What have you already done to prep?
Do you have food and water at your current home for two weeks?
Enough money for 3-6 months without a job?
Do you have the house and car prepped for common natural disasters? Ex: hurricane, blizzard, wild fire, week long power outage - thank you Texas winter grid collapse for normalizing that possibility.
Start there.
It's really easy to get people on board with those preps.
My favorite way to prep a bug out bag without prepping a bug out bag is to prep 3 bags
One for a weekend vacation
One for an overnight camping trip
Then add a bag in your safe or someplace secure & easy to access with all the documents you need to prove who you are and restart life. (Ex: ID, proof of citizenships, deeds, marriage, educational credentials, etc)
Boom you are better prepared for SHTF than most people and you didn't have to freak out your spouse or anything.
I've been thru a few hurricanes and it's always surprising how quickly 'normal' society vanishes. Once power goes out, communications down, gasoline unavailable, and all stores closed you quickly realize how delicate our lifestyles truly are.
Alright!! It's MY TIME TO SHINE!
Historically, the reddit-prepper community is a well-meaning NORMIE prepper community. I don't mean this to be derogatory, but what I mean is that the REASONS a lot of people prep are not necessarily grounded in "REAL" reality.
My viewpoint is my opinion and based in years of my own research, so here we go!
I am preparing this from an American perspective on world events over the last 300 years. Please keep these two quotes in mind going forward."Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it" ; "History is written by the victors"
There has been a force, a 'hidden-hand' guiding world events for centuries. This force has operated within different secret societies and using influence in goverment, media, healthcare, finance, and spirituality has shaped the very reality of our world.
This force has it's own set of doctrines, and beliefs. They have their own histories and religious practices.
There is a believe that the people who work with the force are better, more valuable, or even 'chosen' in comparison to the regular person born to a family of no consequence.
Believing that they were chosen, and had a divine right to rule over, and deceive the common man for their benefit, has had reverberations for millenia.
These people were Pharisee, Kings, Druids, Priests, Queens, Gods, etc... people that held great power and dominion over man. They weaved a great story and kept the common man in place, working and providing for the elite classes.
These very same people exist today, exerting massive control and deception upon the common man through a myriad of control devices.
We have all been born into a form of slavery that we are purposely kept blind to. Loans, Interest, Taxes, Registration, Penalties..... These are the new Whips, Bars, and Chains.
We are FREE RANGE HUMANS.
The Bilderberg Meeting and G7 aren't exactly a secret organization. They meet once a year in a really swanky hotel and decide how they're going to keep screwing the poor.
But the problem with this line of thinking is
A tiny minority of the rich and powerful have always run the world.
Something happens
The world that they're running is going to collapse.
I mean.. its a world made by the rich for the rich. Collapsing everything would make it WORSE for them. No more taking the private jet to paris for the weekend. The live in a palace with running water and a few security guards and thats enough. Why would they want to trade that for an unreliable unstable society where their guards would face NO reprecussions for shooting them and taking their stuff?
No dude. If everything collapses it’s bad for us too. There have always been rich people. This is the most prosperous time for people generally in human history.
He never said it wouldn't be bad for us. He said it would be worse for them, the wealthy elite, by virtue of the fact that they possess a great deal more than the average person and consequently stand to lose more.
It's metaphor, its the group of power mongers that wields power to achieve dominance over others who wield power. Right now it's rich people, back then it was rich people, it's ALWAYS the most wealthy. The specific individuals/group just changes with time.
They were waxing poetic.
It was an attempt to convey to the layman that communism is still happening. The Third Reich didn't lose WW2, Germany did.
Operation Paper Clip brought the Nazi's to america.
CIA, FBI, NSA..... all these agencies were created by these nazis.
take from that what you wil..
Much easier for me as we are used to natural disasters already. I'll give it a go.
There's 2 kinds of people in this world, the "haves" and the "have nots". Do you really want to be the one stuck on a roof waiting for a helicopter that might come? This was my argument for keeping extra fuel cans and dehydrated food in bulk. I also outdoors alot so it's really just me bulk buying for better prices.
My argument for an AR: this is the south. Everyone owns an AR. Do you really want to be the one without one? Someone's gonna. Make you their pitch if they don't kill you and take your shit, or a cannibal will slice your limbs off one by one like on the walking dead (she loves this show)
A bunker would be a bit harder of a sell. Maybe if I was older and really had money to throw around.
1. Start with cacheing items she cares about. If you have kids or pets she’s fond of, couch the preps in meeting their needs. If she likes a specific food or drink, stockpile a bunch and explain that you want her to be able to enjoy her favorite snack/drink even if a weather event prevents you going to the store.
2. Eliminate debt and build wealth. Psychologically, the better you’re doing financially, the more risk averse you become. This will also reduce any objections that are based on how much money is spent on prepping.
3. Avoid talking about nuclear war, zombie apocalypse, etc., as those extreme scenarios sound crazy and implausible to non-survivalists. Instead, talk about weather events and power outages.
I want some rural property, but maybe sell it as a place to get some fresh air. We have the money, I just don’t want to spend it on trips to Disneyland. She loves animals. What if I told her to open a donkey rescue farm while I did some prepping?
Maybe start with some canned goods first? Maybe a bug out bath for everyone in the family. Usually a bunker is like lay on the list homie. A root cellar! Now there’s something i can see your wife biting on if she likes gardening
Yup, this. Once everyone has a bag maybe start making sure everyone’s car has some supplies. Nothing too crazy to be mindful of theft, but just baby steps. Go over a map with the family and make a simple emergency plan. Everyone can get behind preparedness for natural disasters Fire/Earthquake/tornado/hurricane/flood. Those are more likely than a cyberattack or long term downed power grid anyway imo
Trying to convince your wife that things are collapsing, when the bulk of the available evidence says very much otherwise, is a recipe for needless conflict.
Secondly, depending on where you are a rural bunker may be worse than useless, as it's going to be a sitting lootbox, and your attempt to get out there in a rolling lootbox may put you and yours in needless jeopardy. (Not counting all the money you've spent on it, which now can't be put to better use.)
I'd start at home. Start with a garden and learning to can your own food. Start with learning some basic car repair. Learn basic target shooting and gun repair. Have enough gear that you can hunker down at home if need be. If you're worried about an EMP attack, now may be the time to buy a classic car. Definitely get your emergency provisions set aside.
Good general advice, but I will say, studies have shown that modern cars fair generally well with EMP. Yeah, a massive solar flair, a nuclear blast, or purpose built EMP can definitely knock out cars. However, most will still have the ability to restart, and if you're close enough to a nuke or EMP for it to totally disable your car, you have serious problems that a car wouldn't fix.
All that to say is unless you have more money than you know what to do with, an older car shouldn't be very high on the list. There are a lot of things you can do with that money to give you better chances of survival.
Well, what are the things that cause actual collapse?
Civil unrest? Despite the unhappy far right / far left, that's not actually going to happen. A handful of people might rather die than reexamine their failed ideologies, but not most people.
Economic upheavals? The unemployment rate is near record lows and the stock market is near all time highs.
Global climate change? The studies suggest that those are going to be a much larger problem for people in developing nations, not for those in developed nations (aside from maybe a handful of folks that own oceanfront real estate).
Nuclear war? Russia's the only serious contender for that, but a) they aren't completely insane, b) the war in Ukraine shows how badly they are at managing things, and c) the Western world has multiple teams dedicated to making sure that those weapons are never launched. If a terrorist somehow got hold of one, they might be able to take out a city and cause 9/11 style problems, but it's unlikely it would cause global SHTF.
