anti-PREPPERS

[sinopa27]

I was wondering if anyone had any issues with family members and/or
spouse being against your Prepping lifestyle?

[thefrug]

I was preparing way before the hubby came on board. I just did it within the budget we had for food. He never knew. Then I would have a certain tv host on the tv when he came home from work and I was making supper. He would watch it and then he started saying how the guy has a point and is making sense. After a while he got on board.
That said, we don't tell anyone that we are prepared. Nobody. Period. People talk. They don't don't know how much they talk and they say crap about their other friends to people who just may make it a point to find out more about their friends.
I don't think it's MY responsibility to make others wise up and realize that they need to be ready for emergencies.
If they want to spend thier money on the newest shoes or tech gaget or new purse, then so be it. But don't come to me when you're hungry and cold.
I have no sympathy for idiots.

[ml2620]

Prepping is kind of a buzz word these days, and have some religious and political associations lately that make people uncomfortable.

But the reality is that so-called prepping is really just traditional frugal homekeeping more in line with the past, pioneer days, then something new. Granny Miller had a great post about it on her blog. I cross posted it here but I am on my blackberry right now and can't get to it.

As the previous poster said, prepping is no one's business but your own. If this is an issue inside the family you intend to support, again reference frugal housekeeping.

Also, I consider prepping to be a hobby, as I enjoy spending my time and spare cash on it whenever possible.

[The Muse]

Prepping is kind of a buzz word these days, and have some religious and political associations lately that make people uncomfortable.

But the reality is that so-called prepping is really just traditional frugal homekeeping more in line with the past, pioneer days, then something new. Granny Miller had a great post about it on her blog. I cross posted it here but I am on my blackberry right now and can't get to it.

Agreed. "Prepping" makes it sound a little crazy. But, my great grandmother had a stockpile, my grandmother had a stockpile, and I have a stockpile.

I do it because it makes good financial sense, not because I'm "prepping" for the apocalypse.

Ex-MIL once gave me a bunch of crap over 20 or so bottles of dish soap that I had in my mudroom waiting to go to the basement. Well, with a sale and coupons, the store paid me to take them home, and dish soap doesn't go bad and I was positive I'd use it all up, so it made good sense to stock up when the opportunity arose. But I guess that's why she's drowning in debt and why I'm debt free except for a very small loan on my flat.

When I moved to Europe, I had a company paid shipping container and the majority of it was filled with things I can't get here or that are very expensive. Supplies are dwindling now, but it lasted me over a year and saved me thousands of dollars.

I never thought of stockpiling as prepping, just a way to stretch my money further. I also find it convenient to have staples on hand, it's a very rare occasion where I can't make something to eat out of just what I've got on hand.

[Debbie-cat]

We don't tell anyone except the closest of friends who are also stockpilers.

My opinion is the same as the frug's. It isn't my responsiblity to hold their hands and try to convince them to do it.

[krbshappy71]

My mom thinks its ridiculous that I buy so much food when "you could just go to the store 1 mile away every week." Um, I don't want to go to the store every week. Or every day.

I go once a month, I buy what I need, I buy stockpile food with a bit of that money, and it has helped me SO MUCH during tough financial times. She doesn't know "tough financial times" so its all fine and dandy for her to judge, may she not have to know what that is like in her lifetime as I have. But I will continue to do what has saved me in the past. I'm not stocked as some people are but I am VERY ahead of many people in my daily life. Hopefully they don't come knocking at my door when the zombies take over 'cause they wouldn't be satisfied with what I stockpiled, anyhow.

[annymoll]

I do it, because I believe it is within the realm of possibility that we could have a nationwide disaster.I saw the help after Katrina.My parents and grandparents lived through the depression.I also enjoy planning and being self sufficient.I do not care what other people think, but I do care that they talk.( Lots more lazy grasshoppers than hardworking ants , IMO.And when trouble hits, I know who the grasshoppers look to.)We tell no one except my cousin, as we prep together and have conjoined properties.I plan and prep for our children as well, without telling them.

[crafty73]

I prep/stockpile, (i use these terms interchangeably) and my children know it as does my mom, cousin, aunt, uncle, dbf and now his parents also know that I 'stock up' on things but don't know to what extent lol His parents came over and helped us move some new appliances in and his parents saw my stockpile shelves in the basement....and the 9 500g blocks of cheese in the new fridge we bought...apparently she's never seen so much cheese in her life at once haha I matter of factly told her that when things go on sale, I'll pick up a few extra, saves money and time. Besides if we run out of a bottle of ketchup, all we have to do is run downstairs for another one She loved the idea! But that's as far as it goes.
My grandparents and parents all had a 'stockpile' but they never called it that. My grandparents shopped once a month (they lived on a farm), she gardened, canned and he hunted and they had chickens etc. It's about being self-sufficient and with today's economy, it makes sense imho. If I lost my job today, at least i know we'll be ok food/supply wise until i landed another job. At least its one less worry.

