How do you do it? How do you plan for the future?
In the last few years, there have been a lot of news stories about the “end of the world” and “believers” who sell everything they own and get ready to be raptured. Most people shake their heads over this kind of behavior, but isn’t prepping a little bit like this?
Yes, it is.
If you believe in an apocalypse, or economic collapse, or even zombies (yeah, right), and you’re prepping – just how far do you take it? How do you balance the present with the possibilities of the future?
I’ll tell you how:
Just like you prepare for any future.
See, if you weren’t worried about the economy, the food supply, the criminal element (including, of course, politicians), you’d be planning for the future, right? College for the kids, savings of your own, home improvement, retirement, etc., etc.
As a prepper, you’re planning for the future too – but not necessarily one in which you picture the kids coming home for the holidays or lounging around your new pool or traveling in your golden years.
But what if there IS no apocalypse? No disaster? Is it possible to be prepared for everything, for any eventuality?
Yes. I think so. It’s like a work/life balance, except preppers have life/prep balance.
Back in the day, I had a little book with pockets on some pages. The book talked about saving versus spending, and the pockets were to divide up your allowance. Still cute for kids today, if you can find one. The point is that, just like in this little book, we as adults are instructed to save 10%, donate/tithe 10%, spend 10% on ourselves, and the rest is for bills and so forth.
Sure, it’s hard to do – even more when you divide up the savings part into college, retirement, short-term, long-term, and whatever else you choose. And, too, with rising costs, well, it ain’t easy!
But I simply propose another 5% or 10%, whatever you can squeeze in there, for prepping of another kind, the kind we do “just in case” SHTF. You can call it your SHTF Fund. Catchy, huh?
When do you expect your prepping to pay off, so to speak? Next year? Five years? Ten? Not in your lifetime? For myself, I’m thinking in the next two to five years. If we make it past that, maybe all this work will pay off in our kids’ lifetimes, or in our later years. Hard to say, really. Those with more knowledge than I may have a different timeframe – feel free to weigh in!
The point is that you have to be ready for ANYTHING.
Robin Writes 
Sound words Robin.
My wife (our family bean counter) smiled.
Then she said 10% isn’t enough.
She always lived by the rule of thirds. Until recently.
After all a third of a little isn’t a lot in anyone’s language.
Now it’s 50% for the bills, 51% for living.
Yes 101%. So we run at a slight loss.
As silly as it may seem a small STHF may end up beneficial.
After all even big money can’t afford long term losses and it will be that same big money that will sort out the cause i.e. the politicians.
After all you can’t make money out of them who have nothing.
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I’d agree with her, except, well, you know that whole blood/turnip saying… Did read a good post on Modern Homesteaders today, though. Made sense re food storage, etc.
We’re digging out of a hole at the moment, and need to do some replacing/replenishing, but it was a darn good thing we had supplies!
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Good points Robin…. The old adage “save for a rainy day” wasn’t invented for nothing. It applies today even more so, and should it be raining when the SHTF, it remains best to be prepared– without being paranoid and going overboard. Anything can happen, and usually does. We always have ‘rainy day/week/months supplies’.
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