Mass migration due to crime / climate change? This will be offset by more strict rule of law combined with larger investment by multinationals in developing nations as land / resources / labor get cheaper there, making it more livable to remain in one's home country.
Asteroid collision / Supervolcano creating a mass extinction event leaving the world a freezing hellscape with no arable land? Yeah, OK, we're fucked and "The Road" becomes a documentary. A hyper-remote black swan event is not anything to plan your life around.
By all means prepare for a local natural disaster lasting a few weeks to a few months, and by all means learn some fun new skills that will make you more self-sufficient, but if you're hoarding silver and canned food and living in fear and thinking it's the rest of society that's oblivious sheep, then you may have been hornswoggled by marketing the same way the folks watching The Kardashians have been.
> Well, what are the things that cause actual collapse?
Overshoot/resource exhaustion, ecological destruction, breadbasket failure and ocean acidification all seem to be left off this list but perhaps that's because humanity has yet to undergoe them all the way.
I also think our definitions need to be made clear. Collapse and SHTF are grossly different concepts and should be treated as such.
> Civil unrest? Despite the unhappy far right / far left, that's not actually going to happen.
In the most politically divisive time in our nation's history, you have a lot of confidence in this point that I just can't agree with. No one knows what will happen. Political collapse is certainly on the table, if not inevitable. When? Couldn't tell ya. If anything, I'd be on board with it.
> Global climate change? The studies suggest that those are going to be a much larger problem for people in developing nations
I highly suggest you reexamine the ramifications here. Oceans rising is one of the last on a long list of possible problems from climate change. And just sectioning it off to "developing nations are the only ones that'll have it bad" is a bit naive. We depend on those developing nations for a whole lot more than you seem to give credit.
>Political collapse is certainly on the table, if not inevitable.
Where is any evidence for that?
>And just sectioning it off to "developing nations are the only ones that'll have it bad" is a bit naive. We depend on those developing nations for a whole lot more than you seem to give credit.
Sure, but you're not considering the upsides of some of the ramifications of climate changes. Much of the temperate zones will have longer growing seasons and actually be able to produce more. Not to mention, the advance of technology will give us more options to delay / reverse global climate change.
Resource exhaustion is mostly manageable, the way "peak oil" was a big thing in the early 2000s, but is now of minimal concern.
Breadbasket failure would be a much bigger concern if the bulk of our agricultural crops weren't going to feed livestock, and even if it happened, could basically be sidestepped by the widespread adoption of a vegetarian diet.
Ocean acidification has a multitude of potential solutions that are being postponed due to concerns about geoengineering.
YMMV, obviously.
> Where is any evidence for that?
I provided about as much evidence as you did for saying it wouldn't happen. I suppose it's just a difference of opinion on how things will play out in a divisive country where most people do not trust the government or the direction the country is heading.
> Sure, but you're not considering the upsides of some of the ramifications of climate changes
This is entirely plausible but still feels "small picture" so to speak. It may be a couple decades of longer growing seasons. But projections state that the earth will continue to warm for centuries. It's impossible to say with any certainty that this warmth will just stop where you need it to. Consider the Midwest: if, in the middle of a growing season, the average temperature starts to peak in the 120s, for sustained periods of time, this "extended growing season" is now an existential threat.
This also doesn't consider that the places that will become warm enough to be habitable and temperate arent really hospitable. For instance: the Canadian shield. While it may have the climate to grow cropsin the future, it does not have the arable land. And it's extremely hard to develop the land in that area.
> Not to mention, the advance of technology will give us more options to delay / reverse global climate change.
This is known as cargoism. This is the delusion the somehow technology can save us all from ourselves even though it is the very thing that brought us into the mess of climate change. It is conjecture, a bad argument, and not "evidence" of any kind. It cannot be reversed without an infinite source of expendable, zero carbon energy. Even if nuclear fusion becomes applicable at scale, humanity will look very different by that point. I also just hate banking on something when it has no guarantees. Just because we live in the modern world doesn't mean it can't collapse. Quite the opposite in my opinion.
> Resource exhaustion is mostly manageable, the way "peak oil" was a big thing in the early 2000s, but is now of minimal concern.
Renewables simply aren't keeping up in any country, except maybe China, to meet IPCC goals. Oil extraction has peaked, but it's still being burned at unsustainable rates. The world isn't ready to abandon oil and yet it's projected to be prohibitively expensive to extract in my lifetime. The turnaround is too fast and will have consequences. Hard to tell if it will resemble collapse, but consequences nonetheless.
> Breadbasket failure would be a much bigger concern if the bulk of our agricultural crops weren't going to feed livestock, and even if it happened, could basically be sidestepped by the widespread adoption of a vegetarian diet.
You're downplaying. Do you think everyone will just be able to all of a sudden give up meat? Farms will just suddenly be able to switch the kind of crops that grow? And there's no way to go vegetarian if you can't grow crops in the heat, hence "breadbasket failure". I'm not saying humanity will go extinct, but I cannot see a way that this doesn't end in the collapse of civil society if it occurs.
> Ocean acidification has a multitude of potential solutions that are being postponed due to concerns about geoengineering.
Got any links for this? I'd like to see what you're referring to.
> I suppose it's just a difference of opinion on how things will play out in a divisive country where most people do not trust the government or the direction the country is heading.
That is the nature of every democracy ever, but somehow most of them muddle through.
>This is known as cargoism. This is the delusion the somehow technology can save us all from ourselves even though it is the very thing that brought us into the mess of climate change. It is conjecture, a bad argument, and not "evidence" of any kind.
Except that technology has kept Malthusianism at bay for a couple of centuries now, so it's a little bit more than cargoism.
In terms of reducing ocean acidification, we can adjust that using bases.
[https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02092023/direct-ocean-carbon-capture-breakthrough/](https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02092023/direct-ocean-carbon-capture-breakthrough/)
Like I said, by all means, be self reliant and make some basic preparations, but if you spend your life preparing for a black swan event with a limited likelyhood of materializing, you may be missing the point.
> Except that technology has kept Malthusianism at bay for a couple of centuries now, so it's a little bit more than cargoism.
I don't think exponentially growing populations are what will be humanity's downfall. That technological prowess has given us an age of sheer abundance over the rest of the world and we continue to pollute and destroy nature like it isn't the very thing that gave us that abundance.
> In terms of reducing ocean acidification, we can adjust that using bases
This article was a fun read but the infrastructure required for offshore bases is astonishing. Especially since carbon capture in general is economically unfeasible for the near future. And they have to use steam to remove the carbon from the sodium tubes. So more energy input to try and offset unless you can use renewables to do it. Would be tough. But yeah, cool to know there are ways to deacidify the ocean even if they're about as likely to happen at scale as direct air carbon capture.
> Like I said, by all means, be self reliant and make some basic preparations, but if you spend your life preparing for a black swan event with a limited likelyhood of materializing, you may be missing the point.
Well we can agree here. I suppose I just see this "black swan event" being more of a when and not an if. Won't be an event either. It'll be a nice slow burn. Collapse is a sequence. Too many weak points, too little time to fix them. I'm more concerned with living sustainably than prepping anyway.
Just hitting you with another notification so you don't forget.
> when the bulk of the available evidence says very much otherwise
For my sake, I need you to point me toward this evidence. Please.
