One thing that I see a lot of folks doing as they are getting ready for some future event (job loss, economic collapse, zombies, whatever) is to get a TON of gear so they will have a ton of hope when it comes – whatever it is that everything will be ok… but let’s pause for a sec… think if you’re in that boat. Do you have a lot of “stuff”? Now, think about this and be honest here… do you know how to use every piece if gear that you have? Diversity in your preps is a critical step that can’t be overlooked.
Now, I’m not saying that you have to know how to program that ham radio forwards and backwards or all of the ecoscience-mumbo-jumbo behind aquaponics – I’m asking you to consider if you could effectively use your gadgets when it counts – a stressful time, a time when it’s do or die – for its intended purpose.
How do you get there? I’m suggesting education. Simple, almost to simple. It seems to be pretty hard for a lot of folks to take the education or training step. I know dozens of folks who have ham radios but don’t know how to use them. “All I gotta do is push the button.” No license (yeah, you need a license to use ham frequencies), and “It won’t matter when the zombies are attacking!” just won’t cut it in this type of scenario.
What I’m getting at here is suggesting that if you don’t LEARN you won’t be able to DO when it matters.
So – here’s what you do. Stop buying gear…. or at least not as much. Budget your time so you instead of researching the new accessory, or what cool new toy your Youtube hero is reviewing take the time to learn a piece of gear you already have.
There are lots of great things every one should have or do for general preparation, but it is imperative that you take some time to learn those tools, gadgets, gizmos, etc. And for that matter it’s just as important that you learn how to use the food storage you have set aside as well. A sudden diet of whole wheat berries just isn’t healthy… at all.
I can’t go through every gadget or prep item you could possibly have, so let me suggest a few general things that might help you in general:
- This isn’t a race. You may believe that the end of the world is coming sooner than others believe, but it is best you master those things that you have. The Patriot Nurse said it well “I’d rather have someone that’s well trained and 100 bullets than 10,000 bullets and one untrained.”
- Get over “It’s better to have something than nothing”. Sure, you might have that suture kit in your go bag, or a tank in your back yard – and IF by chance you were to run across someone later on when it’s all ‘gone south’ that can use a suture kit or a tracheotomy tube or drive a tank without harming someone (unintended of course) then all the better – but that’s a BIG if. So again, it’s better YOU or someone on your team knows how to use your gadget or cook with your stored food.
- Enjoy what you’re doing. The thing is – you’re going to be doing what you’re doing for a long time. Preparing for something coming or living with what you’ve got – it’s gonna take some time… a good long while if you’re lucky.
I hope this helped you think about the race you might find yourself in once in a while to get everything you can – and sure, when the ammo shortage was starting you wanted to grab as much as you could, but you have to be careful… not only in what you spend your preparedness budget on, but how you spend your preparedness time. Good luck and go LEARN SOMETHING!