In 2020 I began to put together a "prepper" pantry
separate of our regular everyday pantry after witnessing the chaos that
happened in the supermarkets at the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. It was unsettling to see the panic shopping as
people completely cleared the shelves with total disregard for anyone
else. Up until then I never felt the
need to be any kind of prepper, but once you've seen the lengths others will go
to it makes you step back and completely re-evaluate the situation.
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| Long term food storage in labeled boxes |
My "prepper" pantry is not on a grand scale, by any
means, but it is designed to help me weather any situation that may crop up -
illness, job loss, financial hardship, extreme weather, supply chain issues,
etc. I've always kept a full pantry and a
stockpile of often used items so it wasn't much of a stretch for me to prep. Last year, my goal for my prepper pantry was
to replace anything I used from it, manage it so nothing goes bad and I always
know what I have and then to expand it to a one year supply of food,
toiletries, laundry supplies, housekeeping supplies and pet food.
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| Chest freezer in my garage |
There is
great security and peace of mind in being prepared. This year I plan to do pretty much the same
thing - manage and maintain. I have a
one year supply on hand and I plan to maintain it so that when I retire I won't
have to worry and will be as prepared as possible for "what if". If anything should happen I know I will be
fine. Retirement is a big step and even
when you think you are ready there is still some uncertainty about whether or
not you truly are. I feel that having
this prepper pantry established will make the transition much easier for me.
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| Canned goods & condiments |
By the time
I retire my plan is to have my prepper pantry fully stocked, my everyday pantry
fully stocked and my chest freezer fully stocked. I also plan to have a one year grocery budget
($1200) saved up and set aside. One
thing I will not need to be concerned about is how I will be able to eat and
feed myself. I also plan to stock up on
other essentials such as basic toiletries, household items and cleaning
supplies. And, like my grocery budget, I
plan to have a one year budget ($300) for non food items saved up and set aside
in case I need anything. I think it is a good plan and I'm well on my way to
making it happen.
So the $1500 is in addition to emergency/sinking funds?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good plan
Curious if you're still purchasing from Dollar Tree as prices have gone up or are you buying in bulk somewhere else? Is Fabuloso still your go to product? I retired/sold my cleaning service last year and miss it here and there. Wanted to retire my OCD, didn't happen lol...... Love your new place, Patti Ann.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been in Dollar Tree for quite a while, not sure when I will go next time. I am mainly picking up sales and loss leaders at the grocery stores and checking out our grocery outlet store from time to time. Yes, Fabulosa is still my favorite all purpose cleaner and I buy it in the big bottles at Wal-Mart. Glad you like this! Take care Patti Ann.
DeleteI think many of us would love to see how you break down on paper your prepare pantry plan. Blessings, Tracy
ReplyDeleteNow that I have done if for a couple of years I'll have to work some kind of tutorial. Good idea.
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