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Cheap prepping today

Been shopping today. It is one of these tasks that I either loath or enjoy. This was a mixture of both. I had to buy some stuff I didn’t want and some stuff I did. I also visited a new 99p store I hadn’t seen before and I quite enjoyed that because there was so much in there that I could add to my preps.

First of all there was a good variety of cheap tools. Nothing major but screwdrivers, pliers, cutters, a variety of screws, nuts and bolts and several other items meant a good start to a toolkit. They may be cheap but as previously mentioned they do have a role in our preps.

Next up was some medical equipment, bandages, splints, scissors, cotton buds and a couple of other basic items. Just the basics but again a good start to your stores.

Then there was the gardening stuff. Some smaller gardening tools, some basic equipment like pots, nets and what I thought was excellent value for money, small berry cuttings, red, white and black currant, gooseberry and raspberry canes were all lined up. All nice additions to your garden and garden kit.

I also found some bleach tablets. One tablet makes up 1L of bleach and there were about 15 tablets. That must be very useful fo making stronger stuff and it is much easier to store being only a fraction of the size. The downside though is it needs water but it isn’t like it needs to be fresh water and we get plenty of rain.

This doesn’t include all the other basic everyday stuff that is there ready to add to our preps; containers, twine, cooking foil, baking trays and lots of different foodstuffs for everyday usage.

I spend £40 in there and could easily have spent three times that. One thing is certain I’ll be going back when I have some more money.

Although the economy is in the pan it is possible for us to put aside some preps whilst still living day to day. It isn’t easy but it is possible.

I also visited Lidl and Aldi, both of these do specials every week and today there was a 1500W generator. Sadly, it was petrol and I am looking to stick to diesel where I can. However, there were some more tools in Aldi and I bought a few more screwdriver, spanner and screw sets. Lidl had a cheap soldering iron for £6 but I have a few of those already.

Of course all my shopping didn’t go towards my preps.

Keep a look out for bargains.

11 comments to Cheap prepping today

  • prepper1

    Not so long ago and in a pasture too uncomfortably close to here, a flock of sheep lived and grazed. They were protected by a dog, who answered to the master, but despite his best efforts from time to time a nearby pack of wolves would prey upon the flock.

    One day a group of sheep, more bold than the rest, met to discuss their dilemma. “Our dog is good, and vigilant, but he is one dog and the wolves are many. The wolves he catches are not always killed, and the master judges and releases many to prey again upon us, for no reason we can understand. What can we do? We are sheep, but we do not wish to be food, too!”

    One sheep spoke up, saying “It is his teeth and claws that make the wolf so terrible to us. It is his nature to prey, and he would find any way to do it, but it is the tools he wields that make it possible. If we had such teeth, we could fight back, and stop this savagery.” The other sheep clamored in agreement, and they went together to the old bones of the dead wolves heaped in the corner of the pasture, and gathered fang and claw and made them into weapons.

    That night, when the wolves came, the newly armed sheep sprang up with their weapons and struck at them and cried “Begone! We are not food!” and drove off the wolves, who were astonished. When did sheep become so bold and so dangerous to wolves? When did sheep grow teeth? It was unthinkable!

    The next day, flush with victory and waving their weapons, they approached the flock to pronounce their discovery. But as they drew nigh, the flock huddled together and cried out “Baaaaaaaadddd! Baaaaaddd things! You have bad things! We are afraid! You are not sheep!”

    The brave sheep stopped, amazed. “But we are your brethren!” they cried, “We are still sheep, but we do not wish to be food. See, our new teeth and claws protect us and have saved us from slaughter. They do not make us into wolves, they make us equal to the wolves, and safe from their viciousness!”

    “Baaaaaaaddd!”, cried the flock,”the things are bad and will pervert you, and we fear them. You cannot bring them into the flock. They scare us!”. So the armed sheep resolved to conceal their weapons, for although they had no desire to panic the flock, they wished to remain in the fold. But they would not return to those nights of terror, waiting for the wolves to come.

    In time, the wolves attacked less often and sought easier prey, for they had no stomach for fighting sheep who possessed tooth and claw even as they did. Not knowing which sheep had fangs and which did not, they came to leave sheep out of their diet almost completely except for the occasional raid, from which more than one wolf did not return. Then came the day when, as the flock grazed beside the stream, one sheep’s weapon slipped from the folds of her fleece, and the flock cried out in terror again, “Baaaaaaddddd! You still possess these evil things! We must ban you from our presence!”.

    And so they did. The great chief sheep and his court and council, encouraged by the words of their moneylenders and advisors, placed signs and totems at the edges of the pasture forbidding the presence of hidden weapons there. The armed sheep protested before the council, saying “It is our pasture, too, and we have never harmed you! When can you say we have caused you hurt? It is the wolves, not we, who prey upon you. We are still sheep, but we are not food!”. But the flock would not hear, and drowned them out with cries of “Baaaaaaddd! We will not hear your clever words! You and your things are evil and will harm us!”.

