Here's the latest from Bardou, the "Not so Frugal Gourmet" :

"You are mistaken about getting 6 months worth of food and supplies for under $1,000. Please don't embarass yourself like this because you and everyone else here knows it can't be done for $1,000."

I'm not embarrased at all, because I'm not a sucker. I've got PLENTY of food for a LOT less than $1000.

And Bardou, if you know anyone who is willing to pay me $1000 for a 6 month supply, I'll be GLAD to set them up!!!

-- @ (@@@.@), March 28, 1999

Answers

Do you think @ has gone out and bought extra Chlorox -- 5.25% sodium hypochlorite -- yet?

-- Aqua (bleach@for.water), March 28, 1999.

@...let it rest, man! She already apologized on another thread. Yes, I agree you can stock up on food and water for a 6 month stint for <$1000....but not and get everything else you may need. The way Paul was talking, he had nothing. He needs so darn much in a short period of time that 1000 just won't cover ALL he needs (not just food). No, he doesn't need a generator, 20,000 rounds of ammo and a 50 cal on his roof. He does need some type of protection, some form of heat, some form of water purification, some form of waste disposal etc. I totalled up what I have for a 6 month stint -- about 2800. OK?

-- Lobo (atthelair@yahoo.com), March 28, 1999.

At the local Grain warehouse I purchased about 3 years of food for $1000. This consisted of about 700 pounds of all kinds of beans, rice, wheat, several kinds of cereals( 50 LBS oatmeal $14.50, 50LBS Cream of Wheat $15. 50LBS Grits $10.50, etc). If you buy at your local grocery store, you get ripped off! Look for bulk food grain warehouses!!!

-- smitty (smitty@sandiego.com), March 28, 1999.

Aqua,

Bleach? - you gotta be kidding! - 99 cents a gallon and you need one drop in a gallon of water. O my God I'll never be able to afford that!

-- @ (@@@.@), March 28, 1999.

@@@: Nowhere did I say anyone was dead meat if they didn't have a $1,000. I said you can't purchase everything you need (the basics) for $1,000. Anyone can out out and purchase rice, beans, and grains, but that's ALL your going to eat! As a matter of fact, I know someone personally who contributes to this BB who claims he can do it for $75.00 per person for a whole year with just rice, beans, and grains. However, this person neglected to tell you all the other money he has spent to get prepared. In his particular situation, he is desperate for water, his well is 460 feet deep and it pumps 5 gallons per minute. He has another well dug at an expense of $4,000, the well WAS DRY! What a sick feeling he had, because now he has to rely on one well and how is he going to get water? So now he is going to purchase a windmill to pump the water which is another major expense. He has also purchased a Petromax lantern, a grain grinder from Lehmans, a wood burning cookstove from Lehmans, guns, ammo, water drums for storage, 50 gallon drums for diesel fuel storage, canning equipment, plans to purchase 20 cords of wood, plus he cans soups, veggies, etc. So really, my friend isn't surviving on $75.00 a year because it has cost him a bundle of money! What started this whole thing @@@ is Paul Rogers claimed he was a newbie and only had $1,000 to spend to get ready. He did not say how many people, for how long, what items he needed to purchase, nothing about his situation and what he felt he needed to get ready. That being said, I said it was too late for him and he didn't have enough money. Everyone's level of buying power and inventory is different. My biggest expense has been food because I am buying for 6 adults. My biggest concern is water which I plan to have that under control very quickly. I'm not going to argue with you about being prepared for $1,000 for 6 months because it can't be done. If you go back and read the lists that several people put together on what Paul needed, I would like to see someone do it for $1,000. And we're not just talking about food either. There's warm clothing for the winter, heating, water and containers, medical supplies, TP, lighting, self defense, etc. Been at it for 1-1/2 years so I know what it takes and the expense of it.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), March 28, 1999.

How much you have to spend to prepare for Y2K depends entirely upon your regular life-style and Y2K position. We have a well that we're converting to free-flowing as soon as the ground thaws. We have a few hundred quarts of home-canned food head-start. Wood enough for all next winter. 120 acres mixed fields/woods with a trout stream. Plenty of warm clothes. Plenty of old tools scattered among the out-buildings. Basic farm guns. Neighbor a big steam-engine buff with generators he can hook to them. Etc. None of that was Y2K prep, just normal life. What we need to spend in order to feel comfortable with the possibilities is far less than what most others would be advised to spend. So far we are under the $1000 mark, though we'll pass it soon and likely double it. The whole family is GI, though not all thinking at the same level. I am guessing a 6 or 7, but we're preparing for up to an 8 or 9. If we wanted to prepare for a 10 we'd need to spend roughly $50,000 more, and spend it in ways that would be mostly wasted in lesser events. If all we'd wanted to prepare for was a 6 or 7, we wouldn't have needed to spend anything.

