Buying Sh#t Vs Knowing Sh#t !

[Prime]

Hopefully the title of the thread is ok with the mods - if not please change as you see fit.

So I've been watching some YouTube today of some various Prep related stuff - and its not a recent realisation but something i'd like to cover here. There seems to be a variety of prepping response to ' How does one Prep' and the common one I see is to basically Purchase Items and Stockpile which I think is a vast mistake.

You are in my opinion far better to aim for a " know more , carry less " mentality in general - I'm not against having lots of gucchi gear and nice shiny bits of kit but get the knowledge in as well. Sound Knowledge backed up with what one comes across or has is a clear winner as far as i'm concerned.

Sites like CAVEMAN CHEMISTRY are good for learning how base items are made and the resources required to make them

http://www.cavemanchemistry.com/



So maybe we could aspire to find out how to make and learn more for ourselves. Learn how to salvage base materials or understand what components are within larger items and how to salvage / reclaim them.

 

[The Boogie Man]

Knowledge is power, or rather leads to it lol.

 

[Prime]

APPLIED knowledge is power I'd agree to that.

Just make sure the stuff we all THINK we know we have actually put in to learning with our hands.

 

[Ark79]

Know more carry less! Spot on....it dose however need practice and knowledge. So it’s a good mentality to adopt.

Im a Very strong believer and also in practice.....of knowledge and a strong mind. When I say strong mind I mean “disciplined” and muscular memory as in “repetition” until it’s becomes a reaction like driving.... etc. So my answer is. Knowing s&@t with a splash of buying s!@t
But adapting is key to all doors imho

 

[hodgson]

Well....any stuff you have can be taken away from you by someone bigger, stronger, more powerful so I don't think its a good idea to invest too heavily in stuff. Skills should stay with you whatever and could be a bargaining chip. If your skills are useful to someone then you are useful.

 

[MikeR]

I have a belt and braces approach. Firstly we have enough stocks at any one time to keep us going from one harvest to the next. Second we have the tools, technology and know how to sow, plant, raise, harvest, save seed and preserve what we have grown. Finally we also know our wild edibles. There's also enough knowhow there to make do and mend
I don't really buy into this total societal collapse theory so I'm not looking to protect what we have from non existent ravening hordes

 

[Ystranc]

I have a belt and braces approach. Firstly we have enough stocks at any one time to keep us going from one harvest to the next. Second we have the tools, technology and know how to sow, plant, raise, harvest, save seed and preserve what we have grown. Finally we also know our wild edibles. There's also enough knowhow there to make do and mend
I don't really buy into this total societal collapse theory so I'm not looking to protect what we have from non existent ravening hordes

Nice one Mike, while I have bought a house and built a lot of my preps with a view to defence I have also included preps that could be used to help other people and have extra capacity for livestock/horses if need be. These preps were originally intended for extended family but are now unlikely to be necessary. I may even be down sizing in the next couple of years.

 

[Baytree]

I like that belt and braces approach too . The old saying about a chain being as strong as it's weakest link holds sway too I think. Concentrating on just one aspect always seems short sighted to me , sort of stocking several hundredweight of dried food but no water . I have always worked with my hands and have quite a lot of tools ( que the wife asking if I really need that many axes) but by and large they are all tools I know how to use and while I do have a number of power tools I have their manual counterparts. Obviously one can't have the skills to do absolutely everything or the space or money to stockpile an inexhaustible supply and I'd be the first to admit gaps but I do believe trying to cover as wide as possible number of angles is logical.

 

[The Cat In The Hat]

I have a bit of both, I have enough food and stuff to get me through enough months so that my kids could adjust. If the power went off for example which I experienced for two weeks when I lived on a scottish island, my kids would go into withdrawal from their devices and me too probably. It would be awful to have empty bellies along with everything else. I am learning as much as I can as I go along. I have had experience of living in some quite unusual places and also quite basically without luxuries so feel I could adjust eventually. My biggest concern is that I am in a town and my security is not the best.