    Saddened by this rejection, the armed sheep moved off and spent their days on the edges of the flock, trying from time to time to speak with their brethren to convince them of the wisdom of having such teeth, but meeting with little success. They found it hard to talk to those who, upon hearing their words, would roll back their eyes and flee, crying “Baaaaddd! Bad things!”.

    That night, the wolves happened upon the sheep’s totems and signs, and said, “Truly, these sheep are fools! They have told us they have no teeth! Brothers, let us feed!”. And they set upon the flock, and horrible was the carnage in the midst of the fold. The dog fought like a demon, and often seemed to be in two places at once, but even he could not halt the slaughter. It was only when the other sheep arrived with their weapons that the wolves fled, vowing to each other to remain on the edge of the pasture and wait for the next time they could prey, for if the sheep were so foolish once, they would be so again. This they did, and do still.

    In the morning, the armed sheep spoke to the flock, and said, “See? If the wolves know you have no teeth, they will fall upon you. Why be prey? To be a sheep does not mean to be food for wolves!”. But the flock cried out, more feebly for their voices were fewer, though with no less terror, “Baaaaaaaadddd! These things are bad! If they were banished, the wolves would not harm us! Baaaaaaaddd!”. The other sheep could only hang their heads and sigh. The flock had forgotten that even they possessed teeth; how else could they graze the grasses of the pasture? It was only those who preyed, like the wolves and jackals, who turned their teeth to evil ends. If you pulled their own fangs those beasts would take another’s teeth and claws, perhaps even the broad flat teeth of sheep, and turn them to evil purposes.

    The bold sheep knew that the fangs and claws they possessed had not changed them. They still grazed like other sheep, and raised their lambs in the spring, and greeted their friend the dog as he walked among them. But they could not quell the terror of the flock, which rose in them like some ancient dark smoky spirit and could not be damped by reason, nor dispelled by the light of day.

    So they resolved to retain their weapons, but to conceal them from the flock; to endure their fear and loathing, and even to protect their brethren if the need arose, until the day the flock learned to understand that as long as there were wolves in the night, sheep would need teeth to repel them.

    They would still be sheep, but they would not be food!

    © 1997 Charles Riggs

  • Melissa

    I do like the 99p store, I always buy more than I can really carry. I’ll be looking out for the bleach tablets when I’m back in England. Thanks

  • Skean Dhude

    Prepper,

    Thanks for the update. It really points out the futility of what is going on on the other side of the pond.

    Melissa,

    Welcome. It was my first time. We didn’t have one around here but we do have a few pound shops.

  • fred

    You said, Skeane -I spend £40 in there and could easily have spent three times that. Can’t remember the last time I saw £40.

  • Myo

    SD, in regards to the generator, have you thought about using woodgas to power it? it is much cheaper and not that difficult to do.

  • GREAT FIRE LIGHTERS — IF YOU SCOUT AROUND THE HOME & COLLECT ALL YOUR USED CANDLES & SCRAP WAX YOU CAN MAKE SOME LONG LASTING FIRE STARTERS.
    JUST GET AN OLD FRYPAN OR SHALLOW SAUCEPAN PLACE IN THE SCRAP WAX & MELT DOWN, BEING CAREFUL NOT TO OVER FILL THE PAN.
    WHEN MELTED COMPLETELY, REMOVE FROM HEAT.
    INTO THE HOT WAX ADD TEN – TWELVE COTTON BALLS & SOAK THROUGH, REMOVE & PLACE ON SOME TIN FOIL TO SET, REPEAT UNTIL ALL WAX IS USED UP.
    WHEN SET YOU WILL HAVE A SMALL MOUND OF WAX APROX AN INCH ACROSS.
    TO LIGHT SLIP A SHARP KNIFE INTO THE WAX & LEVER OUT A SMALL FLAP,PINCH IT TWEEN YOUR FINGERS & FEATHER IT.
    LIGHT & YOU HAVE A FIRE LIGHTER THAT WILL BURN FOR 10-12 MINUTES, PLENTY OF TIME TO ESTABLISH A GOOD FIRE.
    THIS PROCESS CAN ALSO BE DONE WITH A TEALIGHT CANDLE, LIGHT CANDLE & ALLOW TO MELT COMPLETELY, REMOVE WICK & SOAK 4-6 COTTON BALLS, EASIER IF YOU SPLIT THE BALLS INTO TWO PARTS – BUT WILL STILL GIVE YOU 5-6 MINUTES OF BURN FROM EACH BALL TO START YOUR FIRE.
    ANOTHER QUICK & EASY FIRE STARTER IS PETROLEUM GEL/VASSELENE MIXED WITH COTTON WOOL, I ADDED A SMALL AMOUNT OF WHITE SPIRIT TO HELP THE SOAKING PROCESS.
    MIX THE GEL & WHITE SPIRIT & THEN ADD THE COTTON WOOL, YOU JUDGE THE AMOUNT OF SPIRIT YOU NEED, JUST DON’T OVER DO IT, I USED A 4 PART GEL TO 1 PART SPIRIT MIX & IT WORKS FINE.
    STORE THE MIXED MATERIAL IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER & JUST TARE OFF A PIECE ENOUGH TO ROLL INTO A BALL THE SIZE OF A SMALL MARBLE, THIS WILL BURN FOR AT LEAST 5-6 MINUTES +, AGAIN PLENTY OF TIME TO ESTABLISH A GOOD FIRE.
    BOTH WAYS ARE REALLY CHEAP & ARE SO VALUABLE IN FRESH AIR ENVIRONMENT.ONE LAST POINT, KEEP ALL DISPOSABLE LIGHTERS WHEN SPENT BECAUSE THE SPARK ALONE IS ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE “GEL BALLS”, AS WOULD A FIRE STARTING STEEL.

