Sharing and Trading

I think it’s time we stop and re-assess. I’ve unloaded tons of info and suggestions on you, but let’s pause for a minute and do some deep thinking. The first question you need to ponder is, just who am I prepping for? In my case, my family includes myself and my husband, our three grown children and any spouses/ family they may have (they are all currently single, but I’m hoping and praying for Godly spouses and the gift of grandchildren!), as well as my father-in-law.  Prior to the death of my parents, they were also on this list. However, I have 2 sisters who live in the vicinity and my brother’s widow who lives a 5-hour drive away. In the case of a catastrophic emergency, she would have no one to care for her, and we’d most likely have to get her and move her in with us. One sister and her husband would probably move in with one of their 3 children, all whom live away, but the other sister’s fate in an emergency is uncertain. She and her husband, daughter, son-in-law and, perhaps, even her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren may need help. That’s a whopping large number of people. Probably the smallest number of people would be 8. That’s something that deserves serious consideration. I would prepare differently if it were just my husband and I.

Next question, are you in a position to share with others. I have many close friends that I would not be willing to see go hungry, if I was able to help. The more prepared I am, the more loved ones I may be in a position to assist. That thought has spurred me on, even when my husband thinks and communicates that we have enough food to feed an army. We just might NEED to feed an army.

Third, and lastly, are there things you have stored up that are more valuable than other items and that could be used for trading for supplies you may not have or may run out of. This was a discussion at one of our family meetings. I know a family who has decided to store up alcohol. They feel this is an item that will be in short supply in an emergency and people would be willing to trade lots of things, including their food stuffs, for it. My sons didn’t like that idea. They felt it’s easy to make a still yourself and unnecessary, then, to store up alcohol. I don’t know if this is true, but it’s what they firmly believe. So, what do we stock up on that we can trade?

We have our bleach that we can make from our pool chemicals and water. That would be trade-able. My sons suggested coffee, so I’ve made an effort to store up that, as well. Coffee is definitely something people aren’t going to want to have to do without. Batteries was another suggestion posed by my sons, and rightly so. If we have no electricity, batteries suddenly become essential. We HAVE purchased a good many rechargeable batteries and a solar battery charger. That should supply us with a sufficient supply of batteries. I’ve begun looking into a solar charger for small appliances. It would be great to be able to use our toaster, food chopper, or stick blender even without electricity. I’ve located one, but it’s pricey and I’ll have to save up some before I can purchase it. Of course, we have solar chargers for our cell phones, a hand-crank emergency radio, and a hand-crank flashlight. I’ve also stored up lots of matches, candles, and lighters so we can see after dark.

Once again, I want to reiterate that a potential emergency is nothing to fear. Think through, communicate with your family, come up with a plan of action, and begin to execute that plan. The further into accomplishing your plan, the more peaceful you should become. Knowledge is power, and planning is its partner. Involve your family in your planning and talk with friends to see if any of them have thought about this. It’s always helpful to have a like-minded friend to talk with. And choose to be peaceful - remember that prior planning prevents poor performance!