This topic contains 14 replies, has 11 voices, and was last updated by 
John Park 8 months, 3 weeks ago.
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@namelus ‘s post on tankless water heaters got me to thinking. (My first thought was oh crap, here I go thinking again!) My top prepper investment has to do with water.
I would be curious to see what other people consider as their best prep item(s).
The tankless water heater and the 25 amp outside disconnect generator hookup by far has to be the two best items. Having multiple sources of water is the third. There are three top items. Plus multiple sources of power. I have four top prep items. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WJXHY2OXGE For those of you who get it.)
The tankless water heater advantage: as long as we have water and power, we have almost unlimited hot water. Our newest well is fairly reliable now that it has been frakked, (whole ‘nuther thread on thriftiness, budget and unexpected $$$urprises) I have a second backup well which is another part of the story – and a way to tap onto a third.( old story)
I believe I paid around $400 for the 25 amp box that the 6000 watt generator connects into. I ran the generator for over 14 hours on one 5 gallon tank of non-ethanol gas. After the hurricane season, I’ll see if I can find a deal on a multi fuel 5-7000 watt generator.
I may go with the whole house generator at some point but I can not justify it right now. Well, I could: my wife probably couldn’t and I try to honor the $200 rule.
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My best prep item, hands down, has to be our house and land. All bought and paid for.
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@jan Man,
Without a doubt, that was mine too!
I spent nearly a year searching. I used a USDA program called the US Web Soil Survey. With it, you can draw a polygon around the area of interest, click a button, wait a minute or so, and it will give you a breakdown of what soil types are in that area.
My place came back as “Agriculturally Significant.” It was a working farm until the previous owners bought it. Then for 30 years they let it go to seed. Been using the livestock to bring it back.
It also has water. More water than I know what to do with! At times, water will be coming out of the ground like a drinking fountain.
After that, I dunno, there are so many books I have that taught me a lot.
A good set of boots, or fixed blade knife. I have a scythe that is better than the gas powered weed wacker.
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Thanks for your input @jan Man and @Crow Bar – I certainly couldn’t have the type of water heater, generator hook up or any type of long term plans without owning my property. I may have been able to put in an apiary, plant fruit trees, grow hops, have a garden if I had rented but it is very doubtful and no motivation for long term improvement.
If there was a prepper pyramid based after Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a stable home would be the foundation: One that provides food, water, warmth and rest as well as contributing profit instead of costing.
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@Atypical Sapien,
Thank you for posting Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. I reference it often.
When it comes to prepping, I try not to limit myself to addressing the pyramid in a strict, ridged application. I think differing aspects of the pyramid overlap at differing times. Kinda like morale. If your basic needs are all met, but you have to resort to talking to a volleyball, you might be in trouble.
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Renting does put you in a different position. I don’t ever want to be forced to BugOut….or even temporarily EVAC. But I’ve noticed in my prepping, I have done it with a certain amount of mobility in mind. Cuz renters might have to move at any time…lease or not. This place is so old it might fall down around our heads some day…. { I hope I’m kidding}
I didn’t go with a Berkey. I chose Katadyn Pocket filter….and I won’t be parted from it. Sure don’t need it now but it would be one of my top favored items.
‘Course I have a lot of knives….each for it’s own specialty use. DH and I have a couple of classic Buck fixed-blade knives. Like when they still came in leather sheath. [Mine’s bigger] 😉 I also have a cheap but tough fixed-blade to do the jobs I wouldn’t use my Buck knife for….digging carrots, etc. I’ve always got my SAK on me….and usually use the scissors or tweezers the most. Splinters, bah! I have enough knives of various types to barter many of them. Garage sales….folks don’t even know WHAT they have.
I’d have mentioned my winter insulated hiking boots until, to my horror, a hole appeared in the upper part. Wha…? They’ve been worn a lot….light weight enough that I can actually use them. Some composite material which has just shown it’s weakness. Hmph. Plan to get shoe goo and fix them.