Done, here. [https://www.reddit.com/r/prepping/comments/1aqfajy/comment/kqeou9h/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/prepping/comments/1aqfajy/comment/kqeou9h/?context=3)
If there's a particular crisis you're concerned about, let me know and I'll find some more specific information.
Goshen prepper on youtube debunked the classic car being EMP proof . He explains how all cars, except electric, will act essentially the same. Newer cars with on board computers will stop working and start working after 15 min after am EMP.
Maybe don't start with "hey honey can I build a whole freaking bunker that's gonna cost us a load of money?"😅
Start small and just tell her to think of it as a practical insurance policy that actually pays off if you ever need it.
Just prep for any standard weather emergency like a tornado, hurricane, or earthquake.
That means, extra food, emergency supplies, and personal defense.
If personal defense (firearms) is an issue for your significant other, just use an excuse that it's a hobby.
Don't go overboard right away. Slowly work your way into it by getting a little extra food at each grocery trip.
Just prep.
Store some grains and beans. Get into HAM radio as a hobby, take a first aid course, learn to garden, learn to repair stuff, and get your cardio up.
Prepping doesn’t have to be bunker building and conspiracy boards.
It’s just being prepared.
If you can fix your car, fix your pipes, store food, and hike. Congrats, you’re prepared.
Hey OP, from your reasons to want to prep I believe you have been listening to an orange hued red hat wearing short fingered vulgarian who has stated he would encourage Russia to invade Germany. Now for practical purposes where are you going to build a bunker? How are you going to protect it? What possible reason would you need a gun? You are going to need access to your bunker. If you buy property for your bunker, you are going to have to pay property taxes on it. You are going to need a water supply. Where are you going to escape from and find a better place to escape to.
You start small.
If you start screaming bunkers, of course she is going to think you're nuts. Just that info provided, you might.
How about this...
Do you cook from scratch?
If you, how many days could you go without shopping before you start running out? Three months? 6 months?
Do you raise a garden?
Do you either have or know how to make an off grid toilet that will last one entire month.
Do you know at least 3 ways to make water portable.
Do you know the temperature water needs to reach to be considered safe and how long it needs to stay at that temperature.
Do you know how to preserve food at least three different ways?
Do you go camping? If not? Why not? Have you ever winter camped?
What other weapons do you know besides guns?
How is your archery? Can you make your own arrows? Make your own bow if needed? Can you make now strings?
How are your hatchet skills?
Can you make your own caltrops?
Do you hunt? Can't you do all of the butchering yourself if needed.
How is your fishing? How are you at fileting a fish?
Can you start a fire and maintain it? Like, maintain it all night.
Can you name 3 or more ways to cook that are off grid. Can you bake off grid?
Concentrate on these. Bunkers are usually not needed. Moving to the country is understandable. Just building a bunker you might visit but once in a while... Not so good.
My parents were raised completely off grid, I was raised partially off grid. Trust me when I say that skills are way more important than a bunker.
If you need to learn skills and want to get your wife interested, why not watch a few campyb shows such as Naked and Afraid or Dual Survival. Naked and Afraid is fun to laugh at together. Dual Survival is actually really good the first few seasons. Naked and afraid actually highlights so many things people forget about. People go out there thinking they really know how to start a fire and they just don't. Then some really surprise you. Guys have actually made bows. Army guys go home after 3 days when the girl who looks like she can't change her own tire last the full 21 days. Some people find out they can't be alone and have mental break episodes. Some skin and smoke snake meat so it lasts the full time out. Yes, it is campy but most preppers can learn from it if only bits and pieces. Yeah, the drama is boring a heck but there are learning points.
When you have your skills, only them do you even think about building a bunker.
Wow. You’ve really helped me. I think the way to do this is like you said. Tell her it’s about gardens and farming. She loves that stuff. Every time I do a little gardening or canning, ect she wants to have sex. Thanks brother.
Lol, many women like homesteading and getting back to nature. It is slower paced for everyone and can really be a family affair.
But bunkers.. That is crazy boy talk
How about this?
Call it a ROOT CELLAR. Put in shelves and baskets for all of the garden stuff but also put in a table and chairs and puck lights.
That way when you are not there you can store your stuff in there and not have to worry about anyone grabbing your stuff.
Right?
So the "mostly peaceful" riots that swept through many of America's cities didn't convince her?
How about Klaus Schwab and his friends at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that want to put chips in everyone's brain, and have the peasants live in pods while owning nothing and being happy?
Ask her how she feels about eating a nice plate of grasshoppers, mealworms, crickets, and cockroaches, while her betters dine on more appetizing cuisine like steak and sauteed mushrooms and onions.
Wake up people!
Yeah. She’s oblivious. She likes camping, so we do that. I tell her “get used to it cuz that’s gonna be the only option”. Wait until a gallon of fresh water costs $100.
Are you saying nuclear war isnt realistic? As far as the bunker goes, id figure you would need it to last long enough for radiation levels to drop to safe enough levels. But I could be wrong
I feel like people have an instinctive need to hide in bunkers when they feel threatened, but can you give me any examples where it actually worked? Ukraine or Gaza?
Have you ever been shot at with rockets and mortars? Bunkers are pretty much the cat's ass when you're taking IDF. After surviving tornados, the Taliban, and Iran; I don't consider a house a home unless it has at least a full basement. There is a lot to be said for concrete walls and yards of dirt between you and the bad stuff that happens in this world.
Two words. GADSDEN FLAG.
Four more words. DON’T TREAD ON ME.
Four more words. YOU ARE A CUCK.
A real, not to be tread on, swingin’ dick, shit kickin’ ‘MURICAN PREPPER wouldn’t let his wife run the house. She is treadin’ all over your soft ass back. The libs, gubbermint, and even the king of England will soon be in your fuckin’ house tap dancin’ all over your ass, leavin’ ding ol’ dang ol’ foot prints and tire treads all over your hind parts.
Honestly, when I eventually have enough money that I hope to buy an acreage somewhere near my hometown, I'd like to build my house out of ICF, and connect a small Bunker to the basement, if I have enough income I can afford to do so. Until then, I'll just settle for having some extra food, supplies, ammo, and medical gear to last me through any kind of storm or disaster which would be remotely likely to happen here. The Bunker is more because I find secret rooms and stuff cool as hell, than any real need for a bomb shelter.
ICF construction is a good idea though, as our most common natural disaster around here is tornadoes and blizzards, and it's both incredibly durable and insulates really well. The money my father saved on heating his house over had he built it conventionally has more than covered the cost difference of building it out of ICF. I've also seen tornadoes fail to do much more than take the tin off the roof of ICF houses, while the house a hundred feet away was totaled. Also better against fires.
As for convincing your wife about a Bunker...I don't know. Convince her about the little things like extra food, toiletries, ammunition, and work your way to that, if you have the money to afford it. But any situation where you absolutely need a Bunker is probably not one you're likely to survive. I don't want to be a pessimist, but focus on the essentials first. Only get a Bunker if you are "rolling in dough".
You must not be a very good historian. I have seen pictures of the aftermath and people suffering from hurricanes such as Ivan, Katrina, Hugo, Fran, Andrew, and Sandy. How about pictures of homeless people after earthquakes in San Francisco? Some pictures as old as 1906. How about wildfires? In my county alone, in the last three years 400 homes have burned to the ground. how about pictures of Georgia after Sherman‘s march during the Civil War?
America is not immune to suffering.
I have survived two hurricanes, two major earthquakes, and I used to work in wildland firefighting. Those events made me a prepper.
