Start Small
To form a life-changing habit, start small. When you start small, the task doesn’t feel as daunting, and you are more likely to continue the habit. Start small when stockpiling food on a tight budget. You can begin buying one extra item per trip to the grocery store. Add the additional item to your stockpile and watch it begin to grow. Minor differences over time add up; don’t get in a rush about building a stockpile of food. [1]
Plan and Prioritize
Whether you are starting your stockpile or are adding to an established stockpile, evaluating and prioritizing the most likely needs for your stockpile is a smart move. Prioritize the likely threats to your power supply and your ability to access resources. Ask yourself: Why are you stockpiling, and what is most likely to occur that will make you rely on your stockpile? Is it a flood or a windstorm that is more likely to hit your area? First focus on getting a stockpile ready for a short-term outage before you move on to long-term needs.
A sensible short-term stockpile will initially will include a supply of food and water to last about three days, and also will include non-edible items in planning. Once you have a three-day supply, you can focus on expanding that to a week, and then doubling your time to two weeks, a month, three months, and so on. Before you know it, you’ll be planning your long-term stockpile. [2]
Use the Buddy System
Another good option for saving money is to look for deals at bulk grocery stores. The only catch is you may end up with more than you can store. To solve this problem, think about partnering with a neighbor or friend and building your kit together. This way, you both will be able to take advantage of discounts by splitting your purchases. As an added benefit, partnering up with someone else is also a great opportunity to talk about your family’s emergency preparedness plan and make sure that you are doing everything you can to be ready for emergencies. [3]
[1] Murphy, Rick. "How To Build A Food Stockpile On A Tight Budget." Dumb Little Man, 12 October 2021, https://www.dumblittleman.com/how-to-build-a-food-stockpile-on-a-tight-budget/
[2] Cybele Van Schaick, Daphne. "The 5 Best Ways To Stockpile On A Tight Budget." Off the Grid News, 12 October 2021, https://www.offthegridnews.com/how-to-2/the-5-best-ways-to-stockpile-on-a-budget/
[3] APHA Editorial Staff. "Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks." American Public Health Association, 12 October 2021, http://www.getreadyforflu.org/clocksstocks/CheapStockpiling.pdf