Author Archives: David Adams

5 Simple Ways Anyone Can Earn a Living Off-Grid With a Garden

One of the biggest reasons more preppers don’t transition to homesteading is that they don’t have a way to earn a living while being off-grid.

Homesteading usually means living in a rural area, which means many people can’t keep their normal jobs.

That’s why I wrote this blog post showing you 5 simple ways anyone can earn a living off-grid.

These 5 things won’t earn you a lot of money compared to your regular job, but if you’re living a true off-grid lifestyle, then you don’t need a lot of money to sustain yourself anyway.

All the suggestions in this blog post are related to gardening, which is something you’ll need to do as a homesteader regardless of whether you use it to earn a living or not.

Sell Extra Produce

This is the most obvious way to earn a living as a homesteader, but I’m listing it here anyway because it works.

People love things that are local, and this is especially true with food. They could get store-bought vegetables, but your organic produce is healthier, tastier, and gives them peace of mind that they know where the produce is coming from.

Don’t worry about competition. Even if you’re in a rural area, not as many people grow their own food as you might think. That’s because gardening takes work…and paying you for it is much easier.

The catch is that you have to be able to grow enough to feed your family and have extra to sell to other people. The time, trial and error you put into gardening will eventually pay off and yield an abundant crop.

Sell Local Seedlings

You don’t have to wait until harvest time to earn from your garden because the plants themselves are valuable.

Some people like growing plants but don’t want to go through the trouble of growing them from seeds.

Not all seeds survive, and buying seedlings guarantees they’ll grow good plants.

Seedlings are particularly valuable if they’re a local species rather than a non-native species that grows in a similar climate.

Sell Organic Compost

Growing plants requires nutrient-rich soil…unfortunately, nutrient-rich soil is becoming a scarce resource because of soil depletion caused by industrial farming techniques.

While soil depletion is bad for the environment, it gives you an opportunity to earn extra money as a homesteader.

People pay a lot of money for compost as a way to put nutrients back into their soil so they can grow plants.

As a homesteader, you’ll be creating compost naturally as you go about your daily life, and selling what you don’t need can give you a nice income boost.

Teach Other People How to Do Organic Gardening

Gardening is a skill that takes time and dedication to learn, and many people would like that process to be faster and easier.

People will pay for your knowledge in the hopes that learning from you will shorten their learning curve.

You could teach people what you know one-on-one in private lessons, or hold a group session for locals in your area.

Helping people in your community with this skill will improve their opinion of you and will secure your position as part of the community.

You’ll no longer be viewed as an outsider, but rather someone they respect and look to for advice.

Design and Plan Gardens for Other People

Some people don’t want to learn how to garden for themselves but would prefer if you did it for them.

If you’re creative or know how to create efficient, aesthetic garden designs, you can offer your designs as a service to other people who want a garden.

You could even offer to help them pick out which plants will grow best and maintain their garden throughout the growing season.

Do you know any other ways to earn a living through gardening? If so, share your ideas in the comments section to help other homesteaders.

The Best States for Off-Grid Homesteading

Not every state is friendly towards homesteaders, which can make going off-grid even more difficult than it already is.

You’ll have a much easier time if you homestead in a state that has favorable laws and natural resources for homesteaders.

There aren’t any “perfect” states for homesteaders because every state government wants to dictate how you live to some extent by requiring taxes and permits. However, the ones on this list give you more freedom than most.

Also, this isn’t the definitive list of homesteading states. You can make homesteading work in almost any state, but these states are generally accepted as some of the best ones.

Alaska

Alaska is called “the last frontier”, and for good reason. It’s one of the few places left where you can almost disappear from society altogether.

With that said, living in Alaska isn’t easy. It takes a certain level of dedication and hardiness to live in Alaska full time.

Many people who move to Alaska underestimate how tough it is and end up leaving after their first winter.

Homesteading in Alaska is common, however, and it’s a great state for homesteaders as long as you’re dedicated enough to live there year-round.

