gallon of milk anymore, much less a BOB. Mine is running at around 55 lbs. and I carried a max of 109 lbs. earlier, including 2 gallons of water. Don't wanna bug-out, but need the bag anyway. The MREs will get unpacked, sorted out to the most important pieces and then inserted into the BOB. Don't need most of the small crap...just the calories. GP

 

[KateMTx]

Just got an offer from a silent member of my prepper team. $60 for a new case of MRE class B. Makes out to be $5 for a meal...25 years storage life...2 cases ordered just for fun...GP

Dang that's a good deal. I have a few MREs from my brother in the army and I always keep a couple in my car bag.

 

[Brent S]

Dang that's a good deal. I have a few MREs from my brother in the army and I always keep a couple in my car bag.

Just remember that in the south during summer they have a much shorter shelf life. Heat is really tough on preserved food safety.

 

[GaRp58]

You are right, but my cellar is under a 2 foot thick concrete and the 2nd cellar which is attached is made of an arched brick roof. Both are so cool, I can keep beer and wine in them and they come out of the cellar at a temp of around 36° F.
I hang different home made meats and sausages there for months.

 

[Brent S]

You are right, but my cellar is under a 2 foot thick concrete and the 2nd cellar which is attached is made of an arched brick roof. Both are so cool, I can keep beer and wine in them and they come out of the cellar at a temp of around 36° F.
I hang different home made meats and sausages there for months.

I was really responding to Kate about keeping some of them in the car and being in Texas. How is the moisture in your cellars? I have a root cellar I made and it stays cool but is too damp for most things.

 

[GaRp58]

That is the good part of the red bricks in the second cellar, they can and do absorb moisture and give it up again to maintain a certain level of moisture, Potatoes and onions last about 3-4 months. Apples and pumpkins up to 5 months. Never had smoked sausages or such go bad at all. The first cellar is concrete and with the window, I can control the temps in summer closed and winter open at around 35°-40°. Milk stays 5 months, margarine, mayo, mustard, ketchup, flour, yeast, baking powder, noodles, flour, rice, beans, coffee, jelly, peanut butter, worchester sauce, soy sauce, all last over 2 and some even 3 years after the date on the packages and jars. GP

 

[Proud Prepper]

That is the good part of the red bricks in the second cellar, they can and do absorb moisture and give it up again to maintain a certain level of moisture, Potatoes and onions last about 3-4 months. Apples and pumpkins up to 5 months. Never had smoked sausages or such go bad at all. The first cellar is concrete and with the window, I can control the temps in summer closed and winter open at around 35°-40°. Milk stays 5 months, margarine, mayo, mustard, ketchup, flour, yeast, baking powder, noodles, flour, rice, beans, coffee, jelly, peanut butter, worchester sauce, soy sauce, all last over 2 and some even 3 years after the date on the packages and jars. GP

Your soy sauce should last longer than you do.

 

[GaRp58]

Your soy sauce should last longer than you do.

They should, but I make too much pemmican, jerky and BBQ sauces with them, they never get the chance. GP