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Author of How to Prep When You’re Broke and Bloom Where You’re Planted online course
We all hope that the world will dodge a bullet again and avoid diving into World War III. But things aren’t looking great. Aside from tensions in the Middle East in which we are not directly involved, last night, the US conducted air strikes in Syria against Iranian-funded militias in retaliation for recent attacks against American soldiers in the region. Then there’s the trouble from within – we can’t agree on anything, everyone is fighting over Israel vs. Palestine, and this assessment suggests that we’re ripe for a civil war as well.
This, of course, is all out of our hands. The decisions to join in global conflicts aren’t made by folks like us, and civil war is another matter altogether. So what is a prepper to do?
Well, we can’t stop the drums of war, but we can prepare for it.
Why I’m prepping for war
A friend of mine has been researching shortages from WW2, and that’s a great place to start. In America, we faced the rationing of things such as food, shoes, metal, paper, and rubber. The priority was given to the soldiers, and whatever was left over was divvied up by civilians. I’m not sure we will have the exact same shortages this time, as war, like many other things, has moved into the digital age, but soldiers will still need food, shoes, rubber things like tires, and metal for manufacturing vehicles and weapons.
What with things being digital, a wise person might also look into things that require motherboards and circuits – computers, other devices, and vehicles.
It’s important to note that the Defense Production Act is already in place to force our factories to produce what is needed for national defense and prioritize national defense customers over civilians.
We don’t know if this conflict will all be fought overseas or if it will creep onto our shores. In my opinion, it’s best to prepare for the worst case scenario and hope that it doesn’t happen.
Here’s where I’m putting my money right now as far as preps are concerned.
Food
One of the first things that will likely be rationed or in shortage would be food. I’m beefing up the preps for my family by shopping the sales, packing things away as carefully as possible to prevent degradation and pests, and filling my small home to the rafters. Here’s the strategy I use for prepping with food. If money is tight, this book will help, too.
Many people will be promoting extremely expensive purchases of long-term food in buckets. While that is certainly one way to do it, it’s not the tastiest, nor is it the most nutritious, nor is it affordable. I do have a number of food buckets, but this is my last-resort food, purchased because it will sit there for a long time without spoiling. We all have different strategies here, and if this makes you feel more secure and you can afford it, here is a better-priced package designed to last one person for six months. Another benefit to this type of supply is that it’s easily portable and takes up less space.
If you want to make your own freeze-dried food – a fantastic option – my friend Chris has a new freeze-dryer she’s learning to use. She writes about her experience here.
Finally, you want to produce as much food as possible. Whether you are in the city or on acreage, this course will help. We also have a physical paperback collection of all the food acquisition and preservation articles from The OP available here.
However you do it, whether it’s extra canned goods at the grocery store, freeze-drying or otherwise preserving your garden goodies, or buying buckets, now is the time to pull the trigger.
Medicine
I think another incredibly important prep is medication. Not just a collection of OTC stuff but prescription medication. There’s one place I know where I can get human-grade prescription meds for a wide variety of issues. The Wellness Company offers prescription drug packages for emergencies, and I’ve got one for every member of my household. This means there’s enough of each medication to treat all of us if necessary. When I got mine, the experience was smooth and comfortable and I received my medications very quickly. I wrote about the experience here.
Here are some of the health concerns that can be treated with the contents of the kit.
On top of this, I have a great OTC kit, some meds I purchased when traveling, and a lot of fish antibiotics.
Ammo
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if ammunition was another thing that was rationed or difficult to come by should war occur. I’m stocking up on what I can, as I can. A gun isn’t of much use if you have nothing to put in it.
Precious metals
What do you need to hang on to your hard-earned savings and get through to the other side with your personal wealth intact? Precious metals have long been the savings accounts of the savvy. I know, I know. You can’t eat gold. But you can put it back, hidden carefully, and use it to re-establish yourself once things have calmed down.
There will be expenses involved after any kind of conflict or collapse. Many people lost their homes in the South after the Civil War when they could not pay the outrageous property taxes demanded by the Union. You can be assured that any government will be eager to refurbish their coffers with property tax dollars after such an expensive undertaking as war. We’ve already talked about how the dollar is losing its power – but gold and silver will not. In fact, central banks all over the world are heavily investing.
I have a company I use for precious metals purchases. ITM Trading is really big on education, which is why I like to work with them. I’ve learned so much in my consultations, and there’s no obligation or pressure. If you’re not sure whether gold is for you, I recommend you call and get your own personal consultation. It will help you to make your decision, and this is a company you can really trust.
Remember, this is not something you will necessarily plan to spend DURING the hard times. It’s a way to protect your savings through the hard times so that you have something of value left after the fact.
Communications
Imagine being in a situation in which you know the country has been invaded, but telecommunications are down. Your phone doesn’t work, there’s no news on the television, and there’s no internet. You NEED to be able to communicate and learn what’s going on so you can keep your family safe. You’ll want to check on loved ones far away.
Ham radio is the answer. Aden discusses some inexpensive, simple ones in this article. I’m working on getting my license using his study guide, found here (it’s so awesome!) and, finally, check out his book on emergency communications here.
Miscellaneous items
I also recommend some of the following miscellaneous preps:
- Take care of any medical or dental problems.
- Get shoes for the whole family (grab a size up for kids).
- Get winter coats, gloves, hats, and scarves if needed.
- Get new tires for your vehicles.
- Take care of any automotive repairs you’ve been putting off.
- Fill up your propane tank or get whatever heating fuel you may need and keep it topped off.
- Get your septic tank pumped.
Taking care of these things in advance is not outrageous – it’s something that you can do and be assured you’ll use at some point.
What about you?
These preps don’t capture the horrors of nuclear war or the destruction of a ground war here on American soil. This is a guideline, a course of action to get you through everyday life during a conflict. There are many things beyond our control, but these things are within our grasp, and they make a lot of sense.
Are you concerned about the advent of World War III? Are you taking any particular steps to prep for it? What shortages would you expect to see arise in the event of a global conflict?
Let’s discuss how to prep for war in the comments section.
About Daisy
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, adventure-seeking, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites. 1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty; 2) The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews.
Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.