Arizona

Maybe you’re on a super-strict budget for your homestead. In that case, turn your eyes to Arizona where some of the cheapest land in the country is just waiting for you.

However, you need to understand that the land is cheap for a reason. Homesteading in Arizona pretty much means you’re homesteading in the desert…not the best place for growing crops.

There are ways to make it work, though, and if you don’t have much money to work with, Arizona might be your best choice.

Even though it’s a desert, many homesteaders choose Arizona over other states thanks to its affordability and favorable homesteading laws.

Maine

Maine might not be the first state that comes to mind when you think of homesteading, but the northern part of the state is remote, sparsely populated, and incredibly beautiful…the perfect place to set up your homestead!

Homesteading is common in Northern Maine, and because it’s so sparsely populated many areas aren’t incorporated as towns…which means almost no property taxes.

It’s not as cheap as Arizona, but you can still get pretty good deals there. Plus, for the extra money, you’ll get land that’s much more suitable for growing crops and a garden.

Idaho

Idaho has nutrient-rich soil that’s perfect for growing plants. So if you don’t think you have a green thumb, why not give yourself the advantage of working with top-quality soil?

Idaho also has very favorable gun laws and a long history of protecting the rights and freedoms of its residents. You probably won’t be bothered by the government if you build your homestead in a rural part of the state.

You’ll have an easy time as a homesteader in Idaho if you don’t mind living relatively isolated from others.

West Virginia

When considering the cost of land, don’t forget to factor in property taxes. Property taxes can make a seemingly affordable homestead unaffordable. That’s part of the reason why West Virginia is so great for homesteaders…the property taxes there are some of the lowest in the country.

There are very few zoning ordinances for rural land in West Virginia, though this is slowly starting to change. If you want to move to West Virginia, try to do so before new zoning laws are passed so you can get grandfathered in.

Did I miss your favorite state? If so, tell me in the comments section below about why your state or any other is good for homesteaders.

Top 5 Mistakes People Make When Going Off-Grid

Most preppers dream about going off-grid…but it’s not as easy as just buying a homestead and moving in.

Many would-be homesteaders jump in but fail because they didn’t think about the situation well enough.

I want to help make your off-grid transition a success, and that’s why I’m showing you the top 5 mistakes people make when going off-grid.

Mistake #1: Not Knowing Your Zoning Laws

Unfortunately, some places having overbearing zoning laws in place that prevents you from living an off-grid lifestyle.

You need to know this beforehand so you don’t spend a lot of money for land you can’t use how you want.

Depending on the specific ordinances, you might be able to get around these zoning laws. One popular method that people who live in “tiny houses” use is to build on top of a trailer so their house isn’t technically a “house”.

However, you’re better off just choosing a location that’s friendly or at least tolerant of off-grid lifestyles.

It’s worth the cost to get a consultation with a local lawyer wherever you plan on going off-grid.

Mistake #2: Not Having a Way to Earn an Income

It’s true that going off-grid will dramatically lower your expenses, but you’ll still have some expenses.

Unless you’re already retired, you’ll need to have some sort of an income.

Since going off-grid usually means moving to a rural area, you probably won’t be able to keep your current job unless you can telecommute.

Many people who live off-grid earn an income by creating custom crafts or growing organic food and selling it as a small business.

For instance, you could make soap, build furniture, make jams/jellies, or just sell extra crops you grow.

Mistake #3: Not Having Easy Access to Water

You need a lot of water every day to survive, so you better have an easy way to get it.

The best way to do this is to drill a well on your property. It’ll cost a few thousand dollars, but having quick and easy access to water is worth every penny.

But to build a well there needs to be a pocket of water somewhere on your property without having to dig too deep.

Most places have at least one, but some places are just too “dry”, and the only way to know beforehand is to have an expert test for water.

The other option is to live close to a natural source of water and filter it yourself. You can buy a full water filtration rig or do it on a budget with a water filter like the Sawyer Mini.

No matter how cheap the property is, don’t buy it if it can’t have a well or isn’t near a natural source of water.

Your off-grid life will be miserable if you have to constantly worry about where you’ll get water every day.