Alot of ppl are narrow-minded, some would judge/mock/gossip about folks who like to prep/stockpile food & supplies but should anything happen, they're the first ones to cry out about being victims of circumstance...I choose not be a victim to anyone or anything....I'd rather be self-reliant and self-sustaining. It's really nobody else's business but our own.

If those same ppl ended up homeless, cold and hungry,,,even if they scoffed at me for having prepped/stockpiled, I would still take pity upon them and share what I could with them...I was raised to be prepared and self-reliant but I was also raised to be kind, forgiving and generous, even to our 'enemies.' At the same time, Mama didn't raise no fool, I wouldn't let ppl take advantage of my generosity either lol

[lottaLove]

Everyone in my family stockpiles, my mother, my grandparents, my sister, my aunts....I don't think any of us have every thought strange of it. It's not something I tell my friends about, because it's not something that I do that I consider strange at all. If I told them I had enough bar soap to last a year because I got it on sale, their response would probably be along the lines of 'darn why do I always miss the good sales'.
I used to work at a grocery store and when there were sales on things like pasta or flour or oil people would come and buy it by the case and cart full, and no one ever thought strange of it. It was a discount grocery store, I don't know if that makes a difference.

[Daisygirl]

I prep for the Zombie Apocalypse, as you know. I, too, think that the world in general and North America in particular, is headed for major difficulties. As to the nature of those difficulties, it's hard to say, but I've had a couple of occasions to be glad I've prepped.

My mother looks at my water stockpile that I keep in the attic and thinks I need a tinfoil hat. She calls me a "doom and gloomer" and tells me to "live a little". She thinks I am absolutely ridiculous in my efforts to be more prepared, so I never ever talk to her about it. It sucks because it leads my kids to think I am kooky as well when mom talks about me like that in front of them.

My mom only knows about it because she's seen it when she visits. I have one like-minded friend that knows and aside from that, it's completely private and I intend to keep it that way.

Who's going to expect the broke single mom to have the motherlode when the Zombies come a'calling?

[Jamielane]

What I know is I cannot afford to do a real grocery shop this week and thats ok. I have plenty for us to eat quite fine until next payday. I need fresh milk, bread , cat food and some cheese slices. The cheese is certainly optional but the kids like it for lunch and school starts Tuesday. I dont care who thinks I am crazy. It was not so long ago we were hungry and I couldnt shop so when things got better the stockpile was very high on the priority list and will remain there.

[NicJean]

I've recently got my Stepmom involved, which is fabulous because I can teach her what NOT to do. We're also exploring long term storage options together (non-instant dry milk, dry refried bean flakes, etc).
She had been complaining about having to cook dinner - after 50 years of doing it for other folks, she's tired. I don't blame her, I just showed her a couple tricks so when she doesn't feel like cooking or running to the store (dear heavens, what a time-waster) she can do what I do: shop in the pantry, in the basement or in the freezer for a meal ready to eat or nearly so.
Not many people know what we have, or what we've prepared for. Being prepared is not just having food and water, it's skills, a trade, heat, alternatives to electricity, alternative sanitation, gardening and seed saving skills, wilderness survival skills, healthy and trained bodies, methods of self and property protection, the list goes on.
MIL knows, Stepmom knows, very good friend of DH knows, I don't think my Dad knows the extent of it - yes, another Zombie Prepper, TEOTWAWKI, etc. (Oops, I misplaced my tinfoil hat. . .)

[sinopa27]

Please forgive me.....what is up with the tinfoil hat?? I don't get the reference. I want to know just in case I am one of those who needs the tinfoil hat.
What does TEOTWAWKI mean?

[sinopa27]

I know now not to tell anyone. I like the reference of the grasshoppers and the ants. That really made me think!!!

[NicJean]

sinopa - TEOTWAWKI (acronym=The End Of The World As We Know It) There are many hard core 'Doom and Gloomer' websites out there, this is their favorite word.
Tinfoil hat - a reference to the way most people view us (who are prepared, preparing, living like pioneers) as crazy, wearing a tinfoil hat to avoid brain scan by aliens or some such nonsense.