Why We Prep
I can't start posting random things about prepping without giving you a reason why we do.
--No. I'm not prepping for a zombie apocalypse--although I'd love for one to happen!
--No. I'm not prepping in case Yellowstone blows its top--although since I grew up in Wyoming, you'd think it would make the list.
--No. I'm not prepping because I think the world is going to come to a screeching halt tomorrow.
So why do we do what we do?
1. Economic issues. It doesn't matter if you believe that the market is going to collapse or the banks will fail or an EMP will strike and set us on our ears. Inflation happens, my friends. I'd rather get it (more) cheaply now than pay double for it later. "It" being food, clothes, whatever.
2. Job loss. It happens every day, somewhere, to someone. From what I understand, the amount of time it takes to find a job again is upwards of six months now. The Hubs being the sole breadwinner makes me very leery of this possibility. Not that I couldn't hopefully find some PT work to help if needed, but that's not guaranteed either.
3. The Hub's recurrent cellulitis. I wish I could tell you this was a garden variety, happens once every blue moon kind of illness. But it's not. When it happens (on no regular schedule and has happened ranging from once every couple of years to THREE times in a year), he could be in for three days or two weeks. It just depends on the weather or the alignment of the planets or maybe the phase of the moon. There is no rhyme or reason.
Money is NEVER my concern. My primary worry is what I'm going to put in the mouths of four growing Manlings. I couldn't care less about the bills. Believe me, it's far scarier to think about opening the fridge halfway through another hospitalization...and there's nothing there! I realized very quickly that regardless of how sick he gets, I need to be able to put food on the table when I get home. It's also practically impossible to think about shopping in that period. I might be able to make it into a grocery store and remember to get four gallons of milk, but thinking about more than that is usually enough to set me off into a panic attack.
You're probably thinking, "but her kids are all teens/young adults!" This all started when the Munchkin wasn't even a year old, so almost fifteen years ago. Maybe we should be "used" to it by now. But the truth is, when the Hubs gets sick, we pretty much all go into survival mode, even though I try very hard to keep things as "normal" as possible. People go to work and VoTech and Scouts, etc. But when we come home, it's still a very stressful time. We're worried and scared, and there's a lot of brainlessness because that's what happens when someone you care about is very sick. He gets lots of heavy-duty antibiotics, which clears things up, but we all know that they are taking a toll. Sometimes it takes a lot more to clear things up...and sometimes it takes a lot longer than I like. Doctors who are doing their weekly rotation in the hospital don't always listen which delays treatment which in turn delays his recovery.
Believe me when I say, prepping has been a lifesaver for me this last decade and a half. Knowing that I can go home from the hospital, pull something out of the freezer or pantry, and have lunch or dinner on the table as planned has saved my peace of mind time and time again. Having a full belly and a hot cup of coffee makes it much easier to look at the bills and realize that we're going to have "just enough" again because I didn't have to use money for food.
I should point out that people have ridiculed my "excessive" food stores more than once--relatives, friends, and strangers alike. Most of the time they laugh it off when they see me with another round of groceries, because they figure "oh well, she's got all those boys!" It truly astounds me that people don't think about all the times we've been missing a member for an extended length of time and realize that it's not luck that sees us through. It's careful planning.
One other thing: I wholeheartedly agree with every one who tells you to pay off all your debt and get some savings together. That said, I will be the first to admit that I don't always follow that rule. If we've got the money in the bank and there's meat on sale, I will stock up the freezer first and pay the credit card bill down second. Creditors don't scare me. Not having something to feed my kids does. I made an arrangement with God a long time ago--he would make sure we had "just enough" to cover the bills (even if it was just the minimum payment on everything) and I would make sure the pantry and freezer stayed full. Things are coming along nicely, and he's blessed us with savings and less debt too.
God, family, food. I wish I could give you something more profound than that, but I can't.
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