Mistake #4: Not Having a Reliable Food Source

How will you get food during your off-grid life?

You’re probably thinking you’ll just have a garden and grow your own food. That’s a good idea, but what you might not realize is that growing plants isn’t as easy as you think.

There’s a lot to learn, and even after you learn everything about gardening there’s still a lot of things that can go wrong and are completely out of your control.

Most or all of your crop could be wiped out by disease, insects, or just bad weather. That’s why you also need a backup source of food.

Here are four additional ways to get food: hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering wild edibles.

Each of these takes time and patience to learn, and while they may not provide your main source of food, they’re still important to learn just in case you need an alternative food source.

Mistake #5: Buying “Dead” Land With Low-Quality Soil

Even if you’re already good at growing plants, you’re going to have a difficult time growing anything if the soil is depleted or simply unsuitable for growing.

Did your property used to be agricultural land? If so, they probably sold the land because it became depleted and they couldn’t grow crops anymore.

Revitalizing soil can take many years and is not a practical project for most people.

Before you buy any property, have the soil tested by an expert. It’ll cost a few hundred dollars, but it will help you avoid buying worthless land that can’t grow anything.

Do you have any other off-grid mistakes to add to this list? Let us know in the comments section below!

How to Defend Yourself Against a Dog Attack

Every year, there are about 350,000 emergency room cases due to dog attacks. These attacks can cause serious disfigurement and sometimes even kill people.

And it gets worse…when SHTF, people will abandon their dogs and force them to fend for themselves. That means more dogs out on the streets desperate for their next meal.

If you don’t know how to defend yourself against a dog attack, you’re going to be an easy target for these feral dogs.

The good news is that there are ways you can avoid dog attacks and a couple easy ways to defend yourself.

Prevent the Attack

The obvious best option is for you to prevent the attack entirely, so you don’t have to defend yourself and risk injury.

When most people try to prevent a dog from attacking, they actually agitate the dog and make the situation worse. So here are a few tips on how to encourage the dog to leave you alone.

Avoid Eye Contact

If a dog is showing aggressive behavior, then you should avoid making eye contact with them. By making eye contact, you’re challenging the dog, and this will increase the chances of it attacking.

Instead, look past the dog, or at an object that’s close to the dog so the dog remains in your field of view without staring it down.

Don’t Smile

Don’t smile at a dog showing aggressive behavior towards you. This might be hard for you to do, especially if you smile when you’re nervous.

When a dog is being aggressive, it’ll bear its fangs…and it thinks that’s what you’re doing when you smile. By smiling, you’re returning the aggressive behavior and encouraging it to attack.

Don’t Turn Your Back

Never turn your back to an aggressive dog.

First, it displays weakness and will signal the dog to attack.  Second, you won’t be able to see what the dog is doing. And third, by turning away, you could trigger the dog’s chase instinct.

Instead of turning your back, simply slowly back away while continuing to face the dog. This will allow you to create distance between you and the dog without showing weakness or triggering its chase instincts.

Understanding a Dog’s Only Method of Attack

Even if you’ve done everything you can to prevent the dog from attacking, it might attack anyway.

In that case, you need to understand the method dogs use to attack their prey so you’re better prepared to defend yourself.

This is fairly straightforward. Dogs only have one method of attack, and that’s to get close and bite you.

This is good news for you because this limitation makes dogs very predictable. They’ll either run or jump forward and bite the part of you closest to them.

If you can exploit this, then you’ll be able to successfully defend yourself from the attack of any dog because aggressive dogs all behave the same way.

Of course, it’s more complicated when dealing with a pack of dogs, but this post is about dealing with one dog. We’ll talk about defending yourself against a pack of dogs in a later post.

Two Ways to Defend Yourself Against a Dog Attack

Shooting the attacking dog is the safest choice if you have a gun, but many people don’t carry one regularly.

That’s why I’m listing these two methods of defending yourself against a dog that can be done even without a gun.

