Problems You May Not Be Expecting As A Prepper When An Emergency Hits

There will always be unexpected complications that throw a monkey wrench in your plans, no matter how well you prepare for disaster. You want to do your best even if you can’t plan for every probable eventuality. The more eventualities you plan for, the fewer difficulties you’ll encounter.

See also: Top 20 Barter Items to Stockpile

Problems You May Not Have Expected Where You Will Need Your emergency Stash

No Water To Flush Toilet

Given that we all use the restroom numerous times every day, it’s remarkable how many individuals overlook this issue. If you have a pool or a body of water nearby, you can utilize it to flush your toilet when it’s truly necessary (yellow, let it mellow; brown, flush it down). But what if the only water you have is for drinking and cleaning purposes?

Your Water Filter Is Destroyed

Water should be a high priority because you can’t live for more than three days without it. That’s why I often tell novice preppers that getting a good water filter is one of the first things they should do. But what happens if your water filter malfunctions?

Alternatives: Here are a few more possibilities…

Have a few backup filters on hand. LifeStraws are small, inexpensive, and can filter up to 250 gallons of water.
Make sure you have plenty of water purification pills on hand. It’s ideal for bug-out bags.
Bring the water to a fast boil and keep it there for at least a minute.
The water should be distilled. Although it will take some time, the distilled water will be safe to consume.
Make your own filtration system with rocks, sand, charcoal, and grass.

You Have No Fire Starting Supplies

The role of fire is critical. It’s required for cooking, boiling water, and potentially staying warm. But what if your lighters, matches, or flint and steel go missing?

Solution: Experiment with different ways to create a fire. They’re a lot more difficult and take a lot more time, effort, and patience, but you might not have a choice. There are a few options….

• Other rudimentary methods, such as the hand drill and the bow drill, can be learned. More information can be found here.
• Use a battery, steel wool, or gum wrapper to solve the problem. In this video, both ways are explained.
• Use a full water bottle with the sun reflecting through it to aim at a tinder bundle

Your Glasses Break

This is crucial since you must be able to see. I’m rather worthless without my glasses or contacts, to be honest. It would be difficult to survive in a post-SHTF world if you were half-blind.

Solution: Make a couple of backups and store them in different locations in case one is lost or you can’t access it. Don’t be hesitant to get a few pairs of used glasses. It’s also a good idea to have an eyeglass repair kit available. Making pinhole glasses is another alternative. This page has extra information on how to prepare for persons who use glasses.

Flashlight Doesn’t Work

You don’t want to spend every evening in the dark, especially if you have things to do. So, what should you do if your batteries run out?

Solution: Have a backup lighting system in place. Other than flashlights, there are numerous options in this article. Make your own candle if you don’t have any backup lights. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways…

• A wick made of toilet paper can be inserted into the centre of a stick of butter to turn it into a candle.
• Wrap a couple crayons together with duct tape. You may make a quick candle by wrapping the paper around the crayons and lighting it.
• Puncture a hole in a can of tuna, insert a thick string, and light it. After that, you can consume the tuna.

Cash Is No Longer King

Around the world, hyperinflation has occurred dozens of times. And, given how central banks continue to inject new money into their economies, it’s possible that it will happen in your country next.

Have some barter products on hand as a solution. Toilet paper, water, food, medical supplies, alcohol, lighters, and other items that are both portable and practical. If hyperinflation occurs, bartering will be far more effective than cash. Consider stocking up on jewelry and precious metals as well.

Rain and Snow

It’s critical to stay as dry as possible while it’s cold outside. When you become wet, your body temperature drops, making you prone to hypothermia.

Solution: Use bread sacks, rubbish bags, or shopping bags to cover your shoes. If you don’t have a poncho, use a rubbish bag. You can also use newspaper between your clothing and your skin to keep damp clothes off your skin and provide insulation. It’s not the most pleasant option, but it’s certainly preferable to freezing.

Your compass Breaks

Although this site is oriented toward city dwellers, there are numerous instances in which you may be compelled to bug out. What if you become disoriented and your compass stops working?

Solution: Expand your horizons when it comes to judging direction. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways…

• Push a 3-foot stick into a flat patch of ground if you have access to direct sunlight. Place a rock at the shadow’s end. Wait a few moments, then position another rock at the shadow’s tip. The first rock is to the west, while the second is to the east.
• As a compass, use an analogue watch. To find out how, read this article.
• Look at the moon at night. Imagine a line running from the top tip to the bottom tip and all the way down to the horizon if it’s a crescent. Wherever the line touches the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere is south.
• Find Polaris if the moon isn’t a crescent (also known as the North Star). It can be found directly above the big dipper and at the end of the handle of the little dipper.

No More Toilet Paper

Even if you have a closet full of additional toilet paper, you may run out if the calamity lasts long enough. There’s also the possibility that your toilet paper will be destroyed by a fire, flood, storm, or another natural disaster. What would you do if any of the above scenarios occurred?

Here are several variations to the Lost Ways video…

• T-shirts that are old and clean are ideal. They can even be washed and reused, similar to cloth diapers.
• Socks with a lot of holes that need to be fixed. You were going to dispose of them anyway.
• The newspaper that has been soaked in water for several hours. It won’t be very comfy if it’s dry.
• A spray bottle with water in it. It isn’t perfect, but it might work.

Boredom Hits

It’s possible. You can find yourself with a lot of free time depending on the type of disaster you’re dealing with. If all you have is a long power outage or are snowed in during a blizzard, for example, you’re going to have some long, boring evenings with nothing to do. Unless…

Solution: Stock up on non-electrical types of entertainment. Books, board games, a deck of cards, acoustic instruments, and other similar items are examples. Get colouring books and crayons, jigsaw puzzles, and non-battery operated toys if you have children. Cars and dolls are oldies but favourites that can keep kids entertained for hours.