I have a friend who used to buy a year's worth of non-perishable household items every January, both to simplify her shopping needs and also in case of power outages, weather, etc. I thought it was a pretty smart idea and probably a money-saving one, too. She had a closet specifically to store it.
That's a good idea,Zippy! Think I might try something like that.
As a matter of course we have enough random food for at least a month. It'd not likely be nutritionally balanced, and we'd surely get tired of some of the things but we'd survive. And we have a propane grill on which to cook even if the gas lines go out and always have a full propane tank as backup. We also have enough water for at least two weeks including flushing the toilet at least once a day. (years ago we found several 3 gallon jugs that we brought home, filled and keep in our downstairs storage room. I've never changed the water but it'd be fine for flushing). The problem for us in planning for a true major emergency is that the most likely emergency we face is an earthquake. Our apartment is in a fairly new building so hopefully it would survive without major damage, but who knows. Additionally if the earthquake happens when one, or both, of us isn't home we may not be able to get back here.
I have family in the Bay Area and I think about earthquakes there too.
Besides skills that Bae mentioned making do goes a long way. Can you grow any food? Can you boil water and heat things up without power? Can you walk several miles? Have a serviceable bike that you can ride? Good working radio and a way to purify water? Hunt or fish?
I remember Y2K when people were stocking up on huge bags of rice, beans, flour and so on. I often wondered how they planned to cook it long term.
Can't walk long distances any more. I concentrate on doing things at home. Growing sprouts uses very little water. Never could hunt or fish but we eat mostly vegan now.
Y2K was when we got our solar oven.
I am not a real prepper by any means, I have studied those sites. I refuse to go without things that I feel I need to make me happy. So not a real minimalist either. I feel I am good enough at both those titles however.
I think one can be both, being prepared for what may be is not wasteful.
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