Using a Bite Stick

A bite stick doesn’t actually have to be a stick, though it can be. A bite stick just needs to be a long object that you’ll trick the dog into biting instead of your body.

Sticks and baseball bats work well, though you can even use something like a rolled up sweatshirt.

Keep the bite stick between you and the dog, and the dog will most likely bite it first.

Usually, when a dog bites something, it expects it to pull away…but you’re going to force the bite stick into its mouth.

The bite stick prevents the dog’s jaws from closing all the way and makes it impossible for it to bite you. Plus, if you’re forcing the bite stick into its mouth, it won’t be able to get rid of the bite stick.

Use the Clothes on Your Back

Let’s say you aren’t carrying anything suitable for a bite stick and you don’t have time to grab one.

Your other option is to use the clothes you’re wearing. A coat or sweater works best, but a regular T-shirt can work too.

Take it off and wrap it around your forearm. Your forearm now has a layer of body armor. Something as thin as a shirt won’t give you complete protection, but it will prevent a lot of damage.

Hold your forearm between you and the dog so the dog is more likely to bite it. The clothing you wrapped around your arm will protect you.

While the dog is biting the clothing on your forearm, reach under the dog with your other arm and grasp the dog’s rear legs. Now lift the dog up and flip it over. The dog is now upside down, and it can’t go anywhere because you’re holding onto its rear legs.

What you do next is a judgment call on your part. You can keep the dog in this position and call for help, or if you are nowhere near anyone, you can kill the dog by snapping its neck with your foot.

I know the idea of killing man’s best friend sounds pretty brutal, but depending on the size and strength of the dog, your life could be in danger. If it’s really viciously attacking you, you need to take that seriously and be prepared to kill it.

What You Should Do If You’re Caught in a Violent Riot

It seems like riots are popping up everywhere lately, and that puts people who want to avoid them at risk.

Even though it’s best to avoid riots completely, you could still get caught in one unexpectedly.

This blog post is for anyone who’s concerned about getting caught in a riot and wants to get out as quickly and as safely as possible.

Stay Calm

Intense emotions can spread like wildfire in a group of people, and fear is the most contagious one. When a mass of people start panicking, it’s easy to give in to fear, but you need to stay calm if you want to survive.

If you’re calm, you can think clearly…and if you can think clearly, then you can make good decisions and get yourself out of the situation safely.

Staying calm while everyone around you is panicking is easier said than done, so here’s one trick that will help you.

When people get scared, they take very shallow breaths and sometimes even hold their breath. You need to reverse that automatic response by consciously taking deep breaths.

Taking deep breaths calms you down and relieves fear and anxiety. You will be able to think clearly and act the more oxygen you can get to your brain.

Blend In

Now that you’re calm and thinking clearly, you need to avoid being attacked by protesters. The easiest way to do that is to simply act like one of the protesters to “blend in.”

This tactic is a bit controversial, and I know you might not agree with what the protesters are fighting for…but I think going against your beliefs for a few minutes is better than being severely injured, or even beaten to death.

You don’t need to do anything extreme that might get you arrested, but you do need to try to act like other protesters. This might change depending on the protest, so look at how others around you are acting.

Move with the Flow

This tip could be the difference between getting tramped by an angry mob and escaping in one piece. Don’t fight the flow of people…go with it.

Always travel in the same direction of the mob. There will be much less resistance, and it’ll help you blend in just like acting like other protestors.

Going against the mob is a clear giveaway that you’re not one of them, and that could put you in danger.

Once you’re moving in the same direction as the mob, look around for a way out. Most protests will have a main body that makes up most of the protest, with significantly fewer people branching away from it.

Look for crossroads where you can split off as you’re walking with the mob, and do so at the first safe opportunity.

Avoid Law Enforcement

You might be tempted to run up to a member of law enforcement to ask for help. Don’t do it.

You need to understand that they aren’t there to help you. They’re there to stop the protest from spreading out of control.

They have no way to differentiate between you and a protester, so if you go up to one of them, you’re going to be treated like a protester. After all, you were just in the mass of protesters…who else would you be?