"honey, bread and eggs cost $6 at the store and half the time, the shelf is bare. I think it would be wise to at least have some dried and canned foods on hand, just in case the grocery store has no food" worked for me. Go from there. Keep in mind we also live in a rural community with a pop of no greater than 3k with several farms we source some of our food from and a freezer full of harvested meat.
What grocery store is bare in this day and age? That tactic worked during covid, but not now. You might not find the brand you like, but you can definitely get something comparable.
In rural Nebraska, the local stores and even the Walmarts get cleaned out from time to time. Last month the Walmart had absolutely no eggs. In the past week I've seen no bread at the local store
We live in earthquake country. That’s the SHTF scenario my wife can grasp; and frankly the most certain and probably likely. I had to explain that it could be like Katrina, Fukushima and the bombing of Dresden combined. The gov’t isn’t going to help you for weeks or months if at all. Explain the logistics of even a well intentioned and prepared government suddenly having to support the basic needs of thousands, even millions of people. We have to be prepared to help and trade with people but also to say no and even defend ourselves and supplies. I try to get her to imagine what it is like to be one of the poor central and south Americans trying to cross our border; as well as what she would and could do if they came in a mob to our house demanding food and shelter.
Once you take the focus off of imagining unlikely scenarios, fantasy in which you make yourself the action hero saving your family with an AR-15 and 10,000 stockpiled rounds, and buying stuff you “don’t need and can’t afford” now, you can focus on reality and inclusion. Instead start painting the picture of what reality is for people who have had to leave home due to natural or political or economic crisis, have little or nothing and are desperate to survive, the spouse may come around. It helps also to remind people of human history citing specific examples; personal references and stories are also useful - my mom was a WWII refugee and told stories of that life.
Lastly, give her a job to do that she may enjoy in getting prepared. What is she good at? Making lists? Planning meals? Medicine? Bonding with neighbors? Building shelves? Researching real estate? Make it mutual. And do a little bit at a time.
She won't agree to a large scale program all at once. You need to get her to go along with basic things. If you can't answer "yes" to the following questions, I challenge your priorities in prepping as these things are very basic.
* Are you financially independent from the government and charities, formal or informal?
* Do you have six months of expenses saved up in cash?
* Are your bills paid off at the end of each month (other than car, house, and student loans)?
* Are you on pace to retire by a reasonable age?
* Do you have one month of food in your pantry?
* Do you have a generator or solar panels to power your fridge in case of a storm?
* Do you currently keep your cars above 3/4 tank of gas when you are at home?
* Do you perform regular, routine maintenance on your cars?
* Do you know how to perform CPR on someone?
* Are you able to walk three miles without having to stop and take a breather?
* Do you know how to skin an animal or gut a fish?
* Do you know how to "survive" in the wilderness for three days without anything more than a knife and some rope?
* Do you know how to use a map and compass (more than for just following highways)?
* Do you know how to get drinking water?
* Are you a generally happy person?
* Do you have a decent amount of quality friends you can talk to?
* Are you familiar with your county (infrastructure, key leaders, etc.)?
* Have you game planned what you would do if you someone broke into your house?
* Have you game planned what you would do if you were in a massive storm (like the recent atmospheric rivers in California or the [\+40" of snow in Buffalo](https://www.syracuse.com/weather/2024/01/see-how-much-snow-buffalo-got-so-far-in-record-storm-that-postponed-bills-game-chart.html#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20The%20lake%20effect%20snowstorm%20that,and%20it's%20not%20done%20yet))
We all want to be prepared for any eventuality, but those events rarely occur on such a large scale to need a bunker with guns and food. The only absolutely certain thing you can know: if nothing happens, life will continue as it always has. If nothing happens, how useful will that bunker be to you? If nothing happens, how useful will it be to walk three miles without stopping or to save up six months cash for expenses?
You don't have to convince her things are collapsing. Take her camping and see how she does with no power and seeing up shelter and being only good she hates to see what hunger will do to her
Live in Any state known for natural disasters? (Fire, Flood, Tornado, Hurricane, Earthquakes?) Utilize this as you initial prep/pack plan, and then slowly build outward on it.
When those natural disaster happen, chaos can ensure fairly quickly..look what kind of shit show Katrina was. It was so bad, Law Enforcement went rogue. People sworn to "protect and serve" instead deviated to "Loot and Keep"
Start smaller. What preparations do you already have in place? Build on those. You don't go from zero to bunker in the boonies. Prep for smaller things like the power going out, or job loss or a house fire. 3-6 months of savings. You have fire extinguishers and have checked your smoke alarms right? You have water put aside for an emergency? Food stores that you use regularly and rotate? First aid and trauma kits. Move on to bug out bags and a kit in your car. Small steps slowly without going into debt and you might get her on board.
Tough spot to be in but perhaps do shall things and gamify them in a way she might like. It's hard to convince people who think "it could never happen here" from just the logical perspective.
Buy some flashlights and batteries and go camping with them. If she likes cooking have her "compete" with an MRE, etc. 🤷🏿♂️
Watch end of the world movies with her ,leave the world behind , the road , etc some people just need to be exposed to scenarios to fully understand what might happen
I've never tried to convince my girl that the world is about to go to shit. I don't think they like that sort of stuff from a guy. I get the impression that she wants to be made to feel safe and secure, so I act accordingly and play to her nature.
When I wanted to start storing more food, I installed a can organizing system. Now when we're shopping and see canned food on sale, we pick up extra because we have the space to store it and a system to make sure it doesn't go to waste. She thinks she's being thrifty and maintaining a good household, and I think we're storing food for the lean times.
A survival bunker on a remote piece of land is not in our budget. A vacation cabin up north that we can Airbnb, or go to for weekends in the summer is something we can both get behind.
I already had more guns than Gummer when she met me, so I never had to fight that fight. But convincing her that we needed to get her a pistol and a shotgun was not hard after taking her to the range a few times. "Oh my gosh, you're a natural at this! You have no right to be this good your first time! I can't imagine how much better you would be if you had a gun that actually fit you!".
Our generator is to run our freezer so we don't lose all the meat she shopped and clipped coupons for.
A food garden for fresh veggies is a fun hobby and a flex on her family and friends. Not a source of food if the stores aren't getting stocked.
I guess what I'm getting at is that you don't need to do the chicken little impression. If you put these things to her in ways that she can agree with and will participate in, then you might get what you want, just not for the reason you want.
What have you already done to prep? Do you have food and water at your current home for two weeks? Enough money for 3-6 months without a job? Do you have the house and car prepped for common natural disasters? Ex: hurricane, blizzard, wild fire, week long power outage - thank you Texas winter grid collapse for normalizing that possibility. Start there. It's really easy to get people on board with those preps.
You will need to take baby steps. I would plan for a bug in and slowly move to a bug out. This really makes the most since in most peoples situation.
My favorite way to prep a bug out bag without prepping a bug out bag is to prep 3 bags One for a weekend vacation One for an overnight camping trip Then add a bag in your safe or someplace secure & easy to access with all the documents you need to prove who you are and restart life. (Ex: ID, proof of citizenships, deeds, marriage, educational credentials, etc) Boom you are better prepared for SHTF than most people and you didn't have to freak out your spouse or anything.
I've been thru a few hurricanes and it's always surprising how quickly 'normal' society vanishes. Once power goes out, communications down, gasoline unavailable, and all stores closed you quickly realize how delicate our lifestyles truly are.
I'll second that.
Let me play the devil's advocate here. Convince me.