-- Steve Hartzler (s.hartzler@usa.net), March 28, 1999.

Food really isn't the issue. For $1000, 2 or 3 people can eat very well indeed for a year, and not have to suffer a monotonous diet. If your preparations consist of food only, though, that sounds kind of limited.

Consider: the glasses I'm wearing are just fine -- and absolutely essential! Without them, I could hardly *find* my stored food, much less read any labels. They also happen to be the only pair of glasses I own.

To be properly prepared, should I have a functional set of backup glasses? Or should I take the chance that either nothing will happen to the pair I have, or that there will never be a period of time during which I can't get these replaced? If I don't want to risk being near-blind, I'm looking at about $200. Is the risk worth $200? (I've done a lot of shopping around, too)

This is only one of many many items to consider in addition to food. Another issue is quality in general. By hitting garage sales, you can get quite a few supply items cheaply, but a lot of it is barely functional near-junk that you'd only throw away if you didn't need it. Are such 'savings' really cost effective?

bardou is absolutely right. If you're starting from scratch and serious about being prepared, $1000 is a drop in the bucket.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 28, 1999.

Both Flint AND bardou are absolutely right.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), March 28, 1999.

Flint, If its any consolation you won't be the only one who will be as blind as a bat without glasses!I'm going to get a spare pair with those unbreakable lens & spring- loaded arms.This year I will not be donating my old pair to the third world,either.

How's your teeth ????

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), March 28, 1999.

bardou,

Steve is right that it depends on what you are use to living with and what you feel is necessary. Perhaps I am biased because I wasn't raised with a silver spoon in my mouth. In addition to $300, which is more than enough for 6 months of food, Paul could purchase the following and be just fine:

1 propane heater/cooker - $40

1 propane lantern - $20

6 (doz.) cases propane cannisters - $120

12 double rolls toilet paper - $5

Basic medical supplies - $30

Water containers - free

12 gauge pump shotgun - $100

Few dozen shells - $20

Miscellaneous - $40

SUBTOTAL $375 FOOD $300

GRAND TOTAL - $675

This is assuming he even wants to have a gun which most people do not, in which case the total is only $555. $1000 should be more than enough unless you are planning on staying at the Ritz Carlton!

-- @ (@@@.@), March 28, 1999.

Damn, give me your secret. I have already spent over $40,000.00 on food prep. What did I do wrong? Maybe I should not have prepared for a lifetime. If its a ten, I live to old age. If its a six you all get to live with the feds or the worms.

-- nottelling (nottelling@you.com), March 28, 1999.

@@@: Would you please share with us where you shop to obtain these items at that price? P.S. We don't know anything about Paul and I don't think Paul was born with a silver spoon in his mouth nor was I.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), March 28, 1999.

Sure, I'd be happy too. You don't need to go to some kind of special survivalist store to get this stuff, because they rip you off. Just watch for sales at your basic discount stores. I get most of my stuff at Target, KMart, WalMart, and Shopko. Right now, one of them has the propane cannisters on sale for 1.69 (think either Kmart or Target). I got the propane lantern on sale for 19.97 with case. My grocery store is selling the 12 pack of double rolls of TP, for I believe it is $3.88. Until everyone else freaks out you can still get good prices.

I did not say that you were born with a silver spoon, just that I wasn't. And I'm not saying there is anything wrong with spending a lot of money - I would too if I had it. I simply want Paul to know that it is not too late to be well prepared if he spends his money wisely.

-- @ (@@@.@), March 28, 1999.

Oh - also, here is a very good link for anyone interested in guns that doesn't already know about it. Used and New, every kind you can think of, ranging in price anywhere from about $50 to $5000. They've got EVERYTHING!

http://www.gunsamerica.com/

Try the "custom search" link at the bottom of the page if you know your price range and what you want. Good luck!

-- @ (@@@.@), March 28, 1999.