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what to do with $500?

8K views 48 replies 24 participants last post by  cavelamb 
#1 ·
I am consolidating my life and gear, focusing on standard platforms and getting my life ready for whatever. I am not a hardcore, live in a bunker kind of prepper but trying to be in a better place than I've ever been and more prepared for general crap than I've ever been.

I sold myself out of the Glock platform and lets say I have $500 I could realistically spend on anything without ramification, but would like to put it towards something useful/prep related. I'm not just starting out, but as all of us do, have room to grow.

So let's assume I have the following things:
6 gas cans full of gas (nato cans, rotated)
inverter generator
6+ months emergency cash
retirement accounts
quality rifles/pistols/shotguns/associate gear
some PMs (silver, saving for my first real Gold)
DD/BOV land cruiser prado
400+ gallons water with collection in place
30+ days food (live in suburbs, can't plant/grow)
gym membership since I'm learning fitness is super important
medical training and supplies.
22s, suppressor, truck guns, safe depost box with emergency back up paperwork and crap
pistol reloading set up and 5k+ rounds of supplies

so with that, what would you all suggest I focus on or start thinking about? I DON'T have:
night vision
centerfire suppressor
ton of space

Could always use:
more ammo?
gun stuff?
Gas?
food?
optics stuff?
 
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#3 ·
Can't go wrong with saving it, create a little prepping slush fund for gear, gold, or whateverelse you may wan..

If its REALLY burning a hole in your pocket, perhaps an inverter in your panel for your generator- if you lose power for more than a few hours at a time, it beats the hell out of drop cords all over the place- and can power light fixtures and ceiling fans, things hard wired into the house. The generator may not be able to power everything at once, butz with a little discipline, you can be very comfortable...

This is from a guy who hasn't had power in the last 24 hours from Florance, and isn't expecting it back any time soon. We have a houseful of gusets, and we can use the lights, have hot running water (tankless gas heater), the kids can play their x station game things, we can run the ceiling fans to keep comfortable...
 
#4 ·
You could donate it to the Scubadad retirement fund :)

Buy more food or medical supplies. Are you taking any meds daily? If so try to get an extra 3 month supply.

Rubbing alcohol and peroxide. Infections kill. When I lived in florida my hurricane kit had plenty of both.

Get plenty of toilet paper.
 
#9 ·
HF?
VHF/UHF?

You can quickly spend much more than $500 just covering the basics. One could put together an HF station for that amount by buying a hamfest special older used transceiver and putting up a homebrew wire dipole, but only if you are already licensed and with a little more research and study. If you don't know what you are buying you can stuck with someone else's junk.

73
 
#10 ·
#11 ·
A twelve ounce tin of Walter's caviar. And a Magnum of French champagne. A great way to pass the afternoon with your wife.


http://www.georgiaseafood.com/index.html
Now here's a man that knows how to wait out a major event in style!

Just because the powers out, trees are down, roads are flooded, and everything is closed...
Its no reason to devolve to a naked ape... any fool can be miserable during a disaster- it takes artistry to push through in style!
 
#13 ·
Ya know, there is something to that!

And being in the Burbs the OP still could probably shoot it in the back yard with a few bales of hay...

Ham Radio is an option but would require a good bit of research and possibly some serious dedication in learning Morse Code to get the most capacity for the least power. It could be done for $500 but that would require some real thought and effort, a normal SSB station and quality tower and Yagi antenna would be way out of the ball park though a dual band (2 meter/70 centimeter) mobile rig, decent antenna and maybe even a handheld to go with it could be had for that with some really careful shopping.

Still, the communication thing is not a bad line of thinking. A pair of FRS handi-scratchies and a way to charge them from an off the grid situation (solar charger maybe) and a hand crank emergency radio could be had and there would be some left to put some $20's away in the gun safe...
 
#25 ·
Peculiar how other interests/ hobbies come out in such discussions...

The OP, living in suburbia, isn't going to "Stand Fast!" though TEOTWAWKI... it just isn't going to happen...

So I'm presuming that his prep desires are based around more short term, localized events- a hurricane, an earthquake, an ice storm... a few weeks without normal public services or the ability to re supply consumables.

I don't think he's particularly concerned with re-establishing civilized humanity or living solo off the land...

Its basic necessities and simple comforts that make such things tolerable.
 
#33 ·
I have enough standard center fire guns. But in a diseaster one shot at game for food everyone will hear it.

I’m thinking co2 B.B. and co2 pellet guns. Klein quick kill on small game.

True years ago during the ‘29 depression my great uncle would wait till the roof peak on the chicken coop was full of small birds and shoot them all with one shot from a 22 short. My great aunt would clean them and in tomato sauce they went.

Think survival.
 
#34 ·
Pressure Canner & Supplies

You need not live in the country to pressure can great eats. This thanksgiving, I canned 7 quarts of hearty Turkey Soup from leftovers. Let me guess...you tossed that turkey carcass in the trash. Then 5 quarts of Ham and Bean soup from leftovers at the inlaws. Once pressure canned & vacuum sealed, no refridgeration required. Did I mention, great eats, unlike progresso, your own tasty recipes.

Buy from grocery store in bulk, and Can to make up for mising family and guests.

make your owns sauces, salsa, pesto, whatever and CAN IT!
 
#36 ·
Some reference material:

"Where There Is No Doctor" to start with. There are quite a few "marine medicine" books out there now, and "Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine", and battlefield medicine, and the like. There are also books on DIY dentistry, childbirth, etc.

You can do quite a bit with very little... but you have to know what to do.

You'll want some antibiotics; you can still buy some of those online as aquarium supplies. Some painkillers would be nice; remember, it's a Federal crime to keep them in other than their original prescription bottles, which could be an issue if you come under official notice. Imodium or Lomotil for the trots, ChiggerX for chigger bites, snakebite kit, etc.

You'll need rubbing alcohol for sterilization, and some gloves, and suturing supplies, scalpels, etc. Some sterile water for irrigation. You need LIGHT, something better than a flashlight. Whatever you have room and money for, basically.
 
#38 ·
I agree regarding the ham set up, being able to get Information or even pass It on(licensed only)hell even just a police scanner will let you know whats going on.
I still have my old Radio shack PRO-71 only because the city Is still running a really old system...If you go with a ham get licensed.
 
#40 ·
You can grow food in 5 gallon buckets. Lots of food.

For $500 seasoning makes wild game taste much better.
 
#42 ·
You mention your physical condition is something you are working to improve. For what ever $500 will buy you, explore learning some physical hand to hand combat skills. Sometimes this is the last resort...and sometimes it might be your first line of defense. Learn the most vulnerable points of the human body and how to injure them with the most efficiency using just you body as your only weapons.
 
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