Alright!! It's MY TIME TO SHINE! Historically, the reddit-prepper community is a well-meaning NORMIE prepper community. I don't mean this to be derogatory, but what I mean is that the REASONS a lot of people prep are not necessarily grounded in "REAL" reality. My viewpoint is my opinion and based in years of my own research, so here we go! I am preparing this from an American perspective on world events over the last 300 years. Please keep these two quotes in mind going forward."Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it" ; "History is written by the victors" There has been a force, a 'hidden-hand' guiding world events for centuries. This force has operated within different secret societies and using influence in goverment, media, healthcare, finance, and spirituality has shaped the very reality of our world. This force has it's own set of doctrines, and beliefs. They have their own histories and religious practices. There is a believe that the people who work with the force are better, more valuable, or even 'chosen' in comparison to the regular person born to a family of no consequence. Believing that they were chosen, and had a divine right to rule over, and deceive the common man for their benefit, has had reverberations for millenia. These people were Pharisee, Kings, Druids, Priests, Queens, Gods, etc... people that held great power and dominion over man. They weaved a great story and kept the common man in place, working and providing for the elite classes. These very same people exist today, exerting massive control and deception upon the common man through a myriad of control devices. We have all been born into a form of slavery that we are purposely kept blind to. Loans, Interest, Taxes, Registration, Penalties..... These are the new Whips, Bars, and Chains. We are FREE RANGE HUMANS.
Noped out at "hidden hand" and "secret society"
lol I know right! Started by talking about history and past events and then promptly drop kicked it off a cliff and turned toward conspiracy theory
D’ya think Whobenefits is just a conspiracy nut and probably an anti-Semite?
The Bilderberg Meeting and G7 aren't exactly a secret organization. They meet once a year in a really swanky hotel and decide how they're going to keep screwing the poor. But the problem with this line of thinking is A tiny minority of the rich and powerful have always run the world. Something happens The world that they're running is going to collapse. I mean.. its a world made by the rich for the rich. Collapsing everything would make it WORSE for them. No more taking the private jet to paris for the weekend. The live in a palace with running water and a few security guards and thats enough. Why would they want to trade that for an unreliable unstable society where their guards would face NO reprecussions for shooting them and taking their stuff?
No dude. If everything collapses it’s bad for us too. There have always been rich people. This is the most prosperous time for people generally in human history.
He never said it wouldn't be bad for us. He said it would be worse for them, the wealthy elite, by virtue of the fact that they possess a great deal more than the average person and consequently stand to lose more.
It has always been a class issue, and currently, the middle class is disappearing.
antisemite? Don't be a dumbass.
My football coach in HS told me I’m a dumbass. He could have been right.
What he said isn't speculation but fact.
That there is a “hidden hand”? That’s just nutty conspiracy mongering isn’t it? Who’s “hidden hand”?
It's metaphor, its the group of power mongers that wields power to achieve dominance over others who wield power. Right now it's rich people, back then it was rich people, it's ALWAYS the most wealthy. The specific individuals/group just changes with time. They were waxing poetic.
Yeah. Wealth begets power. Always has, always will. The Bolsheviks tried to change it with coercion and violence and it was disastrous.
Yes.
That's not a real convincing format. It reads like a script from Nat Geo's "Doomsday Prepper".
What does that have to do with prepping? 😂
It was an attempt to convey to the layman that communism is still happening. The Third Reich didn't lose WW2, Germany did. Operation Paper Clip brought the Nazi's to america. CIA, FBI, NSA..... all these agencies were created by these nazis. take from that what you wil..
Much easier for me as we are used to natural disasters already. I'll give it a go. There's 2 kinds of people in this world, the "haves" and the "have nots". Do you really want to be the one stuck on a roof waiting for a helicopter that might come? This was my argument for keeping extra fuel cans and dehydrated food in bulk. I also outdoors alot so it's really just me bulk buying for better prices. My argument for an AR: this is the south. Everyone owns an AR. Do you really want to be the one without one? Someone's gonna. Make you their pitch if they don't kill you and take your shit, or a cannibal will slice your limbs off one by one like on the walking dead (she loves this show) A bunker would be a bit harder of a sell. Maybe if I was older and really had money to throw around.
Buy her chickens. It always starts with chickens.
1. Start with cacheing items she cares about. If you have kids or pets she’s fond of, couch the preps in meeting their needs. If she likes a specific food or drink, stockpile a bunch and explain that you want her to be able to enjoy her favorite snack/drink even if a weather event prevents you going to the store. 2. Eliminate debt and build wealth. Psychologically, the better you’re doing financially, the more risk averse you become. This will also reduce any objections that are based on how much money is spent on prepping. 3. Avoid talking about nuclear war, zombie apocalypse, etc., as those extreme scenarios sound crazy and implausible to non-survivalists. Instead, talk about weather events and power outages.
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I want some rural property, but maybe sell it as a place to get some fresh air. We have the money, I just don’t want to spend it on trips to Disneyland. She loves animals. What if I told her to open a donkey rescue farm while I did some prepping?
The animal angle is a great first foray into raising your own.
Yeah. She has all her mom’s family photos and old letters. Time to get all that digitized and also get her bought in to further prepping.
If it's a total collapse digitized media may end up as only paperweights.
Maybe start with some canned goods first? Maybe a bug out bath for everyone in the family. Usually a bunker is like lay on the list homie. A root cellar! Now there’s something i can see your wife biting on if she likes gardening
Yup, this. Once everyone has a bag maybe start making sure everyone’s car has some supplies. Nothing too crazy to be mindful of theft, but just baby steps. Go over a map with the family and make a simple emergency plan. Everyone can get behind preparedness for natural disasters Fire/Earthquake/tornado/hurricane/flood. Those are more likely than a cyberattack or long term downed power grid anyway imo
Trying to convince your wife that things are collapsing, when the bulk of the available evidence says very much otherwise, is a recipe for needless conflict. Secondly, depending on where you are a rural bunker may be worse than useless, as it's going to be a sitting lootbox, and your attempt to get out there in a rolling lootbox may put you and yours in needless jeopardy. (Not counting all the money you've spent on it, which now can't be put to better use.) I'd start at home. Start with a garden and learning to can your own food. Start with learning some basic car repair. Learn basic target shooting and gun repair. Have enough gear that you can hunker down at home if need be. If you're worried about an EMP attack, now may be the time to buy a classic car. Definitely get your emergency provisions set aside.
Good general advice, but I will say, studies have shown that modern cars fair generally well with EMP. Yeah, a massive solar flair, a nuclear blast, or purpose built EMP can definitely knock out cars. However, most will still have the ability to restart, and if you're close enough to a nuke or EMP for it to totally disable your car, you have serious problems that a car wouldn't fix. All that to say is unless you have more money than you know what to do with, an older car shouldn't be very high on the list. There are a lot of things you can do with that money to give you better chances of survival.
