Survivalist Holiday Season and Shopping for Preppers

I dug this one out of a survivaltopics forum post from a few years back. It's got some all-around good advice, though I would of course substitute local stores for his big-box recommendations, even if you have to pay a bit more for the same items. They're usually higher quality brands and the money gets recycled in your local community, so that's where the real savings occur. Of course, if you're shopping for books for Prepper-types this holiday season, we've got you covered. If you're in need of an Eastern Washington Independent Bookstore, wander into Earthlight Books in Walla Walla, Washington and ask my father David what he's got in stock and pick up a Last Earth Distro Catalog while you're at it. If you're seeking a Western Washington Independent Bookstore specializing in Counterculture and Survivalist Books, drop in to Last Word Books & Press in Olympia, Washington. Last Earth Distro has a little retail corner there, and they've got tons of other fine literature for the clandestine bibliophile. Otherwise, if you're needing to equip a gear-head, hop on over to The Survival Center:  America's Premier Preparedness Center In Continuous Operation Since the early 1970's: Supplier of Family Preparedness, Health, and Survival Supplies - Their warehouse is in McKenna, Washington, just a hop, skip and a jump past Lacey, right next door to the Rampthan Compound. :) -The Lone Haranguer From: 11-15-2009

Celticwarrior  Super Moderator FireSteel Tube Armageddon Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,414

Survivalist Holiday Season Ahh, the holidays are here. Thanksgiving (well, for the American contingent at least) marks the beginning of the holiday season, and as such, it is a perfect feeding ground for survivalists. Think about all the bargains just for us (yeah, they weren't made that way, but we adapt!) 1) Food. This is the time to stock up on the pantry, folks. Your local superstore, grocery store and Save-a-lot (not to mention Wallyworld, etc.) will have BIG bargains on canned goods. 25 cent cans of corn, green beans, peas, carrots, yams, cranberry sauce, mushrooms, those cute little french fried onion curls, fruit cocktail, etc. Now is the time to put that stuff up. Look at the price of turkey! When would be a better time to buy a bunch of turkey breasts, slice 'em thin and make jerky than right now when they are just pennies per pound? Heck, you might want to can and freeze some of that too. Also, it's hunting season. If you DON'T hunt (and what's wrong with you if you don't? FREE MEAT!!), call up some of your buddies who DO, and see if they would be willing to pass on some of that yummy venison your way. Hard candy: Halloween is big for chocolate, which doesn't store or travel well. Christmas is the time for hard candy, like mints and fruit bits, and such. They are good all year 'round, but cheapest to buy now. Hickory Farms, Swiss Colony and all the others like that have their big Food Boxes for sale this season in virtually every mall, plus catalogs and the Net. Get some for yourself, but get a few for those Non-Prepper friends. Tell them that it's a good way to start thinking about keeping "a little something" on hand for emergencies. Heck, those meat logs and cheese wheels are delicious all year, but it's especially nice to pull that out when the power goes out and you have nothing but peanut butter in the pantry. Warn them that unlike traditional smoked and cured meats, those logs won't last without refrigeration for more than a couple of months, unless they store them in the freezer. While you are at it, pick up a couple of the cheese wheels that have the parrafin wax coating on them. THOSE will last a good long time untouched. Once you break the wax though, it's back to the fridge or mold will take over just like any cheese. Get smaller ones (1 1/2 lb or so) or waxed blocks (under 1 lb) for best usage. Cookies, crackers and popcorn in tins are big this time of year, and store really well unopened. They are also great Intro To Prepping 101 gifts for your friends and family. 2) The "Under $10 Gift Aisle". You know it, you love it. Target, Wallyworld, Kmart, your local discount store like Big Lots or Family Dollar, or drugstores like CVS, RiteAid and Walgreens. They ALL have a space set aside for those cheap gift items that are meant for the people you are obligated to buy something for but don't want to spend a lot of money on. Great. While you are there, pick up a few things for yourself (the "one for you, one for me" method! ) Shamwows (great camping/backpacking towels), Snuggies (those half-robe, half blanket things? Great as a car blanket for emergencies), PastaMagic (or the many other similar versions---basically a thermos tube that you pour pasta and hot water into. It cooks fast because of steam pressure in the closed container. It has a strainer lid to pour off the water when done. Great for Ramen and other noodles when camping/backpacking.), Fleece Blankets (these things are good at home, in the car, up camping, in a BOB. Throw-sized warm blankets, and during the holidays you see them for $5 to $10 bucks in almost every store!), 12vDC Appliances (all sorts of goodies made for the commuter. Hands free kits for your phone, chargers for everything, coffee cups that plug in and warm your coffee...which can also melt snow if you were stranded along the road, without starting your car heater!), small kitchen appliances (toasters, coffee pots, hot plates, etc. that can run efficiently off of a generator in an emergency). With it being hunting season, you can also pick up great bargains on ammo, disposable hot packs, and multi-packs of 1 lb. propane tanks, as well as several other goodies at your local sporting goods dept. or superstore. 3) Gift cards. Just like money, these things can be a life saver if you are out of cash and need something fast. They are also great "Prepper gifts". Nothing says "just in case" like having that card in your wallet if you need it. Gas cards, fast food cards like McDonalds, and grocery store cards are great and always useful and appreciated. However, you can take that to another level and get cards for Cabela's/Bass Pro Shops for hunting/camping gear, or gift certificates and a catalog from places like Emergency Essentials or Nitro-pak, with enough to buy a 3 day kit or a FD/Dehydrated Food starter pack. People won't usually spend their own money to try something like that out, but they will spend yours without a doubt. 4) Entertainment. Check out the bargains on DVD players and small 12v TVs for camping, game systems and video games of all types, movies and CDs on sale, and Toys R Us/FAO Schwartz or Wallyworld/Kmart type stores have TONS of small stocking stuffer games (great for backpacks and BOBs) and deals on board games for those nights around the fireplace when the power is out, or those simulated TSHTF drills. Books and other diversions are often on sale this time of year too. 5) Gifts. This is the time of year you get to be someone's Secret Santa. Your kids, your spouse, your co-workers or friends. All of them are potential "Preppers" if you give them the right gifts. Look for ways to get them involved with a gift that has a purpose, but says "start thinking about if things go wrong...what will you do?". Car emergency and tool kits, a 3 day "earthquake/hurricane" kit, hobby kits like leatherworking, electronics, or other crafts, some of the items I listed above like the $10 or less or the Meat and Cheese gifts, or a good book on the subject of survival. Could be a good manual like the SAS guide or Worst Case Scenario book, or it could be a novel with a survival twist, like The Stand or Lucifer's Hammer, or it could be a non-fiction book like One Man's Wilderness, Into the Wild, or Perfect Storm. Maybe one of the gift cards I mentioned. As long as you let them know that you are thinking of them not just today when the sun is shining and all is well, but in case something goes wrong and you are not there at the moment, any good gift can be a Prepper gift. Hope this has inspired a few to go out and get some things, for themselves and others, this holiday season. If you are going to spend money anyway, why not spend it wisely and to a good purpose.  __________________ "A free citizenry should never abide a government that seeks control over it's populous rather than service to them" -- Celticwarrior  Last edited by Celticwarrior; 11-15-2009 at 20:12.