  • JUST TO ADD, WHEN YOU HAVE LIT THE WAX AS DESCRIBED THE WHOLE WAX WILL BE CONSUMED BY THE FLAME OVER A PERIOD OF A COUPLE OF MINUTES & IS QUITE A HARDY FLAME, INCASE SOME THOUGHT IT MAY JUST BE A CANDLE FLAME & NOT WORTH DOING – EVEN IF YOU JUST NEED 10 MINUTES OF HEAT TO WARM YOU UP ABIT IT’S WAY WORTH IT, INFACT IF YOU DON’T MIND THE SOOT YOU CAN HEAT UP A MUG OR SMALL SAUCEPAN OF WATER FOR A CUPPA, IF YOU DO THAT THOUGH I WOULD SUGGEST SOME TIN FOIL MOLDED AROUND YOUR MUG OR SAUCEPAN THEN BIN IT AFTER THE WATER HAS HEATED FOR TEA, COFFEE, NOODLES BOILED EGGS ETC.
    OR MAYBE JUST FOR A TEMP LIGHT, BUT WELL WORTH THE EFFORT EITHER WAY.

  • Michael

    Hey Skean Dhude im petty new to prepping myself but that said been into survival equipment and knowlage/info all my life so a few personal opinions to say on your post if you dont mind. first dont buy tools your gonna rely on to stay alive in the pound shop/99p shop i tell you this from expierance their cheap crap but that being said as always is said in survival having somthing is better than nothing so its your own personal choice i do like to go for a mixture of quility and price picking a mid rage ish product if possible (amazon/ebay good..amazon great for draper tools folding shovel etc). Second thing LOVE your bleech tablets ideal never seen them dont have 99p stores here yet but will be checking my local pound shops for that one thatnks for that idea and thridly you metioned using rain water as non clean water? rain water is clean and drinkable (as far as ive ever known?) if collected without contamination ofcorse perhaps abit acidic but perfectly drinkable in a survival situation as far as i know if im wrong please correct me by all means after all in this game everyday is a school day.

  • Skean Dhude

    Michael, Welcome.

    Sometime pound shop tools will do the job and if you only have a few pounds then you can get a toolset that you can’t replicate in B&Q or wherever. You are right though, you are better with the better quality tools but sometime you have to settle. My own viw is I buy good tools but also suppliment them with cheaper versions. I think that is what you are saying as well.

    Plenty of uses for bleach tablets and they last a very long time if you eep them dry.

    Rain water is not always drinkable. Ever heard of acid rain. Plus you have to collect it and most of it comes from the roof or on big sheets and they get dirty, bird waste gets on them. You can’t get enough just putting out a few bottles so it is better collecting as much as you can with a sheet of plastic and then playing safe and not risking your health by treating the water.

  • Michael

    Example off what i ment about the tools..draper folding shovel from amazon under eight pounds no delivery charges either not as cheap as one pound, but couldn’t come close to that item in a pound shop nor the build quailty off draper but most off these folding shovels cost 15,20 pounds sometimes more just in the shops without P+P so that is an example off a high quailty tool at mid-range prices.

    So even if you got a mid-range tool for a mid-range price its the best off both if ya get me.but yes adding cheaper stuff is very usefull on a budget and trust me i know about a tight budget lol but was just an opinion to shop around alittle and u might be surprised what u get for afew pounds more :).

    Very right on the water thats also why i mentioned the acid and collection off the rain and i looked into it alil after the last posting and both our points are valid even tho slighty conflicting (rare but google it)..people who are used to drinking it have had no problems (rain water collection in their homes) and others chose to when in the wild and have no problems but many reconmend treating it also so guess like you say depends if you want to take the risk (or have no choice…youll drink any water then) so if your gonna take the risk try it before the SHTF.

    wow sorry that was so much c**p in such a short time but felt the need to reply since u so kindly did nice site btw have to also appoligive for my 1st comment but also defend it as i was goggle linked here so didn’t see the “cheap prep tag” my bad but still think that mid range cost less than most without putting ur life on the line just my thoughts/opinions NOT facts

  • Michael

    Ok hopefully an actual usefull link on cheap prepping for someone i hope. This is a pretty nifty looking way to create a cheap stove not sure if anyone else has used/seen/posted it before but i’ll share it anyway havn’t tired it myself YET but looks quick,easy and very cost effective hope it helps someone
    http://velohobo.com/2011/11/20/free-ultralight-alcohol-stove/