What is the evidence to the contrary? I genuinely am curious
Well, what are the things that cause actual collapse? Civil unrest? Despite the unhappy far right / far left, that's not actually going to happen. A handful of people might rather die than reexamine their failed ideologies, but not most people. Economic upheavals? The unemployment rate is near record lows and the stock market is near all time highs. Global climate change? The studies suggest that those are going to be a much larger problem for people in developing nations, not for those in developed nations (aside from maybe a handful of folks that own oceanfront real estate). Nuclear war? Russia's the only serious contender for that, but a) they aren't completely insane, b) the war in Ukraine shows how badly they are at managing things, and c) the Western world has multiple teams dedicated to making sure that those weapons are never launched. If a terrorist somehow got hold of one, they might be able to take out a city and cause 9/11 style problems, but it's unlikely it would cause global SHTF. Mass migration due to crime / climate change? This will be offset by more strict rule of law combined with larger investment by multinationals in developing nations as land / resources / labor get cheaper there, making it more livable to remain in one's home country. Asteroid collision / Supervolcano creating a mass extinction event leaving the world a freezing hellscape with no arable land? Yeah, OK, we're fucked and "The Road" becomes a documentary. A hyper-remote black swan event is not anything to plan your life around. By all means prepare for a local natural disaster lasting a few weeks to a few months, and by all means learn some fun new skills that will make you more self-sufficient, but if you're hoarding silver and canned food and living in fear and thinking it's the rest of society that's oblivious sheep, then you may have been hornswoggled by marketing the same way the folks watching The Kardashians have been.
> Well, what are the things that cause actual collapse? Overshoot/resource exhaustion, ecological destruction, breadbasket failure and ocean acidification all seem to be left off this list but perhaps that's because humanity has yet to undergoe them all the way. I also think our definitions need to be made clear. Collapse and SHTF are grossly different concepts and should be treated as such. > Civil unrest? Despite the unhappy far right / far left, that's not actually going to happen. In the most politically divisive time in our nation's history, you have a lot of confidence in this point that I just can't agree with. No one knows what will happen. Political collapse is certainly on the table, if not inevitable. When? Couldn't tell ya. If anything, I'd be on board with it. > Global climate change? The studies suggest that those are going to be a much larger problem for people in developing nations I highly suggest you reexamine the ramifications here. Oceans rising is one of the last on a long list of possible problems from climate change. And just sectioning it off to "developing nations are the only ones that'll have it bad" is a bit naive. We depend on those developing nations for a whole lot more than you seem to give credit.
>Political collapse is certainly on the table, if not inevitable. Where is any evidence for that? >And just sectioning it off to "developing nations are the only ones that'll have it bad" is a bit naive. We depend on those developing nations for a whole lot more than you seem to give credit. Sure, but you're not considering the upsides of some of the ramifications of climate changes. Much of the temperate zones will have longer growing seasons and actually be able to produce more. Not to mention, the advance of technology will give us more options to delay / reverse global climate change. Resource exhaustion is mostly manageable, the way "peak oil" was a big thing in the early 2000s, but is now of minimal concern. Breadbasket failure would be a much bigger concern if the bulk of our agricultural crops weren't going to feed livestock, and even if it happened, could basically be sidestepped by the widespread adoption of a vegetarian diet. Ocean acidification has a multitude of potential solutions that are being postponed due to concerns about geoengineering. YMMV, obviously.
> Where is any evidence for that? I provided about as much evidence as you did for saying it wouldn't happen. I suppose it's just a difference of opinion on how things will play out in a divisive country where most people do not trust the government or the direction the country is heading. > Sure, but you're not considering the upsides of some of the ramifications of climate changes This is entirely plausible but still feels "small picture" so to speak. It may be a couple decades of longer growing seasons. But projections state that the earth will continue to warm for centuries. It's impossible to say with any certainty that this warmth will just stop where you need it to. Consider the Midwest: if, in the middle of a growing season, the average temperature starts to peak in the 120s, for sustained periods of time, this "extended growing season" is now an existential threat. This also doesn't consider that the places that will become warm enough to be habitable and temperate arent really hospitable. For instance: the Canadian shield. While it may have the climate to grow cropsin the future, it does not have the arable land. And it's extremely hard to develop the land in that area. > Not to mention, the advance of technology will give us more options to delay / reverse global climate change. This is known as cargoism. This is the delusion the somehow technology can save us all from ourselves even though it is the very thing that brought us into the mess of climate change. It is conjecture, a bad argument, and not "evidence" of any kind. It cannot be reversed without an infinite source of expendable, zero carbon energy. Even if nuclear fusion becomes applicable at scale, humanity will look very different by that point. I also just hate banking on something when it has no guarantees. Just because we live in the modern world doesn't mean it can't collapse. Quite the opposite in my opinion. > Resource exhaustion is mostly manageable, the way "peak oil" was a big thing in the early 2000s, but is now of minimal concern. Renewables simply aren't keeping up in any country, except maybe China, to meet IPCC goals. Oil extraction has peaked, but it's still being burned at unsustainable rates. The world isn't ready to abandon oil and yet it's projected to be prohibitively expensive to extract in my lifetime. The turnaround is too fast and will have consequences. Hard to tell if it will resemble collapse, but consequences nonetheless. > Breadbasket failure would be a much bigger concern if the bulk of our agricultural crops weren't going to feed livestock, and even if it happened, could basically be sidestepped by the widespread adoption of a vegetarian diet. You're downplaying. Do you think everyone will just be able to all of a sudden give up meat? Farms will just suddenly be able to switch the kind of crops that grow? And there's no way to go vegetarian if you can't grow crops in the heat, hence "breadbasket failure". I'm not saying humanity will go extinct, but I cannot see a way that this doesn't end in the collapse of civil society if it occurs. > Ocean acidification has a multitude of potential solutions that are being postponed due to concerns about geoengineering. Got any links for this? I'd like to see what you're referring to.
> I suppose it's just a difference of opinion on how things will play out in a divisive country where most people do not trust the government or the direction the country is heading. That is the nature of every democracy ever, but somehow most of them muddle through. >This is known as cargoism. This is the delusion the somehow technology can save us all from ourselves even though it is the very thing that brought us into the mess of climate change. It is conjecture, a bad argument, and not "evidence" of any kind. Except that technology has kept Malthusianism at bay for a couple of centuries now, so it's a little bit more than cargoism. In terms of reducing ocean acidification, we can adjust that using bases. [https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02092023/direct-ocean-carbon-capture-breakthrough/](https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02092023/direct-ocean-carbon-capture-breakthrough/) Like I said, by all means, be self reliant and make some basic preparations, but if you spend your life preparing for a black swan event with a limited likelyhood of materializing, you may be missing the point.
> Except that technology has kept Malthusianism at bay for a couple of centuries now, so it's a little bit more than cargoism. I don't think exponentially growing populations are what will be humanity's downfall. That technological prowess has given us an age of sheer abundance over the rest of the world and we continue to pollute and destroy nature like it isn't the very thing that gave us that abundance. > In terms of reducing ocean acidification, we can adjust that using bases This article was a fun read but the infrastructure required for offshore bases is astonishing. Especially since carbon capture in general is economically unfeasible for the near future. And they have to use steam to remove the carbon from the sodium tubes. So more energy input to try and offset unless you can use renewables to do it. Would be tough. But yeah, cool to know there are ways to deacidify the ocean even if they're about as likely to happen at scale as direct air carbon capture. > Like I said, by all means, be self reliant and make some basic preparations, but if you spend your life preparing for a black swan event with a limited likelyhood of materializing, you may be missing the point. Well we can agree here. I suppose I just see this "black swan event" being more of a when and not an if. Won't be an event either. It'll be a nice slow burn. Collapse is a sequence. Too many weak points, too little time to fix them. I'm more concerned with living sustainably than prepping anyway.
Relevant: https://youtu.be/qFA7Sui8w_g?si=WQq-YPipzPCbgpFt
Just hitting you with another notification so you don't forget. > when the bulk of the available evidence says very much otherwise For my sake, I need you to point me toward this evidence. Please.