You will likely get tear gassed, tackled, handcuffed, and maybe even charged with a crime.

That’s why it’s better to just avoid law enforcement entirely. Besides, if you’ve been following this advice, you won’t need their help anyway. Just keep moving and blending in. You’ll get out eventually.

Have you ever been caught up in a protest? Share your story in the comments section below. We love to hear from you!

The Best Tips for Surviving a Worldwide Pandemic

There are few things that can kill as many people as a worldwide pandemic. The last major pandemic was the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918 that killed 50 million people.

The scary thing is that the larger the population, the easier the pandemic can spread and infect people, which applies to most of us who live in the city.

During the Spanish flu of 1918 the world population was only 1.8 billion. Compare that to today’s population of 7.6 billion and you can see why a pandemic today would be much more devastating.

To make matters worse, bacteria and viruses have become resistant to all the antiviral and antibiotic medications we take and do not respond to traditional treatments.

These “superbugs” will be nearly unstoppable during an outbreak.

As individuals, we can’t stop an outbreak from starting. However, we can prepare ourselves so that we have a better chance of surviving an outbreak.

This blog post will give you the best tips for surviving a worldwide pandemic.

Watch For News on Diseases and Viruses

By the time you hear about a new bacterial or viral outbreak, hundreds or maybe even thousands of people will have already been infected.

That’s why you need to get as much information as you can as early as possible to give yourself more time to act. The faster you act, the less likely you’ll be to get infected.

Major news stations will report on any outbreak that looks like it could grow, but you can get information on unreported outbreaks from the Center for Disease Control’s website here.

Don’t Be Afraid to Stay Home at the First Sign of an Outbreak

When an outbreak starts, you’ll probably be skeptical that it will become serious and will want to continue your daily routine.

But if you really want to stay safe from a pandemic, then you need to stop your daily routine and stay indoors. That means calling in to work and canceling other obligations.

If the outbreak is making the news, then people will understand your need to stay home if you tell them you’re sick. I know this might seem a bit extreme, but staying isolated from others is the best thing you can do to stay safe.

Make Your Home as Germ-Proof as Possible

You might think your home is fairly safe from disease already, but it’s not. That’s because there’s still a lot of airflow even if your doors and windows are closed that lets in bacteria and viruses.

You can easily and cheaply seal these openings with a layer of plastic wrap and heavy-duty tape. Bonus points if you use anti-microbial plastic wrap instead of regular.

Place plastic wrap completely over your windows and window frames, and then securely tape down all the sides.

Do this to all the doors in your house except for the one you’re going to use to enter and exit.

Safely Help an Infected Family Member Recover

Assuming the hospitals are inundated with the sick, you’re in a tough spot if a family member gets sick during an outbreak. You have to help your family member, but you also can’t afford to get infected yourself.

Don’t worry, there’s a safe way to care for them while minimizing your personal risk.

First, you should already have the following items stocked:

Put these on and wear them every time you get close to your infected family member.

Now you need to create a makeshift sick room. This sick room is where your infected family member will stay while they recover.

Only two people should ever go into the sick room: your infected family member and you while you’re wearing protective gear.

Don’t worry, this sick room isn’t inhumane or cruel. They will have all the care and attention they need to recover; they just need to be isolated from the others in the meantime.

To help promote healing and kill airborne pathogens naturally, you might want to use an essential oil diffuser. Read more about essential oils here.

Should You Bug In or Bug Out?

Anyone who wants to be prepared for when SHTF needs to address this question: should you bug in or bug out when SHTF?

There’s no easy answer to this question because it depends on your circumstances and the nature and severity of the SHTF scenario.

Rather than give you a single answer that might not be right in every situation, I’m going to show you the pros and cons of each and how to know when you should bug in or bug out.

Pros and Cons of Bugging In

The biggest benefit of bugging in is that you don’t have to risk traveling anywhere. If you’re at home, then you’re already exactly where you need to be when SHTF. That means there’s no risk of getting stuck in traffic or being attacked by anyone.

