When we are out and about looking for items to add to our preps we are always looking for value for our money. This is mainly because we want to get the most bang for our buck, so to speak and maximise what we get from our limited supply of cash. It is a good policy.
It does have its disadvantages though. Some items are rarely on sale and we delay buying those items until we eventually feel we must buy one. Usually, these are the higher priced bits of kit, expensive water filters, radio gear, weapons, tools, etc. Thus if you are anything like me you have most of your low price items put aside, you could always add more food stuffs but you have a lot and are running out of space. You are however short of high value items because they rarely go on sale, you can’t afford to buy some of them anyway, air rifles at £100 minimum, pellets at £8 for a tin. CB at £60 second hand, Solar Panels at £250 for a basic starter kit. We are not all handy like W&C and TimeLord.
Unfortunately, you do need to buy some of these items and the chances are that when you decide to do so it is going to be full price. Unless it is something you can acquire second hand at car boots, house clearances, second hand shops or on places like eBay and FleaBay. Keep your eye out though because sometimes the bargains come along and although you may be saving to buy a new water filter if a quality knife or crossbow is found on your travels over the internet then take advantage of the saving and wait a bit longer for your water filter, at full price it’ll still be there. Eventually though you just have to bite the bullet on these expensive items. It can’t be helped.
Myself, I’m happy with my food, water, cooking and shelter front. There is alway more I can buy to add to those and when a sale is on I will but I’m looking at changing tack at the moment and starting with the radio gear LighSpeed is suggesting. It is a lot of money but needs to be done to meet my requirements. I’m making a list of these high value items and have decided to put away a fixed amount every month to enable me to buy my next item. Still mixing so my next purchase will probably be another spring air rifle.
You know you don’t need loads of dosh to go HF.
Take the humble modern EU CEPT CB set that allows multi country use. A lot of the new generation stuff is easily “unlocked” to cover the whole of the 11m and 10m bands.
i.e. 25.605 to 30.105 MHz or 25.610 to 30.110 MHz AM/FM 4 Watts. OK they haven’t got SSB but who cares.
For £49 upwards, who REALLY cares about buying an “expensive name”.
When you say easily unlocked what does that mean? Reprogrammed, rewired, or could someone as technically inept as me do it? What I wouldn’t want is to have to take/send it to someone else with the OPSEC risk that entails. Thanks.
Simple modifications as demonstrated on utube or available to read on Ham, Freeband, and CB forums. You can even download service manuals from the net with step by step instructions!
In my case, I’m tossing up whether to invest in a £15 air mattress on Monday. Big purchase for me.
Fred, check out your local army surplus shop. I just bought an ex army self inflating sleep mat for £10. Check out Ebay too. I find it comfy and reasonably light weight.