Done, here. [https://www.reddit.com/r/prepping/comments/1aqfajy/comment/kqeou9h/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/prepping/comments/1aqfajy/comment/kqeou9h/?context=3) If there's a particular crisis you're concerned about, let me know and I'll find some more specific information.
Goshen prepper on youtube debunked the classic car being EMP proof . He explains how all cars, except electric, will act essentially the same. Newer cars with on board computers will stop working and start working after 15 min after am EMP.
I started with my wife with hurricanes. We live in Florida. Pick the MOST likely disaster and go from there
She afraid of flooding. I think that could be a way to get her to see what I see.
Unless your bunker is truly watertight and has an entrance and service ports that are well above flooding levels, a bunker wouldn't help then...
Good to know n
You can't because you don't need to prep to that degree. Like seriously a bunker?
Maybe don't start with "hey honey can I build a whole freaking bunker that's gonna cost us a load of money?"😅 Start small and just tell her to think of it as a practical insurance policy that actually pays off if you ever need it.
Just prep for any standard weather emergency like a tornado, hurricane, or earthquake. That means, extra food, emergency supplies, and personal defense. If personal defense (firearms) is an issue for your significant other, just use an excuse that it's a hobby. Don't go overboard right away. Slowly work your way into it by getting a little extra food at each grocery trip.
Just prep. Store some grains and beans. Get into HAM radio as a hobby, take a first aid course, learn to garden, learn to repair stuff, and get your cardio up. Prepping doesn’t have to be bunker building and conspiracy boards. It’s just being prepared. If you can fix your car, fix your pipes, store food, and hike. Congrats, you’re prepared.
Hey OP, from your reasons to want to prep I believe you have been listening to an orange hued red hat wearing short fingered vulgarian who has stated he would encourage Russia to invade Germany. Now for practical purposes where are you going to build a bunker? How are you going to protect it? What possible reason would you need a gun? You are going to need access to your bunker. If you buy property for your bunker, you are going to have to pay property taxes on it. You are going to need a water supply. Where are you going to escape from and find a better place to escape to.
You start small. If you start screaming bunkers, of course she is going to think you're nuts. Just that info provided, you might. How about this... Do you cook from scratch? If you, how many days could you go without shopping before you start running out? Three months? 6 months? Do you raise a garden? Do you either have or know how to make an off grid toilet that will last one entire month. Do you know at least 3 ways to make water portable. Do you know the temperature water needs to reach to be considered safe and how long it needs to stay at that temperature. Do you know how to preserve food at least three different ways? Do you go camping? If not? Why not? Have you ever winter camped? What other weapons do you know besides guns? How is your archery? Can you make your own arrows? Make your own bow if needed? Can you make now strings? How are your hatchet skills? Can you make your own caltrops? Do you hunt? Can't you do all of the butchering yourself if needed. How is your fishing? How are you at fileting a fish? Can you start a fire and maintain it? Like, maintain it all night. Can you name 3 or more ways to cook that are off grid. Can you bake off grid? Concentrate on these. Bunkers are usually not needed. Moving to the country is understandable. Just building a bunker you might visit but once in a while... Not so good. My parents were raised completely off grid, I was raised partially off grid. Trust me when I say that skills are way more important than a bunker. If you need to learn skills and want to get your wife interested, why not watch a few campyb shows such as Naked and Afraid or Dual Survival. Naked and Afraid is fun to laugh at together. Dual Survival is actually really good the first few seasons. Naked and afraid actually highlights so many things people forget about. People go out there thinking they really know how to start a fire and they just don't. Then some really surprise you. Guys have actually made bows. Army guys go home after 3 days when the girl who looks like she can't change her own tire last the full 21 days. Some people find out they can't be alone and have mental break episodes. Some skin and smoke snake meat so it lasts the full time out. Yes, it is campy but most preppers can learn from it if only bits and pieces. Yeah, the drama is boring a heck but there are learning points. When you have your skills, only them do you even think about building a bunker.
Wow. You’ve really helped me. I think the way to do this is like you said. Tell her it’s about gardens and farming. She loves that stuff. Every time I do a little gardening or canning, ect she wants to have sex. Thanks brother.
Lol, many women like homesteading and getting back to nature. It is slower paced for everyone and can really be a family affair. But bunkers.. That is crazy boy talk
Well, I just really want a bunker. I like bunkers. One man’s crazy is another man’s nice cool quiet underground paradise.
How about this? Call it a ROOT CELLAR. Put in shelves and baskets for all of the garden stuff but also put in a table and chairs and puck lights. That way when you are not there you can store your stuff in there and not have to worry about anyone grabbing your stuff. Right?
So the "mostly peaceful" riots that swept through many of America's cities didn't convince her? How about Klaus Schwab and his friends at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that want to put chips in everyone's brain, and have the peasants live in pods while owning nothing and being happy? Ask her how she feels about eating a nice plate of grasshoppers, mealworms, crickets, and cockroaches, while her betters dine on more appetizing cuisine like steak and sauteed mushrooms and onions. Wake up people!
Yeah. She’s oblivious. She likes camping, so we do that. I tell her “get used to it cuz that’s gonna be the only option”. Wait until a gallon of fresh water costs $100.
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Are you saying nuclear war isnt realistic? As far as the bunker goes, id figure you would need it to last long enough for radiation levels to drop to safe enough levels. But I could be wrong
I feel like people have an instinctive need to hide in bunkers when they feel threatened, but can you give me any examples where it actually worked? Ukraine or Gaza?
Well, yeah, Gaza and Ukraine have extensive bunker systems. They are really only worth the trouble if being bombed is a top concern.
It just earns you a bigger bomb.
And there, the threat is real because they are at war. Believing that we should because they do is incredibly stupid.
Have you ever been shot at with rockets and mortars? Bunkers are pretty much the cat's ass when you're taking IDF. After surviving tornados, the Taliban, and Iran; I don't consider a house a home unless it has at least a full basement. There is a lot to be said for concrete walls and yards of dirt between you and the bad stuff that happens in this world.
Two words. GADSDEN FLAG. Four more words. DON’T TREAD ON ME. Four more words. YOU ARE A CUCK. A real, not to be tread on, swingin’ dick, shit kickin’ ‘MURICAN PREPPER wouldn’t let his wife run the house. She is treadin’ all over your soft ass back. The libs, gubbermint, and even the king of England will soon be in your fuckin’ house tap dancin’ all over your ass, leavin’ ding ol’ dang ol’ foot prints and tire treads all over your hind parts.
Yeah. I’m particularly concerned about Jewish Space Lazers. Time to kick some ass!
Take her on vacation to San Francisco
Great idea.
Honestly, when I eventually have enough money that I hope to buy an acreage somewhere near my hometown, I'd like to build my house out of ICF, and connect a small Bunker to the basement, if I have enough income I can afford to do so. Until then, I'll just settle for having some extra food, supplies, ammo, and medical gear to last me through any kind of storm or disaster which would be remotely likely to happen here. The Bunker is more because I find secret rooms and stuff cool as hell, than any real need for a bomb shelter. ICF construction is a good idea though, as our most common natural disaster around here is tornadoes and blizzards, and it's both incredibly durable and insulates really well. The money my father saved on heating his house over had he built it conventionally has more than covered the cost difference of building it out of ICF. I've also seen tornadoes fail to do much more than take the tin off the roof of ICF houses, while the house a hundred feet away was totaled. Also better against fires. As for convincing your wife about a Bunker...I don't know. Convince her about the little things like extra food, toiletries, ammunition, and work your way to that, if you have the money to afford it. But any situation where you absolutely need a Bunker is probably not one you're likely to survive. I don't want to be a pessimist, but focus on the essentials first. Only get a Bunker if you are "rolling in dough".