And since this is where you’re going to be bugging in, you’re already going to have lots of supplies stocked up to last you a reasonably long time.

The drawback to bugging in is that it’s not sustainable. When you bug in, you’re assuming that things will return to normal at some point and that your supplies will last until then. But if things never return to normal, where will you get food and water after your supplies run out?

Plus, if the situation continues long enough, you might have to deal with the hordes of unprepared masses who are desperate to get what they need even if they have to break into your home or kill to get it.

Pros and Cons of Bugging Out

There are two big benefits to bugging out:  you’re isolated from most people and you’ll be able to live a sustainable life for the foreseeable future.

If you bug out to a remote location, you can grow your own food, source your own water, and harvest natural resources from the outdoors.

However, there are some drawbacks to bugging out.

First, you need to be able to get to your bug-out location safely. A good bug-out location will be a good distance away from the city, but that means it’ll take longer to get there and more things can go wrong.

The other problem you might have with bugging out is that it’s an extra expense that you might not be able to afford. Having a bug-out location is basically like owning a second home, which many people can’t afford or maintain.

If you simply can’t afford a bug-out location, then you’ll have to bug in. Still, there are ways to buy a cheap property that most people can afford even without having a big income. Check out this post to see if you can afford a cheap bug-out location.

How to Make the Right Choice

Now that we’re clear on the pros and cons of each, it should be easier to decide which is the right choice for certain SHTF situations.

First, let’s make one thing clear…you might not even have a choice. If the SHTF event is a hurricane, flood, or a fire, you’re going to have to bug out whether you want to or not.

But now let’s imagine that you do have a choice…what now?

Quickly get informed about what happened. Was it an EMP? Riots that went out of control? A pandemic? Find out what happened so you can make an informed decision.

The biggest factor you need to consider is time. Think about how long it will be before things go back to normal…if ever.

If it’s not going to be that long, it’s probably not worth the risk of traveling to your bug-out location.

For example, riots will die down eventually, so you can safely bug in, but there’s no recovering from an EMP attack, so bugging out is the best choice there.

Also, consider what other people are doing in response to the SHTF situation. Are they panicking and fleeing, or are they waiting around in disbelief?

If they’re still waiting around, you have a good opportunity to bug out without much resistance. But if everyone is fleeing, you can bug in for a few days and wait for things to die down before bugging out.

I understand that some of you might not be physically capable of bugging out and that bugging in is your only choice. In that case, you’ll either need to stock up even more supplies or try to get your neighbors on board with prepping so you can rely on a small group of like-minded people for support.

Survive Being Stranded in Your Car During Winter

If you drive a vehicle or usually ride as a passenger, there’s a chance you could be stuck on the side of the road at some point.

And if it happens to be winter, or the nights get really cold where you live, getting stuck could become a life or death survival situation.

Hopefully, you’ll be able to call for help if this happens, but what if you can’t or if it takes a long time for help to arrive? You’ll need some way to stay alive while you wait, and that’s exactly what you’ll learn how to do in this post.

By the end of this post you’ll know how to survive being stranded in your car during winter.

The Big Problem: Heat vs. Gas

So, here’s the big problem in this situation: it’s winter, which means it’s cold…but you only have a limited amount of gas to keep your car warm with. That means you only have so much time before you’re without a heat source.

The first thing you need to know is how to be as efficient as possible with your remaining gas.

Don’t just leave your car on the whole time expecting to be rescued soon. You don’t know when, or if, help will arrive. So, it makes sense to ration gas carefully.

Here’s a proven way to make your car’s gas last longer while still giving you enough heat to not freeze. Turn your car on and run the heater at full blast for 10 minutes once every hour. It won’t be as comfortable as you’d like, but it’ll keep you alive.

However, you also need to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. The engine of your car gives off carbon monoxide in the exhaust, and if you stay in a running vehicle without moving, that gas builds up and could poison you.

Here’s an easy way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure your exhaust pipe is free from snow and any other debris. Your exhaust pipe is where carbon monoxide exits, and if it’s blocked, it’ll quickly build up in your car.