If I ever had to run out with nearly nothing, those would be some top items that I’d want.
OldMtWoman ….along with a shipping container full of the REST of my stuff!!! 😉
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I believe the best prep I ever made was getting out of debt.
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Old MtWoman mentioned knives.
I touched on it, but this set of Victorinox Swiss Army Field Dressing kit is worth every penny!
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Army-Field-Dressing/dp/B007JTO99I/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1543589873&sr=8-4&keywords=victorinox+knives+set
<h1 id=”title” class=”a-size-large a-spacing-none”><span id=”productTitle” class=”a-size-large”> </span></h1> -
Oh my…just took a look at that set. $$$$ but so beautiful. Right knife for the right job!!
OldMtWoman …love a well-balanced knife
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My best investment was a book called Poverty Prepping, How to Stock up for Tomorrow When You Can’t Eat Today. by Susan Gregersen it cost 2.99 on Kindle. I gave or recommended it to all the kids and several relatives who thought they couldn’t afford to prep or didn’t know how to get started. Kind of a prepping starter which helped them to start thinking differently and in the right direction. It helped get more relatives on board.
The second one cost more at 99 bucks and was a sun oven which could feed the whole family, not one of those back packer specials for one. So that was a no fuel needed except the sun and even works somewhat on cloudy days (for warming things) a nice safety issue since there is no smoke for unwanted visitors to zero in on and using a plastic bag and turkey roaster no smell til you open it.
Of course those were purchased, the very best Items cost nothing and were given freely on forums like this by people willing to help others with their own knowledge and experiences over the years. Thanks.
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First time seeing this. guess I need to check around forum more.
I think my best prepping was 29 years ago when we paid off the house. We have never borrowed against it. Then in 2013 we had to buy a new car as the van blew it’s second engine. That was one big lemon. the payments were set up for 76 months and that was way to long. it took everything I had but got it payed off in 24 months. That was a big relieve. Other than that the best purchase we have made first was the whole house generator. It is duel, so can run on either natural gas or propane. We have it on natural gas right now. I think then it would be the big berkey and I have bought over the years about 10 filters for it as they went on sell. Then maybe the grain mill. I have been trying to stock both red and white wheat that I have to grind into flour for bread. Non electric and works great. Other than those things right now, it is all I can think of at the moment..
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Missed this one also.
Best prep purchase?
The first can of food I bought “extra”.
Why that instead of a rifle, knife or something else?
Because it was the first step into the world of preparedness. Everything started there.
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A good question but somehow I missed it too. It would have to be my house- I live in BOL.
Oldmountainwoman mentioned garage sales. People really don’t know what they have. I scored an excaliber dehydrator for five bucks for one thing. Bought lots more canning jars lately. Hate the new lids. I keep putting pertinent info in a notebook.
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I guess my best prepper investment was in a sturdy 1000 sq ft house with an outside solid tool shed in a small rural community. Taxes are minimal, utilities are reasonable, neighbors are friendly. My second son and his family live within 25 minutes of my location. Assuming I stay basically healthy, eat responsibly and stay active, I should be able to live here comfortably and independently using a modest amount of my resources. Finding this web site has helped focus my efforts in stocking up on food supplies and starting a gardening hobby so I don’t have to ask others to shop for me. At my age, things look a bit different to me than they would have when I was a single mother years ago.
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After the land and house, the best purchase was a Bison hand pump (Simple Pump makes a very similar product), it goes atop the well head and can draw water from way down deep.
Second would be the woodstove with somewhat working cooking surface (but not a small cookstove, just a regular stove with cookable surface).
Third would be defensive arms & hunting equipment (lots of 22 ammo for small game).
Material to produce firewood (chainsaw, maul, splitting axe, crosscut saw), along with all sorts of other hand powered tools like crank drill, scythe, etc.
Augason Farms dehydrated rice and beans (and a few other things).
Fish antibiotics.
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