When Do You Stop Prepping?

[monks]

I quit prepping when I reached the realization that it was consuming me, the futility of most of it and the reality that I'm going to die anyway. I'm not saying I don't have some supplies and some food stuck back. You'd have to be stupid to not be somewhat prepared for life, but I don't have loads of food/gear/stuff that can't be moved with my mid size truck. I guess maybe quit is a strong word, I actually changed my focus. My focus is now on spending time and giving attention to my wife and family and growing in my faith/following Christ. A lot of the time these days I feel like a salmon swimming up the river. I know time is getting shorter and I'm starting to break down, but instead of being in despair as many do I have replaced that with hope for the future. It's transformed my life and given me a better outlook.

 

[Camelfilter]

When Do You Stop Prepping?

When you think your done.

Because, you're doing such for you & yours (whomever they may be). No one else.

We're no where near thinking we're done.

Then, there is the maintenance & management of property, animals (if folks have them), plus replacement of consumables…etc etc

 

[CountryGent]

@monks I get where you are coming from. Some very serious stuff, in many different spheres of life, going down in the late five or so years has made me reevaluate a great many things. One biggie of the aforementioned involved a lot of folks in my world shuffling off this mortal coil. I made the decision some time back to focus on three Fs: Faith, Family, and Fitness. It is an ongoing process and there are ups and downs, but overall I have zero doubt it is the right direction. The outlook has impacted the how, what, and when of preparedness, for sure.

 

[stratbastard]

I used to have maybe a dozen loved ones to take under my wing were the worst to occur. I was the mad prepper LOL. At 68, a lot of those people have either expired or grown up and moved away. As I rotate my preps, I find I am downsizing it significantly. It still served its purpose as an insurance policy all those years.

 

[MannyGlocks]

Some of the more 'prepper obsessed' could spend more time enjoying life 'as is', but instead, go bonkers with what 'might happen'...

 

[Mono1]

Some of the more 'prepper obsessed' could spend more time enjoying life 'as is', but instead, go bonkers with what 'might happen'...

Hey Hey Hey now...

 

[nothanyelljenk]

I'm 59. I have no children. I have enough fishing gear (and boats) to fish out my days. I have too much ammo for the guns I have, and could cull a third of my calibers, but want to add a few more
Prepping is a spectrum, right? I think I have been prepping since I was a little kid. I've always rationalized that my bubblegum had "value" like I was putting stuff in the bank. I think I'm getting to that purging age where I want to downsize and thinking about leaving a mess when I'm gone. I feel more and more like the value I have put on my stuff is not nearly equal to value to others.

Not sure what I'm saying here, but maybe prepping is for future thinkers and I'm running out of future? Not to be too morbid. I say this in very weird political times.

Anyway, my thoughts on prepping are changing with age and I worry more about my Gen Z nieces than more than myself.

You don't stop it's a life long thing

 

[stratbastard]

You don't stop it's a life long thing

It is. I just have to prep now for 3 people, not a dozen. People expire or grow up and move. But I still do it for those under my wing who are left.

 

[FnM]

I'm 59. I have no children. I have enough fishing gear (and boats) to fish out my days. I have too much ammo for the guns I have, and could cull a third of my calibers, but want to add a few more
Prepping is a spectrum, right? I think I have been prepping since I was a little kid. I've always rationalized that my bubblegum had "value" like I was putting stuff in the bank. I think I'm getting to that purging age where I want to downsize and thinking about leaving a mess when I'm gone. I feel more and more like the value I have put on my stuff is not nearly equal to value to others.

Not sure what I'm saying here, but maybe prepping is for future thinkers and I'm running out of future? Not to be too morbid. I say this in very weird political times.

Anyway, my thoughts on prepping are changing with age and I worry more about my Gen Z nieces than more than myself.

I think you answered your own question.
We spend 75% of our life collecting bubblegum we never use and 25% of our life getting rid of it.

Using that math hold on to 25% of your bubblegum and spend the remaining time you have have paying forward to the community all that you have learned and which likely will help them survive the disaster with help from others took the initiative in an effort to preserve our way of life.

Don't give away your bubblegum! Hell no. Sell it at top dollar if you can but sell it.

If you have a healthy sum of capital spend liberally and live large while you still can.
It's just rewards and contributes to the health of the economy. The problem with the the top earners is not their wealth but in the fact they spend disproportionately less and enable sloth for those survived by them. Discourage dependency and empower those who can toward independence and the values which contributed to your successes. Philanthropy is an industry of corruption. Community takes care of its own if well cultivated. Sub contractors will abuse that potential at every turn.

 

[P7M13]

I'll stop prepping when I'm dead.
What has surprised me in the past year is how my prepping has adapted to the changing circumstances in my life. Some things I cycled through I no longer restock, new tools to ease wrenching on stuff, etc.