Some people also recommend cracking your window just a bit, but I think this is unnecessary. You’re only going to run the car for 10 minutes at a time, so it won’t be a problem if your exhaust is clear.

Plus, cracking the window open defeats the purpose of running the car for heat, wouldn’t you agree?

It’s your call, of course, but clearing the exhaust pipe should be enough if you don’t run the car for too long.

Flagging Down Help Without Wasting Power

You’ll also want a way for help to be able to find you more easily.

The first thing you should do is turn your hazard lights on, but using your hazard lights will drain your battery if your car isn’t running…and if your car is running, then you should turn it off to save gas like we just talked about.

There’s an easy way to flag down help that doesn’t require any gas or electricity from the car.

Create a makeshift flag with a bright piece of clothing, or even better, use reflective tape if you have some (get some if you don’t have some already…)

The piece of clothing or reflective tape can be tied to the radio antenna of your car or onto the windshield wipers after your flip them up.

This makeshift flag works almost as well as hazard lights but has the benefit of not draining your limited resources.

Insulating Your Car to Save Heat

If you’re committed to holding out overnight, then you’ll need to take even more extreme measures to survive. You’ll have to be even more efficient and get as much as you can out of your remaining gas.

A good way to do this is to insulate your car so it retains more heat.

Pretty much anything can work, whether it’s clothes, blankets, newspapers, magazines, or pages torn out of a book. Gather everything you can and stick them to the windows to add an extra layer of insulation between you and the outside.

If your car is properly insulated, you shouldn’t have to run the engine so long to keep it reasonably warm inside.

Being Prepared Ahead of Time

This survival advice can be applied using only stuff you have on hand, no special gear required. However, it’s always best to be prepared ahead of time with a few essentials.

That’s why I’m going to give you a small list of things you should keep in your car, just in case.

There are a lot of other things that could be useful in this situation too, but these are the basics. For going beyond the basics, you might want to check out some of our kits here. It’s worth knowing you’ll be safe if you’re stranded in your car in the cold.

What If SHTF While You’re Away from Home?

It’s common for people today to travel, either for work or for pleasure.

But the downside to traveling is that you can’t take all your preps with you. And depending on the reason for your trip, you might not have your family with you either.

Some people consider travel the worst time for a SHTF event to happen. So if SHTF while you’re away from home, you’re going to have a rough time if you don’t plan ahead.

This blog post is meant to help anyone who wants to be more prepared when they’re away from home…whether that’s on the other side of town, across the country, or abroad.

Staying Prepped While Away from Home

Even though you’re away from home, you still need to have some of your gear with you. How much and what type of gear will depend on where you are.

For example, if you’re staying in the US and driving, you should keep a bug-out bag in your car. Just be aware of interstate gun laws if you’re armed, because gun laws get very confusing and legally dangerous if you’re carrying across state lines.

If you’re flying, you won’t have as much freedom in what you can carry, but you can still bring some of the basics.

You should be able to bring some paracord, a water filter, and a portable power bank as carry-ons. If you’re checking your luggage, you can even bring a knife.

You can read the TSA’s more in-depth guide on luggage rules here.

Don’t overlook carrying a good atlas with you. Bring an atlas of the US with you and also a map of the local area you’re going to.

Don’t rely only on your phone’s GPS because there’s too many things that could go wrong with that when SHTF.

If possible, you should have at least one fellow prepper you know and trust in the area you’ll be traveling to. Having just one like-minded person to rely on while you’re traveling will greatly increase your chances of survival.

Make Sure Your Family Will Be OK Without You

Making sure you’re prepared while away from home is only half the battle. You also need to make sure your family will be OK and can fend for themselves even when you’re not there to help them.

This is much easier for those whose spouses are also preppers. If your spouse isn’t a prepper or doesn’t understand the need to be one, then you might have to convince them beforehand.

One good way to make sure your family can survive on their own is to create action plans they should carry out if SHTF and you’re not there to guide them.