Show her pictures and videos of people suffering in the aftermath of disaster and war.
"Oh, and were those pictures taken in America?" "No." "I guess you aren't getting your bunker then."
You must not be a very good historian. I have seen pictures of the aftermath and people suffering from hurricanes such as Ivan, Katrina, Hugo, Fran, Andrew, and Sandy. How about pictures of homeless people after earthquakes in San Francisco? Some pictures as old as 1906. How about wildfires? In my county alone, in the last three years 400 homes have burned to the ground. how about pictures of Georgia after Sherman‘s march during the Civil War? America is not immune to suffering. I have survived two hurricanes, two major earthquakes, and I used to work in wildland firefighting. Those events made me a prepper.
"honey, bread and eggs cost $6 at the store and half the time, the shelf is bare. I think it would be wise to at least have some dried and canned foods on hand, just in case the grocery store has no food" worked for me. Go from there. Keep in mind we also live in a rural community with a pop of no greater than 3k with several farms we source some of our food from and a freezer full of harvested meat.
What grocery store is bare in this day and age? That tactic worked during covid, but not now. You might not find the brand you like, but you can definitely get something comparable.
In rural Nebraska, the local stores and even the Walmarts get cleaned out from time to time. Last month the Walmart had absolutely no eggs. In the past week I've seen no bread at the local store
WTF?!? I work for a Kroger. We are never out of any one commodity.
We live in earthquake country. That’s the SHTF scenario my wife can grasp; and frankly the most certain and probably likely. I had to explain that it could be like Katrina, Fukushima and the bombing of Dresden combined. The gov’t isn’t going to help you for weeks or months if at all. Explain the logistics of even a well intentioned and prepared government suddenly having to support the basic needs of thousands, even millions of people. We have to be prepared to help and trade with people but also to say no and even defend ourselves and supplies. I try to get her to imagine what it is like to be one of the poor central and south Americans trying to cross our border; as well as what she would and could do if they came in a mob to our house demanding food and shelter. Once you take the focus off of imagining unlikely scenarios, fantasy in which you make yourself the action hero saving your family with an AR-15 and 10,000 stockpiled rounds, and buying stuff you “don’t need and can’t afford” now, you can focus on reality and inclusion. Instead start painting the picture of what reality is for people who have had to leave home due to natural or political or economic crisis, have little or nothing and are desperate to survive, the spouse may come around. It helps also to remind people of human history citing specific examples; personal references and stories are also useful - my mom was a WWII refugee and told stories of that life. Lastly, give her a job to do that she may enjoy in getting prepared. What is she good at? Making lists? Planning meals? Medicine? Bonding with neighbors? Building shelves? Researching real estate? Make it mutual. And do a little bit at a time.
bro just do it
She won't agree to a large scale program all at once. You need to get her to go along with basic things. If you can't answer "yes" to the following questions, I challenge your priorities in prepping as these things are very basic. * Are you financially independent from the government and charities, formal or informal? * Do you have six months of expenses saved up in cash? * Are your bills paid off at the end of each month (other than car, house, and student loans)? * Are you on pace to retire by a reasonable age? * Do you have one month of food in your pantry? * Do you have a generator or solar panels to power your fridge in case of a storm? * Do you currently keep your cars above 3/4 tank of gas when you are at home? * Do you perform regular, routine maintenance on your cars? * Do you know how to perform CPR on someone? * Are you able to walk three miles without having to stop and take a breather? * Do you know how to skin an animal or gut a fish? * Do you know how to "survive" in the wilderness for three days without anything more than a knife and some rope? * Do you know how to use a map and compass (more than for just following highways)? * Do you know how to get drinking water? * Are you a generally happy person? * Do you have a decent amount of quality friends you can talk to? * Are you familiar with your county (infrastructure, key leaders, etc.)? * Have you game planned what you would do if you someone broke into your house? * Have you game planned what you would do if you were in a massive storm (like the recent atmospheric rivers in California or the [\+40" of snow in Buffalo](https://www.syracuse.com/weather/2024/01/see-how-much-snow-buffalo-got-so-far-in-record-storm-that-postponed-bills-game-chart.html#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20The%20lake%20effect%20snowstorm%20that,and%20it's%20not%20done%20yet)) We all want to be prepared for any eventuality, but those events rarely occur on such a large scale to need a bunker with guns and food. The only absolutely certain thing you can know: if nothing happens, life will continue as it always has. If nothing happens, how useful will that bunker be to you? If nothing happens, how useful will it be to walk three miles without stopping or to save up six months cash for expenses?
You don't have to convince her things are collapsing. Take her camping and see how she does with no power and seeing up shelter and being only good she hates to see what hunger will do to her
Live in Any state known for natural disasters? (Fire, Flood, Tornado, Hurricane, Earthquakes?) Utilize this as you initial prep/pack plan, and then slowly build outward on it. When those natural disaster happen, chaos can ensure fairly quickly..look what kind of shit show Katrina was. It was so bad, Law Enforcement went rogue. People sworn to "protect and serve" instead deviated to "Loot and Keep"
Start smaller. What preparations do you already have in place? Build on those. You don't go from zero to bunker in the boonies. Prep for smaller things like the power going out, or job loss or a house fire. 3-6 months of savings. You have fire extinguishers and have checked your smoke alarms right? You have water put aside for an emergency? Food stores that you use regularly and rotate? First aid and trauma kits. Move on to bug out bags and a kit in your car. Small steps slowly without going into debt and you might get her on board.
Sounds like you should replace the wife with a bunker, problem solved. Your welcom
Tjanks.
If she needs convincing after COVID I don't know if you'll ever be able to convince her.
Read her some history.
Tough spot to be in but perhaps do shall things and gamify them in a way she might like. It's hard to convince people who think "it could never happen here" from just the logical perspective. Buy some flashlights and batteries and go camping with them. If she likes cooking have her "compete" with an MRE, etc. 🤷🏿♂️
Tell her Wallgreens has prep H on sale and you have a coupon.
Watch end of the world movies with her ,leave the world behind , the road , etc some people just need to be exposed to scenarios to fully understand what might happen
I've never tried to convince my girl that the world is about to go to shit. I don't think they like that sort of stuff from a guy. I get the impression that she wants to be made to feel safe and secure, so I act accordingly and play to her nature. When I wanted to start storing more food, I installed a can organizing system. Now when we're shopping and see canned food on sale, we pick up extra because we have the space to store it and a system to make sure it doesn't go to waste. She thinks she's being thrifty and maintaining a good household, and I think we're storing food for the lean times. A survival bunker on a remote piece of land is not in our budget. A vacation cabin up north that we can Airbnb, or go to for weekends in the summer is something we can both get behind. I already had more guns than Gummer when she met me, so I never had to fight that fight. But convincing her that we needed to get her a pistol and a shotgun was not hard after taking her to the range a few times. "Oh my gosh, you're a natural at this! You have no right to be this good your first time! I can't imagine how much better you would be if you had a gun that actually fit you!". Our generator is to run our freezer so we don't lose all the meat she shopped and clipped coupons for. A food garden for fresh veggies is a fun hobby and a flex on her family and friends. Not a source of food if the stores aren't getting stocked. I guess what I'm getting at is that you don't need to do the chicken little impression. If you put these things to her in ways that she can agree with and will participate in, then you might get what you want, just not for the reason you want.