50 Ways to Get Prepared on a Budget

Sometimes it might feel like you’ll never get prepared because you’re on a tight budget.

Let me inform you that it is 100% possible to get prepared for emergencies and disasters on ANY budget! Even if you only have a few dollars to spare a month. It may be a slower process, but it’s not a race to see who is prepared the fastest and bestest.

This is YOUR preparedness journey.

Take it as fast or as slow as you want.

Let me be clear, being on a budget doesn’t necessarily mean you have no money, it just means that we’re all on a different kind of budget and some of us may not have as much disposable income as others.

Therefore, when something new comes into the picture, like prepping, which requires some investment, we have to budget that in anyway we can.

Here are 50 ways that anyone can get prepared on any type of budget.

1. Put together a monthly budget and classify exactly how much you can spend specifically on preps
2. Make your own hygiene products; deodorant, shampoo, laundry detergent, lotion, etc.
3. Make an emergency disaster plan and run mock drills
4. Put together a folder with all of your important documents inside
5. Put together your own list of recipes; food, hygiene, survival tips, etc.
6. Make a list of items you want in order of importance, research the items and write down exact prices then figure out when you’ll be able to afford each item and schedule when you’ll be able to buy it
7. If you own a firearm but can’t afford to get to the range, practice dry firing at home
8. Practice meditation; great for survival mindset
9. Go out people watching as well as practice your situational awareness
10. Go camping and practice skills while you’re there such as fire making, shelter making, fishing, hiking with your backpack, etc.
11. Shop the ‘free’ section on craigslist
12. Shop for good deals on eBay
13. Wait for sales during or after holiday’s
14. Buy out of season (ex: sunscreen is usually on sale in the winter)
15. Put away $5 a month towards your prepping budget or something big you want to save money for
16. Put away $5 a month towards cash savings
17. Go to pawn shops and thrift stores to see if there are any good deals on anything
18. Buy in bulk from Costco or Sam’s Club
19. Shop for good deals on Amazon
20. Earn extra money through a side hustle such as Uber, donating plasma, selling goods on etsy/eBay, etc.
21. Shop at the dollar store for prepper goods such as non-perishable foods and first aid items
22. Purchase store brands instead of name-brands, as they’re basically the same but cheaper
23. Get into couponing or using an app like Ibotta to earn money back on purchases
24. Cut out unnecessary monthly bills; instead of going to the gym, run around your block and buy some cheap weights for the home (or use your gallons of water as weights!)
25. If you have a child in diapers, consider using reusable wipes and diapers to save money and make your own baby food
26. Reuse containers from the store such as glass jars or, of course, altoid tins
27. Use reusable cloth towels instead of paper towels
28. Purchase a couple cans of food and a couple gallons of water each time you go to the grocery store during your normal grocery store run; it’ll add up quickly!
29. Invest in a dehydrator to dehydrate your own meals and food
30. Invest in a vacuum sealer to preserve certain foods
31. Practice skills as often as you can in your backyard or at your local park, as that’s generally free
32. Rent books from the library or find downloadable eBooks online or buy used books
33. Watch YouTube videos to learn skills and ideas
34. Read blogs to learn skills and ideas
35. DIY as much as you can; ex: make your own candles instead of buying them, make your own kits, make your own paracord bracelets, etc.
36. Go to garage sales
37. Invest in mylar bags and oxygen absorbers in bulk from Amazon to preserve food for longer term
38. Reuse plastic bottles; wash then fill with water then place them in your freezer as backup water and to keep your freezer running more efficiently
39. Start a vegetable garden; container gardening or indoor gardening are great choices to grow your own foods
40. Get a book on wild edibles then go foraging
41. Download useful free apps to your phone; first aid apps, topo maps, Kiwix, other survival apps
42. Get free maps
43. Do an audit of your home security
44. Go for a walk
45. Use and test your preps; this is not only fun but practical
46. Learn to make things from scratch; clothes, bread, candles, etc.
47. Learn to cut your own hair
48. If you wear glasses, you can find affordable (and quality!) glasses from places like Zenni
49. Invest in canning supplies and can your own food, jams, etc.
50. Make your own homemade MRE’s

BONUS: Get out of debt! Preparedness is a lot more than just buying cool gear. Saving money and getting out of debt should definitely be priorities. The sooner you’re out of debt, the more disposable income you’ll have.

What are some other ways that we can all prep on a budget?

Conquer tomorrow, by preparing today!