Don’t just talk about it once and then forget it. Bring it up every once in a while to keep it fresh in everyone’s minds. It’s easy to get accustomed to everyday routines, but SHTF emergencies could happen at any time.

It’s also a good idea to print survival action plans out on paper and pin them to the fridge so they’re always out in the open.

Determine If You Should Head Home Right Away Or Wait It Out

Now that you have basic survival gear with you and you’re reasonably confident your family will be OK without you, the next step is to determine whether to head back right away or wait for a while.

Heading back home is easy enough if you’re still in town…but what if you’re across the country?

You definitely want to re-unite with your family at some point, but you have to keep in mind that the farther away you are, the harder it will be to get back and the more supplies you’ll need.

Analyze the scope of the SHTF situation. Is it local, regional, national or global? Will things probably return to normal soon, or is it a long-term or permanent collapse?

Having access to fast and reliable information is important at this point. A reliable AM/FM radio that can give you fast news updates will help a lot.

If you think things will return to normal soon and you’re far away, it’s best if you just hunker down and wait.

However, if things show no signs of getting better and you have a family to take care of…you better get back to them no matter how far away you are.

Have you ever been away from home when disaster struck? What did you do to deal with it and protect your family? Share your story in the comments below.

What to Do If You Think Someone is Following You

Being stalked by someone makes you extremely vulnerable. In this situation, they’re the hunter and you’re the prey.

Your goal is to get out of this situation as fast as possible.

The techniques you’ll learn from this post will show you how to reliably tell if you’re being followed and what to do about it.

Verify If You’re Really Being Followed Or Not

First, you need to find out if someone really is following you or if it’s just a coincidence. This is an important step because you don’t want to confront an innocent person and embarrass yourself.

There’s two ways to do this, and you can choose whichever one you’re most comfortable with.

Multiple Turns Method

The multiple turns method is where you make several turns and see if you’re still being followed.

For this to be effective, these should be turns that someone wouldn’t usually make or simply aren’t a direct path to anywhere important.

The reason you need to make unusual turns is because if you’re walking to somewhere common, like the bank, there’s a good chance other people are also walking there too, so this won’t give you useful information.

If you’re still being followed after one turn, it’s an accident. If it happens again, it’s a coincidence. But if it happens a third time, you can be fairly confident that you’re being followed.

The multiple turns method lets you track your stalker’s movements without tipping them off that you’re aware of them. The drawback is that you’ll have to make three or four turns to verify if you’re really being stalked or not.

Abrupt Turn Around Method

The abrupt turn around method will give you much faster results, but it’s a more aggressive method that could force your stalker to act.

When you suspect you’re being followed, slow down and look around at street signs, shop signs, and your phone as if you’re confused. Then do a 180-degree turn and walk in the opposite direction.

A 180-degree turn isn’t that common, so if you’re still being followed after doing this, then you can be sure that you’re really being followed.

The only potential problem with this method is you’ll have to walk past the person following you. A sane person won’t attack you in public, but if your stalker is mentally unstable, he might attack you anyway.

The Non-Violent Way to Stop Your Stalker

The safe way to stop someone from following you is to join a larger group of people. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know them; you just need to be where others can see you.

Next, turn around and face your stalker and look him in the eye. This will tell him you know what he’s doing and you aren’t going to be a helpless victim.

Another more overt way to do this is to go to a public place with other people and then turn around and call your stalker out. Make a big scene out of it so it draws lots of attention. This will scare your stalker off.

How to Prevent Stalking Before It Happens

Those who prey on other people are always looking for easy targets. That means the best way to prevent people from following you is to not look like an easy target.

The fastest way to do this is to fix your posture. Standing upright with your shoulders back gives you a more confident appearance.

Compare someone with good posture to someone hunched over with slouching shoulders and it’s obvious who the easier target is.

Another way to prevent people from following you is to not get stuck in the same routine every day. Change your routine so you take different routes. That way it’ll be harder for potential stalkers to follow you.

Have you ever been followed before? And if so, what did you do about it? Share your story in the comments section below!