 

[ma96782]

When to stop?

"When the stinky stuff hits the electric rotary device?"

(insert your favorite meme picture here).

Well......maybe......not really.
But, then again.......it might just be too late by that time.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Ahkeeelyha]

I'm 59. I have no children. I have enough fishing gear (and boats) to fish out my days. I have too much ammo for the guns I have, and could cull a third of my calibers, but want to add a few more
Prepping is a spectrum, right? I think I have been prepping since I was a little kid. I've always rationalized that my bubblegum had "value" like I was putting stuff in the bank. I think I'm getting to that purging age where I want to downsize and thinking about leaving a mess when I'm gone. I feel more and more like the value I have put on my stuff is not nearly equal to value to others.

Not sure what I'm saying here, but maybe prepping is for future thinkers and I'm running out of future? Not to be too morbid. I say this in very weird political times.

Anyway, my thoughts on prepping are changing with age and I worry more about my Gen Z nieces than more than myself.

So, my moms husband died, and we have a SH*TLOAD of ammo!! We don't know WHAT he was planning on, but I'm thinking of having a sale, How come you bought SO MUCH ammo? I'm ex-military, so I do understand the need for ammo. But, not endless rounds of 22 long rifle. Ugh! He's got, or had, rather, some real nice guns. I took the Sig, but I guess I'll whirl the others, on here.

 

[Ahkeeelyha]

I'll stop prepping when I'm dead.
What has surprised me in the past year is how my prepping has adapted to the changing circumstances in my life. Some things I cycled through I no longer restock, new tools to ease wrenching on stuff, etc.

I just started. But, I got the 4 Patriots deal, and the vegetarian one, as well. Lifestraws, fire starter. I'm just going to keep adding, as funds allow. Any suggestions?

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

But, not endless rounds of 22 long rifle.

There have been a few times in the last 10 or 15 years when 22lr prices have fluctuated widely, maybe he was buying it cheep waiting for the next swing?

 

[Camelfilter]

So, my moms husband died, and we have a SH*TLOAD of ammo!! We don't know WHAT he was planning on, but I'm thinking of having a sale, How come you bought SO MUCH ammo? I'm ex-military, so I do understand the need for ammo. But, not endless rounds of 22 long rifle. Ugh! He's got, or had, rather, some real nice guns. I took the Sig, but I guess I'll whirl the others, on here.

Sorry to hear if your loss!

"So MUCH ammo?" is incredibly subjective.

Any number of reasons he bought so much. Particularly rimfire. Especially if he enjoyed shooting rimfire. Or perhaps may have been considering shooting with family. It's really easy to shoot up a bunch while having fun!

Then there is the precision side of things rimfire. If he was into such, or considering getting into such.

Then there is the "run/blight" aspect as @VinnieBoomBah mentions above. Where ammo simply wasn't available. In anything worthwhile shooting, or if worthwhile ammo was available it was pretty much cost prohibitive for most folks.

Regardless of whatever reason he bought a bunch, or no reason at all (this is still the USA after all), consider such as a well meaning gift. For you all to do as you wish.

 

[stratbastard]

I just started. But, I got the 4 Patriots deal, and the vegetarian one, as well. Lifestraws, fire starter. I'm just going to keep adding, as funds allow. Any suggestions?

Exactly how I started years and years ago. I Bought all the circus slum advertised to sell to newbies. But you got started... kudos to you! That's all that counts! Now you learn as you go. I stopped buying the buckets and envelopes of pre-prepared freeze dried stuff like Patriots and Wise early on once I learned what they contained. Graduated to building a pantry and rotating it. Look for leader items: sometimes a store will have a sale on an item ridiculously cheap to bring people in the store... an item they may even lose money on. Overall sales go up though, so it's a common practice. If a store chain had a sale on, say, albacore high quality tuna for half price, I would buy the limit (often maybe 12 cans), go to the other store across town and buy them there too. Then come back each day. Fill my pantry with high quality food. Then rotate as I go, using it to eat and replacing it as I go. That goes for chili, beef stew, green beans... you get the idea. I did the bulk bucket with mylar bags thing too... getting stuff like flour or salt dirt cheap at the Winco bulk food barrels. I got in the habit of buying at least a couple of things for the pantry every time I went to the store. It becomes a habit... and about 2 years in, you discover you have a substantial supply set aside. Food. Coffee. Water. Liquor. Ammo. You got started. There's nowhere to go but up from here. Good for you!

 

[Camelfilter]

...The homeless on the street know far more about resiliency than 99% of preppers.

That is the cold truth...

That only remains true within normalcy. Where there are resources which allow for houseless populations to exist.

Remove those resources, and houseless populations can not survive. Those houseless populations then become refugees. Never be a refugee...